Sun, Sea and Sangria Page 2

  When I get to Andrea’s bar my insides are twisted in all kinds of knots. In the heat of the moment when I’d invited that guy in for an audition, I wasn’t thinking. If he turns up and does a routine and he’s really bad, I’ll feel terrible for giving him false hope.

  A cheerful hello breaks through my anxious thoughts.

  ‘Jay, you made it,’ I say, forcing a smile. He’s wearing jeans and a plain white tee and there’s a khaki bag slung over his shoulder. He’s got a certain Channing Tatum look going on – I can definitely picture those promo posters.

  He shuffles awkwardly and points to the small dance floor area. ‘Should I just get straight to it?’

  ‘Yes please, then we’ll chat after. I have the music set up ready to go when you’re ready.’

  He’s nervous, I can tell. I don’t think he’s done this before and I have butterflies on his behalf. Plenty of blokes think they can dance and look sexy simultaneously but it’s not as easy as it looks. Oh God, I’ve been here before with blokes who think they can but really can’t. As the music starts, I’m braced for something terrible.

  He walks forwards bending his knees to the beat with each stride, tugging down on the hem of his T-shirt as he does. It’s not dancing but he’s got presence.

  Then, he tears the T-shirt down the front exposing his smooth, tanned chest then throws the tattered tee to the ground. I almost gasp. I don’t know why; I watch the guys do this every night. I suppose I just wasn’t expecting it. Then he jumps down into a one-armed push up and turns it into a humping action, then he leaps in the air and does a backflip – all in time to the music. It definitely grabs my attention and I thought I was immune to all things hot-guy.

  When he finishes, he picks up the tattered remains of his T-shirt and dabs the sheen from his forehead and neck before looking at me sheepishly.

  ‘That’s pretty much it,’ he says.

  ‘Have you danced like this before?’ I ask.

  He shakes his head. ‘No, I did gymnastics as a kid and a bit of street dancing when I was a teenager but mostly, I just watched a load of YouTube videos this morning.’

  I smile at his honesty. ‘Well, you pulled it off. You did well.’

  He breathes a sigh of relief and his body visibly relaxes. ‘So, did I make the all-famous Heavenly Hunks?’

  I ponder this. A few minutes ago I was certain he wasn’t right for us, but now I’m on the verge of sacking the guys and having him as a solo act. I have to be sure that it’s my brain and not my very distracted eyes that wants this guy. I’ve calculated the costs – we can afford him and it will give us a new edge. His brow is furrowed; I’m torturing him here. ‘How about a month’s trial to see how you get on?’

  He smiles and I notice a clean, straight set of teeth and those dimples again. ‘Sounds good.’

  ‘Great, I’ll go over all the details with you, contracts and whatnot, and then you might as well stay on and rehearse. We’ll introduce you into the show tonight if you’re up for it?’

  The rest of the Hunks start to pile in and Andrea breezes over in a multi-coloured, floor-length kaftan and hugs me. Her musky perfume envelops me as her long, wavy blonde hair tickles my face. ‘Kat, my dear, it’s so good to see you.’

  ‘You too, Andri.’

  I turn to Jay. ‘If you want to stay for the rehearsal, we can try and squeeze you into a small part of the show in Playa de las Americas tonight if you like?’

  ‘I’d love to.’ He’s visibility excited.

  ‘Grab a drink and you can meet the guys,’ I say, and he walks over to a table where Andrea has placed some iced water.

  ‘So, a private show hey?’ she says, giving me a wink. ‘Does he do them for all the girls?’

  ‘It was an audition,’ I say drily. ‘I’m thinking about expanding the group and making the Heavenly Hunks even bigger and better than we already are.’

  ‘Well the more hot guys you want to bring into my bar, the better.’ She flashes me a grin. ‘I actually thought he might have been your date.’

  ‘What, in the middle of the afternoon to a bar that isn’t open yet? Give me some credit. Besides, you know I don’t date.’

  She shrugs. ‘I thought perhaps you’d changed your mind – that’s all.’

  I roll my eyes. ‘No, I haven’t.’

  ‘Noted. I’ll feel less guilty about ogling the new guy then.’ She grins.

  ‘You’re still married,’ I remind her, laughing.

