His plan wasn’t ready to be put into action just yet but the foundation’s were set, the wheels were already in motion, but it wasn’t something that could be put into place quickly. He was going to have to be patient if he wanted this to work, and he knew that if it did work, if he managed to pull this off without India finding out what he was doing then it was going to become inevitable that she had no choice left but to face him. He had the necessary power in Hollywood to make sure it happened if he just stayed patient. Sometimes, though, he felt that the longer he was leaving it the harder the task in hand was going to be because she had a new life now, a new man, and that wasn’t making things any easier.
But he was ready, and no matter what it took, he’d fight to get her back. Back where she belonged. With him. Layla was nothing but a brief, albeit very pleasant, way to pass the time until India was back in his life. Because that’s where she’d be, eventually. Back in his life. No matter what.
CHAPTER 60
2009
India stood in front of the mirror and looked at her reflection. Her skin was tanned, her blonde hair now sat much shorter on her shoulders in a messed-up choppy bob and, despite her forty-one years, she looked a good decade younger. She still thanked her famous father’s genes for that much needed gift, because today she wanted to look beautiful. Today she wanted to be the perfect woman; she wanted to be a princess. Today of all days she wanted that.
“You look stunning.”
She turned round and smiled at her handsome father. Sixty-two years old and still one hell of a looker. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
Reece laughed, walking over to his daughter, kissing her cheek gently. “You, my beautiful girl, look incredible.”
“Do you think anyone knows, dad? Do you think anyone’s found out?”
Reece shook his head. “Nobody knows, sweetheart. I promise you. We had the best people organise every aspect of this and they won’t let us down. Everything has gone according to plan so stop worrying. It’s all in hand.” He smiled at her. “Please. Stop worrying. Everything is going to be perfect.”
She smiled too, trying to relax but still feeling a little on edge that their secret may have been leaked out there somewhere. They’d worked so hard to keep everything under wraps, to make sure that only those that had been told were here today. It was just something they’d wanted. They’d wanted a day that was beautiful and quiet and just for them. No cameras. No media circus. No publicity.
Bobby walked into the room, stopping dead in his tracks as he looked at India, gasping out loud. “Oh – my - God! My princess really is a princess.” He dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief he’d pulled out of his shirt pocket. “Looking at you standing there, it’s hard to believe you’re a middle-aged mother.”
India stuck her tongue out at him. “And you’re an old queen with a Puerto Rican toy boy who lies about his age and has an obsession with botox.”
“Ooh, you hit below the belt sometimes, missy. And I don’t have the monopoly on toy boys now, do I? Speaking of which, yours is looking particularly gorgeous down there. Nerves suit him. I could watch him pace that floor for hours, preferably from behind though, that suit he’s wearing is such a perfect fit.”
India felt her stomach flip at the mention of JJ. Her wonderful, beautiful Joseph Joshua. The man she was about to marry any minute now in a ceremony that had been kept so secret that even the few people that had been invited had only got to know about it two days ago.
“Is he ok?” India asked, desperately wanting to see him. They hadn’t even been apart last night, not really, anyway. They’d been in the same house but not sleeping in the same room. A small nod at tradition, but she hadn’t really slept much at all anyhow, a mixture of nerves and excitement had kept her from getting any real rest.
Bobby started fussing around her, arranging her dress and checking her make-up. “He’s fine. Really, he’s fine. A little pale maybe, looks like he’s about to bolt at any second ...”
“Bobby! That’s not funny,” India laughed, punching him gently.
“He’s not going anywhere, angel. He’d be mad to even think about it. I mean, look at you! If I wasn’t gay I’m marry you myself, even if you are challenging Elizabeth Taylor for the amount of husband’s you can have in one lifetime.”
Reece stood back and watched the now familiar banter going on between his daughter and her P.A., although Bobby had long since surpassed being just an employee. He was one of India’s closest friends, Godfather to her son and a very much loved friend of the family. Infact, he practically was part of the family now.
“Bobby, do I really look ok?”
He stood in front of her, folding his arms, looking at her sternly. “Do you really need to be told, angel? Because, let me tell you, when Mr Handsome takes his first look at you out there he is literally going to stop breathing. Oh God, I’m filling up again … Reece, pass me another handkerchief will you?”
Reece walked over to Bobby and gave him a hug, which made India giggle slightly. She’d never seen her dad hug Bobby before and it looked kind of sweet.
“I think we need champagne, don’t you?” he said to Bobby, who looked up and nodded, wiping his eyes.
“I’ll go get some.”
Reece turned to India. “He’s right you know. Joseph is a very lucky man. Very lucky indeed.”
India smiled at the way her father always referred to JJ as Joseph. Never Joe, and certainly never JJ, it was always Joseph. And it always made her smile.
She turned and looked in the full length mirror again. She was wearing an ivory, strapless floor length gown specially designed for her. It was beautiful, elegant and fitted her like a glove, hugging every curve, flowing out at the back in a small train. Her hair was loose and tousled and she wore a small yet beautiful tiara with a short veil that hung down her back just past her shoulders. Teamed with very high strappy ivory sandals and exquisite make-up in natural tones, she looked every inch the perfect bride. She just wanted JJ to think she looked perfect too.
