Page 48 of Reckless Kiss

“Maybe,” Yanny said. He’d moved from panicked to manager mode. Yanny sat up straighter now that they were on safe ground.

“Do you have a plan?” she asked.

“How’s the wedding planning going? I’m not changing the subject. There is a point to my question.”

“It’s still on if that’s what you mean, but further than that, I don’t have a date yet.”

“And you’re still on track for costume fitting?”

“Yes. About that? It’s only five days, right?”

“It should be, unless you want me to schedule other meetings.”

“No. I’d rather go straight to LA, get the fittings done, and come straight back.”

“I can arrange that. No one needs to know apart from the production team when you’re in LA. We won’t be able to keep it top secret, but we can make it low-key.”

“Okay.”

“Do you want me to see if they’ll do your fittingin London?”

“If you can swing it, yes, but I don’t want to be labelled a diva before shooting starts. I can go to LA on the private jet from Penzance.”

“I’ll arrange it. Next is your ex-husband.”

Erica waited for the bombshell, keeping a staring contest with her manager and lifelong friend.

“Come on, Yanny, tell me the bad news.”

“Allegedly,” he says, holding up his hands, dropping his chin, and avoiding eye contact. “He’s going to file for divorce.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Erica said, falling back against the sofa cushions. “He’s got to know he’ll look bad when the truth comes out.”

“Well, we could let the truth out, Erica. It would put this whole thing to bed.”

“I’m the wronged woman, yet I have to be the arsehole and call him out to be a liar.”

“Or you can keep hiding away while he has the sole voice with the press. Up to you.”

“Aren’t the press bored yet?”

“You have just won an Oscar the same night you find out your husband is cheating on you. The press is rabid. Every magazine from the gutter press to Vogue wants an interview.”

“No, they don’t. They’ve earmarked a slot for whoever won best actress. Too bad they didn’t make a deal before the event. It gives me more reason not to go into the small town on this island. Word would travel too fast, and then I wouldn’t have the freedom to practise in the pool and walk about the grounds.”

“You’re a harsh lady, but I love you.”

“Honestly, spending a couple of weeks here, I have strong feelings of walking away from the Hollywoodlifestyle.”

“What?” Yanny gave her a mock frightened look. “I’d look awful in rags. What the hell would I do if you retired?”

“It’s not all about you, Yanny,” she scolded.

“Darling, itisall about me,” he replied.

Erica laughed at her friend’s outrage. She knew he was joking, but it always made her giggle when he made out he was materialistic. Despite how much Erica paid him, he’d never spent more than a fiver on a t-shirt. He had a clause in his contract that if she did give it all up, he had a severance pay of twelve months. Yanny would have dozens of offers to snatch him up if rumour got out she was retiring. She knew for a fact he was constantly offered extortionate deals to walk away from her. Erica knew because he waved it in front of her face each time she fell into diva mode.

“I don’t know where I would be if you hadn’t bullied your way into being my manager. I’m thankful every day you’re in my life.”

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