‘Ooh,’ her eyes light up. ‘Now I feel torn. Do I love karaoke as much as I love my new bath oil? What a dilemma.’
‘Mmm, totally. Singing cheesy hits with your mates or stewing in the tub … itisa tough call.’
Eve rolls her eyes. ‘You are such an enabler. All right, count me in.’
‘YES! Bring Nicky if you like, the more the merrier.’
‘Not sure if it’s her thing but I’ll ask.’
‘Yeah Zach’s the same. I’m sure they’ll warm up to it.’
I’d actually hesitated about asking Zach to this in the first place, because I know that he can feel awkward in big group settings. I’ve loved the past few dates we’ve had, spending time just the two of us has been the best chance to get to know each other better. But work has been non-stop recently and I’m desperate for a night out. Besides now that we are well and truly dating I need to feel like I can be completely me around him. I like to let go and be silly sometimes. So I’m hoping that karaoke night for our K date might give us both a chance to have some fun.
As soon as Zach arrives at the karaoke bar I can tell that this genius plan might backfire massively. His expression is pure fear. ‘Tell me I’m in the middle of a nightmare and about to wake up,’ Zach says as I shimmy around under the neon sign at the entrance to the bar.
‘I’m afraid I cannot do that.’
‘Singing in public? Alice, have we met before?’
‘I thought you’d react like this but there’s good news. I booked a booth so there’s only going to be a handful of us in there.’
‘When you say us …’
‘Me, you, Eve and her girlfriend, and Nat’s coming with another date,’ I reply.
‘Great, humiliation in front of your friends. That’s much better than humiliation in front of people I’ve never met before.’
‘Oh Zach! Don’t panic, okay. I just thought that we’ve both been working so hard and a night out would be the perfect chance to let off some steam. You never know, let yourself go and you might actually have some fun,’ I wink.
Zach stands with his hands on his hips, looking up to the sky before seeming to resign himself to a night of karaoke. He readjusts his glasses and gives me a super cute look, as if to say: ‘I’ll do this, but only because it’s you.’
‘All right, then,’ he gives me a lopsided grin. ‘But you will owe me.’
‘I’m still recovering from those ten kilometres you made me run. Consider this payback.’
Zach runs his hands through his hair. ‘The things I do because I want to spend time with you,’ he sighs and I feel a warm glow inside. I link my hand through his and lead him into the venue.
It felt so nice to get properly dressed up for tonight. My dress is made of bronze sequins and cut low at my back.
‘You look beautiful,’ Zach says as I slide my coat off, his fingers grazing my skin.
‘This old thing?’ I beam, trying to play down the butterflies as Natalie bounds in. She’s come dressed like Beyoncé circa ‘Telephone’ in a stars and stripes bustier and skirt, the date she’s brought with her looking evidently thrilled to be in her company.
‘Fit,’ I whistle, ordering our drinks while Natalie chucks me a microphone and cues up the first song. It’s inevitable, really, given what she’s wearing. The first bars of Beyoncé and Gaga’s ‘Telephone’ fill the room, a song which Nat and I may or may not have spent a drunken night replaying while learning all the moves to. We’re cool like that. We start singing and out of the corner of my eye I see Zach watching us with a smile on his face. He’s enjoying it! He sips at his bottle of beer, looking incredibly hot in a green T-shirt. Zach wears colour now, apparently. He really is becoming more chilled out. The green sets off his lightly tanned skin and green eyes so well I’m borderline distracted from my moment.
When our duet ends I motion to him to come on up.
Zach shakes his head.
I turn my microphone back on.
‘Ladies and gentleman, may I present to you Zach Moretti!’
He’s holding his hands up in the universal sign forstop.
Eve starts a chant. ‘Zach! Zach! Zach!’
Her girlfriend’s joined in. Natalie and her date are chanting too. Reluctantly, Zach sets his beer on the table and comes up to join me.
