The Final Act (#4 Bestselling Spotlight Series) (12 page)

Chapter 18

Lorna is staring down into her drink. She refused a cocktail and asked for a water. Which made me instantly realise that something was very wrong indeed.

We wait for a few tense moments, not speaking whilst two iced waters are placed in front of us.

Lorna takes a long drag through her straw, as if prolonging her confession as long as possible.

Then, finally, she speaks.

“I did a test,” she says, quietly.

At first I’m not sure what she means. Then realisation dawns.

“A pregnancy test?”

“Uh-huh.” She’s still looking at her drink.

“Lorna.” I breathe out. “You’re pregnant?”

She’s nodding, and I leap out of my seat and throw my arms around her.

“Oh Lorna.” I’m both happy for her and worried at the same time.

I can see from her face she’s devastated. And I search for the words to reassure her.

“Is it Ben’s?” I ask, trying to put things in perspective.

She
makes the slightest movement of her head.

Yes
.

“Ok.” I try and sound upbeat.
The truth is, I’d rather Lorna had got pregnant from a one night stand than by Ben Gracey. He is bad news.

“Does
Ben know yet?” I ask gently.

Lorna shakes her head. Tears roll down her cheeks.

“Lorna, don’t cry. It will be fine, I promise. Babies are happy news.” I circle her more tightly in my arms. “You’ll be great, Lorna. And Ben. Well. Probably he’ll become the best boyfriend in the world once he’s sees your cute pregnant belly.”

Lorna gives a wobbly laugh through her tears.

“You don’t think I should look into abortion?” She raises her violet eyes to mine for the first time. And I see how frightened she looks. My heart goes out to her.

“Not if you don’t want to,” I say. “There’s no reason you can’t be a great mum. And Ben will come round. You just need to talk to him.”

But as I’m saying the words, I can’t imagine Ben Gracey being understanding. If he ditched Camilla because her trust fund wasn’t large enough, I can’t see him staying with a pregnant model.

“I’m so scared
, Issy,” Lorna says, holding on tight to my arms. “I’m so, so scared. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“Are you worried about Ben?”

Lorna gives a giant sniff. “Yeah. He’s so hot and cold. I think this could push him away.”

“You don’t know until you tell him,” I say uncertainly. “There’s no point torturing yourself until you know for certain.”

She takes a breath. “Yeah. I guess you’re right. I should tell him. It’s just so hard, you know? I think he’d want me to get rid of the baby.”

Lorna chews her lip. “My mum will react badly too,” she adds. “I haven’t told her yet. She had me so young. She always wanted me to lead a different life from her.”

“Don’t let anyone else’s opinion sway you,” I insist. “You do the right thing for you. If you want to keep the baby, then don’t let anyone pressure you. I’ll be there to support you 110%.”

I stroke her hair. “You’re brave
, Lorna. This will work out.”

“Do you think so?” Her face is pleading.

“I know so,” I say firmly. “And if Ben Gracey doesn’t want to be involved, then we’ll just raise the baby ourselves.”

Lorna laughs uncertainly through the tears
. “Like the new Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi?”

“Absolutely,” I say, squeezing her arm. “
You can teach the baby modelling, and I’ll show it how to hate the limelight. It’ll be perfect.”

I give her a
nother squeeze. “A baby is a happy thing,” I repeat. “And you’re going to be a fantastic mother. I have no doubt at all.”

“Thanks Issy. I feel better. Really
, I do.”

She sniffs again.

“I guess I need to man up and break the news to Ben.”

Chapter 1
9

I travel back to the studios, still in total shock. I tried to persuade Lorna to let me stay with her, but she wouldn’t hear of it.

“I’ve got to talk to Ben,” she said firmly. “It’s something we need to decide alone.”

So I decided to take public transport part of the way to the studio and a taxi the rest. And as I sit swaying in the anonymity of the train seat, I feel relieved that I’m not in a private car with a driver.

The news has hit me like a bomb-blast. So I’d rather not have to talk to anyone
whilst I try to process it all.

First I think practically. Lorna will have to give up modelling. At least for a time. They don’t pay maternity leave to models, so she’ll need money.

I remember the huge sums in my bank account. At least that won’t be an issue.

Mostly it’s about how Ben will take the news. I claw up my fists and send up a silent heartfelt prayer.

Please. Please. Let him step up to his responsibilities. Don’t let him leave Lorna all alone to care for the baby.

Aside from wishing, there’s not much else I can do. Or is there? James has some sort of hold over Ben.

I take out my phone and send James a text message.

Do you have a minute to talk? I’m on my way back to the studio.

Instantly my phone rings.

It’s James, and I pick up cautiously, looking around the packed carriage.

