Page 13 of Such a Good Couple
Maggie’d spent so many hours worrying about this very thing, weirdly she almost felt a sense of release that it was finally happening. No more pre-emptive worry which felt like a waste of energy. Now she could justworryworry.Yay!she thought bleakly, glad that this wasn’t a video call so he couldn’t see her face as she blinked back tears.
She didn’t have to ask who – there was only one main female character in theEndurancefranchise, only one co-star it could be: Emilene Jones. Twenty-six. Blonde. A nightmare.Why don’t they ever cast women the same age as the male stars? Surely this would prevent this from happening.
If this is even definitely happening, a small part of her suggested hopefully.
‘Why areyoutelling me this instead of Fionn?’ She tried to sound dignified.
‘Well, Maggie, he’s on set; you know how strict he is about contact with the outside world …’
Maggie felt a surge of irritation. Fionn’s insistence on being totally immersed in shooting was something they’d argued about. ‘You’re a father of two and a husband,’ she’d said. ‘You can’t go dark on us for weeks on end.’ What shedidn’tsay was that she probably wouldn’t be quite so annoyed about it if she didn’t constantly come across pics of him out to dinner with thecast and crew on the other actors’ social media.
She’d visited a set once during one of the earlyEnduranceshoots. But from minute one, she’d realised it was a huge mistake. Fionn and the rest of the cast and crew were polite and cordial but she’d felt like a parent gatecrashing their party.
‘Movie sets are funny,’ Eva had counselled her kindly when Maggie’d rung in a panic on the first night. ‘These people are together all day every day for weeks and months on end. A little society just evolves. Even the in-jokes have in-jokes. And anyone who tries to break into that is going to find it very hard.’
Maggie swallowed now, listening to Brody’s awkward breathing. ‘Are you saying Fionn doesn’t know something’s leaked?’ she asked, trying to sound matter-of-fact.
‘Not leaked, Maggie. Been cooked up out of thin air! The item could also be about any of the other Irish actors. There is absolutely no truth in it, I promise you.’
‘Do you swear on my daughters’ lives, Brody?’
‘Well, I don’t feel comfortable with that question, Maggie.’
‘How about just one of them, Brody? Dodi. Do you swear on Dodi’s life?’
‘Haha.’ He gave a fakey LA laugh. ‘I’m glad you’re seeing the funny side. Look, no need for us to acknowledge anything. It’s blind item nonsense and completely untrue to boot! I’ll be seeing you Friday. In the meantime, enjoy all the fab things in the schedule.’
Maggie ended the call and debated her options. Full-scale breakdown? Spend hours sobbing and trawling the internet googlingFinn Strong affair? Or go back to her friends and pretend it’s all grand?
Or …? She looked down the hall to where a discreet door led to the cabin where she’d changed earlier. She drifted towards it almost without conscious thought.
I’m just going to check my face, she told herself. Shepushed the door open. Her travelling clothes, a pair of Yves Saint Laurent jeans and a top from The Row, were still strewn across the bed. In the bathroom, she fixed her make-up and then leaned on the sink, resting her forehead on the mirror. It would be so easy … It would feel good. It had always made her feel calmer in the past. And it’s not like it was a real problem anymore, she hadn’t done it in ages.
A bang of the bedroom door jolted her back upright.
‘Maggie?’ It was Annie. ‘Are you in here?’
‘Annie?’ Clara knocked.
Shit. Maggie gathered herself, feeling a sharp tug of regret at being interrupted. She headed out to them.
‘Hey, sorry, I was just going to the loo, remember?’
‘Yep.’ Clara smiled, but Annie wasn’t as quick to hide her anxiety.
‘Are you okay?’ she asked.
Maggie knew there was no point pretending with them. ‘Sorry, I was talking to Brody. I know about the blind item which, from all your exchanging of loaded glances, I presume you’ve both seen.’ She gave a weak smile.
‘Look, who hasn’t had a crush at work?’ Clara joked, clearly attempting to reassure her in the mostunreassuring, Clara-esque fashion ever.
‘Which may not,’ Annie hastily added, glaring at Clara, ‘in fact hasdefinitelynot happened here with Fionn.’
‘Well, most workplaces don’t require the employees to pretend to be in love and fake-ride each other for cameras.’ Maggie pressed her fingers into her temples.
‘Everyone at my job is basically a foetus,’ Clara continued, evidently trying to lighten the mood. ‘But even my eye can be drawn in a moment of madness. There’s a very cute boy-man who works Mondays and Tuesdays … I could be persuaded.’
‘Fionn isn’t being persuaded ofanything.’ Annie was talkingloudly, to drown Clara out.
