Instead, he sat still, staring at the bright bulbs bordering the mirror and the dozen or so pieces of equipment sticking out from circular holes on his right. The top one looked like a giant hair dryer, but the rest looked like they belonged in a torture chamber rather than a make-up trailer. Although as Mandy’s face loomed into his, her hand wielding a sharp pair of tweezers, Guy started to wonder if the two were all that different.
It seemed to go on forever.
His arse ached from sitting down for so long. His eyes hurt from staring at the bare white bulbs, his ears throbbed from listening to Janine and Mandy’s gossiping, but worst of all his mind wandered. No matter which magazine he tried to read or what topic he tried to focus his thoughts on, it always seemed to lead straight back to Juliet and the last time he’d seen her.
A whole week had gone by. One of the craziest weeks of his life and yet no amount of time or distraction could ease the burning sensation which circled around his chest.
He’d made a mistake. Whatever he’d been hoping or trying to achieve, he hadn’t meant to break up with her, had he? It had taken the seven tedious hours sitting at the back of the coach, with the overworked engine rattling noisily in ears, to fully understand what he’d done. Totally fucked up, that’s what.
So why hadn’t he called her and begged for forgiveness? Why had he ignored her calls and changed his mobile? Why was he throwing away the only thing he believed in? The questions dogged him constantly but there never seemed to be any answers.
He had no idea what he was doing with his life, why he was sitting in a trailer someone had hired just for him, whilst two complete strangers shoved tweezers up his nostrils. He couldn’t bear to drag Juliet into his abyss.
To his relief, Sidney’s smiling face appeared behind him in the mirror, dragging his mind back to the relative safety of the day.
‘Wow,’ she grinned. ‘What a transformation. I mean, we all knew it was possible but still, Guy, you look totally hot.’
Guy felt his cheeks flush. She was his agent, it was her job to complement him, he reminded himself, glancing at his reflection for the first time in the hours since Janine and Mandy had been working their magic.
‘Holy shit,’ he said, moving his hand to his face.
‘Wait Guy,’ Mandy cried out grabbing his arm. ‘Whatever you do, don’t touch your face.’
‘Oh right, yeah of course sorry. I...I just can’t believe it,’ he stammered.
If someone had shown him a photograph of the face in the mirror, he wouldn’t in a million years have guessed it was his own. They had cut his hair. The longish unkempt curls had been replaced with short straight spikes. It looked somehow messy and yet every hair was in its place.
His cheekbones seemed suddenly more defined, which would have made him look feminine if it wasn’t for the designer stubble. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought he’d been sitting in the trailer for weeks based on the amount of facial hair he now seemed to have.
He looked like a model, he realised with a sudden bout of nausea.
‘We’re glad you like it,’ Janine said, blowing him a kiss in the mirror.
Sidney nodded. ‘So Guy, if you’re ready let’s get you next door to wardrobe for your first outfit.’
‘Great.’
‘No hang on, what am I thinking, let me introduce you to Lola first.’
Guy said nothing. His palms felt suddenly sweaty and his heart seemed to have jumped into his throat.
Before he had time to think, he’d said goodbye to Janine and Mandy and followed Sidney into the trailer next to his. Right before his eyes sat one of the most beautiful women in the world.
A man and a woman bustled around her, oblivious to their arrival.
‘Guy, I want you to meet Lola.’
‘Lola, this is Guy.’
She looked up from her mobile with a curt nod, but her thumbs kept moving. She said nothing.
‘As part of the GiGi promotions, you two will be spending quite a bit of time together,’ Sidney began, with a smile of encouragement at Guy. ‘We’ve agreed with the PR team, that you’ll be photographed together on three occasions between now and the launch next week. I’ve arranged for one of those times to be later today. You can grab a quick coffee during one of the set changes. Then a new club opening on Wednesday night which I’m sure you’d both have been planning to go to anyway. And the third time we can arrange for an early morning snap near South Kensington.’
‘What’s in South Kensington?’ he asked.
