by Jade Winters
“Anything.”
“I’d like to talk to Hannah, without her guard dog present.”
Skye nodded in Hannah’s direction. “I take it you mean Leah?”
Alisa nodded.
“No problem. Let’s go over, you take Hannah for a stroll and I’ll distract her.”
Wading their way through the crowd, they stopped when they reached Hannah and Leah.
“Hello, Hannah,” Alisa said.
Hannah turned, her hair gently caressing her bare shoulders. Alisa tore her eyes away from her exposed skin and raised them to hers. “You’re looking well.”
Hannah smiled. “Thank you. I’ve been meaning to get in touch with you. I wanted to thank you for accepting the part. I know you had your heart set on doing another film.”
“You know I’ve never been able to say no to you—some things never change.”
Alisa noticed Leah looking unsettled, as if she was going to whisper something in Hannah’s ear—no doubt about excusing themselves. She spoke first. “Have you got a minute, I’d like to ask you something about the script.”
Leah’s face looked panic stricken.
“Is anything wrong it?” Hannah asked Alisa.
Alisa gave her a reassuring smile. “No, of course not.”
“That’s a relief.”
Turning in the direction of the garden Alisa said, “Shall we go outside? It’s so noisy in here. I can barely hear myself think.”
“Sure,” Hannah answered, following Alisa’s lead.
Leah attempted to tag along but Skye moved to the right, blocking her path. Leah moved to the left. So did Skye.
Leah clenched her jaw. “Excuse me, please.”
“I think they’re going for a private talk. So tell me something, Leah, how long have you been working for Hannah?” Skye enquired.
Looking directly into her eyes, Leah said, “Four years. Though ours is much more than a working relationship. I’m one of her closest and dearest friends.”
“Is that right?”
Leah gave Skye a self-satisfied smile. “Yes it is.” Her eyes darted towards the open doors, where Hannah and Alisa stood outside.
“I heard you left some hot shot job to work for her,” Skye said, trying to draw back her attention. “Why are you so interested in what they’re talking about?”
Her face tightened. “I’m not and if you don’t mind, if you’re finished with all the questions, I’m going to the bar in the total opposite direction of Hannah. If that’s okay?” Pushing her shoulders back, Leah turned on her heel and walked away.
A smile spread across Skye’s face. “That’s more than okay.”
***
As they stood under the dark velvet sky, peppered with a sea of twinkling white lights, Hannah couldn’t help but stare as Alisa gracefully sipped her champagne before turning to look at her.
“So how’s everything going?” Alisa asked, her eyes studying her with a curious intensity.
“Better than expected, if I’m honest.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
“Is there something about the script you don’t like?”
Alisa looked down at her gem encrusted heeled sandals. “No, I just wanted to get you alone for a minute. Seems like Leah never leaves your side.”
A genuine smile hovered over Hannah’s face. “Oh, Leah’s harmless, she’s just feeling protective of me.”
“Is that what it is?” Alisa glanced back into the room.
“Yes, she’s been there through thick and thin.”
Alisa reached out and held her hand. “So would I have been—if you’d have let me.”
Alisa’s tender touch caused Hannah to silently gulp, heat rushing through her body. Conflicting feelings took charge. She pulled away and replied, “Somehow that just seemed a little inappropriate, don’t you think?”
Alisa looked at her pleadingly. “No, I don’t. I think it would have been beneficial for both of us.”
“You’re entitled to your opinion, Alisa, but I disagree,” Hannah snapped, taking a sip of her drink.
“You know we’re going to have to get past this if we’re going to work well together,” Alisa stressed.
“I know. I’m here talking to you aren’t I?”
“Please, don’t do me any favours,” Alisa said, placing her glass on a table next to her before wrapping her arms around her chest.
Hannah reached out, touching her arm. The gesture contained an intimacy she hadn’t intended, but the urge was too great. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like it sounded. I don’t want the set to be like a war zone anymore than you do.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” A small laugh danced across Alisa’s face.
“Changing the subject slightly, I see you’re getting on very well with your co-star.” Hannah’s eyes clung to Alisa’s, analysing her reaction.
Alisa’s blue eyes narrowed speculatively. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
“I don’t know. I just hope it’s not going to cause any problems on set.”
Alisa jauntily cocked her head to one side. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Hannah drew her brows together and raised them slightly. “Don’t play coy, Alisa, I’ve seen the way she looks at you. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”
For some reason Hannah desperately needed to hear Alisa deny anything was going on between them. It was crazy but she couldn’t stop the pull of jealousy when she thought of them both together. As well as this, the last thing she needed was for her co-stars to have an off screen love affair. Nine times out of ten it ended in disaster and it did nothing for work relations.
Alisa tilted her head, her eyes weighing Hannah up. “No, nothing is going on.”
Hannah felt a swell of relief, but was flustered as she turned to hear a familiar voice behind her.
“I got you a drink,” Leah’s voice broke in as she edged her way between them and handed Hannah a drink. Typical of Leah, she always turns up when I need her the most, Hannah thought as she took the drink from her.
