CHAPTER 31
Jess turned in the bed the following morning and slowly opened her eyes. Her head felt a bit heavy. What had they put in that Sangria?
Robert was gone. The sheets on his side of the bed were cold, and she couldn’t hear anyone moving about downstairs.
Last night had been … lovely. Sex had been un-serious and easy and relaxed, with none of the passion and intensity there’d been with Adam. Which was a relief, obviously, because passion and intensity were completely overrated.
Her phone pinged and she leaned out of bed and grabbed it off the floor, smiling when she read Robert’s message. Sorry to leave like that but gossip travels like dust around here. Figured you might want a choice about that. X
Thoughtful, too – all good!
She stretched and massaged her temples, trying to remember if she had painkillers lying about. She studied Robert’s message again and considered her reply.
Had a great night. Do you want to get together later?
She deleted it immediately. She couldn’t send that – it looked like a booty call. The sex had been lovely. But the best part was how normal it had been. It was also proof that she was finally moving on from Adam. Double win.
She wondered if Emily had had a good time.
Opening Instagram, she wriggled up in the bed, pleased to see all the views and reposts of the summer solstice photos she’d uploaded while she’d been waiting for Robert at the end of the night.
As she’d hoped, Afric, Spencer, Linford Castle and summer solstice were all trending.
This was perfect! Her instincts about the summer solstice party had been dead on.
In fact, with all the goodwill generated among the locals after last night, they’d probably be able to hire out the castle to film studios on a regular basis – and the locals would be the first to get on board.
She’d be willing to bet that the residents’ association committee might even start pitching their village to Hollywood as the perfect film location.
Not to mention that, for once, the reporters and photographers had been useful. TMZ had even run something. She let out a little squeal at the picture of Afric and Spencer together at the festival. Finally, something positive!
Then her eye fell on the headline.
IS IRISH ACTRESS AFRIC brOOKS PREGNANT?
What? Jess almost laughed. Okay, that couldn’t be right. Forcing herself to concentrate, she read the rest of the piece.
TMZ has obtained a recording of what seems to be Afric Brooks revealing news of her pregnancy.
While the person she’s talking to is difficult to identify, it’s definitely a man – and most likely Spencer Torres.
The recording appears to have been made on Linford Castle’s ‘Whispering Gallery’.
The recently reopened gallery is a semicircular structure at the back of the castle’s Great Hall.
Its unique physics means that any sound – even a whisper – on one side is clearly audible on the other.
Jess skimmed through the rest of the piece, her eye falling on the last part.
The following is what could be identified.
Male: Are you sure?
Afric: I’m late …
Male: Shit … not the time.
Afric: … not fair to me …
Male: … say anything to anyone.
Jess’s phone rang, and she fumbled, dropping it into the folds of the duvet. She grabbed it up, and swiped quickly again when she saw it was Emily.
“Hi, Emily, have you seen the –?”
“TMZ thing? But, omigod, Jess, did you see Afric’s story?”
“The one she posted last night?”
“The one she posted this morning. Phone me back!” Emily hung up.
Bracing herself, Jess opened Instagram again and tapped on Afric’s story.
Impatiently, she watched as it spooled through what she’d already seen.
Then it cut to Afric and Spencer posing coyly together in the king-sized, four-poster bed in the Lady Linford Suite.
Afric had a sheet tucked in above her breasts, but her shoulders and arms were bare and Spencer was naked from the waist up.
Judging by the angle, Spencer was holding the phone at arm’s length.
But Afric’s own arm was held out towards the camera – her left hand tipped elegantly down to reveal a beautiful ring on her third finger.
Jess pressed on the screen to freeze the image.
She recognised that ring. It was from a selection of Linford Knot Designs – Emily’s silver jewellery collection.
She rang Emily back.
“Did you see it?” Emily demanded, when she picked up.
“They’re in bed together. And Afric is wearing one of your rings on her engagement finger! Am I leaving anything out?”
Emily gave an excited squeal. “This is massive! Everyone’s going to be asking where she got the ring – I could go viral!”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Jess grinned, genuinely happy for her. “But there’s also the thing about her being in bed with Spencer. And you know, pregnant? If that’s a real recording, how was it leaked? Plus, isn’t Spencer still seeing that model?”
“Oh, yeah, true.” Emily fell silent for a moment. “But it doesn’t matter, does it? I mean, it’s all good. Well, except for his girlfriend. Like, it’s pretty shitty for her. Do you think it’s for real?”
