No Matter What

by Michelle Betham

  Bobby was fiercely protective of India now. He’d watched her get used to a new life on her own, watched as she’d brought up Ethan to be the stable, polite and funny little boy that he was and he wanted to make sure of the people who came into his Godson’s life. He’d made it his duty to keep a very close eye on that situation, so India knew that if any new women had been on the scene then Bobby would have known about it. The only thing that worried her was how concerned she actually was that it could happen. She shouldn’t be bothered, but she was. Michael being with somebody else was something she just didn’t want to think about.

  “I’ll go get him myself then,” India said, picking up toys from the floor and throwing them into a large toy box in the corner.

  “He’s with Bobby, come on. He’ll be fine for another few minutes. Come over here.”

  She turned to look at Kenny as he lay on her sofa, smiling as he sat there with that same self-assured look on his face that he’d always had. He was forty-three years old now but the one thing India had always loved about Kenny was the fact he’d never conformed to age. He still wore his hair slightly longer, still had the scruffy beard and that rock star look about him and he was still the most incredibly handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on. They had the most complicated and misunderstood relationship that anyone could ever have but she couldn’t think of a life without him in it.

  They didn’t live together. India wasn’t willing to make that commitment just yet. They weren’t even in what you could call a “proper” relationship, but having said, that he stayed over most nights. He shared her bed, they sometimes made love, and that suited her just fine right now. She didn’t want or need anything serious and with Kenny it could be anything she wanted it to be. She wanted it to be best friends with benefits. Nothing more. Not yet. Despite what was written about them.

  “If I come over there you’ll distract me again, Kenny, and we haven’t got time.”

  She had to get Ethan ready for a night at Michael’s while they went to the premiere of India’s latest movie in Los Angeles. She’d become the queen of romantic comedies in Hollywood over the years and they were something she loved doing, but this particular movie was a bit of a departure from all of that into a much darker role for her, the role of a tough L.A. cop who falls in love with a man she arrests for the murder of his wife. Maybe it had been her state of mind at the time that had made her take on such a role but, whatever the reason, she was glad she had. She hadn’t done a really serious movie for a while and she wanted to show people she could still do something other than comedy. This role had also given her the outlet she’d badly needed to channel all the anger and aggression she’d kept bottled up inside into something positive. She was really proud of what she’d done. People were already talking about nominations and awards but India was just happy to have done something worth talking about other than the state of her private life.

  “Mommy! Mommy! Look, I’ve caught a crab, look!”

  Ethan came bounding into the house, all flushed and happy in one of his now favourite tiny custom-made rock band t-shirts – Van Halen today - and cut-off jeans, his dark hair covered by a baseball cap that he was wearing backwards.

  India looked into the bucket he was holding out to her.

  “That’s lovely, sweetheart, but you can’t keep it. It won’t survive in here. Give it to Bobby and he’ll go put it back.”

  “Can Bobby have a rest first?” Bobby panted, holding onto his waist as he tried to get his breath back. “It may have escaped your notice, but I’ve just spent the past hour and a half trying to keep up with a three year old and that’s not easy when you’re an incredibly unfit forty-one year old queen.”

  “I’m not three!” Ethan protested, looking at Bobby with a stern look on his face. “I’m three and three quarters.” He held out the bucket. “Mommy says can you put this back.” He looked at India. “Aren’t I, mommy?”

  “Aren’t you what, baby?”

  “Three and three quarters!” He sounded almost exasperated and India tried not to laugh.

  “Yes darling, you are.” She took the bucket from him and gave it to Bobby. “Can you just stick it back in the sea, please? He’s got to get ready for his dad’s.”

  “Sure. No problem, princess.” He took the bucket and turned Ethan’s cap round the right way. “You’re your mother’s son alright. And wear that thing properly, you’re not about to break into a rap. Honestly, nearly four and he’s already ignoring all my fashion advice.”

