No Matter What

by Michelle Betham

  “I had no idea,” Charley whispered, tears starting to fall down her cheeks.

  “Hey, don’t cry, come on.” Vince sat beside her, pulling her into his arms, holding her tight. “It’s ok. She came through it, we all did, didn’t we?” He kissed the top of her head then tilted her chin up so she looked at him. “We all went through a lot, Charley. But you and India, you both had more to deal with than anyone and you both came through it. She’ll come round. She will, I know she will.”

  “And if she doesn’t? She just walked away from me, Vince.”

  “Listen, baby, you have to understand that India is a huge star now. I’ve got an entire team of security employed solely just to try and keep the paparazzi under control and any unauthorised reporters out of the hotel because everybody wants a piece of her. All it takes is for one of them to spot the two of you together and it’s all over the papers, everything dredged up in public again, and you know how they’d make it all sound. That’s why she walked away. It wasn’t the right place or time. She couldn’t have done anything out there, not really. She couldn’t. She was right to walk away.”

  Charley knew he was talking sense. This wasn’t something that could be fixed straightaway. It was going to take time.

  “That’s my ‘phone,” Vince said, going over to his jacket that was hanging over the back of a bar stool and retrieving his ‘phone from the pocket, looking at the caller ID. “Michael.”

  Charley sat back into the sofa, closing her eyes. “India’s obviously told him then, hasn’t she?”

  But Charley couldn’t blame her. She knew now, now that she’d finally found someone that she loved and trusted, she knew that if she was upset, that if she’d had a shock like this, then the first person she’d want to turn to would be Vince. India loved Michael. He was her husband. Of course she was going to turn to him.

  She sighed and got up, leaving Vince to it, going into the bathroom and splashing cold water over her face, checking her reflection. She’d worked so hard to get where she was now. She’d regained her looks, got back her confidence – all things Jimmy had stripped away from her. Now all she wanted was her friend back too. All she wanted was for India to talk to her, for her to know that she cared. To understand that she was sorry.

  She went back into the living room. Vince was off the ‘phone and making some coffee.

  “Is he ok?” Charley asked, standing by the breakfast bar as she watched Vince, her arms folded.

  “He’s fine.” He looked at her. “He’s ok, Charley. Really. He’s just upset because India’s upset, he’s not angry with you. He’s angry with me. And he’s got every right to be.”

  “What do we do, Vince?”

  He came over to her, pulling her close. She looked so tired, and so sad. He wasn’t looking forward to facing India after this. He wasn’t happy with the way things were, and he could totally understand Michael’s frustration with the situation. But he loved Charley and nothing was going to get in the way of that. He wouldn’t let it.

  “We get the truth out in the open, Charley. Once and for all. No more secrets, no more lies, no more hiding anything from anybody. I’m going to tell the world I’m in love with Charley Miles. And they’re just going to have the deal with it.”

  ***

  Layla wanted to be a star. She wanted to be as big a star as India Walsh, if not bigger. She wanted the fame and the attention and everything that went with being famous. What did the critics know? They’d said she didn’t have the talent to become the next India Walsh, they said she just didn’t have the personality, the X factor, whatever that was supposed to be. They said she didn’t have anything that made her stand out from the crowd, nothing that made her different. But Layla knew they were talking crap. Her mother had told her so anyway, and she knew everything.

  Sofia had been through it all before, she knew exactly what Layla had to do in order to achieve her dream and it didn’t entirely consist of having talent. Would India Walsh have been as big as she was if she hadn’t been best friends with Kenny Ross, or married to Michael Walsh? So Reece Brogan was her dad, nice little story that had been. Well, her mother was Sofia Vincelli so India didn’t have the monopoly on famous parents.

  Layla sat at the side of the set and watched Michael as he talked to one of his assistant directors, a young and eager-to-please film school graduate who Layla knew had a crush on her and who she found extremely attractive, but she couldn’t get distracted from what she had to do here. Once she had the fame she so badly craved she knew she could get the pick of whoever she wanted. But right now, like Sofia had told her, there was no time for getting involved with who she wanted to be involved with, it was a case of who she needed to become involved with. And, according to Sofia, right now that person was Michael Walsh.

  She crossed her legs and continued to watch him as he examined something on the monitor. She waited for him to look over so she could catch his attention but he seemed very focused today. He wasn’t the type Layla usually went for at all. He was far too old for starters, and she just didn’t get what people saw in him, especially India. India was gorgeous, and why she’d gone for Michael Walsh when she was so close to Kenny Ross Layla simply couldn’t understand. Kenny Ross was certainly more Layla’s thing, but if getting close to Michael was what it took to get her where she wanted to be then she’d do it. If only he would take the bait, show her some attention, what was wrong with him? Didn’t he find her attractive? Wasn’t he lonely with his wife out of town? She was sure she could help him take his mind off India. After all, Layla was a lot younger, maybe she could show him a few tricks that he’d never get at home.

  She sat up straight in her chair as she caught sight of him walking over to her, immediately flashing him the smile she had specially reserved for him. He wasn’t proving to be an easy target but Sofia said she could achieve anything with that smile of hers. Michael was just going to take a bit longer to win round than others, that’s all.

