The Last Time

by Elodie Parkes

  The runner tried the canteen marquee after finding Seth wasn’t in his trailer. She saw Seth with two people, standing in a corner drinking coffee. They were huddled together and she wound her way through the crowded tables to where they stood.

  “Mister Carbery, you’re wanted in the office. I’m to drive you up there.”

  Seth was surprised. “What’s this about? Do you have any idea?”

  The runner did because she had an App on her cell phone and saw the post sent by a friend. She hesitated. Then she saw Bethany and her eyes widened.

  Seth saw the confusion and then recognition in the runner’s eyes. He sighed, thinking something was definitely wrong.

  The runner cringed slightly. She told him, “Mister Carbery, please don’t say I told you. There’s a video of you in bed with a woman and ugly rumors posted on the social networking sites.”

  Seth raised his eyebrows and turned to Jake and Bethany.

  “Oh well, the price of fame,” he said. He turned to the runner and continued, “I’d like my companions to come too.”

  The runner shrugged. She nodded. “Okay.”

  They trailed after her.

  * * * *

  Niall could only walk up and down his trailer, feeling ill. He needed to take his mind off what he had done. So, he left his trailer to find people to talk with.

  He met a friend of his who he worked with often, as he jogged to the canteen marquee. They walked together, talking about their next job. Niall stopped dead when he saw Seth and the couple, who caused him so much angst, in the buggy about to drive away from the canteen marquee. Niall’s friend saw where he was looking and commented.

  “Detectives,” he said and then continued, “The man and woman, brother and sister detectives from some agency, sent in about those letters. You remember Niall. I got one once. I still can’t believe it was Dianne doing it, but hey, go figure.” He shook his head.

  Niall paled. He managed to nod at his friend as they joined the now much shorter queue for refreshments.

  * * * *

  In the buggy being driven away, Bethany held Seth’s hand and Jake looked at the scenery. They arrived at the PR administration trailer and got down from the vehicle.

  The PR assistant waited at the entrance for them. After requesting that Jake and Bethany wait outside she escorted Seth into the inner sanctum of the trailer.

  The PR heavyweight of the movie studios, on location with this movie’s filming, turned her laptop to face Seth. Frowning, she brought up four windows—all with various posts about him. The last window on the screen held the AVI.

  Seth watched as Bethany draped across him, kissed him, and he kneaded her lovely bottom. She rubbed against his thigh.

  He sighed because, although it was a worry that this was out there, it gave him pleasure to see. He loved Bethany and that was that.

  Silvia grunted. “Nothing to say? It’s a bit damaging. You are, after all, our ‘eligible bachelor boy’, make that ‘golden boy’, actor. The lovely and pristine Seth Carbery, who has been so private, suddenly revealed in not such a nice way. Who is she Seth? Is she married or otherwise attached? Can this hurt your career or the movie?”

  Seth sighed again.

  “She isn’t married or anything. I’m in love with her and she loves me. She’s Bethany Snow, the private detective sent to find out about the hate mail I was receiving. I don’t know who took this video but it doesn’t matter. All we need to do is announce my happy engagement to her. Downplay what she does for a living.

  “Hey, here’s a thought—say I met her through my friend Jake, her brother.” Seth was used to movie studio machinations and understood publicity angles very well.

  Silvia leaned back and stared at him.

  “Is it true? Are you engaged? We could turn this around to vilify the source of this AVI and the rest of the accusations. You can take legal action for invasion of privacy. Yes, we can turn this around to our advantage. I’d like to meet this Bethany Snow. Arrange that for later and call me.”

  She dismissed him with a glance and turned her laptop around to start arranging the whole deal.

  Seth went out to the small foyer. With a look at Bethany and Jake, they left the PR trailer.

  Outside he told the siblings what happened. She stood silently looking at him with an unreadable expression.

  Seth looked down at the grass as he realized she was not responding.

  Jake spoke, “I can trace this stuff. It might well be our stalker or someone who can lead us to them. It’ll take me a day, maybe. In the meantime, let’s get back to the trailers. You and Bethany need to talk.”

  They walked quietly toward a buggy idling on the gravel path. Seth took Bethany’s hand and she glanced at him.

  The buggy driver took them back to their trailers. No one spoke until they stood outside Seth’s trailer.

  “I left the video streaming so we will know if anyone approached the place while we were gone. I’ll go in first,” Jake said.

  Seth raised his eyebrows but handed over the key. Jake went into the trailer. He returned ina few seconds and indicated for Seth and Bethany to follow him back in. Once inside, he quickly questioned Seth.

  “You saw what’s been posted on the internet. When do you think it happened?”

  Seth understood Jake’s question. “It has to have been the day we thought everything was okay and thought the Dianne thing was over. How they got the pictures is a mystery to me.”

  He went to his own laptop and logged into a social network site where he knew the AVI was still doing the rounds. “I’m so sorry, Bethany. I hope you can stomach this, Jake, but you need to see it.” Seth played the AVI.

  When Jake looked up at his sister’s face—to his amazement—she was grinning.

  “Okay, it must have been taken through the bedroom window, again a blind being open problem.”

