by Claire Raye
Ava walks over to me and I feel her hand slip into mine, squeezing it gently as her other hand curls around my bicep and she whispers, “I’ve got this.”
I turn to look at her, see her pleading eyes as they stare up at me. Forcing a smile onto my face, I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear as I say, “I know you do. I’m here if you need me though, okay?”
She nods, smiling gratefully as she turns back to her boss. “I’ll get your lawyers on the phone, Noel,” she says, her voice icy calm now. “But consider this the last thing I’ll ever do for you, because effective immediately, I quit.”
This wanker’s eyes bulge even more than before, his whole face turning bright red at her words as his mouth repeatedly opens and closes in confusion. It actually looks like his head might explode and I have to bite my lip hard, cross my arms over my chest just to stop myself from laughing out loud and fist pumping the air in triumph at the way Ava has just handed him his arse.
I watch as she silently scrolls through his phone before she finds the number she’s looking for. Without a word, she hits the green dial button and lifts the phone to her ear, her eyes glancing at the other woman standing with us.
When the call is answered, Ava explains who’s on the line before briefly outlining the situation and then handing the phone to Noel. He wordlessly takes it from her, swallowing hard as he turns to look at the other woman before turning back to Ava.
“You quit now, and you’ll never work in this industry again,” he spits out, his teeth clenched as though he’s finally realized what’s happening.
Ava offers him a smile, a slight raise of her brow. “I’m not sure it’s me who won’t be working in this industry again,” she says before turning to the other woman. “You want to come with us?” she asks.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” Noel spits out, the phone halfway to his ear. I can only imagine what his lawyer on the other end of the line is thinking. “You leave me, and you’re done,” he screams, his face right in the other woman’s now. “You’ll never work again, never sell a fucking script ever again, Sadie. I will destroy you.”
I watch as Ava reaches over, sliding her hand into Sadie’s. “Come with us,” she says, offering her a small smile.
Sadie glances from Noel to Ava and back to Noel again, seemingly unable to decide what it is she should do. I want to reach over and grab her, drag her out of here with us because whoever she is, she doesn’t deserve this treatment either.
Finally she nods, squeezing Ava’s hand before she turns and starts to walk away. I follow after them, watch as they gather up their things, all the while this Noel wanker stands there screaming obscenities at them, his lawyer on the phone apparently forgotten.
When both of them are ready to go, I motion for them to lead the way. Just as I walk past Noel though, I can’t resist stopping. He finally stops yelling, his eyes wild as they meet mine. Leaning right down in his face, I whisper, “I told you before not to speak to my wife like that. You’re lucky I don’t smash you.”
Then I walk off before he has a chance to respond.
Out on the street, I watch as both Ava and Sadie let out long exhales, Sadie shoving her hands through her hair before she suddenly pulls Ava in for a tight hug.
“Thank you,” I hear her murmur. “Seriously, thank you.”
Ava rubs a hand on her back as she smiles at me over Sadie’s shoulder. I mime grabbing a drink and she nods before pulling back. “Come and have a drink with us. I think we could both use it.”
Sadie glances at me before turning back to Ava. “God I should go back in there,” she says, exhaling. “This is going to be a fucking mess; you know that right.”
Ava nods. “Yeah I know, but remember, you wanted this too. Don’t go back, Sadie. It’s a game to him and we can’t let him keep playing.”
I watch as Sadie takes another deep breath, letting it out slowly before saying, “Fuck it, okay, let’s go get a drink.” She turns to me, hand out as she adds, “Hi, I’m Sadie, unfortunately I’m married to that asshole.”
I smile, shaking her hand as I reply, “I’m Lewis. Thankfully, I’m married to this amazing woman.” I wrap my arm around Ava’s shoulder and pull her close. “Come have a drink with us Sadie, let’s see if we can’t sort this shit out for you.”
