“Fine.” Alice prodded at the hateful new intercom that Vivienne had presented as “a little gift.” “I’ll be right down.”
With a sigh, she reached for the latest in what seemed like a never-ending stream of paperwork. Vivienne was rising to the challenge of burying Alice in contract work, and there hadn’t been a night for all week that she didn’t haul home a stack of contracts to finish. It was just as well that the rest of her schedule was almost entirely empty. Just as she vowed, she had cut off all contact with Ella’s activities, but without her dance classes, investigation, or even occasional drinks with Nadia, she had plenty of spare time—and a pang of wistful regret whenever she thought of the jazz class she should be in at that very moment.
But it was for the best, Alice reminded herself, skipping down the staircase. She had managed to extricate herself from months of lies without detection, and that alone was worth the cost. So she missed the distraction of Ella’s routine, or the thrill that came from spinning some elaborate story. She was just lucky she’d kept her lives so separate, and that it had been simple to detach one from the other. All it took was a new mobile number and for her to stop attending her normal classes, and it was as if Ella had never existed.
“Anything else?” she asked Saskia, a note of irritation in her voice as she passed her the papers.
“Not right now.” Saskia sashayed off.
“Sitting this one out, huh?” Tyrell sauntered into reception, idly tapping away at his ubiquitous phone console.
“What do you mean?” Alice found a jumble of post that had yet to be sorted and began to pick out the letters addressed to her.
“You know, Vivienne and—” Tyrell paused. “Oh, you don’t know. Whoops.” He added, unapologetic, “Maybe you were kept out of the loop for a reason.”
Alice felt an ominous chill. “Tell me what’s going on.”
He sighed. “She’s meeting with Kieran right now, up in her office. I’m surprised you didn’t know. But hey, I guess he’s not really your client…”
Alice was already hurrying away before he had time to finish. She barreled up the stairs and pushed open Vivienne’s door to find her serving Kieran macaroons from a silver platter, her head bent toward him conspiratorially.
“And of course, I had no doubt you’d find your niche—”
She broke off, looking at Alice without even a hint of guilt. “Yes? Did you want something, dear?”
Kieran brightened. “Hi.” He waved awkwardly. “Vi said you weren’t going to be able to make it.”
Alice gaped. “I…I mean, what?” It took her a moment to recover, such was the blatant underhandedness of Vivienne’s secret little meeting. Then Alice realized: this was exactly what she’d done to win Kieran over herself, she just hadn’t had the nerve to do it under Vivienne’s nose. Pulling herself together, she forced a smile.
“I had another meeting, but I canceled.” Alice walked over and greeted Kieran brightly. “Is that a new haircut? I like it!” Settling into a chair, she reached for a macaroon, meeting Vivienne’s gaze in a defiant stare. “Now, what have I missed?”
***
The meeting was nothing more than a general chitchat, praising Kieran for his stellar performances and assuring him that this was only the beginning of his glittering career. Alice had heard Vivienne’s routine countless times, but on this occasion, every compliment felt like a personal insult. The moment Kieran had been ushered out, full of best wishes about his upcoming auditions, Alice turned to her.
“I must have missed the memo, about this little meeting.”
Vivienne arched her eyebrow. “Now, darling, don’t get all het up. I just thought it time Kieran and I caught up, it’s been so long since I saw him last.”
“Yes,” Alice replied coolly. “He did mention it had been at least five months since you’d last contacted him.”
Vivienne laughed gaily. “You know how busy I get!”
“Exactly.” Alice fought to keep her temper. “Which is why we agreed I’d be taking over with Kieran. And Julia,” she added, in case Vivienne had organized a little tête-à-tête with her too.
Vivienne’s smile slipped. “Not taking over, Alice,” she corrected. “Co-agenting. I’m still representing them all. You’ve just been…handling some of the grunt work on my behalf, for a little while.”
Alice froze. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Vivienne shrugged. “What it always meant, darling. I happen to have some time for a new project. And Kieran’s showing such promise…”
“Because I worked with him!”
