by Angel Devlin
Before long we were tucking into the food heartily.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Ezra asked me and I realised this had clearly been on his mind.
"So last night I was talking to Quinn."
His eyes narrowed and the blue gaze seemed even more intense than usual.
"Now, now. Calm down, caveman. There's already one of those in your family and there's no need for a second." I took a sip of my water. "He made me realise that I've been so stupid looking for perfection with us, for the perfect happy ever after where we get to live together forever and ever."
"Still waiting to hear the reasons I don't need to punch him."
"He showed me that we should just 'be'. We've never committed before because we couldn't see how this worked for us both, but Quinn used to date someone from the army and he said there were months where they didn't see each other. He said we should just accept our lives and commit to ‘us’ anyway. Grab whatever happiness we can."
"Shucks, I'm warming up to the fella now."
"I've applied for a kitchen assistant job in Berlow. There's no saying I'll get it, but it’s what I want to do. I want to eventually become a chef."
"I could get you an apprenticeship in London. I know tons of chefs."
I shook my head vigorously. "No. I want to achieve things for myself. But wherever I get a job, I'll obviously need to live near there. I know you said about taking a break from acting, but I don't want you to, unless you absolutely want to. Not for me, but for yourself."
"But do you see a future with me, Lisa? Marriage, kids, growing old together?"
My heart thudded.
"Couldn't think of anything better. But if it means we're unconventional with how we do things, then so be it, because I'd rather have part of you than none of you, Ezra Russell Waite."
"Then we carry on with this relationship, and this time," he grabbed my hand across the table. "We don't let anyone break us, especially not ourselves."
We moved onto lighter topics including my informing him of Quinn being my new best friend which he pulled a face at, and then I told him about our plans for bowling.
"So I have to watch you and Quinn flirt for the first part of our first date?"
I giggled. "Oh gosh, I'd not thought of it like that."
"Hmm, I guess I did just agree to us being unconventional." He laughed back. "Anyway, I'm intrigued to see what my sister will make of it, because I'm convinced that it's just the fact she's scared to take a chance on love thanks to our bloody mother."
"Well, Quinn is willing to take one last chance to see if she'll crack."
"You realise I will probably go a little bit Milo Waite when I show my family the truth after your flirting on Friday?"
"I'll let you off. Just that once." I stood up. "I just need the loo. Won't be a minute."
"Do I need to get anything out of the fridge for dessert while you're gone, or make coffees?"
"No, I'll sort it when I'm back."
I walked back into the kitchen a few minutes later, hiding behind the kitchen door. "Close your eyes."
Ezra did so and I took my place back at the kitchen table in the seat I used to sit at all those years ago.
"Open your eyes."
"Holy hell."
It wasn't my original uniform, but I figured he'd prefer the schoolgirl dress up ensemble any day.
"I'm dessert," I told him.
He swept up the can of whipped cream.
"Show me your room, Miss," he said as he shook the can.
The reality of a single bed and the mess made by whipped cream made for an hilarious but no less satisfactory reunion.
"My house from now on though, okay?" Ezra stated. "Where we have room to move."
"Oh, I don't know. We're very snug here."
"I daren't move. If I do, I'm going to fall on the floor."
That was just too tempting. I moved to push him. He grabbed me though so we both tumbled out of bed. I ended up with carpet burns as he made use of the soft flooring and the space we now had.
The rest of the week seemed to pass slowly. I had work and Ezra had his family issues. The visit to Alice had led to Finn wanting to do more to care for his mum and he was at odds with the rest of his family. Silas had told Ezra that their dad had kept calm, had expressed his sorrow for Alice's condition, and then had said he would support their children whatever their choices about future contact, but he would only be seeing her again if it was necessary to support one of their children.
On the Thursday, I went for my interview. They told me that there were a few applicants that they were interviewing over the next few days and they would be in touch with me the following week. I kind of gave up hope of that job at that point. Just how many applicants for a kitchen assistant had they received? No doubt there was someone with much more experience than me. I put it to the back of my mind.
Friday morning was when we had our photoshoot and interview that Ezra had set up. He'd pulled in Hot Right Now magazine and had insisted they use the photographer who he owed a favour to.
I found myself in Ezra's living room with hot lights on me and so much make-up for the shoot I probably weighed a stone extra.
Melinda, the middle-aged interviewer, had a sharp brown bob and a no-nonsense attitude. She was polite, but definitely focused on getting the job done and her years of experience showed as she directed the shoot.
"Of all the places we could have interviewed you, Ezra, like a luxury hotel or a film set, you chose a very small house where we're all squashed like sardines." She raised a brow sardonically.
"Well this is where I live right now, so I thought you'd prefer my very honest interview to some fake-assery. Let's face it, people will be a lot more interested in this side of me. It's more gossip fodder." His voice changed to a dramatic pitch. "Why has Ezra Waite returned to the place he grew up? Read the dramatic story of his never before revealed private life."
Melinda laughed. "Come on. Let's get this done."
