Page 6 of Rock Giant

“Babe.I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine.”She’d people watched, not that she communicated that.There didn’t seem much point.“I got settled.”

His brows knotted, and he cast her abode a suspect glance.“You’re moving onto the bus though, right?”

“It gives us options, and the cats needed to stretch their legs.”

“The cats… Aye, right.Always forget about your monsters.”

He gave her another squeeze, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.Nash wasn’t a cat person.He tolerated her wee bundles of fluff but had never wrapped his head around her enduring love for them, or how she’d spend her hard-earned pennies on making sure they were fed, watered, and wormed ahead of her own comfort.

“What kept you?And what’s with the eyeliner?”

While his hair had always been on the longer side, particularly on top, she’d never seen him even moisturise before, let alone don make-up.

“I’m just trialling it.The fans go wild for this sort of thing, so…”

She’d figured that much.“As long as it’s still you underneath it.”

“Course.”He gave her what she interpreted as a shoulderless shrug, then beamed at her and went so far as to snatch her up in an unexpected hug.“We’ve hit the sodding jackpot, Jo.You’re never gonna believe who we’re touring with.”

She wouldn’t guess because she was still hopelessly out of touch with the music scene beyond a couple of favourites acts.“Who?”

“I told you we all thought Harry had something up his sleeve.Turns out it was bigger than we imagined.”

His grin was eating his face now, prompting her to smile too even as her insides roiled with anxiety.If they were touring, and he’d only just confirmed that for definite, then what did that mean for her… for them?More time apart?

“It’s not just gonna be UK dates.”They’d been hoping for some European shows too, but apparently, they weren’t quite so easy to score post Brexit.

“We’re going worldwide, Jo!Us.Me, you, the guys… It’s major.It’s fucking amazing.We are so made.”

“So, who is it you’re supporting?Not Hammerjang or Trollforge, like you thought?”

He made a rude noise.“Small fry.We’re bigger than both.Harry’s only gone and fucking secured us a ride with Black Halo.BlackfuckingHalo, Jo!Not just for a few shows either, the rest of their European tour, with the possibility of it becoming the whole last leg.Eight months of dates across the globe.”He rattled off a string of countries.“What do you think to that?”

Her heart made a panicked flutter, like it wanted to break out of her ribcage and fly off.“That’s amazing,” she croaked, and buried her face against his chest so he wouldn’t see her panic.

Black Halo.Of all the bands… Of all the fucking bands in the world it had to be that one.Not that it mattered.She wouldn’t meet them, and it wasn’t like the other party was likely to remember her.He’d probably forgotten all about her and their adventures together.Black Halo’s bass-player, Rock Giant…Paul Reed…He’d certainly never attempted to get in touch despite her leaving her number.Not that it mattered, or that she’d expected any other sort of treatment from a rock star.She’d been a night’s entertainment, no more.But she’d liked him.Genuinely liked him.That was the real kick in the teeth.

Fact was, half the population were complete arseholes, and being a rock star didn’t exempt you from that.It probably made you an even bigger one.Not that it mattered.That was the past.One she’d moved on from.Her future was set.Her and Nash.Nash and her.As evidenced by the hulking great rock on her finger.

Nash had been saying something, and she hadn’t caught it.

“…wedding.I don’t want to, but if we’re touring...”

“Eight months isn’t that long.There’s no rush.”Even as she said it, she got an itch in her bladder.It’d be hell.It was an eternity.

“Babe, it’s an age.Too long by far until I can make you Mrs Nash.”

Actually, she was planning on being Mrs Castle, but that was a conversation for another day.

“I’ve an idea.”

Was she ready for ideas?The tour news was still reverberating and causing her stomach to cramp.

“There’s a ring of standing stones just over there.”He nodded his head in a vaguely leftwards direction.“Seems it’s the equinox or something tonight.”

Duh.“It’s in the festival name.”