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‘Look—’ he took a breath, closed his eyes and pressed his fingers into his eyelids for a brief moment ‘—I forgot about the filming’

‘Forgot?’

‘Yes.’

‘You forgot?’ Her voice was strained, as if hurt that she’d slipped his mind, when very clearly he’d slipped hers on occasion.

‘I had an argument with a lover.’ He shrugged, watched the little colour left in her face slip away. ‘I messed up a trade. I just…’

‘You forgot we were even here?’

‘Yes.’

‘That I was here?’

‘It’s been a year, Stella…’ He shrugged as he made them a vague memory, and his words cut like a knife, but somehow she had to sound normal as Daisy came in on the walkie-talkie, asking her to switch channels so that Damon could speak privately with her.

‘Damon is going to blast you…’ Daisy said.

‘I guessed as much.’

‘Just warning you.’

‘Thanks.’

While nobody liked to be publicly blasted, thanks to Gabe cruelly telling her she’d been forgotten, whatever Damon had in store for her would barely touch the sides.

Gabe had been the beat of her heart for a year, the person she had missed, the man her thoughts had turned to. Stella had thought it might even be love.

And while she’d scanned the skies for him, checked her mail, endlessly stared at her phone, wondered if he might appear… He’d forgotten she was even here.

‘I need to get back.’

‘I’ll come.’ He walked with her. ‘And I’ll make peace with your director. Don’t worry, you won’t be in trouble. I’ll turn on the charm.’ He flashed a smile, one that almost looked real, but the flash in his eyes told Stella it was false. ‘I’m good at that when it suits.’

‘I don’t doubt it.’

Because he’d charmed her, honestly, she’d thought he was wonderful, the perfect person, but he’d come back into her life belligerent and cold, and somehow still beautiful.

And she hadn’t even told him what she must.

Even on a film set, with plenty of stars and egos, the arrival of the elusive Conte caused a little stir.

Sir Charles gave her a sympathetic roll of the eyes when she appeared. ‘Bloody owners,’ he said, but then added, ‘Stella, did you make it clear to him that he can’t just fly in when we’re mid shot?’

‘I did.’

She knew she’d messed up.

Even if it wasn’t exactly her fault, Gabe’s unannounced arrival had caused a huge disruption.

The cameras were rolling when they quietly returned and seeing her take her place by Sir Charles, Gabe felt a rare twinge of guilt. He was in no mood to be charitable, but hell, she still did something to him, turned on the nice gene or something, because in a pause between takes he went over and offered a rare apology to the temperamental director.

‘Stella made it clear to me I couldn’t just fly in.’

‘Obviously, she wasn’t clear enough.’

‘I assured her I wouldn’t be around for the shoot.’