“Hey, don’t despair. I know it’s only a matter of time before you get back together. We just need to push him a bit. Make him see what’s in front of him.”
“I wish I was as confident about it as you seem,” I said.
She nodded to the floor of the car. “You need to squeeze yourself into the gap on the floor between the front and back seats. Then I’ll throw the blanket over you. Oh, and Ella, I’m very confident that you two will sort everything out. I just want it sorted before he goes to LA. I can’t bear to think that you won’t make up before he goes.” She shook her head as if shaking the thought away. “Now, come on, get in. I’ll let you know when it’s safe for you to get out from under the blanket.”
I frowned at the small space I needed to crawl into, but Erin pushed me forward. As soon as I was on the floor, she threw the blanket over me, ensuring my feet were covered.
“What it is to be famous, huh?” she said as she shut the door. The car dipped as she climbed into the driver’s seat, and seconds later the engine started.
I expected the car to move, but nothing happened.
“Erin?” I questioned above the noise of the engine.
“Shush!” she hissed. “Keep quiet. Alex is running across the car park toward us.”
“Shit,” I mumbled from my hiding place. I hoped Erin had covered me properly. I didn’t want him seeing me here. I also hoped that he would hurry up with whatever he was going to say. It wasn’t very comfortable curled up on the floor.
The front window squeaked as Erin wound it down.
“What’s up, Alex?” she asked, switching the engine off.
“It’s Ella. I can’t find her anywhere. She said you were giving her a lift home. Where is she?”
“Ella? Why aren’t you taking her home? That reminds me, have you got that list of things she wanted me to pick up for her? I need her address as well as her keys.”
“Fuck!” Alex shouted. There was a loud thud. I presumed he’d hit the car. “Surely, she’s not getting the bus.”
“Alex, calm down. What’s the problem?”
Sadness pushed through in his voice. “I’ve fucked up, Erin. I’ve well and truly fucked up.”
“Alex!” Erin shouted. “If you’ve messed up with Ella, I will personally kill you. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you!”
“I know, I know. But Erin, I panicked, I . . . I, Fuck. I said some awful things to her. Things I didn’t mean. I even called her Work Experience Girl!”
The car door clicked open, there was a rustle of clothes, and then the sound of skin slapping skin.
“How could you?” Erin was shouting. “You stupid, idiotic man!”
“Erin, I know how stupid I’ve been. There’s no need to slap me.”
“You deserved it.” The car dipped as she sat back into the driver’s seat.
Even though I wanted to climb out from under the blanket and grab Alex in a huge hug to tell him everything was okay, I couldn’t. He’d probably be even angrier that I’d just heard what he’d said to Erin.
“What does it matter if she gets the bus?” Erin asked him. She was playing dumb so wonderfully.
“What does it matter? Are you fucking crazy?” Alex exclaimed. “The pap’s will be all over her!”
“So? What’s the problem with that? You scared she’s going to blab about you to them?”
“No! Fuck, no! I couldn’t give a shit about that. I’m worried about her. She doesn’t seem to realise how deeply involved she is in everything. I’m worried for her. The paps are vultures, Erin. You know that.”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine, Alex.”
“But where is she?” I could hear the desperation in his voice. “If Rowan’s given her a lift home, I’ll kill him. He can never keep his crisp munching hands to himself. He’ll not let her out of the car until he’s had a quick grope.”
“Jealous?” Erin shot at him.
Alex was silent for a few seconds. “You know I am,” he answered softly. “I can’t bear the thought of anyone else touching her. It’s not right. It’s not how it’s meant to be.”
“Just because you haven’t, huh?”
“Erin, you know it’s more than that.”
“It sounds like you’ve been a complete ass, Alex.”
“I know. I couldn’t help it. And now I can’t find her to talk to her.”
I really wanted to uncover myself now. His words were all I needed to hear. He did care about me.
“Well, you’d better sort it out before you go to LA,” Erin said.
Alex sighed. “I doubt I’ll see her. Rowan’s just told me he’s given her the day off tomorrow, then it’s the closed set on Wednesday. She’s already told me she’ll not be there.”
“Maybe she’ll change her mind.”
“Maybe.” There was silence again. “I hope she’s okay. Do you have her mobile number? I could call her, talk to her.”
“No, didn’t you get it from her? Isn’t it on the info sheet?"
“They never make that bit available to us.”
“Well, maybe it’s a good thing you can’t call her. Do you honestly think that talking to her when you can’t see her or judge her reaction is a good idea?”
“Fuck, Erin! I need to know she’s okay. You know I can’t call around at hers. Not with all the paps there. What if she’s gone to a friend’s house or something and I’m left on the doorstep. And even if she’s there, she may not let me in.”
“Wait until Wednesday, Alex. Maybe then she’ll have calmed down by then.”
“If you see her first, will you tell her I want to talk to her?”
“When am I going to see her?”
“If you do, please tell her.”
“Of course I will. Now off you go. Don’t worry. I’m sure she knows exactly how you feel.”
The engine lurched to life again, and we started to move.
“Now do you believe me?” Erin asked.