We head back to the pub, none of us saying much as we navigate the afternoon crowds and tube. When we get back, I hold the door for both of them and Ava leads Sadie to a couple of stools at the end of the bar.
I move behind it, hands on the wooden top as I ask, “You a whisky girl, Sadie?”
Sadie cocks a brow at me, a confused look on her face as she glances at me, then around the pub, before turning back at Ava.
“He owns the place, don’t worry,” she says, laughing. “And maybe beer first,” she adds, turning to me. “It might be a little early in the day for hard liquor.”
Now it’s me laughing, even as I move to grab three beers. “Never too early for that, babe,” I say, sliding two bottles of beer toward them.
Sadie lifts hers to her mouth and drains half the bottle in one long gulp before putting it down with a thud. “Fuck,” she exhales, her head falling onto her arm. “What the hell am I going to do?”
Ava glances up at me before turning back to her and placing a hand on her back. “First things first,” she says. “Do you have somewhere to stay?”
Sadie exhales as she lifts her head. Shrugging, she says, “I can just go home. He won’t be there tonight if past behavior is anything to go by.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” I ask, not caring that I’m possibly sticking my nose in. “The wanker doesn’t exactly strike me as the stable type.”
Both Sadie and Ava look at me, their eyes wide, maybe in shock at what I’ve just said. Eventually Sadie bursts out laughing, shaking her head as she turns to Ava and says, “God where did you find this guy, he’s fantastic.”
Ava smiles now, giving me a sideways glance before she says, “I know, he’s a good one.” She gives me a wink and I smile. “And I think he’s right about not going back home, Sadie. Do you really think it’s a good idea?”
“Ugh, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll get a room somewhere tonight,” she replies, frustrated. “I’m gonna have to face him sooner or later though and honestly, I just want to get it over and done with.”
“Do you have a lawyer?” I ask, knowing she’ll need one. “We have a good one, if you need someone?”
Ava glances at me, a questioning look on her face and now it’s me winking at her.
“No,” Sadie says, shaking her head. “I’ve got one, a divorce lawyer anyway,” she adds. “Not that it’s getting me anywhere.”
Ava reaches over and rubs her arm. “We’ll sort this out,” she says. “He might be Noel Robinson, but I’ve got some pretty good connections in this industry too, you know. Including an up and coming screenwriter who just happens to be a dating an Oscar winner,” she adds, smiling.
Sadie returns her smile before leaning over and giving Ava a hug. “God, you two are just fucking adorable,” she says and it’s possible I too may fall even more in love with my wife in that moment.
Sadie and Ava hang around for a couple more hours, having a few drinks and trying to hash out some sort of plan for moving forward. We all know the shit storm that’s going to come out in the press when the movie gets shut down and while I’m grateful Ava isn’t actually a star or someone recognizable in all of this, I’m not entirely sure she’s going to stay unaffected either.
Eventually Sadie calls it a night, promising us she’s going to stay at a hotel and not go back to her and Noel’s apartment. She’s drunk and exhausted enough that I might just believe her, and I watch as Ava tells her to text when she’s checked in, let us know she got there safely.
After she’s gone, Ava and I head upstairs together, neither us of drunk like Sadie was, but still exhausted.
“You feel like something to eat?” I ask, pulling her into my ar
ms.
She smiles up at me, her arms slipping around my waist. “How about we take Daisy for a walk, get some fresh air and pick something up on the way home.”
I lean down and kiss her. “Sounds like a good idea.”
“I’m just going to get changed,” she says, slipping from my arms as she turns and walks into our bedroom.
I watch as she strips off her shirt, the material falling onto our bed as she reaches for a sweater. As she does though, I catch a glimpse of the ugly bruise that mars her back, a flash of anger once again coursing through me at all the things this guy has done. The things that can be hidden, can be dismissed somehow, like the bruise on Ava’s back.
“Babe,” I say, walking into our bedroom.
“Yeah?”
