Chapter 30
CHAPTER 30
LUKE
T he expression on Jessy’s face says it all.
She hates this.
Jasper went outside to forewarn her and as she walked into the room, I saw it in her eyes. She is upset. I can tell by the way her smile is frozen in place and the fear in her usually sparkling eyes.
Great. My infatuation is definitely one-sided and I’m the guy who must try to act normally as I step forward to kiss the one woman I can’t stop thinking about. To make matters even worse, Morgana will be directing it and filming it for posterity. A harsh reminder that despite what everyone thinks, the famous Luke Adams really can’t have everything he wants in life.
Jessy sits on the couch beside her friend and appears to be in shock. She won’t even meet my eye and Steven whispers, “This should be interesting.”
“You think.”
Morgana claps her hands and I must admit makes a cute director with her script in hand and her hair tied up in a messy bun, her attitude glasses – she doesn’t need them to see – perched on the end of her nose, her manicured fingernails clutching the pen that is poised and ready for action.
“Darlings. We will make this the most amazing pantomime ever. Now, let’s start at the beginning and see what we can come up with.”
I exhale sharply because, quite frankly, this is my worst nightmare. Firstly, I’m not comfortable with any of this. Learning lines is not my strongest point and acting, well, I’m a better footballer. Morgana has pre-empted my excuses and the production team were instructed to hold boards with my lines on them behind the camera, so I can read them rather than memorise them and as the main star of the show is the gorgeous Jessy, I can sit back and watch her with nobody thinking it’s strange.
The villagers appear a little star-struck and completely out of their comfort zone as they attempt to go through the usual motions of acting in a play this village has seen hundreds of times already. Parts of it are so bad it’s genius and even Steven appears to be enjoying himself.
My own parts are thankfully fairly short. The story more focused on Lady Townsend and her love of Christmas.
Jessy is good at the role. She is probably the most believable in the group, and I can’t tear my eyes away when she speaks in her soft voice, her eyes glittering with happiness as she describes Christmas.
Her friend Angie is comical to watch, an impish character who works well with Jessy, and I find myself laughing along with them as they set about preparing the mansion for the Christmas party.
Aside from the odd scenes where I am required to play my part, there is only one I’m focused on and it’s up next.
It may be my imagination, but it’s as if the tension increases in the room and as I step up to enact my pivotal scene with Jessy, I can almost touch the awkwardness in the air.
We say the lines and as I stare deep into her eyes, I am lost forever.
I lose myself in Jessy. Her vulnerability and the way she smiles tentatively as she battles her nerves. The soft trembling of her rosy red lips and the gentle flush of pink on her face. She is like a vulnerable animal in the hunter’s sight, not knowing which way to turn, but somehow transfixed to the spot.
My hand shakes as I reach out and whisper huskily, “You know it’s tradition for a man to catch the woman of his choice under the mistletoe.”
She glances up at the imaginary sprig above our heads and giggles nervously. “I know that I would be a fool to spurn your advances, my lord, even though the deed has already been done. You captured my heart many years ago and our love has only grown during that time.”
It’s as if the entire room is holding its breath as I whisper, “There has never been another woman for me, my darling Marianne. From the moment I captured you that first time under the mistletoe, it was as if I knew. From that night on, I never looked at anyone else and when you agreed to be my wife, I considered myself the luckiest man alive.”
Jessy’s eyes sparkle as I reach out, touching her face lightly while staring deep into her eyes and I whisper, “May I steal another kiss, my darling, to strengthen our love?”
It’s as if nobody is watching as she nods, her eyes gleaning under the stage lights that the production crew has rigged up all around the room.
“I will never deny you, my lord.” She whispers and as I close the space between us, Morgana yells, “Cut!”
I stop in mid-air and Jessy’s eyes widen as reality hits us both hard. For a moment there we were alone in this room. I felt it. We were really going to do this. It was inevitable and more than anything I wanted to kiss her so much it hurts and it was as if Morgana tore my heart out with her words.
“Perfect, darlings. That was amazing. Now, let’s move on to the dying scene. Jessy, use the settee as the bed. I mean, obviously we will rig up a proper bed and everything, but for now it will do.”
Jessy blinks and then tears her gaze away and forces a smile onto her face.
“Of course.”
As I step back, I struggle to get a grip because that was so real. Thank God Morgana stepped in because I was about to make a complete fool of myself because one thing’s for sure, every person here would have known of my feelings for her the moment our lips touched.
I take my seat beside Steven, who hands me a glass of mulled wine and chuckles. “You could probably use this, although I’m pretty sure the alcohol burned out with the heat.”
“Thanks.”
I take a sip and he leans in and whispers, “Morgana did you a favour there.”
“How?”
“She prevented an internet sensation when the entire world watched you cheat on her in front of her face.”
“Was it that obvious?”
“Pretty much.”
“I’m screwed, aren’t I?”
“Pretty much.”
He chuckles again and then adopts a more serious tone. “Colin is due in the morning now. He’s leaving early and wants to get going at ten am.”
“It’s probably for the best.”
I gaze at Jessy lying on the couch while the pretend doctor declares there is no hope and I prepare for my scene when I discover I have lost the only woman I ever loved.
Why does that feel real right now and why does the sense of despair inside me remain even after the alcohol works its magic?