Lola rolled her eyes. ‘Me.’
‘Oh, I see.’ Guy replied. He didn’t have the first clue what they were talking about.
‘It’s all perfectly normal Guy,’ Sidney explained. ‘Many of the advertising campaigns are teamed with some form or PR activity. Rumours of a budding relationship always cause a storm of interest.’
‘Relationship? But we don’t know each other.’
‘Please tell me he’s not for real?’ Lola cut in, her face showing a mix of distain and indifference as she stared at Guy through their reflections in the mirror.
‘As I said Guy, this is all perfectly normal and written in the contract you signed as part of the promotional activity. We’ll arrange for the paparazzi to see the two of you together; they then supply the photographs to the tabloids; who in turn sell more papers. Everyone loves reading about the love lives of celebrities.’
‘But don’t the papers know it’s not real?’
‘Of course they do. Anyone with half a brain knows it’s total rubbish. But they sell papers, which in turn raises the profile of you and GiGi. Everyone wins. Christ Guy, half the relationships out there are nothing more than a mutual agreement to boost publicity. It’s just the way things are done.’
‘Right,’ Guy nodded. It was like he’d stepped into a parallel universe where nothing made sense.
‘And don’t forget to tell him about my rules Sidney,’ Lola said, turning to their agent as if he wasn’t there. ‘He must never speak to the paps whilst I’m with him, or even smile at them.’
‘Darlings, we’ll get to all that. Don’t worry. Now, let’s get started.’ Sidney turned to Guy, ‘Are you okay with all this Guy?’
‘Yep, I’m great,’ he lied.
‘Good, because there’s no going back now,’ she replied with a flash of white teeth.
He nodded, trying to smile as he followed Sidney out of one trailer and into another. She was right, he realised as he stepped into the clothes he’d been told to wear. There was no going back.
His life with Juliet was over. He hadn’t just burnt his bridges; he’d dropped a nuclear bomb on them. How could he possible go back now? So much had changed in a week. The world seemed a different place and he might as well get used to it.
Eighteen
THE DAILY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH
IS THIS GUY’S NEW BABE?
Has Guy got a new girl? The sexy model turned singer likes to keep people guessing when it comes to his love life, but this snap of the star looking flirty over dinner with his publicist, Sonja Morton, suggests the singer could be mixing business with pleasure.
Jules lifted the newspaper from Stan’s display rack and smiled at the image of the big-breasted woman in the photograph with Guy. If The Daily had found the life of another unsuspecting woman to pry into then she was off the hook.
It was over.
The Daily had moved on, and by the looks of it so had Guy. With just one sentence, it was as if everything with Guy and The Daily had been nothing more than a bad dream.
Jules slipped the newspaper back into place on the rack. She wouldn’t be taking it with her today, or ever again for that matter.
‘You’re in early today,’ Stan grumbled, making his way out from the back of the shop, a sack of potatoes in his arms. ‘I’ve not even had a chance to look through the papers.’
‘No need thanks Stan,’ Jules smiled. ‘Looks like they’ve given up on me at last.’ N
ot even Stan’s cantankerous demeanour could dent her sudden good mood.
‘If you say so. How’s your head?’ he asked, busying himself with the vegetable displays.
Jules lifted her hand to the sizable lump on the back of her head and gave it a gentle prod, feeling nothing but the tenderness of a bruise. The throbbing pain which had resonated from it like a homing beacon had disappeared.
‘Better. Much better in fact.’ She smiled again.
‘Good,’ Stan mumbled.
‘Right, well I’d best be off. No need to keep a copy of the paper aside for me anymore Stan. See you later,’ she said with a wave as she left the shop.
Stepping into the lane, Jules felt her eyelids scrunch at the bright February sunshine streaming out from a cloudless blue sky. Had it been this nice on her walk to the shop? She couldn’t remember.
It took Jules twenty minutes to walk the short distance in the bright spring sunshine to her house. The dizziness clouding her head may have disappeared over night, but the aching from her limps had not. Deep purple bruises had appeared all over the back of her body like a rash, causing a nauseating pain to attack her anytime she moved her body too quickly.
