‘You know as well as I do, there are a hundred girls, thousands even, to take your place if you’re looking to retire.’ She’d shrugged her sharp, bony shoulders at Hero. ‘It’s all the same to me. I’m not the one who’ll be out of work.’
Hero had gone home and stared at the woman looking back at her from the huge ornate mirror that rested against one wall in the large, high-ceilinged Georgian bedroom. Stripping off her dress, she stood there in all but the briefest of briefs and wondered how much longer she could do this. People fought to have her walk down their runway. Men wanted her on their arm, girls aspired to be her. And yet all of it was a façade. For them to be who they thought she was, she only ate certain foods, avoided those she craved, and all to look like this. Hero knew she wasn’t a good role model for young women, and that worried her. She’d seen the disapproving stares, the nasty, offensive tweets about her body and although she didn’t agree with the way it was delivered, she did understand the basic message. As a top model, she perpetuated the illusion of glamour, the idea that being thin brought riches and reward. But that wasn’t all it brought. There was a side that people didn’t see. The dark side that brought unhappiness, disillusionment, eating disorders, drug abuse, and abandonment. It was a world that fêted you when it wanted and left you in the wilderness once it was finished.
Hero turned and yanked a silk throw from her enormous bed and flung it at the mirror, its ornate edges catching the fine fabric and ensuring it stayed in place, hiding her reflection. She stood there for a moment, her mind whirling, before moving slowly across to the bed. Climbing onto it, she sat, her knees folded under her as memories of the past few weeks raced through her mind before it inevitably returned to her booker’s uncompromised, harsh words. The worst part of it was that Hero knew it was true. With Juliet now settling into her new life on the other side of the world, her own world became smaller, more important. Needed. She couldn’t afford to lose her place in this world, because without it she wouldn’t belong anywhere.
Anya reached out and took her friend’s hand within her own. ‘Ignore Marlena. She’s always had a mean streak. You are still the most beautiful person I know. Both on the outside and in your heart.’
Hero sighed and laid her head on her friend’s shoulder. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
‘Well, until I return home and open my multi-award-winning restaurant, you are stuck with me, so that is not an issue you have to worry about.’
Hero smiled, her friend’s enthusiasm and humour warming her bruised, frightened heart.
‘So,’ Anya said again. ‘Tell me all about the wedding, and don’t leave anything out.’
Chapter 7
The useful thing about being one of the highest paid and most in-demand models in the world meant that Hero was able to still see her sister while avoiding Nick Webster.
Using work as an excuse, Hero was able to fly Juliet out and meet her at several different destinations and when, a year later, her sister’s first wedding anniversary rolled around, she sent the couple a gift of paper in the form of two tickets to Paris and accommodation at the most luxurious hotel in the city. Having a shoot in the city a day later, Hero took the opportunity to meet up with them both for dinner.
‘You really shouldn’t have done all this,’ Pete said as he hugged his sister-in-law in the lobby of the hotel. ‘It’s too much.’
‘Not at all. Besides, it’s really a gift to myself as it means I get to see you both this time.’ She smiled, and Pete dropped a brotherly kiss on the top of her head.
‘You know you’re always welcome at the station.’
Hero smiled and nodded. ‘I know. Thank you,’ she said, knowing that she had no intention of returning there unless it was entirely unavoidable. She did miss Joe dreadfully though. Skype just wasn’t the same. Thankfully, Pete had been happy to juggle Joe’s schedule so that he could accompany Juliet on a couple of trips to meet up with Hero. But the longer she could stay away from Nick Webster, the better. Besides, from what she heard, Nick had certainly been keeping himself busy outside of work on the station entertaining half the women in the area. As time had passed, Hero had realised that she had probably had a rather lucky escape. Clearly all those soft words and gentle caresses were nothing more than a come on, aimed to add yet another notch on his bed post. He’d probably had a good laugh at the thought he’d nearly bedded the one woman who hadn’t been immediately taken with him. She’d posed a challenge – and he’d nearly succeeded. Even the thought of it made her mad with herself. Of all the people to let under her defences, a cocky Australian lothario whom she may have to actually see again at some point hadn’t been the best decision. Still, she’d managed it for over a year and had plans to extend that for as long as possible.
