Page 91 of Love At First Fright
“I do, but I wouldn’t say famous.”
Annie frowned. “Ellis doesn’t do hyperbole, so I expect you’re being humble.”
Rosemary threw Ellis a look to which he winked back, as Annie took a moment to lavish attention on Fig, who was lying belly up in the middle of the open-plan kitchen.
“Ellis said you work at a museum? My friend Scott works as a curator at the British Museum, you’ll meet him today.”
“Dr. Scott Mason? I’m familiar with his work. The Symbols of Protection exhibition last year was well executed. And yes, though my job isn’t nearly as glamorous. I’m an archivist for the Merryweather Museum, a small anthropological museum in South London. A glorified librarian really.”
“Now who’s being humble?” Ellis chimed in.
It all fell naturally into place, chatting with Annie and Ellis. Ellis had told her that Annie could be a little shy, though Rosemary didn’t see it. Perhaps by virtue of being with her brother, Rosemary had somehow managed to bypass Annie’s shyness and be welcomed into the fold. That’s certainly what it felt like when the two of them were seated on the floor, feeding Fig small chunks of carrot a few minutes later.
“I’m glad you’re here, Rosemary,” Annie said quietly, when Ellis had left the room to get some more herbs from the garden for his garnish.
“He doesn’t really tell me much, you know?” Annie continued. “He got into this film business so early, and I won’t lie and say that it didn’t make a huge difference for our family. But he’s never stopped. I see him in those action films, and I can see in his eyes that he doesn’t enjoy it. When he invited me here, the way he was talking about your movie…he’s never been like that. He was enjoying himself. So thank you, for writing it, and for being there for my brother.” Annie patted Rosemary’s hand.
“I—of course.” She stuttered. Before she could say more, the doorbell rang again.
“That will be my friends,” she said, standing.
It had been a few days since Rosemary had seen Dina and Immy, and although they’d spoken frequently enough in their group chat, nothing prepared her for the swell of love she felt as her two closest friends collided with her in a three-person hug.
“We missed you!” “You look so good!” Dina and Immy squealed in her ear as they hugged.
“I missed you both so much.”
“I can’t believe you’re dating a celebrity, and one who is SO HOT, too,” Immy said, and Rosemary heard Immy’s husband, Eric, chuckling behind them.
“Good to see you both!” Rosemary said, hugging Eric and Dina’s partner, Scott, in turn. There was clearly a common strand between all three friends, as Eric, Scott, and Ellis all towered above them by at least a foot. They all had a type, and that type was tall.
Rosemary felt Ellis’s presence behind her and said, “Everyone, meet Ellis and his sister, Annie.”
As she moved to the side of the corridor, watching her favourite people meet for the first time, Rosemary was acutely aware that this was a Big Life Moment™. When did Ellis become one of them? In fact, when had he become her favourite person of all?
After everyone was introduced, they began the lunch. Ellis served and carved up the leg of lamb, and Rosemary filled everyone’s plates with the roasted veg and the Parmentier potatoes they’d prepared earlier. Annie and Scott were busy debating the retrieval methods of a recent Egyptian dig, though Rosemary noticed Scott’s hand holding Dina’s, his fingers caressingthe engagement ring on her finger. Immy and Eric were regaling Ellis with a tale about their twins, and it was clear that they both loved nothing more than being parents. Rosemary had schooled her friends beforehand so that they wouldn’t ask any pointed questions about Ellis being famous, or what it was like working with other actors. She wanted him to feel like he was just Ellis, not Ellis the movie star. And so far, it was all going to plan.
“What do you plan to work on afterWhen the Devil Takes Hold,Ellis?” Immy asked.
Ellis, whose free hand was tracing circles on Rosemary’s thigh under the table—making it a little hard for her to focus on general conversation—said, “I’m not too sure yet. That depends on a few things.”
“Like what?” Dina asked.
“Well, like where Rosemary will be.”
Rosemary felt her heartbeat stuttering. What did he mean by that? She looked at him, trying to read Ellis’s expression, but he was looking at her friends. “If she’s in the States, then I’ll look for a job there. If she wants to be in the UK, then the same applies.”
Finally, he looked back at her.
“You’d do that for me?” she whispered.
“Of course.”
“That’s a big decision, Ellis.”
“You make it pretty easy, love.”
The room suddenly felt too crowded for their private conversation. Ellis must have noticed the blush climbing her cheeks, because he squeezed her thigh in a sort of “let’s discuss it later” gesture, and turned to ask Dina a question about her bakery.