She could barely lift a kettle without feeling a stab of pain, let alone start clearing the rubble that had once been her staircase. So when Terri had dropped by on Sunday and offered to work another week, she’d forgotten about her desire to be alone in the house and agreed, extending her stay with Mrs Beckwith for the same length of time.
A good decision, Jules decided as she made her way slowly up the driveway; an easy smile touching her lips at the sight of her building team already there, huddled over an open copy of The Daily.
‘Morning guys,’ she called out. ‘Don’t worry I’ve already checked it.’
Three pairs of eyes shot towards her.
‘What is it?’ She felt a laugh build inside her at the stunned faces staring at her.
‘Are you okay Lovey?’ Terri asked, her gaze turning to the paper in Dan’s hands before resting on Jules.
‘Of course I am. Guy can do whatever he wants with whoever he wants. As long as he doesn’t mention me, why should I care?’
‘But you are mentioned. A lot in fact. It’s just so...so unbelievable. I mean if it was me I’d be cowering in my house for weeks.’
‘Terri, what are you talking about?’ Jules felt a prickling of unease travel across the back of her neck as she took another step towards them.
‘The story...here.’ Terri nudged her eldest son. ‘A whole two pages on…well, on you.’
Jules took a final unsteady step forward as Dan turned the paper around for her to see.
She hadn’t checked the whole paper, she realised just as her vision focused on the headline reaching in giant blue letters across the entire middle section on the paper:
GUY’S GALS A MANEATER
A shocked laugh escaped her throat, the sound mixing with a sharp exhale of air to create a howl like noise.
How could she have been so stupid? Jules wondered as a tidal wave of nervous adrenaline flooded her system, sucking the air from her lungs. They had not given up on her. It was far from over.
Rooted to the spot, her body frozen, Jules could only stare at the story Dan held in front of her face. She felt her eyes widening further and further as she read the paragraphs laying out her life for the world to see:
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH
GUY’S GALS A MANEATER
When heart-throb, Guy Rawson, revealed in an exclusive Valentine’s interview that his heart belonged to former girlfriend, Juliet Stewart, The Daily couldn’t resist playing cupid. But in an unexpected twist to the couples’ story, we can report that gorgeous Guy’s Juliet is nothing more than a callous Man-eater with more ex-boyfriends than we’ve had lawsuits.
Juicy Jules’ path of destruction
1. Bath born Juliet has always had a way with men, according to estranged parents, Eleanor and Bernard Stewart.
Left: The picture of innocence, Juliet poses for school photo, aged 11.
2. A-lister Guy Rawson met and dated Juliet during their student days. According to close friends of the couple, Guy and Juliet were inseparable until Juliet broke his heart by running away shortly after graduation.
Facts
Location: Loughborough University
Dated for 3 years
Heartbreakometer: 9/10
Despite Guy’s declaration of love, the sexy star has gone on to have worldwide success as the face of GiGi Sports and has recently catapulted to the top of the UK singles chart.
Above: The couple celebrating their final exams just weeks before Juliet (22) ran away.
3. The blonde bombshell moved on to property manager, Phillip Williams, using him to launch her career as a property manager. Williams is still single and claims he will never to trust again.
Facts
Location: Nottingham
Dated for 1 year
Heartbreakometer: 8/10
Left: Juicy Jules in skimpy bikini, then 23.
4. After getting a taste for heartbreak, Juliet set her sights on married father of two, and older man, Steven Alton. Alton’s now estranged wife claims the Man-eater destroyed her family.
Facts
Location: Slough
Dated for 9 months
Heartbreakometer: 10/10
Juicy Jules broke the hearts of the entire family when she stole Alton.
Right: Juicy Jules, now brunette dresses for seduction in a Karen Millen suit, then 25
5. From married man to toy boy, Juliet dated student Daniel Barnes, 6 years her junior. “She could have been the one” claims Barnes.