Plans, however, had a habit of changing either through design, or circumstance and this time was no exception.
‘Twins?’ Hero repeated, placing her champagne glass back down on the table, next to her sister’s untouched one.
Juliet nodded, the broadest, most contented smile on her face. Hero shifted her gaze to Pete and saw the same joy reflected there. Her own smile broke as she leant around the booth and hugged them both together.
‘I’m so happy for you. Truly. I can’t think of anyone who would make better parents than you two. That’s two very lucky little babies you have in there.’ She laughed, as she gently wiped her sister’s tears of joy away with her thumbs.
‘We thought we might wait a little longer, but I guess the universe didn’t agree.’
Pete kissed his wife. ‘I think it might have had more to do with the two bottles of wine we got through that night more than the universe.’
Juliet gave him a patient but loving look. ‘Yes, but that’s a far less romantic story.’
Pete agreed and held his glass against Hero’s for her toast.
‘I know it’s very early but knowing how busy you are, we wanted to ask you now if you would agree to be their godmother.’
Hero felt the lump in her throat as she looked between the two. ‘Me?’
Pete nodded. ‘Of course. There’s no one else we’d rather have.’
‘I … I don’t know anything about babies!’ Her heart swelled with joy as she laughed.
Pete wrapped his arm around his wife, the look of adoration on his face just as strong, if not stronger than it had been on their wedding day. ‘Join the club. We can all learn together.’
***
Hero continued to meet her sister in various places across the globe for the next few months, telling her that once the babies arrived, it was naturally going to be more difficult, so she wanted to take advantage of the situation and pamper her for as long as possible. There was no need to tell Juliet that she was still uncomfortable about the fact that whenever she thought of Nick Webster, her stomach tightened, her treacherous mind refusing to forget the way he had felt against her as they danced. Knowing that he was happily sleeping his way around the district made her feel even more ridiculous, showing that what she had thought of as special, he apparently hadn’t thought of at all. And yes, she’d panicked and bolted the very next morning, unable to even look him in the eye, but his words had lingered in her head. It wasn’t the first time she’d been called a diva, and was unlikely to be the last. It came with the territory.
There were others in the same profession who most certainly subscribed to that kind of behaviour – even relished it – but Hero wasn’t made that way. She didn’t have the belief that she was better than others because of her looks, or her bank balance, or her fame. The quickest way for a man to lose her interest was to be rude or obnoxious to the waiting staff in a restaurant. In fact, Hero had always kept that as a benchmark. Rupert’s good manners towards the servers was one of the first things she noticed about him when she’d originally met him at that party. Honestly, it would have been so much easier if they could have just worked romantically. But apparently the universe had decided that would have been far to
o easy and had instead thrown Nick Webster in her path.
Which was why her insides were now turning somersaults as the car she had arranged from the airport sped her ever closer to Hill Station.
Closing her eyes, she told herself not to be so ridiculous. It had been a few hours nearly two years ago and from what she heard from her sister, he certainly hadn’t given a second thought to her since she left. Hero cast her mind back to the morning she’d last been at the station. Was it any wonder she’d avoided coming back here? Nick had been so quick to pin the diva label on her that morning, he hadn’t even given her a chance to explain. Hero brushed a tiny piece of fluff off the silk of her maxi dress as her mind continued to whirl. But deep down she knew the truth. He had given her the chance. He’d asked her to tell him the real reason she was leaving … but she hadn’t. She couldn’t. The question that continued to gnaw at her though was was that because she was afraid of another rejection? Or something quite the opposite?