“I’m the lucky one, dad,” she said, turning back around to look at him. “He came into my life and made me forget all that had hurt me. And then he gave me so much more.”
She turned around as Charley came into the room carrying the most beautiful fourteen month old baby girl, followed closely by a very over-excited six year old Ethan and a just as excited two year old Lily, who’d turned into an amazing little toddler who already had the drive and ambition of her businessman father. Nobody messed with her, that was for sure, and she already had Ethan wrapped around her little finger.
The baby Charley was carrying was dressed in the most gorgeous tiny pink and white dress and baby baseball boots, a matching pink bandana covering her dark brown hair. She was the image of her daddy, sharing the same dark eyes, the same beautiful mouth, although she had her dummy stuck in that at the moment.
India looked over and the biggest smile spread across her face as she saw her baby girl. Ellie Amber Foster had been born at the beginning of September 2008 and she was the most welcomed, most loved baby there could ever have been. For a number of reasons.
India and JJ hadn’t exactly been trying for a baby, but then, they hadn’t exactly been protecting against it either, so, when she’d fallen pregnant whilst filming season two of ‘Covert One’ it hadn’t really come as a surprise to her and JJ at all. But once filming had finished, India had taken a break from work altogether and concentrated totally on family life, spending some much-needed time with Ethan and JJ as they’d waited for baby Ellie’s arrival.
They’d bought a new home in Beverly Hills, somewhere safe and quiet for the kids, but India had also kept the Malibu beach house. It was somewhere beautiful to escape to, and she’d always loved the beach. She couldn’t stand the idea of not having somewhere near the sea, and it was where Ellie had been born so it was always going to be a special place.
It had been the perfect time for India. A time when she’d actually felt
more settled than she’d ever done in her entire life. She had two amazing children, wonderful family and friends around her, and the most incredible man to share her life with, and not a day went by when she didn’t look at JJ and hug herself inside.
She’d slowly started to get back into work when Ellie was a few months old, and with a more permanent role in season three of ‘Covert One’ - which had turned into a hugely successful series and catapulted JJ well into the public eye - she’d grabbed the opportunity to continue working on the show. To continue working with JJ.
Marriage had seemed like the obvious next step, although India had never been the one to suggest it, but, during a weekend away at their Malibu home, JJ had asked her to marry him as they’d walked along the sand in front of their beach house at sunset. She’d practically screamed yes, jumping up and down like some excited kid at Christmas as he’d put a beautiful platinum yellow diamond ring on her finger. A ring that was then to be hidden away from view. Because it was then that they’d also taken the decision to tell nobody else until they absolutely had to, and it was a beautiful secret that they’d kept to themselves for a long time. Right from the word go they’d wanted a wedding that wasn’t going to be played out in front of the cameras. It wasn’t going to become public knowledge until after the event because they hadn’t wanted it to become a circus. They’d wanted it to be a simple, beautiful day.
But, in order for this to happen, they’d had to eventually tell someone, so they’d chosen to tell Reece and Martha. Not Kenny, not Bobby, not even Charley or Vince, and definitely not Ethan. He would never have been able to keep quiet and the one person India hadn’t wanted to know about the wedding was Michael. He would have been the first person Ethan told. Although he was probably far too busy with Layla to care.
So they’d told Reece, and he’d taken charge, organising everything from the security to the catering to the top-secret invitations that would be sent out to the few who had been invited. He’d contacted every member of staff that would be needed on the day, making sure he was there when they were briefed on what would be happening. He’d taken every ounce of stress away from India and JJ and took complete control of the whole event, and India couldn’t have been more grateful.
It was during the lead up to her secret wedding that she’d started to put feelers out concerning a move back into films, and big news had come just a few days later with the offer of a starring role in a big budget romantic comedy to be shot in the U.K. at the end of the year. Her leading man? Kenny Ross. Neither of them had thought twice, they’d both accepted in a heartbeat. JJ had no plans for that time so he was going to come over to Britain with India and the children to be with her during filming, which would be taking place mostly in the North East of England, another reason why India had loved the idea of this movie. A chance to go back to her roots again was something she was never going to pass up. Even if it was going to be in the depths of winter. The script was funny, the cast was great, including, coincidently, JJ’s older brother Ray Foster, a hugely successful actor in his own right, who was going to be playing her husband. And she was going to be using her own North East English accent, something she hadn’t done in a long time. There was no definite director on board as yet but, with a handful of big names in the running, that was close to being sorted and would be in place by the time shooting began, in a few weeks. For the first time in a long while India was excited about making a movie.
The wedding was taking place just a couple of weeks before everyone was due to fly to Britain, and it was all happening at JJ and India’s Beverly Hills home. Invitations had been sent out two days ago to a handful of very close family and friends, inviting them to India and JJ’s home for a ‘dinner party’. They hadn’t been told it was a wedding, they hadn’t been told much at all in order to prevent any leaks from happening. They’d been instructed not to bring any cameras or recording equipment with them, just to pack a small bag containing clothes they might wear to a very special event but, under no circumstances were they to wear these clothes when they arrived, they were to change once they got there. And Reece had even gone to great lengths in allocating different arrival times for everyone, with various types of cars sent to pick all guests up.