  Jake looked at Seth meaningfully.

  Bethany was still grinning. “I don’t know why but I find this funny.”

  Seth took a deep breath. After glancing at Jake, he said, “It’s not. That’s a really good view of you.”

  Jake nodded. “I’m off to trace the source. I’m putting the alarm program on, so don’t wander outside the trailer without calling me.”

  He left them looking at each other. Seth’s face was a picture of concern and Bethany eyed him thoughtfully.

  As soon as Jake closed the trailer door, Seth reached for her.

  “Bethany, marry me? Please, I love you and I would have asked soon, anyway. I’m not just covering my back for what I told PR.” His voice held a note of desperation.

  She put her arms up around his neck.

  “I believe you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t say ‘yes’.”

  Seth kissed her until they had to catch their breath. “Are you, saying ‘yes’? I love you, Bethany. Please say ‘yes’.”

  She held his face. “Yes,” she replied. Then she kissed him.

  They held each other close for a few moments.

  “Silvia McIntyre should meet you soon. I wish I had a ring for you. I want to announce our engagement.” Seth’s voice was husky with emotion.

  Bethany shook her head. “No. We need to see her before we do that and talk with Jake too. Let’s go to bed.”

  He smiled. “You’re probably right and you’re also very tempting.”

  He went to the window and drew the blind, before turning back to her and picking her up. He took her to sit on his knee on the bench seat.

  “Sit with me and let’s talk about it. I want to get it arranged soon. I can’t think of anything better than marrying you as soon as this movie is over. I know I’ve found the love of my life so why wait?” he asked her happily.

  Bethany smiled as she put her arms around his neck. His sudden burst of happiness was infectious.

  “That sounds great. I’d like that too.”

  Chapter Forty-One

  In his trailer, Jake talked with Brandt Black about the trace. Th
e agency’s contacts were swift and accurate. The man who started it all, had foolishly left a link on a blog he wrote. On the blog, he identified himself and actually posted his resume. His twitter handle and feed were there. He showed up in Seth’s twitter followers when Jake checked as The Stuntman.

  Jake wasn’t surprised when they identified him as a professional stuntman, his twitter handle was not just some made up hook. Even though the guy had deleted his posts, the first person to repost the link did it very quickly and the original handle was still there for the world to see. Jake wondered why the man had done it.

  After he and Brandt finished their conference call, he called Bethany.

  * * * *

  She was straddling Seth because they never made it to the bed and she was snuggled against his neck. She turned her face away and looked at her jeans on the floor where her cell phone rang inside her back pocket.

  Seth kissed her mouth. “You must answer it. It’s probably Jake.” He held her hips and carefully lifted her off his lap

  Bethany retrieved her cell phone.

  She put it on speaker so she could listen and dress. Jake had traced who he believed was the stalker. He called the movie security team and asked them to pick the guy up for questioning.

  “He’s a stuntman named Niall Fogarty. Let Seth know. I want you both to stay here for the time being. Sorry, I know I sound paternal. You are also guarding Seth in case it’s not this guy and someone turns violent because both your bare butts were plastered all over the web.”

  Bethany glanced at Seth and he gave her a mischievous grin. It was endearing.

  “Okay, I get it. Please let me know what happens as soon as you can.”

  They ended the call.

  Seth grabbed Bethany and hugged her.

  “I’m shocked. I can’t imagine that it is Niall. He’s so polite and professional. I had no idea he is gay. Not that it matters. I have no prejudice at all. If it is him, and he does love me, I won’t get him into trouble. Sorry, Bethany. What about you? Will you press charges for assault?” Seth looked at her sadly.

  Bethany considered it for a moment. “Maybe not. What about PR? Will they have anything legal in mind?”

  Seth shook his head. “They will posture as usual, but if he poses no actual threat I think they will let it blow over, then use you and I getting engaged as a big publicity angle for the movie. It’s in the movie’s best interest to focus on the exciting, good news. That’s been my experience with PR teams in the past although it’s generally other actors I’ve seen go through things like this.”

  Seth got water from the fridge. Bethany minimized her watch program window on her computer and researched Niall. She thought he might lose his respected work status over this and felt sorry for him.

  “I wonder why he was driven to do this when he says he loves you? You would think he’d go after me. Well, in a bigger way than he has.”

  Seth sat beside her and kissed her cheek.

  “Love is weird. It hurts like hell, as well as, being euphoric. Maybe he thought he could get you thrown off the site. You and Jake did do a good job of flushing him out with your act. Poor Niall.”

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Niall was on his way to human resources. He decided to tell them what he had done. He felt sorry about the whole situation, and now he knew who the woman was, he felt like a fool.

  The first person he saw in the office was Sara Smythe. Sara had her laptop open and was peering at something on the screen with her face quite close to it. She looked at Niall over the lid.

  “Sara, I need help. I did something foolish in the heat of the moment and I might be in trouble.”

  “That’s not like you. Sit down. Tell me about it.”

  He told her what he had done, including the attack on Bethany.

  She raised her eyebrows, then smiled and turned her laptop around so he could see the screen.

