Page 15 of Hollywood Games
Zoe led them back out through the castle to where Barry was waiting with the car.
Brad clasped her hands in his. ‘Zoe, this day is only going to get better.’ He winked at her. ‘I’ll see you later.’
Zoe waved as Barry drove them away. When the car disappeared, she sat down on the cold stone step. Brad Bauer was real. And Brad Bauer was here.
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8
Zoe stared out at the empty courtyard. She’d found herself in a surreal dream she didn’t know how to wake up from. She rang Rory. It went straight to voicemail.
‘Um, hey, sweetheart,’ she said into the phone. ‘There’s nothing wrong, no need to worry, but could you ring me as soon as you get this? Doesn’t matter what time. Hope things are going okay with your mum and I’m thinking of you. Love you.’
She put her phone away and sunk her head. This could be the best thing ever for the castle, or it could fall flat before it even started, all because Rory couldn’t stand Brad. He and his special forces friends had taken exception to a film Brad had made called ‘Death Party’ about the Afghan conflict. If that wasn’t enough, Lucy, Rory’s ex, was obsessed with Brad, made Rory watch all of his films, and told him if she ever met Brad she was allowed a free pass to snog him. Rory was the physical opposite of Brad, and Zoe knew deep down he had an insecurity that any woman would choose Brad over him. His ex-fiancée would have done so in a heartbeat and now Brad was about to take his new girlfriend out for a meal.
Her phone rang. It was Sam, her best friend, an actress, currently starring in a popular soapElm Tree Lane. Zoe answered the call. ‘Hey, babe. How’s—’
‘What the actual fuck, Zoe? Brad Bauer!Brad-Fucking-Bauer! Why didn’t you tell me?’
A panic shot through her. ‘What?’
‘You’re on his Instagram feed! “The Brave to my Braveheart”. What the fuck is going on?’
Zoe held the phone away before Sam burst her eardrum, put it on speaker and opened Instagram. Sure enough, there she was on Brad’s feed, the two of them sitting side by side on the thrones, holding hands. As she watched, another photo came through of Brad with Basil, then another of Zoe and Brad in the cabin by her bed.
Oh fuck. Oh fuckity fuckity fuck.
‘He showed up unexpectedly a couple of hours ago. He’s only just left.’
‘Make him stay. I’m shooting right now but I’m going to see if I can fly up first thing in the morning.’
‘But you’re working, you can’t walk off set. And he’s going tomorrow.’
‘Zoe, tie him up if you need to. That man is my golden ticket. I’ll break my arm if I have to, to get out of filming. You’ve got to keep him there, okay?’
‘He’s a force of nature. There’s no way I could keep him here against his will.’
‘Just do it. Gotta go, they’re calling me. Love you.’ Sam hung up before Zoe could reply.
Zoe puffed out her cheeks and shook her head. Thank god Rory didn’t have an Instagram account. She could break it to him gently when he got back. She got in the truck and drove to the back of the post office. She had a couple of hours to invent a recipe for spiced shortbread and get ready for her date with Brad Bauer, superstar.
Zoe knockedon the back door of Morag’s. Fiona flung the door open and dragged her inside.
‘Oh my god, how did it go? Mum! Mum! She’s back!’
Morag bustled in, shutting the door behind her. ‘Dear god, Kinloch’s gone mad! Brenda only told a couple of people, and now all the world and his wife know who’s here!’ Morag sat Zoe down and Fiona put the kettle on. ‘Tell us, love, what happened?’
‘Can you make shortbread?’
Morag looked at her blankly.
‘Have you got one of those fancy shortbread tins?’ Zoe demanded.
‘Er, I don’t know, love, why do you ask?’
Zoe groaned. ‘I made up a few stories about the castle to try and reel him in and they worked a bit too well. I told him one of the countesses from the past invented spiced shortbread and now only you know the recipe. He wants to try it so we’ve got to come up with something before I meet him tonight for dinner.’
Fiona put her hand to her mouth and gasped. ‘This is priceless!’
