"OKAY," BILLY SAYS, LOOKING down at a clipboard.

Please don't say my name, I think to myself, crossing my fingers under the table.

"Next up we have Tessa?"

He looks up and his eyes dance between the tables around the room.

My head whips towards the stage, and I try to duck down, but before I can, Glen and Ryan push me to stand up and a spotlight hits me, blinding me just as a deafening cheer comes up from what seems like the entire bar.

As I get closer to the stage, he must recognise me, as he seems to look at Jamie. I don't look back to see his reaction because my cheeks are now a deep shade of purple. "How you doing tonight?" he asks me, shoving the microphone in my face, meeting me half way up the stage steps.

"Oh, I'm just wondeful, thanks." I answer as sarcastically as I possibly can to talk my nerves down.

As I watch Billy's expression change, I do end up risking a glance at Jamie over my shoulder, and unfortunately Billy notices.

"Oh it's this Tessa?"

Jamie covers his face playfully whilst Billy offers his hand to help me up the last step of the stage.

"And what is this Tessa singing today?" he asks me, handing me a second microphone and I try not to cringe as he puts an extremely sweaty arm around me.

My cheeks are boiling as I try to speak with confidence. "Hallelujah."

The whole bar cheers, and I'm glad. Jamie had said to go with a crowd pleaser, and Hallelujah was one that every single person in the world knows.

"A very good choice!" He says before starting to turn to his guitar.

"But..." I stop him, making him turn around.

He raises his eyebrows. "But?" he asks, but when he smiles, it's clear he knows what I have in mind.

"I think I'll need a hand with the harmonies," I finish, bravery coursing through me as I move to stare directly into a certain pair of bright blue eyes trying to hide behind the bar.

"Uh oh!" Billy says behind me, laughing.

I clear my throat before continuing with my plan, hoping he would do it and hoping this sudden bout of bravery will pay off.

"Jamie!" I direct my call very loudly to the bar and whoops rise up around the room. "Come join me up here, will you?"

He doesn't move to start with, but I'm not giving up.

His cheeks are as red as mine, but this is payback. And when he still doesn't move, despite the cheers and clapping, I decide to use his earlier words against him.

"You've got two options here," I shout, the crowd laughing. "One!" I put up one finger. "You leave me up here to sing alone," I start and he shakes his head. "Or two," I add, raising another finger, "you sing up here with me."

"An enticing offer, eh Jamie?"

Jamie makes a face and shrugs. "What's in it for me?" he shouts back at me.

I shake my head.

Okay then. Two can play at that game.

"Option one: nothing... because you've made me stand up and sing alone."

I smile with pride at how brave I'm being, not believing these words are about to come out of my mouth.

"And option two: I kiss you here, in front of everybody." Cheers ring out loudly before I add, "If you're good enough."

The whole bar chants the same as they had earlier to get me to give him his number. 'Do it' is ringing up around us, and my heart is beating so hard I feel like it's going to escape out of my chest all by itself.

After what feels like an eternity where the room is filled with constant chanting, I'm beginning to think that my first attempt at forwardness had failed. But when I hear the partition raise and a second spotlight starts following someone through the crowd, I'm beyond relieved he's picked option two.

He comes to a stop in front of me and I am entirely overwhelmed by how good looking he is now that there's no bar between us. I'm thinking it must be the Malibu, but in this moment, under these lights, my head is clearer than it's been in a long time.

"You are good," he tells me, giving me a lingering kiss on my cheek before taking the microphone Billy is offering him.

I just shrug as Billy starts to get set up. Before he starts playing the first chords, I turn to him.

"Can I say something before we start?" I ask and he nods, giving me the stage. Jamie stands and watches, his smile encouraging me to help get this out.

"Okay, so let me be the first one to say that I hate public speaking." A few laughs ring up. "And I know no one has done any dedications or speeches tonight... but if it's okay, I wanted to... because this night is actually pretty special for me."

