Chapter 26 Jack
I’m still trying to get myself back under control after pinning Cynthie to a wall in the middle of an enormous party, and now it looks like her ex-boyfriend has turned up. Fucking perfect.
Be with you in a second , Theo mouths at Cynthie, who holds her hand up in acknowledgment.
She turns to me, and there’s no hiding how pleased she is to see him; it’s written all over her face.
“I can’t believe he made it!” she says.
I watch as Theo Eliott makes his way over to the photographers, his arm wrapped tightly around his date’s waist. The two of them stand in front of the photo backdrop, and I take a minute to look him over.
No one can deny that he’s a good-looking man, and he certainly has that rock star magnetism, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.
Both photographers look flustered as he smiles and jokes with them.
The woman by his side is gorgeous in a sequinned black dress.
Small and curvy with fiery red hair tumbling down her back, she’s what the Regency writers I’ve been reading would refer to as a “pocket Venus.” I can practically see her emerging from a seashell.
The expression on her heart-shaped face, however, is one of deep discomfort, her smile frozen as the cameras flash.
Theo leans down, carefully tucks her hair behind her ear and whispers something.
The woman laughs, her cheeks turning pink, and she relaxes into his side.
Her smile is genuine and—for a moment—dazzling.
The moment passes, and with a quick goodbye to the couple taking the pictures, Theo makes his way toward us, pulling the redhead along be-hind him.
“Hey, trouble,” Theo says when he reaches us, and Cynthie launches herself at him. He laughs, scooping her into his arms for a bear hug that lifts her off her feet. “I’ve missed you,” he murmurs against her hair.
“I didn’t think you could come,” Cynthie says when she pulls away from him.
“Thought you might need some moral support,” Theo replies, his hand squeezing her shoulder, and even though he’s still touching her and she’s looking at him like he hung the damn moon, I feel myself soften toward him at that. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get away sooner.”
“I’m just glad you’re here now,” Cynthie says, and there’s a vulnerability in her voice that has me stepping forward, ranging myself behind her.
“Oh!” she exclaims. “I need to introduce you. Jack, this is Theo, and My-Wife-Clementine.” At this Cynthie wraps her arm around the redhead’s shoulders pulling her forward and hugging her at the same time.
“Your wife Clementine?” I repeat, confused.
The woman laughs. “Don’t pay any attention,” she says in a sweet, husky voice. “Cyn’s just making fun of Theo. Please, call me Clemmie.”
“It’s how he introduces her to everyone,” Cynthie explains. “They got married six months ago and it’s still, ‘My-Wife-Clementine this’ and ‘My-Wife-Clementine that’ at literally every opportunity.”
“What can I say?” Theo shrugs. “I’m enjoying married life. With my wife, Clementine.” The dimple in his cheek pops out, and Clemmie rolls her eyes fondly.
“So,” Theo’s attention turns to me, and his expression sharpens. “Jack Turner-Jones…” I brace myself, ready for the sort of inquisition that I faced from Cynthie’s other friends. Instead, he says, very intensely, “What the fuck is going on with Caleb? Is he really dead? He can’t be, right?”
Caleb is the character I play in Blood/Lust and I blink. “How do you… Those episodes haven’t even been released yet.”
Theo grins. “Yeah, but I sweet-talked the studio into sending me them early.” He leans in closer, confiding, “Honestly, I think it’s half the reason Clemmie agreed to marry me.”
“Sixty percent at least,” Clemmie says earnestly. “But, seriously, Caleb can’t be dead, can he? Not after everything he’s been through…” She looks up at me, and her eyes have gone all big and pleading.
Theo makes a dismissive sound. “Of course they won’t kill off Caleb. It’s obvious he’ll turn vampire.”
“Caleb would never ,” Clemmie returns hotly. “Have you forgotten about the blood feud? What about Constantine’s involvement in his sister’s death?”
“I’ve forgotten nothing,” Theo says firmly. “But I think you’re forgetting the flashback in season two where Caleb’s ancestor was the one who came upon the prophecy…”
“Oh, it’s always about the prophecy with you,” Clemmie grumbles.
“Okay so you guys are like, real fans,” I say on a laugh.
“I’m not saying Theo has actually written Bas and Lucy fan fiction…” Clemmie tilts her head. “But I’m also not not saying it.”
Theo only shrugs. “Hey, I’m not ashamed. Bas and Lucy are endgame.”
“You two are such a pair of nerds,” Cynthie says.
Theo scoffs. “You’re one to talk. Who was FaceTiming me in floods of tears after the season four finale?”
