Up Close and Personal

by Kathryn Freeman

  Her niece was silent on the way there, which wasn’t especially unusual, though the edge of tension Kat could see around her mouth, was. ‘Are you okay, Munchkin?’ she asked once they’d parked and were walking towards the huge cinema complex.

  ‘Sure.’ Debs heaved in a shuddery breath. ‘And stop with the stupid name. I’m not six anymore.’

  More’s the pity. Six-year-old Debs had been cute as a button. Teenage Debs was a stroppy, hormonal disaster. ‘Who were you messaging?’

  ‘Mind your own business.’

  If Kat didn’t know her niece so well, hadn’t lived with her for all of her fourteen years, she might have left it there. ‘Was it your mum?’

  Debs glared at her. ‘So what if it was? I’m allowed to message my own mum, aren’t I?’

  Kat’s heart melted at the vulnerability behind Debs’s stubborn stance. ‘You are. And you’re also allowed to be angry with her. And to tell me about that anger, because much as I love your mum, I feel it too.’ Debs didn’t reply, just stared ahead with a sullen expression on her face. ‘But once you’ve got the anger out of your system, you also need to understand that your mum doesn’t want to be away from you. She loves you. The fact that she’s prepared to put herself through this shows you how much, because she wants to change. She wants to be the mum you deserve.’

  ‘You said this already.’

  ‘I know I did. I also said when she does come home, she’ll be fitter and stronger than she’s been for a long time so it will have been worth it. I figured it was a good time to remind you.’

  ‘Fine.’

  A lump shot into the back of Kat’s throat as she saw a single tear creep down her niece’s cheek. ‘Hey, come here.’ Dragging Debs into her arms, she soothed a hand up and down her back. ‘It’s going to be okay.’

  ‘You said that last time,’ Debs mumbled into her neck. ‘And the time before that.’

  Damn, so she had. ‘Okay, you’ve got me. Those times I was hoping she’d be okay. This time I know she will be.’

  Debs sniffed, finally pulling away. ‘How?’

  Kat gazed directly into her niece’s dark-brown eyes. Eyes like hers, and like Mandy’s. ‘Before, she went because we asked her to. This time she asked to go. She wants to get better.’

  The sad look Debs gave her tore at her heart. ‘I can’t stand it, the way she gets when she drinks.’

  Kat squeezed her hand. ‘I know. She doesn’t mean to upset you. When she’s sober, she’s mortified that she has. But she was unlucky enough to get our father’s genes and it’s hard for her. Really hard, Debs. You have to remember that. She’s going to need all our support to get through it.’

  ‘Yeah, I know.’ Debs sucked in a breath, wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her jumper, and looked around her.

  ‘It’s okay, nobody’s looking.’

  ‘You don’t know that.’

  Kat smiled. ‘’Course I do. It’s my job to assess the surroundings.’ She linked arms with Debs as they picked up the pace towards the cinema. ‘Come on. At this rate, we really are going to only see half a film.’

  ‘It’s alright. It’s Thomas Sangster. He’s not like my favourite actor.’

  ‘Who is then?’

  ‘Dylan O’Brien. Zac Edwards is fit, but a bit old.’

  Kat ground to a halt just before the cinema entrance. ‘Zac Edwards?’

  ‘Duh, yes. He’s fit.’

  ‘You mean he works out a lot.’

  Debs rolled her eyes. ‘Fit as in hot. Good looking.’

  Well, what do you know. Smiling to herself, Kat ushered Debs into the lobby and handed over her debit card. ‘Be a sweetie and collect the tickets from the machine. I just need to message someone about work.’

  As Debs flounced off, Kat sent off a quick text to Zac.

  Guess what? My niece thinks you’re fit.

  She knew he was out having drinks with the crew, so she was shocked when she received an instant reply.

  Guess what? I am fit.

  Laughing, she fired another back at him.

  Does your fit self, fancy doing me a favour?

  Once again the reply was immediate.

  Name it.

  She’d only known him five days, yet he was offering to help before he even knew what she wanted. Was he for real? Because she didn’t want to think about how much that meant to her, she deflected.

  Lend me the Aston to go rally cross racing?

  His reply had her shaking her head in amusement.

