Page 35 of The Location Shoot
“I want to,” he insisted, touching her hand. “It’s meant to be yours. It matches the incredible color of your eyes. And I don’t want you to ever forget this day.” He turned to the owner. “Please put that in a box. We’ll take it.”
“Thank you,” she said, touching his hand. “I could never forget this day.”
When they all spilled out of the shop, Michael said, “How about we grab some dinner?” They wandered into a bustling pub located in an old building with stone walls, cavernous hallways, and stone archways. The host nearly fell over when the stars walked in.
“We have a party in the corner paying their bill. We’ll clean the table right away,” he said. Several locals asked to take pictures with the group, which they were happy tooblige. Ella offered to play photographer. When they were seated, they ordered a round of drinks.
Two young blond women at the bar were openly staring at Michael, completely starstruck, tossing their hair and giggling in his direction. He smiled flirtatiously at them, and in a hushed voice, asked the group, “Would it be wrong to take those two lovely creatures into the bathroom for a few minutes?”
“Do you really just sleep with different women all the time?” Willow asked.
“The pretty ones,” Michael joked.
Charlotte shook her head with a disapproving look.
“Oh, come on,” Michael said. “It’s a perk of being a successful actor. If they want it, why not give it to them? It’s a release for me and probably a hell of a memory for them. I’m always honest about my intentions and safe about those things, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Ella picked up her drink, took a sip, and placed the glass down on the table with consideration. She looked Michael in the eyes. “There’s more to you than you reveal, Michael Hennesey, perhaps more than you’re even willing to admit to yourself.”
“You probably have the most open views about sex of anyone at this table, hell, of anyone I know. If it’s a consensual act between adults, what’s the big deal? It’s all about pleasure. Aren’t you all for pleasure?” Michael said.
“I’m not judging you. Adults can do as they please, but I’m not convinced that it really is all about pleasure for you,” she said. “You portray yourself as a man who doesn’t care about anyone, who isn’t attached to anyone and likes it that way. I don’t buy it. Maybe it’s not a woman, but there’s someone who means something to you. The way you are with women, it’s more than an overload of male sexual desire, more than casual rendezvous. It’s like you’rerelentlessly trying to distract yourself. But from what, or more likely, from whom?”
He looked flabbergasted, as if she had read his innermost thoughts. He picked up his drink, took a big swig, cleared his throat, and said, “I have a daughter.”
Everyone’s eyes widened, surprise flashing across their faces.
“What’s her name?” Ella asked.
“Sophie. She’s eight years old.” He paused. “I barely know her. I’m not a deadbeat or anything, I financially support her, but . . .”
“What?” Charlotte asked sympathetically.
“I was focused on my career when she was born. Things were taking off, you know? I wasn’t really interested in parenting. And now . . .”
“Now?” Ella asked.
“Lauren, her mother, thinks I’m a dirtbag.” He stopped to sigh. “Funny thing is, I had real feelings for Lauren. She’s not like most of the women I meet now. She’s sweet, the kind of person you marry.” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “I was just too big of a shit. Women were hanging all over me, and I guess I thought,I’m a big star. I deserve this. I blew it with her, and now she doesn’t want me to have anything to do with Sophie. When I’m busy with work, with women, I don’t think about it. Other times it weighs on me, more so as the years go by and I realize that what’s been done can’t be undone.” He polished off the rest of his drink and said, “It’s too late to do anything about it now, so I try to put it out of my mind.”
“Michael, it’s never too late. You owe it to Sophie to do better. You owe it to yourself. The past can’t be changed, but the future is unwritten. Make it right. You obviously want to,” Ella said.
“She’s right,” Finn chimed in. “You need to man up, for your daughter’s sake.”
Willow huffed. Everyone looked at her and she said, “I’m sorry. I was just thinking about the film. Your character tries to cover up his pain with booze and bravado when dealing with my character and the state of our marriage, but really, it’s an act. You should draw on how you feel about your daughter. It might push your performance further.”
Delighted smiles swept across their faces.
“Was that stupid?” Willow asked shyly.
“Not at all. It was very insightful,” Ella replied.
“You’re really thinking like an actress,” Charlotte added.
Willow smiled. “In the meantime, I have something you can give your daughter.” She rifled through her smallest shopping bag and retrieved a small purple beaded bracelet. “I bought this for my friend’s daughter, so it should fit Sophie. Here,” she said, handing it to him. “You can give it to her as an icebreaker and tell her you thought about her when you were here.”
“Oh, I couldn’t,” Michael said.
“Sure you can. Most girls her age like purple. Trust me.”