  India couldn’t help laughing now. She certainly wasn’t living in a conventional set-up here but she loved the little family they’d all created. It was working fine and Ethan was happy and, at the end of the day, that was all that mattered.

  She watched as he ran over to Kenny, throwing himself at him for a hug.

  “Uncle Kenny!”

  “Hey, kiddo!”

  “Uncle Kenny, can you take me to daddy’s today?”

  India immediately looked over at Kenny, shaking her head. Kenny pulled Ethan onto his knee and took off his cap, ruffling his dark hair, hair that was probably a little longer than the average soon-to-be-four-year-old-boy’s but he liked it that way. He was a little rock star after all, and he had his image to think of.

  “Me and mommy have to go out tonight, kiddo, so granddad’s gonna take you. And, guess what? I’ve heard a little rumour that he might even be taking you for pizza on the way if he hears you’ve been a good boy and done everything mommy’s told you to do.”

  Ethan’s eyes widened and he climbed off Kenny’s knee, running over to India, who crouched down to scoop him up into her arms.

  “Can I have pizza, mommy? Can I?”

  She kissed him quickly, laughing. “Of course you can, baby. As long as you go and pack your bag and make sure you’ve got everything you need for daddy’s because granddad’s going to be here any second now.”

  “Granddad’s already here,” Reece smiled, walking into the kitchen as India put Ethan down and he ran straight over to Reece for a hug. “Hey little guy! Have you had a good day?”

  “I’ve been on the beach with Bobby and we caught crabs.”

  India had to stifle another laugh as Reece looked at her. “He caught a crab in his bucket. It’s back in the sea now.”

  “Are we having pizza, granddad?”

  “We are. Have you got all your things together?”

  He clambered down from Reece’s arms and ran off towards the door, but then stopped and turned around, looking at India.

  “Mommy, why don’t you ever take me to daddy’s? My friend Connor’s mommy and daddy don’t live together either but she still takes Connor to his daddy’s.”

  India felt her heart miss a beat. She didn’t know how to answer that, she hadn’t been prepared for anything like this. Kenny got up and came over to Ethan.

  “Come on, kiddo. I’ll help you get your stuff together; it’ll be quicker with two of us.”

  India mouthed “thank you” at Kenny as Ethan ran after him up the stairs to his room.

  Reece looked at her. “Has he asked that before?”

  She shook her head, busying herself tidying plates and cups away. “It was only a matter of time, I suppose. Before he started asking questions. I should have known it would happen. He’s at that age.”

  “What are you going to tell him?”

  She looked at Reece. “How the hell should I know? He’s three years old, what am I supposed to tell him?”

  Reece poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned back against the counter. “It’s a problem isn’t it? Especially when you haven’t even told the rest of us the truth.”

  She slammed the drawer she’d had open shut and started clearing away more plates from the breakfast bar.

  “You’ve been having this conversation with me for the past three year’s, dad. There’s nothing more to tell you.”

  “I don’t believe that for one minute, India. Couples split up all the time, I buy that. But you won
’t even talk to Michael on the ‘phone let alone take your son to see him. That’s what I’m not getting.”

  “It’s just better that way, ok? I don’t want to see him and I don’t want to talk to him, and that’s all there is to it.”

  “Well, you might be able to say that to me but you’ve got a child that’s started asking questions and you’re going to have to tell him something … Michael asks about you all the time you know.”

  “Does he now.” She started loading the dishwasher, not really wanting to have this conversation. Her stylists, hair and make-up team would be here soon. She needed to think about getting ready.

  “Yes. He does.”

  “Tell him to read the papers. I’m in them enough.”

  “He won’t say anything either.”

  India looked up. “You’ve asked him about it?”

  “About what?”

  India knew what Reece was doing but it wasn’t going to work. He wasn’t going to catch her out.

  “Look, dad, I really don’t want to talk about it, ok? I’ll handle Ethan, I’ll think of something but, please ... not now. I just want to get through tonight.”

