She's the One

by Teresa F. Morgan

  She was the female version of Steve. She had assets and knew how to use them. Would Steve fall for Alice’s charm? Alice was nice enough – in small doses – but she didn’t seem as though she was ready to settle down – yet. Which was what Steve wanted, wasn’t it? He could pick up a party girl in LA. Alice would look good on his arm though. A handsome couple.

  What if Steve fell for the wrong woman, and had his heart broken all over again? Was this a good idea?

  He’s a grown man, Ruby. He’ll be fine.

  “Yeah, now I’m ready,” Steve hung up the towel and walked round the bar to greet Ruby, giving her a big bear hug.

  “Hey, not at work.” She blushed. “The staff will be walking all over me.”

  They separated at the locker rooms; Steve heading into the men’s. When he came out, he was changed into his normal clothes, shrugging on his coat. Callum and Brett walked out with him.

  “Hey, shouldn’t we go down the pub for a pint, to celebrate Stu’s first day?” Callum said.

  “Yeah.” Brett nodded, glancing at Ruby.

  “Oh, it’s up to Stuart, he hasn’t got a car.” Ruby flustered, then turned to Steve “I can pick you up later, though – if you want to go.”

  “You can come, too,” Brett said, hesitantly, removing his glasses and smiling nervously. Ruby noticed Callum’s groan. They didn’t usually include ‘the boss’ in the pub invitation. “You’re part of the team, too.”

  “Oh, I don’t know.”

  “Ruby, come on, we could do with winding down. Let me get to know these guys a little better,” Steve said, trying that twinkle with his eyes lark again. “You’re coming, too. Lydia?”

  Lydia and Alice had come out of the ladies’ changing room.

  “Okay, yes, I can come for one drink.”

  “Alice?”

  Alice already had her lipstick reapplied. “You didn’t even need to ask, gorgeous.”

  Ruby buried her anxiety. Don’t panic. Alice called everyone gorgeous – except for Callum.

  ***

  Steve bought the first round in the busy pub, full with after-work drinkers. Ruby had muttered in his ear, “Don’t flash your money around.”

  He had to remember not to try too hard to fit in.

  And not to drink too much, too.

  The British were alcoholics compared to the Americans, and Steve had steered clear of too much drinking behind the scenes of the film industry, where it was laid on after a long shooting session. He’d witnessed first-hand the mess it had got some younger actors into. And older ones. Steve had kept clean and sober, not wanting to be in rehab before he was thirty. Luckily, he was the sort of guy who enjoyed life, and didn’t need to get drunk or stoned to have a good time. Maybe that came from confidence. He could socialise with anyone, laugh at anecdotes, and had learned to bite his tongue to those he didn’t quite gel with, walking away at the first opportunity, and not looking back.

  Steve hadn’t set foot in a proper English pub in years. While savouring his ale he observed his new friends.

  His first day – without wanting to jinx things – had so far gone without a hitch. Callum and Brett were a duo, though Callum was more the clown than Brett. In fact, Brett had gone quiet, Steve noticed, and he looked at Ruby a lot.

  Alice remained close to Steve, and he’d get wafts of her floral perfume occasionally, which wasn’t overpowering. He’d be quite happy to breathe it in all day.

  He listened to them all chat, getting to know them a little better, telling him their tales of work. Their best and worst guests. Callum and Alice were the real talkers of the group.

  Ruby sloped off to the bathroom, and Callum nudged Steve, almost spilling his pint.

  “We call her Miss Whiplash, coz she’s so bossy,” Callum said and Steve chuckled.

  “She’s not that bad,” Brett said, finishing his pint.

  “You’re going to have to tell us some stories,” Callum continued, ignoring Brett, “so we can tease her. What was she like as a kid?”

  “Oh, no.” Steve shook his head. “Don’t get me involved. Ruby’s doing me a favour.”

  Brett went to the bar to buy the next round and the conversation turned to the worst topic Steve wanted.

  “You know, you remind me of someone,” Alice said, as she studied him. Every time Steve had caught her eye, Alice had been staring at him. Steve pulled a face as if to say ‘who?’ He tried to remain calm and ready to be very blasé, in the ‘I don’t know what you mean’ type way.