I pull my phone from my pocket and open the camera app. “Just turn this way,” I say, motioning toward the light. “Back to me, but look at me over your shoulder so I can catch your face.
“What?” she asks, straightening. “Why?”
I step closer, angling my phone for the best picture so I can capture exactly what this arsehole has done to her. “Because I want to document what he did to you,” I say, my eyes meeting hers. “This isn’t going to be pretty, babe, and I don’t want this fucker to get away with it, to get away with any of it.”
“Lewis,” she says, turning to face me.
“Please, Ava,” I say, turning her back around. “For me, just in case?”
She stares back at me, a look of sadness in her eyes. “Okay.”
Later, in bed, Ava lies with her head on my shoulder, my fingers slowly moving up and down her spine as her hand rests on my chest, fingers brushing against my skin.
“Thank you for today,” she whispers into the darkness.
I pull her closer, press a kiss to the top of her head. “You don’t ever need to thank me,” I say quietly. “I’ll always be there for you, Ava, always have your back.”
She shuffles closer as she lifts her head, her dark blue eyes finding mine. “I’m so lucky to have you,” she says, fingers brushing against my cheek.
I smile. “I’m pretty sure I’m the lucky one.”
She smiles back at me, but it’s sad. “I…I’ve never really had someone who supported me, supported my career the way you do,” she says. “I never really thought people like you existed.”
“Really?” I ask, surprised. Then again, when she spends her days surrounded by arrogant, self-absorbed fuckwits, maybe it’s not so hard to believe.
“Yeah,” she says, shrugging a little. “I mean I guess when I saw how Aiden was with Julia, how much he supported her, I knew it was possible. I just never thought I’d find someone like that.”
I stare up at her, my fingers moving to her face, gently brushing against her cheek. “Maybe you should call Julia,” I say. “Talk to her about all of this, see if she’s ready to come back yet?”
Ava smiles. “Pretty sure she’s happy doing nothing but hanging out with Aiden right now, but yeah, I will call her. It would be good to get her take on it all.”
“And until she does come back, you can hang out with me,” I say, leaning up to brush my lips against hers.
I feel her smile against my mouth. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Ava. Absolutely everything about you.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ava
The phone rings and Julia’s melodic voice comes through the line singing my name and making me smile. She hasn’t starred in a movie since she wrapped Darkness Falling, but her name is still synonymous with some of the mostly highly known actors and actresses. As my former employer I’m hoping she has some insight on how to handle this whole thing with Noel.
“Ava, how are you?”
“Not so great,” I immediately admit. I have a myriad of emotions running through me as I process everything: the loss of my job, the retaliation that could come from helping Sadie and the possibility of never working in this industry again.
I unconsciously twist my wedding ring as I pace the room trying to figure out where to start and how to unload this on Julia. I’ve never had a panic attack, but my heart begins to race and I swallow hard. This is not where I ever pictured myself since I’ve always prided myself on my ability to work hard and develop a name for myself. But I’m just an assistant, and Noel’s name is far bigger than mine. He could make my life miserable.
“I lost my job yesterday,” I just blurt out and suddenly tears are pooling in my eyes. There’s shame in saying it, embarrassment and a feeling of guilt tying my stomach into a tight knot.
I think about Lewis and our quickie marriage. I think about Victoria and wonder if she will think I’m using him for his money like she originally thought. What if I can’t bounce back from this? There has never been a time in my life where I haven’t worked and despite knowing Lewis doesn’t need the money, I feel the need to contribute.
“What do you mean you lost your job?” Julia asks, her tone going up a few octaves.
“I mean Noel fired me and then hired me back and then I quit.” It sounds ridiculous as I say it out loud. The back and forth of it all, and again I’m hit with a rush of emotions. Anger begins to consume me this time, my face growing hot, my hands clammy and I tug my fingers through my hair. How could I have even let it go beyond Noel firing me? I should’ve walked away then.
