"Could you pass the lentils, please?"

Maude and I were at the table back in Brett's hotel room. Sitting on the table were bowls of lentils, tomato salad, linguine, and pumpkin soup. Brett went all out preparing dinner and he did a pretty good job. Maude scooped some lentils into her salad and set the bowl down.

"Couldn't believe they were all in the same room as us," she said. "They're so talented and sweet, and they lent me a guitar to play. A Les Paul they had lying around, can you believe it? Played beautifully once I tuned it. I've got to get me one of those." She took a few bites of salad then turned to her soup. "Didn't see Angus as much until I went downstairs and saw his tongue in Hannah's mouth."

"That didn't happen!" I blushed. Okay, so we kissed a little bit...and sure, Angus had me backed up against a wall and mayyyybe my hands got a little tangled in his long hair....but there was absolutely no tongue. Maude playfully rolled her eyes.

"Mm-hm. Sure. I saw the way he looked at you." I sipped at my soup, eating as slowly as I could. The spread was more than tempting but I knew if I dug in I'd regret it later. A headache was coming on anyway. I felt like curling up in bed and sleeping for a year. "Had to use the hose to get your attention."

Brett seemed awfully entertained by her story. "Is that so?" he asked looking at me. "Sounds like quite the party. Don't think I've ever caught a mate of mine with a bird in the studio. Not yet, anyway, give 'em time."

"Anyway, Angus invited Hannah back again tomorrow."

"Which I politely turned down," I said. "I didn't come to London to spend all my time with him, I came here to see my friend. Found Angus by accident."

"That kiss wasn't any accident," Maude said. A crack of thunder outside made us all jump. "See? Even Nature agrees."

"Anyway," I said a little too loudly. "He understood and we made plans to see each other on their day off in two days. Which gives you and I time to see the city together like we planned." Brett wiped his face with a napkin. 

"How long are they in London for?"

"He doesn't know. This next album is taking longer than they all thought. But soon he'll be off to America again and Europe and I'll be back home by then." I shoved some linguine in my mouth to stave off talking. 

"You should invite him to the hotel," Maude suggested. 

"I'm sure Maude would love him sleeping in her bed, cuddling close," Brett said with a cheeky grin. Maude choked on her soup and gestured to the bowl. 

"You want this in your hair, son?"

"I'd love it," he said sticking his tongue out.

Zoning out of their banter I stirred my spoon in my soup and thought about my afternoon. I'd call it a success. Made amends with my...not quite boyfriend but more than a friend...whatever he was in relation to me, reunited with the band and Linda and met some new people, conquered my anxiety for the time being, and managed to take down a cup of soup. I just couldn't believe how I could think Angus would send the letter back. It would have gotten lost before he sent it back, right? 

Suddenly I wasn't so sure. My headache was getting worse. 

"Thanks for the meal, Brett," I said standing up. "I think I'd better get to bed."

"Pleasure cooking, love."

"Goodnight, Hannah," Maude said as she held her soup spoon over Brett's black hair. I placed my bowl in the sink and let it soak in some water before taking the second bedroom. Brett allowed us to stay at his hotel whenever we needed and tonight we were too tired to make the trip back. At least I was. 

Dressing in my warm flannel and trakkies I collapsed on the bed and snuggled under the blanket pile. Not until I was comfortable did I realise I forgot to brush my teeth. 

Do I stay in bed like a pig? No, better get up. 

Getting toothpaste all over the sink and some of it on my teeth, I thought about what Maude had said. It was just one tiny kiss. Brett had smooched her up plenty of times and they weren't so shy themselves. But there was one question I had to ask myself. 

Was I ready for that? Was I really ready for a real relationship with another person? Some days I had a hard enough time taking care of myself let alone maintaining a mature relationship. Not to mention I'd never had one before. I didn't have a clue what I was doing. What about the physical side of it? That may have just been a kiss but as time went on things would begin to get a bit more serious. Maude's teasing suggestion of bringing him over to the hotel made my face hot. 

Oh no...what would I tell my family back home?

He didn't live in Australia anymore, we'd have to settle for long distance. Not to say it wouldn't be long distance anyway with the tours and all. One option would be to go with him on tour and suffer the ill effects of travelling. Another option, Angus giving up his dream and staying with me.

Like fucking hell I'd ever let him do that. Especially because of me. 

My haggard appearance stared back at me. The tiniest of blemishes laughed at me on my forehead. I could tell I hadn't been drinking enough water because my eyes were dim. I left my hair in my pigtails and didn't wash my hair. My lips were a bit chapped from the kiss. 

What a guy....

Stumbling out of the bathroom I collapsed back into bed and melted into my blanket nest. Thunder cracked again but I felt safe in my cocoon and swiftly fell asleep.