regretting this.’
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‘He’s got a girlfriend,’ I blurted, realising how bad
it made me look. ‘I didn’t know at the time. He doesn’t
come home very often. I knew after it happened that I’d
made a huge mistake.’ I had been about to say that he was
my best friend’s brother, but then I remembered I wasn’t
meant to have any current friends. Sheridan’s shoulders
dropped half an inch as she relaxed. I’d given her the
answer she wanted to hear.
But it was all a lie. If it were Dympna’s brother, I
might have coped. I hated lying about such an important
thing, but the truth was too ugly to bear.
Sheridan seemed unconcerned. ‘Come with me,’ she
said, beckoning towards the doorway. ‘Let me show you
around.’
The ground floor consisted of a vast kitchen, with
gadgets I didn’t even know had been invented yet. Every
surface was smooth and shiny, the anthesis of my flat back
home. The air was crisp and clean, thanks to built-in puri-
fiers; the water was purified, too, the showers infused with vitamin C. I walked with her up the winding staircase,
a leather-clad handrail guiding my way.
‘Stop,’ she said, as I turned left. ‘That’s Daniel’s wing.’
‘Sorry,’ I said, understanding the need for privacy.
‘You weren’t to know.’ She smiled. ‘It’s where he keeps
all his Bond memorabilia. Very few people are allowed
anywhere near it. Come, let me show you Leo’s room.’
‘Wow,’ I whispered as I walked inside.
‘This room was designed by Louis Spencer. I like to
keep the decor gender-neutral.’
I didn’t know the name, but looked suitably impressed.
The room was actually a suite, almost as big as my flat.
In the corner was a teepee, and light oak floorboards
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complemented the natural room colouring. Cheerful
yellow cushions and curtains added a pop of colour.
‘I love it,’ I said, wondering what was in store for child
number two. There was no television in the room, but
I saw a shelf full of books. I imagined my baby playing
with art supplies. Would it be creative, like me?
‘Roz?’
I snapped out of my daydream. Sheridan was call-
ing my name. I followed her on to the landing, and she
pointed to a closed door.
‘That’s our bedroom,’ she said, walking past without
further explanation and moving on. ‘This will be the
baby’s, after she has left our room. I like to keep them
beside my bed for at least the first six months.’
It was music to my ears. I would have been the same,
listening for every little sniffle. Listening to the baby
breathe. As she opened the door, I was hit by a waft of
fresh paint.
‘Oh,’ I said, taken aback by the stark white walls.
‘It’s just an undercoat,’ Sheridan said. ‘It’s waiting to
be decorated. Waiting for that special touch.’ She turned
to face me, her eyes moist. ‘Louis has so many amazing
ideas.’ She glanced around the empty room. ‘I wanted
to work with the donor mom when it comes to picking
colours and design. Combine our energies into choosing
the decor, so the baby can feel our love.’ She chuckled.
‘You probably think I’m silly, but…’
‘It’s a lovely idea,’ I interrupted, feeling my emotions
swell.
Sheridan looked to my tummy where I had rested my
hands, and then back to me. She was smiling, her words
softly spoken. This was another side to her. A softer side.
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‘Then what do you think?’ she said. ‘Will you do it?
Have your baby for me? I know you’ve not met Daniel
yet, but he’s a sweetheart. He’ll love you as much as I do.’
The contracts were already signed, but I guessed
Sheridan wanted me to voice my approval aloud, now I
knew who they were.
‘I’d love to,’ I said, without a second thought.
‘Excellent!’ She joined her hands, her middle fingers
pressed against her lips, as if giving a silent prayer of thanks.
Taking a sharp breath, she took my arm and turned back
towards the stairs. ‘Come with me,’ she said. ‘I can’t wait to show you your room.’
‘My room?’ I said, following her down the stairs.
‘You’ve got the whole basement floor to yourself. It’s
gorgeous.’ She checked her phone as it beeped with a
text. ‘Good. George has collected your things from the
hotel and brought them to your room.’
I was speechless as I followed her down. George had
been in my hotel room, touching my things? This was a
woman who was clearly used to getting what she wanted.
How did she know I was going to say yes? But then I
remembered what George had said about my feet not
touching the ground. Had I said no, my bags would be
packed, and I’d be on my way home.
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CHAPTER TWENTY
Roz
I looked around what would be my home for the next
six months. It was a relief to be alone for a few minutes.
