Page 61 of Love At First Fright
“Good morning.” He smiled, grazing her fingers with his as he handed her the cup. Beside them both, Ellis heard Lyn mutter “Fucking finally” under their breath.
The smile Rosemary gave him, soft and rosy, had something bubbling up inside him. Something joyful and light that Ellis wasn’t used to.
“Good morning.”
“How are you feeling about the scene?” she asked.
“Good, I feel like I got across Alfred’s fear. What do you think?”
“I agree, you seemed afraid but also curious, which is exactly how he would have been feeling at that moment.”
Hearing that she liked the way Ellis was portraying the character she’d written had him buzzing. As Ellis turned back to speak with his costume team, he thought about how easily he could get used to this. Seeing Rosemary every day, getting her coffee. He would make her breakfast in his kitchen, withfresh herbs from his garden, and then he’d bend her over the counter and make her come at least twice before they went about their days. Maybe he would create a home office for her, with a view of the garden, so she could look at the birds as she wrote.
Don’t get ahead of yourself,he thought,this is probably just a phase for her.He was an actor, and she wanted that celebrity dating experience. Even as he thought that, he knew it wasn’t true. Rosemary wasn’t like that. But what would she want? To still be with him, even when this bubble popped and they were back in the real world? And how would she react if he told her he was bi? Brody had always taunted that women found bi men to be less masculine. Is that what Rosemary would think when he told her?
Ellis tugged off his costume waistcoat and handed it back to Aaron.
“Sorry, I think I got some grass stains on it,” he said.
“No problem, that’s what my trusty vanish pen is for,” Aaron grinned, handing Ellis his casual, modern clothes so he could change back. He was midway through changing in one of the closed-off side parlours, just inside the manor, when a text came through on his phone.
Surprise,Brody had typed,Jenna will be dropping by for a visit this morning. Take her out somewhere nice. Sent the convertible.
“Fuck,” Ellis cursed.I didn’t agree to this,he sent back.
Tough shit,Brody responded.4 photo opportunities, you agreed and I’m cashing in.
The last thing he wanted right now was to have to deal with paparazzi and Jenna. Of course Brody had sent a convertible; what better way to maximise the time photographers could capture them together?
His first instinct was to run, but he couldn’t do that. WhenEllis looked around, he noticed their presence and kicked himself for not noticing it before. Photographers, behind-the-scenes videographers, all eagerly waiting for Jenna’s arrival.
He began walking over to Rosemary to tell her, but just then, he heard the sound of tires biting down the gravel drive. That asshole Brody had waited until Jenna was already here to let him know, giving Ellis no time for escape. And no time to warn Rosemary.
A sleek grey convertible was heading towards him. It was too late.
From the edges of his vision he sensed the swarm of paparazzi descending, and when Jenna honked the horn at him, Ellis waved back weakly. Time to perform for the cameras, each click of a lens boring into him as if it were Brody looking at him, all the way from LA.
Just as Jenna stepped out of the car, dressed in a fitted three-piece suit, Ellis spotted Rosemary standing beside Lyn, just behind the row of photographers that had amassed. He wished he’d had time to prepare her for this, to preparehimselffor this, for how it would feel seeing her there. There was no denying the twist of confusion on her face, or the way it warped into hurt as she noticed who was getting out of the car.
“Well, aren’t you lord of the manor.” Jenna laughed, stepping into Ellis’s one-armed embrace. “You should probably kiss my cheek, Ellis, or at least try and look like you’re happy to see me.”
“Of course, sorry.” He forced his face to smile, and pressed a swift kiss to her cheek.
“So, the convertible?”
“Brody sent it.”
“Yeah, he mentioned. Wish I’d had a heads-up.”
“Sorry,” she replied sincerely. “He only told me about ittwo hours ago. I wasn’t even expecting to hear from him, it’s the middle of the night there.”
“What, in hell?”
“Ha. I am sorry, though; I had to rush to get ready and there was no hands-free way to text you from the car.”
Ellis forgot that the younger generation had an existential fear of phone calls.
“It’s alright, Jenna.” He bent closer so the vipers could get their photos of them looking like they were all into each other, and then leave them alone.