“Now, now,” she scolded Alice with a faintly parental air. “There’s no room for possessiveness in this business, darling. We’re all one big family at Grayson Wells.”
Alice couldn’t control the note of challenge that slipped into her tone. “So you’re taking him back?” she asked, just to be sure.
“Back? Oh, sweetie.” Vivienne laughed. “He was never yours. At the level they’re at now…Kieran and dear Julia are in need of someone with real experience.” Vivienne flashed her a smile: deadly, and full of victory.
Alice glared back.
“You didn’t think I would just let you run riot with my client list, did you?” Vivienne narrowed her eyes, her vivacious act finally slipping to reveal pure steel. “I have a responsibility to them, to protect their interests. You still work for me, you know. Oh, and one other thing,” she added, just as Alice was about to leave. “ I need you to coordinate the hiring of a new assistant.”
“Saskia’s leaving?” Alice could barely even muster surprise. Now which was it, the breakthrough role in an upcoming Brit flick or a relationship with an aging, yet generous, producer?
“Not leaving, promoted.” Vivienne allowed a small smile to cross her scarlet lips. “I’m making her a junior agent.”
Alice felt her mouth drop open. By the smug look on her boss’s face, this was exactly the reaction she’d been after, but even that knowledge couldn’t help Alice maintain some façade of self-control.
“Saskia, an agent?” she repeated slowly, remembering how the girl could barely operate the photocopier, let alone take responsibility for an actor’s livelihood.
“Yes.” Vivienne beamed, the glossy black of her freshly dyed hair matching—Alice thought bleakly—the dark recesses of her heart. “I gave you a chance to prove yourself, but I think it’s clear you’re best suited to the contract work, so I’ll be training her up instead. I think she shows a lot of promise,” she added cruelly. Alice could only stand there, numb.
“So, place an ad in the usual place,” Vivienne instructed briskly. “And handle the interviews. You know the drill! Oh—” She stopped before leaving. “We’re having a little party to celebrate. Down at the bar at five. I know you’re not much of a drinker, so would you mind covering the phones?” Then she was gone, leaving Alice to slump her head and despair.
***
Alice seethed for the rest of the week. She’d taken her risk to become an agent—to prove she had some hustle in her, after all—but now Vivienne was never going to forgive her. It was becoming painfully clear that as long as she stayed at Grayson Wells, she wouldn’t see one ounce of respect.
“So, quit.” Nathan hugged her closer, landing a supportive kiss on her forehead as the taxi wove its way through evening traffic. “Tell the witch where to shove her broomstick, and just get out.”
“To go where?” Alice replied, already tired of a conversation she’d had two dozen times in her own head. “In case you haven’t noticed, the economy isn’t exactly booming. And without references…” She sighed. “Vivienne is claiming credit for everything I did with Kieran and Julia. As far as anyone else is concerned, I don’t have any experience.”
The cab drew up on the corner, and they climbed out, dashing through the rain toward the restaurant. “Look, let’s not talk about it,” Alice said, ducking into the tiny entrance. “Any mention of Vivienne is just going to keep me stressed. I wa
nt to just relax.”
“OK.” Nathan shook water out of his hair. He looked bedraggled but sturdy, and Alice sank against him for a quick hug, glad of his arms around her. “Whatever you want.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
***
Inside, it was vivid and bright, with clusters of diners crowding in the small room, and the delicious scent of garlic and herbs already making her mouth water.
“So, I was thinking,” Nathan began, once their starters had been dispatched, and Alice was feeling somewhat closer to human.
“Yes?” she looked at him across the candlelit table; the food and intimate atmosphere all soothing her frayed nerves.
“Maybe the next time I have to skip town for work, you could come with me.” His grin took on a hopeful edge. “I do get to visit some interesting places.”
“Brussels?” Alice teased. “Zurich?”
“I was thinking more the Caribbean…”
Alice’s eye widened. “Really?”
“If you want to,” Nathan added, as if there were a possibility she wouldn’t. “But you’ve seemed so stressed lately, I thought it could be fun.”
