CHAPTER 29
Jess knew the moment Afric, Spencer and the rest of the cast arrived at Linford’s summer solstice party.
As the locals recorded every moment on their phones, the paparazzi descended on the group, and reporters were forced to shout their questions loudly enough to be heard above the music that boomed through the loudspeakers around the village green.
Jess spotted Afric and Lisa walking together, pausing regularly to allow locals to grab selfies with Afric. Just behind them, Doug and Mel walked side by side. Jess watched as Doug stopped to chat with a reporter, while Meg simply smiled and walked on.
“I’ve never seen so many people turn out for this event!” Robert said, shouting to be heard above the music that blasted around the village from huge speakers. “Word must have got around about the actors coming because most of these people aren’t even locals – we’ll raise so much money this year!”
“There’s Spencer and Ben.” Jess was relieved to see that Spencer had Snuggles muzzled and on a lead.
“I didn’t think Ben Colbert was still here,” Robert mused. “He’s not staying at Linford, is he?”
“Yeah, he’s staying with Spencer in one of the cottages.” Jess turned and tucked her arm through his.
She and Robert had arrived around seven, and she’d already had a burger and a couple of glasses of wine and was feeling much more relaxed.
She’d also stopped caring that it was highly probable that the length of her dress meant she’d be flashing her knickers to the whole village before the end of the night.
She’d been delighted to discover that she could even wear the little off-the-shoulder dress, because until recently she hadn’t been able to get the zip closed.
She’d teamed it with high wedged sandals and a tiny, cross-over bag, and felt sexier and more confident than she had in months.
When she’d asked Robert who was in charge of organising the annual summer party, he’d pointed her in the direction of Sylvia Doyle, who applied to the local county council each year for funds and then worked with a team of locals to oversee stalls, string up lights and bunting and organise refreshments.
With the extra sponsorship from Blue Star Studios and Linford Castle, there was now a Ferris Wheel in the church carpark, and the village green boasted an ice-cream van, street entertainers including puppeteers, magicians and dancers, and, in Jess’s opinion, enough food and drink to feed about three small towns.
“There’s the girleen from Dublin!”
Jess felt her spirits sink slightly as she turned to see Ted approach. He smirked at Robert and then looked her up and down. Mentally, she prepared a snappy comeback if he passed comment on her dress.
Instead he said, “Robert was telling me how it was your idea to get Linford Castle to help sponsor our little shindig this year. I hope it’s not just a one-off to impress the Americans.
” He opened the button on the navy blazer that was straining over his stomach.
“You’d be the sort who’d go for those fancy Mediterranean platters I organised.
Lots of Spanish and Italian and Greek stuff and not just the kind of bits that the big supermarkets do.
I made sure to get advice from my son, so I did.
” He shot her a meaningful look. “I’ll be watching to see how well it goes today, and if does I’ll be expanding my range. ”
Jess smiled tightly. “Great, I’ll check those out now, Ted.”
With a glance at Robert, she turned away, breathing out as she weaved her way slowly through the throng of couples, families with young children and a number of clowns, all of whom were face-painting, juggling or making balloon-animals.
She reached the food tables lined up at the far end of the green, and spotted Sylvia standing behind large platters of Mediterranean food.
“Hi, Sylvia.” Jess surveyed the huge range of bowls and plates, filled with various meats, cheeses, olives, dips, plus quite a lot of stuff she didn’t recognise. “This looks amazing.” She pointed to some tall pitchers at the end. “Is that Sangria?”
Sylvia grinned. “Not to be confused with the lemonade on the table right here. But don’t worry!” She gestured to another woman nearby. “Maeve is keeping an eye on that. She teaches in the primary school and she knows every kid’s birthday in this village – including everyone who’s over eighteen.”
“Ted sent me over to check it out,” Jess said. “I don’t know how I missed this earlier, to be honest. I guess I’ve been too busy enjoying all the entertainment.”
“There’s a lot to enjoy this year,” Sylvia said, handing her a plate. “Help yourself. Ted was saying he’ll start to stock some of this stuff if he thinks we’d all go for it. Which we definitely would.” She rolled her eyes. “I swear to God, I don’t know what year he thinks we’re all living in.”
“He told me he asked his son for advice.” Jess helped herself to some large, spiced olives and something that looked like a small, leafy roll stuffed with minced food.
Sylvia nodded. “He’s a chef. Last I heard he was working in London.”
“Tough job,” Jess said, glancing around to see if Robert was still with Páidí.
“Robert’s gone over to chat to Afric Brooks,” Sylvia said, flashing her a knowing smile.
