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Kieren sighs loudly again and shoves a pillow over his head pushing it against his ears trying block out the noise. The gallery he works for had sent him off to London to meet with a dealer to try and purchase a portrait. He’d jumped at the chance – not only for experience but because it was all expenses paid in a swanky hotel in the middle of London. What the gallery hadn’t mentioned, or what they hadn’t known when they booked it, was a stupid sodding superstar singer was staying in the exact same hotel that night for a concert.
Simon Monroe was an indie singer song writer who had rocketed to fame over the last couple of years. Kieren did enjoy his music to be fair and it didn’t hurt that he was Irish and drop dead gorgeous. However Kieren couldn’t even begin to get excited about being in the same hotel as him as wherever Simon went a massive group of screaming fans followed, the exact screaming fans that where currently situated below his hotel window.
Kieren shoves the pillow from his face with a huff. He figured he only had two options put up with it and hope they quiet down so he can get some sleep, or go down to the hotel bar and get black out drunk so that he passes out.
Kieren decides on the latter. He quickly makes it out of his room and head towards the lifts. He gets out his phone to give a text his mate Amy a text to give her an update. He was so engrossed with his phone when the lift doors open he doesn’t pay any attention to the person in the lift other than to notice that there is in fact another person in the lift.
They’re on the 15th floor and Kieren doesn’t fancy standing around for ages so he pushes the already illuminated ground floor button and holds it in. He hears a chuff from the other occupant of the lift.
“You know that won’t get us there any quicker.” Comes an Irish voice, Kieren turns his head and is confronted with Simon Monroe himself. Kieren manages not to gasp like a fanboy but it’s a close thing.
Kieren clears his throat and composes himself. “It does actually.” Kieren replies and Simon raises an eyebrow. “Well actually it might not. But my mate said that it’s something that’s built into all lifts that if you hold down the button it goes straight to the floor you want – for emergency services and stuff. I don’t know if it’s true or if it’s just luck on my part that it’s always worked when I try it.”
Simon laughs again. “Well it’s something I will try from now on.” They’re on the 9th floor and Kieren wants to keep talking. Amy’s never gonna believe he was in a lift with Simon bloody Monroe let alone talked to him, before he can say something awkward about the weather Simon talks again. “So you doing anything tonight?” Kieren startles again, it’s a weird question from a stranger that isn’t coming on to you (and Kieren is pretty sure that Simon Monroe wouldn’t be coming onto him).
“Well I’m going to go to the bar and get blackout drunk to drown out the screams.” Kieren pauses for a moment and Simon looks at him like a kicked puppy. “Drown out the screams of the people outside, not of my victims or anything.” Kieren adds, going for a laugh.
It works, Simon no longer looks like a puppy. “Don’t worry, I didn’t think you were at axe murder.” Simon chuckles.
“Oh that’s very unwise of you, because you see I actual am. I just meant I wasn’t going to murder anyone tonight.”
The lift doors open onto the ground floor and both Kieren and Simon startle.
They walk out of the lift and Simon lingers. “You’re missing an opportunity you know.” Simon says.
“What?” Kieren asks with a grin.
“Well I mean the screams of the fans outside would cover the screams of your victim.”
“Well you know there’s only so much blood you can leave in a hotel room before they start to get suspicious. “ Kieren answers. They stand in silence for a beat smiling at each other before Kieren continues. “Why would you suggest I kill someone tonight anyway? I don’t get any murderer vibes off you clearly you’re trying to catch me out. Are you an undercover cop? I’m pretty sure it’s the law that you have to tell me if you’re a cop if I ask.”
Simon’s beaming at him now and Kieren’s cheeks are hurting slightly. Simon’s smile drops a bit as he replies. “I don’t think I could keep my day job while being a cop.”
“Nah it would be the perfect cover, no one would suspect an international singer song writer to be an undercover cop.” Simon startles slightly and starts to frown when Kieren mentions that he knows who he is, but he continues quickly to not let it become awkward. “People would innocently be talking to you and then suddenly swoop in and catch the notorious hotel killer.”
Simon lets out a loud laugh and opens his mouth to reply, but before he can he’s interrupted by a burly man shouting Simon’s name behind him. Simon turns around to look at the man. “We need to get to the venue.”
“Coming.” Simon shouts back and swings back quickly to look back at Kieren. “I’m Simon by the way.” He says holding out his hand.
“Yeah it’s hard not to know that with them chanting it outside.” Kieren replies taking Simon’s hand.
“Sorry about that.” Simon says quickly squeezing Kieren’s hand.
“I’m Kieren.”
“Nice to meet you.” Simon says, not letting go of Kieren’s hand even though his hand is well and truly shook. “I might see you in the bar later?”
“Maybe.” Kieren says blushing fiercely. Simon smiles and walks away towards the man who had shouted out his name. Kieren stays unmoving until Simon is out of sight.
XXX
Kieren’s stayed in the bar for longer than he intended and has drank nowhere near as much as he planned to. It was stupid. Waiting around for a famous singer to turn up. Kieren berates himself mentally again but still didn’t move. Thing was, if there was a chance, a small chance that he could see Simon again then he would wait in the bar until it closed – which is in 10 minutes.
“Excuse me.” Pipes a small voice. Kieren looks up at the bar tender who had been serving him. “Would you mind if we closed the bar a bit early?” She asks shyly.
“Of course not.” Kieren answers, swallowing down the disappointment and trying to give the bar tender a smile. “Good night.” He says, standing up from his chair.
“Thank you so much! Good night.” The girl says smiling hugely.
He gets to the lift and tries not to wallow – he shouldn’t have even entertained the idea that Simon was going to meet him again.
“Kieren!” He hears someone shout across the lobby. He turns around to see Simon making his way hurried towards the lift. “Thought I‘d missed you when I saw the bar was closed.”
“Almost.” Replies with what he knows is a goofy grin.
“So, do you want to come to mine for a night cap?” Simon asks with a charming smile.
“Yeah.” Kieren manages to choke out with a grin. Amy’s never going to believe this.