The Morning After

by Sally Clements

  Ethan puffed out a breath. “I hate having to play these games.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “And I hate twitter.”

  “Don’t I know it!” Melissa laughed. “Getting you to tweet is like pulling teeth.” Her eyes softened. “But I really think it would be worth it, Ethan.”

  Ethan stared into Cara’s eyes. “What do you think?” he asked, caring evident in the depths of his eyes. “Are you ready to face the press?”

  Cara glanced down at her jeans and bare feet. “Maybe I should change first.”

  Ethan stood. “Okay, I’ll tweet that we thank my followers for their concern, and are happy together. Will that do it?”

  Melissa nodded.

  “I’ll make some coffee while you get ready,” Ethan said. “Then we’ll walk to the gate and give them a photo-op.”

  ****

  He wanted to hold her hand.

  But Cara crossed her arms and kicked the ground with one sneaker-clad toe as the gate swung open.

  The whirring cameras sounded as though a swarm of cicadas had landed outside the gates. There were at least ten, maybe fifteen photographers jostling for position, and as they caught sight of Ethan, the air filled with shouted questions.

  Ethan stepped forward and held out his arms. He forced a smile. “I have a quick statement, and then I’ll take questions.” The photographers kept taking photographs, but at least stopped shouting.

  “Cara and I know you’re keen to get pictures, and ask questions.” Despite what he’d agreed with Melissa, Ethan couldn’t let the impression stand that Cara was a casual lay he’d picked up on his last visit to Ireland. “Cara and I are old friends. A lot of inaccurate information has been in the press over the last couple of days. When I was in Ireland recently, Cara was recovering from a relationship that had already ended.” He drew out the last bit, emphasizing the truth of the matter. “I asked her to come and stay with me in Malibu for a short holiday.”

  A shout from a rather sweaty journalist at the back, “Are you sleeping together?”

  Ethan swallowed back his anger, and fixed the journalist with a stare. “My relationship with Cara is our business.” He clenched his teeth. “However, I’m aware there is great interest in it, so I will say that we are in a relationship, yes.”

  He stepped closer to Cara, and reached for her hand.

  “Questions?”

  Shouts came quick and fast. “Cara, how do you feel about your fiancé’s article?” “Cara, how long are you staying?” “Ethan, are you talking marriage?”

  He wanted to stand in front of her. To shove her back behind the safety of the gate, away from prying eyes.

  She squeezed his hand. “I’ll answer some of those,” she said in a voice so quiet the paparazzi fell quiet to listen. “I was never engaged, and the end of my relationship had nothing to do with Ethan,” she said in a calm voice. “I’m staying for a couple of weeks. I’ve never been to America before, and Malibu is fabulous. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more of your beautiful country while I’m here.”

  The cynical faces softened the moment they caught her smile.

  “I think I can answer the last question that was aimed at Ethan.”

  He held his breath.

  “Ethan and I aren’t thinking marriage.”

  “We’re happy to pose for photographs for a few minutes, but we have to leave in half an hour.” He snaked an arm around Cara’s shoulders.

  “Kiss her!” someone shouted.

  Ethan felt a smile tug at his lips. “I don’t think so, guys. Sorry.”

  “What about the pic in your underwear, Cara? Any comment?”

  Before she could respond, Ethan cut in. “We really don’t have any further comment about that.”

  Cara nodded.

  They posed for photographs for five minutes, then Ethan stepped away from Cara’s side. “That’s it.” He softened his words with a smile. “Thanks very much.”

  Cameras lowered. “Thanks for coming out, Ethan,” a tall thin man at the front said. “Appreciate it.”

  Ethan pressed a button, waved briefly as the gates slid closed, and blew out a breath as the paparazzi were shielded from view. With luck they would leave. But his stomach clenched with nerves at the thought that they may not. And an overzealous person might even find a way over the wall and pester Cara while he wasn’t there. Might photograph her on the beach. She needed his protection, even if she didn’t want it.