“Which bit? The pregnancy? The two of them in bed together? The fact that someone is leaking everything to the media?” Jess sighed. This morning had started out so well. But she had a bad feeling that somehow this would backfire on Linford Castle. She just wasn’t sure how.
“Did Afric pick out the ring or did Spencer surprise her with it?”
“Um.”
“Emily?”
There was a loud sigh. “Fine, maybe they didn’t buy it. But Afric was admiring the jewellery and she tried on one of the rings so I said she could have it.”
“Okaaay.”
Linford Castle Receptionist brings Afric Brooks and Spencer Torres together with gift of stunning ring … the headlines would write themselves. Except what did it actually prove? Afric was wearing a ring she liked. And she and Spencer seemed to have spent the night together.
But the timing of the pregnancy didn’t make sense – unless they’d secretly been seeing each other. And what about Megan? She and Spencer had supposedly been together over a year.
Jess thought hard for a moment. The only explanation for any of it was that Afric and Spencer had been doing their best to make everyone think that they weren’t even getting on. When the opposite was true.
And now that they’d been caught out, they’d decided to take control of the situation.
“I don’t regret it,” Emily was saying defiantly.
It took Jess a moment to figure out what she was talking about. “No, right. That was generous of you. Especially as Afric could well afford to buy it!”
“I know, but I was thinking if I gave it to her she’d share it on her socials. Omigod, omigod, this is unreal – you’re not going to believe this!”
“They’ve just announced their engagement?”
“No! There’s a gang of reporters hanging around the courtyard in front of my apartment. I think they’re waiting for me.”
“Shit! No, it’s grand, let me think for a minute.”
“What’s there to think about?” Emily sounded a bit huffy. “They obviously want to ask me about my jewellery.”
“Yes.” Jess paused. “But they might also want to ask you about Afric and Spencer, and you have to be careful how you answer.”
“So I just tell them the truth! I gave Afric the ring.”
“Normally a good option,” Jess agreed. “Except, say, for some crazy reason, Afric, or even both of them are trying to spin this another way? I’ve no idea how or why, but the last thing we want as representatives of the hotel – of the whole group – is to interfere with that.”
There was a silence. “So, I lie?” Emily said, finally.
“Not lie, just say nothing. Or say you’re thrilled that Afric likes your jewellery. That way you’re not actually admitting you gave it to her.” Jess hurried on. “But I wouldn’t worry too much – they might be gone by the time you leave your apartment.”
“How do they even know where I live?”
“It’s a small village, Emily. Anyone could have told them.”
“I suppose.” Emily’s tone brightened again. “So, how was your night?”
“Mine?” Jess tried to play for time.
Emily sighed. “You and Robert left together.”
“He walked me home.”
“Oh.” Emily sounded disappointed. “Was that all?”
Jess hesitated and Emily squealed. “Oh my God! I just knew he was into you. That is epic! I mean, he’s not, like …” She trailed away.
“Adam.” Jess’s stomach squeezed as she said it. “I know. Look, Robert and I aren’t serious, okay? Not even slightly. We’re just having fun. And to be honest, I still don’t exactly know how I feel about last night.”
“Why?” A note of sympathy crept into Emily’s voice. “Was he crap in bed?”
In spite of herself, Jess started to giggle. “No, it’s not that. Okay, don’t forget what I said about the reporters.”
“Keep it vague – got it.” Emily hung up.
She might as well get up, Jess thought, looking around the small, over-stuffed room. She was wide awake now. Plus, her hangover wasn’t going to go away without help.
Part of her was tempted to head up to the castle to find out for herself what was going on. But the other part of her figured that this changed things – and she could be facing a hectic week ahead. Maybe she’d just chill out for the day.
She still hadn’t replied to Robert’s message, but she needed to word it properly.
She’d said she didn’t want anything serious, but after last night, he might figure she’d changed her mind.
Still, even if it had felt like another step in the right direction, they could probably both do with some space today.
Had a lovely evening, catch up during the week. She hit send. Now what? She wasn’t in the mood to be on her own. She sent Emily another WhatsApp.
If you’ve no plans, do you feel like hanging out? I could come to yours or we could have brunch at Sylvia’s place.
A few minutes later, Emily replied. Let’s do brunch. Meet you in an hour xx