by Brigid Coady
‘Well, let me up, then.’ He grabbed her waist, picked her up and moved her away from the stairs.
Wow, that was very… She wanted to take her hat off and fan away the heat that suddenly rushed through her.
‘I can’t get them to stay up,’ she said, trying not to admire the way Gee’s thighs flexed in his jeans as he climbed the steps.
She needed to start weaning herself off him. She hadn’t realised how much she had enjoyed admiring him over the years.
Now though, it was as if she were super sensitive to the man he was. Another thing that the mask she’d been hanging onto had hidden from her. She’d always been attracted to him. Her fifteen-year-old self had known, how had she forgotten?
But now, everything was overwhelming.
‘Okay, I think I’ve got it.’ He stretched up and a sliver of skin flirted with her as his T-shirt came away from his jeans, a small trail of hair on his stomach peeking over his waistband.
Emma rocked back on her heels as she realised she’d unconsciously leant forward, wanting to lick it, follow its trail.
This was so fucked up.
She’d missed her chance and he was her best friend. She shouldn’t be thinking of him like that. He may have forgiven her, but more to the point, he seemed to be dating her work colleague and friend. If that didn’t make him off limits…
She sighed, none of this had been in the plan. Which was why the plan was no longer in play, she remembered. It was all about living in the moment, letting the future roll out how it would.
‘Hey, what are you up to?’ There was a questioning shout from one of the doors into the arena.
She looked around, they seemed to be the only ones near enough for it to be about.
‘Shit,’ she said. ‘Come on.’ She tugged on the hem of Gee’s jeans as she scooped up the bag and pulled her hat further down.
‘What are you doing?’ The voice was getting closer. It didn’t matter that she had an access all areas pass because if anyone from Mega! worked out that she was helping the boys to, well, fight their closet was the only way she could think about it then… No, no time to think about that.
‘Hurry,’ Emma hissed at him. ‘Grab a photo.’ She passed up her phone.
After a moment, he jumped off the steps and landed beside her with a thud and passed it back. She shoved it in her back pocket.
‘Are we going to get into trouble?’ He sounded so gleeful, she wanted to hit him. This was not the time. Even if she wasn’t keen on her job, it didn’t mean she wanted to lose it today.
Or did she?
She stumbled as she scurried to get the exit before they were caught.
When she went into this, she knew her job would go at some point. And hadn’t she spent the past two weeks hating the thought of getting up each morning? Did she really want to work in an industry, or work for a company that could treat people like a commodity?
‘Ems.’ Gee had overtaken her and was gesturing with his hand for her to come.
Now was not the time to have an existential career crisis.
She staggered out the door and started running down the hall.
‘I need to get to the boys,’ she gasped.
Was Gee going to follow her?
Would they get caught?
She heard his shoes slapping on the floor in counterpoint to her own.
‘What are you doing here?’ She panted as they screeched and slid around a corner, and just missed hitting the band’s stylist.
‘Will and Ed sent me passes. And I wanted to see you. Home… the house is quiet without you,’ He said hardly breathing hard.
She couldn’t melt now. Not yet. They reached the dressing room area. She looked back, they were clear. She slowed to a walk.
‘Emma.’ Will called through one of the doors. And she wouldn’t be melting now either it seemed.
***
#WedWedding started trending as soon as the first fans were let into the venue and caught a glimpse of the bears.
‘Emma.’ McKee said as he walked into the temporary office they had set up backstage. She froze where she was doing her ‘official’ role of ensuring that fan photos of Tina sitting in the VIP section were being seen across all the social media platforms. Most of them were being taken from less than flattering angles. She could still be professional and ensure those were the most shared, couldn’t she?
‘Yes?’ She stopped herself from saying ‘sir’. Just because he barked like an army officer didn’t mean she had to act like one.
‘Who was with you today?’ he snapped.
Oh, so this was it. It was as if she were poised at the very top of a rollercoaster, she knew what was coming next. She had never liked rollercoasters.