One thing I realised while we were talking to her about everything was that we wouldn't be able to put on a public display of affection in front of the family at tonight's bowling just in case someone handy with a camera caught it. The magazine came out on a Monday and so I made a mental note to tell Ezra we'd have to somehow all make our way back to the Waites’ house so we could make our announcement.
"I think I have everything I need," Melinda told us. "I'll mock up the feature and the cover and get that over to you as soon as I can, okay?"
She shook my hand. "It was lovely to meet you, Lisa."
Melinda and the team left and I was a little astonished at the whole 'production' whereas Ezra didn't bat an eyelid. I wished I'd thought to bring some cleansing wipes to get the glut of make-up off my face. I felt like a drag queen.
Ezra and I made out on the sofa after I did my best to remove my lipstick with soap, water, and kitchen towel.
"I'm going to call my mum later and let her and Dad know that we're together before the news breaks publicly."
Ezra nuzzled my hair. "When are they back?"
"A week on Monday, so I need to start looking at new places to rent because I sure as shit am not staying in the house with them. They'd drive me insane."
"So move in here." He kissed the top of my head.
I lifted myself back from him to look into his eyes more directly. "What?"
"I should have never let you move out in the first place. Of course Alice's reappearance complicated things. It had been my intention to ask you to stay. I'd have made up some shit about my not staying long and then I'd have wooed you."
"Hmm, so am I already wooed now?"
"Oh I think I can make a little more effort yet. But how about it? Move in here with me and then depending on where you end up working, we could look for somewhere a little bigger? No pressure. I'm willing to go at your pace and seeing as you'll be the one home the most then I think it's only fair you get the main decisions on where we'll live."
>
"Ezra, we've been dating for days."
"No we haven't. We've been dating on and off for ten years. No more wasted time, Lisa. Let's just go for it now, hey? Let's date, and fuck, and make love, and make plans, and buy houses, and get married, and have babies, and live happily ever after."
"Ezra Waite. Are you saying you're all in?"
"I am completely and utterly all in and one day soon I will propose in a grand dramatic gesture befitting a movie star, but right now I'm going to just drag you up to the bedroom like a regular horny boyfriend."
I giggled, but he did exactly that.
Chapter Sixteen
Lisa
I went home and got changed and then I called for Quinn and we made our way to the bowling alley together.
We deliberately arrived a little late so that everyone would be there. I spotted Jules, Cal and Becca, Silas, Milo and Violet. I noted there was no Finn tonight. Eli was standing with Josh and Angela who had their arms around each other, so it looked like that secret was out now and Eli seemed perfectly happy about it by the look of things.
And then I saw Ezra, who stood with his arms folded and looked intensely furious and jealous. Oh no. My heart thudded.
And then the swine grinned. Bloody actors.
He came over and shook Quinn's hand. "You can borrow her for tonight, mate, and then she's all mine."
"Caveman," I protested.
As we started to play, Jules made her way over to me. "You and Quinn seem cosy tonight? I saw you arrived together. Is there something I should know about?"
I had a hard time keeping my face straight. I would never have made an actress.
"We're just friends. He's a lot of fun. We get on."
"Hmmm," she replied and then she was shouted to take her turn. I wanted to wet myself with laughter. There'd been no, 'Oh you make a cute couple, go for it'.
"It's working," I said standing next to Quinn again. "As soon as she turns around after finishing her shot, laugh at something I've said and clutch my arm."
Quinn waited for her to bowl and then we enacted our 'performance'. Of course we couldn't look at her reaction, that would have been too obvious. Instead, we had my boyfriend in on the act. He wandered over.
"So I just asked her if she thought there was anything going on between you and she said it looked like you were both flirting and Quinn was an arsehole. She's definitely flustered and she can't understand why I'm not warning you off for pursuing my own love interest. Oh, and I'm currently over here on a mission to try to see if something is going on. She said she couldn't get anything out of Lisa, so I had to quiz Quinn."
"Perfect. We'll keep it up then," Quinn replied. "Are we all set for going to Josh's afterwards?"
"Yeah, I said I wanted to treat everyone to a takeaway tonight and that I had some good news to break, but that my own place was too small."
"Hence why there's only Eli eating a hot dog and chips," I said.
"Of course. Teenage boys can't wait. They need a meal as a snack in between." Quinn laughed. "Okay, your turn to bowl, Lisa. I'll just watch you make your way over before your fella here distracts me 'asking what's going on'."
The games over, we walked back to Josh's house. I strolled arm-in-arm with Quinn. It was probably my imagination, but I swore I could feel Jules' eyes lasering into my back from her position walking behind us with Ezra and Eli.
The takeaway was ordered and then Ezra commanded the attention of the room.
I felt my stomach churn. This was it. This really was the start of Ezra and Lisa in public. Well, once the exclusive broke on Monday morning.
"So, as you all know, I returned here to take my little brother to a movie premiere and of course, I ended up with the task I'd not envisaged of Alice Waite, something I've yet to know the true outcome of. However, it's not the only reason I came back. I returned because I finally realised the importance of family and the importance of love. Some of you have recently found out and others are finding out right now, but Lisa and I," he beckoned me over, "are in love."