I nodded, but didn’t verbally respond. I was running through everything he had said to Erin. I cursed under my breath. I should have thrown the blanket off, I should have shot from the car and thrown myself around him, wrapped my legs around his hips and kissed him frantically. Too late now. My heart sank, and I closed my eyes, blocking the nagging doubt that wouldn’t leave me. If he left for LA before we’d sorted this out, I didn’t think I’d ever see him again.
The car rumbled forward. The familiar shouts of the paps sounded out, but they soon died down.
“Can I get out from under this blanket?” I asked, rubbing at my shoulder that was wedged against the back of the passenger seat.
“No!” Erin exclaimed. “I’ve got Alex behind me. I hope he’s not following me. We may need to take a detour before we head back to yours. I need to look like I’m going home, otherwise he’ll suspect something.”
I groaned from my uncomfortable condition. Erin started chuckling. “Take some comfort from knowing that I’ve had to sneak Alex out of the studio in the same way that I’m doing you. Can you imagine him squashed into the tiny space that you’re in? I told him it was either on the floor where you are, or in the boot. He chose the floor. He’s slightly claustrophobic.”
I tried to imagine how Alex managed to scrunch himself up into the space I was in. It must have been near impossible considering his height and long legs.
Erin drove for a few more minutes, apologising every time we went over a bump on the road. “I must say that you’re a quieter passenger than Alex. The air in here was practically blue with the language that flew from his mouth. He was so bloody ungrateful that I wished I’d shoved a cloth or something in his mouth to shut him up. You know, pretend I’d kidnapped him.”
I could just imagine his language. I was pretty near saying some choice words myself.
“Is he still following us?” I asked, desperate to be able to climb out of my hiding place.
“Yep. Although, he should take a left turn at the next set of traffic lights if
he’s going where I think he is. Keep your head down just in case he pulls up alongside us.”
I did as Erin told me. Luckily, the car didn’t stop, and Erin informed me that I could, at long last, uncover myself.
I threw the blanket off my body and uncurled from my scrunched-up position before sitting on the back seat. “Are you sure he’s gone?” I asked as my eyes adjusted to the light and I scanned the road behind us.
“Yes. He must be going to see Megan,” Erin said.
“His sister?”
“Yes. She’s his biggest confident. I suspect he’ll have rather a lot to tell her this week.”
“Have you ever met her? What’s she like?”
“They’re very close. I like her. She’s nice, well if she likes you she is. If she doesn’t like you, I could imagine that she would be the biggest bitch on earth.”
And now I worried about the possibility of ever meeting her. What if Alex told her how I had upset him?
“She’ll love you.”
“But why? I’ve upset Alex. She won’t like that.”
“I think that if Alex explains his own reaction to everything, she’ll more than likely hit him, not you. I love her, but I think that’s more to do with the time she attacked Amy.”
“You’re kidding?”
“No! She turned up at the studio one day during the second film, and just launched herself at Amy. Even Alex wasn’t strong enough to stop her. It took both him and Rowan to drag her off Amy. It was an amazing thing to witness.”
I grinned, imagining the sight. I’d have loved to have seen it.
“So, which way to yours?” Erin asked.
I leaned forward between the front seats and directed her through the streets of London to my house.
Eventually, Erin slowed stopped the car in the street running parallel to mine. I’d insisted that she not drop me off right outside where I lived. It would mean that she’d get recognised, and not be able to help me, or Alex, get away from the studio un-noticed if we ever needed to in the future. She’d understood my point, although wasn’t happy at leaving me to face what would be outside my house.
After thanking her most profusely for all her help and support, I headed along the street. I smoothed my t-shirt across my chest, pulled my jacket straight and prepared myself as best I could for what would be waiting for me. This time, I wouldn’t have Alex for support. I didn’t even have a hat to hide under, or dark glasses to hide behind. Instead of looking down, I decided to hold my head up high, smile willingly at the photographers, and not say anything.
Unfortunately, I underestimated the size of the crowd that greeted me. There must have been at least twenty men with camera’s standing directly outside. There was even a television van parked across the road.
This was ridiculous.
I inhaled and held my head high. I fought my nerves, and tried to steady myself before strolling toward the madness. It didn’t take long for one of them to spot me. As the man moved forward, clicking his camera, shouting my name, the rest of them followed.
“A few words for us please, Ella!”
“Smile!”
“Turn this way, love.”
“What’s it like to be the envy of every woman in the world?”
“Just one picture!”
“Is he treating you properly? Are you sure he’s not sleeping around like he always does?”
“Where is he tonight?”
I didn’t focus on the sea of unfamiliar faces. I kept my vision forward, staring at the safety of my front door. I was so glad that I lived in the flat in the roof of the house. It would be a nightmare for the old man who lived downstairs. I was certain that they would have had camera’s flashing through his windows.
“C’mon, a few words, please?” one man asked.
I turned to him, ignoring the flash that practically blinded me.
“What would you like me to say?” I asked. Every one of them threw more questions at me. There were so many of them talking that I couldn’t make out even one question. I glanced at each of them in turn before feeling a sharp prod in my side. A young boy of about ten years old, was poking me with his finger.