The final piece of information given to guests had been a unique, individual code that they’d had to give to security at the gate before they were allowed access. All very cloak and dagger but it was the way it had to be. Ellie’s arrival had been a big enough media circus and India didn’t want her wedding to JJ to turn out the same. He was younger than her, he was going to be her third husband, and the media would jump on all of that and more if they were given the chance. So keeping it a secret had been the only way. When they felt they were ready they’d tell the world they were married, but not before. Today was on their terms and, so far, just as Reece had told her, it was all running like clockwork.
The candlelit ceremony was taking place in the evening, inside the large garden room attached to the back of the house, and then the rest of the night was just going to be one big party. Huge marquees had been set up outside, with fairy lights strewn all over the place so that people could, if they wished, go outside once the actual ceremony was over. DJ’s had been hired, there was enough food and drink to feed an army, and everything was all set for it to go ahead. Just as they’d wanted it. Just as they’d planned.
India held her arms out as Charley passed Ellie over to her, taking her daughter, kissing her warm, pink cheek.
“Hey, beautiful.” She looked at Charley. “Is everything ok?”
“Everything’s fine. JJ’s just fed her so she’ll probably fall asleep soon. Which is more than can be said for these two,” she smiled, looking at Ethan and Lily as they chased each other round the room.
“Ethan, baby, be careful! Lily’s a lot smaller than you so watch you don’t hurt her,” India said, balancing Ellie on her hip.
Charley just laughed. “India, Lily’s more likely to hurt Ethan. I’ve never known a two year old like her. Come on, give this little one back to me. I’ll go get her settled outside. We can watch your daddy wear the floor out some more, can’t we, sweetheart?”
“Is he really nervous?” India asked, watching out the corner of her eye as Reece tried to calm Ethan and Lily down. “You don’t think he’s having second thoughts, do you?”
“Don’t talk crap, India, of course he isn’t. He’s crazy about you. Did you watch that episode of ‘Covert One’ last night? You two were practically blowing a fuse in my TV, that was some chemistry going on there with you guys. Is it like that for real with you two?”
“Sometimes,” India smiled. “And funnily enough, yes, I did watch that episode last night, but only because I had to take my mind off things somehow.”
“And watching your fiancé on TV, the night before your very top-secret wedding – which I still want a word with you about, madam – took your mind off him, did it? He was shirtless for most of the episode, for Christ’s sake!” She sighed. “God. I am so jealous!”
Bobby came back into the room, carrying an open bottle of champagne and some glasses.
“Ok, here I come with everything we need to calm ourselves down. Miguel’s making himself useful by the way, angel, and he’s offering to mix cocktails for the party later.”
“I could do with one right now,” she said, throwing Ethan a ‘behave yourself’ look.
“I can easily get him to knock you one up, princess.”
She smiled. “I was joking, Bobby, but thanks. If I have one of his lethal concoctions before I go out there it could mean the end of the elegant look I’ve tried so hard to create here.”
Charley grabbed a glass of champagne from Bobby and kissed India quickly. “Ok, I’m outta here, and so are this lot.” She smiled at her friend. “You look gorgeous. And, let me tell you, so does JJ. You lucky cow ... ok, come on gang, let’s go, it’s time to get sat down.”
“Here you go, angel,” Bobby said, handing her a glass of ch
ampagne. “Just what you need to calm those nerves, and don’t start crying or you’ll start me off. Not to mention the damage you’ll do to that perfect eye make-up, and you don’t want to be marrying Mr Handsome out there looking like Alice Cooper now, do you?”
“No,” India laughed, quickly blinking back the tears that had been threatening.
“You’re going to glide up that aisle like a beautiful fairy princess, off to marry her handsome prince ... oh, that’s it, I’m off again ...”
India gave Bobby a big hug. She loved him so much; he was almost like a brother to her, and just the thought of the brother she’d lost over twelve years ago still made her heart break. She’d never stopped missing Terry, and on days like this she missed him even more.
“Pull yourself together, you big drama queen. I’m only getting married. And it’s not like I’ve never done that before, is it?”
“I know. I know, but he’s so handsome and you’re so beautiful and the room downstairs is so romantic with all those candles – a slight health and safety hazard, maybe ...”
He could still make India laugh at the drop of a hat and she hugged him again.
“It’s just like a fairytale, angel. It’s your very own fairytale.”
She looked over at Reece as she felt tears start to fall down her cheeks. She couldn’t help it. She was ridiculously happy and Bobby was right. Marrying JJ was her very own fairytale happy ending.
“Oh God, I’ve started you off now,” Bobby said, dabbing at his eyes and shoving his handkerchief back in his pocket. “I’d better go get Scott for a touch up job before you go out there.”
“Bobby, it’s fine. It’s ok,” India smiled. “I think I can manage to sort this out myself. Really.”
He smiled too, kissing her quickly. “Then I’ll leave you to it, and the next time I see you you’ll be gliding up that aisle like some beautiful ethereal angel.”
No Matter What Page 74
