Chapter Six #3
Silently he held out the cup and saucer, careful not to touch her.
‘Thanks Ethan,’ she said shakily, and she meant for more than the coffee.
He stared for a beat too long, then spun on his heel and lightning quick picked up his own cup and sat in an armchair across from her.
‘What did he say when you told him? Wish you his best and ring off?’ Ethan asked, his voice heavy with sarcasm.
Despite herself she laughed, relieving the tension in her shoulders.
‘He conveniently didn’t believe me and turned vicious when I reminded him I was still waiting for his apology, since he and I had never been in a relationship.’ She shuddered, contemplating the heinous thought. ‘A fact he seemed to completely forget. And then he finished with a threat.’
His cup stilled on the way to his mouth. ‘I want to hear it, in his exact words.’
Ivy cradled her coffee between her hands, needing its warmth. ‘To watch my back,’ she said, unable to withhold the catch to her voice.
Ethan cursed and fury flashed across his face.
‘What if he finds out I’m here, Ethan? Does something, I don’t know, anything, to hinder what we’re trying to do? I wouldn’t put it past him.’
‘I’d like to see him try. Is there any particular reason he’d know you’re here? Did you mention this place, today or ever, to him?’
‘No. The call came at around 3:00 a.m. I didn’t ask where he was, and he didn’t ask me.
’ She wouldn’t usually have her phone on during the night, but she’d been unable to sleep and had been playing a game when his name had flashed up on the screen.
‘And after the party… I purposely downplayed it. All visits here since then have been…low-key.’
‘Is that right?’ His eyes narrowed.
She could pretend she didn’t understand the reason for his obvious incredulity as the folly kiss and its aftermath rose like a headless ghost between them.
‘Yes.’ Sincerity cracked her voice along with a silent plea that he believe her.
‘Is there anything he knows that he could use to his advantage?’ Ethan’s gaze drilled into her.
Early this morning, in the aftermath of the call, fear of worldwide censure had clogged her throat, until she’d finally acknowledged that no-one knew about her role in her parents’ deaths, and no-one would, unless she told them.
But she’d never tell anyone, certainly not Ben.
A man she barely knew, other than as a former co-star, and not a particularly nice one, either.
Any time not filming he’d been far too busy being in movie star mode to pay attention to her, and in the limited times he had, he’d been teeth-grindingly condescending.
She shivered, like icy water had been injected into her veins.
Because now, in the cold light of day, she could acknowledge to herself that submerged further down was the fear of Ethan discovering her secret.
That it would hinder them being able to work together.
But even deeper was the understanding that she couldn’t bear for him to see beneath her carefully orchestrated facade and expose the truth.
Because then, she’d have nowhere left to hide.
* * *
Ivy shivered and guilt flashed across her face as Ethan ground his teeth, his internal radar going ballistic. What was she hiding? And why?
She blinked. ‘No, there’s nothing he could use!’
‘Are you sure?’ He trusted his gut, always, except for that one well-documented afternoon, when she’d played him completely.
Still, he believed she hadn’t leaked the news about Ben and Molly to the press, and her concern for the young family that would now be savaged by the press and online trolls was genuine.
Since she’d been here, he’d watched her carefully—for no other reason, he reinforced to himself, than to catch out her lies—but he’d seen no evidence that she’d ever had a relationship with Ben. So what kind of hold did the cheating narcissist have over her?
What wasn’t she telling him? Something about her past? Something about him? Something about WillowGlen that Ben could use against them?
‘Absolutely.’ She nodded. ‘We weren’t close. I didn’t tell him any private information, and he certainly knows nothing about this place.’
He held her gaze, willing the truth to emerge as he fisted his hands. Because knowing the truth was absolutely non-negotiable to him in every scenario.
‘This is your chance to tell me otherwise.’ He crossed his arms and waited, resisting the urge to tap his foot, giving her one more opportunity to come clean.
She fidgeted with the fringe of the large red scarf she wore over her black dress.
It was the most un-Ivy like outfit he’d ever seen her wear for their daily meetings and had caught him off guard when he’d arrived for their morning session.
That and seeing her huddled on the sofa looking strangely fragile and alone before lifting her chin and telling him everything was alright.
Which was blatantly untrue.
Something was up, and she either wouldn’t, or couldn’t, tell him.
Because she didn’t trust him?
Because she didn’t want to admit the truth?
He massaged a hand into his nape, hating feeling off balance, and the longer he spent with Ivy, the more he felt he was.
‘There’s nothing to tell. He doesn’t know anything about me,’ she assured him, although her shoulders slumped as her facade crumbled further.
Was she acting? Feigning distress like his mother had?
The answer rippled down his spine. No! Still, it didn’t add up.
‘You sure he doesn’t know about WillowGlen?
Have any way of tracking you here, because if there is, we have to be forewarned,’ he said, softening his posture and tone, because they were in this together and he needed to know.
That was the obvious, logical answer, not the one whispering deep inside that as much as he detested her in full Ivy mode, he detested even more that she was hurting.
‘I can’t think of any way he could. I told you, only my friend Alison and my assistant know, and they’re both sworn to secrecy and would never tell anyone, certainly not him.
’ She rubbed at her arms and Ethan wanted to take her into his.
Except it wasn’t the only thing he wanted to do…
and he wasn’t thinking about that. Not again, especially after yesterday at the tennis court, where he’d seen a completely different side to her, revealing Annie, making it increasingly difficult to reconcile the growing feelings he had for her.
He rocked back on his heels.
‘Okay.’
‘Okay?’ she repeated her voice rising.
He nodded. Because whatever Ben’s threat entailed, as long as it didn’t impact WillowGlen, he supposed he didn’t need to know.
‘You ready for today’s session?’ he asked. ‘We can reconvene later on, or even tomorrow, if you’re not feeling up to it.’
Her lips trembled and he blanched, like a fist had landed in his gut.
He’d upset her?
She bit her lip and glanced away before turning back to face him, determination and defiance replacing her earlier sadness.
‘Thanks Ethan, I appreciate the offer.’ She lifted her chin. ‘But I’m not going to let a lying jerk stop us from what we’re doing here, even for a day. I’m ready when you are.’
He stared. It was like he’d cut through a chunk of Ivy’s armour and revealed Annie.
His breathing eased, his posture loosened.
He liked that, maybe more than he should, because the more he was seeing of Annie, the more he wanted.
The integrity he’d never expected, but was very much evident in her response to Molly’s children.
She could have easily thrown them to the wolves, but she’d chosen not to for purely altruistic reasons.
The unexpected grief when she’d spoken about her dad and the fascinating insight into her upbringing with a father she’d clearly adored, forming a picture of Annie far beyond the superficial surface of Ivy.
But he couldn’t forget, not even for a moment, no matter what personality she showed or how vulnerable she might appear, that she was still an actress, one he was certain was still keeping something from him.
He wouldn’t get entrapped by her, or by anyone.
No matter what. Ever. He just needed to keep reminding himself of that.
Even if it was proving harder to do so each day.