‘Hello…’ He glanced at Richie, who gave asee how it goeshead-nod.
‘And who’s your gorgeously vivacious lady in red?’ asked Mei with a flash of canines.
He slipped his arm around Ellie’s waist and pulled her closer as she answered cheerfully, ‘I’m Ellie.’
‘Ellie?’
‘Ellie Jones.’
‘Ellie Jones.’ Mei breathed out the name with a puff of satisfaction. ‘What’s that short for? Elizabeth?’
‘Eliza.’
Damn, thought Alex; Mei had gotten her full name faster than his mom. Still, it was bound to happen eventually.
A slow, Cheshire Cat smile spread across Mei’s face. ‘How delightful. I hear you’re a nurse? This must be a change from bedpans and patients, yes?’
Alex was about to interrupt when Ellie laughed. ‘It’s certainly more glamorous. But tonight is about Alex’s line of work, not mine.’
‘Oh, I don’t know about that,’ said Mei slyly. ‘Everyone is so thrilled to hear that Alex is dating again. Alex, you previously mentioned you were looking forward to the future – is Ellie the reason for that?’
Alex nodded, his fingertips stroking the silky warmth of Ellie’s curvy waist. ‘Like I said, I’m optimistic about the future, both professionally and personally.’
‘Great, and how long have you two been together?’
His eyes locked with Ellie’s. In the past he’d always found it better to stick as close to the truth as possible. But Richie had said it would work better if they already seemed committed, so it was probably best to be vague. ‘Oh, a little while, but it’s like we’ve known each other for ever,’ he answered, and Ellie’s lips twitched.
‘Well, aren’t you two just the cutest,’ declared Mei, and then, with a wink at Ellie, she added with a merry laugh, ‘you’ve givenall of us ordinary ladies hope. Who’d have thought Alex King would be into curvy girls now – you must feel very lucky.’
Outrage seared through him and he was about to pull Ellie away, but her grip on his arm tightened and she kept him firmly at his side as she replied, ‘I think we’re lucky to have found each other, don’t you?’ She tilted her head up at him, and he was tempted to kiss her again, and not only to shut Mei up.
‘Yes, I’m the luckiest guy alive.’ He turned back to Mei, and said with a charming but firm look, ‘I think Ellie’s the hottest, kindest, funniest, and best damn woman I’ve ever met.’
As Mei opened her mouth to ask another question, he gave a brisk and cheerful goodbye, before leading Ellie away. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he said, leaning towards her in case any cameras picked up his words later with a lip-reader.
Ellie stopped walking and turned to face him. To his relief she wasn’t visibly upset by Mei’s rudeness; in fact, her jaw tilted up with confident defiance. ‘Don’t be. That’s not the worst thing anyone’s ever said to me.’
Anger fizzed in his veins. What was the worst thing? Who had dared to hurt her? ‘I’m sorry, people are assholes, especially in this industry.’
Ellie squeezed his arm and rested her head on his shoulder lightly. An oddly comforting gesture considering that she should be the one needing support, not him.
‘Thank you, but don’t worry about defending me. I’m tougher than I look. When it’s strangers making those kinds of comments, it’s not too bad and I can deal with it. It’s kind of you, but you don’t need to defend me, honestly.’
An ache settled low in Alex’s stomach, and his throat tightened as he thought about what Ellie might have suffered in the past, and not only by strangers, but by people she’d trusted and loved. He knew she had a difficult relationship with hermother, but he had a feeling that she wasn’t the only person who’d let her down.
Was it his place to ask? He suspected now wasn’t the right time to ask, regardless.They strolled away from the interviewers. The sun was beginning to set and turning the sky above the Royal Albert Hall slate grey. The warm lights from within the historic building seemed to be calling to him, offering them shelter and warmth.
The pop princess was close on their heels, so the press quickly lost interest in them, and they were finally able to go inside to take their seats.
He’d almost forgotten the point of the evening, after spending so long working through the press.
‘Alex!’ cried Isaac, slapping him on the shoulder excitedly.
‘Shouldn’t you be backstage?’ asked Alex.
‘Just about to go. Getting in took longer than I’d expected,’ said Isaac with a slightly bewildered expression, as if he still had camera flashes going off behind his eyes.
‘You’re performing tonight?’ asked Ellie.
