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43 - Today is Friday

"Beautiful, beautiful! Come on over, nice lady." I took off my guitar and walked towards Graham, who was headed my way; as the audience applause died down he took my hand and led me to the couch area where the other guests were rising from their seats. He scooted back around to his chair muttering a form of introduction while I greeted the famous personalities who'd been promoting shows and movies tonight. "Here's Jack Whitehall..." Jack was at the end of the couch where I would be sitting; I shook his hand and said hello. "Benedict Cumberbatch..."

Ben took my hand and pressed a kiss to my cheek, whispering in my ear, "I love you," even though I'd told him not to say anything to make me nervous.

"And Harrison Ford." The legendary actor followed suit with a handholding and cheek kiss while I told him it was a great pleasure to meet him. Which it was – I mean, Han Solo for Pete's sake. Holy shit. When he murmured that my singing was beautiful I think I replied something grateful then had to take my seat in a hurry before my legs gave way.

"Cara, it's lovely to have you on the show and thank you for singing for us; it was really beautiful."

"Thank you Graham, and can I please also take this opportunity to thank you for your radio show support; I'm very grateful."

"Not at all, it's a pleasure. They're wonderful songs, they really are. Now, your first single is at number two on the charts right now." The audience applauded, which he encouraged.

"Yes, I'm still pinching myself about that one, literally." I held out my left arm, underside up, to show some small bruises along my inner forearm.

"Are those real bruises? Are you really, seriously pinching yourself?"

I pointed at one bruise and said, keeping my eyes on Graham, "Well, this one my boyfriend made, but the rest are mine." I thought I heard a small noise from Ben's vicinity but daren't so much as glance in his direction.

"And your second single was released, ah..." he consulted his cards, "two weeks ago?"

"Yes."

"And it's doing well?"

"Very well; I believe it's at number sixty-seven."

Graham's mouth made a small moue before he said, "Sixty-three, according to my research."

"Oh well, yours is better than mine, so we'll go with that." I smiled.

"That's not a phrase I hear very often," Jack interjected, "Yours is better than mine, I mean. You would probably hear it all the time though Benedict...and Harrison, of course."

This time the small noise came out of me. Oh God. Don't look at him Cara. Do. Not. Look. At. Ben.

We all gave a laugh, as did the audience, then Graham swivelled in his chair, reaching into a cupboard as he said he had a copy of my CD; once he found it he held it up so the audience could see it.

"And the name of your album is...New Beginnings and it is available when?"

"It comes out on...Saturday," I replied, "or tomorrow, rather."

"Today," Graham corrected, giving me a look I couldn't interpret. Seeing my puzzled expression he said, "Today being Saturday," and raised his brows at me.

"Today is Friday," Harrison stated firmly, then Ben and Jack both explained to us that although the show is recorded on a Friday night, it doesn't screen until Saturday evening.

"Oh," we both said.

"So, it's released today," our host smirked.

"Graham, I'm sorry," I opened my mouth without thinking (note to self: must stop doing that). "If Han Solo says today is Friday, then today is Friday – so my album comes out on Friday." I looked at Harrison. "I'll square it with the marketing people, don't worry." He gave a small smile and nodded at me. Swoon. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ben smiling too, though he appeared to be looking down at his shoes. He'd already had his own Harrison moment earlier, when the iconic actor had told him he was a fan and Sherlock was amazing; I'd felt such a surge of pride hearing that, I'd wanted to kiss him till my lips dropped off.

Graham smoothed over that moment. "And are we likely to see you touring any time soon?"

"In my dreams I'm touring with Adele or Ed Sheeran," I replied, "So if you have any influence with either of those people it'd be great; otherwise, nothing on the horizon just yet."

"They've both been on the show, but...no." His head shook and I raised my arms with an "oh well, better luck next time" kind of expression. He wrapped it up by wishing me the best of luck with the album release and my singles and then I breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. I could sit back and relax and enjoy the stories in the Red Chair along with everyone else.

Catching Ben's eye and knowing there was no camera filming my right side, I sent him a quick wink; he did a great job at remaining impassive but I saw the tiniest little pull at the corner of his mouth.

---

"Benedict Cumberbatch, you are so hot right now!" I quoted Graham Norton's words at Ben as I tugged at his shirttails; we were undressing each other at his flat later that night.

"Not so hot that I'm not still being compared to an otter," he replied as he pulled my dress down my shoulders.

"But otters are so damn cute, Cumbers – especially the Julian Assange otter; it was my favourite." I stepped out of my dress then unbuckled his belt.

"Would you prefer me blonde, love?" His nimble fingers undid the clasp of my bra.

"I prefer you au naturale," I told him, unzipping his trousers and pushing them down. "In all interpretations of the term." And in just under a minute, we both met that description.

"As for you, miss 'if Han Solo says it's Friday, then it's Friday.'"

"Nobody messes with Han Solo," I wrapped my arms behind his head and drew it down to capture his lips.

"Mmm, I love you," he whispered, arms around my waist as he guided me to the bed.

"I know."