‘Gary Montgomery kissed you?’ Kennedy squeals, catching sight of Imogene and starting to fan at her face in a slightly panicked way. ‘He kissed you?’
‘WHAT IS HAPPENING?’ Imogene looks around the room as if someone will pop out from behind a cream sofa and tell her that this is all an elaborate prank.
‘WHAT EVEN IS HAPPENING?’ Kennedy adds, dashing into the kitchen and returning with the half-full bottle of organic peach wine.
Imogene holds out her glass without taking her eyes off me and Kennedy fills it up, before taking a swig straight from the bottle.
‘How?’ Imogene says, sitting down on one side of me. ‘Why? I mean HOW?’
‘Does this mean you’re going to stay?’ Kennedy asks excitedly, sitting on the other side of me and taking another hit of peach wine. ‘What about Tori? What about the stalking? Does he know? What did he say? WHAT DID HE SAY, NORA? Is his engagement off now?’
I shake my head in an attempt to clear it. ‘He doesn’t know that I came here for him. That it was me at the movie lot and at the handprint ceremony. He doesn’t need to.’
‘Hmmm, I’d say that was pretty important,’ Brandon says, sitting down on a white wicker chair. Winklepuff jumps onto his knees and stares at me as if, he too, has many questions he needs answering. Or more likely is just wondering if all of this excitement somehow involves upcoming ham.
I look between each of them. ‘It was weird. We didn’t really talk about anything. But we talked about everything too. It was like… Fuck, it was so weird. It was like we both knew that something amazing was happening. He was just a guy and I was just a girl and we were supposed to meet. But…’
‘But?’ Kennedy urges, leaning forward off the sofa. ‘But what?’
‘But, I don’t know… it’s like we knew it was just this one day. He’s engaged. I live in England. But mostly he’s engaged. And deliriously in love,’ I say, recalling what Aileen said at the Chinese Theatre.
‘His tongue in your mouth doesn’t sound like the actions of a man deliriously in love with someone else,’ Imogene scoffs.
‘You have to do something!’ Kennedy says. ‘You can’t just leave it like that.’
‘I agree,’ Imogene says. ‘He kissed you!’
I give them a bemused look. ‘You’re the ones who have been telling me to stay away! That the way I feel is just an infatuation, or a crush, or a manifestation of my grief, or that I’m losing it.’
‘That was before he kissed your mouth,’ Imogene replies, shaking her head as if she cannot believe she is saying these words out loud.
‘I felt his boner too.’ I sigh.
‘His boner?’ Kennedy breathes.
I nod. ‘Yep. His honest to goodness boner.’
‘Boners don’t lie,’ Imogene looks thoughtful. ‘They don’t know how.’
‘But then he said he couldn’t do this, that he was engaged and then he ran off. Down the beach. Away.’
‘Did you tell him how you feel?’ Brandon asks, his usual scorn replaced with bewilderment.
‘No! How could I? I didn’t want to freak him out. Or ruin what was the most perfect day I’ve ever had.’
Kennedy shakes her head slowly and starts walking around the living room at speed. ‘You need to tell him how you feel. You have to. Face to face.’
Imogene stands up and joins Kennedy in her circular speed walk around the room. ‘I agree. You cannot leave it like this. Our flight is at ten past eleven. It’s not long, but it might be enough.’
‘I can’t!’ I cry. ‘It all feels different now I’ve met him, that I’ve kissed him. It’s real. It’s fucking real. I can’t put him through that. I could ruin his life! Even if things did work out, how could we ever go public as a couple? The heart-throb and the crazy stalker? He’d never star in a movie again. He was probably just having a touch of cold feet. I mean, he said he’d been feeling overwhelmed lately. He might have just wanted to be distracted for a little while and I was there with my adoring smile and my massive tits.’
But even as I say this, I know it’s not true. It was more than that. It was so much more.
‘What are the pros and cons of you telling him how you feel before we leave?’ Imogene says, her sensible side making an appearance, although she has now taken to grabbing the peach wine off Kennedy and swigging it straight from the bottle too.
