by Julie Archer
“Maybe I should have done that bit of stalking after all.” Clem kept her tone light. A daughter? What did that mean for his relationship with the girl’s mother? Were they still together? A whole raft of questions came up in her mind.
“I’d rather you didn’t.” Nate cradled his mug between his hands. “It doesn’t make for pretty reading.”
“Then maybe you can tell me?”
There was a pause, Nate shifted in his chair and Clem thought for one moment that he was going to get up and leave.
“Poppy and I aren’t together any more. We’ve been separated for a while now. It was a break that didn’t end. Plus the fact she got together with my band’s manager while I was on tour.” Nate’s laugh didn’t ring true and Clem realised he was more cut up about that than he was letting on. “India’s getting on for three years old now.” His face lit up as he began talking about her. “I figure I’ve missed out on quite a lot of her life already by being away on tour and now not being around her home full time. She’s a huge part of my world. In fact, I’m seeing her later this afternoon. She wants me to come to her tea party.” Nate grinned and shrugged. “Not usually my style, but what’s a Dad to do?”
“That’s good to know,” said Clem. The image she originally had of him as a hard-rocking, hard-partying rock star evaporated. There was a homebody beneath the facade.
“How do you feel about that?” he asked. “I guess you thought that India was an ex or something.”
Clem smiled. “Maybe. Either that or you quite liked to travel.”
“Might have been a bit easier to explain.” He set the mug back on the table. “When can I see you again?”
“You’re very sure of yourself, aren’t you?” Clem already knew she was going out with him again, but didn’t see any harm in keeping him on his toes. “What makes you think I want to?”
“Babe, you definitely want to see me again.” Nate grinned at her. “Besides, I want my shirt back.”
Chapter Ten
Nate’s hangover was starting to kick in as he arrived at his old house that afternoon. Due to the leisurely breakfast with Clem, he was late. Despite messaging Poppy to alert her to the fact, her frosty response had been less than accommodating.
From the moment Poppy opened the door, Nate knew he was in for a hard time. Her mouth was set in a hard line and her eyes were cold. He followed her into the house, seeing how it had changed again since the last time he had been there.
“Daddy!” India came running up to him, arms extended.
“Hey, baby!” He lifted her into his arms, swinging her around.
“Don’t do that, she’s just eaten,” snapped Poppy. “Unless you want to be covered in vomit.”
Nate stopped moving and hugged India close to him. “Why don’t you go and set up the tea party while I chat to Mummy?” he suggested, placing her down again.
“Okay, Daddy.” The little girl ran off and Nate’s heart contracted. She was growing up so fast.
They went into the kitchen where Poppy had already brewed some coffee. She poured them both a large mug and went to sit at the table where her tablet lay.
“Why do I have to find out that you’re sleeping with some teenage reality TV star from a journo at The Goss?” Poppy pushed the tablet across the table top. “I got a call tipping me off.”
Nate scanned the article which was basically a summation of ‘facts’ based on Clem’s social media accounts. “She’s not a teenager, she’s twenty-three for Christ’s sake. You’re making me sound like a paedo.”
“Whatever. Nate, what the hell are you doing?”
The picture that accompanied the piece was the one that Clem had taken of them at the wedding. His mouth curled up into a smile as he remembered how he’d felt that night: carefree, happy.
It was how the previous night and that morning made him feel.
And it had everything to do with Clem.
It was everything that Poppy was trying to suck out of him now. He couldn’t even play with his daughter without getting that wrong.
“You moved on, Poppy. Why can’t I?”
Poppy let out an exasperated breath. “I’m not saying you can’t move on. I’m just asking why you’re hooking up with someone like that? She’s got to be trouble.”
“Why’s that, Poppy? Is it because she’s bound to be like Edie? I’ve already had Alik in my ear with that comparison. By the sounds of it, you’ve made it too.”
“Oh, you barely know her, Nate! She’s a child with whom you have nothing in common.”