The room is so silent you could hear a pin drop as I take a deep breath to help gather my thoughts.

"The only time I would ever dream of doing this was if my brother forced me... But I haven't been able to do anything like that... since he died just over a year ago."

I look up at Jamie and he takes a step to stand behind me, taking my hand.

I smile. "I never thought I'd be able to get up and do this ever again."

I clear my throat before moving my attention to my friends.

"I'm doing this for those idiots over there, yes. But I'm also doing this for my brother. I know, if he was here, he would be the first to sign my name up." I swallow as a lump threatens to overtake me. "But he would also be the first to be cheering me on in the front row..." I smile and wipe the tear that has escaped from my cheek as I continue. "So this song is for my brother." I look up at the ceiling and point upwards. "So you better enjoy this, Dipshit."

As I laugh, the crowd all clap and I almost lose it. But feeling Jamie's hand in mind, that electrical sensation coursing through me, I know I can do anything.

I nod once at Billy and the chords start playing before Jamie gestures for me to sing the first verse.

I heard there was a secret chord,
that David played and pleased the Lord,
but you don't really care for music, do ya?
And it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth,
the minor fall and the major lift,
the baffled king composed Hallelujah.

I'm starting to think he's going to stand there like a lemon and make me sing the chorus Hallelujahs on my own, but boy was I wrong.

He sings with me. And better yet, he harmonises with me. He can sing. I mean, he can really sing, and as I motion for him to take the second verse, I swear it's now just the two of us singing to each other in a magical room with no one else around.

Your faith was strong but you needed proof,
you saw her bathing on the roof,
her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya.
She tied you to her kitchen chair,
she broke your throne and she cut your hair,
and from your lips she drew the Hallelujah.

We sing the second set of hallelujahs, this time with me harmonising, trying to think back to my Junior Choir days. He nods his head at me to sing the final verse, and as the piano builds and the key changes, I decide to belt it, causing cheers to ring up around the entire bar.

And maybe there's a god above,
and all I've ever learned from love
was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya.
It's not a cry that you hear at night,
it's not someone who's seen the light.
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah...

By the time the song comes to an end, the entire bar is on its feet. My friends are standing on their seats, swaying their arms as Jamie and I riff off the final harmonies to each other. The other half the room is holding up torches on phones, as if they're at a concert, and the rest are cheering as whooping as the song finally comes to a close.

I'm having an out of body experience as the last two Hallelujahs come upon us. I swear my heart stops when Jamie steps closer to me, taking me hand and croons into the microphone to sing to me, just to me... And once he smiles as the song comes to a close, I know I well and truly have made the best decision in choosing to open up my heart to this amazing guy.

I know at the bottom of my heart that I was ready.

Despite the loud cheers erupting up from everywhere, I'm focussing on him and only him.

I'm focussing on the fact he's breathing as hard as I am, and that he's sweating under the lights. I'm focussing on the fact his gleaming smile is more blinding than a bright sunshine. I'm focussing on the fact that we are standing so close together that all I would have to do is stand up on my tiptoes and my lips would be on his. But after making my offers, I can't go back on that and jump the gun... even if my entire body is screaming for me to do it.

Thankfully Billy is on my side, because he takes the microphones from us and chuckles.

"WOW!" he shouts into the crowd and cheers ring out again. "Who else thinks we should just scrap karaoke and just have these guys perform every night?"

He gestures with his thumb to us, earning an overly-loud cheer from my group, who were still standing on their seats.

"But a deal is a deal... and do we reckon that's earned our young Jamie a snog?"

The reaction is completely deafening, but it's clearly a resounding yes, and I really don't need to told twice... and apparently neither does Jamie.

We both turn at the same time, back to each other, and he leans down to kiss me, wrapping his strong arms around my back as he lifts me off the ground. I wrap mine around his neck, wanting to savour every touch I could get as the sparks fly around us.

