‘I haven’t been anywhere near your hair,’ I said, standing my ground.
‘Yes, you have, when you did my mask, earlier!’
‘Sorry, Blake, you must be mistaken – I didn’t do your mask?’
‘What are you talking about? Yes, you did!!’
‘It’s an incredible piece of artistry, but it wasn’t me,’ I said, clicking my tongue with a tiny frown, as if trying to place who might have done it.
‘The attention to detail is unbelievable,’ Gem added.
‘SO good,’ Phoebe agreed.
‘I must insist this woman is removed from the party, immediately,’ Blake shouted at Chiara, seething. ‘She has sabotaged and viciously attacked me!’
He put both hands up dramatically to scratch his head and knocked into a tray of Champagne flutes as one of the waiters walked by. The glasses slowly toppled over, smashing to the floor one by one, and spilling Champagne everywhere.
‘Now look what you’ve made me do!’ Blake screamed in my face as I took a step back.
‘Mr Thomas, if we could talk for a moment outside to try and sort this out,’ Chiara said, with a fixed smile. ‘We can’t make accusations without legitimate proof.’ People were starting to look over, as Blake continued to make a scene.
‘I want them OUT,’ he repeated. ‘I’m the talent here, remember. She’s a nobody.’
‘Abi has been in the make-up room with me all day, Chiara, so Mr Thomas must be mistaken about her doing his mask,’ Gem said, to add fuel to his fury.
I heard a collective ping and all our phones lit up, and I noticed even more people looking in our direction.
Phoebe was the first to read it. ‘Uh-oh – looks like the news is out, Blake. Time’s up, cowboy.’
‘What news?’ Blake snarled, snatching Phoebe’s phone off her.
‘Yep. It’s been confirmed by the network that you’re being killed off onOutlaws,’ I said, scrolling through TikTok. ‘Already trending.’
‘That is not true! It is still being discussed and negotiated,’ Blake shouted, incensed, looking around at the people staring at him. ‘It’s NOT TRUE!!!’
‘Ms Mason, would you like to follow me?’ a voice said, and my heart sank. I was being chucked out. Blake had won again. I turned to find the fit guy Gem had been talking to, stood behind me. Clean-shaven, with short back and sides, wearing a tailored suit and an elaborately crafted mask. There was no mistaking that voice, those eyes, or that spicy aftershave. I nearly fainted.
‘Tony?’ I said, flabbergasted. I got up close to the eyes behind the mask. ‘Is that you?’
He nodded and smiled.
‘Mr Almagno, I’m so sorry about this disturbance,’ Chiara started.
Blake switched off his toddler tantrum and plastered on a winning smile. ‘Mr Almagno! A pleasure to meet you, sir,’ he said, holding out his hand. Tony dismissed him with a curt nod.
Why was it a pleasure to meet him? How did he even know him?
‘What are you doing here?’ I asked. My shocked face said it all.
‘I’m here every year,’ he replied. ‘Thank you, Chiara. Ms Mason is my guest, so she won’t be leaving just yet, but if you could help Mr Thomas out, that would be wonderful.’
‘Of course, sir,’ Chiara replied.
‘Your make-up is on point,’ Gem said, blowing Tony a kiss. I looked a little closer at his mask and could see it had all been done with make-up. It was an absolute work of art.
‘An excellent job as always, Gem, thank you. And I appreciate you looking after Abi as well.’
Blake watched open-mouthed and Phoebe stopped eating her lasagne.