‘Cons,’ I say. ‘Possible ruination of multiple lives, humiliating Gary and Tori and myself for ever, breaking up an engaged couple, getting assassinated by John Alan…’
‘And the pros?’ Imogene asks softly.
‘True fucking love,’ I say plainly. ‘That’s all.’
Imogene grins. ‘True fucking love.’
‘True FUCKING love,’ Kennedy choruses.
Brandon just looks between the three of us, his face still pale with amazement.
‘I don’t think I can actually do this to another woman,’ I say, twisting my hands together in my lap.
‘But he kissed you!’ Imogene says. ‘Would you want to marry someone who kissed another woman?’
‘He felt awful about it. He literally ran away!’ I point out.
‘Even so,’ Imogene replies, ‘people in happy relationships don’t kiss other women, even if they do feel bad about it. He clearly is not as deliriously happy as you thought. And if he’s not, then it’s pretty certain that she’s not deliriously happy either…’
I bite my lip. Could that be true? Was Aileen lying when she said that Gary and Tori were deliriously happy? But then… why are they engaged?
‘You’d be doing them both a favour,’ Kennedy urges. ‘Do you really want to go home without ever knowing? This is your chance! Your one chance!’
She’s right. If I go home, I will always wonder what might have been and I don’t want that. The entire reason I came here was to follow this crazy feeling. I was willing to go home if I met Gary and he had zero interest, if it turned out that I was nothing more than a freaky stalker. But then… today happened. That kiss happened.
I look up at the three of them. ‘I need to know,’ I say with a firm nod. ‘I need to tell him how I feel and I need to know if he feels the same way.’
‘Yes!’ Kennedy cheers before her face immediately crumples into a worried frown. ‘But how will you get to him? We don’t know where he lives.’ She takes another swig of wine. ‘WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!’
‘He said he lives fifteen minutes down the beach,’ I tell her, standing up from the sofa, adrenaline starting to course its way through my body. ‘I’m not sure exactly where.’
‘SO CLOSE!’ Kennedy gasps. ‘We could just knock on all of the doors…’
I glance at the clock on the wall. ‘But he’s got his engagement garden party. He said it was at twilight. What time is that?’
‘It’s mid-August and sunrise today was at 6.14 a.m.,’ Kennedy says, looking out of the window, concentration gathering her eyebrows together. ‘So that means twilight will start at 5.47 and end at 8.05 p.m. precisely.’
‘She’s a weather reporter,’ Brandon tells Imogene, who is openly goggling at Kennedy’s knowledge.
‘5.47? That’s in twenty minutes. I don’t even know where his engagement garden party is!’
Imogene rolls her eyes. ‘Engagement garden party. Is that a thing here?’
And as she says it, a memory pushes at the edges of my brain. I close my eyes and think hard. The fuzziness merges into a clear image of Billy Fever at the salsa club. He said he was performing at an engagement garden party today.
I tell this to Imogene and Kennedy.
‘What are the chances?’ Kennedy says. ‘Could it be the same one?’
‘At this point, I’d say it’s pretty bloody likely.’ Imogene laughs manically.
‘Do you know how to get in touch with this Billy Fever?’ Brandon asks.
I nod. ‘He made absolutely sure I did,’ I say, dashing into my sleeping area to route in my bag for the card Billy gave me. I hold the card aloft. �
�Here’s his number!’ I announce.
Imogene hurries over and grabs both of my hands in hers. ‘Fate loves the fearless, right?’ she says, her eyes shining.
I nod, a lump in my throat.
‘Let’s do this!’ Kennedy yells, now clearly more than a bit pissed. ‘TRUE FUCKING LOVE. JOY AHOY!’
Chapter Fifty-One
Gary
Hey.
So… I am a piece of shit. I’ve had two neat whiskies and I have to say that it has not helped a bit. This is clearly me having some kind of commitment freak out. Why did I even go to the beach this morning? Why did I kiss a complete stranger… and why do I miss her so much that my heart literally aches?
Fuck.