“Says who? You don’t know her.”
Nate pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. He didn’t know exactly what Clem was like, but he liked what he’d seen so far. With both Alik and now Poppy warning him off, it strengthened his resolve to make it work. He looked directly at his ex-wife. “Even if I did know her better, what has it got to do with you, Poppy?”
India came running into the kitchen, waving a piece of paper in front of her. “I did a picture, Mummy!”
Poppy took the drawing and passed it over to Nate. There were four crayon people: a little girl in the middle, a man and a woman on one side of her and a man on the other. In her own way, India had depicted her family. Nate felt a tiny pang of regret that things hadn’t worked out with him and Poppy, and India had to deal with two sets of parents.
“I don’t want you giving India false hope,” said Poppy.
“What do you mean?”
“Bringing home women that aren’t going to stay in her life. She needs stability at her age.”
“For fuck’s sake, Poppy, I wasn’t suggesting that Clem comes over for tea or anything. Since when have I brought any women here?”
Poppy covered India’s ears. The little girl wriggled away and ran back into the other room. “Be careful of your language around her too. She’s starting to copy things I say. It’s very embarrassing at nursery.”
Nate clenched his fists under the table. He was tired of being told what he could and couldn’t do. “I’m sure it is.”
They fell silent, both picking up their mugs and sipping coffee. Nate didn’t know what else Poppy wanted from him.
“What do you want me to say to this reporter then?” she asked. “If he contacts me again.”
“You don’t have to say anything.” Nate shook his head. “I’m going to carry on seeing Clem and that’s the end of it. I doubt I’ll be inviting her out for drinks with the group, though.”
“So I’ll have to read about it in the gossip magazines or on social media? Thanks, Nate, glad to hear you care about my feelings.” Poppy slammed her coffee mug down on the table with a bang. “I don’t even know why you came here today.”
She was the one who moved on first, why should I care about her feelings? thought Nate.
“Maybe because you asked me to. For India’s sake,” he said instead.
“You can see India any time you want. You don’t have to wait until I ask you over.”
“Really? Because I don’t always feel welcome if I just turn up.” There had been a few times recently when Nate had felt like an intruder in his former home.
“You’re always welcome here, Nate.” Poppy’s tone softened. “We have a daughter together and this is her home.”
“That’s one thing you’ve got right, Poppy. India is my daughter too. I’m not going to neglect her because I’m seeing someone else.”
“Daddy! Want tea?” India came dashing back into the room, a tiny tea cup in her hand. She reached her other hand out to him and Nate followed her into the living room.
On the floor was a group of toys set up around a tiny child-size table. There were two teddy bears and a doll that had her face covered by something India had clearly torn out of a magazine and stuck over it. Nate bit the inside of his cheek as he realised his daughter had inadvertently cut out a picture of Clem and pasted it on her doll. He glanced at Poppy, who had followed them into the room.
“Who’s at the tea party, I
ndia?” asked Nate.
Solemnly, India pointed at each of the guests as she spoke. “Teddy, Big Teddy and the Princess! Isn’t she pwetty?”
Poppy huffed and shook her head as Nate laughed.
“Yes, sweetheart, she really is a pwetty princess.”
Chapter Eleven
Lexi had insisted they meet at the boutique hotel just off of Sloane Square where they’d had one of their first dates.
It had been a couple of days since she’d initially got back in contact and she’d been badgering him with messages ever since. Parker had done his best to hide it from Poppy. He didn’t know how she’d react to him seeing Lexi, particularly so soon after she’d found out about Nate and his potential new girlfriend. She’d been unreasonably grumpy about it, especially about the age difference between them. To some extent, it was a relief to leave that stress behind for a while.
He settled himself in the bar with a bottle of sparking mineral water and a newspaper. He sensed he was going to need a clear head to deal with whatever Lexi needed to talk to him about.