“Thank you.”
Leah looped her arm through Hannah’s. “Larry’s looking for you. I think we should go and find him.”
Letting Leah guide her back into the party Hannah looked over her shoulder briefly. “I’ll see you on the set on Monday, Alisa.”
“You sure will,” Alisa called out as they disappeared into the crowd.
Hannah didn’t want them to part so soon. Despite the animosity between them, she could have stood there all night talking to her. She just loved being in her company. It had been pretty much like that since the day she was first introduced to her. They had just clicked the way that some people just do sometimes. That’s why she hadn’t minded her spending so much time with Naomi and herself. She was like a drug. You could never get enough of her. She had missed her so much it hurt. In truth, in the past year she hadn’t only been grieving for Naomi but Alisa as well. In spite of the hostility and the stone wall she had built around herself, Hannah missed her presence, her beauty and her friendship.
As the night wore on and the drink flowed, her feelings of hurt and betrayal slowly dissipated. She spotted Alisa on the dance floor. Maybe they should just put it all in the past, knock the walls down that kept their friendship apart. What good does all the hate and anger do now? Hannah thought. Just as she was about to walk over and tell Alisa how she felt, Leah appeared and indicated that their ride home was outside. She gave one more longing glance in Alisa’s direction before leaving the room and the party.
***
The drive back home was silent and Hannah was relieved when she finally let herself into her house. Hearing the TV on in the living room, she thought it rude to go straight to bed. She walked in and wasn’t surprised to see her mother looking slightly unbalanced as she sat on the sofa watching a rerun of the Golden Girls.
“How was your night?” Maggie asked.
“It was good. Mum, can I ask you something?”
“Of course, darling.” Maggie muted the TV and turned to her.
“How long after Dad died did you start dating again?”
She tilted her head and paused thoughtfully for a moment. “Oh, lord. It was quite a while, not because I didn’t want to mind, I just never met anyone who met the same standards your dad had. Why? Are you thinking of dating again?”
“No, I just wondered.”
Maggie’s eyes watered. “Darling, you’re a beautiful talented young woman, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Like my mum told me when your father died—you can’t be unfaithful to a ghost. You’ve got to move on.”
“I know, but it would feel like I was being unfaithful even thinking about someone else.”
Maggie’s features held a grave expression. “It will, darling, but you can’t help who you fall in love with.”
“S’pose not.”
“Now, go to bed, you look tired.”
“Are you not turning in yet?”
“Not yet.”
Hannah stopped at the door. “Mum. . .”
“Yes?”
“Do you get lonely?”
She looked up at her suddenly looking frail and old. “Sometimes, Hannah, sometimes.” she said so sadly that it brought tears to Hannah’s eyes.
Chapter 19
A few miles away, Alisa sat in the darkness of the humid night sharing a bottle of scotch with Bobby and she was far from sad. In the midst of darkness she saw the first glimmer of hope and stirrings of happiness for the first time in ages.
She had left the party shortly after Hannah, seeing as she was the only reason she’d attended in the first place.
“Do you want to share the moment with me?” Bobby asked, as he watched her smiling to herself.
She met his eyes. “I was just thinking, I’ve finally made a breakthrough with Hannah tonight.”
He smiled at her. “Didn’t I say to give it time?”
“Yes, you did.”
He leant forward in his chair to peer closer at her. “Is there something else on your mind?”
She nodded.
“Do you want to share?”
She studied his face, unsure if she should tell him. “You’ll think I’m crazy.”
Bobby rubbed the back of his neck. “Alisa, I’ve known you since your wild teenage years, after the stress you’ve put me through with your antics there’s nothing you could say that would qualify for crazy in your world.”
Before she could stop herself she said quickly, “I’m still in love with Hannah.”
His eyes narrowed in confusion. “Okay, I agree. You’re crazy.”
She folded her arms and gave him a glum look. “See, I told you.”
“What did you think I was going to say? ‘Congratulations can I have front row tickets to watch this car crash?’”
Alisa smoothed back her hair and tied it into a ponytail with the band she had around her wrist. “That’s a bit dramatic, Bobby.”
“Alisa, she thinks you came on to her girlfriend. I don’t think that’s going to be the best foundation for forming a loving trusting relationship.”
“But I didn’t do it.”
“Yes, Alisa, I know that and you know that but you’re not going to tell Hannah that are you? Because if you do, you’ll have to tell her the whole story. Then what? It’s a catch 22. If you’re truthful, you lose points for carrying on the façade for so long. If you carry on lying she will just keep thinking you’re a lowlife traitor.”
“Hey, don’t mince your words, Bobby.”
He rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I’ve always given it to you straight, Alisa. You need to think this through clearly before you start jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Even if you told her the truth about Naomi, where’s the proof? You’re dealing with a dead woman’s ghost, here.” He shook his head slowly, letting out a long sigh. “You know the dead can do no wrong. We remember the best of that person, we don’t want to hear any home truths.”