“Hello?” I say quietly.

“What’s wrong?”
His voice is full of concern.

“Nothing,” I say, “I just need to talk to you.”

I hear him pause.

“Are there other people with you?” he guesses.

“Yes,” I reply, relieved that he’s taken the hint. I’d rather not air Lorna’s life story on a public train carriage.

“Where are you?” he says.

“On a train back to Kent.”

There’s another pause, and I wonder if he’s angry again. He’s already expressed his dislike of women taking taxis alone. Does his prejudice extend to
trains?

“I’ll come meet you,” he says shortly. “What time do you get in?”

“Um. Twenty minutes,” I say. “But James, there really is no need to…”

But he’s hung up already.

I look at the phone, exasperated. He really needs to stop doing that.

James meets me at the station, looking like a man awaiting execution.

“What is it?” he asks as soon as he’s steered me away from the crowded platform. “What’s wrong?”

I tell him the news about Lorna and Ben, and James looks grim.

“It could be worse,” he says after a pause. “I thought you might be breaking up with me.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, this makes me laugh. But his face stays serious.

“You didn’t really think that?” I ask.

“Not in my rational mind,” he admits. “But when you feel the way I feel about you, Issy, there’s always room for paranoia. Most mornings, I wake up thinking it was all a dream, and I could never get this lucky.”

Oh James.

I kiss his nose. “I feel that way too,” I assure him. “And besides,” I joke, “I would never initiate a break up with you by text, when I could email.”

He laughs at this, and I feel relieved. Then I remember the issue with Lorna.

“Do you think Ben might come around?” I ask, desperate for some good news.

The expression on James face is not what I want to see.

“No,” he says, much too quickly. “I don’t. Not only is Ben completely irresponsible, he has some family issues of his own right now. Knowing Ben, he’ll view this as another problem and want to get as far away from it as possible.”

No! He can’t leave Lorna!

I sigh miserably. “Isn’t there anything you can do?”

“You want me to interfere in Ben and Lorna’s lives?”

“Well, yes.” I stare up into his green eyes. “I mean, you did it before, right? With Camilla. You intervened, didn’t you?” I press. “You made Ben back off.”

“
I’m glad Camilla told you,” says James. “And yes, I did intervene, Issy. But it was a very different circumstance. Camilla was barely sixteen and fresh out of boarding school. She was also a relative of mine and under the care of my father’s household.”

He sighs. “I’m not even sure that
Lorna would want me to be involved,” he adds. “She’s an adult, after all.”

“But you do have influence with Ben, don’t you?”

I’m remembering Ben’s reaction to James when they met in Spain. How Ben seemed to shrivel away under James’s assertion that he didn’t take responsibility.

“Yes,” admits James. “After a fashion.”

I stay silent, and after a moment, he glances at my expectant expression and speaks again.

“I give him money,” he says.

James gives Ben money?

“Why?” I am amazed.

Is Ben blackmailing James?

“
Ben has a mother who is on her third unhappy marriage, and a brother in a mental institution,” says James. “I occasionally give him money to help smooth over some of his family circumstances. I’m happy to do it.”

“
But you don’t like Ben. Why should you give him money?”

“My father cut Ben and his mother off without a penny,” says James. “
I understand his reasons. Ben’s mother behaved appallingly. But I don’t believe in divorce, I believe in family.”

He runs his fingers through his hair, as though he’s trying to find the right words.

“I may not like Ben,” he says, “but he is still my brother of sorts. He and his mother once had the Berkeley name.”

“Is that what this is all about?” I ask. “Some stuffy aristocratic reputation?”

James gives a half smile.

“
No,” he says. “It’s about decency. No matter what the divorce papers say, a promise was made to Ben’s mother. It was a promise which bound her family to the Berkeley’s for life.”

He fixes me with his green eyes. “Protecting Ben and has family… It’s to do with honour.
Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, but it’s a standard I live by. I won’t see them struggle in times of need.”

He makes it sound so…
righteous.
Still I don’t like the idea of him giving money to Ben.

“How often do you give him money?” I ask.

“Not often, and always for a specific cause,” says James. “I paid for his mother’s hospital fees last year. And sometimes, his brother needs additional private care.”

I consider this.

“And it’s not… blackmail or anything?” I ask.

James winces, and I hate myself for asking.

“No,” he says. “Believe me, Issy. If it came down to blackmail, I’ve far more on Ben Gracey than he has on me.”

Ouch.
Lorna. She’s tied to him for life now.

“And y
ou don’t give Ben money for reasons of guilt?” I ask, remembering that James beats himself up about not being more closely involved with the Graceys.