With Sheridan upstairs, I had just enough time to gather
my thoughts. The space was completely open plan. As my
footsteps echoed on the wooden floor, I noticed that each
of the living areas was cleverly defined with furniture. The space seemed vast compared to my little flat back home. I
walked towards the sleeping area, which was yards away
from the lift. It was dominated by a king-size bed, its black metal headboard dramatic in contrast to the white painted
brick walls. I imagined myself lying there, switching on
the bedside lamp to read a book. The black and white
theme continued throughout the room, with a glossy black
wardrobe big enough to house a year’s worth of clothes.
This is nuts, I thought, leaving the bedroom area and walking halfway across the room. The living space was
marked out with a three-piece leather suite, which faced
an oversized television. On the coffee table was a remote
control, and a floor lamp provided cosy lighting should the spotlights be switched off overhead. A deep rug softened
the wooden floor, and I slipped off my shoes, enjoying
its plushness beneath my toes as I explored the nearby
bookcase. I paused for breath. Was all this really for me?
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I walked to the beautifully tiled bathroom that housed
both a shower and bath. The decor consisted of a functional white cupboard and glittering black tiles on the wall. After a quick pit-stop, I washed my hands before exploring the
nearby dining space, which consisted of a small round table and two chairs. I noted the sink and mini fridge against
the wall, but there was nothing to cook with. Was this
because my meals would be eaten upstairs?
They really have thought of everything, I mused,
glancing at the treadmill in the other corner. The room
was bathed in artificial light, given that the basement didn�
�t have windows. It felt odd that there was only a lift to take me upstairs. I looked around, noticing that I could see it
from almost any angle of the room. My gaze rested on a
locked door near the lift on the far wall. Were there stairs behind it? It seemed at odds with fire safety protocols.
And as for Wi-Fi? It seemed there wasn’t any. I wondered
how I was going to manage without my phone and laptop
for the next few months. I snooped around the bedroom
furniture, noting that none of it was new. Who had slept
here before me? I pulled open the drawer of the locker next to my bed and was surprised to find an old copy of Celeb Goss magazine. It had been folded open at page twenty-one. I scanned the story, my heart faltering as I realised I was standing in the very apartment the article was about.
Celeb Goss Magazine
August 2013
A BABY TO SAVE CELEBRITY MARRIAGE?
By Alex Santana
Rumours are rife after Hollywood star-
let Sheridan Smith was recently pictured
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in downtown New York browsing in the
baby section of one of our favourite designer
haunts. Earlier in the week she was pictured
at a charity event, her hand resting on her
stomach as she chatted with friends. Is there
a baby on the way? A source close to the
couple said that the actress has threatened to
walk away from her marriage to hunky Brit
Daniel Watson unless he starts putting his
family first. Will a baby give their marriage
a much-needed boost?
Daniel has been hot property since appear-
ing on the scene in Hollywood blockbuster
Murder Game. The same cannot be said for
his Oscar-nominated wife. A friend of the
couple said, ‘Since offers of work started
drying up, Sheridan has become obsessed
with extending their family.’ But not every-
thing is rosy in the garden for Daniel. ‘He
is growing increasingly frustrated with the
amount of media attention, which curbs his
freedom. He loved riding his motorbike to
let off steam. But now everywhere he goes,
paparazzi are in tow. Everybody wants a
piece of him. It’s hard to keep such a free
spirit hemmed in.’ Sheridan must be scared
that he will revert to his old wild lifestyle.
But will a baby be enough to tame him for
good?
Sheridan is certainly doing her best to hang
on to her man. She’s recently purchased a
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four-bedroom apartment in mid-town New
York. ‘The NYC pad would be an ideal place
for them to raise a child. Daniel is committed
to several film projects in the area. It would
enable Sheridan to keep a close eye on him to
ensure he stays on the right path. They would
have the best of both worlds – work and fam-
ily on their doorstep. A native of New York,
Sheridan has lots of friends in the area, too.’
She certainly won’t be short on space to
entertain them. The $19.5 million home
comes with herringbone floors, a white mar-
ble fireplace and a leather-wrapped handrail
on the stairs. Circadian rhythm lighting is
featured throughout, as well as a home-made
juice bar and vitamin-C infused showers in
the bathrooms. But that’s not all. A passen-
ger lift carries its occupants to a basement
floor equipped with its own doctor’s surgery
for those ultra-private health appointments.
Who needs to go to hospital when you
can bring the best of medical care to you?
There is also a gaming station, gym and lav-
ish bedroom housed in the basement below.
Could this be a man-cave for Daniel? What’s
in store for our favourite celebrity couple?
Only time will tell. Our source is optimistic.
‘Everyone has their fingers crossed that they
will be announcing some happy news soon.’