  Do I have to be in it too?

  He was kind, she realised. Beneath the glossy layers of celebrity was a funny, kind man.

  That was a joke. The favour I really want is for you to phone my niece and say hello.

  She pinged him the phone number just as Debs walked back to her with the tickets.

  ‘Here.’ As she thrust the tickets at Kat, miraculously, her niece’s mobile started to buzz.

  ‘You’d better get that.’

  Debs frowned, digging out her phone. ‘It’s an unknown number.’

  ‘It’s okay, I’m here. Put it onto me if you think it’s dodgy.’

  Debs pressed answer. ‘Hello.’

  Kat couldn’t hear the voice on the other end. She could only watch the changing expressions on her niece’s face – confusion, disbelief, wonder – and hear her responses. ‘No way?’ Pause. ‘Is this a joke?’ Debs, eyes wide, stared over at Kat. ‘She never said.’ Pause. ‘I’ll tell her. My mates will go mental. And my drama teacher. She’s always banging on about taking us there but never has.’ Pause. ‘For real? Gucci.’ Laughter. ‘Yeah. Bye.’

  Kat smiled to herself as saw her niece’s hands tremble as she pushed her phone back in her pocket. ‘Everything okay?’

  ‘OMG, Kat. Why didn’t you tell me? Zac fucking Edwards.’

  ‘Language.’

  Debs giggled, jumping up and down like a big kid. ‘I mean, I’ve just been talking to Zac Edwards.’

  ‘What did you have to tell me?’

  ‘What? Oh, he said you have to bring me down to the studio one day. He’ll show me around. And I can bring my school mates, if I want.’ She put a hand to her head, clearly still in shock. ‘I mean, I can’t believe this, he said he’s looking forward to meeting me.’

  Kat could just imagine it. The smooth language. Those impeccable manners. ‘Did he know what Gucci meant?’

  Debs snorted, her whole face looking so much more alive than it had five minutes ago. ‘He said something like “Can I presume that’s a positive?”’ She giggled. ‘He’s dead posh, isn’t he?’

  ‘He certainly is.’ Kat glanced at her watch in horror. ‘And we’re dead late for this blasted film now.’

  Debs shrugged. ‘It’s Gucci.’

  And then she laughed, and while Kat knew this wasn’t over, that Debs would have some difficult times ahead, at least now, tonight, she was reassured to see her niece with a smile on her face.

  Chapter 7

  Zac was, unusually for him, running late. Something his bodyguard had been happy to point out when she’d knocked on his hotel room five minutes ago to find him not yet ready. His main bodyguard, he should add, not the tall, silent guy he’d had to put up with Friday night, once at the weekend, and just now on his way back from the studio.

  ‘Mark said you had another note today, delivered to the studio.’ Kat’s voice echoed through to his bedroom where he was currently dragging a shirt off a hanger.

  ‘Yes.’ Fear crashed down his spine as he recalled the note. I came to your place to see you. They told me you’d left. Are you avoiding me? It wasn’t so much the words, as the implication. Someone was watching him.

  Who? And more importantly, why?

  ‘Have you had any more thoughts about who it might be?’

  His hands stilled, and as his heart began to thump, Zac was grateful for the wall that separated him from Kat. ‘Why do you ask?’ Damn, that wasn’t the right answer. ‘I’d hardly keep it to myself if I had, would I?’
>
  ‘Only if you’re a total idiot.’

  She’d said something similar before, yet Zac refused to believe he was an idiot. He was an actor trying to protect an image he wasn’t ready to see destroyed on a wild, highly improbable, obsessively anxious hunch.

  ‘How’s it going with Mark?’ Kat’s voice cut through his paranoid thoughts. ‘I bet you two were chatting away on the journey here.’

  Shrugging on the shirt, he walked out to the sitting area where she was waiting, feet up on the footstool, thumbing through the newspaper the hotel conveniently placed outside his room every morning. ‘You know we weren’t.’

  She smirked, though the expression slid from her face as her eyes settled on him. Or more precisely, on the part of his chest revealed by the shirt he hadn’t buttoned up yet. He was vain enough to know he looked good without his shirt on – hell, he spent enough hours in the gym working at it. Even more hours recently, since it was one of the few things he could do, without having to call for an escort.