  He glanced at his watch. “We better get ready—the car will be here soon to take me on set. I want you to come with me.”

  Cara’s eyes lit. “Really?”

  “Really. It’s about time you saw what I do for a living.”

  ****

  Four hours later, the excitement of being on a movie set was fading. Ethan had introduced her to it seemed like hundreds of people, all of whom had been very welcoming, but curious, and Cara was beginning to feel as though she was in a fishbowl, swimming in ever decreasing circles.

  She’d sat in Ethan’s chair, and watched him act. Chatted to the makeup department, and even popped in to the costume trailer and had a look at the props. Now, rather than return to watch Ethan run through yet another scene, she sneaked back to the trailer, grabbing a cup of tea on the way.

  She sank down into a comfortable armchair, and tucked her feet under her. Cara rooted in her voluminous bag, and pulled out the paperback Juliet had shoved into her hands on the flight over. Edge of Night. The cover didn’t look as though it was her usual type of reading material, but hadn’t Juliet told her not to judge a book by its cover? She opened it, and by the time she’d read the first chapter, she was totally hooked. Juliet’s writing was so good she could see why the movie option had been picked up. The main character was complex, finely drawn, and compelling. With an edge of danger and menace that sent shivers up Cara’s spine. Any actor would kill for the role.

  Cara’s legs tingled. She stretched out her legs and rubbed them, turning a page as she did so.

  The trailer door creaked open.

  “Hi, Cara,” Maggie said, looking around. “Is he here?”

  “Um…” Cara reluctantly pulled her attention away from Edge of Night. “No, I think he’s still filming.”

  “Filming’s finished for the day.”

  Cara glanced at her watch, surprised to see that a couple of hours had passed without her noticing.

  “I’ll just wait here for him.” Maggie closed the door behind her and sat on the loveseat in the corner. “I have to pass on some messages. His agent was trying to get hold of him.”

  The door pushed open again.

  “Hi,” Ethan grinned. “Sorry, I got distracted.”

  A small, dark haired man in a black suit stood behind him. “Cara, this is my agent, Manny Silverstein.”

  “Ah, you found him then,” Maggie interrupted. “I was just coming to tell you, Manny’d been on a few times, Ethan.”

  Ethan focused his gaze on her. “Are there any other messages I should know about?”

  Maggie’s head shook from side to side. “That’s it.”

  “Okay.”

  Maggie’s eyebrows rose in silent query.

  “I think that’s it for today, then, Maggie.”

  She nodded, and made for the door. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  With a smile, she angled past Manny.

  Cara stood, turned down a corner of her book, and shook Manny’s extended hand. “Pleased to meet you,” she murmured.

  Manny’s gaze was fixed on the book in her hands. “You’re reading Edge of Night?” His forehead creased with a frown. “That’s weird. I didn’t think it was on sale in America yet.”

  “I met the author on the plane.” Cara glanced from Manny to Ethan, wondering why the agent was so perplexed by what she was reading.

  “Sit down, Manny.” Ethan pointed to the loveseat. “And tell me what’s so urgent it’d bring you out of the office.”

  A sly smile played over Manny lips. He
settled on the love seat, and crossed his legs, revealing a flash of sock suspender. “Before I do…” He stared at Cara. “What do you think of the book, any good?”

  “It’s fantastic,” Cara admitted. “The writing is really compelling, and the plot draws you right in.”

  “And the main character?” Manny glanced at Ethan.

  “Really three-dimensional. The sort of character that burrows into your brain, and makes you really wonder what drives him. I haven’t read anything so good in a long time.” Her school workload had cut into her reading time. She spent the day imparting the classics to a classroom of bored boys, struggling to try and pass on her love of words. At the end of the day she was always exhausted, but never too exhausted to read. Books, and the glimpse they gave into other worlds, were her life.

  Manny nodded. “I haven’t read it yet. But I’ve been hearing good things. Brightman Pictures are going to turn it into a movie.”