  ‘And I’ve done nothing wrong.’ With that, she disappears.

  ‘Okay,’ I shout to the Hunks who are in the process of welcoming Jay. ‘Let’s get this show on the road.’

  Chapter 4

  On stage, each dancer is honed to perfection, but something about Jay catches my eye. Obviously, he had the full-body appraisal in his audition earlier, but to my shame, I’d taken little notice of his face other than a fleeting acknowledgement of his celebrity doppelgänger. His flawless tanned skin looks like caramel under the light and his jaw is chiselled to perfection. Even from a distance, you can see a depth in his eyes. As he dances, I’m drawn to him. I can’t tear my eyes away no matter how hard I try. There’s a tattoo, a quote of some sort, on his inner bicep that wraps itself around and emphasises his muscles. I wish I could read it.

  He’s a bit older than the rest; maybe that is what’s making me feel so captivated. There’s a maturity in him that I don’t see in the others – like each fine line on his face tells a story of something deeper. It makes me feel weird. I don’t look at the dancers this way; it’s wrong. In the end, I convince myself that I’m watching in a professional capacity – I have to see how the new guy gets on and get a feel for the audience perception; nothing more.

  The cameraman I’ve hired to get some new promotional shots of the Hunks stays behind to give me a flavour of what he’s captured. He’s taken reportage-style shots so they’re not posed. Instead, he’s captured the Hunks doing what they do best – showcasing their talents on stage whilst looking good. Ignoring the hideous photos of me (think shiny face and hair plastered to my head), I think we’ve got some great material. I’m excited about making the Hunks an even bigger name in the Canaries.

  ***

  ‘Jay!’ I exhale, loudly. ‘For fuck’s sake stop sneaking up on me in the early hours.’ After Jay’s first show, we’d gone for a drink not far from where we live to celebrate but now I’m ready for home.

  ‘Sorry, Kat, I didn’t mean to scare you. I found these in the dressing room and thought they might be important.’

  I glance at the clear squidgy things in his hands and almost drop dead with embarrassment.

  ‘Thanks,’ I say, as heat floods my cheeks.

  ‘What even are they?’

  I swallow hard and croak, ‘Chicken fillets.’

  His brow furrows with confusion. Seriously, what person has never seen these before and why are my cheeks hot? The guys all know I wear these on stage.

  ‘You put them in your bra and they give you a bit of extra va-va-voom. It’s part of my stage persona.’

  ‘Ahh.’ He glances away and I think the awkwardness is over.

  ‘But why?’

  Okay, the awkwardness is not over.

  ‘Just to give me a bit of shape while I’m on stage.’ I can’t believe I’m explaining gel breast enhancers to one of my employees whom I barely know. I look at the sky, wishing a giant meteorite would hurtle down from space and land on me.

  ‘Ahh.’ He nods. ‘Well, you don’t need them. You have a great figure.’

  Seriously, a meteorite, please!

  I swallow hard and it takes me a second or two to compose myself. In future, I’m booking a taxi to take me home after a show to avoid any more run-ins like this.

  ‘At least one of you is heading home,’ I say changing the subject. ‘Where are the others?’

  ‘Hugo left with a couple of older women, and Pauw went home with his partner, Phil. Ant was with Sammy drinking cocktails in the bar with an
attractive brunette, and I haven’t seen Marcus since the hotel foyer.’

  I roll my eyes. ‘Typical. So how come you’re heading home? It sounds like the night is just getting started for the others.’

  ‘I’m just obeying orders,’ he says, fluttering his eyelids in an attempt to look virtuous.

  ‘We’ve another gig tomorrow but I said you could go for one drink.’

  ‘I know. I just need my beauty sleep.’

  ‘Is that so?’ I give him a sideways look. This is the first glimpse I’ve had of his sense of humour and for some reason, it surprises me. What else do I need to know other than how his muscles make his T-shirt strain and how his intense brown eyes can cause a lower-abdominal stir in the back of a crowded auditorium?

  ‘Do you always go home alone?’ he asks.

  ‘That’s a bit personal.’

  He laughs softly. ‘I don’t mean like that. I meant … don’t you mind wandering the streets by yourself at this hour?’

  ‘I’m used to it.’

