‘I just want you all to know how happy we are that you’re all here,’ continued Jessica, her bottom lip trembling, as she raised her glass. She made a point of looking at Ellie and Alex. ‘This wouldn’t have been the same without you.’
After a deep steadying breath, she turned to Liam and Savannah. ‘We love you both so much and, while things weren’t easy at the start of your relationship, I want you to know… We… I…’ Her words died and Alex tensed beside her. Ellie’s heart lurched for both mother and son.
Alex stood and raised his glass, his voice as clear as a bell. ‘Welcome to the family, Savannah. To Liam and Savannah!’ A chorus of cheers filled the room, causing the atmosphere of the whole group to sing with joy. Even Richie looked positively thrilled, and she’d never seen him even quirk a lip since she’d met him.
Savannah grabbed Liam’s arm and kissed his dazed face while his mother beamed at all of her children proudly, and wiped away her tears with the Versace handkerchief passed to her by her husband. Robert gave Alex an appreciative and approving nod.
Ellie was so proud of him she whispered, ‘You did good!’ as he sat back down.
Alex shrugged. ‘I’m happy for them.’
Leaning closer, she whispered, ‘Really?’
She followed his gaze to Liam and Savannah, their faces shining with love and excitement, their hands clasped together.
‘Yeah…’ He turned towards her, covering her hand with his. ‘I am.’
The meal passed pleasantly, which was shocking in itself. Alex was laughing and joking with his family, telling them stories about his stay in London, in which she made a surprising number of appearances. There were no awkward silences, no terrible moments. In fact, if Ellie hadn’t known about their history, she would have imagined this was like any other family dinner – chandeliers, champagne and Hollywood stars excepted.
Alex was charming, relaxed and…loved up.
That was the most disconcerting thing of all: how he behaved. He would hold her hand, or press his cheek gently against her shoulder, and once he even brushed a stray hair away from her face in a loving caress.
It was nice. She couldn’t deny that. But a small part of her was still uneasy, as if she were waiting for it all to go wrong. Hadn’t she said they should confess the truth? Why would he behave like this, if in a few days’ time they’d reveal it as a lie?
Was he trying to make Savannah jealous? But no, he seemed relaxed, easy-going. There was nothing contrived in his behaviour; it seemedreal.
But it couldn’t be. Unless… was she the rebound girl?
She’d played that role in the past too. The comic light-relief girlfriend –fun-time Ellie. Until things – she – turned more serious, and they’d run for the hills, turned off by her eager plans. She’d thought laying her heart bare as Alex’s friend would protect her against that pain. That he knew how much she wanted to settle down, and would know how cruel it was to raise her hopes.
Because they were friends first, BFFs.
To give herself a moment to think, she excused herself and went to the loo. When she came out a few moments later she was surprised to see Holly waiting outside. There were hundreds of bathrooms in this place. So why was Holly waiting for her?
‘You all right?’ she asked cheerfully, praying she wasn’t about to be ambushed.
Holly’s smile turned predatory, and Ellie felt as if she were a mouse that had been caught by a bored cat. ‘I knew Alex was a good actor, but you really should go into the business, Ellie.’
Her heart plummeted to her toes. ‘What?’
Holly sniggered. ‘I thought your relationship was a little too convenient. Alex King falling in love with a fat girl? After all those rumours about him being toxic over Savannah’s weight? I mean, I didn’t get it at first, but now it’s obvious why he picked you. It would have worked too, if Alex could keep it in his pants for five minutes.’ She flashed her phone at her, and there was a grainy picture of a bare-chested and sweaty Alex, taking a selfie with a smiling young woman.MY UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH ALEX KING, the picture proclaimed.
Ellie felt sick. His hair was long, like it had been before the Olivier Awards.
‘Oh no!’ cried Holly with a mocking laugh. ‘I thought you were in on it. Don’t tell me you thought this was all real?’ Her eyes narrowed and Ellie recoiled from the vicious hatred swirling within. ‘I happened to catch a look at Richie’s emails today, all about how he was going to work the fat angle.’
You’re a fool, Ellie. You’ve proven it, time and time again. He doesn’t want you, nobody wants you, screamed the cruel voices inside her head – the ones she’d thought she’d silenced long ago.
Holly wasn’t finished with her vitriol. ‘All this body-positivity shit makes me sick. People like you are just lazy and gross, always acting like the victim, when you’ve never had to put in any real work. I’ve worked for this body! Alex would never have looked twice at someone like you if it wasn’t a PR ploy.’ She screeched the last few words in a frenzy, and Ellie instantly recognised Holly for who she was.
A woman who believed that beauty was earned through starvation and constant exercise, who sought validation through the eyes of others. That was why she hated Ellie so much; Ellie hadn’t earned the right to have a man like Alex on her arm, to have friends and people who liked her.
She’s right, sneered the voice in her head.
Ellie struggled to contain her whirling thoughts. Even if her heart and pride were wounded, she wouldn’t give Holly the satisfaction of seeing her break. ‘I wouldn’t believe everything you read, Holly. Isn’t that the first rule in the business? I’m sure your sister knows that better than anyone.’
As she walked away a brittle coldness swept through her, and her spine stiffened. She lost track of the conversations at dinner, allowing them to flow around her while she drowned in a sea of her own intrusive thoughts.