  “Brightman?” Cara’s head swam. Stephen Brightman was the hottest director in America. Juliet had been modest when she’d said it was going to be made into a movie. With Brightman behind it, it would be a blockbuster.

  “Anyway, that’s why I said it was weird that you were reading it,” Manny continued, beaming at Ethan. “Stephen Brightman rang me this afternoon, and wants you to screen-test for the lead.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The discussion with Manny continued through dinner, that they ate with the rest of the crew in the catering double-decker bus, huddled at a table on the upper deck, at the back. Ethan’s hand caressed her knee under the table, making it darned difficult to concentrate on the conversation. Luckily, she was there only as an observer, so didn’t have to worry too much about it.

  When Manny eventually left, they sipped hot coffee from Styrofoam cups.

  Cara gazed out at the darkening sky. It would be night by the time they were back in Malibu.

  “Penny for them?” Ethan asked, leaning close.

  “You’ve really made a life for yourself here,” Cara whispered. Any lingering dreams she been having about Ethan coming home had finally burned up when she’d realized that after this film would be another one. And another. He needed to be here, in America for his career. It was what he’d been working for all his life, from the early days when he went to Dublin stage school.

  Donabridge held too many painful memories for him. When his parents’ died he’d felt responsible because his father had started drinking again, and he hadn’t known it. No matter how she’d tried to tell him his mother had hidden the fact from everyone, Ethan believed he could have made a difference. If he’d been home, he would have known, and could have averted the tragedy.

  And her life…

  In a few weeks she’d be gone. Back to try to remake some sort of life in Donabridge. Realistically, he couldn’t follow. The likelihood of being able to keep a long distance romance going was slim to none. Cara bit her lip, reality sucked.

  “Are you regretting last night?” Ethan reached for her hand, and laced his long, tanned fingers through hers. “Because I’m not.”

  She turned her head to his. Stared into his dark eyes. Honesty. Would she tell him the truth, that the thought of their time together trickling away made her heart feel heavy in her chest, or would she lie, and say she was content with what they had, no matter how fleeting?

  “I couldn’t regret last night.” She tried for a smile. “I guess I’m just tired.”

  This was Ethan’s life. Not hers. They’d been flung together by a quirk of fate, tied together by the desires and expectations of a capricious public. And when the time was right, they’d part, and no doubt the press would report that Ethan Quinn had broken another heart.

  “There’s no more filming for a couple of days. We can sleep late, and then I’ll take you to all my favorite places.” His lips pressed her temple in a quick kiss.

  Cara pulled her hand from his and pushed back her hair. Her past lay in ruins; her future would be lonely without him. But she had now. And, no matter the outcome, she intended to enjoy it.

  ****

  The following morning, the phone rang over breakfast.

  “I thought you should know,” Maggie’s voice was apologetic. “Zane Blackwell got drunk last night at a strip-club, and took off with a stripper. It’s all over the news.”

  Ethan sighed. Aoife’s wedding could be off then, depending on how things panned out over the next few hours. “Have either of them made a statement?”

  “Not yet,” Maggie said. “But the stripper is everywhere, telling her story. Apparently they had a wild, sex crazed night, and she has a sex tape to prove it.”

  Ethan felt nothing. Not even sympathy for the anguish Aoife would doubtless be feeling now her fantasy love life was in tatters. He’d always protected the ones he loved, and he’d loved Aoife, once. But no more. He walked to the security console and flicked on the camera which focused on the area outside the gate. The paparazzi had gone.

  One man’s scandal was another man’s reprieve.

  “Thanks for letting me know.” Ethan hung up. At least if he were called for a comment, he’d know what the journalist was talking about. It was small minded to rejoice in the freedom the lack of attention gave, but he reveled in it, nonetheless.

  “News?” Cara bit into her toast, and poured him another cup of coffee.

  “Aoife’s fiancé caught in sex tape scandal.” He didn’t want to dwell on it. Didn’t want even the shadow of his ex’s distress to fall over their time together.