Someone had definitely spotted them and they’d worked out it was her. Luckily Gee had been hiding out in the dressing rooms until the concert started.
‘I don’t know what you mean?’ She stalled for time.
‘Who was with you when you were setting up that ridiculous toy thing on stage? I know it was you, was it Ed?’
It would have been easy to say yes, to lie and blame it on the band. Say she didn’t have a choice and keep her job. But even when she had been clueless and followed Mega!’s plans that wasn’t the way she worked. Without missing a beat, she said.
‘It wasn’t Ed, it was just me.’
‘No, Emma, there was a man with you. Did the boys put you up to this?’ He was getting closer. For once, his smile had slipped. This was not the kind face of the music industry, that his personal PR liked to spin. No, this was the face of the man who, without blinking, kept two boys deep in a closet so he could make money. And who knew how many other people’s lives he had played god with?
‘It was all me, Malcolm. Only me.’ Her voice was strong.
‘You? You’re the one behind the ridiculous bears?’ He scoffed.
‘Who else would it be?’ she said, thinking on her feet. If she was going down then she was going to make sure Ed and Will were as safe as she could make them. ‘I was in LA when they started. The whole Mike the sound guy being the one setting it up? Well, I made him up to leak backstage videos and photos, so I repurposed him a bit. Spent a bit of money getting people to help me out. But the idea, that was all me.’
They’d always known this could be the last hurrah, that each time the bears appeared could be the last. And ever since Christmas she’d had this job on borrowed time. But if she was having to leave then the least she could do was ease the flack that could hit Ed and Will.
‘It was me.’ She lied and never felt so free.
The swooping feeling of being on a rollercoaster flew through her and for the first time she wanted to take her hands off the bars and let it take her on the ride.
‘Get out.’ McKee was so close he was spitting in her face. She wouldn’t flinch, she wouldn’t back down. ‘Don’t bother getting your stuff from work. We’ll send it to you. You are done in this town, Woodward. Done.’
He moved back from her, his face still screwed up in rage before he wiped it clean and the gap-toothed smile started up again.
It was chilling.
‘Elton, you are now point on this.’ He gestured to Dan.
He turned and stalked out of the room, but as he reached the door he stopped.
‘And I want my bloody photo frame back.’ He walked out, letting the door bang behind him.
There was a vacuum of silence left as he exited. Everyone was looking at her.
‘Well, Woodward, that was…’ Dan began gloating, he was within a millimetre of rubbing his hands.
‘Shut it.’ Paul, the tour manager, interrupted. ‘We might have to work with you going forward but for the next ten minutes, I’m going to treat you like the prick you are. After that I’ll pretend you have a brain.’ His Irish voice made the words sound lyrical.
‘But…’ Dan spluttered as the team started sniggering.
‘Come on, Emma. I’ll see you out.’ Paul said kindly with a win
k.
Within minutes she was ushered out into the main arena.
‘Can you…’
‘I’ll let them know,’ he promised. ‘And go and find that lanky lad of yours. You’d have been fine if he didn’t stand out so much. Bloody boy-banders. They’ll be the death of me.’ He waved. ‘See you soon.’
So, this was what being unemployed felt like, she thought, as she leaned against the wall of the tunnel she’d been left in. She noticed that the line for drinks at the nearby bar was very short. She joined it, grabbed a double vodka and tonic and propped herself back against the wall.
The boys sounded amazing. The crowd was screaming.
And she’d never felt so free.
Meet you outside. I just got fired. She sent the text to Gee.
It was blunt and to the point, she was done with sugar coating and hiding the truth. She downed her drink, turned her back on the stage and walked out.
Chapter Forty
‘What the bloody hell!’ Gee raged as he ran up to her outside All Bar One on the main concourse outside the arena.
People turned and gasped. Phones popped up, fingers pressing fast, all trying to catch Gee Knightley lose it in public.
Sheesh, she’d have thought he would have learnt by now.