“Um, yes,” Alice answered faintly. “I think white sands and palm trees could definitely qualify as fun.”
“Great.” Nathan seemed relieved, and it struck Alice that he might actually have been nervous about asking her. “Since, you know, we had such a great time in Italy and all.”
Alice laughed. “Ah, yes. Well, at least we know we travel well together!”
“Right, as long as I do the driving and you stay out of jail.” Nathan teased. “Now, if you’ll excuse me for a sec.”
He paused on his way past to kiss her. Alice exhaled happily, watching him go.
“Ella!”
Alice was lost in thoughts of turquoise water and tropical drinks when she heard a familiar voice calling. “Ella, over here!”
She looked up, horrified, to find Nadia waving at her, peeling off her coat at the front of the restaurant. “Oh my god, where have you been?” Nadia plunged toward her through the crowd, eyes wide with concern. “I’ve been trying to get hold of you for ages. Your number says it’s out of service, and nobody’s seen you at the gym. I’ve been getting worried!”
Alice bobbed up out of her seat in shock. “I…”—she stuttered—“I’m sorry, I’ve been…busy.”
Nadia paused, her concern now making way for confusion. “But we had plans, that lunch—remember? You didn’t even let me know, to cancel.”
A rush of guilt swept through Alice. “I know, and I’m really sorry…” She swiveled her head to check Nathan was still safely out of sight. He was. Alice turned back. “Vivienne’s been a nightmare, at work,” she tried to explain, even though she knew full well there was no excuse for the surgical precision with which she’d cut Nadia out of her—or rather, Ella’s—life. “But I’ll call you with my new number, OK, and talk properly? I don’t want you keeping your date waiting.”
Nadia looked at her, puzzled. “OK,” she said slowly. “We’ll talk later. But you’re all right?”
Alice let out a long breath of relief. “Yes, I’m fine!” Or at least, she would be once Nadia was gone. “I’ll tell you everything later. And you can tell me who that guy is,” she added, mustering a gossiping grin.
Nadia softened. “I will,” she promised, matching Alice’s smile with her own—full of excitement. “Wish me luck!”
“Good luck.”
Nathan appeared beside them. He looked back and forth between the women. “With what?”
“Nothing!” Alice exclaimed, her heart rate increasing by another panicked level. “Um, this is a friend of mine, Nadia. Nadia, meet Nathan.”
They exchanged a polite greeting, Alice powerless to do anything except watch as the two parts of her life came crashing together.
“Great to meet you,” Nathan said, leaning on the back of his chair. “How do you know—”
“The gym!” Alice interrupted. “We met at dance class. Oh, look,” she exclaimed, sending a desperate look across the room. “I think your table is ready.”
“The gym?” Nathan raised his eyebrows, amused. “I thought you were allergic to physical activity.”
Alice gave a weak laugh. “I am. It’s an embarrassment.” She gave Nadia a nudge. “Hon, I think your date is—”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself!” Nadia laughed, turning to Nathan: “Ella’s one of the better ones; she’s improved no end.”
Alice froze.
“Oh, I nearly forgot.” Nadia beamed at Alice. “They’re doing a Dirty Dancing workshop next week. It was booking fast, so I signed us up! It should be fun, right?”
She nodded weakly, flicking her gaze over to Nathan. Perhaps he hadn’t heard that. It was loud, and she’d been speaking quickly, and—
“Ella?” His voice was low, but Alice could see the tension ripple in his jaw.
“I can explain,” she said quickly. “It was…just a fun little mix-up.”
He looked at her in disbelief. “You’ve been using Ella’s identity?”
“No!” Alice protested. “I mean, yes, at the gym, and a couple of other classes, but…”
“I…don’t understand.” Nadia looked slowly back and forth between them, her forehead creasing in a frown. “Ella, what’s going on?”
“Her name isn’t Ella,” Nathan said, his eyes not leaving her. “It’s Alice. Alice Love.”
“Nathan—”
Nadia frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Yes, Alice, what do you mean?” Nathan folded his arms.