“Oh really ?” I purr, pleased.
Cynthie reaches out and pinches the top of Theo’s arm. “Shut up,” she hisses. “Jack’s head is big enough already.”
“I think he has a very nice head,” Clemmie says, and then her cheeks flush when everyone turns to her. “I mean…” she flounders. “Your head is normal size, and your face is pleasing.” She’s only turning redder as Cynthie watches, clearly entertained.
“That’s kind of you to say,” I reply, gravely. “My sister used to make fun of my oversize head, but I like to think I grew into it.”
Clemmie smiles shyly at me, and when I look over at Theo, his eyes have narrowed.
“Yes, well.” He places his arm firmly back around Clemmie’s waist. “Shall we go through to the ballroom? I heard there are tiny cheeseburgers doing the rounds so I’d like to eat a dozen or so.”
The four of us make our way, winding through the crowd, though Cynthie and Theo stop often to greet people.
“Have you met my wife, Clementine?” I hear Theo say over and over, and I exchange a look with Cynthie, who is barely concealing her amusement.
“It would make a good drinking game,” she whispers, her breath coasting across my ear in a way that makes all the hairs on my arms stand up. “A shot every time he says it.”
“We’d be absolutely wasted in five minutes.”
“This is my wife, Clementine,” Theo says on cue, and Cynthie giggles at my side. I’m becoming addicted to her laugh. Whenever I see her relax, drop some of the anxiety that she’s been carrying, it’s like feeling sunshine after a long winter.
I’ve been trying hard to be a friend to her, and I was doing a reasonable job of keeping my infatuation to myself, until I saw her wearing my initial around her neck and turned into some sort of lust-fueled caveman.
Not that she seemed to mind , a voice in my head insists.
When we finally reach it, the ballroom is atmospheric, the walls swathed in navy silk, a gorgeous canopy of fairy lights suspended from the ceiling.
A famous DJ is positioned behind a sound deck and the dance floor is already well populated.
Round tables are covered in crisp white linens, and a long bar stretches down one side of the room.
Theo rubs his hands together. “I’ll go get the drinks in, shall I?”
“I’ll give you a hand,” Cynthie says, shooting me a quick look to check I don’t mind being left.
“Sounds good,” I agree. “Clemmie and I can talk vampire lore.”
“Hey!” Theo exclaims. “No lore discussion without me, please.”
“We’ll save you a couple of seats.” Clemmie beams, and once again Theo shoots me a suspicious look before Cynthie asks what we want to drink and drags him away.
My eyes follow them, as they walk. They look good together, and Cynthie is obviously happy to see him.
“They really are just great friends, you know.” Clemmie’s voice draws my attention, and I realize she’s watching me with amusement.
“Oh,” I flounder. “I’m not… I wasn’t…” I don’t know what to say, and not only because I have no idea how much Clemmie knows about the reality of my arrangement with Cyn.
“I know it’s weird that they used to date.” Clemmie leads the way to an empty table, and I pull out a seat for her before taking one myself. “I was definitely freaked-out about it at the start. Imagine being in a relationship with someone when their ex-girlfriend is actual Cynthie Taylor.”
I exhale. “Yeah. I mean, on the other hand her ex is the most famous rock star on the planet so…” I trail off with a helpless shrug.
Clemmie shakes her head. “I really wanted her to be a tremendous bitch, you know? When she turned out to be an amazing person it was very disappointing.” She grins.
“I did worry for about five minutes that I was the person standing in the way of their aesthetically pleasing love story, but then I realized that there’s really nothing romantic about their feelings for each other. ”
“I hate to break it to you, but it’s pretty obvious your husband is obsessed with you,” I say. “Every time you smile at me, he looks like he wants to kick me in the shins.”
She laughs. “Don’t mind him. He’s not usually like that, but he’s obviously remembering one or two throwaway comments I might have made during our Blood/Lust viewings.”
“Ah, let me guess. The shirtless fight scenes?”
Laughter gurgles in her throat and her cheeks redden again. “Maybe.”
“What did we miss?” Theo arrives, placing a glass of champagne in front of his wife.
Cynthie is behind him holding her own glass, and a whiskey on the rocks for me.
Clemmie and I exchange a look. Probably best not to say shirtless fight scenes . “Clementine was just commenting on the architecture of the building,” I say airily.
“Yes,” she agrees. “The architrave has a really baroque influence, don’t you think?”
Theo looks baffled. “What the fuck is an architrave?”