I placed the magazine back in the drawer. Who on earth
had put it there? Perhaps this had been used as a guest
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room, and it had been left behind by the previous oc-
cupants. There was so much to contend with. I was still
getting my head around the fact that Sheridan expected
me to stay with them until the baby was born. I liked
her, having seen a whole other side to her from the one
presented on screen. She was brave to have opened up
about her friend’s betrayal, and her plans for the baby’s
room warmed me from the inside out. But still, tiny alarm
bells rang in the periphery. George was far from relaxed
in her company. He seemed permanently on guard. And
as for the housekeeper … she could barely look her in
the eye. Surely the rumours about Sheridan’s marriage
being in trouble were a lie?
Sheridan had presence – a Hollywood starlet, she lit
up the room when she walked in. When she’d shown
me around the basement flat, I could hear the passion
in her voice, the need for another child in her life. My
baby – I caught my thoughts – no, her baby would want for nothing. And as for Daniel … my legs felt weak at the
prospect of meeting him. I knew he would be a fantastic
father, so charismatic and kind. I had read about his love
for his son and how Sheridan had tamed his wild side.
I thought of Dympna, with her trendy parents: her
father a detective in the police, her mother flying around
organising events. She was lucky to have a family that
stayed together no matter what.
At least I’d have enough money to start again. I could
go to college, get a part-time job and still be able to pay my rent. I could make something of myself.
I unzipped my case, too preoccupied with my thoughts
to remember the mobile phone I had packed away. Then
it hit me, and my breath quickened as I searched the secret compartment to see if it was still there. If George had
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found it, there would be questions. Its presence could ruin everything. Tugging at the zip, I slid my hand to the back
of the suitcase, sighing in relief as I felt the phone’s outline. Above me, a door creaked shut, followed by a man’s
voice, deep and smooth. My heart flipped. It was Daniel.
* * *
Keep it together, I told myself. Sheridan would not want me mooning over her husband. I made a vow to appear
immune to his charms. What would Dympna say? Pretend
he’s your brother. I heard her advice as if it were real. Show Sheridan you’re no threat. I rolled my eyes. Who was I kidding? How the hell would I be a threat to someone like
Sheridan? I chuckled to myself as I unpacked. Some days
my thoughts felt like the most ridiculous things on earth.
A whirring noise caught my attention. It was the lift. I
froze. Who was coming down to see me?
It was Anna, the housekeeper.
She beckoned. ‘ !Ven acá! ’
Given her expression, you’d be forgiven for thinking
we were both facing the firing squad.
; ‘I don’t speak Spanish,’ I said, although it didn’t take
a genius to work out that she wanted me to go upstairs.
‘ Vamos,’ she chided, as I took my time.
My legs felt like lead as I followed her into the lift. It
was controlled by a card that was pressed against a panel
before the buttons could be activated from within. An
added security measure, necessary for the rich and famous,
but Sheridan had yet to provide me with a card so I could
activate the lift myself. I inhaled a deep breath, feeling
my panic rise. It was ridiculous, but I was scared. Daniel
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was up there, and he was waiting to meet me. Breathe, I thought, as Anna pressed the button to close the lift
doors. They slid shut with an ominous thunk. But as
the lift rose, the food I had eaten threatened to make an
appearance. Throwing up all over Daniel would hardly
make a very good impression. Briefly, I closed my eyes
and forced my limbs to relax. I would not meet Daniel
Watson looking like a rabbit caught in headlights. This
was a business deal, and I needed to be heard.
I followed Anna into the kitchen, where Sheridan was
drinking coffee at the breakfast bar. It was gone seven
o’clock, but my head felt all over the place as it fought
against jet lag. Daniel was next to Sheridan, looking
drop-dead gorgeous in a crisp white shirt that defined
his chiselled chest. He had a few wrinkles that didn’t
show in the promo pictures, but they only added to his
charm. I tore my eyes away, only meeting his eyes when
I was introduced.
‘Daniel, meet Roz Foley,’ Sheridan said, her gaze
intense as she scrutinised my face.
‘Good to meet you,’ Daniel said. ‘And all the way
from Ireland, too.’
I extended my hand, swallowing the lump in my
throat as he took it in a firm grip. I kept my gaze steady, smiling but not falling over myself.
‘Hi, nice to meet you,’ I said politely, before glancing
at Sheridan. ‘Thanks for getting my things brought over.
The room is amazing.’
I hoped I was not being rude, providing such a brief
response, but I knew the importance of keeping Sheridan
the priority in this situation. First impressions counted,
and everything felt like a test.
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The Perfect Mother (ARC) Page 13