  “Are you ready then?” Michael asked, in that brusque manner he seemed to have adopted with her lately. And he wasn’t even looking at her. He was busy reading something on the pile of papers he was carrying.

  “Ready for what?” Layla asked, twirling her hair round her fingers and uncrossing and crossing her legs again.

  Michael looked up and stared at her. “Don’t play games with me, Layla. I’m really not in the mood.” His eyes went back down to those papers again. “You’ve got five minutes.”

  And he wasn’t in the mood, not in the slightest. He was all too aware of what Layla and her mother were up to. Their reputation went before them, Sofia’s especially, and if they thought for one second that he was buying into any of it then they couldn’t be more wrong. Layla was there to do a job and he was there to make sure she did it to the best of her ability. End of story.

  Michael looked up again as Reece came running over.

  “Michael ... have you spoken to India today?”

  It was evident he’d heard about Charley too. “Yeah, I’ve spoken to her. Just now. You’ve heard then?”

  “Bobby called me. He thought I should know. I haven’t spoken to India but I figured she might have called you. Is she ok?”

  Michael shrugged. “She’s a little upset. I think it’s the shock of seeing Charley again more than anything.”

  “Well, I just hope she’s ok. At least Kenny’s with her.”

  Reece had said that last sentence deliberately, to gauge Michael’s reaction, not forgetting what Vince had told him back in Vegas. And the one thing Michael seemed unable to do was hide his feelings where Kenny and his wife were concerned. He’d looked up sharply at that comment, just for a second, but long enough for Reece to realise that the jealousy and anxiety Michael had about that whole situation showed no sign of subsiding. And with the revelation of Charley Miles now in Vegas too, Reece couldn’t help but feel nervous.

  “She’ll be back in L.A. in a day or so,” Michael said, looking back down at his papers, scri
bbling something down. “And I’m going to make sure I spend as much time as I can with her.”

  Reece noticed Layla Boyd still hanging around, knowing that was another problem that could yet add fuel to a fire that was already smouldering dangerously.

  “I’m going to give India a quick call. I need to put my mind at rest.”

  Michael looked up at Reece, his mind now back on the job he had to do. “Ten minutes and then I need you, Reece.”

  Michael knew he had to keep his mind on this movie, he couldn’t let that professionalism slip, even if his head was all over the place. But he also knew that he wasn’t going to settle until India was back in L.A. Kenny Ross was too close for comfort right now and that didn’t sit easy with Michael. That didn’t sit easy at all.

  ***

  “India ... where are you going?” Kenny asked, grabbing her arm as she practically ran off set once the director had called for a break.

  She swung round and looked at him. “I’m going to see Vince. She’s in his hotel and I want to know if he knows about it.”

  “India, wait! Hang on will you!”

  She looked at him. “What? Look, I can’t concentrate until I know what’s going on ... will you let go of my arm!”

  “Just wait a second, will you!”

  She stopped and turned round, looking at him again. “What’s the matter, Kenny?”

  He pushed a hand through his hair and looked down at the ground for a second. “There’s stuff you need to know, India.”

  She stared at him, folding her arms. “What stuff? Kenny? What’s going on?” She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. “Talk to me, Kenny.”

  “She’s working here, in the hotel. She’s a showgirl.”

  India raised her eyebrows at that. “A showgirl? And you know this because ...?”

  He paused for a second before looking at her. “Vince told me.”

  She was still staring at him. “Vince told you? When? When did he tell you, Kenny?”

  “I’ve only just found out ... I saw Charley here in one of the hotel bars ...”

  “And you didn’t think to tell me?”

  “It’s only just happened, India.”

  “When? Five seconds ago?”

  “No, of course not ...”

  “Then you should have told me, Kenny. And Vince knew she was here?” Kenny nodded and India let out a cynical laugh. “I don’t believe this ...”

  “There’s more,” Kenny said.

  India looked at him again. “What do you mean, more?”

  “Vince and Charley ... they’re together. They’re a couple.”

  India shook her head. “No ... no, they’re not ...”

  “He really wanted to tell you, he did ...”

  “But he didn’t, did he? And how long’s that been going on?”

  “Just a few weeks. He feels awful, India. He never meant it all to come out like this ...”

  “No, I bet he didn’t. Jesus, Kenny, he knew about all of this, he knew she was here before we arrived and yet he chose not to tell me? He should have told me.”

  “He knows that, India.”

  “I’m going to talk to him.”

  And she turned to go, practically running off, Kenny following her, desperately trying to keep up.

  “Wait, India, hang on! Slow down will you! You don’t even know if he’s in his apartment.”

  “It’s worth a try isn’t it? I can’t sit around and do nothing.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  “Please yourself.”

  Kenny had to practically run to keep up with her, and he wasn’t altogether sure that she should be speaking to Vince in the state she was in. Everything had been dredged up in her mind all over again and she was far too emotional. He should have tried to calm her down and make her wait until this evening but sometimes there was no stopping her. When she got the bit between her teeth it was pointless trying.