Tori asked why I was acting so oddly when I got home. I hadn’t realized I was, but Seth and Olive agreed that I looked like I’d taken drugs or something, which, to be honest, it felt like I had. Seth pulled me aside and asked if I was alright and I couldn’t even find the words to explain to him what had just happened.
Am I losing it?
I’m writing this as Tori is having her hair and nails done for the engagement garden party and she looks so happy and excited. She is kind and ambitious. She is beautiful and elegant. She loves Janet as much as I do. I’d still be waiting on tables and living in a leaky Panorama City basement if it wasn’t for her. She needs someone who will be committed to her. Who won’t break her heart. She’s a good person. I hate that she’s so obsessed with fame, celebrity and influence, but beneath that bluster she’s a good person who doesn’t deserve a man who just kissed another woman.
Should I tell her? I don’t need to tell her, right? The fallout would be insane. It was just one weird, wonderful day and one kiss I’ll never forget. It’s jitters about getting engaged. Nothing more. It can’t be anything more. It won’t be anything more.
Tori taps something out on her phone, frowning. When she notices me watching, she puts down the phone, her face immediately transforming into a dazzling smile.
I promised I would never make her cry.
And I’m not a man who breaks his promises.
I need to focus on the woman in front of me. The one who supports me and sticks by me. The one who actually knows me. Who has known me for longer than one day, at least.
Fucking hell, Gary.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Nora
The phone rings for exactly seven rings before Billy Fever picks up. He sounds out of breath. I flip it on to speakerphone so the others can listen in.
‘Billy Fever here,’ he says. I hear barking and what sounds like someone clattering through a kitchen.
‘Hi Billy. Um, this is Nora Tucker. You might not remember, but—’
‘Nora!’ Billy shouts over the sound of barking. ‘My dear fan! Sorry! My puppy Jesse Carmichael wants his dinner, but I cannot find the can opener. One moment.’
‘Jesse Carmichael is the name of the keyboardist in Maroon Five!’ Kennedy hisses, laughing. ‘Amazing.’
‘Shhh!’
‘Okay, I am back! I am not working in the car tonight I’m afraid. I have a professional gig—’
‘Yes!’ I say. ‘You told me at the salsa club. An engagement party?’
‘An engagement garden party,’ Billy corrects. ‘It is a very big deal.’
‘Yes. Uh, this might turn out to be a weird question but… um, is it a party for Gary Montgomery? And Tori Gould?’
The other end of the phone goes silent for a moment. ‘I am afraid I am not allowed to divulge this information,’ Billy says evenly. ‘I can neither confirm nor deny.’
‘That means it is,’ Imogene gasps. ‘It’s Gary’s party!’
Oh my goodness. If Gary Montgomery is Billy Fever’s ‘number one fan’ surely that is another big flashing sign that this is the right thing?
‘I did not say that,’ Billy replies. ‘I did not tell you that.’
‘Listen, Billy,’ I say nervously. ‘I know this sounds bonkers, but… I’m in love with Gary Montgomery. And I’m supposed to be leaving Los Angeles in a few hours, but I need to tell him how I feel before I go. Would you tell me where the party is so I can find him?’
‘Everybody is in love with Gary Montgomery right now!’ Billy says. ‘He is a hot ticket. I cannot tell you where the party is. You will make a scene and this is my professional gig! I am sorry. You are my beloved fan, but I will have to disappoint you.’
My shoulders sink.
‘Help her, Billy Fever!’ Kennedy yells down the phone. ‘This is True Fucking Love!’
‘Billy,’ I say softly, ‘you told me that I cannot let the fear stop me from finding out what I can do! You said fate loves the fearless. My mum and dad used to say that all the time.’
‘Fate loves the fearless,’ Billy echoes. ‘My favourite Adam Levine quote.’
‘Um, I’m pretty sure it’s not an Adam Levine quote. James Russell Lowell said it.’
‘I heard Adam Levine say it on VH1,’ Billy declares, audibly prickling.
Imogene hisses at me to leave it alone.
‘Okay,’ I say. ‘The point is that I am trying to be fearless. I love this man and I think he might have feelings for me too.’
‘And why do you think that?’
