“I do trust her.”
“Then why the fuck are you asking me to do this?”
Michael pushed a hand through his hair and sighed, looking away for a second. He’d never told anyone about Kenny and India’s brief affair, never told anyone he knew about it. And he’d never really got over it, which is why the idea of leaving her alone with Kenny Ross while he was in L.A. was messing with his head big time.
“They had an affair.”
Vince looked up. “Who did? India and Kenny?”
Michael nodded.
Vince sat down on the edge of one of the huge cream sofas. “When?”
Michael leaned back against the window, folding his arms, staring at the floor. “Back in ‘97. When she went to the U.K., just after our trip to New York. The trip where I asked her to marry me. I was in L.A. and he flew straight out there to be with her.”
“I didn’t know,” Vince said quietly.
Michael looked back up at him. “No, well, nobody did.”
“Does she know ...?”
Michael shook his head. “No. She has no idea I know, no-one does. And I don’t ever want her to find out.”
Vince sat back and looked at his friend. “It was 1997, Michael. A lot’s happened since then. A hell of a lot.”
“It doesn’t matter when it happened, Vince; the fact is that it did. They slept together and I have to deal with that.”
“You know that, do you? You know for definite that they slept together?”
“Oh come on, he’s not going to fly thousands of miles to another country just to talk to her, is he?”
Vince stood up and went over to Michael. “Look, you’re torturing yourself over something that happened years ago. For fuck’s sake, Michael, she’s your wife! And she’s a professional. They’re making a movie together, that’s all. They’re friends and you’re never gonna change that so you’ve got to get used to this. Or you’ll lose her. No-one is gonna spy on her, least of all me, so don’t ask me to do that, ok?”
Michael sat down and put his head in his hands for a second as Vince poured them both another drink. “What am I doing, Vince?”
Vince sat down beside him and handed him the glass.
“I can’t lose her. I can’t, not now. Not after everything we’ve been through. But Kenny Ross ...”
“Forget Kenny Ross. She loves you, Michael. She loves you, it’s obvious, anyone can see that, but if you let her know you feel like this ... look, just sort it out, ok? This really is nothing to worry about, and India doesn’t need a bodyguard. She just needs a husband who trusts her.”
Michael knocked back his drink in one go. “It isn’t her I have the problem with, Vince.”
Vince stood up, making his way to the door. “Sort it out, Michael. I mean it. Now get in there and be with your wife. I’ll see you both for dinner later, ok?”
Michael nodded, sitting back and staring out of the window again as Vince let himself out.
Vince was right, of course. If India thought for one second that he was this obsessed with her and Kenny she’d back off like a shot and he couldn’t afford to let that happen.
Sighing heavily he got up and walked over to the mirror, looking at his reflection. He looked good, his tan was coming back, what was he worried about? But he knew, even as he made his way to the bathroom, knowing his beautiful wife was naked and waiting for him, he knew that this constant fight, this never ending battle for her love, it was never going to be over. And he’d just have to make sure he was ready for the long haul.
***
Kenny walked through the casino of the Maine Resort Hotel, smiling at people, signing autographs and having his photograph taken with anyone who asked. He was in a good mood, a very good mood, and looking forward to getting to work on this movie. He hadn’t done a comedy in a while, it wasn’t what he was best known for, but he couldn’t wait to get started on this one, and working alongside India - his best friend - well, that was a massive bonus, especially in Vegas.
India Walsh. He still couldn’t get used to calling her that. Or maybe he just liked to try and forget that she was married to Michael. She hadn’t had to take his name of course, and Kenny had been quite surprised that she had. But she’d been through a lot, and at the time they’d got married she’d still been quite fragile, still quite dependent on Michael. She’d wanted a new start and taking his name had obviously been part of that. But she hadn’t taken Kenny’s name when they’d been married. She hadn’t even mentioned the idea.
But things had changed since then. India had changed, but then, she’d had to really. He just longed for those times they spent together when the old India would come out, and surely with a few weeks in Las Vegas, most of them without her husband, the old India was bound to make a re-appearance. He smiled at the thought. They’d hang out together, they could go clubbing, take in some shows, check out some gigs. It was gonna be fun.
He was on his way to a meeting with the director, with India joining them once she’d settled into her villa. Then it was a night on the town for Kenny. Vince had invited him to the dinner he was hosting in his own private apartment within the hotel but Kenny didn’t feel like it. Although spending the evening with India was something he wouldn’t usually turn down, he didn’t much fancy spending it with her husband, father and his girlfriend too. No, Kenny was in the mood to go and explore what Las Vegas had to offer him. After all, he was a single guy with no ties who just wanted a bit of fun, and if Vegas couldn’t offer him that then nowhere could.
***
India sat on the bed dressed in low slung jeans and a Foo Fighters t-shirt, pulling her hair up into a messy ponytail while Michael lay back watching her.
“Do you have to go to this meeting?” he asked, knowing that she did, of course. She had a movie to shoot; this wasn’t a vacation for her.
“You know I do.” She knelt astride him, kissing him quickly. “I won’t be long. You might as well get some rest; get your energy back before tonight.”
