Stevie looked at Derek in confusion as small cups on strings were placed around their necks. He nodded toward someone approaching them with a bottle of tequila and held up his cup to be filled. She copied and they downed their shots, wincing slightly at the aftertaste and laughing.
The ceiling fans lazily spinning above them did little to cool the stuffy room, heaving with musicians and industry professionals.
"Suits on tequila - this is going to be a riot." She rolled her eyes and he wrapped a protective arm around her.
"If any of them try anything, throw a shot of drink in their eyes." He glanced down at her feet. "Failing that, swift platform boot to the bollocks should clarify your position."
She giggled and nuzzled against him, the warmth of the tequila shot making her fingers tingle. No one seemed to care in the least at the sight of them together. A bit like life on the road; what happens in Mexico stays in Mexico, it seemed.
"I'm probably going to have to be boring and mingle, darling. I want to introduce you to someone first though - I know he's here, I saw him across the room..."
He began to scan the faces as she stood patiently by, eventually allowing him to link his fingers through hers and guide her through the sea of bodies as he continued to turn his head left and right. There was something about the way he reassuringly gripped her hand a little tighter each time they approached a knot of raucous men that made her swell with emotion.
"Ah - there!"
He led her out to the area by the hotel's huge pool. There were fewer people here and he let go of her hand and placed an arm around her waist instead, walking her in the direction of a man with his back to them, thick wavy hair brushing his shoulders. He was talking to someone Stevie recognized instantly.
"Sam!" She ran the last few steps to the smiling young man and into his open arms. "Derek! This is is Sam Emerson, the best photographer in the world. Sam, this is Derek Taylor. I didn't know you'd be here!"
"I didn't know you would! Hi -" he shook Derek's hand warmly before turning back to her. "It's great to see you!"
A waiter appeared among them and refilled their cups which they drained without hesitation. Derek placed his hand on Stevie's lower back and gestured towards the other man, who she looked at properly for the first time before doing a double take.
She'd never been a great fan of The Beatles. She remembered Beatlemania well - it had ripped through her high school like a wildfire. Robin and all the other girls in her class were obsessed, the boys suddenly took up guitar and had bowl cuts. Stevie, always bucking the trend, would go home and listen to soul music. Nevertheless, standing in front of George Harrison took her breath for a second. She felt slightly weak, and she wasn't sure it was just down to the tequila.
"Hi Stevie," he smiled, his lilting Liverpudlian accent breaking the silence.
"You know my name?"
"Of course! You're kidding, aren't you? How's my old mate Mick?"
She remembered that George had been, until recently, married to Pattie Boyd, the sister of Mick's wife.
"Oh, he's great! Just great."
"Sorry to interrupt -" Derek planted a kiss against Stevie's temple. "I've just seen someone I need to talk to. I'll be back shortly. George, good to see you. Catch up with you later."
The two men embraced like brothers, and he nodded to Sam before kissing Stevie again and walking away. The three of them chatted for a while, their cups being refilled periodically, before Sam was called away into a different conversation. Stevie was quite tipsy now and had to work on keeping her eyes focussed. George was looking at something over her shoulder.
"What is it?"
"They are going to try and push us into that pool."
"What?"
The whole conference had taken on the air of a party by this time, not that it had ever been much of a conference to begin with. She could hear the giggling behind her as a group approached them with all the subtlety of a juggernaut.
"Yep. They're coming for us. They're absolutely going to throw us in the pool." He put his hand on her back and began to steer her away. "We need to get away from the pool."
Giggling, they walked over to the sun loungers, Stevie dropping down on the nearest one, grateful to be off her unsteady feet. George sat facing her, regarding her with an expression not unlike Derek's.
"So."
"So?" She giggled again and mimicked her earnestness.
"You and Derek."
"Mhm?"
"He won't leave her."
It was like someone had emptied a bucket of ice over her head. There was a kindness in his eyes as he said it, but it didn't make it hurt any less.
"I - I know."
Of course she knew. She always had. But being away from the world and it's problems with him like this, finally able to wake up in his arms, she had to admit her imagination had run away with her. They almost felt like a normal couple here. They could eat, and talk, and just be in each other's presence, rather than desperate, torrid moments when they could steal them. She almost felt as though they could have planned a future, but hadn't dared think about that for too long.
She realized with a jolt that George was the key to all the questions she had never been able to ask. He mind buzzed as she searched for the words.
"Would he...I mean, has - has he done this before?"
George stroked his moustache as he thought, again jarringly similar to Derek.
"No. Not like this. The 60s were wild, you know?" She nodded. "He was a big fan of all the free love stuff. Lots of girls floating around. But none that he really cared about. None that I'd ever say he'd have brought to something like this. I'm surprised he has, actually. He obviously sees something in you."
"Well, I'd hope he does."
"No," he waved his hand dismissively. "Not like that. I mean of course he does see you like that. But I mean...something special. Different."
She smiled and blushed slightly.
"He thinks I should have a solo career."
"He's probably right about that. He's not often wrong. I just think...you seem such a lovely lass. I don't want you getting into anything with your eyes closed here. It's not fair you get hurt. He won't want to, but he will."
"My eyes are open. See?" She opened her eyes wide, slightly glassy from the tequila and from the tears threatening to form as she contemplated the reality that her time left with Derek was limited. "He's a good man. I didn't know...I didn't know men like that existed."
"He's a rare one, that's for sure." She saw him smile across the pool and at Derek approaching them, deep in conversation with a young man she didn't know. He grinned at her as she stood to greet him, feeling the need to be as close to him as she could, savoring every moment as he pulled her into him.
"Hello, beautiful child," he murmured against her cheek, before turning to the stranger. "Stevie. I'd like you to meet this young chap. He's about to set up a record label. He needs a big name. From what he's said, you'd be a perfect fit, I'm certain of it."
She held out a hand for him to shake.
"I'm Stevie Nicks."
"Pleasure to meet you, Stevie. Paul. Paul Fishkin."