‘Not far now, love,’ the driver called back, catching Hero’s eye in the mirror.
‘Thank you,’ she replied, already recognising the landmarks that Pete had pointed out on her first visit to the place. It had been months since she’d seen Juliet and she hadn’t seen the babies at all. Work had been crazy, she’d taken a few business trips with Rupert which he’d insisted would be utterly boring unless he had company. Naturally, the papers had soon latched on to them, talking about their on-again, off-again relationship, which showed how little they knew, or cared, about the truth. There had never been a relationship to be on in the first place. At the airport, Rupert had picked up a copy of one of the many trashy gossip magazines that seemed to take up more and more space in the racks. A slightly blurry picture of them both coming out of Tiffany’s in New York had sent them into overdrive. ‘Hero finally to marry her own hero?’ said one.
Rupert was especially fond of that one. ‘I rather like that. Perhaps next time we should sort out some horse riding. I’ll arrange a white charger for me and perhaps a lightweight suit of armour? You know what they say. Go big or go home.’
Hero had taken the magazine from his hands and swatted him on the arm with it before placing it back on the shelf.
‘Then I think go home would be the best option in this particular case.’
Rupert had rolled his eyes. ‘You’re no fun.’
‘Oh. In that case, I can sit and paint my toenails this evening and read some more of my book whilst you go to that – what did you call it – tedious but necessary function.’ She tossed him a smile over her shoulder as she headed away to the departure lounge.
‘You wouldn’t do that to me.’
‘I might.’
He’d caught her hand then and wrapped his arms dramatically round her. ‘Do not leave me, my beauty! I repent most arduously. Your wish will be my command always and forever.’
Hero, by this time, was giggling so much at his ridiculous expression and his rather terrible but still recognisable Laurence Olivier impression, that she forgot the world for a moment. The click of a shutter pulled them both back, grins on their faces. Several camera phones were pointed in their direction. Releasing her, Rupert had taken her hand and led them at a brisk pace to the private lounge.
‘You know that’s going be all over those awful magazines tomorrow, don’t you?’
Rupert had looked at her as they entered the quiet privacy of the room, his face serious now. ‘Do you mind? I forget sometimes.’
Hero shook her head and smiled, then placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. ‘Not at all. You make me remember to laugh at it all. That’s definitely a good thing.’
‘Here we are!’ the cheerful driver said, rousing her from her thoughts as he turned the car into the long driveway of Hill Station.
Hero ran a hand over her hair and took a couple of calming deep breaths. It was ridiculous to be so nervous and, in her heart, she knew she was glad to be out here again. Away from the noise and toxin-filled air of the cities she spent most of her life in. She knew that tonight, when she looked out she’d be able to see the stars, hear the soft bleating of a sheep and nothing else. The thought alone sent a ripple of calm through her body as the car pulled up to the house.
She opened the door and stepped out, the heat of the afternoon shocking her after the cold rain she’d left behind in London and the continual air conditioning of the airports, planes, and cars. Hero closed her eyes for a moment, letting it warm her bare shoulders.
‘Where do you want these?’ the driver asked, as he lifted out two cases. ‘Staying a while then?’
‘No, not really.’
‘Aah.’ He smiled, as he pushed the boot lid closed. ‘My wife’s like that. Everything but the kitchen sink, she takes. Sometimes it feels like that might be in there too!’ His tanned face deepened its crow’s feet as he chuckled.
Hero gave him a smile and a large tip. The truth was that she did pack light. She’d learned to over the years of modelling and thousands of miles she’d now travelled. He wasn’t to know that the larger case was filled with gifts for Juliet, Pete, and their growing family. She paused in thought as she considered that. Why hadn’t she said ‘her family’? Pete was her brother-in-law and she was auntie to two gorgeous little babies. By the end of her trip, she’d be their godmother. So why did she still feel like an outsider?