  Cara’s smile wobbled. “Was that her?”

  “It was Maggie.” He swallowed a mouthful of coffee. “She wanted me to know in case anyone asks for a comment.”

  “Are you going to call Aoife?” Cara’s head tilted to the side. “Because I know…”

  “Aoife and I are history. Have been for a long time. Events in her love life aren’t anything to do with me, and believe me,” he leaned close and wiped a tiny crumb off her top lip, “I’m not even remotely interested in Aoife.”

  Cara’s throat moved. She blinked a couple of times, then lifted her lips to his. “Good,” she murmured against his mouth, moments before she kissed him.

  The prospect of investigating all that Malibu had to offer alone had never held much appeal, but with Cara by his side, it became fun. In the days that followed, they trekked through Malibu Creek, stopping to watch climbers scaling the Planet of the Apes wall, and continued down the rocky path to Century Lake, with hills of porous lava and striped layers of rock.

  They went to Zuma Beach because Cara wanted to check out the Baywatch lifeguards. Shared a pizza in a little restaurant with tables that faced the blue ocean. And talked about everything. When he’d brought Aoife out, she’d always wanted to go to the celebrity haunts, had her head turned by the attention. Cara was the complete opposite. But of course, she’d always been more interested in spending time with him than being seen, hadn’t she?

  Not for one moment would Ethan have believed he’d fall for his best friend so quickly, so completely. Their time together was ticking away. He didn’t want her to go. Couldn’t stand the thought of there being an ocean between them. Laughing with Cara, watching the way the sun glinted in her golden hair, and the way her eyes turned dark navy when he kissed her were becoming so familiar, so needed, that his gut clenched at the thought of being without her.

  The matter of her departure lay like a dark boulder between them. He hadn’t missed her words to the press that she was staying for a couple of weeks, even when he suggested she should stay longer. Even a month, to see how things panned out between them, was too short. They were going to have to talk about it.

  “Wow.” Cara looked down at the chocolate dessert the waitress had just delivered to their beachside table. “That’s one hell of a pudding.”

  “If you can’t manage it…” Ethan eyed the concoction, regretting choosing only coffee to finish their meal.

  Cara waved to the waitress. “Can I hav
e another spoon?”

  The blonde grinned, nodded and brought one over.

  “I’ll share. If you’re sure you can risk the calories?” One eyebrow rose. Her gaze scanned his torso.

  Ethan surreptitiously tugged up his T-shirt, flashing his abs. “What do you think?”

  Cara’s tongue swiped over her top lip. She flushed pink. “Stop that,” she muttered in a deep voice.

  Ethan let his shirt drop, and leaned close, gazing at her lips. “You like?”

  Cara shifted on her seat. “You know damn well I like. And if you don’t stop looking at me like that…”

  “Like what?” Ethan teased, moving his chair closer so he could stroke a hand across her thigh covered in the light cotton of her yellow sundress.

  Cara’s eyes widened. Her hand landed on top of his, halting his slow exploration of her thigh. “Stop.”

  “No one’s watching.”

  She picked his hand up, and deposited it on his lap.

  “Eat your dessert.” She handed him the spoon. Helped herself to a spoonful, and licked the chocolate cream off her lip with barely disguised delight. “Then you can show me how quickly you can drive us home.”

  ****

  Ethan was useless at obeying. As she dipped into the dessert again, his jaw line tightened, and he reached for the spoon and put it down on the plate.

  “Do you have any idea how sexy you look, eating that bloody cake?” he muttered. “Watching you is torture.”

  Desire, which was already taking over her entire body, flooded Cara, tightening her nipples beneath the gauzy top of her sundress. Heat pooled between her thighs as his eyes swept over her. Dessert forgotten, she reached for his hand and squeezed it tight. “Let’s go.”

  Her hand rested on his thigh as he drove home as if the hounds of hell were pursuing them. The engine had barely stopped when he jerked her door open, and pulled her out into his arms.