  “Oh, I know, has someone ever told you, you’re the spitting image of Steve Mason?” Alice brushed his chest with her hand.

  Steve nearly choked on the drink in his mouth. Fortunately, he swallowed then coughed. He put his pint down on the table they were standing around, for fear of dropping it. Luckily, the pub was noisy. If it had been quiet, and she’d been heard, maybe others would have confirmed that he was Steve Mason.

  “He gets that all the time.” Ruby had returned from the ladies’ loos and to his rescue in the nick of time.

  “Yeah, yeah.” Steve shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets, jiggling the change, deliberately not meeting anyone’s eye. His brain ticked on overtime to think about how to answer. Usually he had no trouble responding.

  “Who’s Steve Mason?” Callum said, glancing questioningly at Brett.

  “You know, that American actor? His latest film with Erica Kealey. Perfection wasn’t it?” Brett said, handing out the next round of drinks; most of them softies now, as they all had to drive home.

  Okay, so Brett knew his stuff. Damn it.

  “Isn’t he British?” Lydia, who’d been quiet all evening, spoke up. Lydia knew her stuff too. Shit.

  “No, he’s American,” Ruby added quickly, giving a subtle look to Steve.

  “Oh, yeah, Perfection. That was one hot film, if you know what I mean?” Callum said, gesturing his approval of the film coarsely. Brett smirked and shook his head.

  Steve’s heart raced with panic. There had been a few racy scenes in that film. He prayed Ruby hadn’t seen it. That’s how he and Erica had fallen in love. On and off the screen. Even with a whole film crew surrounding them, they’d worked very closely and it had driven them crazy, to the point they had to find each other off the set.

  Ruby rolled her eyes but Alice laughed. “He is hot.” She gave Steve another once over.

  “Well, I’m not him. Wouldn’t want to be either,” Steve said, remembering the glasses on his nose, and giving them a push, Clark Kent style. Maybe if he dropped his drink? He was going home to watch Superman, one, two and three, to get some hints on how to hide behind a flimsy disguise.

  He knew this would never work. Why had he let Ruby talk him into it? Might as well book the flight home now.

  “Erica Kealey is hot with a capital H. Imagine her hanging off your arm every day of your life.” Callum chinked his glass with Steve’s. Steve feared he looked as white as ghost. He certainly felt the colour drain from him. “There’s no way you’d be standing here now, that’s for sure! Steve Mason is one lucky bastard.”

  “They’ve broken up now, haven’t they?” Lydia said, frowning thoughtfully, and Alice nodded, eyeing up Steve.

  Please stop looking at me.

  “Nah, you’re not as hot as him,” Alice said.

  Thank God.

  And thank the magazines who Photoshop out the imperfections.

  “You’d like his money, though,” Callum said, elbowing him, nearly spilling his drink – again!

  “Who wouldn’t?” Brett chimed in and Steve was grateful the conversation changed to what they’d spend their millions on if they won the lottery.

  Steve started breathing easily again. The one person he hated talking about, or thinking about, was Erica Kealey. That’s why he’d flown home after all. Every time he heard her name – even in the crass way Callum had spoken – it felt like a knife stabbing his heart. He’d bitten his tongue so he wouldn’t stand up for Erica, because it would have give
n the game away, and he knew Callum was just fantasising. He hadn’t meant his words maliciously. Steve had once been like that about the stars, pop idols or actresses – he had a thing for Daisy Duke - until he’d become an actor.

  When Ruby said it was time to go, he felt relief, glad to leave. Acting not in front of a camera was hard work.

  ***

  Steve blew out of his mouth, scratching the back of his neck. “Phew! That was close,” he said, getting into Ruby’s car.

  “Yeah, I think we got away with that one.”

  “I’d never have guessed Lydia knew her stuff. I thought Alice, if anyone, would see through my disguise.” He took his glasses off, rubbed his eyes, putting the frames into the top pocket of his now-clingy cheap shirt. He had to endure this for possibly three months. Would he last?

  Steve noticed Ruby hadn’t headed straight home.

  “As it’s late, fancy fish and chips for tea?” Ruby said.

