Winner Takes All

by Katie Price

  ‘Well, I can’t say I’m not happy to hear that. Any idea what you’re going to do, though?’

  ‘I’m definitely sick of working in the pub. I think I’m going to phone my manager later and quit.’

  ‘You’ll find a great job. I’ll help you, promise. And I’ll be there from now on. Nothing will get between us again, okay?’

  ‘Okay. But promise me you won’t tell Mum or Dad? I don’t want to get into the details of what happened with Richard. I’d rather just forget about it.’

  ‘’Course not. But you have to come downstairs and make an effort. They’re so glad you’re home and that we’re all together. Drink your tea, have a nice hot shower then come out for a walk with us. I’ll change your sheets while you’re in the bathroom.’

  ‘Thank you. Promise me we’ll never, ever argue again?’

  ‘I promise.’

  Jas already felt better. Being back at home made her feel instantly at ease. Her looming divorce hearing and nasty treatment of Luke hung over her like dark clouds, but at least things were mended between her and Lila, which brought Jas huge comfort. She knew that spending the next couple of weeks with the people she loved most was exactly what she needed. But could she really win her divorce in November? She wasn’t sure.

  Chapter 36

  The next few weeks went by blissfully for Jas. Being back at home and around her family helped Lila a great deal. Jas wondered if the brush with Richard, however unsavoury, had actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Lila finally seemed to be growing up and making plans. She’d even started looking for a flat-share in Manchester and a ‘proper’ job, much to Graham’s delight.

  The rest of Jas’s time was spent taking long walks with her family, binge-watching TV series with Lila, and checking in with the editing team in London. Jas was never fully ‘off work’ and had even started brainstorming new show concepts to pitch to Harry. Much to her delight, the press department at Channel 6 had started planning the campaign around her show and the buzz about it had reached every outlet going. Lots of the weekly showbiz magazines were requesting interviews with the contestants before they’d even seen who they were. Jas scheduled a conference call with the press team to ensure she was across every single aspect of the campaign and that no spoilers would get out.

  ‘You’ll need a new wardrobe,’ pointed out Jas one morning as she and Lila were scouting job recruitment websites. ‘Why don’t we pop into town later and hit the shops? I can help you get a whole new look on the cheap.’

  ‘Okay, sis. Do you reckon she still has that gorgeous cream pencil dress you had your eye on last time? Buy that so I can borrow it off you.’

  ‘Which reminds me, where’s my denim jacket?’

  ‘It’s upstairs, I swear.’

  ‘And I bought that dress, don’t you remember? Only wore it a couple of times though. To the wrap …’ Jas trailed off. The wrap party for Mr Right. The last time she’d seen Luke. She’d done a pretty good job of not obsessing too much about him since she’d been home. Worrying about Lila and insisting to her mother that she was eating enough had kept her pretty much occupied. But the thought of that night weighed on Jas now – and not for the first time. She was still mortified by the childish way she’d acted then and in Ibiza as well. She believed that she and Luke had amazing chemistry, but her tantrums were extremely unappealing and she knew it. Now, a week after their last meeting, she still hadn’t heard from him and was starting to question if that chemistry was all on her side and not on his. Surely he’d have phoned if he was missing her?

  Lila noticed that Jas was staring into the distance. ‘What?’

  ‘Nothing. Come on. Let’s go see Meg.’

  Two hours later Jas was trying on clothes in her sister’s boutique. The place was a shopper’s dream, with so many rows of gorgeous outfits at every price point, large and well-lit changing rooms and a blue velvet sofa outside them – usually full of weary men waiting for their wives or girlfriends. Lila sat on it, texting.

  ‘Ooh, we just got in some wonderful pastel knitwear, Jas. Here.’ Meg threw an array of jumpers into the changing room and whizzed around looking for more finds.

  Jas stepped out to take a look at herself in a slinky black dress that fitted perfectly. She usually steered clear of black, opting instead for pink, red, blue and white, but Luke had once said how sexy he found black on her and for some reason it had stuck in her mind.

  ‘I have no idea where I’d wear this but I’m into it.’