  “It’s still out there. It’s available on a torrent site too. This is not too bad, as things go. It might even do Seth some good, publicity wise. I bet PR is whipping up a cream topping for this one.”

  Niall cringed slightly as he saw the AVI he had posted on the screen.

  Sara sighed. “Let me call people. The worst part is attacking her in the dark. Wait a moment.”

  She picked up her phone and called her contact in PR. Niall listened. When she put the phone down, she smiled at him.

  “According to my friend, the whole thing is being turned into a party. Seth is engaged to Bethany Snow. I think your internet antics are moot. My guess is that it will be the physical attack that may get you into trouble” Sara looked him in the eyes. “I’ll say you were with me that night. I’m leaving in a week so it won’t matter to me. I feel like helping you.”

  Niall looked surprised. “Everyone knows I’m gay. It wouldn’t stand up. No, I’d better give my resignation.”

  Sara frowned in her superficial way. She said, “Okay,” and stood up.

  She showed him out of the office and then went to the window to watch him walk away.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Niall was in his trailer as Jake talked to security about him. He threw his stuff in the back of his SUV and drove away. At the ‘gates’ to the movie site, he handed in his pass and drove off down the road. He didn’t look back.

  When Jake and a member of the security team knocked on Niall’s trailer door, it was ajar. They pushed it open and warily stepped inside.

  Jake saw keys on top of a note left on the kitchenette table.

  Jake read it aloud, “Sorry for the trouble. I meant no harm. My feelings just overwhelmed me. I’ve left the site and will try to fix things.”

  The security guy shrugged.

  “Better find out if anyone wants to press charges and then let the local police know.”

  Jake nodded and they left the trailer.

  He called Bethany on the way back to his own trailer and told her what happened. As she took that call, Seth received a call on his cell phone. It was PR saying a new internet post from The Stuntman had appeared, congratulating Seth on his engagement.

  Seth ended his own call when Bethany turned to him.

  “Niall has quit the site. Gone apparently and left a note saying, ‘sorry’.”

  “It’s a shame. I feel sorry he’s left his work here.”

  She nodded.

  * * * *

  Niall stopped in the nearby town at the flower shop on the high street. He sent Seth a bowl of roses—pink for love.

  The florist gave him the card to write a message and he thought for a moment and then wrote,

  Dear Seth,

  I hope you can forgive me. I hope your girl can too. I think I will make this the last time I let myself fall in love.

  —Niall

  He finished the short note with a little ‘x’ for a kiss.

  The florist had a delivery person going in the direction of the movie site. By the time Niall was through the town and onto the highway heading east, the flower bowl was delivered by a runner.

  * * * *

  Jake, Bethany, and Seth were in his trailer drinking tea and talking about how they would not press charges. They looked around with questioning expressions when someone knocked on the trailer door.

  Jake stood up and gestured for Seth to stay where he was. It’s not unknown for a stalker to turn nasty at the last minute, he thought. His suspicions were unfounded so he took the flowers from the runner and handed them to Seth.

  Seth read the card that came with them and ran his hand through his hair. He looked at Bethany sadly.

  “I feel for him, but we’ve just let the whole thing drop so maybe that will help.”

  Bethany read the card but didn’t comment as she gave it back to Seth. He put it under the rose bowl on the table.

  “They’re lovely flowers,” Jake broke the silence. Seth nodded.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  He held her tightly against him. She felt the slight rasp of his unshave
n face against her cheek as he transferred his kiss to the soft part of her shoulder. He began to suck sending waves of sensation down her body. She traced the lines of his back muscles down to his hard bottom. Then as they rolled onto their sides, she felt for him, hoping to curl her fingers around his erection. She wanted him inside her so she moved her thigh to rest over his hip.

  As she ached for more of the soft, wet kisses he trailed across her breasts, she whispered, “Put your fingers in me please. Feel how much I need you.”

  He smiled. Then with his mouth now against hers, his tongue traced the seam of her lips. His fingers teased her wetness and she tightened her hold on him. “That feels so good. Push into me please. I’m longing to feel it.”

  “I think I want to taste you first. I want this to last all night. You’ll be gone for days.”

  “Only three, and then I’ll be back for weeks.”

  “Forever would be better,” Seth said. Then his tongue touched the tip of hers.

  “Forever is being arranged,” she answered.

  He deepened his kiss taking her breath away, as a wave of sexual longing sent more wetness between her legs.

  He raised his head from hers. “Not fast enough though. I love you so much. Let’s bring the wedding forward and get married as soon as the movie is finished. I’ve wanted that all along.”

  Seth’s lips were addictive but Bethany took her mouth away from his a fraction to answer.

  “.Yes, let’s do it.”

  She kissed him softly.

  They couldn’t leave each other’s lips for a long time. Seth took her hands from his body and held them above her head.

  “Don’t move or I’ll bite,” he warned, but his tone was gentle and loving.

  He licked down the skin of her throat to her breasts and nibbled at them. He licked down her stomach and opened her legs, spreading them so that he could lick her. He licked the inside of her legs and then bit gently up the contour of her thighs to tongue her bud.

  Bethany moved her hands down to hold his head. She moaned as her orgasm rippled over her and made her thrust her hips.