‘Not now, Gee. Can we just go home?’ The swelling euphoria of having done something good was wearing off.
She could feel her muscles beginning to lock up one by one when she thought about how she was going to earn a living.
‘Ems…’ He wrapped his arms round her and held her close.
He felt amazing, solid and sexy, comforting and… he felt like hers. She wanted to melt into him. Let him bear the weight of her life, even for just a moment. She could feel his stubble against her cheek. He was whispering in her ear.
‘I’m sorry, darling. So sorry. I’ll go and tell them it was me. Tell me what you need me to do?’
Oh, the warmth of his breath on her ear. The memory of how he’d worshipped her neck flashed through her mind. Her body reacting to it. She wanted to turn her head, let their mouths line up. Let him kiss away the panic, unlock her muscles one by one. A kiss at a time.
She couldn’t help herself, she turned so that she could feel his breath on her lips. One more move and she could just taste him again.
Jamie.
She couldn’t do that to Jamie. And she wouldn’t take advantage of Gee. They were only just back to where they needed to be. She couldn’t bear to see him flinch back from her, the way his arms would fall from around her. How he’d have to let her down gently. But it would never be gentle because it hurt no matter what.
She felt his hands tighten. He was going to push her back.
No, she wouldn’t let it happen, not yet, she buried her head back in to his neck. He held still for a moment, before hugging her harder.
She wondered how those watching would tag it on social media. What stories they would spin about what they’d seen. A lovers’ quarrel maybe? But that wasn’t her job any more.
***
Being unemployed was strange. Waves of panic would crash over her at the oddest times. When leaning over to grab a bag of potatoes in the supermarket, and suddenly realising it was ten o’clock in the morning and that she should be at work. Or when the alarm went off, so she could get to her early morning Psycle class and realising she didn’t have to book classes around the job anymore.
It didn’t help that as soon as she and Gee had got home, he had left. Not in a bad way, she couldn’t even think that. No, it was a completely legitimate job. So, she rattled around the house, alone. She needed to get used to it.
Or mostly she was alone. It seemed that Gee had been giving out spare keys at whim.
‘I need someone to sort out my social media.’ Lewis had let himself in and then threw himself down on her sofa. When there was a perfectly good second sofa on the other side of the room.
‘That’s nice,’ she said. Was he going to stay? Should she pause the episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race she was on? Her marathon re-watching of all the seasons was well under way. And it was a completely valid way of destressing, no matter what anyone else said.
‘Emma. I need someone to sort out my social media,’ he said louder.
He really wasn’t going to go away, she thought. Reaching a hand out of her cocoon of blankets she paused the TV show. Why did he have to come in when it was the good bit, when the contestants were about to put on sunglasses and throw shade at each other?
‘Okay, Lewis. You need someone to help sorting it out, but what? Twitter or that god awful mess of an Instagram account that has your name on it? I know some good companies that I can put you in touch with.’ Surely this was something his management and PR team should be dealing with?
‘Let me start again.’ He wiggled his bum to get more comfortable, pushing her legs up. She loved Lewis, she really did, but he did seem to like interfering in her life.
‘Are you quite comfortable?’
‘Well, a cup of tea wouldn’t go amiss,’ he said hopefully. ‘But first. What I’m saying is that I want to hire you, Emma Woodhouse, to sort out my social media.’
Eh? Her? Why would he do that?
She lay there staring at him. He trusted her with telling his online life story?
‘As in give advice or actually help you shape the story?’ she asked quietly.
‘The whole thing, sweetie. I want you to help work out what my brand strategy is, in partnership with my team. And then come up with the tactics we’ll use on social media. I’ve seen what you can do. You’re good.’
‘But what about…’ She’d lied for people, she’d let lies be told. She was the one who was telling the lies.