  “Do I really have a choice?”

  “Not really. I can’t be arsed to cook.”

  Ruby pulled up outside the local chippy. The smell of batter, vinegar and oil, made his mouth water and his stomach grumble. Ruby dashed in and returned with their order, then drove them home while Steve held onto the hot packages, eager to pinch a chip.

  First a real pub, now proper fish and chips. Steve Mason was home.

  They sat around Ruby’s dining table eating out of the paper wrapping. Ruby added more salt and vinegar to her chips, while Steve spread lavish amounts of tartar sauce over his battered cod.

  “Is this regular guy stuff?” Steve licked his fingers.

  Ruby nodded, chewed then swallowed. “You need to make sure your American twang stays hidden,” Ruby pointed the wooden chip fork at him, “otherwise Alice really will put two and two together. But at least she’s in the spa. You shouldn’t see her that often.”

  Did Ruby even own Superman on DVD?

  Ruby went into the kitchen and returned from the fridge with two cans of lager. “So what’s Perfection about?”

  “So you haven’t seen it?” Steve felt partly relieved. His biggest film to date, which was about to rocket his fame factor up a notch, had included a lot of nudity, putting him on that top ten of sexiest men list.

  “No. I don’t like watching things you’re in. Feels odd. Especially if there are love scenes.” The can hissed as she opened it, then she winced after taking a sip, reacting to the coldness. Steve opened his, too. “I mean, I know it’s not real, but it’s bloody close. Watching my brother make love is not an image I want.”

  “It’s only pretend. I’m not actually, you know, doing it.”

  “All the same, I’m sure it comes pretty close to what you look like when you are actually doing it.”

  “Okay, I get your point. Did you watch The Blackest Day? There’s no sex in that film. I don’t even kiss a girl.” It was one prior to Perfection, a step up the ladder on the acting, still only a supporting character.

  “Only the trailer, but friends told me your character got tortured and died. I didn’t fancy watching that either. I don’t need to see you dying. I made the mistake of going with Mum to see one of your first films. Mum blushed, and then wept. I was horrified.”

  “Mum watched Bad News?”

  “Yes, we both did. And decided never to do it again!”

  In his first Hollywood film, he’d only been a side-kick. His character had had some raunchy action, before being gruesomely killed off. “Okay, I can see why you don’t want to watch my films.” He smirked, and they both laughed. “I won’t make you if you don’t want to.”

  “Good.” Ruby grinned. “So how was your first day? Did you enjoy the work?”

  “It was okay…” he dragged out. The work was monotonous at times. He’d ended up cleaning the bar because it had been so quiet. “I think I will go back to acting afterwards, though. This certainly isn’t a career change for the better.” Ruby laughed; it was beautiful to hear her chortling again, as he always used to clown around trying to make her laugh when she was little. “But it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Especially the reception desk, once I got used to picking up the phone. That’s actually scary. I like to look at these things as life experiences. Who knows? Might get to use it one day in my acting.”

  “Oh, like method acting.”

  “Something like that. Yes.”

  “Well, the staff have taken to you, so that’s good. I thought they’d be the best crowd to introduce you to, bit more fun and all of them are single.”

  “I’m not dating Brett or Callum!”

  “I know, stupid. But you need single male friends, too, so you can go out and socialise with them, right?”

  “This is true. Ruby, when did you get so clever?” He winked, then screwed up his fish and chips wrappings, feeling very full and worried he’d overdosed on grease – cod and chips were not on the Hollywood diet.

  “Maybe I did inherit something from Dad – he gave you his looks, but me his brains.” Ruby gave an infectious giggle as Steve cleared the table.

  “Actually, you’re so much like Mum, it’s unbelievable.”

  Ruby sobered. “She was clever too, though.”

  “Of course. And she was incredibly strong-minded. She kept it together even with Dad dying.”

  “Yes, yes. I don’t remember Dad dying so much, but I do remember her strength.”

  “I can see that strength in you.” Steve squeezed her shoulder. It was great to chat to Ruby like this, talking about their parents, talking about anything without fear of words being misquoted, or used against him, or read into wrongly. He hoped this would work, and he could lead an ordinary life – just for a while, because if nothing else, it meant he got to spend some quality time with his sister.