“No,” he says firmly.
“It’s about honouring family ties.”

I consider this.

“Then you have to help Lorna,” I decide. “When she has this baby, she’ll be family too.”

James’s face breaks into an adoring smile. “My clever little Issy,” he says. “Always helping others.”

He passes a hand over his forehead, and I momentarily regret giving him this extra burden. He is so busy already with the filming and everything. But Lorna is my best friend. I have to do everything in my power to help her.

“I’ll talk to Ben,” says James finally. “But I can’t promise that he’ll listen to what I have to say.”

I leap towards him, throwing my arms around his neck and covering his face with kisses.

“Thank you! Thank you!
I know he’ll listen to you James.”

He detaches me slightly, smiling. “
We’ll see.”

Instantly
, I feel better. Somehow, I know James will make things alright.

“In any case,” he adds, “we have our own little drama to attend to.”

“We do?” A wave of fear spikes through me.

The stalker?

“Oh no, nothing like that,” says James quickly, reading my expression. He pulls me close. “Didn’t I promise you I’d keep you safe from all that?”

I bury my face in his warm chest and breath
e him in.

“You did,” I acknowledge, feeling the truth of it. I feel so safe in his arms, I could stay here forever.

James presses his lips into my dark hair.

“What we have to decide,” he says, “is where you’ll be staying whilst we’re filming.”

Where I’ll be staying.
I hadn’t even thought about that. I’d assumed I’d be back in my chalet, making sneak visits to James whenever possible.

It wasn’t an ideal scenario.
But to be close to him and free from danger was more than enough.

“What option
s do I have?” I ask, pushing back so I can see his eyes. His face is thoughtful, deliberating.

“Well,” he says slowly. “You could
, of course, stay in your chalet. Your clothes and things have been delivered there as a matter of course.”

He pauses.

“Or?” I prompt, impatiently.

Is there another solution to this?
Could I be with him?

James laughs. “Or,” he says “you could come stay with me.”

He says it so simply, as though this would be no problem at all. For a moment, it wrong-foots me completely.

“As easy as that?” I ask. “Just come stay with you?”

“Well,” concedes James, raising a thoughtful eyebrow. “We would have to announce our relationship to the crew.”

“Announce it?” I can’t keep the shock from my voice.

I can hardly think of anything more embarrassing than making an official announcement.

“Nothing ostentatious,” James assures me. “Just a brief announcement, saying we’re involved, and asking for everyone to respect our wishes to keep it out of the press.”

“You think that will work?” I ask. In the past few weeks, I’ve been introduced to the dark world of press relations. It seems to me that everyone could have their price. And newspapers have an awful lot of money.

James tilts his head to one side, considering me. Something seems to catch in his eyes, and he moves his hand to run along my cheek.

Then he moves forward and kisses my mouth.

For a moment, everything is forgotten as I lean into him. Then he draws back a little and cups my jaw in his fingers.

“Yes,” he says simply. “It will work. And it doesn’t matter really now, even if the press does get a story. Madison and I are officially divorced. But the decision of how we continue rests with you.”

“It does?” I’m still a little hazy from the kiss.

“Yes,” says James. His eyes are staring deeply into mine, and for some reason I am transported back to when we first met. I’m back on stage, with butterflies in my stomach, not knowing what’s expected of me. It’s thrilling and disconcerting all at once.

“If we announce our relationship,”
James continues, “things get serious.”

I thought they were serious already.

“I mean,” James’s brow crinkles, and he rubs his forehead distractedly. “You must know, I’m serious about you, Issy,” he corrects himself. “I love you. But if we tell everyone on set, then we’re committed.”

“Does that frighten you?” I whisper, remembering everything I’ve heard about James. That he’s a hard man to pin down.

To my amazement, his off-centre features break into a great wide grin.

“Does it frighten
me
?” he gasps. “Are you serious?” In the heat of his sentiment, his aristocratic accent rings through his words, louder than ever. “I mean, Issy,” he frowns at me. “I’ve never been more committed to anyone in my life.” His hands are gripping me firmly.

He loves me!
The familiar surge of startled joy sparks through me.

“Then why…” I’m puzzled. “What’s the problem with announcing it?”

James’s face is beaming now.

“For
you
,” he says, as though it was obvious. “In case you didn’t want to commit to me. It’s a big decision,” he adds.

Now it’s my turn to laugh.

“You think I wouldn’t want to commit to
you
?”

James. You idiot.
I’ve never wanted anything so much.

His expression slides into something I’ve never seen before. He looks bashful. It’s so adorable, I can’t resist kissing his face and rooting my fingers into his hair.

“Why would you think that?” I say, unable to keep the delight from my voice.