  ‘Oh, you’ll have loads of chances!’ said Meg. ‘You and your busy social calendar. There’ll be an awards do at some point. Or what about the Mr Right premiere?’

  ‘Good shout. You certainly have a lot of energy, Meg! You’re running around the shop like you’re on speed. Only last week you were so exhausted you couldn’t move.’

  Meg said nothing, but smiled to herself. It didn’t go unnoticed by either sister. They both circled her suspiciously.

  ‘Megan Whiteley, what is going on, please?’ asked Jas.

  Meg looked at them for a moment before a huge grin appeared on her face. ‘I’m pregnant!’

  The three sisters screamed and hugged.

  ‘Argh! I promised Oscar I wouldn’t tell anyone until after the twelve-week scan. You know, in case there are any problems. They say you should wait that long. But, oh my God, I am so happy I can’t hold it in any more!’

  ‘And you’re the worst person in the world at keeping secrets,’ pointed out Lila.

  Jas felt terrible for not guessing sooner. She knew Meg had been trying but was too caught up in her own problems to ask how she had been getting on. ‘It’s incredible news. Congratulations, honey. Can someone watch the shop while we take you to lunch to celebrate?’

  Meg was about to respond when the sound of Jas’s ringing phone interrupted them. ‘Sorry. It’s Lyndsey, I better take this. Hold that thought! Lynds, hi.’

  ‘Hi, Jas. Sorry to bother you when you’re off but I think you’ll want to hear this.’

  ‘Why, what’s happened?’

  ‘You know we’ve been in the editing suite, cutting the show together? Some pretty interesting footage has emerged …’

  The next afternoon, Jas was in a small editing room in the Channel 6 basement together with Monica, Lyndsey and the show’s editor, Raj.

  ‘First of all we stumbled on this scene and thought it was just golden,’ Raj started, handing Jas a pair of headphones. She watched a group of Mr Right contestants out on the terrace of their spectacular villa. The static outdoor cameras weren’t the best quality – for the big scenes camera crews were brought in – but the footage was certainly clear enough for her to see and hear what was going on. It was after one of the early rose ceremonies and a few of the girls were huddled on a sofa. Kat and Gabriella were shouting at each other while the others quietly sipped their wine, watching the drama.

  ‘You had your alone-date and then, tonight, immediately take Dylan away for a private chat,’ said Kat, slurring her words slightly and speaking loudly. ‘Hello! You’ve spent the whole afternoon with him. Loads of us still haven’t had any alone-time and you slither straight in. It’s rude and disrespectful.’

  ‘I don’t care about disrespecting you, sweetheart,’ Gabriella replied. ‘I’m here for Dylan.’

  ‘Yeah, we all are! We all fancy him. You never let anyone else have any time with him. You always get in there.’

  ‘I can’t help it if he wants to spend time with me, too. Dylan and I are meant to be. You’re clearly not his type, honey, so save yourself the bother and go home now.’

  The argument escalated as Gabriella accused Kat of being cheap, Kat accused Gabriella of being a snob, and before long they were both screaming at each other and Alex stepped in to calm them down. Kat flounced off, announcing that she was going to get her alone-time whether Gabby liked it or not and was going to turn up at Dylan’s villa wearing nothing but a trenchcoat and a smile. The others were left gawping, half of them
shocked by how brazen she was, the other half obviously wondering if that tactic would work and wishing they’d thought of it first. Gabriella had a look of pure hatred in her eyes.

  Jas removed her headphones. ‘This is terrific! Ooh, I love a good fight!’

  ‘Uh-huh. Now watch this,’ Lyndsey replied, peering over her glasses and switching to another monitor. This scene was footage of the infamous football match where Georgia and Alex had had their altercation. Several cameras were trained on the game. Lyndsey fast-forwarded and paused at the point where Jas sent Gabriella off the pitch.

  ‘Oh, yeah, I remember that,’ said Jas. ‘She’d just called Alex a slag under her breath so I sent her off to fetch the protein shakes for everyone at half-time.’

  ‘Look what this camera picked up though,’ said Raj. The view was of the pitch from the other side. In one corner of the screen Gabriella was visible, heading to the table where the crates of shakes stood, passing the women’s handbags as she did so. In long-shot, she could be seen rummaging around in one of the bags and removing a pen, throwing it in a bin and then returning to the group carrying a crate.

