‘OK, OK, calm down. It’s not like we’re the Beatles,’ Dan drawled, and the crowd erupted in laughter again.

‘Yeah, yeah, he thinks he’s so funny,’ responded Mikey. ‘But I’m the singer. I’m the one that everyone fancies …’ He gave his cheeky grin, and Sienna sighed, ‘God, yeah, darling.’

‘I fancy all of you! Even Olly!’ shouted some girl in the crowd.

‘Booo!’ There was definitely an Olly contingent here tonight. ‘We all fancy Olly!’

‘More fool you,’ drawled Dan from the back again. ‘I have it on good authority that he’s a crap shag.’

More laughter.

‘Yeah, yeah, these guitarists always have ideas above their station,’ was Olly’s good-natured riposte.

‘And I, as the one that everyone fancies, think I should warm you up with an oldie …’ added Mikey.

As he said it, the other three started, right on cue, to play their greatest hit to date. By the time it got to the chorus, everybody was singing along.

Sam just couldn’t stop staring at Dan. He looked so cool, so sexy and, great as the whole band was together, he was by far the most talented musician. God, she’d been stupid. He’d tried it on with her – twice – and she’d turned him down. And he’d been so kind to her, he was clever, he was her friend. Sienna was right – if she wanted anything to happen, she had to make it happen herself. She was starting to feel exceptionally excited. She’d do it tonight.

The song came to an end, to rapturous applause. After a bit, Mikey hushed it.

‘Thanks, Camden. Thanks. We appreciate it. And now, one of our new ones. It’s called “Pawn”.’

‘Filthy bastards!’ shouted one of their male fans.

‘No, you’re the filthy bastard,’ Dan shouted back, walking to the front of the stage. ‘It’s “Pawn”, spelt P-A-W-N, like in the chess game, not the stuff that you have to resort to when you don’t get the real thing … When you’re not a rock star!’

More cheers. God, he was so arrogant, so cocksure. But ‘pawn’ as in chess? Sam looked at Sienna, who was shaking her head at her in bemusement. Neither of them had heard them rehearse this one.

Olly started the song on one drumbeat, and then Dan was off, taking them all to another planet with his exquisite solo guitar riff.

Sam was utterly transfixed. Had he actually written a song about her? Surely it had to be. She was the only person he’d been playing chess with recently, she was sure of it. When Mikey started to sing, though, nothing was any clearer. The lyrics were deliberately obscure, although there were references to being a ‘pawn in your game’.

Well, all she had to do was ask. They’d both waited long enough. Dan had wanted her twice before, and she was sure he still did. She couldn’t have imagined the chemistry between them the other day. As she gazed at him, so cool and talented up there on the stage, her heart was beating so fast she was surprised it hadn’t burst out of her chest.