Page 90 of A Secret Escape

He was so calm and measured, treating everything as if it wasn’t that big a deal, that she started to feel her panic recede.

She pulled a tissue from the box and blew her nose.

“Why did you sleep in the chair?”

“Because you were upset, and I didn’t want to leave you alone.” He brushed damp strands of her hair away from her face. “Also, I figured that this way I could still tell my grandkids that I spent the night with a famous look-alike actress. You need to drink all that water, Wendy. Every drop.”

“I don’t even remember going to bed.”

“I carried you. You cried for a long time. You were exhausted.”

“You put a blanket over me.”

“Yes. And I took your shoes off. I hope that’s okay. I drew the line at undressing you.”

She drank the water. “I don’t know why you’re being kind. I’m a stranger. You don’t know anything about me. Just what you see in the movies.” And she was used to that, of course. People who thought they knew who she was because they’d seen her on the big screen.

He took the empty glass from her and put it on the nightstand. “Exactly how much do you remember about last night?”

“Apart from the part where you carried me to bed, most of it. Why wouldn’t I? I didn’t drink or anything.”

“You didn’t drink because you’re pregnant. I know.” He nodded. “You told me.”

“Itoldyou that?” Her head reeled. She remembered sobbing onto his shoulder and blurting out words, but maybe her memory of what she’d said wasn’t as clear as she’d thought. “When?”

He sat down on the edge of the bed. “When did you tell me you were pregnant?” He thought for a moment.“I seem to remember it was in between the part where you told me how terrified you were of being a bad mother because of your own mother and the part when you said that Justin was a weak-minded, pathetic snake and you realized you didn’t really love him at all, you just thought you loved him because you so badly wanted to have someone special in your life.”

With a groan she leaned back against the pillows and covered her face with her hands. “What else did I say?”

“You want me to repeat it word for word? Because you talked without stopping for at least three hours. Maybe four. I wasn’t watching the time.”

She was mortified. “That must have been a delightful experience for you.”

“It was enlightening. And after everything you told me, I happen to agree that Justin does seem like a weak-minded, pathetic snake. And it’s brutally unfair that you’ve been lacerated in the press and dropped from your next movie while he appears to have enjoyed a career boost. By the way, if being pregnant is the reason you’re not taking painkillers, I think the one I have in my cupboard is considered safe, but if you’re worried, I can call my brother-in-law and ask. He’s a doctor.”

She rubbed her face and then lowered her hands and looked at him. “I’m sorry I subjected you to a total deluge of my emotions. I can’t imagine what you must think of me.”

“I think you’ve been through a lot and have some flaky, unreliable people in your life.”

“But not Milly.” Guilt pierced her heart. She’d hurt Milly badly, and still Milly had shown up for her. She’d put her own feelings aside to be there for Nicole, even when Nicole hadn’t been there for her.

She couldn’t work out what she should do next. She’d called him in a moment of desperation, but she knew it was only temporary.

“Where’s my phone? I’ll call a cab.”

“You’re not calling a cab. You’re not going anywhere until you’ve had a shower, eaten something and given proper thought to what you want to do. Maybe it’s time to stop running.”

“What do you mean?”

“You were running when you called me last night,” he said. “Running when you went to Milly. It seems to me it would be a nice change for you to start living your life on your own terms. Leave somewhere because you want to rather than because you feel you have to. There’s no reason for you to rush off. No one knows you’re here, not even Milly.”

The mention of Milly’s name had the tears flowing again.

“She is never going to forgive me. I’ve ruined the best and only real relationship in my life.”

“Hey, enough.” He sat down on the edge of the bed. “You have to stop this. We’re going to figure it all out, I promise.”

She sniffed. “I still don’t know why you’re helping me.”

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