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on—then told her he had some news of his own. He could still picture the widening of her eyes as he explained what the doctor had said, her glossed lips falling open when he outlined the symptoms that led him to be checked out in the first place. Instead of throwing her slender arms around him and providing longed-for comfort, Cherie had remained frozen, staring at him in horror. Finally, she’d recovered enough to clutch his hand and tell him in a numb voice they’d get through it together, then exclaimed she’d forgotten about meeting a friend and fled the scene.
    A strained two months had followed, during which Cherie had pleaded with him not to leave his job at the factory and nagged him to return once he had quit. Eventually, she’d told him she couldn’t be with him any longer. It had almost been a relief.
    ‘What do you think, mate?’ Chaz nudged his arm. ‘I’d give the blonde a go. Alice, is it?’ He put a childlike tick next to her na me on the card in front of him. ‘She won’t be a virgin when she’s done with me.’ Will glanced at the two women who were now smiling and bowing. Although Alice was beautiful with that mass of blonde hair—he glanced at the form on the table—Emma was more his type: slender with a dark cap of wavy locks, wearing simple jeans and a black top that fit like a glove. He liked how she’d described the blue shade with almost a painterly precision and that she’d wanted something different. And from her performance onstage, it was obvious she didn’t take herself too seriously. Cherie wouldn’t have done karaoke in a million years.
    ‘Yeah, she’s fit all right,’ Will answered lamely, thinking he was out of practice being blokey. It was funny: he’d reckoned by going out with a group of mates from his past—people who’d no idea of his illness—he could forget it existed, too. But the knowledge dogged him at every turn, weighing him down. Maybe another drink will help, he thought, lifting his bottle and draining it.
    ‘Who wants more? This round is on me.’

    As the music came to a stop and applause rang around the room, Emma and Alice stepped off the stage.
    ‘Wasn’t that a blast?’ Alice’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes glowed. She tossed back her fringe and nodded at the other tables as they passed.
    Emma laughed, shaking her head. ‘You know, it actually was. But why did you push me out front? Thank goodness the crowd joined in, or I would have cleared the place.’
    Alice shrugged. ‘You certainly seemed to be enjoying it once you were out there. It was a brilliant idea to get everyone singing along. We’ll be the best of the night!’ She eyed the large group of men they’d spotted earlier. ‘I hope one of them marked me down.’
    Oh, God. In the heat of the moment, Emma had forgotten about Will seeing her. He definitely had by now. Her heart flipped—maybe he’d circled her name? Don’t be silly, she told herself. The last thing she wanted was to hit the stage again in a cringe-worthy duet with a guy she hardly knew. She glanced in Will’s direction, but he was nowhere to be seen. Good. Maybe he’d been able to escape, lucky man.
    ‘I’m heading to the bar. Another wine?’ The earlier drinks were only starting to kick in, and Emma was in dire need for more.
    Alice nodded. ‘Yes, please!’ Plopping into her seat, she smiled flirtatiously at the group of men Will had been sitting with.
    Emma pushed between the tables towards the beacon of the bar. ‘A glass of Cabernet and … ’ Her voice trailed off as she realised she wanted something much, much stronger than wine to get her through the rest of the evening. ‘Er, a double whisky on the rock s, please.’
    ‘Coming up,’ the bartender said.
    ‘You’ve got the right idea, ordering a double. Reckon it’s the only thing that’ll make this night bearable.’
    A low male voice in her ear made Emma turn. There, just beside her, was Will—she hadn’t even noticed him in her