  Reece pulled her into his arms for a hug, kissing her forehead. “I only nag because I love you, India. All I want is for you to be happy, and I thought you were happy with Michael.”

  “Yes, well, things can change can’t they,” she said, pulling away from him.

  “Are you and Kenny ok?” Reece asked, getting himself another coffee.

  “Of course we’re ok. We’re fine.”

  “India ... look, I know this sounds like me nagging again but, you and Kenny ...”

  She looked at her dad, leaning back against the breakfast bar, folding her arms. “What about us?”

  “It’s confusing. For Ethan, I mean.”

  “In what way? Ethan loves Kenny, you know he does.”

  “I don’t mean that, I know he loves him. I mean, what the two of you have is confusing for him. Kenny doesn’t live here but he stays over all the time, and the two of you say you’re not a couple but the press and media have got you down as one. What’s Ethan supposed to make of that?”

  “Nothing. He’s too young to read the papers.”

  “Don’t be flippant, India.”

  She sighed, pushing a hand through her hair. “Did Michael put you up to this?”

  “No. No, he didn’t but he has a right to know, where his son’s concerned.”

  India turned away and started gathering together some discarded toys. “He has no rights at all. None.”

  “India ...”

  “End of subject, dad. Just leave it. Please.” She put the toys down on the counter top and made her way to the stairs. “I’ll go and get Ethan, then I’ve got to start getting ready.”

  Reece watched her go, now more sure than ever that, even after more than three years, his daughter still wasn’t over her ex-husband. She’d made that more than obvious. But there was more to this break-up than she was letting on, Reece knew that. Whatever had happened had held her back for so long but she needed to move on now, she needed to start moving forward, for Ethan’s sake as well as her own. She needed to move on, but what worried Reece more than anything was whether or not she even wanted to, because from what he could see, even after all this time, she hadn’t moved all that far. She hadn’t moved all that far at all.

  CHAPTER 52

  “I hate not drinking,” Charley moaned, as India handed her another non-alcoholic cocktail.

  “Yes, well, I’ve been there so I sympathise but it’s worth it in the end. Believe me.”

  Charley had just found out she was two months pregnant and was still somewhat in shock. A bit like Vince had been when Charley had told him, although he was fast getting used to the idea, but India was more than excited for the pair of them. The fairytale was continuing for Charley and India couldn’t have been happier for her.

  “If I have a kid half as cute as Ethan I’ll be over the moon,” Charley said. “His accent is just so adorable!”

  “Isn’t it?” India laughed. “Who’d have thought that us two Geordie girls would end up living in the U.S.A. and having kids with cute as hell American accents?”

  Charley looked at India. Her famous friend looked stunning tonight on a night that was totally hers. Thirty-eight years old and still absolutely beautiful, she looked incredible in a simple outfit of figure-hugging jeans, extremely high-heeled boots and a strapless top, her long blonde hair hanging loose over her shoulders from underneath a black bandana. She’d never given up that rock-chick look, it had always been hers and she carried it off perfectly. Charley knew she’d never get away with it, she’d always been more of a girlie-girl, but when India and Kenny had walked that red carpet, him in jeans, biker boots and a white t-shirt, all rock star swagger and attitude, they’d looked like the perfect couple. Even though Charley had her doubts that they were. She knew they slept together on a regular basis, she knew India loved him in some kind of way, but what it was exactly that they had was still a mystery to anyone. Even them, she suspected.

  “Is Ethan at Michael’s tonight then?” Charley asked, taking a sip of her cocktail, which wasn’t all that bad for something lacking alcohol.

  India nodded, looking around the room. It had been a good night and this post-premiere party was just what she’d needed after months of work and little time off. The press and paparazzi had wanted the inevitable photographs of her and Kenny, of course, which happened every time they went anywhere together and they’d got them, but the movie had also been received extremely well and that meant more to her than anything.

