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‘Hannah, I know we’ve not really talked about how things will work between us – but I promise you, I don’t mess around. I may not want anything long term, but I won’t cheat while I’m with you.’

The queue shuffled up again, and Hannah smiled – a mask of politeness. ‘That’s good to know. Let’s promise one thing to each other, okay? As soon as we’ve had enough, we end it. No questions, no explanations – just say we’re done, and we’ll leave it at that. And don’t worry about getting me home tonight, you’re not responsible for me. You see to your friend and I’ll see to mine.’

Her words should have comforted him. Hannah was proving that she wouldn’t get jealous or possessive. She saw their fling as nothing more than a short-term relationship without commitment on either side.

Then why was he disappointed?

Two hours later, Caleb was finally helping Lucas into the back of Lucas’s car with his driver. They’d eventually managed their escape when Emma had wisely mentioned to Bianca that her sister had been throwing up for some time and might need to be taken to the emergency room. It had been enough to get Bianca away from Lucas’s side long enough to convince him to leave.

Their on-screen chemistry had bubbled over into real life, and they’d been making out drunkenly for most of the night, while the house crumbled into anarchy around them. Thankfully another very generous bribe and promises of a party shut-down by Emma and Bianca’s assistant had stopped the neighbours from calling the cops.

Unfortunately, getting Lucas out had been harder than expected. After months of clean living, the booze had hit him like a forty-tonne truck. Caleb had had to practically carry him out of there.

Lucas’s head was bobbing forward as he slurred his words. ‘Tell Bianca I’ll call her when I get in.’

‘Yep, Katie knows,’ said Emma, struggling with a large quantity of stuff that included gifts Bianca had bought for Lucas and his entire entourage. There were several gift bags of expensive perfumes and toiletries as well as bigger presents for Lucas which included a set of golf clubs, a huge bottle of whiskey and a giant teddy bear.

‘Who’s Katie?’ asked Lucas, leaning towards Caleb and almost sending them both into the landscaped gardens of the front yard.

Caleb grunted, ‘No idea,’ as he righted them back on the path towards the car, where the driver was opening the door to the big black SUV.

‘Bianca’s assistant – she’ll let her know about the call,’ replied Emma wearily, as she began to hand the gifts to the driver to put in the trunk.

‘What call?’ grumbled Lucas, but Caleb ignored him, covering his head as he helped him into the back.

Lucas sprawled back on the seat with a thud and a loud belch, half-dragging Caleb in with him. Caleb followed, thinking it best to keep an eye on him, at least until Emma got in.

‘Man, she’s beautiful,’ sighed Lucas dramatically. ‘I think maybe this time it’s gonna work out. She might be the one.’

Caleb smothered a laugh. ‘You say that every time.’

Lucas’s expression turned melancholy. ‘And I mean it every time… But then it all goes wrong.’ With a frown Lucas stabbed at the buttons until the window opened and the night sky was visible. A cool breeze ruffled his hair and he closed his eyes for a moment. ‘Ah, that’s better. It’s too stuffy in here.’

Emma leaned into the open window, handing an opened bottle of water to Lucas. ‘Drink this.’

Lucas took it, grinning stupidly at her. ‘Thanks, Emma, what would I do without you? You’re the best.’

Emma didn’t reply, but the corners of her lips turned up a little at the compliment.

‘Shit!’ Lucas suddenly lurched forward, spilling half the water on the floor. ‘The revised script! I left it!’

‘Woah there!’ Caleb steadied him with an arm.

‘No, I’m sure I packed it,’ Emma said soothingly with a shake of her head.

But Lucas was adamant. ‘No, I left it in Bianca’s room. I need to learn the new lines. The location shoot is in a few days. I need to be ready!’ Lucas reached for the door, struggling to grab the handle.

Emma was quick to reassure him. ‘I’m sure we’ve got it. Let me go and check.’

Lucas sank down in the seat with a sigh of relief, but continued to mumble, ‘I need to learn them by tomorrow. The wording has to be right. If it’s not perfect, I’ll fuck it up. They’re begging for me to fuck it up.’

A pang of sympathy squeezed Caleb’s heart, and he patted his friend’s knee. He knew the pressure Lucas was constantly under to perform and succeed in this industry. ‘It’ll be alright. Emma will find it, and you’ll learn the lines word for word in no time. That’s what you always do. The film is gonna be awesome.’

‘Yeah, Emma will find it,’ Lucas said with a relieved sigh before grinning goofily. ‘Damn, Emma’s great! Isn’t she?’

Caleb smiled, glancing at Emma through the back window as she rummaged through the bags in the trunk.

Lucas must not have known that Emma was so close by, because he continued with a heavy sigh. ‘You know I love Emma; she’s everything I could want in a girl. But I’m not attracted to her. I wish I could put Emma inside Bianca’s body, you know? Then I really would have found her – my perfect match!’