Facts:
Location: Reading
Dated for 4 months
Heartbreakometer: 4/10
Right: A casual Juliet, then 26, plays the role of modern day Mrs Robinson in skinny jeans and Parker
6. Who’s next? The Daily can report that Juliet is still breaking hearts wherever she goes. In a recent move to a small community in Gloucestershire, the Man-eater is now on the lookout for her next victim.
Below: This recent photo shows Juicy Jules embracing the country life. The longhaired beauty is now looking for her next heartbreak.
Sources close to the Guy camp say the star is “not surprised” by our revelations and is currently very happy with new girlfriend and celeb publicist Sonja Morton. It looks like The Daily’s attempts to play cupid have backfired! Good luck Guy.
Time stood still as her gaze flicked back and forth over the double page spread. How could so many lies and photos be printed about her for millions to see?
Then, as Jules’ arms finally regained their movement, she snatched the paper from Dan’s outstretched hands, her eyes narrowing on the final photograph. When had it been taken? The loose hair, the pale frown – Wednesday, her walk back from Rich’s. At least they hadn’t known that, she conceded. But how long until they did? she wondered suddenly.
Jules thought back to that morning less than a week ago, unable to recall a parked car out of place let alone someone lurking in the bushes with a camera. How did they even know where she was? Her mind answered instantly: the same way Guy had found her. The ‘supposed’ friend who had spoken to her mum.
Suddenly, a surge of anger seized her. ‘How can they do this to me?’ she cried out.
‘It’s crazy alright,’ Jason spoke up. ‘You’re a celebrity.’
Jules swallowed the urge to lurch forward and lash out at Jason. It wasn’t his fault. But she was definitely not a celebrity. She was a victim. A victim of what, she couldn’t find the words to explain, but most definitely a victim.
She turned her pale face back to the paper gripped between her fingers. ‘It’s all lies,’ she stammered.
‘Of course it is Lovey,’ Terri replied.
‘Seriously,’ Jules fought the urge to shout. ‘Like this here,’ she continued, shaking the paper like a rag doll. ‘I’m not estranged from my parents; I spoke to
my mum two days ago.
‘And…and this, Steve, he was already in the divorce courts when I met him. It was his wife who was having the affair, with the kids’ school teacher. I had nothing to do with ending their marriage.’
Jules looked up, shifting her gaze between Terri, Dan and Jason, searching their faces for reassurance. ‘You have to believe me...I need you to....I just...’
Terri spoke first. ‘Of course we do. Nobody in their right mind would take a word that paper said as anything more than a bit of fun I promise you that.’
‘Fun? How is this fun?’ Jules yelped, her eyes continuing to flit between the three people in her driveway.
‘Boys,’ Terri began, turning her attention to her sons and digging out a five pound note from the pocket of her dungarees. ‘Drive over to Marlene’s Cafe and get yourselves some breakfa-.’
‘Cool,’ they replied in unison, taking the money and moving towards the van before Terri had finished talking.
‘But be back in an hour, we’ve got a lot of clearing up to do today,’ she yelled after them.
As Dan negotiated the van out of the driveway, Terri stepped towards Jules, taking the paper from her hands and steering her gently towards the stone wall surrounding the property. ‘Take a seat here for a minute Lovey. I’ll be back in a jiffy with a cup of tea, okay?’
Jules nodded, unable to speak as she felt the tears teetering behind her eyes and a painful lump form in her throat.
She had to get control of herself, she thought, taking a shaky breath. And yet her mind refused to budge as she fought to push the image of The Daily away.
‘Here you are then Lovey, drink this,’ Terri said as she handed a steaming mug to Jules. ‘I know you don’t normally take it, but I popped a bit of sugar in there, to help with the shock.’
‘Thanks,’ she began. Terri’s kindness was the final straw of emotion, breaking her fight to remain calm as tears flowed down her face. ‘I’m sorry,’ she sobbed. ‘I don’t normally cry, it’s just I...I can’t believe this is happening.’
The Reluctant Celebrity Page 12