‘Because about thirty minutes ago, he kissed me.’
‘WHAT?’ Billy shouts down the phone. ‘You are telling a lie?’
‘Nope. It’s true.’
‘Wow… What about his fiancée Tori? She would be very angry. I once drove her in my car and she was very bad-tempered. She said no when I offered her my free performance. I imagine she would be very angry with you for attempting to steal Mr Montgomery.’
I sigh. ‘I don’t know what else to do, Billy. I mean, if he says no, I’ll respect it and walk away, but… I need to hear him say no.’
To the surprise of us all – even Winklepuff who cocks his ear at the sound – Billy stars to sing down the phone.
‘One more “No” and I’ll believe you
I’ll walk away and I will leave you be
And that’s the last time you’ll say no, say no to me
It won’t take me long to find another lover, but I want you
I can’t spend another minute getting over loving you…’
Brandon and Imogene look at each other, impressed with Billy’s beautiful Adam Levine-esque timbre. Kennedy’s eyes shine with tears.
‘More beautiful words from Adam Levine,’ Billy says with a wistful sigh. ‘My number two fan is in love with my number one fan… It is very unusual. Okay. I will help you, Nora. However, my performance is at 6 p.m. when the party starts and you must promise to wait until I have finished singing. You cannot ruin my gig, okay? This is very important.’
‘I promise,’ I say as Imogene clasps her hands together in excitement.
‘Okay,’ Billy Fever says. ‘Get a pen – here is the address…’
Chapter Fifty-Three
Nora
Due to the fact that Imogene and Kennedy are now more than a little drunk, it is, surprisingly, Brandon who comes to the rescue and offers to drive us in Kennedy’s convertible because his truck only fits two people. Billy told us that the engagement party was being held in Pasadena at the Unmei Japanese Garden.
Because the unfortunate timing means that we – or, hopefully, just Imogene – will likely have to dash straight to the airport, I’ve packed up my case and we super speedily grabbed Imogene’s stuff from her B&B. I’m wearing exactly what I’ve been wearing all day, my face full of old sun cream, my pits less than fragrant. I asked if I had time for a quick shower because we had to wait until Billy had performed anyway, but Kennedy fully shot me down and told me that we simply do not have time for me to ‘soap my ass’. Which was an odd thing to say, but a fair point.
Kennedy, sitting in the front beside Brandon and with Winklepuff snuggled onto her lap, sets up a playlist and presses play. It’s a playlist of wedding songs.
‘Too much!’ I shout over the music. ‘W
e’re going to possibly destroy an engagement. We have to have some humility. We are the villains here!’
Kennedy apologises and switches it over to The Beach Boys as we zoom off towards one of LA’s many motorways, Brandon every so often shaking his head and muttering ‘fuck’ as if his whole worldview has been shaken to the core by what is happening right now.
The crawling traffic means it takes us almost ninety minutes to reach Pasadena. Eventually, we approach a gorgeous white stuccoed building with columns and lines of perfect trees down each side. We start to head down a driveway when Kennedy squeals, ‘Turn around! Turn around, Bran!’
Brandon does as he is told and reverses quickly out of the driveway.
‘What the hell!’ Imogene cries as the pair of us knock into each other.
‘What’s wrong?’ I ask.
‘Didn’t you see the security at the valet?’ Kennedy turns back to look at us with wide eyes.
‘Shit.’ My heart sinks. ‘Was it John Alan?’
Dammit. My head is so full today that it didn’t occur to me that John Alan would be here to protect Gary from… me.
‘I don’t know,’ Kennedy says.
I can’t see him, but there is definitely security there.
‘What should we do?’ Brandon asks.
Kennedy purses her lips for a moment and then she makes a little ‘oooh’ noise. ‘I have some blankets and clothes in the trunk,’ she says. ‘We’ll cover you up with junk and smuggle you in! Like when Esme is trying to sneak Bastian into the Delacourt Mansion.’
I pull a face. ‘I don’t remember that bit.’
‘I saw it on some, uh, fanfiction online.’
He Will Be Mine: The brand new laugh out loud page turner! Page 27