He smiled at her, wishing they could just spend the rest of the afternoon here in bed. He still hadn’t felt like he was all caught up on things since his arrival back home.
“Get my energy back? You make me sound like some old guy. You don’t wear me out that much y’know, kiddo.” He grabbed her waist and tickled her, making her laugh out loud and wriggle around in his arms until she finally broke free, jumping off the bed.
“Yeah, well old man, just take the opportunity to grab that extra shut eye, ok?”
He threw a pillow at her as she ran into the en-suite to check her make-up. She didn’t really need it but she was venturing out into the hotel and people were bound to recognise her. She didn’t mind having her photograph taken with anyone – even though her publicity people and her personal assistant sometimes despaired at the amount of times she’d stop and talk to everyone who wanted to ask her something – she just didn’t want to look like crap.
Her “team” – including Bobby, her thirty-five year old extremely professional personal assistant, and Scott, her hairdresser and make-up artist – were arriving tomorrow morning, and she couldn’t wait to see Bobby again. He was bound to have a boat load of messages and things for her to see to, he always did, but he was such a good laugh and a joy to have working with her. She’d been lucky to get him.
Bobby Castle was pretty much in demand over in Hollywood due to not only his fierce loyalty and extreme professionalism, but also because he knew how to have a good time, as well as get the job done. He’d only become available because the actress he’d been working for had tragically died two years ago, leaving him out there on the open market with a barrage of people pushing themselves forward to get him on board. But when he’d heard that India Walsh was looking for a new personal assistant he was going nowhere else. And so a friendship had been born, and a working partnership made in heaven was created. She’d never been that fussed about becoming that close to any of the assistants she’d had before – everything ha
d always been kept on a purely professional level - but with Bobby it was different. He went everywhere with her, saw to anything she wanted and was always there when he was needed, he organised her life, basically, and although she’d managed quite nicely without him before, she didn’t think she could function without him now. He wasn’t just an employee; he was also one of her closest friends. 6ft tall, dark haired and extremely handsome, India loved him to death and, because Bobby Castle was gay, nobody, not even Michael, batted an eyelid over how close they were.
Smiling at her reflection in the mirror she deemed herself presentable enough and went back out into the bedroom, finding Michael now fast asleep, one arm flung up over his head as he slept. Michael Walsh, respected and multi-talented actor, director and producer and now her husband. Sometimes she’d look at him and she still couldn’t believe everything that had happened, everything they’d been through. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe the world she lived in if she was honest, she couldn’t believe who she was, that her father was Reece Brogan and that she was married to a man she’d used to watch in the cinema all those years ago. There were days when it all still felt very surreal.
She looked at Michael again, walking over to the bed and leaning over to kiss his mouth, that beautiful, sexy mouth that she never got tired of kissing; stroking the face he seemed so worried about lately. So he was getting older, she didn’t care. So he had more lines around his eyes, what did that matter?
Whilst he’d been away in the U.K. filming she’d watched an episode of a very popular sitcom that Michael had guest starred in, a reminder to her of the very funny, very talented man that she’d fallen in love with. She’d recorded it and watched it back four times in one night, partly because she’d been missing him like crazy and just wanted to see him, and partly because he’d looked so handsome in it. Michael Walsh had never been pin-up material, not really. He’d never been classed as a Reece Brogan or even a Kenny Ross. He’d always had more of a quirky quality about him, but there’d always been something there, something that still made women want him. And it was quite obvious to a lot of people, not just India, that he was getting better with age. A lot of the magazines and media were saying that having a wife sixteen years his junior was making him work that much harder at looking good, which India knew did nothing for his mid-life crisis paranoia, and she didn’t know if that was true or not, all she knew was that she loved him now probably more than she ever had. And she loved the man not the movie star.
Kissing him one more time, and taking one last look at him, she smiled to herself again before checking her watch and running out of the room and out of the villa, making her way through the lush gardens and along the winding pathways that led to the hotel.
She was a bit later than she would have liked to have been, picking up the pace as she ran through the hotel lobby, bumping straight into Reece.
“Hey, where you off to in such a rush?” he laughed.
“Sorry. I’m late for a meeting. Without Bobby here to push me out the door I’m lucky to be getting there at all.” She smiled at him. “You settling in ok?”
He smiled back, looking at his daughter, the effortless way in which she could look so good for any occasion never ceasing to amaze him.
“Yes, we’re settling in fine. The suite’s fantastic. Martha’s already unpacked and checking out the shops, I’m just on my way to meet her for a drink now. Come on, I’ll walk with you.”
She linked her arm through his as they walked, father and daughter together.
“Where’s Michael?” Reece asked, surprised to see her without him.
“Asleep.”
“Asleep?” He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “No, don’t tell me, I don’t want to know. Have you seen Kenny yet?”
“I’ve spoken to him on the ‘phone but I haven’t seen him yet.”
“Are you looking forward to working with him again? It’s the first time you’ve done anything together since that very first film we all did ten years ago.”