  As soon as the private elevator opened up into Vince’s apartment it was quite apparent that Vince had guessed exactly why India was paying him a visit. His face said it all. But India hadn’t been expecting to find Charley with him and that threw her slightly at first.

  “Something you want to tell me, Vince?” she asked, not looking at Charley.

  “I tried to explain,” Kenny said, standing behind India, just incase she needed him, although he didn’t know why she would.

  “It’s ok, Kenny. It’s me who should be explaining everything.”

  “You knew, Vince. You knew she was here and yet you didn’t think to tell me. Why? Why would you do that? I don’t understand.”

  “It was stupid, I realise that, India, and I’m sorry ...”

  India looked over at Charley who was standing by the window, her arms folded tight across her chest, and suddenly everything hit her like a high-speed train, tears starting to stream down her face as every memory, every ounce of pain she’d felt that night back in 1997 came flooding back, washing over her so quickly she had no chance to stop it.

  “You should’ve told me,” she whispered, directing it at Vince but still looking at Charley, her voice starting to shake, and she felt Vince’s hand touch hers but she pulled it away. “No. I’m not understanding this, Vince.” She looked back at him. “I know you’re together now, I know everything and that only makes it worse.”

  “India, please ...”

  “No! I don’t want to know. I can’t get my head around this ...” She turned away from him, looking at the ground as she tried to compose herself.

  “I didn’t want this, India; you have to believe me when I say that. It’s a mess I caused and I’m so, so sorry but we all need to sit down and talk about it ...”

  She shook her head, turning back around and looking over at Charley, who was trying hard not to cry herself. Her head was all over the place and she didn’t know if she could deal with it all right now. Maybe she’d been rash charging on up here when she really wasn’t ready to deal with this. She’d thought she could but now, now it was all happening, she knew she couldn’t.

  “I could have been prepared, Vince, if only you’d told me.”

  Charley stepped forward, her arms still folded across her chest, her voice quiet but steady. “India, I’m sorry. I made him tell nobody, it was partly my fault, so please don’t blame him.”

  India looked at her old friend, feelings that had been hidden for years suddenly rising to the surface and she couldn’t stop them, her emotions were running far too high for rational thought anymore.

  “My brother might still be alive if it hadn’t been for you. The baby I should have had with Michael ... our baby might still be alive if it hadn’t been for you ...”

  “India ...” Kenny tried to take her hand but she pushed him away.

  “Shut up, Kenny ... that night is always with me, Charley, it never goes away. I see Terry’s face every time I close my eyes, I can still remember how he felt when I held him, as he took his last breath, I can still see and feel it all and even though I kid myself I’m over it, I never will be. Never. And that’s all because of you.” She looked back at Vince. “You really should have told me.”

  She’d said enough, turning and walking out of the apartment, wanting to get as far away as she could from a situation she couldn’t deal with, because she knew – even in the state she was in – she knew that she wasn’t dealing with it in the way she should be.

  She went straight to her trailer, found Bobby and asked him to sort out Reece’s private ‘plane to come and get her and take her to L.A. that evening instead of tomorrow, because she wanted to distance herself from this place as soon as she could, even if it was only for a few days. Seeing Michael, seeing her father and Martha, that might just help her get her head sorted, help her to sort out what she was going to say to Charley when she got back to Las Vegas because she knew she had to talk to her. She couldn’t leave it like this. She just couldn’t do it right now. She needed to get away, have a bit of breathing space, and
decide what to do when her head was clear, when she felt less emotional. She’d drive down to Malibu while Michael was working. The beach always managed to calm her down, help her think straight.

  She looked up as Kenny came crashing into her trailer. “Don’t you knock?”

  He closed the door and looked at her. “Are you ok?”

  She wiped her eyes with a tissue and ran her hands through her hair. “I’m fine.”

  “You sure?”

  She looked at him, fresh tears starting to fall down her face and he took her in his arms, holding her tight.

  “Hey, come on. It’s been one hell of a day but this’ll sort itself out, babe. I promise you.”

  “I thought I’d put it all behind me, Kenny, but I couldn’t stop it all coming back.” She stayed holding onto him, her arms tight around his waist as she leaned against him. She felt safe with him. “I wasn’t fair to Charley, I know I wasn’t. What I said up there …”

  He kissed the top of her head. “She understands. They both do.”

  India looked at him, silent tears still falling down her cheeks. And she couldn’t stop it, what happened next. Even though she knew it was wrong, they both knew it was wrong. She loved Michael, she loved him with every ounce of her being, she really did. So why was she kissing Kenny Ross?

  CHAPTER 38

  India had arrived back in L.A. late the previous evening. Michael had picked her up from the airport and taken her back to their home in the Hollywood Hills where they’d gone straight to bed, made love, and fell asleep in each others arms.

  It felt good to be away from Vegas for a while. She felt as if she could breathe for a few days, get her head round everything.

  “You look miles away,” Michael smiled, joining her at their large kitchen dining table for breakfast.

  India looked up at her husband. He looked tired. “I’m fine.”