Jess scanned the green a bit more slowly, her eyes landing on the furthest corner from them. The two were standing close together, but Afric had her arms folded tightly across her chest. There was something intent about their body language that Jess couldn’t quite figure out.
She realised Sylvia was studying her, and she felt herself flush. “We’re just friends. Robert’s been showing me around a bit since I arrived down.”
Sylvia smiled non-committedly. “Well, I think you’ve made a good impression on our annual planning committee. Robert was telling me his uncle was very pleased with all the extra money. Oh my goodness, Spencer Torres is coming over. How does my hair look?”
Before Jess could reply, Spencer, Mel and Ben had reached them.
“Hey there, ladies,” Spencer drawled. “This all looks damn good!”
“Jess, don’t you look sweet in that little dress!” Mel said.
“Oh!” Jess flushed. “Thanks, Mel.”
She glanced over at Spencer, but he and Ben had already moved along the table, helping themselves to food, while politely allowing the paparazzi to snap a few more photos.
“Hopefully, things will settle down a bit as the evening goes on,” Jess said. “I’d love to see the cast and crew just relax and enjoy themselves.”
“They will.” Sylvia laughed. “I’d say once everyone in the village has got a selfie with the cast, and the press are happy they’ve enough photos, they’ll leave them alone.”
Mel excused herself and Jess turned back to Sylvia. “What are these, by the way? They’re yum!”
“Greek stuffed vine leaves,” Sylvia said, looking pleased. “Take another one.”
Jess put a second one on her plate. “So, who’s Robert’s uncle?”
“Ted, of course. Uncle-in-law, really. Sinéad is his aunt.” Sylvia looked surprised. “Did you not know that?”
Jess was a bit thrown. “Um, he might have mentioned something, yeah. Is that Emily over there?”
Sylvia followed her gaze. “Yes, she asked if she could take a stall for her jewellery. She’s quite talented.”
“I know she is! I must have a look when I get a chance.”
Jess wandered over to Emily.
“You can add Sylvia to your list of admirers,” she said.
“Aw, that’s so sweet of her.” Emily beamed. “I’ve sold a few of my rings already. Holly said she loved the double-knot one, so I gave her and three of her friends my mate’s rate.”
Jess laughed. “You can’t keep giving everyone mate’s rates – you won’t make any money that way!”
Emily went a bit red. “I break even, so it doesn’t matter.”
“Hey, maybe you’ll make a couple of sales tonight with the film crowd,” Jess suggested, feeling a bit guilty for teasing her.
“How come you never told me that Sinéad and Ted are related to you?” Jess asked Robert a while later as they stood drinking Sangria and listening to an Irish traditional band.
Robert sighed. “I wasn’t deliberately hiding it from you.
I sometimes get the feeling that you’re still trying to get your head around a village this small, and I wasn’t sure you were ready to hear that half the residents are related to each other.
” He scratched his chin. “Plus, Ted can be a pain in the backside. Even I can see that.”
“I’m sure he’s fine when you get to know him,” Jess said, trying to be diplomatic.
Robert started to say something when somebody jostled Jess, sloshing her Sangria out of her glass.
“Sorry!” The woman shot Robert a quick look. “My bad.”
Jess’s heart sank as she recognised the reporter who’d ambushed Robert outside Ted’s store.
“You’re Jess Bradley, right?” the woman said quickly.
Jess summoned up a smile. “Yes?”
“I’m Jane Byrne. I do a lot of work for the big news agencies. You’re Linford’s decoy bride, aren’t you? What are you doing here? Is tonight a PR stunt for Blue Star Studios to try to deflect from all the problems they’ve had with this movie?”
“Absolutely not.” God, that was a complete lie. “And I’m just, um –” Don’t admit that you’re down here to troubleshoot, Jess, or it’ll be taken right out of context!
“She’s just enjoying the summer solstice festival with some friends,” Robert said firmly. “We were just about to go on the Ferris Wheel, actually.”
Jess flashed the reporter a quick smile. “Excuse us, please.”
Robert took Jess by the hand and pulled her in the direction of the wheel.
A few moments later, Jess glanced behind her. “It’s grand – she’s not even looking this way. Uh, where are we going?”
“To the Ferris Wheel.”
“As in ‘on’ the Ferris Wheel?”
“Yup.”
“I haven’t been on a Ferris Wheel in years,” Jess said, looking over to see people starting to climb into the carriages for the next ride.
“You scared?” There was a glint in Robert’s eyes.
That sounded like a challenge. “Absolutely not scared.” Jess squared her shoulders. “Lead on.”