“I have no intention of tarnishing her memory.”
“It’s a pity she didn’t feel the same way about you.”
“Well, I’m not Naomi and trying to score brownie points isn’t going to help me find my way back into Hannah’s life again.”
“So what are you going to do then?”
There was defiance in her tone as she said, “I don’t know . . . yet.”
***
The morning after effect was in full swing as Hannah awoke and reached for the glass of water beside her bed. Lingering memories of Alisa were at the forefront of her mind. Despite everything, she had been pleased to see her, more than she could have ever imagined. Last night was a reminder of one of the most important friendships she had lost—and for what? What had their friendship been sacrificed for? A roll in the hay with Naomi? Is that how little she had meant to Alisa? With a sense of injustice brewing she banished the thoughts to the back of her mind. She had to get over this. As long as she didn’t put herself in that position again what possible harm could Alisa do to her? She was single and had no plans on rushing into another relationship with anyone any time soon.
Slowly, she pushed the quilt aside, climbed out of bed and headed for a cold shower. Dressing in leggings, T-shirt and trainers, she grabbed her car keys and slipped out of the house. After a twenty minute trip to Waitrose and half an hour in the kitchen, Hannah tapped gently on her mother’s bedroom door.
“Come in,” Maggie called out in response to the knock on the door.
Hannah opened the door with her free hand, using the other to balance the breakfast tray.
Maggie’s eyes opened in surprise as she pushed herself up into a sitting position against the headboard. “What’s brought this on?”
“Can’t I treat you once in a while?” Hannah laid the tray on her lap and sat on the end of the bed. “I thought we’d go shopping today.”
“Where’s my daughter gone?” Maggie giggled as she took a sip of the freshly squeezed orange juice.
Hannah smiled. “Right here. We can stop for lunch at Giuseppe’s if you like?”
“Okay, now really tell me what’s happened.”
“Nothing, once I start filming tomorrow I’m not going to have much time on my hands so. . .” She raised her hands in the air. “Do you want to do something or not?”
Maggie beamed. “Can you imagine me turning down the chance to go shopping with my daughter?—I’d love to. Let me just finish this tray of delights and I’ll get ready.”
“Good,” Hannah said rising to her feet. “See you in a bit.”
She had spent the night questioning herself as a daughter and had realised her mother had been trying to reach out to her for many years and close the gaping hole in their relationship. But she had turned her back on her. Not deliberately—but one thing or another had always seemed to come up. She was determined to improve their relationship before it was too late. Alisa had asked her if she hadn’t learnt anything from Naomi’s death. Thankfully, she had and there was still time to make amends with her mother, after all, she was all she had left.
Chapter 20
Traffic was light considering it was the morning rush hour in central London. The location manager had managed to find the perfect place for the shoot not far from where she lived. Hannah’s black Lexus pulled up to the large metal gates and she outstretched her arm with the pass key. Slowly the gates opened and she edged her way forward onto the cobbled road. She could already see a lot of action going on. Steve, the key grip, was busily unloading equipment from a large van with the help of a number of other grips. His long hair was pulled back in a ponytail and the blue jeans he wore were pushed down into black motorcycle boots—he looked like he was part of a crew for a heavy metal band. He turned when he heard the sound of her car and gave her a wide friendly smile as he recognised the driver.
She waved at him as she pulled her car up into an empty space before reaching back behind her, grabbing the storyboards she would be working from that d
ay. She looked up at the elegant Victorian building in front of her. It was an old mill house built in the 1800s that had been renovated into luxury warehouse apartments. Many of the scenes would be filmed here, in addition to two other locations in the Cotswolds and some at the studio.
She stepped from her car just as Leah was pulling into the car park. Relief swept through her as she gave a small wave and waited until she parked up beside her.
“Well, today’s the big day. How’re you feeling?” Leah asked.
“Nervous as hell.”
“Don’t worry, I’m here. Everything is set up for the first shoot in the kitchen. All you have to do is what you do best—that’s to bring the story to life.”
“Thanks for your vote of confidence. I need it.”
“No, you don’t, you’re going to be fine. Have you eaten anything this morning?”
“I ate some toast.”
“When we get upstairs, I suggest you eat something a little more substantial. We don’t want you fainting on set.”
Hannah said nothing as she followed Leah towards the building and through the glass door to the lift. Within minutes they stepped out straight into the smartly furnished penthouse apartment. She was thrilled with what she saw. The production designer had done wonders—it was just as she’d envisaged. Natural light flooded the open plan modern kitchen, which was exactly what she had been looking for when they had been scouting for a place to shoot. She didn’t want anything dark which would carry bad connotations. She was pleased to see that all of the equipment fitted comfortably within the setting. The high ceilings would give her a great advantage when it came to shooting above the actors. She walked around exploring the apartment, stopping frequently to admire a piece of artwork or furnishings before ending up in the living room.
To the side of the room, out of the way of the set, a long table was jammed with an assortment of croissants, cereals and jugs of fresh orange juice.