  ‘I don’t get it,’ said Jas. ‘What are we looking at?’

  ‘Alex’s EpiPen,’ Monica replied. ‘Remember how she said after the match that she’d lost it even though it should be in her make-up bag as usual? The bags stayed there the whole time and the cameras didn’t pick up anyone else going near them. I don’t see how the pen could just have fallen out.’

  ‘But why would Gabby steal the pen?’

  ‘Well, check this out,’ Raj answered, pointing back to the first monitor, which showed one of Gabriella’s interviews after an alone-date with Dylan. They’d been for couples massages in a spa.

  ‘I feel good,’ she said confidently to camera. ‘Dylan and I are in love. There are sparks flying between us. It’s obvious to everyone, but of course he has to play the game. It’s irritating when other people get in my way. But I think that in a situation like this you have to go after what you want. I need to keep our winning streak going.’

  ‘I filmed that,’ said Monica. ‘And at the time I didn’t think anything of it, but now, doesn’t it seem strange?’

  Jas couldn’t argue. It was certainly an extreme way of talking. That Gabby had thrown away Alex’s EpiPen just hours before Alex’s allergic reaction was also extremely suspicious. They watched more footage, showing the girls all talking about the weird vibes they got from Gabriella, and of Gabriella and Dylan’s dates. She was incredibly full-on with him and, even when he wasn’t looking back at her, she was always staring at him, almost obsessively.

  ‘How’s their relationship going now?’ asked Jas.

  ‘Well,’ said Monica. ‘He called yesterday saying that he was having second thoughts about Gabby. That since they’d been home she was ringing him constantly, almost smothering him. He’s having doubts about going to the Maldives with her.’

  ‘Christ!’ exclaimed Jas. ‘This isn’t good. We need a loved-up couple. Otherwise what’s going to persuade viewers to apply to go on the show next year? There has to be a happy ending otherwise Burrell will hit the roof. And there will be no chance of a recommission.’

  ‘Well, Dylan says he thinks he made the wrong choice,’ said Monica, with raised eyebrows.

  ‘Let’s get him on the phone, I want to talk to him.’

  Dylan answered on the first ring. ‘Am I glad to hear from you, Jas!’

  ‘How’s it going, Dylan? You ready for your Maldives trip? It’s going to be pretty amazing! We’ll get some follow-up interviews with you and Gabby in a week or so.’ Jas knew he would open up to her but wanted to give him the chance first before diving straight in with questions about his feelings for Gabriella.

  ‘Yeah … About that. Er, I don’t know if you’ve spoken to Monica but I’ll tell you what I told her … I’m having doubts, Jas. I mean, serious doubts. About Gabby.’

  Jas’s heart raced. If Mr Right ended any other way than with Dylan in love with his winner, Burrell would think that she’d failed. ‘I’m sure it’s just pre-holiday nerves. What’s brought all this on anyway?’

  ‘In Ibiza she was this gorgeous, confident, sexy, together woman. I was really drawn to that. But since we’ve been back she’s been acting really weird. She keeps asking me when we’re doing our photo shoots for the magazine. I said I hadn’t a clue, that she needed to speak to you guys. Then there was all this stuff about her mates getting us into clubs where we could be photographed when the show had been on TV and we could go public. I don’t want to be photographed in a club, that sounds like my idea of hell!’

  Jas could imagine how insufferable Gabriella would be when they actually became famous. Dylan was a lot more of a homebody. ‘I’m sure she’s just excited and loved-up.’

  ‘I don’t know. I was starting to think that she was in this purely to get famous rather than having true feelings for me, but then she got kind of clingy and really possessive. And, get this, she turned up at Ruby’s nursery the other day to collect her. Then my mum arrived and asked Gabby what she was doing. Gabby said they were going to surprise me. But I’d told her I was out of town on business. I was visiting one of my restaurants in Essex, that’s why my mum was picking Ruby up. When I phoned to confront her, Gabby said it was all part of this big surprise and of course she’d never let any harm come to Ruby. But don’t you think that’s fucking weird?’