‘Hey, we all go rogue at some point and get tempted to the dark side. But you saw the light, I spoke with Will and Ed. I know what you helped them do at the end. And I know you. You are loyal, Ems. I want you with me.’ He added, ‘Oh, and they send their love. Collectively. From their flat, which they still live in together no matter what the Daily Planet says.’ He winked.
‘Are you sure?’ She sat up, the remote control falling from her lap.
‘That they’re still together? Of course I’m sure.’ He looked confused.
‘No, I meant about me doing your social media,’ she replied.
‘Oh, thank god because I was starting to worry that you of all people had begun to believe all the spin, which meant I’d have to stage an intervention.’ He patted her leg. ‘I want you on my team. And you can start thinking strategy when you meet the rest of them at the “Great Valentine Masquerade” which is, as you know, tomorrow.’
‘I’m not coming to another of your parties.’ She balked. Why did Lew and Harry have this need to throw extravagant masquerade bashes for the corniest of holidays? She wondered if it was some secret kink they shared. It had bad enough at Halloween. But Valentine’s Day, having to hang round at a party full of couples or people looking for love… She shuddered. Salt in a very raw wound. Okay, so people would be in disguise, but that made it worse. She had gone off the whole wearing a mask thing.
‘Nope, you are coming to the party. Don’t even fight me on this.’ Lewis sank lower in the cushions. ‘And I take my tea strong, a dash of milk and no sugar. Ta lovely.’ He smiled at her.
‘Bloody hell,’ she muttered, untangling herself from the blanket.
‘And hurry up,’ Lewis called as she left the room. ‘This bit where they do the shade is my favourite.’
Chapter Forty-One
She could do this. She could.
It was a party. She’d been to parties. In fact, she usually liked parties. But… this was a remake of Halloween, except with less pumpkin. She walked up the stairs to the room that Lewis and Harry had booked. Various masked people swarmed around, laughing and giggling. Some in costume and others in party clothes.
Maybe she shouldn’t have worn red, she thought. Not that it would make her stand out on today of all days, but it made her look
more involved than she felt. She smoothed a hand down the velvet of the suit jacket. What did it matter, as it felt beautifully soft under her fingers? She adjusted the mask on her face. She couldn’t wear the one she gave to Gee for Christmas, it had felt weird going into his room while he was away. Instead this cheap black satin one would have to do.
She’d put in an appearance, talk with Lew’s team and then leave. At least with all these costumes, she wouldn’t have to see Jamie and Gee together. She had seen Gee briefly last night as he’d come in from his flight. There had been a tired but awkward hug. But when she got up this morning he was gone. This was her future, glimpses of Gee while he got on with his life.
Although she wished she hadn’t checked Jamie’s Instagram feed and seen his costume. He made a delightful Cupid, with that good body he usually hid under the pussycat bows and floral shirts.
She didn’t know what Gee was dressed as. He probably matched Jamie.
She stopped dead. Couples’ costumes.
Nope, she couldn’t do it. She’d have to tell Lewis.
‘Emma.’ A short and curvy devil exploded from the group by the door and grabbed her hand.
‘How do you do that?’ she said, frustrated that yet again he’d figured out who she was.
‘Talent, darling, talent.’ Lewis laughed. ‘Anyway come and meet the team. Harry. Harry.’ He called and the tall angel turned around.
‘What, love?’ The voice revealed it to be Lew’s husband, Harry.
‘Just taking Emma here to meet the team,’ Lew said, with emphasis on her name. Great so now at least some people knew what she’d come as. Harry gave a large over the top wink to Lewis.
‘Dear god, he is as subtle as a sledgehammer,’ Lewis muttered. ‘Now don’t get that cape caught.’ He took her arm and led her into the party.
She wrapped the edges of her red cloak around her hands to keep it closer. It was the only thing from her Halloween costume that she’d decided to wear again. It seemed right to be all in red. Not to go with her usual uniform but to go with the flow, even if the scarlet of the cape clashed with the ruby of the suit.
Thirty minutes later she had finished making notes on her phone and was saying goodbye to Lew’s manager.