His eyes lit up. ‘Perfect! But,’ he barrelled on quickly, as if he was ripping a plaster off, quick and efficient and mildly painful, ‘you’re going to need money for accessories and fabric and so on. I’ll get Richie to send you a cheque. And you’ll have to take time off work for Savannah and Liam’s wedding too, at least ten days, buy clothes for the wedding, as it’s in the Bahamas. See, there’s a lot of costs involved.’
‘The Bahamas?’ she gasped.
‘Yes, and my mum will insist we all stay together at their house. I mean, it’s a very big house, but I’m still not looking forward to it.’
‘They have theirownhouse in the Bahamas?’ Why was she even surprised? His normal was so far out of her comfort zone, it was practically on another planet.
‘It’s their holiday home,’ he said casually. ‘What do you say? Ten days in the Caribbean and an apartment for the price of one fake relationship? Sounds like the deal of the century to me.’ Why was he acting like a second-hand car salesman?
‘This feels wrong, and a flat? That’s a huge… gift.’ She winced. ‘Payment’ would have been a more accurate word. Was she really going to sell herself and become an employedgirlfriend? She cleared her throat. ‘And what about buying your own place?’
‘I can do both.’
‘Show-off,’ she grumbled. ‘Look, why me? You could get any one of your celebrity friends to help you.’
Alex winced. ‘I don’t have that many friends. Not anyone I could trust, at least.’ That hit her hard; and then he leaned closer, a teasing glint in his eyes that was utterly charming.‘Not people who would protect me from the paparazzi in only a bathrobe and slippers.’
‘Don’t remind me,’ she groaned.
‘Please? You can have a great vacation, a home of your own in just a few weeks. No need for overtime, or waiting years to build up a deposit. You can choose whatever path you want in life and not have to worry about a mortgage.’
‘I said I wouldn’t date again,’ she whispered weakly.
Alex visibly sobered, the light in his electric eyes dimming slightly. Did he realise how hard she was finding it to pretend she felt nothing for him other than friendship? How close she was to falling?
‘It wouldn’t be real, and afterwards you’ll be in a position to settle down, just like you always wanted.’
‘With my cat,’ she whispered, and he grinned.
‘With your cat.’
She bit her lip, and he stared at her with a knowing confidence, as if he knew how difficult it would be to refuse him – how difficult it would be for anyone to refuse him anything.
My own home.No more living at home with the family – and if she was mortgage-free? Well, that opened up a world of opportunity. Spare money to save, help out at the shop, travel and visit Hannah. It would be life-changing – but weirdly, most of all, she didn’t want to disappoint him.
Could she bear another break-up like the one she’d had with David?
She had to think of her vulnerable heart. She was only just getting over Hannah leaving and was now dealing with her family’s financial worries; she wasn’t sure she could cope with any more disappointment or humiliation. But, her own home? How could she say no?
‘So, if it’s not real… Do you think people will believe it?’ She squeezed her hands together beneath the table. Of course peoplewouldn’t believe it. Someone like her with a Hollywood star? Seriously?
Alex’s blue eyes glittered like sapphires in the candlelight, promising endless possibilities if only she were brave enough to agree. ‘We’d have to pretend in public. I know you’ve never done professional acting, but I’ve seen you sneak past security with no problems. You just need to fake it. Look at me like you’re in love. A few kisses here and there.’
Her face went numb. ‘Kisses?’
‘Purely Disney kisses. Nothing X-rated, don’t worry,’ he reassured her quickly.
She gave an emphatic nod, followed by a wheezing nervous laugh. ‘Yes, of course, thank God, was a bit nervous there for a minute!’
For fuck’s sake, I may as well have said, ‘No sex for me, please.’
‘Good.’ He nodded quickly and her heart sank. ‘It’ll be better all round this way. Nobody will get hurt.’ Ellie wasn’t sure about that; she was already a little hurt and they’d not even started. ‘However, I don’t want my family to know that it’s not real. In public and in front of them, I’d like for us to pretend we are dating. If they found out I was lying, it would be humiliating, and if it got out to the press? They’d tear us to shreds.’
‘Yeah, I get it.’ She didn’t. It was one thing to lie to nosey strangers, but lying to his family felt wrong. However, who was she to judge? She couldn’t wait to escape hers. ‘But, are you sure you want to lie to your family? I’m sure they’d understand if you talked to them about how much this has affected you.’
‘Look, I love them, for all their faults, and they love me. But they walk on eggshells around me and it’s driving me crazy. I can’t bear their pity.’ He looked genuinely exhausted, and Ellie’s heart softened. She knew what it felt like to be drained emotionally by those who loved you. ‘If you came with me, they’dstop fussing. I know it’s a hell of a lot to ask. Anyone else would sell the story of me even asking you to do this.’
‘I would never do that.’