  Jas had to admit that turning up at Ruby’s nursery and trying to take her without prior arrangement was bor-derline psycho. ‘Dylan, I’ve got to say something. I know you and Gabriella had crazy chemistry in Ibiza. But we all thought you had that with Charlotte too. Everyone was convinced you’d pick her. I hope you don’t mind my asking, but what went wrong there?’

  Dylan let out a sigh. ‘I was really falling for Charlotte. But then Gabby came to my room in floods of tears and told me about how Charlotte was with the other girls in the house.’

  ‘The night Gabriella stayed over?’

  ‘Yes. Nothing happened, she was just so upset and I was trying to be nice, supportive, so I held her for a bit and then she drifted off to sleep in my bed. I slept on the sofa.’

  ‘What exactly did she say to you about Charlotte?’

  ‘That she wasn’t genuine, that she was only using me and that she’d been really spiteful to Gabby and some of the other girls.’

  ‘Surely you didn’t believe her?’

  ‘Yes. No. I mean, she was so upset … I was confused. Charlotte had always held back from me and at that moment I wondered if maybe it was suspicious. So I tried to talk to her on the last night. But she was really cold towards me, and walked off before I could really talk to her. I had to make a decision and, well, Gabby was just there, looking so great and happy and smiley. So, I picked her.’

  Jas shook her head in disbelief. Dylan had been well and truly played.

  Chapter 37

  Charlotte and her blue Renault Clio were stuck in traffic. She was only a couple of roads away from her parents’ house but it was rush hour and the high street in Mill Hill was crammed with cars. Rain started pouring down. Typical, she thought glumly. She was on her way back from teaching her last class of the day – an intense aerobics session that usually gave her a happy rush afterwards, but ever since she’d returned from Ibiza her life had seemed bleak. It was like those two months on the island had taken place in a dream. A distant dream. If Charlotte had felt lost before Ibiza, now she felt miserable. She was still doing the same job, still living in the house she grew up in. Wasn’t Mr Right meant to change her life for good?

  As the traffic finally eased Charlotte scolded herself for being so ungrateful. She needed to haul herself out of this rut, but unfortunately that was easier said than done. Her thoughts kept turning back to Dylan. She’d been heartbroken over losing him, especially to Gabriella, even though he clearly wasn’t the man she’d thought he was. She was torn between longing for him and berating herself for falling, yet again,
for someone unworthy of her. What was she doing wrong?

  Minutes later Charlotte parked up outside her parents’ semi-detached house. They’d already switched the Christmas tree lights on. It was barely November but Christmas was made much of in her house.

  She was fantasising about mince pies and a long bath when the sight of Jas Whitely in the living room, casually talking to her mum, made her jump. The two women hugged.

  ‘Jas, it’s so good to see you!’

  ‘I’m sorry for turning up unannounced. I did try to call you but your phone has been off.’

  ‘Oh, sorry, the battery died this morning and I’ve been teaching all day.’

  ‘Your parents have been extremely hospitable.’

  ‘It’s our pleasure, love,’ said Charlotte’s mum, Joy, a mixed-race woman in her early fifties. She ushered Charlotte in and told her to sit down. ‘We’ve heard so much about you from Charley. You two sit and talk and I’ll get started on dinner. Are you staying, Jasmine?’

  ‘Oh, gosh, I’d love to but I’ve got to get back. Lots of paperwork. But thanks so much.’

  ‘Well, you’re always welcome if you change your mind.’

  ‘She’s so nice,’ said a smiling Jas as Joy went into the kitchen and started pottering around with pots and pans. ‘And I’m loving the decorations. Never too early, eh?’

  ‘Hmm, my dad’s sentiments exactly! He insists on getting the Christmas tree up early and leaves it up until approximately the end of January. It’s mad but I have given up trying to argue.’

  ‘I think it’s nice. How have you been anyway?’

  Charlotte shrugged. ‘It’s a bit of an anti-climax, coming back to this weather after living in a sun-drenched luxurious villa for two months. I did get quite homesick towards the end, though, and as soon as Dylan made his decision I couldn’t wait to get out of there.’