Chasing Daisy

wrapping his arm around my neck. ‘Are you on the pull tonight, love?’
    ‘Get off.’ I push him away, good-naturedly. I’m blushing, but I’m secretly delighted the guys just made a fuss of me in front of Will. I glance at him, but he’s chatting to one of his mechanics.
    ‘Shall we go?’ I say to Pete.
    He turns to Dan. ‘Is Luis definitely not coming?’
    ‘No, he said he had a headache.’
    Pete scoffs. ‘Like that’s ever stopped him in the past. Still pissed off at you for that overtaking manoeuvre, I imagine.’ He gives Will a mischievous look, but Will just shrugs.
    It’s only a short walk to Las Ramblas, which are a set of busy shopping streets, crowded with tourists and full of cafés and bars. Because it’s race weekend, Barcelona is even more packed with people than usual. I find myself walking between Pete and Dan as we try to avoid street musicians on the bustling pavements. I’m looking at the back of Will’s head for most of the way and desperately hoping it’s not going to be like this for the rest of the night. If I don’t get a chance to speak to him, I think I’ll die.
    It’s standing room only at the bar and when a stool becomes available, the guys insist I take it. I’m the only girl here, and it’s quite sweet that they’re looking out for me. They get the drinks in, opting for beer while I avoid Sangria and go for a vodka and lemon instead. Then I perch on my stool and make chitchat with one of Luis’s mechanics. But twenty minutes in, I’m struggling to focus on what he’s saying. Will has just cracked up laughing at something Pete has said. This is driving me nuts. The mechanic I’m talking to excuses himself to go to the gents’, and another one of the lads appears in his place. I feel like I’m stranded, but I don’t want to seem rude so I smile and try to think of something to say. And then I remember Holly.
    ‘Sorry,’ I apologise to the mechanic, Karl, as I pull my phone out of my bag. ‘I just have to call Holly,’ I explain. ‘She’s supposed to be meeting us somewhere else.’
    I dial her number for the umpteenth time and, once again, it goes straight through to voicemail. I snap the phone shut, impatiently.
    ‘No answer?’ Karl asks.
    ‘No.’
    ‘Want another one?’ He indicates my almost-empty glass.
    ‘Um, no, I shouldn’t.’ I stand up. ‘I’m going to have to go to the bar to meet her. I’ll bring her back,’ I promise.
    ‘Cool.’ But he’s already turned around and is trying to get the bartender’s attention.
    I squeeze past the other lads in the direction of Pete and Will. Pete steps aside and ushers me into their gang.
    ‘I have to go,’ I tell him regretfully.
    His face falls. ‘Where?’
    ‘Holly’s meeting me at that other place. I can’t get hold of her.’
    ‘PETE!’ Karl shouts.
    Pete looks over at the bar.
    ‘ANOTHER ROUND?’
    ‘YEAH, GOOD ONE!’ Pete lifts up his beer bottle.
    ‘Where’s Holly meeting you?’ Will asks me while this is going on.
    ‘Only across the road. But her phone battery must be flat so I’m just going to have to go and wait for her. Hopefully she won’t be late.’
    ‘Want me to come and keep you company?’
    I stare at him and my spirits lift, but I mindlessly shake my head. ‘No, it’s okay, you don’t have to.’ He’s only being polite.
    ‘Are you sure?’
    No! Please, come with me!
    I waver and he notices.
    ‘Come on.’ He puts his hand on my back and starts to guide me towards the door. ‘Pete.’ He reaches back and taps Pete on his shoulder. ‘I’m just going to go with Daisy to get Holly.’
    ‘Sure, mate.’ Pete turns back to the lads.
    I lead the way out, my heart pounding in my chest as we step onto the crowded pavement.

 
Chapter 10
     
    ‘It’s just over here,’ I say.
    We go inside the bar and I scan the room for Holly. ‘I can’t see her,’ I tell Will, ‘but she should be here soon.’
    ‘Okay. Let’s get a drink.’
    At that moment I notice a table come up by the window.
    ‘You grab it,’ Will says. ‘I’ll go to the bar. What are you having?’
    I decide to stick to vodka. Will returns shortly afterwards with our drinks and by then I’ve managed to rack my brain for some things to talk about.
    ‘Thanks for coming with me,’ I say, once he’s seated.
    ‘Of course, no problem. I didn’t want you to have to come on your own.’ He’s drinking a bottle of beer.
    I screw my nose up. ‘Do you think Luis has really got a headache