  “Is that who I think it is?” India asked, squinting slightly as she tried to get a better look at a familiar face across the other side of the room.

  “Who?” Charley said, following India’s gaze. “Oh, my God! It is, you know. Has she had her hair cut?”

  “Layla Boyd. I was wondering what had happened to her.”

  Once it had come out that Layla Boyd had been the woman that Michael Walsh had slept with, the woman who’d helped break up his marriage, her career had gone on somewhat of a downward spiral. Kenny had dropped her like a shot, for starters, letting her know in no uncertain terms that he wanted her out of his life. She’d managed to bag herself a ‘Viper’ shoot on the back of the scandal and it had sold millions because she’d decided to be far less subtle than India had been during her shoot all those years ago, but after that she’d all but disappeared. Word on the street had been that her father just couldn’t get her the work anymore, and the contacts that Michael had initially given her just hadn’t wanted to know, so she’d turned to soft porn and glamour modelling.

  She didn’t look a lot different to how India remembered her. If anything she was even more obvious than she had been before. Her hair was, indeed, a little shorter, but still as big, and that wasn’t the only thing. Even from across the room India could tell she’d had her breasts enlarged. Far too much in India’s opinion. Her clothes were still too short, still too tight, and her make-up still far too thick and heavy because, the sad thing was, that underneath all that front Layla Boyd was actually a very pretty young woman.

  As far as India was aware, after everything that had happened, she’d never tried to go near Michael again. The thought of him being with her in the first place still hurt but it would have been so much worse if he’d gone to her again.

  Tonight was the first time India had seen her out and about in Hollywood, and she suspected it was more to do with who she was with than anything else because Layla Boyd certainly hadn’t been on the guest list. But the man she was with most definitely was.

  “Who is he?” Charley asked. “He is gorgeous!”

  “JJ Foster,” India replied. Charley just gave her a questioning look. “Don’t you watch ‘Covert One’?”

  ‘Covert One’ was a new TV show that had only been on screen in the U.S. for a few weeks but it was gaining in popularity by the day. It told the story
of a secret undercover Police unit that were called upon to investigate strange and unexplained events in and around Los Angeles, and it was tipped to be huge, with broadcast in the U.K. happening just days after it was shown in the U.S. gaining it fans on both sides of the Atlantic. It had also catapulted JJ Foster well into the limelight.

  Thirty-three years old, 6ft 2 inches tall with short, dark brown hair and eyes to match, JJ Foster was very, very good looking, classically handsome, and that never hurt when it came to catching the female viewer’s eye. And he’d certainly built up a bit of a female following as far as India was aware.

  Charley turned her attention back to JJ, who was now talking to Kenny.

  “No. I don’t watch it. But I might just start. He’s dreamy.” She looked at India. “Do you know him?”

  India shook her head. “No. Kenny does, a bit, but I’ve never met him before.”

  “I wouldn’t mind meeting him,” Charley said, not taking her eyes off the handsome young actor.

  “Charley!” India laughed. “You’re a married woman with a baby on the way!”

  “Call it my hormones.” She looked at India again. “How do you know so much about all this anyway? When do you get time to sit down and follow a TV series?”

  “I don’t. I usually wait for the boxed sets. But I’ve been doing my research for a reason in this case. They want me to guest star in a few episodes of ‘Covert One’.”

  “But you’ve never done TV work before, have you?”

  “No. But there’s no reason why I shouldn’t.”

  “Are you going to do it then?”

  “I haven’t made my mind up yet.”

  “Do you get to snog Mr Gorgeous over there?”

  India laughed. “Why do I feel about twelve years old around you sometimes? Oh, hang on. Look.” She nudged Charley. “Barbie’s coming over.”

  Layla approached them, smiling that smug smile of hers and batting her false eyelashes, although quite who she was batting them at India had no idea. It wasn’t as if she and Charley were going to be impressed.