‘Well played, bro.’
‘That’s from Elle.’ He jerks his head towards the screen.
Wait.What?
‘And on that note. We have a very special surprise guest who is keen to join Josh on the sofa tonight. Ladies and gentlemen: please welcomeMs Ellery Hart!’
Gordon stands up and holds his arm out towards the on-stage entrance. I look around in total bewilderment.
A woman is walking towards me.
She’s a vision in a long silver dress, her blonde hair like a halo.
I’m aware of the studio audience going fucking insane behind me.
But I only have eyes for her.
And it seems she only has eyes for me, as she wipes away her tears with a trembling hand and smiles at me.
It’s Elle.
CHAPTER 49
Elle
Icould never have let Josh throw himself under the bus for me like that.
As soon as he told me, I knew I needed to be there to take my share of the flak. After all, I was the one who shot my mouth off on this very sofa last week. I’m the one who stirred up a total shit-storm over what should have been old news.
Look, I have no doubt that if I hadn’t said anything, if Josh and I had just gone for it and quietly shown our faces in public as a couple, we’d still have been utterly crucified by the press. So maybe my outburst was meant to be. Maybe it’s afforded us both the perfect opportunity to shape the narrative, as Mara would say. She’s not happy that I’m coming on, but given the size of the hole I’ve dug us all into, she and Donna are resigned to my coming on here and presenting a united front with Josh.
But I’m not here for them.
Or me.
I’m here for him.
Gordon gets to me first and kisses me onboth cheeks. When he releases me, I go straight to Josh, who’s looking at me like I’m a mirage.
‘Hi,’ I whisper, and I step right into his arms. His whole body sags as he wraps himself around me. Even his chin sags onto the top of my head. And the relief is sublime. The relief of being able to reach him, to show him I’m right here after sitting backstage, watching him in pieces. Watching him take so much shit on my account.
Out there all alone.
He hugs me and hugs me, and I don’t know if he’s sold the audience with his words, or if they’re just over-excited by watching tomorrow’s headlines unfold live in front of them, but the noise around us isdeafening. I’m vaguely aware of Gordon behind me, asking everyone to settle down, but I don’t let go of Josh until Gordon puts a hand on both our shoulders to break us up.
We collapse on the sofa together, thigh to thigh. Josh has my hand on his leg and is gripping it like it’s the only thing stopping him from falling off the face of the earth right now. His head is bowed, and he’s shaking. While Gordon works on quieting down the audience, most of whom are on their feet, I bend my head to meet his eyes and use my thumb pad to wipe the dampness from his cheeks.
The guy is destroyed, and while it’s killing me to see him like this, part of me is glad. Glad the whole world gets to witness how amazing he is. How human. How humble. How selfless. Surely no one can dub him a ‘manipulative predator’ (yes, that was one of the recent headlines about him), seeing him so vulnerable.
So wide open.
So undone.
I grip his hand as Gordon regains control of the studio.
‘Er, Josh, mate—I think you’ve just been eclipsed.’
‘She eclipses everyone.’ Josh wipes his eyes again with his free hand.
