Just a Fan (15 page)

Fortunately, it was only a short shot, and soon enough the camera was back on Connor and Gordon, both of whom were now seated in their respective armchairs. I watched Connor avidly, feeling a deep sense of exhiliration as he reclined regally in his seat, looking so marvellously at ease in front of all of these people and cameras. His smile was different as he beamed at everybody gazing at him; I abruptly realised that the smiles he gave me were softer, his eyes full of a deeper. I was now looking at his public smile, the one I was so familiar with and yet had seen so little of when we had been alone together.

'
So, Connor, how are you? I hear that new movie of yours,
Waiting For Rain
, just came out a month ago - how was everything with that
?' asked Gordon amically.

'
Well, it was one hell of a long run, and we all worked really hard on it
,' Connor replied. '
It's great to see that it's been worth it in the end
.'

'
And in
Waiting For Rain
, you play the lead role, is that right
?'

'
Aye - I played Julian Ilvray...which meant I was the one who had to get pushed down the dune in the desert-running scene
,' quipped Connor wryly in a long-suffering tone, the look on his face eliciting much laughter from the audience. Gordon chuckled too.

'
Ah, yes, I remember seeing that part in the trailer
,' he said. '
Was it a fun scene to shoot?
'

There was a pause, and Connor pulled a face. '
No
,' he said after a while, and the audience laughed again.

'
Why not?
'

'
Well, to be honest, it was a bit uncomfortable
,' Connor answered, leaning back in his chair and crossing one long leg over the other. '
It's only about five seconds long in the film, but in real life we had to shoot it over and over and over...it was a nightmare. I had to do that fall about seven times, and by the end of it there was sand in my hair, in my boots, all down my trousers
-' There were cheers from the audience. Connor laughed bashfully.

'
It looks great in the movie, though
,' remarked Gordon.

'
Yeah, it was all worth it in the end, like I said
,' Connor replied.

Gordon nodded, smiling. '
And you're working on a new movie right now, aren't you?
' he asked, checking his notes. '
It's a movie called
Twenty Miles Below
, isn't it?
' Connor grinned and nodded, wiggling his eyebrows up and down at the audience.'
Could you tell us a bit about it? What's it about?
'

'
Well, it's a short movie, mostly set underground, and I play a miner who's going through all sort of trouble...the script is great
,' Connor said. '
Shooting's due to start soon, so I've been getting myself ready for it
.'

Gordon nodded. '
We'll all be anxious to see it when it comes out
,' he said, then turned his head on one side slightly. '
So, I understand that you're from Scotland, is that right
?' he asked conversationally.

Connor grinned. '
Aye, that's right
,' he replied, and I smiled at the pride in his voice, which was accompanied by a few female cheers from the audience.

'
Aye
!' repeated Gordon.

'
Aye, laddie
!' Connor growled in his thickest Scottish burr, going with the joke. '
I was born in a village called Straiton, in Ayrshire, though Glasgow's where I'm from
.'

'
Glasgow, eh? Big city
?'

'
Huge
,' confirmed Connor. '
A few rough areas, but otherwise it's a nice place
.'

'
I hear you've also just returned from England, too
?' My heart leapt.

'
I flew over last week, yeah
,' affirmed Connor.

'
You know, there were a few rumours going around that you were thinking about staying in England with a "mystery girlfriend" of yours...can you enlighten us on that
?'

My heart was not beating fit to burst.

There were many "ooh!"s from the audience, and Connor looked modest. '
Well, I did meet someone, and, er, yeah, we've been dating
,' he replied, quiet and casual.

Gordon raised his eyebrows with a smile, as the audience cheered wildly. I suspected some of the cheers were false.

'
Who might this "someone" be, then
?'

Connor looked straight into the camera, seemingly straight at me. There was a forbiddingly mischievous smile playing on his face.

'
A very lovely English girl called Lillian Harwick
,' he stated, an almost teasing glint in his eye.

'NO WAY!'

I gawped at the screen in horror, hardly able to believe he had just said that on American national television. I was extremely outraged...but oddly exhilirated at the same time. Never in my entire life would I have even considered it possible to hear Connor MacGowan himself announcing that he was in a relationship with
me
, on TV!

My stomach performed several somersaults and my pulse raced. Ooh, was he in for it now...I would give him a good talking-to when he called! He had
said
that he would behave himself...

* * *

The telephone rang a while later, startling me. I rushed from the sofa and pounced on it.

'Hello?'

'
Is that you, Lilly dear
?'

'
Mum
?' She was the last person I had expected to hear.

'
Nice to hear you, too
,' my mother replied.
'Listen, Lilly - I was watching the telly just now and you'll never believe what I saw
!'

I wasn't sure if I wanted to know...

'What?' I asked half-heartedly.

'
That actor - the Scottish one who plays in that film with all the sand
,' my mother began, '
I saw him on Mr Wells' talk show, saying that he was dating "an English girl called Lillian Harwick
"!'