“Sounds about right from what I’ve heard about him. I figured you’d whip him into shape the way you did with me,” Julia teases, trying to make light of the situation. “This isn’t a big deal, Ava. You’ll find another job and like always, I have some small things coming up that you can help me out with.”
My job has always been sort of fly by the seat of my pants since the people I work for have unpredictable careers too. This won’t be the first time I’ve had to look for a new job, but it is the first time I didn’t see it coming and as someone who is always prepared, this is knocking me on my ass.
“I know, but I guess it’s how it happened that has me a little shaken up.”
“Let me guess,” Julia starts, a bit of speculation coming through in her voice. “Everything I’m seeing in the tabloids is true, huh?”
“Yep and it’s only a matter of time before they come looking for me. Elizabeth Hutton had production shut down after an incident on set and now there’s a lawsuit pending, and obviously the production company wants nothing to do with any of it.”
“I know you’re upset over all this, but personally, I think it was the best thing that could’ve happened to you. Do you really want to be attached to Noel and his volatile behavior? What does Lewis say about all this?”
“He says I don’t have to work.”
“Then take a break, Ava. The last time you took a break you met Lewis.” Her words are said with finality, as if they hold more weight and in that moment they do.
“Maybe you’re right.”
Sleep doesn’t come easy and when Lewis’ alarm sounds early in the morning, I struggle to open my eyes. Shifting my body, I press against him and feel the weight of his arm fall over me. He pulls me closer and presses a kiss to my hair as he whispers in a hoarse voice, “I love you, Ava.”
And like yesterday’s conversation with Julia, his words weigh heavy on me and they feel stronger and more powerful than they ever did.
“Can you teach me how to work at the pub?” I ask him, my heart breaking just a little with each word, an admission of something new, something that isn’t mine.
“Of course. Ava, I will give you whatever you want.”
The tears pool in my eyes, because I know every word that Lewis says is true. His life is my life and we’re in this together.
“Good news,” Lewis starts, his fingers tracing circles on my bare skin. “I have a delivery this morning and you can start by helping me check it in. Once you learn that I can start sleeping in and you can take over.”
“You’re such a shithead.”
“Just trying to help.”
I
know that’s what he’s doing. He’s supportive and wonderful, and despite losing my job, he makes me feel like I’m not a complete failure. I may have been the one to quit, but of course I’m now having second thoughts, and I’m also worrying about Sadie going back to that mess.
“Do you think Sadie’s okay?” I randomly ask as Lewis slides out of bed and pulls on a pair of jeans.
“Ava, you can’t be worried about the choices other people make. If Sadie went back to Noel then she isn’t ready to leave. You made the choice that was right for you and you have to be confident in that.”
“I know. I’m just struggling a bit, but I’ll get over it.” I suck in a hard breath and shake my head, pulling my ass from the bed to join Lewis in the kitchen as we get ready for the day.
“You don’t need to struggle,” Lewis calls from the kitchen. “You have a home, you have a job here in the pub, you have me, and those are things that should be important.”
“They are important,” I call back, feeling the need to defend myself and growing a little frustrated with Lewis’ aloof attitude about everything.
“Then stop worrying and get your pretty arse out here so we can get to work!” He laughs a little and it makes a small smile pull at my lips. I do need to learn to not over analyze everything.
Daisy follows me into the bathroom as I brush my teeth and she’s hot on my heels when I walk into the kitchen.
“Someone else is happy about you being home now too,” Lewis teases, his head titling toward Daisy as she practically sits on my feet.
“I’ll take her down for a walk and then we can head down to the pub. Does that work?” I ask, reaching down and scratching Daisy on the head.
“Yep. I’m going to head down there in ten minutes so if I’m not here when you get back meet me in the pub.”
I nod my head in response as I clip on Daisy’s leash and walk out the door. As I walk down the stairs that lead to the front entrance of our apartment, I can hear the hum of people talking and I glance down at my watch.