There were more than a few gasps as I took my place at his side.
"But she's been flirting with Quinn all night," Jules snapped.
"Subterfuge, dear sister. Thank you, Quinn, for your part in tonight. We have an official movie star announcement in a magazine on Monday benefitting a charity and so tonight we needed to put anyone off the scent until we came here," Ezra lied, knowing full well we only did it to wind Jules up.
"Why didn't you tell me that?" Jules asked. "I wouldn't have said anything."
"Jules, stop interrupting," Quinn told her for which he received a narrowed-eyed glare, but she did go quiet.
"I'm very happy for you, son." Josh stepped forward to greet us. "I've known Lisa a long time due to my faithful patronage of the Half Moon. It’s about time we took more of a chance at love." He looked back at Angela. "We'll weather whatever storms come through, son, we've done it before, but you take that chance, you act on love if you've found it. Let's go get some drinks, I've some wines and beers in, and raise a toast to love."
Jules walked out of the room and Quinn went after her.
"Do you think we were too mean?" I asked Ezra.
He pulled me in close. "No, now she needs to make a decision. That'll be what Quinn's gone after her for."
"God, I hope she makes the right choice."
"If she doesn't and Quinn decides to move on, then that's on her. The guy has begged her and now he's just shown her what him being with someone else would be like. She needs to face her feelings head on now."
"I feel like I should go apologise."
"Not until you see her come back without Quinn, looking upset, or Quinn comes back shaking his head in frustration."
But neither of them did come back and we were left none the wiser as to what had happened between them.
The next morning, I phoned my mum and told her all about Ezra and me.
"Oh at last. You two have finally got your act together. The times I wanted to interfere, but your father said no."
"Dad knows?"
"Of course he knows. He's always known. We don't keep secrets from each other. Well, only ones where I don't tell him the real price of some of my shoes and handbags, and that's just to save his heart. He was just told if he breathed a word there'd be consequences."
"Well, I'm moving in with him, so when you come back, you'll have the place to yourselves."
"I'm so happy for you, darling. So very happy. Give my love to Ezra and ask him if he can somehow have cameras hidden for when you two tell your brother just how long this has been going on." She chuckled.
"Oh God, he'll kill him." I laughed.
Once I'd put the phone down, I began packing up my belongings once more and filled up my car, only this time I didn't mind packing one bit, because I was going home to Ezra.
After helping me unpack, Ezra stuck a couple of pizzas in the oven and we relaxed on the sofa side by side. "So have you heard anything from Jules, or seen Quinn?"
"Nothing."
"I really need to see if she's okay. I'll text her now," I told him, pulling my phone out of my pocket.
I typed quickly.
Lisa: Hi, Jules, it's me. I'm so sorry for yesterday. I hope I didn't ruin our friendship with my weird behaviour and not telling you what was going on.
Jules: No, it's fine. I was just confused cos I knew you and Ez had something between you. I thought you might have been using Quinn to make him jealous.
Lisa: So you're okay? I saw Quinn went running after you, then we didn't see you again.
Jules: I just got a bit overwhelmed with all the changes that's all. I went to bed early.
Lisa: So, you and Quinn?
Jules: I didn't say where I went to bed early… and I'm not telling you now. You're not the only one who can keep things to yourself.
Lisa: JULES!
Jules: maybe I told Quinn to fuck off, maybe I told him to fuck me *laughing emojis*
Lisa: tell me all!!! We need a girlie get-together ASAP.
Jules: Yeah, you just this second moved in with my brother. I don't think he'll be letting you out of his sight other than to go to work anytime soon.
Lisa: GRRR.
"As much as I want to know the gossip about my sister, will you be coming off that phone anytime soon because the pizza will be ready and then after that, I think we need an early night."
"It's like six pm, Ezra!"
He waggled his brows. As the oven beeped and he rose from the sofa, I followed him into the kitchen and I updated him about Jules' texts while we took our fill of pizza. And then we took our fill of each other.
Sunday, I had a long shift at the pub where we did carvery lunches. Ezra asked if he could speak to Geoff and as they went into the back, I followed them in. Ezra told him about us both, but as he cheered, he swore him to secrecy until the next evening. He told Geoff he could announce it to all the pub then as the news would be out.
"Oh, Ezra, and my Lisa." He brought us both in for a hug. "You've made my day. I'd seen the chemistry between you two over the years, but just thought it was me being soft. Any upcoming functions, you know," he winked and waggled his left hand, "there's a function room here, free of charge."
"You're a superstar, Geoff. Always have been. Thank you for your support. It means the world," Ezra said, hugging the older guy again.
As I went back behind the bar, I thought about how everything might change after tomorrow's announcement. Ezra had said we might end up with more press on our doorstep for a while until the news settled down, but he hoped that our exclusive meant that the tabloids would look for other news than a movie star was in love with his childhood sweetheart. It wasn't really what sold papers.
All I knew was that tomorrow was the first proper day of the rest of our lives, because we'd no longer be a secret and as a couple now fully committed to the future we could enjoy the moment and see where life took us… together.
Chapter Seventeen
