Page 19 of Hollywood Games
Zoe had the good sense to gasp with shock. If she thought the film sounded bonkers before, now she knew it was utterly insane.
‘I know, right? Unreal. So here I am, I’ve got my new wife with me, my army of ninjas, and I find out the love of my life isn’t dead. So, I leave my men at the castle and travel to find Mary, who’s hiding out in a cabin. Your cabin. Our love has never died, and now I find she has a son, the son I never knew she was carrying.’
‘Wow.’
‘Yeah.’ Brad put his fists to either side of his head, then splayed his fingers, mimicking another explosion. ‘Boom! Mind blown. Mother fricking unreal plot twist. So I’ve got two wives, a son, a Native American ninja army and a country to free. I start by taking back my own castle, then work my way around the Highlands, building my army. But I have a traitor in my ranks…’
Zoe knew the drill. ‘Oh no! Who?’
Brad shook his head, shocked and saddened to relay the news. ‘It’s Niquira. Her love for me and jealousy of you tip her over the edge. She makes a deal with the English. She will give me up if they kill Mary and our son first. But I am with Mary that night, making love, and we hear them coming.’ Brad lifted his knife and got to his feet, parrying an unseen assailant. ‘I grab my sword and fight, naked apart from my leather underpants, Mary in the corner, protecting our son. But there are too many of them. It looks like I will be slain.’
Brad leaned back against the wall behind his chair, holding his knife to defend himself. ‘But then! In comes Niquira with her blade and she decapitates the soldier about to spear me. I am saved! But too late for her. As she saves my life, she gets a dagger in the back from the last soldier, who I kill to avenge her death.’
‘Bloody hell,’ murmured Zoe.
Brad sat back down. ‘I now know there is nothing standing between me and the Scottish throne. I sweep through the Highlands and lowlands, gathering men and arms, then crush the English at Bannockburn. We close with me and Mary being crowned in my castle, Scotland free at last.’ Brad lifted his fists again to describe an explosion. ‘Braveheart 2, baby. Boom!’
‘It, er, sounds incredible.’
‘It’s got Oscar written all over it.’ He held her gaze as the gentle sound of a guitar filled the room. Jamie’s sonorous voice joined in and people went quiet.
Zoe leaned in towards Brad. ‘This is Jamie, Morag’s son. He’s amazing.’
‘I know,’ Brad whispered into her ear. ‘I saw him on your Instagram.’
Zoe pulled back as Brad smouldered at her, then turned to Jamie and they listened to him play. Jamie never made eye contact with anyone. He kept his eyes closed, his focus on the music, playing as if no one else was there. It was electrifying, the performance of a lifetime. Zoe glanced at Crystal, who had her mouth open. Even chauffeur and bodyguard Barry was listening intently, the music changing him from East End enforcer to cuddly uncle.
As Jamie played, Clive and Kayleigh brought out their main course. They ate in silence, letting Jamie’s music wash over them. A yearning sadness moved through her like a swelling spring tide. A few months ago, she would have heard this music and ached for something indescribable, something she couldn’t even name. But now she knew that Rory was what her soul cried out for.
As the set ended, Jamie’s drunk friends at the bar started chanting his name. Brad got to his feet and joined them, whooping and clapping. By the end of the second set, even the sight of Barry on his feet wasn’t enough to deter the drunks of Kinloch from approaching Brad’s table. They piled through from the bar, wanting to know if he could really break a concrete bar with his head, or if he had actually slept with every Kardashian.
As Barry and Clive pushed them back, Brad thanked Jamie, who looked so shell-shocked by the whole experience Zoe doubted he would be able to speak for days. Whilst Brad was chatting to Jamie, Crystal showed her the photos that had been taken that day and posted to Brad’s Instagram account. Zoe had given Crystal her contact details, plus those for Rory, Morag, Fiona and Jamie, and told her they could definitely use both the cabin and the castle to film in – they just needed a final sign off from Rory that she promised they would get. Zoe glanced at her phone. Still nothing from him. She felt a pang of unease. She needed to speak to him as soon as possible.
Zoe was glad of the audience in the pub. It meant extricating herself and heading home would be easier. As Clive pushed a path to the door, Barry followed, leading Brad, Greg and Crystal. Zoe hung back, grabbing Fiona on the way out. Barry went to get the car and Clive put his weight behind the closed door, keeping the rabble at bay, who were chanting Brad’s name.
Brad air-kissed Fiona, then reached for Zoe, this time his lips making contact with both her cheeks. ‘Next time we’ll have longer. Keep in touch, okay?’
Zoe nodded.
Barry opened the car door and Brad got in, followed by Greg and Crystal, who turned back to Zoe. ‘I’ll confirm the castle before we leave the UK. Any issues, you’ve got my numbers and email.’
‘Will do,’ Zoe replied. Crystal shut the door and Zoe waved them goodbye.
As the car drove away, Clive called out to Zoe and Fiona. ‘I can’t hold the door much longer, do you two want to make a dash for it before I let the crazies out?’
‘Thanks, Clive,’ Fiona said. They ran down the road together back towards Morag’s, laughing with excitement and relief that the evening was finally over.
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10
The next morning Rory woke in a bed that was too small, in a room that smelled of stale smoke and sweat. He stared at the yellowing ceiling, running his mind over the previous day. The ultrasound had been positive but inconclusive, so Barbara had pushed for a biopsy. They’d have to wait days now for the results. By the time he’d got his mum to bed in the room next door, she was nauseous and in pain. Last night he’d turned his phone on to receive a barrage of texts and messages from Zoe. He had rung her back, but it went straight to voicemail. He had to get a phone line connected to the cabin. How could they communicate without any signal?
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, trying to ignore his raging hard-on. He was desperate for her, sick with longing. He knew he should be there for his mother, but he wanted to be with Zoe, even just for a couple of hours. Bandit was being taken care of by Bentley, an old friend of his father’s. Maybe he could leave him there a little longer? Get his mother home to bed and go to Zoe?
He got up, had a cold shower, dressed, then knocked on his mother’s door. She opened it and let him in. She was pale.
‘How are you feeling?’ he asked.