“It’s… um… a decorative feature.” She buries her face in her champagne.
Cynthie is very obviously not buying any of this, so I decide to change the subject.
“Didn’t the studio say that Brooke was going to be here?” I ask, looking around. “She’s the director of the documentary they’re making about the movie,” I clarify for Theo and Clemmie.
“Yeah.” Theo takes a swig of his drink. “Cynthie mentioned that. Is it going to be weird having them follow you around when you’re trying to work? Not sure I’d like it.”
I shrug. “Honestly? Yes, but that was the studio’s condition, and I think it will be worth it if we get the movie right.”
“You start rehearsals soon?” Clemmie asks.
I nod. “I actually fly back to the UK in a few days.” I glance over at Cynthie, and she’s staring down into her glass, her expression hard to read.
Her other hand is in her lap, and I take it in mine and squeeze.
Her fingers are cold. She gives me the ghost of a smile. “Cynthie’s coming out the week after.”
“Funny to be going back,” she says, and I’m not sure if she means to England, or to the film, or to thirteen years ago. Maybe it’s all of the above.
I look over to the dance floor, where the pulsating beat of the music has dropped to something slower.
“How about a dance?” I ask.
“Good idea,” Theo agrees instantly, holding his hand out to his wife. “Let’s slow dance and then find a dark corner to make out in, like we’re back at school.”
“I think you and I had different teenage experiences,” Clemmie says, but he’s already tugging her to the dance floor and pulling her close, gazing down at her like she’s the loveliest thing he’s ever seen.
“No school dance chaperone would allow it,” Cynthie says, shaking her head. “There’s not a millimeter of space between them.”
“They’re a great couple.”
“I know. Being around them is enough to restore a person’s faith in love stories. Which is lucky when we’re about to film an epic one, and I feel a bit shaky about pulling it off.”
“Don’t tell me you’re nervous?” I ask, idly. “I’ve seen everything you’ve ever made, and you could do this in your sleep. You’re an incredible actor. The script reads like it was written for you… which—I should remind you—it actually was.”
A shadow passes over her face, but she straightens her shoulders, shakes her golden-brown hair so that it spills down her back. “I suppose so,” she says.
I’m about to push a bit further when we’re interrupted by a chipper voice.
“Cynthie? Jack?”
I turn and find myself facing a young Asian woman dressed all in black.
“Hi!” She grins, her eyes wide underneath the blunt cut of her fringe. “I’m Brooke. I’m so excited to meet you.”
She smiles sunnily, and I’m surprised by how young she looks—she can’t be much over twenty.
“Hi.” Cynthie recovers first, holding out her hand to shake Brooke’s. “We were just talking about you. We knew you were supposed to be about somewhere, but it’s a big place.”
“Oh, yeah, we’ve been shooting around a bit.
It’s a great venue.” She gestures over her shoulder, and a lanky guy around her age moves forward with a video camera in his hands.
“This is Declan, our videographer. We’re a pretty small operation.
You’ll meet the rest of the team when we’re in the UK, but it’s just us tonight. ”
There’s another round of introductions, and my brain latches on to something she said.
“Sorry, Brooke,” I cut in, “did you say you’ve already been doing some filming?”
“Absolutely.” Brooke beams. “You knew we were covering the event, right?”
Cynthie and I exchange a quick look as I remember the moment we shared after being photographed. I’m fairly sure Cynthie is thinking the same thing.
“Yes, of course,” I say. “We just hadn’t realized—”
“I was hoping you could do me a solid and ask Theo Eliott and his wife if they’d be willing to sign waivers for us?” Brooke interrupts, and her face is the picture of innocence.
“I’m sure I can ask,” Cynthie says faintly.
“Cool,” Brooke nods. “Well, now that we’ve introduced ourselves, we’ll get out of your faces.
Really excited to be working with you both, and looking forward to sitting down with you on set, soon!
” With that, Brooke gives us a jaunty wave and hares off into the crowd.
Declan treats us to a nod before loping along after her.
“Oh god.” Cynthie sighs. “Do you think they saw…?”
“No,” I reply firmly.
“Really?” She looks up at me.
“Actually, I have no idea, but they didn’t say anything… and I guess nothing really happened, did it? What would they have seen? Us standing behind a plant.”
“Right.” Cynthie nods, but her hand lifts to the base of her throat, her thumb rubbing across her collarbone, and I swallow.
“So,” I say finally. “Shall we dance? I mean… do you still want to?”
I can’t help the feeling of relief that I experience when Cynthie smiles.
“Sure.”