“My mum sent me to get your autograph,” he said. “She wants to know what it’s like to kiss Alex Denton.”
The grown men around me stopped talking, each of them waited for my answer. I took the pen from the boy as he thrust an autograph book into my hand.
“What’s your name?” I asked, looking at the page that was currently open in his book.
“Tim,” he announced proudly. The page that he had ready for me to sign already had Alex’s name scrawled across it. He had written a message.
'To Tim. You brave and strong man. Tell your mother that I don’t bite! She should come and talk to me. Alex xxxx'
I wrote my message under his.
'To Tim, and his mum. Don’t believe everything you read about Alex. Ella xxx'
I crouched down to his height, and whispered. “Tell your mum that Alex is a very lovely kisser.”
He screwed his nose up before running through the reporters and back to his mother. I pushed my way through them as well. Luckily, they all remained at the gate to the house, not venturing up the steps to the door.
I breathed easier when I slipped my key in the lock, ready to gain entry to the communal hallway. I seriously needed some time to myself to think things through. I wanted a warm bath, something to eat, several drinks, and then bed. Just as I was about to shoulder push the door, someone pulled it open from the inside.
“Ella, we meet again.”
“You!” I shrieked as Anthony Edwards closed the door behind me. “How the hell did you get in here?”
“I live here!” He was smiling so much, I thought his face would split.
“Since when?” I gasped, confident that he didn’t live here.
“Since yesterday.”
I shook my head, unable to believe what was happening. “How much did you pay the previous resident to encourage them to leave?” I asked sarcastically.
“Did you know Mr Swift? Such a nice old man. He has family in Australia. They wanted him to go and live with them but he couldn’t afford to go.” He glanced at his watch. “I’d say he’ll already be there by now.”
“You . . . you paid for him to go to Australia?” I couldn’t believe what he was telling me.
“Yep. His furniture is in storage until he decides what to do with it.”
I frowned as I headed for the stairs. Anthony Edwards had moved into a flat in the same building as me, persuaded a resident to move out, but in doing so had made the old man’s dream come true. Money definitely talked.
“He was willing to give me quite a nice little story about you as well. It should hit the papers in a couple of days.”
“What?” I hardly knew any of the people who lived here.
“Don’t panic. He was very complimentary. It’s a nice article.”
“But nobody here knows me,” I said, lingering on the bottom step. I didn’t want to deal with any of this, I just wanted to get into my own private space. I was tired, drained of all energy after the day I’d had.
“Well, he knew enough about you to give me enough for a story. I had no idea that Alex stayed here the other night.” He raised his eyebrows. “You’re a quick worker, Ella Summer!” he shouted after me as I began the climb to my flat. “Where is he tonight? Have you given him the night off?”
“You know absolutely nothing!” I called back.
“Amy rang me this afternoon.”
I stopped. My world came crashing down just a little bit more. Anthony must have heard the pause in my gradual ascent up the stairs.
“Come on, Ella. I happen to think you’re okay. Let me make you a coffee, or something. I don’t want to print what she’s said, and you mentioned that you had a story on her. Let’s talk.”
I turned to face him. His cheeky face looked at me expectantly.
“What did she say?” I queried
.
Anthony cocked his head. “Tea, coffee, or something stronger?”
I groaned. “Have you got any whiskey. I’m rather fond of it these days.”
Anthony held his hand out toward me. “Whatever you want, Ella. Come on in.”
“I don’t think I trust you,” I said, refusing to take his hand.
He cocked his head and grinned. “Seems you’re more sensible than I gave you credit for.”
He stepped toward the doorway that led to his downstairs flat. I followed him, peering cautiously through the door. There were piles of books and general clutter everywhere.
“Excuse the mess. I haven’t had time to get organised yet. Too busy chasing after Alex and you.” He urged me forward into the space.
“It’s not too bad,” I said. “My flat’s not much tidier and I don’t have the excuse of just moving in.”
“Can I print that?”
“What?”
“That you’re untidy.”
I shrugged. “Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m untidy. It’s no secret.”
Anthony crossed the room and opened a bottle of whiskey. It was the same brand that Alex had given me the other day.
“Here you go,” he said, pretending to hand me the bottle. I grabbed it off him before placing it to my lips, taking a large swig from it.
“A drinker as well.” He said.
The burn of the amber liquid hit my throat. “Only on days like today.”
I could have knocked back the whole bottle and passed out on Anthony’s floor. But I handed it back.
“What did Amy say?” I questioned. I needed to know. I’d never rest until he’d told me what she was up to.
Anthony waved his arm in the direction of the overstuffed sofa, inviting me to sit down.
“I’m not spilling anything about Amy without a deal or something from you first,” he said.
I forced a smile, and perched on the arm of the sofa. If he wasn’t going to tell me what Amy had said, there was no point in me being here.
“I’m a woman of my word. I’ve got lots I could tell you, but I’m not prepared to say one word to you about anything until I’ve spoken to Alex.”
“You scared of him?”
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