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Estelle threw her arms around Carly, gave her a quick hug, then dashed away without looking back.
36
‘Please baby, won’t you stay? Love is the only way. I need you night and day. Yeah, love is the only way.’
Estelle listened to the crowd as they sang along to the chorus of UberGrafts’s most famous song. Even though the sun had set an hour ago, the edge of the sky was still pale behind the main stage. It framed the riot of coloured lights and pyrotechnics and the bobbing sea of glowing mobile phones from the audience dancing and filming the band.
Standing at the very back of the field, Estelle took in the enormity of what had been achieved. Despite all the cock-ups and compromises, the festival had exceeded all her expectations and everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves. She was currently running on empty, but adrenaline was going to take her over the line.
Now all she had to do was speak to James before he left for London.
She hung back as UberGraft finished and the crowds began to filter towards the exits. Roadies were removing instruments and equipment from the stage with speedy efficiency, and Estelle felt a pang of sadness that it was all over. The clear-up and final admin would take a few weeks, but the peak high had passed. Now was the comedown.
Raising her head, she stared at the stars and breathed in the warm night air. Even if she couldn’t have James, even if this was the first and last festival ever to take place at the manor, she could give herself this moment to appreciate how hard she’d worked to make it happen.
‘Estelle?’
She turned at the sound of Connor’s voice. A group of shadowy figures were walking across the park from the direction of the fence, one with their hand raised in greeting.
She waved back. ‘Yeah, it’s me. Who’s with you?’
‘Leo, Ella, Finn, Scott and Tommy.’
They were close enough now to make out their faces.
‘Hey!’ Estelle called out. ‘Did you manage to hear the show at all?’
Finn snorted.
‘Rude!’ Ella cried.
‘We couldn’t hear much,’ Connor said. ‘But Ella and Leo knew all the words, so they performed it for us.’
‘And we nailed it.’ Leo lifted a hand for his best friend to high five him.
Tommy huffed. ‘I had no idea he could make all those high notes.’
‘It’s because I kicked him in the nuts before they started,’ Finn said.
‘Love is the only way,’ Leo sang. ‘My bollocks saved the day.’
‘Stelle, make him stop,’ Finn grumbled.
‘Do you need us for anything else?’ Connor asked.
She shook her head. ‘I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done. The festival could have been shut down without you.’
‘My bollocks saved the day,’ Leo sang again.
Finn punched him on the arm. ‘Shut it.’
‘Ow!’ Leo cried. ‘Ella! Hit him for me.’
Ella rolled her eyes. ‘You’re on your own.’
‘That’s the title of his sex tape,’ Finn said, and everyone apart from Leo, laughed.
‘Mom, Dad and Mammy are bringing a load of champagne to the main stage now,’ Estelle said. ‘I’m trying to get as many of the staff there as we can at midnight for a small celebration. So, if you’re not too tired, I’d love you to stay for that.’