His lips are so soft, and I can feel the stubble on his chin and top lip brushing against my lip as he squeezes me. The kiss is gentle... and when he pulls away, I'm left wanting more.

He drops me gently back on the floor, kissing me once more before he stands up straighter and grins like a kid on Christmas morning. And to be honest, I know I'm wearing the exact same smile on my face... and that I'm in trouble.

Billy wafts his hand in front of his face. "Well, how about that! Ladies and Gentlemen, Tessa and our very own Jamie McGregor!" he shouts, gesturing for us to take a bow before he finally offers us our chance to escape the stage.

He's still holding my hand, but as we reach the bottom step, he squeezes it once before we walk in opposite directions, him towards the bar and me towards my friends. I want to go with him, but I'm not quite bold enough to. Not yet.

"TESS, OH MY GOD THAT WAS AMAZING!" they all chime in unison, followed by individual bear hugs from pretty much everyone as Nelly shoves the last of my Malibu in my hand.

I down the rest of it, grateful for the sugary jolt, and put the cool glass against my cheeks, which are blazing red. "I had no idea what came over me!"

"I do!" Nelly squeals, giving me a proud smile. "I always knew you had it in you!" She claps her hands together excitedly.

"That kiss too!" Sophie says. "And Tess, you can really sing!"

I shrug as they all start harmonising between themselves. I'm about to join in when my pocket buzzes. This time I don't ignore it. I don't have the strength to.

You want to get out of here? Get started on that date?

I look over my shoulder at him, and Jamie's eyes are fixed on me, his phone in his hand as he leans against the counter. I wanted to buy him the drink I promised him first, but if he wants to leave, I wouldn't say no. My friends were being beyond embarrassing, so maybe leaving wouldn't be a bad thing.

But I still owe you a drink!

Well,we can get it somewhere else..? I know a place

I'm intrigued, so I find my legs moving by themselves over to the bar where he's standing. It's nearly midnight, and I know this place closes soon, so he can't mean here. My plan was never to stay out to join my friends at the club anyway, but if my night was to involve staying to get to know this incredible guy more, I would happily stay out all night.

"So, what kind of drink we thinking?" he asks, leaning forward on the bar so his lips are hovering temptingly close to mine.

We've broken the ice now so I kiss him quickly before responding. "Coffee?" I suggest. "And to be honest I could murder some food."

"A drink and dinner? I really am a lucky man, huh," he says, grinning widely as he leans forward to peck my lips.

He pretends to think about it for a moment, but I could see the answer in his eyes as soon as the words came out of his mouth.

"I'll get my coat. Meet you by the door."

He kisses me again, lingering a bit longer that time, before he wanders away from me, disappearing behind a door before reappearing again holding a puffer jacket. He laughs at catching me staring, so I shake my head to snap myself out of it and head back to the table.

"I'm heading out..." I say, holding my hand out for my coat. "Can you pass me my stuff, please?" I ask Nelly, not even bothering to either hide my smile or explain where I was going. They knew.

She raises her eyebrows, but when she catches sight of Jamie looking at us by the door, her eyebrows raise and she points at me.

"You better tell me all the details in the morning!" she demands, pointing at me before she hands over my stuff.

"I'll do my best." I squeal before zipping up my coat and pulling on my gloves and scarf.

I give them a sheepish wave before I turn around, and I can feel all of their eyes on my back as I head back to Jamie.

He grins. "You ready?"

I nod with a smile and walk close to his side, bracing myself for the cold I know is waiting for us outside.

"Have fun you two!" we hear from Billy on the stage.

Jamie turns and flips him off, laughing and shaking his head before we turn and head out into the snow.

As the bar door closes, the cold air hits me like a horse kick to the ribs, and I suddenly feel like I can barely breathe. I try to gasp for air as images flash through my mind, reminding me of the enormity of what I'd just done... and the reality comes slamming down hard onto my shoulders.

It only takes one caring look from Jamie for a tearful sob to escape me and for the tears to start flowing down my cheeks.