‘You’re here!’ Juliet’s cry made Hero jump as the driver pulled away slowly, being careful not to cover his recently disembarked passenger in red dust.
Her sister ran down the steps of the porch and into Hero’s open arms. ‘Oh, Hero. I can’t believe you’re here at last! It seems so long.’
A wash of guilt passed over her. It had been too long. She should have made an effort to come sooner, instead of telling herself that seeing her sister on Skype was almost the same thing. Telling herself that they were both busy. She hadn’t fully appreciated that until now. She held her sister back and gently wiped away the tears.
‘I’m sorry. Please don’t cry!’
Juliet smiled through them. ‘No, no! It’s fine. They’re happy tears. I promise!’
Hero nodded, knowing she had her own reasons for keeping away. But in doing so, she had hurt Juliet. Not that that was something her sister would ever think or say, but Hero knew the truth.
Bending down, she picked up her cases, rebuffing her sister’s offer of help.
‘Come on, let me carry one.’
‘No, I’m fine. You’ve been carrying two small humans around until fairly recently. I think you’ve done quite enough.’
‘Don’t be silly. Come on. Just let me take one.’
‘How about I take both and call it even?’ Pete’s deep voice came from behind them as he strode across the yard, his Akubra hat shading his face but not concealing the grin on his face. He put his arms out and Hero stepped into them, his hug wrapping around her tightly.
‘Good to have you back,’ he said softly before releasing her. She looked up into his face as she stood back. Did he know? Did he blame her?
‘I should have come sooner.’
Pete shook his head. ‘You’re here now. That’s what matters.’
Juliet nodded enthusiastically, linking her arm through her sister’s and leading them all into the cool interior of the house.
The rest of the afternoon was spent being introduced to, and cuddling, Hero’s new niece and nephew. According to their parents, the babies were already developing their own personalities with the little girl, Bridie, excitable and wriggly, while her brother, Marcus, had a more placid nature, often calming his sister down as they lay side by side on their play mat chatting to each other in a language only they understood.
The babies now put down and sleeping peacefully in their cots – a situation that may, or may not remain, her brother-in-law joked – the three adults sat around the table. Dinner had been eaten and all three now sat with a large mug of tea, chatting over a multitude of topics as the conversation swung from light to serious and
back to light as they began talking about the arrangements for the children’s christening.
‘Mum and Dad are coming in from the city the night before and then heading out again the morning after.’
‘They’re off on a cruise,’ Juliet filled in.
‘How are they finding living in the city? Do they still enjoy it?’ Hero asked, realising just how much she was looking forward to seeing Jack and Gill again.
‘I think it took a bit of getting used to at first, didn’t it?’ Juliet said, looking at her husband.
‘Yeah. It’s obviously a bit different from out here. There’s a lot more people and noise for a start.’
Hero nodded.
Pete smiled. ‘You’re the last person I need to tell that to though, I’m sure.’
‘It certainly is a change.’
‘They seem to be into it now though,’ Juliet took up again. ‘They’ve made quite a few friends and joined some clubs and they’re always off to visit a museum or on a trip somewhere. I think, at first, they worried a bit that they’d done the wrong thing but it’s all worked out.’
‘Just having the flat there means there’s much less for them to worry about too, and they can just concentrate on enjoying their retirement.’
‘They must be thrilled about the babies though?’
Pete laughed. ‘You could say that.’ The broad smile on his face showed Hero his parents weren’t the only ones thrilled at these new additions. She lifted her mug, catching a glance of Pete as he took her sister’s hand, kissing it gently.
‘It will be lovely to see them again.’
‘The feeling’s mutual. Mum’s been nagging to get you back out here pretty much ever since you left last time.’
Hero smiled, but it felt awkward. ‘I know. I’m sorry. I really did leave it too long.’
Pete patted her hand. ‘Don’t be daft. Everyone’s busy and time just flies. You look round and another six months have gone!’
Second Chance At the Ranch Page 10