“I can explain,” she said again, but the note of guilt in her voice was clear.
“Excuse me.” A young waiter bobbed nervously just behind them, his arms full of plates. “Could you maybe take this outside? You’re blocking the way.”
“Of course,” Alice told him, at the same time Nathan said, “No need.” He pulled his wallet from his jacket pocket and pulled out several notes, tossing them on the table. “I think this should cover it.”
“Nathan!” Alice felt something twist inside. He wasn’t even getting angry, just staring at her with terrible self-control. “This is all just a silly misunderstanding!”
“I’m sure,” he agreed, almost too affable. “Nadia, good to meet you…” With a nod, and a final glance at Alice, he turned to leave, striding quickly out of the restaurant into the dark street.
Alice grabbed her things and hurried after him, dashing out into the rain. “Nathan, wait!”
He took three more steps and then stopped. She caught up with him, breathless. “I can explain!” she insisted again, clutching his hand. “Ella had signed up for the membership, and there was time left on the card, so I thought…” Alice swallowed, hearing the inadequacy of her own words. “But then, of course, I had to go along with it as Ella because, well, I thought it would cause too many questions and by that point, I was just sick of them, so—”
“So you assumed her identity,” Nathan finished.
Alice nodded. The rain was soaking through her thin dress, but she didn’t care—all that mattered was that Nathan listened, that he understood what she’d been trying to do.
“A wanted criminal, and you were just running around, using her alias?” Nathan shook his head in disbelief. “And this Nadia—she doesn’t know who you really are? You said she’s a friend.”
“She is. But I met her in class, so I introduced myself as Ella, and after that…” Alice glanced down, miserable. “It just seemed easier.”
“God, Alice!” Pulling away, he took a couple of paces farther down the street before swinging back. “Do you realize how stupid…No, how dangerous…” Nathan stopped, clearly lost for words.
“You’re right!” Alice exclaimed. “You’re completely right, which is why I stopped. I haven’t been back anywhere as Ella for weeks now!”
“You mean…You’ve been doing this all along?”
Alice realized that, perhaps, ful
l disclosure wasn’t her best tactic. But something made her keep talking, wanting to tell him everything, no matter how strange it was.
“I wanted to understand her!” she tried. “To see who she really was, underneath it all. I tracked down the places she went, and the people she’d talked to—only, they knew her as me, as Alice, so…So I became Ella, instead.”
Nathan just stared at her.
“It wasn’t going to hurt anyone!” she cried. “It was just a few little lies, while I investigated.”
“She was a criminal!” Nathan yelled back. “I’ve been running around, trying to separate your public records—to prove your innocence—and all this time…”
“I am innocent!” But Alice’s voice caught in her throat. It wasn’t true, she knew, not anymore.
Nathan clearly thought so too. He shook his head again, final, as if dislodging all affection for her. “I can’t talk to you about this, not right now.”
“But please—”
“I mean it, Alice; I don’t want to know.” He looked at her for a long moment, and the disappointment in his expression made Alice want to cry. “You’ll get home OK?”
She nodded, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.
“Right, then.” Nathan let out a sigh, and for a moment Alice hoped he might reconsider, just calm down and try to understand.
Instead, he walked away.
She turned back toward the restaurant, clutching her jacket forlornly in her hand as her dress clung to her in wet patches and water dripped down her face.
“What did he mean, your name is Alice?” Nadia was sheltering in the doorway, arms folded.
Alice stopped. “I’m sorry.”
Nadia’s eyes widened. “You mean—it’s true? But…why?”
“I got, carried away.” Alice felt even more shameful than ever. Nadia was blinking at her from behind her thin glasses, utterly confused. It was a feeling Alice knew all too well.
“I don’t understand.”
“My name isn’t Ella,” Alice admitted. “And I’m not a legal assistant, either. I just…I made it up.”
Nadia blinked. “But…” She gaped at Alice for a long moment, before finally finding the words. “What is wrong with you?”
The Liberation of Alice Love Page 32