‘Sweetheart.’ All my own problems are forgotten in the face of this horror. ‘How the hell did this happen? What the fuck was your agent thinking?’
‘It was a bit of a bait and switch, I suspect. We didn’t know they were thinking of him, but they said they’d written the role of Georgiana especially for me. And when I read the script of the pilot, I loved it. Like, loved it. I knew I had to play her. And it wasn’t until I was properly besotted with the role that they announced they’d lined He Who Shall Not Be Named up to play the Duke.’
‘Ugh! The Duke? And you really want to go ahead with this? Did they not even ask for a chemistry read?’
‘No one who saw those two together five years ago would need a chemistry read.’ Astrid nods sagely. ‘Justsaying.’
She’s right, of course. The sparks between the two of them were electric. The world fell in love with them, and the world got its heart broken with Elle.
Ellery grimaces, like it’s excruciating for her to think about it.
‘The thing is, I know this series is the right next step for me. I mean, Jackson’s doing the same thing, right? Making the jump from movies into TV? And this role is my dream role, I’m telling you. Except for, maybe, the many parts where I need to get pretend-naked and pretend-intimate with the person I hate most in the world. Oh, God!’
I bristle. ‘Jesus, Elle. I hope they’re offering you a good intimacy coordinator?—’
‘Relax, Hon. Believe me, everything’s being negotiated to thenthdegree, and everything will be fully choreographed.’
‘Glad to hear it. Also, remember this, my friend. When you met, he had all the power. Now the world is your oyster, while he’s been festering in rehab hell and is making dire movies. He needs this a lot more than you. Which means you. Have. All. The. Power.’ I jab her with my finger to make my point.
She shifts uncomfortably. She’s always been self-deprecating. ‘You’re right, I suppose. But I’m still dreading it!’
‘Because you hate him and you’re worried you’ll gouge his eyes out when they allow you close to him?’ I ask hopefully.
‘No.’ Her voice drops to a whisper. ‘Because this is my chance to show him what a huge mistake he made all those years ago, and to make him regret ruining my life in front of the whole world. But what if I fall for him again?’
‘You won’t.’ I’m horrified. ‘You couldn’t—your sense of self-preservation won’t let you.’
‘I hope not. I just remember how… magnetic he is. He’s very, very hard to resist.’ She twists her beautiful mouth. ‘You’re right. I won’t. This is about closure, pure and simple. He’ll regret the day he ever dumped me.’
What I wouldn’t give for her youth and beauty, though I don’t envy Ellery her situation. Maybe I can sneak on set and warn that miserable prick to stay the hell away from her heart. And her knickers.
Ellery’s plight has certainly done wonders for distracting me, but a moment later I’m back in the thick of my own life in the most pleasurable way possible, because Noah puts his hand on my shoulder, and smiles, in his usual, hopelessly gorgeous, panty-melting way at the girls, and asks if he can borrow me.
It’s time to follow Mum’s advice. To choose my happiness. To get my man.
CHAPTER 39
Noah
Honor barely has time to stand before I’m engulfed in a stream of effusive, fragrant hugs from Astrid, Evelyn and Stacey. Stacey gives me a huge smacker on the cheek while Honor laughs at me over her shoulder. Even when they introduce me to Ellery Hart, who I’m pretty star-struck by, I can hardly take my eyes off Honor.
I’ve been biding my time, chatting to Mum and Dad and soaking up the nurses’ excitement—this is a far more glamorous event than their regular evenings off. But I need to slink back to my flat, lick my wounds, and focus on moving forward. Very probably over a few glasses of red. So here I am, checking in with Honor before I go, just like she asked.
It looks like they’ve been hitting the champagne hard.
‘You’re all awfully giggly for a funeral,’ I tell them. ‘I bet Stephanie is having serious FOMO right now.’
‘I’m sure she is,’ Honor says. ‘She’s either loving it, or she’ll spring a leak in the ceiling and put an end to the party if she sees us all having too much fun.’
‘Did you want to have a quick chat?’ I ask her, trying to sound as neutral as possible in front of her sharp-eared friends.
‘Definitely. Excuse me, ladies,’ she tells the other women, who are all still grinning at him, and she leads me off. ‘Over here. Miles gave me a little private annex I can use—he said I might need some quiet time if it all gets too much.’
She locks the door behind us, and we’re alone. It’s hard to register anything else but her. It would be so easy to pull her to me and bury my nose in her hair, but I don’t. I stand awkwardly, stick my free hand in my pocket and sip my champagne.
‘That was a beautiful speech.’
I couldn’t take my eyes off her at the end; it felt like she was trying to tell me something. But I suspect everyone in the audience felt the same way—that’s the power Honor Chapman wields over everyone she touches.