As usual, she was late. Half an hour after she’d told him to meet her, she swept in, a huge pair of sunglasses almost obscuring her face, a trench coat wrapped around her petite figure. All she needed was a hat and she’d be the double of a female spy. Parker watched as she took off her glasses and scanned the room.
“Lexi! Over here!”
She scuttled towards him. “Sssshhhh! Don’t draw attention to us.” She grabbed his arm. “I booked a room, we can talk there. I don’t want anyone overhearing us.”
Parker looked around at the other three people in the bar. There was an elderly couple, maps and leaflets spread across the table in front of them. He’d heard them speaking in German and he doubted either of them had any idea who Lexi was. The only other person was the barmaid, who he thought was Eastern European. While she may have been able to identify his slightly crazy ex, she had an apparent lack of interest in anything that was going on in front of her, evidenced by the huge sigh that had greeted Parker’s request for a drink.
Lexi slid a card key across the table. “Room four seventeen. Give me a few minutes and then come up,” she whispered.
He almost laughed at her over-dramatic performance. Maybe she’d got a new part and was practising on him. Lexi looked around to make sure she wasn’t being watched and headed over to the lift. She blew him a kiss as the doors closed behind her.
After a couple of minutes, Parker got up and followed her, shaking his head as he did so, cursing himself for falling for her histrionics. He knocked on the door and waited. Lexi answered, sticking her head out and glancing up and down the corridor. She grabbed his arm and hauled him in to the room.
“Quick, I don’t want anyone to see you.”
For a room that Lexi had allegedly booked just on a whim, it was impressive. A huge four poster bed dominated the space, with huge armchairs set into the bay window and a mahogany coffee table in between. There was an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne and two glasses on the table, a welcome note sticking up from the ice. A vase of red roses stood on the dresser and there were rose petals and mini chocolates on the bed and pillows.
A frown creased Parker’s forehead. Just exactly why had Lexi brought him here? She had taken off her coat and was dressed simply in a pair of skinny jeans and a flowered top that clung to her like a second skin. As usual, she was wearing heels. It didn’t look much like a seduction outfit.
“What’s with the flowers and champagne?” he asked. He shrugged off his own suit jacket and loosened his tie.
“It was the only package available. I guess they get a lot of couples here.” She popped open the bottle and poured them both a glass. “I didn’t want to sit in public and talk about what I need to talk about.” She shuddered. “It’s, well, it’s gross.”
He remembered the phrase ‘sex tape’ from her original messages. If she was planning on showing him that, then she was right, it really didn’t need an audience.
Lexi necked her drink in one go, quickly replenishing her glass. The last thing Parker wanted was for her to be drunk, so he tried to steer her back to the conversation.
“Sit down and tell me everything.”
She did as she was told and Parker sat in the other chair.
“You remember Tommy Nelson?” she began.
Parker did. Only too vividly, unfortunately. It was the sight of Lexi’s co-star’s penis that had ended his and Lexi’s relationship. “Yes.”
“And you know that we had a thing, but it didn’t last all that long.”
“The pair of you split up almost before you’d had chance to move everything out of the flat.” Parker tried not to be bitter. The fact she’d thrown a good twelve month relationship down the drain on the basis of a bit of fun, which then ended only a few weeks later, really ground his gears. Then again, he wouldn’t have found Poppy if that had been the case and he certainly felt happier now.
Lexi couldn’t meet his eyes, her head bent down, blonde hair falling over her face, her gaze trained firmly on the floor.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “If I’d have ignored him and stayed with you, then none of this would be happening.”
“What is it? Tell me, Lexi.”
“I, I don’t think I can.”
“If you don’t tell me, then I can’t help you.” Parker started to stand up, but Lexi reached out and grabbed his arm.
“No! Please don’t go! I’ll tell you everything.” She brushed a tear away and composed herself, before taking a huge slug of champagne. “Tommy was, um, adventurous.”