'...oh.' I bit my lip, unsure
what
to say in a situation like this. I had never thought that my
mother
might be watching
The Gordon Wells Show
...There was an uncomfortable, heavy silence between us for a few seconds, and then my mother came out with the question I dreaded:

'
Lilly - is there something you haven't told me
?'

That disapproving tone of hers...I wouldn't have been surprised if she could hear the shame in my silence.

'Um...yeah...'

'
Ooooh, Lilly!
Tell me now
!' her disapproval suddenly gave way to excitement. '
Connor MacWhat's-his-face - tell me everything
!'

I shifted from foot to foot awkwardly, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

'Well...I met him some time ago,' I started uncertainly...

* * *

'...and then he went off back to the USA,' I finished.

'
Wow, Lilly...gosh, I can't
believe
it! You lucky, lucky girl
!' my mother said breathlessly. Of course, I had told her a greatly summarised and censored version of events, since there were some things about my relationship with Connor that I didn't want her to know all the details about. '
When is he coming back?
'

'As soon as he finishes shooting,' I told her.

'
Well...both of you are welcome to come over any time you like!
' she said excitedly. '
You've absolutely
got
to introduce us! Oh, my! Connor MacThingy...Didn't he play that charming man in whatsitcalled...
'

I glanced at the clock anxiously.

'Look, Mum, I've really got to go now, Connor's due to call any minute,' I said.

'
OK, then, darling
,' my mother replied. '
You
are
remembering to keep your flat tidy, aren't you? And ironing your clothes properly? You wouldn't want to show yourself up in front of a famous man like
him
...
'

'Yes, don't worry. Bye, Mum.'

'
Bye, darling
!'

I sighed, putting the phone back. My, was life going to be difficult from now on...

Chapter 10

Christmas

'
Hi there, my love
.'

'Connor, what the
hell
possessed you to tell the whole world that we're going out?' I demanded.

'
I
knew
it would annoy you
,' Connor chuckled to himself.

'That was
such
a stupid thing to do!' I snapped at him, annoyed that he wasn't taking this seriously.

'
Lilly, I answered Gordon's question because I
wanted
them to know we were together
,' he told me frankly. '
They won't find you - you're not a famous actress or anyone who can be easily found. All they know is your name...and nobody knows that you're just a lass living like any other. They'd never guess.
'

'It was still stupid!' I told him, but I had lost my force.

'
Lilly, Lilly...
' Connor sighed. '
You are
safe
. You live in a flat and work as a checkout girl...it's not like you're particularly easy to find. Besides, I wanted you to know that you're special to me, and what better way to do it than to say it on TV? I'm not the only person to talk about the very basics of my relationships, however vaguely - how d'you think those scaffy gossip sites pick up who's going out with who when the paparazzi come up with nothing?
'

I groaned.

'Connor, my
mother
called me a while ago,' I told him. 'Your crazy plan didn't take into account the people who
do
know about me and where I live.'

'
Lillian, listen to me
,' Connor said. '
I know it may have seemed a bit rash to reveal a detail of my personal life like that, but how long did you think it was going to be until they found out who you were
anyway
? You know very well you're not just a passing fling for me - sooner or later, everyone would know you regardless of anything I might say. We're just saving ourselves a bit of trouble in the future...
'

I gave a sigh. 'You and your reasoning,' I murmured. 'I wish you were here.'

'
Ah - you've just reminded me! I had some news for you, just before you attacked me
,' Connor told me wryly. '
Which would you like to hear first - the good news or the bad news?
'

I sprawled myself out on the sofa. 'Bad news. Get it over with,' I replied.

'
Well, the bad news is that the new film I'm in has gotten into some difficulty
,' Connor said. '
My agent called me this afternoon and told me that the film has some unexpected financing problems - it has to change financiers for some reason.
'

'...and the good news?'

'
Shooting's therefore postponed until sometime after New Year, which means I can come back as soon as I like
,' Connor told me. I gasped.

'You can come back?' I repeated, hardly daring to believe it. I had just been preparing myself for a long, painful absence, but now it seemed I wouldn't have to go through it after all. 'Oh, that's
great
!'

'
Aye, it is
!' Connor chuckled. '
My bags are already packed. I'm taking the plane on Tuesday!
'

I cheered happily, then abruptly remembered where I was and put a hand over my mouth.

'
What is it
?'

'Forgot about Mrs Windsor...' I whispered. 'Oh dear...I hope I haven't woken her up...'

'
Don't worry, love, I'll be back in no time to save you
,' Connor reassured me. '
Then you can spend the night at my house, where we can make as much noise as we like.
'

* * *

By Monday, Kate and I had been reconciled again through Julie, who always was the complete lifesaver. It had been a long process, but soon Kate had apologised to me for being unfair, and I in turn had promised her to keep her informed. Kate was never really one to keep grudges; she was just a bit touchy at times, and easily provoked. I myself decided that it would not help in any way if I remained angry at her, and so we had decided to forget all about the incident. This was how all three of us managed to go on our annual Christmas shopping trip together as usual, just as we had the previous year and the year before that. As Julie had said, it was most certainly not worth cancelling our once-yearly shopping tradition over a small fight.