  ‘I get it. It’s the twenty-first century, you’re a modern, independent woman who doesn’t need a chaperone—’ I cut him off with a warning glance and he holds his hands up in surrender. ‘All I’m saying is I might appreciate someone walking me home at night. That guy with the smoothie the other day was pretty dodgy-looking.’

  Nice backtracking.

  ‘If you’re feeling vulnerable, I’d be happy to walk you home.’ I humour him even though he’ll be out until all hours having fun with the rest of them in no time at all, once he realises his soon to be acquired ‘minor celebrity status’.

  ‘You did well tonight,’ I say. He did too. I must admit I was on tenterhooks putting him up there after only one rehearsal. He only danced to one track – right at the end – but I was nervous as heck as he went on stage. I needn’t have worried: the crowd seemed to love him.

  ‘Thanks, Kat. When I saw all those screaming women, I was terrified going out there.’

  ‘Those YouTube videos have really paid off,’ I tease.

  We walk in silence for a little while, and I ease into the feeling of having company on a walk I’m so used to doing alone. My ears still have a soft ringing in them from the loud music of the show, so it feels good to let them recover.

  ‘So, Kat, how come you’re not out hitting the bars and chatting up the fellas?’ Jay asks unexpectedly. Initially, I bristle, then relax. Somehow, his northern accent – he’s from Manchester, I think – makes him sound friendly and cheeky rather than too direct. Besides, he doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know this is a topic that’s not up for discussion.

  ‘I’m here to focus on the business. There isn’t time for much else, and I have my work cut out playing mum to the guys. Do you know I had to show some of them how to use a laundrette?’

  Jay shakes his head and laughs softly.

  ‘I can’t really be doing with another man in my life,’ I say honestly.

  Fair enough,’ he says.

  ‘So what brings you to Tenerife anyway? The world-class entertainment?’ I ask, glad to get the focus off me.

  ‘Nah, I’m just here for the career prospects.’

  I look at him with a raised eyebrow.

  ‘To be honest, I’m here for a quiet life. I didn’t have all that much to stay in the UK for, and I love the sunshine, the dancing and the buzz of being on stage. During the day, I’m happy just reading by the pool. Boring really, aren’t I?’ He laughs.

  I smile. ‘Only as boring as me.’

  We arrive at the budget apartment complex that we use as our base here in Tenerife.

  ‘Right, see you tomorrow for the Los Christianos gig,’ I say.

  ‘Night, Kat.’

  When I get inside, I slump on the bed and soak up the thick silence. My stomach churns with unease. I haven’t thought about him in a very long time and I don’t know if I want to pace around the room or crawl under the covers and hide. After all these years, how can he still have this effect on me?

  ***

  The warmth of love is consuming. My muscles absorb it. It courses through my veins, soaks into my bones and fills up any hollow cavities it can find. It’s all-encompassing as I lie here with Iain beside me. I’m safe. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Even though he can be a bit possessive and sometimes I sense a hidden darkness in him, a mood that he doesn’t share, I know it’s his insecurity. He worries he’ll lose me, that’s all, and that’s normal, isn’t it? It just means he loves me and that’s a wonderful feeling.

  I understand his fear. I spent so much time feeling like I wasn’t good enough for him that I know what he’s going through. This is love and our love is so strong that the fear of losing one another is too. I almost hyperventilate when I think about losing Iain, so I know exactly how he feels. Once we’re married and he knows I’m his forever, he’ll calm down.

  ***

  I sit bolt upright. Sweat is trickling down my head. I check the time and it’s just after four. I get up and flick on the air-con before getting back into bed. After all these years, Iain is still in my head and I’m annoyed with myself. My marriage ended over eight years ago. Since then I’ve picked myself up, moved away, built a business and I don’t rely on anyone. I like being in charge of the Hunks. It gives me the confidence to be able to be around hot men without feeling inferior – if anything, mothering them makes me feel stronger. I’ve come such a long way since Iain and thinking about him makes my scalp prickle. He doesn’t deserve a place in my memories.

  When I push aside thoughts of Iain, I find myself thinking back to the conversation I had with Jay. It felt weird to be asked about dating twice in one day. It’s been just me for so long and everyone who knows me understands that. I get that Jay is new and I shouldn’t read anything into it, but I can’t help but wonder if he thinks I’m broken. It’s not like I’ve actively avoided men, not in recent years anyway; I’ve just been happy in my own company and haven’t really looked. Nor have I been found.