She leaned in against him as they walked through the crowded hotel lobby. “Yeah, I am kind of looking forward to it. I love doing comedies, and to be able to work here in Vegas, in Vince’s hotel, with my best friend, it’s a dream come true. I’m going to miss Michael, though. All that time apart then just a few days together and we’re separated again.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll keep my eye on him for you,” Reece smiled, and she laughed.
“Thanks, dad. But I’m going to be flying back to L.A. at every possible opportunity. I’ve really missed him these past few months. Really missed him.”
Reece kissed her cheek and squeezed her shoulder. “You’re in love, sweetheart. You’re always going to miss him when you’re not together ... oh, there’s Martha.”
He waved at her and she came running over to them, immediately embracing India.
“You joining us for a drink, honey?”
“I can’t, Martha. I’ve got a meeting I should have been at five minutes ago.”
“What about that husband of yours? Does he fancy some company while you’re working?”
“He’s asleep so I’ve just left him to it.”
She smiled. “You worn that poor guy out already?”
“Martha!” Reece scolded, but she just continued to smile, kissing his cheek.
“You’re both coming to Vince’s dinner tonight though, aren’t you?”
“Yes, of course we are. Once I’ve got this meeting out of the way I can relax for the rest of the day. So, I’m out of here. See you guys later.”
Martha looked at Reece as India ran off across the lobby, stopping briefly to sign a couple of autographs.
“She looks tired.”
“She works too hard,” Reece said, taking Martha’s hand. “She always has done.”
“Well, she probably gets that from you, honey. I’ll organise the masseur to come over to her villa tomorrow. She could do with a bit of pampering before she starts work on this movie.”
“Martha ...”
She looked at him, still smiling. “What is it, baby?”
He couldn’t help smiling back. “Nothing. I just love you, that’s all.”
She stood up on tip-toes and kissed him quickly. “That’s good. Because I love you too. Now, come on. I could murder a gin and tonic.”
***
It was news Charley hadn’t been able to avoid. How could she? The news that a major Hollywood movie was being shot in and around the hotel had had everyone buzzing for months. And the news that Kenny Ross would be on-site for a number of weeks had most of the girl’s going wild, but not Charley. Charley had already had the Kenny Ross experience and all it reminded her of were bad times. That night had been the catalyst for the nightmare that had become her life afterwards, and although she now knew that Kenny had done more than he’d ever needed to in helping Terry try and get her away from Jimmy, she had no desire to go down that road again. She had a new life now, a life she loved and anything from the past almost filled her with fear now, a fear that things could go backwards. So she never really thought about it that much anymore. Except for one person. The only person she really wanted to see, the only person from her past that she couldn’t and didn’t want to forget was India. Charley couldn’t really settle until she’d at least tried to talk to her but it had always felt like something so out of reach, something she’d never be able to do, which is why she’d all but given up on the idea. But India was here now, she was in Vegas, she was in this hotel. Charley had a chance she couldn’t waste. And she also had one very big advantage in her favour when it came to getting close to India this time. This time Charley had Vince Maine.
CHAPTER 32
India watched from the terrace of the breakfast restaurant as Michael signed autographs and talked to the growing crowd around the poolside, making them laugh just like he did her and she smiled, pulling her sunglasses down over her eyes and moving her chair further underneath the umbrella. It was a beau
tiful, sunny but extremely hot day and she was glad they were filming inside this morning.
She’d now started shooting her movie with Kenny but she and Michael had still managed to spend a lot of time together over the past few days, and it had been wonderful having him around after so long apart. The only problem was that she got used to it, she always did. She got used to sleeping with him, got used to waking up with him there and it only made the fact that they were going to be separated again very soon that much harder to deal with. He was going back home to L.A. tomorrow and she was trying really hard not to think about it. She knew that, after a couple of days, the routine would set in again and she’d just get on with it, as they always had done, but the actual leaving each other was always the hard part.
She was thinking of asking Bobby to stay with her in the villa, mainly for company and the fact he could always take her mind off missing Michael and that was a distraction she really needed. She was good at giving out this strong, independent vibe but inside she was really still someone who just wanted to be looked after by the man she loved.
She took a sip of her grapefruit juice and sat back in her chair, continuing to watch Michael as he chatted to another group of people, getting his photograph taken with an excitable middle-aged woman, making her squeal out loud as he kissed her cheek. India laughed quietly. He was such a flirt in these situations and she loved watching him in action. He was looking good today too, his newly-acquired tan showing up well against the white of his shirt, that smile of his almost never off his face. She just wished they could go back to the villa and finish what they’d started half an hour ago. If she hadn’t got out of bed when she had she may never have got up at all. Well, not until Bobby came looking for her, anyway. If she was even just seconds late for anything he’d send out a search party.
“You do know you’re due in make-up in a matter of minutes, don’t you?” Bobby appeared from the French doors behind her and sat down opposite, pouring himself a glass of juice. She couldn’t help smiling. She loved the way he didn’t treat her like a movie star and act like some sycophant around her. What you saw was what you got and that’s what India loved about him. You always knew where you were with Bobby Castle. Straight talking was his speciality.
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