“That was kind of obvious from the pictures he sent you.” Lexi shot daggers at him and he held his hands up. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. Carry on.”
Parker listened while Lexi told him the whole sordid story. It turned out that Tommy didn’t just like to take pictures and film himself, he liked to include his partner in it too. More tears fell down Lexi’s face as she told Parker about the time she’d gotten drunk and agreed to take part in one of his games, not knowing that he’d been filming her. They had indulged in a little tying up and Tommy had used a vibrator on Lexi as she was bound and gagged. He was now threatening to expose the pictures and film clip all over social media if she didn’t give him the money he wanted. His career hadn’t gone the same way as Lexi’s after they had been in a short indie film together. While Lexi had become more famous, he’d only managed to get a bit part on a daytime soap.
“Why on earth did you get yourself into that situation in the first place?” asked Parker, once she’d finished speaking.
“I was drunk!” She sobbed. “I know it was stupid. I didn’t know what he was doing.”
“You should go to the police.”
“And tell them what?”
“Tommy can’t go around blackmailing you over this; it’s illegal for a start.” Parker pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and fired up an internet browser.
Lexi grabbed it from his hands. “I don’t want to talk to the police. I don’t want anyone else seeing these grubby pictures. Tommy says if I give him ten thousand pounds then he won’t go to The Goss with it.”
“He’s definitely got evidence then? Tommy’s not just bluffing?”
The laugh Lexi gave was hollow. “Oh, there’s definitely evidence.” She stood up, swayed a little unsteadily and walked over to her bag, reaching into it for her own phone. “Do you want to see it?” She waved it at him.
Not really, he thought, although he wanted to be sure that there was some truth in what Lexi was telling him. Her obviously distraught state went some way to confirming it. However, he wasn’t sure he wanted to see her in that position. He glanced up at the ceiling, trying to work out what the best thing was to do. After a couple of moments, he spoke. “Show me.”
Lexi sat on the edge of the bed and sobbed. “I’m so embarrassed.”
Parker went to join her. He put an arm around her shoulders and held her while she wept, her slender bod
y shaking. When she’d calmed down, she took a deep breath and tapped her phone, opening up the album from her deleted items. Without saying another word, she passed it to Parker and stood up, going to pour herself another drink.
Silently, Parker scrolled through the shots. They were exactly as Lexi had described and he couldn’t imagine how Tommy had even persuaded her to do any of the things in the photos. He looked over to where she stood, her shoulder shuddering sporadically and her breathing heavy.
“I’m so sorry.” He went up behind her, his arms enveloping her in a protective embrace. “We can sort this mess out together.”
She wriggled around to look up at him, her mascara smeared. “Really? We can?” A weak smile crossed her lips and before he knew what was happening, Lexi had launched herself at him, kissing him full on the lips.
“Wait, stop, what are you doing?” he asked. He held her at arm’s length. “I didn’t mean that. I’m prepared to help you, but we’re not getting back together or anything.”
“Oh, I knew that!”
Parker knew Lexi well enough to know she was lying. “I’m with Poppy now.” Who would kill me if she knew I was here, he added silently.
“I know that too.” Lexi touched his arm. “I’m just happy that you can help. When can you get the money?”
“Hang on, I never said I’d give you the money. I still think you need to go to the police and I’m perfectly happy to come along with you when you go to make a statement.” Parker was adamant that’s what should happen. He had no intention of giving Tommy a penny.
“But he said he’d release the pictures if I didn’t get him the money by tomorrow!” Lexi’s tone was desperate. “I can’t have them in the public domain, my career would be ruined!”
“Tell him you’ll get him the money, but you can’t get it for a couple of days. Try stalling him and see if he backs off,” suggested Parker. “Maybe he’ll forget about it.”
“I doubt he will.” Lexi looked defeated. “Okay, I’ll try that.” She bit her lip. “Then maybe I’ll think about going to the police. If you promise me you’ll come with me.”
