Page 71 of The Girl with the Irish Secret
‘Yes,’ Vi said, not sure if she liked her grandmother described that way. ‘I’m very fond of her. She’s not as hardnosed as you might think. She’s just a very shrewd businesswoman.’
‘And a very successful one,’ Leo soothed. ‘Liz didn’t mean any disrespect.’
‘Of course not,’ Liz said, looking contrite. ‘I actually liked her. A very classy woman. I’m sure you’re very proud of her.’
‘Yes, I am,’ Vi said. ‘Very proud.’ She conjured up the image of her grandmother in her mind and wondered if she was proud of Vi. But they had parted on bad terms and now Vi didn’t know how she could go back to Magnolia Manor before she had yet again apologised for what had happened the last time shehad been there.Oh my darling granny, she thought,how can I make you understand that I’m truly sorry? And how can I get close to my sisters again after what I said to them? I don’t blame them for being upset. But I was in a bad place then and felt so lost…
‘So, we’re all agreed?’ Jack Montgomery asked and gathered up his notes. ‘And we’re all going to the pub, then?’
‘I can’t,’ Vi said and got up. ‘Sorry, but I have to get to the set. So nice to meet you all. I’m really looking forward to working with you.’
‘You sure you can’t join us?’ Leo asked.
‘Not possible, I’m afraid,’ Vi replied. ‘We’re shooting a scene in the Docklands area this evening.’ She checked her watch. ‘I’m already running a little late.’
‘We’ll see you soon, though,’ Jack cut in. ‘We’ll meet sometime in the near future to discuss the schedules and so on. We need to take some publicity shots too. We’ll be in touch with your agent to set it up.’
Vi nodded. ‘That’ll be great.’
‘Let us know when you’ll be in Ireland,’ Leo said. ‘I’m going there myself for Christmas. I have family in Cork. Not a million miles from Kerry.’
‘That’s true. It would be nice to meet up somewhere halfway between Cork and Kerry.’ Vi smiled and prepared to leave. ‘Well, goodbye for now. See you all soon.’
‘Lovely to meet you,’ Laura the casting director said. ‘I’m really happy we found you. Nobody could be more perfect for the role than you.’
‘Thank you,’ Vi said with a happy smile. ‘I’m thrilled to play Kathleen.’ Then she walked out of the room while the others gathered up their bags and coats and prepared to go to the pub.
Vi was sorry she couldn’t join them but perhaps it was a good thing in a way. She needed to digest what had just happened. Itseemed as if all her wishes had come true at once: playing the main character in a Hollywood produced movie and acting with Jack Montgomery, the man who had appeared in her dreams many times. The perfect man, handsome, suave, clever and chivalrous.
If only the setting was different, everything would be perfect. That was the one thing she found hard to deal with. Going back to Magnolia Manor and facing her family.
3
Jack Montgomery caught up with Vi as she was in the downstairs lobby about to leave the building.
‘Hey,’ he said, tapping her on the shoulder. ‘We should get to know each other as I’m to play your husband. How about a drink sometime?’
Vi’s heart beat faster as she looked up at his handsome face, his brown eyes looking into hers. He was dressed in a navy blazer with a discreet crest and a light blue shirt under a Burberry raincoat which was flung across his shoulders. She noticed his long eyelashes and his slightly tanned complexion, breathed in his expensive aftershave and kept staring at him, wondering if this was really happening. Jack Montgomery was asking her to have a drink? It seemed like a dream and she felt like pinching herself yet again. ‘Er, yeah,’ she said. ‘That would be grand.’
‘I’m going back to LA in a little over a week, so it would be good to meet up before then. Just to talk, you know?’
‘That would be lovely,’ Vi said and picked up her phone. ‘What’s your number?’
He beamed a thousand-watt smile at her. ‘Let’s decide on the date, time and place right now. Then we don’t need phone numbers.’
‘Oh, of course,’ Vi said, feeling stupid. She should have known he wouldn’t want to give his phone number to someone he didn’t know well. ‘Sorry,’ she said, putting away her phone. ‘When and where, then?’
‘How about that Irish pub near Piccadilly? It’s called Paddy’s. Looks nice and easy to find for both of us. Thursday next week at five p.m.? Call the office and leave a message if you can’t make it. I’ll get them to call you if I have a problem, okay?’
‘Great,’ Vi said, now completely overwhelmed. She was having a drink with one of the biggest stars of both film and TV. Was this really happening?
‘See you then.’ Jack walked to the door and held it open for her. ‘Looking forward to our chat,’ he said as she stepped out.
‘Me too.’ She breathed in his expensive aftershave as he walked past her towards a waiting car that took off down the street as soon as Jack had got in.
Vi stood there, staring at the taillights, thinking that this was the most exciting day of her life.
‘Feeling a little starstruck?’ a voice said beside her.
