CHAPTER 32
If Afric Brooks’ latest Instagram story is to be believed, it seems that real life is mimicking fiction on the set of An Irish Inheritance – her new movie with Spencer Torres.
After weeks of reported on and off-set bickering between the stars, she and Spencer seem to be very much together – and expecting a baby.
Just hours after a leaked recording of what appears to be Afric telling Spencer about her pregnancy, the pair took to Instagram to pose together in bed at the Lady Linford Suite in Linford Castle.
The five-star hotel is the location of their new movie – and is also where the cast and crew are staying.
In the video, Afric displayed a stunning silver ring made by a local jewellery designer, on her wedding finger.
What’s not clear is just how long Afric and Spencer have been an item. If Spencer is the father, it’s likely he and Afric have been together since April at least, when the Seattle scenes of the movie were filmed.
What is clear, is that rumours about their relationship to this point, are obviously false. One source suggests that their on/off set rows may have been an attempt to hide their real relationship – probably to protect Spencer’s long-term girlfriend, British model Megan Wilson.
Efforts by the Gazette to contact Afric and Spencer this morning were unsuccessful. Ms Wilson was also unavailable for comment.
An Irish Inheritance is an enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about warring exes, who jointly inherit an old Irish castle and are forced to live in it together for a year.
By the following Monday, the media outside Linford Castle seemed to have trebled in number, and Jess spent twenty minutes on the phone reassuring Frank that things weren’t getting out of hand.
“First it was the Linford Curse, Jess,” he grumbled. “And now this. One minute, those stars reportedly hate each other. The next, she’s pregnant and flashing a ring that Emily made. Am I missing anything?”
“That’s a pretty good summary,” Jess said.
“I’m not buying it. And I’ve a bad feeling. They’re supposed to be there making a bloody film! The next thing, they’ll be inviting the media into their bedroom for a bed-in.”
“A what?”
He huffed a sigh. “Never mind. I’d like to say it could only happen in Hollywood, but in this case, it could only happen in Linford. The bloody place is cursed!”
There was no pleasing him, Jess thought, after she hung up. If Afric and Spencer were together, that’d be perfect for the image Lisa wanted to sell. She went next door to gauge Anthony’s reaction.
“Sit down, Jess.” Anthony sighed and scrubbed a hand across his face.
Jess slid into the chair across from his desk and wondered why everyone seemed to be overreacting to the sort of stuff that seemed to happen the whole time in the movie industry.
“It seems that part of the local river has been polluted,” Anthony said. “It’s paint, and it’s been traced back to us.”
Jess felt her heart sink. “How’s that possible? The outside set was painted weeks ago.”
“Nothing to do with it. It looks like somebody literally dumped open cans of paint in it, and we think it might have happened at the summer solstice.” Anthony was grim.
“Doug and Mel are furious that I even had to raise the issue with them, but the truth is that most of the actors who were at the summer solstice in the village came back to continue the party down by the river here.”
“But you don’t believe any of them would vandalise it?”
“No,” Anthony admitted. “But we’ve had to report it to the local Guards in Kilshanley.
All this outdoor paint is meant to be safe now, but the residents’ association say they found a lot of it further down the river and there’s been damage, and some of the wildlife has died.
” He shook his head. “We’ve organised a professional clean-up, but I’m worried about the fallout. ”
“It sounds like we’re doing all the right things,” Jess said. “Maybe it won’t be as bad as you think.”
Anthony just shook his head.
After Jess excused herself, she went in search of Lisa and found her in her favourite spot in the orangery. “Mind if I sit down?”
Lisa closed over her laptop. “How can I help?”
“What’s really going on with Afric and Spencer?”
Lisa raised an eyebrow. “You mean is that story fake? Did we ask them to strip and climb into bed in Afric’s suite?”
“I’ll take that as a no,” Jess said. “What about the pregnancy?”
“You think I’d know? It’s exactly the sort of shit I should know, of course. Doug and Mel have been clawing out each other’s eyes since the story broke.”
“So they’re upset because of the pregnancy?”
“The way it got out, I’d say.” Lisa sighed. “They’re blaming me, obviously, for not having control over the narrative.”
Jess tried to think. “But isn’t this good for you? You’ve been trying to market Afric and Spencer as a potential couple, and now they actually are a couple.”
“You think?” Lisa rubbed the back of her neck. “That was a great party, by the way. Are summer solstice celebrations a big thing here?”
“They are at Newgrange.” Jess shrugged.
Lisa frowned. “Newgrange?”
“It’s a neolithic site in the Boyne Valley.
