Page 134 of Christmas off Script
‘You need to rest,’ Leo continued, staring at the floor. ‘Not have me molest you all night.’
She couldn’t say anything. Couldn’t move. She was too numb as all of her worst nightmares seemed to be coming true.
‘But…’ His gaze finally met hers. ‘I want to talk to you when this is all over. About us. If that’s okay?’
She finally managed a shaky nod.
‘But let’s wait until Saturday. When the final performance is done. Libby’s right. You need to rest.’
I need you!
Leo stepped stiffly back. ‘I hope you feel better in the morning.’
Ella nodded again and stepped inside her room, shutting the door behind her.
How did she ever think it would have worked between them? Friendship, yes, but tying her life to his? Herfamilyto his? She stumbled into the bathroom, staring at her face as she removed the thick layer of make-up, turning her from a princess back into a commoner.
‘Be grateful,’ she whispered to her reflection. ‘You had a good run of it. Not every tale has a happy ending.’
Finishing in the bathroom, Ella took off her ball gown and got into the four-poster bed. The pantomime ended in three days. Seventy-two hours to prepare herself for the inevitable: Leo saying he wanted to be just friends.
24
‘Has anyone seen Leo?’ Libby asked as she strode into the dressing room.
Ella glanced up from her job of retouching Arthur’s garish make-up and shook her head.
‘Not since the end of the matinee,’ Scott replied.
Everyone’s eyes swung to Ella.
‘I saw him maybe an hour and a half ago?’ she said. ‘He said he had to run out and do a quick errand.’
Libby looked at her watch and frowned. ‘The show starts in less than ten minutes.’ She gave Ella a sunny smile. ‘I’m sure he’s not far away. I’ll ring him again.’
An uneasy silence settled on the dressing room as Libby dashed out.
Ella turned back to Arthur. ‘Would you be able to finish this yourself? I want to see if I can get hold of Leo.’
‘Yes, yes, of course, my dear. Off you trot!’
Grabbing her phone, Ella exited the room, looking for a quiet corner of the manor. She hadn’t changed since the afternoon performance and didn’t want the public to see her in costume. Despite having made it through every show that week without having another breakdown, she was running on empty and still had one more performance to get through. Then she had to face a conversation with Leo. If he hadn’t run away, of course.
‘Ella!’
She turned to see Willow sprinting down the corridor, her expression panicked.
‘What is it?’
‘Leo,’ she gasped. ‘I had to find you.’
Ella grabbed Willow’s arm to steady herself as the floor seemed to tilt under her feet. ‘What’s happened?’
‘I was out the front just now chatting with an old school friend. I told her Leo was playing Zach’s role after he broke his leg. And she said she saw him about an hour ago—’
‘Where?’
‘Getting into a car with your dad.’