  Eventually, after much tossing and turning, I manage to drift off.

  Chapter 5

  After the show in Los Christianos, we head to an Indian restaurant for some much-needed post-show sustenance. When the food arrives and we’re happily tucking in, Jay taps his glass to get everybody’s attention. It seems a bit formal and I notice Ant and Marcus raise their eyebrows in surprise. It’s a far cry from the shouting over one another that we’ve become accustomed to.

  ‘I just wanted to say how grateful I am to you all for welcoming me into the Hunks and making me feel so comfortable, especially you, Kat.’ There are murmurs of ‘no worries’ and ‘great to have you on board’ from full mouths all around the table.

  Jay sips his beer. ‘I’m curious, how did you all come to be in the Heavenly Hunks? I saw you guys at the hotel the other night and pretty much chased Kat down the street, but what are your stories?’

  ‘When I first landed in Tenerife, I met Kat in Andrea’s bar – where we do our rehearsals – when I’d gone in looking for work,’ Paul says. ‘Phil and I moved here because we fancied a new life in the sun, and I thought that with my acrobatics skills I’d get a job performing. Andrea told me, rather bluntly, that she already had a DJ and crappy entertainment wasn’t her thing. She didn’t even watch me perform.’ Everyone snickers. ‘Kat was working in the bar there and overheard. She looked me over and said she had an idea. Hugo used to be a stripper and Andrea had let him perform a few times – Kat thought the three of us could put together an exotic dance act that was part brawn, part talent. She said something like “think the Chippendales meets Diversity with a dash of Bruno Mars”. We did small gigs for a while and built up a bit of a following. Then Marcus joined us and we started to really get the crowds going.’

  ‘I was at an utter loss,’ Marcus says. ‘Split up from my girlfriend and came over on a lads’ holiday. I was such a miserable twat and when it came to going home, I just couldn’t bear it. I was working as a joiner for a big housing company
and I was sick of the sight of cheap skirting boards. I’d made up my mind to stay, but I had no idea how I’d afford it. Anyway, I was sat in a bar and these two losers,’ he winks at Paul, ‘appeared on stage with Kat. After the show, I tried to chat her up. When she looked me over, I thought eyup, I’m getting somewhere here. Little did I know she was sizing me up for a part in the Hunks.’ He laughs.

  ‘I didn’t even know you could breakdance then, either,’ I say, laughing along.

  ‘To be fair, I didn’t even know I could still do it.’ He turns to Jay. ‘Throwback from my early teens.’

  ‘What about you, Ant? How did you come to be in the Hunks?’ Jay asks.

  ‘My mum and I moved over here when I was ten. She met a bloke and moved back to England a few years ago, but I was an established Hunk by then. I wasn’t giving that up,’ he winks. ‘Anyway, I was working in a bar and saw a poster – Kat was advertising for an exotic dancer. But my dance expertise was a little unconventional – ballet.’ He coughs over the word to hide it.

  ‘A bloody good one too, and you shouldn’t be embarrassed! Ballet is an art form,’ I interrupt. ‘Sorry, you were saying …’

  ‘You know what the boys are like!’ He laughs. ‘Anyway, I auditioned and Kat figured out a way to make me use my talents and look sexy. The sexy part was pretty easy though.’

  ‘Nob,’ Marcus says, and the others laugh.

  ‘Sammy, how about you?’ Jay asks.

  ‘Nobody wants to hear my story.’ Sam makes an over-the-top cutthroat gesture with his hand.

  ‘Oh come on, I want to hear it more now,’ Jay says.

  ‘I’d been out with the lads, in Playa de las Americas on the bevvies, and we went into this club and these guys came on the stage. Anyway, when “Pony” came on, I jumped on stage and started grinding. A couple of the blokes who worked in the bar came and tried to drag me off stage but I backflipped out of the way. The crowd loved it and thought it was part of the act – women even wanted selfies with me afterwards – so Kat asked me to stay. To be honest, I didn’t have much to go back to in England. I was still living with my folks and I didn’t have a job so I thought I’d do a gap year. That was three years ago.’ He grins.