For us, Christmas shopping was done together, and then, towards the end of the day, separately so that we could buy each other presents. This year there were a couple of minor additions to our shopping lists - namely Kate's fiancé and, of course, my dear Connor. So on Monday the three of us went off to the big shopping mall on Kingsley Street, armed with handbags, purses and credit cards and ready to take on the world of Christmas sales...

Our first stop was on the ground floor, at a shop that sold perfumes and general bath items - always a good place for mother-present-shopping. Seeing as I had already sent off a cardigan a while ago to my mother - in a package that said on the back: "Do not open until Christmas!!" - I just helped Julie and Kate find some nice perfumes and scented lotions for their own mothers. Kate also wandered off to find some masculine perfume for her fiancé David, and when we left the shop Julie asked me musingly: 'What are you thinking of getting Connor, Lilly?'

I bit my lip helplessly. To tell the truth, I had no idea whatsoever. The question had plagued me all of the night before, but I had not managed to think of a single thing to get Connor.

'Well...what would a movie star usually get for Christmas?' I worriedly wondered out loud.

'A new car. A big cheque. A villa somewhere,' supplied Kate absently, fumbling with her bag.

I sighed. 'I
meant
something I can actually afford without spending all my life savings, giving away the flat and selling my mother,' I replied.

'No idea, then,' Kate said pityingly with a shrug.

'I'm sure we'll find
something
,' Julie reassured me as we went up the escalator. I certainly hoped that we would. If Connor was coming back at least until New Year's Day, then we would probably be spending Christmas together...and for that I would need to something for him in advance. As the three of us made our way across the ultra-shiny tiled floor, I wondered what on earth I could possibly -

'OH MY GOD!' Kate suddenly gasped, grabbing us both by the arm, stopping us abruptly.

'What?'

She bodily dragged me over to a shop window and pointed triumphantly with a finger.

'Go on, Lilly,' she said proudly. 'I
dare
you!'

I took one look at the lean male dummy sporting a pair of tartan boxers and shook my head in horror.

'
Oh
, no.'

'Go
on
!' Kate urged me, shaking my arm. 'He's Scottish, isn't he?'

I blushed. '
No
, Kate, I am
not
getting a world-famous actor a pair of
undies
for Christmas!' I refused stubbornly, with an embarrassed laugh.

'Come on, Lilly, why be
boring
?' Kate pestered. 'I bet he gets hundreds of predictable prezzies for Christmas. Why not be original? You
have
already shagged him, haven't you?'

My blush became even more fiery. 'That's not the
point
-'

'Surprise him! He looks like a cheeky bugger, from all those lovey-dovey movies we've seen him in,' Kate went on. 'Go
on
. Do it, do it, do it.'

'Kate -'

'Do it, do it, do it, do it -'

'OK!' I cried out, just to shut her up.

'Hooray!' cheered Kate, happy to get her own way. Julie arrived beside us, frowning.

'What's happening?' she enquired.

'Lilly's getting her celebrity lover-boy some tartan undies,' Kate proclaimed proudly.

'Her idea,' I muttered, but Kate's enthusiasm was not to be dampened.

'In!' she commanded victoriously, and pushed me resolutely towards the shop's door.

* * *

'They
are
quite nice,' Julie reasoned with me a few minutes later as I dubiously inspected the contents of my bag. 'Fine material.'

'
And
they're tartan,' laughed Kate.

'Hmph,' I grumbled reluctantly. 'I suppose they aren't
that
bad...but still, I'll get him something else, too.'

'Whatever you like,' Kate replied, since she had already gotten her own way today and was satisfied with that.

'Let's be off, then!' Julie said, and the three of us walked off together once again, and continued out search for more presents for our friends and families.

By the time I came home, I had bought a pretty jewellery box for Julie with some nice earrings in it, a stylish makeup bag with nail varnishes inside for Kate, about a dozen Christmas cards and a pair of very smart sunglasses for Connor (since Kate had remarked that she had seen a photo of him on a Californian beach with some sunglasses that were apparently the wrong shade). I was glad to have got the shopping over and done with, and that most of the presents had been pre-wrapped at the shop in neat little gift packages. Once I had sorted out all of the presents, I simply
had
to take out those boxers again and have another look.

Julie was right, they
were
made of quite a nice material. Hopefully they were the right size...

I found myself blushing again, and grinned to myself embarrassedly. This would be Christmas unlike any other!

* * *

Late on Tuesday evening, I got a phone call while I was washing the dishes.

'
Hey, Lilly, guess who's back!
'

I beamed. 'You're finally here?'

'
Aye, that's right
,' Connor replied happily. '
Just unpacked, too. I'd very much like to celebrate...why don't I drive by in a few minutes and pick you up?
'

'Are you sure? Isn't it a bit late? You've just had a long plane journey...' I worried anxiously.

Connor laughed. '
It's never too late
,' he reassured me. '
Besides, my jet-lag means I'm feeling more awake than usual
...'

I chuckled.

'I'll be waiting,' I told him happily.