Ellie pulled on a pair of figure-hugging denim jeans, her black leather boots and a black T-shirt, dabbing expensive perfume on her pulse points. She was nervous about meeting Rory. It had been an age since she’d gone on a date. He seemed self-assured and easy to talk to, and the fact that he was five foot ten and good-looking and reminded her of Ewan McGregor was even better. She’d washed her hair and was glad that she had made the effort to chase home to the flat after work on Friday night to change.
Rory had said that he’d put her on the guest list and seeing the line of fans queuing along the street she walked past them and up to the door. They seemed a good-natured crowd out for a fun night, some wearing Rothko T-shirts. It reminded her of her student days when she had spent two years traipsing around after a guitar player called Steve, who had almost broken her heart. The last she’d heard of him he was married and working as a web designer in Cork.
Inside it was crowded and dark and she hadn’t a clue where Rory might be. Hopefully he would find her, she thought as she surveyed the old dance hall. The patrons were for the most part male with long hair, cropped hair or dyed hair, dressed in leather and denim. A few females tottered around in killer heels, shaking their heads in time to the rhythm of the guitarist on stage as they greeted those around them. Ellie suddenly felt old and alone as she pushed towards the stage. She was mad not to be following her normal Friday night routine of drinks with Fergus and Mary-Claire and Kim.
‘Hey, Ellie!’ called Rory. ‘I was looking for you. I told the guy on the door to give me a shout when you arrived.’
He was standing in front of her looking suitably dishevelled in a Rothko T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Ellie, surprised when he brushed his lips against hers, resisted the urge to kiss him back, blushing when she saw the answering grin on his face. He had got the picture – they liked each other.
‘Come on and I’ll get you a drink. The guys will be on in about twenty minutes. Jules is just the warm-up act.’
She followed him to the bar and sat beside him as he ordered two chilled beers. The band playing weren’t bad and Rory filled her in about Rothko.
‘The band’s starting to get a few plays of this new album, get noticed. They’ve got a loyal fan base and they’re building on it,’ he boasted. ‘I’ll bring you to meet the guys backstage afterwards, OK?’
Rory introduced her to two other couples standing near them and a fantastic-looking girl with long blond hair almost to her waist.
‘This is Jen. She’s Sean the lead singer’s lady.’
Ellie was left chatting with Jen while Rory ran backstage to check all was under control with the band. He reappeared at her side and slipped his arm round her waist.
Minutes later the crowd broke into a roar of welcome as the band strode on stage and plugged in their guitars. The sound reverberated round the hall as everyone went wild and surged forward.
Down low in her stomach Ellie could feel the bass guitar’s notes resonate as Rothko launched into ‘Cloud Chasing’, the lead singer stepping forward, his dark hair swinging over his face as he began. The next hour and a half were great, the band different from others she’d seen. Ellie joined in with the surging mass around her, jumping up and down, heart pumping, sweating and calling for more until the band wound down and played their last song, ‘Profusion’. She joined in the applause, for they were a great bunch of guys playing all their own songs.
A final encore of ‘Dedicated’ nearly brought the house down and Ellie had to grab hold of Rory’s arm to avoid being pitched forward.
‘Pretty good,’ Rory announced proudly, as people congratulated him on the band’s performance.
‘They’re amazing! Thanks for giving me the chance to see them play.’
‘Always great to see a band when they are on the way up and just about to break through.’
As the crowd began to disperse, he pulled her along the edge of the stage and in through the stage door. The bouncer stepped back out of their way. Ellie was suddenly a little nervous as Rory gave her a reassuring squeeze of his fingers.
The backstage room was packed. Two of the band were drinking pints of beer while Sean and Ed, the lead guitarist, made do with spring water. Sean, stripped to the waist and with a towel flung over his shoulder, called Rory over immediately.
‘I spotted Declan in the audience, he said he wants to talk to you later.’
‘Sure, I’ll sort it out. Don’t worry. You did great – he’ll have seen that tonight so it puts us in a way better position.’
Over the next hour Ellie chatted with a selection of wives, girlfriends, proud parents and a wild red-haired grandmother who kept telling her what a wonderful boy young Sean had been. They were a nice bunch of guys. Ed and Cian and Sean and the drummer Bren had been so welcoming to her that when Rory suggested she join them all in the Thai restaurant on George’s Street for supper she agreed to go along. They got a table for twenty and Ellie tried to keep her composure when she was introduced to Declan O’Hagan, the guy from the record company, as Rory’s new girlfriend.
She had a great laugh listening to stories of four skinny teenagers who drove their parents and neighbours crazy in the leafy suburbs of Rathfarnham playing loud music in the garage, and released their first single when they were still at school.
‘It was bloody awful,’ admitted Ed.
‘Your aunt Mary bought forty copies and gave them to all the cousins and friends that Christmas,’ Peggy Dockrell reminded him.
‘Tell Rory we’ll have to get Aunt Mary out on the road again!’ joked Bren.
Afterwards they went on to the River Club and listened to a little jazz and soul till three o’clock, when she and Rory said their goodbyes and took a taxi to her apartment in Hatch Street. She fumbled in her bag for the key and hoped that Rory wouldn’t expect her to invite him in. It wasn’t that she didn’t fancy him, it was just that she didn’t want to rush things.
‘It’s OK, El. I understand. I’m just the stranger from the park!’ he joked, kissing the tip of her nose.
‘I don’t want you to be a stranger,’ she whispered. ‘I really don’t.’
‘Then let’s solve that one,’ he said.
Unperturbed, he pulled her towards him. His kissing was slow and deep and Ellie began to feel her resolve melt.
‘Well, we’re not strangers any more,’ he teased, reaching to kiss her again.
Ellie wound her hands around his neck, up through the back of his hair. It would be so easy just to turn the key, invite him in, but she knew she wasn’t ready yet to be that close to him.
She pulled away, staring at his face, the stubble on his chin, his blue eyes.
‘You know you’re beautiful, Ellie, different from the other girls I meet.’ He traced her mouth slowly with his finger. ‘There’s no rush.’
She held her breath, waiting.
‘I hope you will let me take you out again. Maybe next time on our own!’
‘Yes, please,’ she whispered, touching his face.
‘I’ll phone you tomorrow,’ he promised, finally leaving.
A second later, standing inside the heavy front door, Ellie was tempted to run back out and grab him.