At the summer solstice the rays of the rising sun directly hit two huge slabs there – I mean, it was engineered so exactly that would happen – and at the winter solstice the rays shine directly into a passage grave inside a huge mound through a tiny window. Amazing to see!”
Lisa’s eyes were glazing over. Time to move on.
“Anyway, Lisa, I think Linford Village just uses the longest day as an excuse to throw a get-together for the village. You know that Emily, our receptionist, made the ring that Afric is wearing.”
“Seems she’s multi-talented.” Lisa shot her a sly look. “If her jewellery goes viral, she could be in demand. She might not need to work in a hotel, no offence.”
Did Emily want that too? It was a side-hustle now, but it could easily take off. She gave a distracted smile. “None taken.”
Back in her office, she messaged Zoe. U free 4 a call?
Her sister had been living in Vegas for the last few months, after Zoe’s partner Finn and his dance troupe had stepped in at the last minute to perform at the celebrity wedding the previous year, and subsequently accepted an offer of residency at Leo Dinardia’s casinos.
Despite the eight-hour difference, Zoe now lived like a vampire and was usually able to take her calls.
Sure enough, after a couple of moments, Zoe video-called her. “Hey, all good?”
She looked different, Jess thought. Like she’d got some sun. Paradoxically, she also looked like she hadn’t slept in a week.
Jess shrugged. “Busy. What about you?”
“Same.” Zoe paused. “Bit wrecked, nobody sleeps here. Well, they do, mainly during the day – it’s kind of a weird place. Hey, what’s the story with Afric and Spencer? Are they for real?”
“It’s hard to tell. The pregnancy thing was leaked so it seems real enough.”
“Unless they leaked it themselves?”
Jess laughed. “God, I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe? So, you still having fun over there?”
“Mostly. You missing home?” Zoe tipped her head. “I’m getting a vibe.”
“A bit,” Jess admitted. “I miss not seeing Mam and Dad, even though I was seeing way too much of them. And I don’t really miss all the Irish country and western music, or the way Mam still doesn’t lock the bathroom door when she’s in there!”
Zoe snorted. “She blames me. Apparently when I was little I used to get upset if I couldn’t see her the whole time.”
“You’re twenty-six – she really needs to break that habit. But yeah, I miss Nana. And Kate.”
Zoe gave her a look.
“What?” Jess asked.
“Is that all that’s bothering you?” When Jess said nothing, she added, “You have to be a bit spooked by how close Kate and Simon’s wedding is. I still can’t believe it’s happening at pretty much the same time you guys were supposed to get hitched last year.”
“Yeah, it’s strange,” Jess murmured. It was easier to let Zoe think that, than let her know the truth.
Kate and Simon’s upcoming wedding didn’t bother her – except as a reminder of how her relationship with Adam had started.
She couldn’t admit how much she missed him.
And how hurt she felt about what they’d both lost.
“How’s Nana doing?” Zoe asked.
“I think she’s in good form,” Jess forced herself back to the present. “You know what she’s like, though. You’d never hear if there was something wrong.”
“Yeah.” Zoe frowned. “Do you think something’s wrong?”
A memory of Moira’s birthday party came to mind – her nana’s joking references to her aging friends. But no, she’d been her usual cheerful self.
“I don’t think so.” She gave a small smile. “I miss you.”
“Miss you too. Stay busy! It gives you less time to think.”
“Good advice.”
“Look at me, giving you advice.” Zoe blew her a kiss. “I’d better go. People to bullshit and all that. Ciao.” She hung up.
Stay busy, Jess thought. Don’t think. Not too much, anyway.
Which was fine, because work was keeping her busy enough, and there wasn’t a lot to do otherwise.
Even the nearest cinema was in the next town.
God, she had to stop thinking like a city person.
She wondered if it had ever bothered Adam.
If it had, he’d never mentioned it. She had to stop thinking about Adam!
Her phone pinged with a WhatsApp from Emily. People starting to ask where Afric got her ring!!!! Gonna use my 2 days off to build a website for my jewellery.
Sounds grt, Jess replied. I want to be the first to see it when it’s finished.
Mid-week market in Kilshanley on Wednesday, Emily texted back. I’ve taken a stand to sell some jewellery.
Jess thought for a moment. She hadn’t taken any time off since she’d arrived down, and with filming on hold for a couple of days, things would be quiet at Linford.
Before she could change her mind, she texted back, I can come along if you want. Let me know if I can do anything for you.
A reply pinged in almost immediately. OMG, thank you! Can we take your car?
Jess grinned. Sure.