  ‘Eyes on my face,’ he said mildly.

  Of course, Kat being Kat, wasn’t embarrassed to be caught out. ‘Don’t fret, Mr I-can’t-act-a-scene-without-taking-my-shirt-off. I’ve seen it all before.’

  ‘But not in the flesh.’ He slowly – and yes, deliberately – began to do up the buttons.

  ‘Not yours, maybe, but I’ve seen plenty of others.’ When his brows shot up to his hairline, she groaned. ‘I was in the army, remember? I’ve seen enough male chests to last me a lifetime.’ As if to prove she was totally unfazed, she glanced back down at the newspaper. ‘So, back to my original question. How are you and Mark getting on?’

  Disappointment curled inside him. Ridiculous. Did it matter that she wasn’t interested in him? Wasn’t it better this way? He had enough going on in his life right now without further complicating things. ‘Mark is fine. We’re getting on … fine.’ All of it true. The big guy was exactly how he’d imagined a bodyguard would be. Strong and silent.

  Kat burst out laughing. ‘Come on, admit it, you miss my chat when I’m not around.’

  He was acutely aware he didn’t just miss her chat. He missed her. ‘Mark is like me. He understands the need for quiet reflection.’ Before she could call him on his bullshit, Zac headed back into the bedroom to retrieve his jacket and tie. When he came back out, she was on her feet.

  ‘Ready?’

  He threaded his tie as he walked towards her. ‘As ready as I’ll ever be.’

  She looked at him askance. ‘You’re not looking forward to the launch of your very own brand of fragrance?’

  He huffed out a breath. ‘It’s not mine. I’m merely the face behind the name.’ On the back of the success of The Good Guy? the perfume company had done a deal with the film company, and tonight was the big promotional shindig for the launch of a male fragrance of the same name.

  ‘Ah, but what a face.’

  Her smile was teasing but it was hard to smile back. Being idolised for how he looked was an uncomfortable fit. Much like a cheap suit.

  ‘You need to lighten up by the time we get there,’ she told him once they were in the car. ‘Or they’ll have to change the name to The Morose Guy.’

  ‘Sorry.’ He settled back into the passenger seat – a hired Range Rover – and wondered at how quickly he’d become used to being driven around. Or was it Kat he’d become accustomed to? ‘Where were you this afternoon?’

  ‘So you did miss me.’ He saw the moment she became aware that her statement was too personal, and clamped her mouth shut.

  ‘I missed your driving,’ he corrected, though if he’d thought the comment would have been well received, he might have agreed with her statement. ‘Had you driven me back, I doubt I would be running late.’

  ‘Ah, good spot. Debs had a parent–teacher meeting at the school, so I agreed to do tonight if Mark covered me for that.’

  ‘Gucci.’

  Kat burst out laughing. ‘You have no clue what that means, do you?’

  He smiled. ‘None whatsoever.’

  ‘She’s still talking about the day she spoke to you. You’re like some sort of superhero in her eyes now.’

  ‘Perish the thought.’ He turned his head to stare out of the side window, not wanting Kat to read his thoughts. To see how insecure he was, beneath the polish. Being acclaimed for his acting was one thing; he craved it. The rest, the attention that came from people’s impression of who he was from the parts he played, or from his appearance. That he had a hard time dealing with.

  They didn’t know him. Very few people did, and while that was deliberate, it was also, at times, very lonely.

  ***

  It was manic. Sitting in the Range Rover, Kat eyed up the crowds with mounting apprehension. The people she’d previously provided protection to had attracted nowhere near this interest. People lined either side of a narrow, cordoned-off area leading to the entrance of The Old Billiard Room – the venue for the fragrance launch. Ninety-nine percent of the waiting throng were female, many bearing placards, some of which were quite clever – Good Guy, be My Guy; some straightforward – I love you Zac; and a few downright dirty – Zac, shag me, being the politest.

  She brought the Range Rover to a halt directly outside and glanced at her passenger. He’d been very quiet since she’d mentioned Debs and she wondered if it was because he wanted to back out on his offer to show her round the studios – an offer Kat had no intention of holding him to – or if there was something else going on inside that handsome head of his.