  Chapter 7

  Early the next morning, Steve crept out of the house, without waking Ruby, and went for a run before work.

  He liked running. It cleared the cobwebs out of his head and let him enter his own bubble. It was something he usually did when on location, if he could. It enabled him to work on his character inside his head. He would have his personal trainer with him, and maybe a bodyguard. They were part of his small entourage.

  Today he wouldn’t be running with a bodyguard or trainer.

  But he could think about his new character; Stuart Fisher.

  Joining a gym wasn’t an option. It was bad enough going around busy shops and worrying he might get spotted. He’d planned initially to move to a better hotel, and have a few pieces of gym equipment installed in his suite, rather than use the hotel’s gym facilities, to keep a low profile. However, since Ruby’s ingenious plan for normality, and therefore an even more important need to lie low, a run would have to do.

  Being October, the sun wasn’t even up. With his iPod tucked in its pouch around his bicep, he pushed in the ear buds, did some stretching and warmed up, then began a gentle jog, bringing up the pace. He started up the story he’d been listening to and it took him a moment to remember where he was in the thriller. He preferred to listen to books sometimes, rather than music, because the beat of the song affected his pace, either slowing him down, or making him run too fast. It was okay if he had his personal trainer with him, because he’d set the pace. But as there was no one setting the pace today, he’d stick to narrative rather than music.

  By the time Steve returned to Ruby’s house, sweat poured from him and his chest heaved as he drew in deep breaths. He’d run for an hour and wasn’t even sure of the distance. Quietly, he entered the house, and did a warm-down in the lounge, stretching out his calves and hamstrings, then started sit-ups, crunching his abs, then press-ups, counting them out, his breathing heavy, his chest and biceps burning as he pushed.

  “What are you doing?”

  Steve jumped at Ruby’s voice, unbalancing, and he groaned, landing in a heap on the floor. “Push-ups. What do you think it looks like?”

  “Far too energetic for this time of the morning, it’s
not even seven o’clock.” Ruby wrapped her dressing gown tighter, padding into the kitchen, and Steve carried on his exercising, hearing the kettle switch flick on.

  Ruby came back out, and frowned. “I told you to act normally.”

  “Regular people exercise, Ruby. Besides, no one saw me – it’s pitch black out there.” Steve stood up, and wiped the sweat out of his eyes with his T-shirt.

  “Would it harm if you put a bit of weight on? It would change your appearance.” She poked his stomach, her expression surprised when she felt how solid he was.

  “I’m filming in three months.”

  “Isn’t it a romantic comedy?”

  “Yes, but it has bedroom scenes—”

  “I’m getting the picture, loud and clear.” Ruby quickly held her hands up. “Coffee?”

  “Not yet, I’ll take a shower.”

  For the next two weeks, this was Steve’s life. Every other morning he’d get up early and go for a chilly run before work. Autumn deepened, with icy winds making it harder for him to breathe. His head would ache as if he’d eaten ice cream too fast. He wasn’t used to running in the cold in sunny LA.

  Work treated him well, too. He fitted in. No one questioned who he was. Only Alice worried him, as she kept up to date on celebrity news with all the glossy magazines in the spa. Callum and Brett let him enter their small gang, and they’d joke childishly about bloke stuff. Cars, women and football. He hadn’t had the time to follow football in the US so he swotted up on the Premier League, watching Match of the Day – luckily sometimes they had it on in the bar – and reading the sports pages of the newspapers. He went with supporting Manchester United as he vaguely remembered Dad supporting them, and as Brett did too, it made the conversation easier – and less meant rivalry. He used the excuse that with travelling he’d not been able to follow the football so easily, so his lack of knowledge was accepted. Remembering Ruby’s advice, too, whenever with Callum and Brett, he kept up his nerdy, dorky appearance. He was getting used to the glasses now, even forgetting they were on his face at times.

  Right now, Brett was sitting with them in the small staff room drinking coffee, and they were discussing gaming. Callum played Xbox a lot. Brett too – though he seemed a fan of his Wii.