  ‘Ready?’

  Almost on cue, as if a director had said, ‘Action’, Zac sat up straight and gave her a flash of that sexy smirk. ‘Are you?’

  She eyed the clamouring crowd and did a bit of spine straightening of her own. ‘Of course.’

  ‘Then let’s go and meet the fans.’

  She jumped down from the car and, giving the area another sweeping look, went to open his door.

  Immediately flashlights lit up the dusky evening, and Kat froze, her heart pounding. Shit, no, this wasn’t going to happen. She was not about to have a panic attack. The flashbulbs were from paparazzi cameras. There was no gunfire, no lurking terrorists.

  As she forced herself to be calm, she reflected on how stupid it was that she hadn’t prepared herself for this … and that she even needed to. It had been over three years since she’d left the army. That part of her life was done, she’d moved on.

  ‘Kat?’ Zac gave her a quizzical glance.

  She nodded, focusing on breathing, in and out, slow and steady.

  ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Sure.’ There, she’d found her voice. And now her heart rate was starting to come under control. ‘Just hadn’t realised you were so popular.’ As if to prove her point, the fans started to shout his name. ‘Go on then, don’t keep them waiting.’

  Pulling herself together, Kat scanned the crowd. She couldn’t afford to get distracted. Zac’s life might depend on her.

  She swallowed down another bubble of panic. She’d told Mark she was ready for this. Damn it, she was ready.

  While Zac worked the fans, a handshake here, a selfie there, Kat kept her eyes trained on the faces.

  ‘Hey, Edwards, what’s this new aftershave like?’ A middle-aged guy pushed his way to the front. ‘Will it make the missus go wild for me?’

  Zac gave the man his small, polished smile. ‘Why not try it and find out?’

  ‘Not at those rip-off prices. You must get some freebies. How about throwing a bottle my way? Keep her happy?’

  Okay, she didn’t like how close he was getting. ‘Back away, sir.’

  At just under six foot, the mouthy guy looked down at her. ‘And who are you? No, wait, don’t tell me. You’re the bleeding bodyguard.’ He started to laugh. ‘Bloody hell, that’s priceless.’ He spun round to address the crowd behind him. ‘Look here, ladies. The big action hero you’re all drooling over is such a wimp he needs a woman to protect him.’

  Besid
e her, Zac went rigid, but she admired his restraint when he merely turned away to shake the hand of a fan on the other side.

  That’s when the jerk doing the taunting decided he didn’t like being ignored. ‘Oi, I’m talking to you.’ Ducking under the rope, he made towards Zac.

  Kat acted on pure instinct. In two seconds, she had the guy face down on the pavement, pulling on his right hand as she edged it higher up his back. ‘Let me go, you bitch.’

  ‘Ask me nicely and I might.’ Adrenalin surging through her, she tugged harder on his arm.

  ‘Fucking hell, that hurts.’

  ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise a mere woman could hurt a big strong guy like you.’

  A moment later the event security staff came running over and Kat gladly handed him over. ‘He’s all yours.’

  Suddenly a hand gripped her arm and she turned to find Zac staring at her, his eyes full of concern. ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Of course.’ Her lip curled in disgust as she watched the man being escorted away.

  ‘Christ, Kat.’

  He looked shocked, rattled. Exactly how she’d felt when she’d first faced the crowd. ‘Let’s get you inside, before any other tossers decide they want to end up face down on the pavement.’

  Being the star he was, Zac immediately plastered a smile on his face and waved at the crowds on either side as she escorted him inside the building. Once there, he was swamped by the organisers and Kat hung back, watching from a distance as he was introduced to people, photographed, and generally treated like visiting royalty. Every now and again his eyes would land on hers and she wondered what he was thinking.

  In taking down the troublemaker, had she reassured Zac she was capable of keeping him safe?

  Or instead was he remembering her wobble at the beginning, and the snide comments from the mouthy guy. Were they reinforcing his concerns about having her as his bodyguard at all?

  ***

  Two hours later, Kat escorted Zac back to the Range Rover. He looked tired, so she left him to his thoughts as she drove him back to the hotel and then walked with him into the lift.