Chapter 26
ANYA
The shoot is starting to wind down. Danny has nearly finished his scenes, reduced to just a number of hours a day or occasionally no days at all. I’m not needed on set when Danny isn’t there and days we’re not, I notice a day less pay in my paycheck. It’s hard to complain when I’m making more money than I’ve ever seen in my life, and spending my extra days off in a five-star hotel room with a man I’m pretty sure I’m falling too hard for.
It’s becoming exceedingly rarer to stay at The Belle Palais mainly because Danny wants to be as far away as possible from Callum at all times. But today I am not in the mood to wait the extra half an hour after wrap for Danny to get over to my place. I follow him out of the car with much fanfare, loudly discussing ‘logistics’ as I trail him through the lobby.
As soon as his hotel room door closes behind us, I’m on him.
He laughs against my lips as his arms come up to my hips. “At least buy me dinner first.”
“Shut up,” I say, tugging at his shirt. We stumble back to the bed, hands roving.
“I’m not complaining,” Danny says when I finally pull his t-shirt over his head.
The sound of the door knocking causes us to disconnect like snapped elastic. I look at Danny through wide eyes.
“Jaques?” I hiss.
He shrugs helplessly as he tugs his shirt back over his head. I stand and quickly flatten my hair, readjusting my crinkled top.
I watch Danny as he peers through the peephole. He sighs before he glances at me. “It’s my sister.”
His sister ? That is very much worse than Jaques. I spin in place, desperately looking for a way to look casual and not like I was seconds away from nudity. I end up near the en suite door. Maybe it will look like I’ve just popped in to use the bathroom. Which is potentially more embarrassing than the nudity.
“She’ll be cool,” Danny reassures me as he swings the door open and I hear a posh voice say, “Hello, hello.”
Danny exchanges cheek kisses with the blonde at the door before gesturing to where I cower in the corner of the room, desperately praying I’ve suddenly developed the power of invisibility.
“This is Anya,” he says.
Pip Covington looks at us with a raised brow, her face screaming busted . She pulls off her glamorous sunglasses and blue eyes the same shade as Danny’s sparkle at me.
“Hi, Anya,” Pip says, breaking out in a smile aimed at Danny. The kind of shit-stirring smile that is reserved purely for siblings.
“Anya, is my—”
“I’m Danny’s assistant,” I blurt out, ignoring his wince.
Pip’s grin grows, nodding her head.
“Your t-shirt is on inside out.” Pip taps Danny’s shoulder as she squeezes past him and towards me.
Horror spears through me. Definitely busted.
“How are you finding Paris?” Pip asks me in a friendly voice. I find myself searching for a catty undertone, something that would make her bubbly personality fake.
“Oh uhm.” I’m thrown off now. Aren’t models supposed to be bitchy? “Yeah it’s nice,” I finish off lamely, glancing at Danny over her shoulder.
“How long are you here for?”
“Oh uh — until wrap.” I run my hand through my hair. “Or well until Danny leaves, I guess.” I swallow my tongue. “Not that I’m like following him or anything just that well — I’m, y’know his assistant so when he’s not around, I don’t really have a job. So I’ll be here until Danny, uh, leaves.” Kill me. Please.
I chance a look at Danny and see that he’s biting his smile back and failing. I glare at him until he eventually steps forward and intervenes.
“What are you doing here, Pip?”
“Just a quick visit.” She flaps her hand in his direction and takes a seat on the armchair. “What are you planning on doing after this?”
Danny’s groan tells me that that question is directed my way. I stare at his sister blankly as she smiles at me.
“I don’t know,” I say, trying to not let it sound like a question. No matter how nice his sister is, it’s pretty clear she’s trying to figure me out. Trying to decide if I’m using her brother to get a leg up in my career. It’s nothing I haven’t already thought every person who finds out about us will think, but it still hurts.
“Phillipa,” Danny says sternly, taking a seat on the small settee and pulling my frozen body down next to him. “Back off.”
“I’m only asking!”
“It’s okay,” I say, my back straightening. I look Pip in the eye. “I don’t know what I’m doing next. I’m still figuring out what I want to do. Where to go from here. This job isn’t exactly…what I was expecting.” I tuck my hair behind my ears. Danny’s hand follows mine, running his fingers across my neck and gently brushing my hair over my shoulder. Claiming me.
I’m not sure if any of what I said makes any sense but Pip beams at me. “I like you.” She turns to Danny. “I like her. I like this.”
Uhm.
“Look, I know my brother. He’s not one to fool around with the help, so you must mean something to him.”
Danny ducks his head as I pull my eyes away from his whirlwind of a sister.
“How long has this been going on?”
I turn to Danny with wide eyes. I’ve already handled my interrogation, now it’s his turn.
He rubs his hand across his face. “Jesus Pip, please chill out.”
“I am chill!” Pip exclaims. “Am I not allowed to be happy for you? Honestly Anya, you should have seen him before. It was like living with a feral cat.”
I can’t help the conspiratorial grin that takes over my mouth as Danny groans.
“So?” Pip asks, glancing between the both of us.
I keep my mouth shut as Danny says. “It’s new.”
“This is so exciting.” Pip says practically beaming with glee. “Anyway, the reason I came is to invite you out with me and Cassie tonight. Anya, of course, you’re more than welcome to come.”
Danny and I share a glance.
He clears his throat. “We don’t usually,” –he runs his hands through his hair–“go out.”
Tamping down on the disappointment rising in my belly, I say, “Honestly don’t worry about me! You guys go and enjoy!” I hope they can hear my exclamation marks.
Danny’s lip twitches and Pip buts in. “We’ll just find somewhere private. Cassie is staying with her awful mother, in a room, not a suite. But maybe we could meet here?” She glances around the room.
Danny nods in agreement before my mouth blurts, “We can use my place.”
Danny looks at me with a blinding smile.
“Perfect,” Pip exclaims, clapping her hands. “Text me the address and I’ll see you there.” In a flurry Pip clasps my hands and presses kisses to my hot cheeks.
As soon as the door closes, Danny laughs at me. I throw a cushion at him and cover my face with my hands.
He catches it. “You are so cute.”
I moan helplessly behind my palms. “Please tell me I haven’t invited a supermodel over to my apartment tonight.”
“You haven’t invited a supermodel to your apartment.” He tugs my hands away from my face and maneuvers me so I’m perched on his lap. “You invited a supermodel and her pop star best friend.”
I look at him confused. “Huh?”
“Cassie.” Danny says slowly as if I should know who–
“Shut the fuck up,” I shout, shooting to my feet. “ Cassandra ?” Cassandra — Cassie — is currently the biggest selling female artist, selling out stadium tours and crashing ticketing systems. And she’s coming to my apartment.
“Oh my god. I’m going to throw up.” Danny tugs me into his arms.
“They’re both harmless,” he says, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“We weren’t supposed to tell anyone,” I mumble into his shirt, as his arms come around me and pull me tighter.
“Pip already knew something was up,” he admits. I look up at him and rest my chin on his chest. He looks up, “She’s been bugging me for a few weeks now. She says I sound happy or something like that.” He won’t look me in the eye but my mouth widens with glee.
“I make you sound happy?” I ask.
He tugs my hair, tilting my head back.
“Or something like that.” He brushes his lips to mine and I sink into his arms. I pull him closer until we’re moving, the back of my thighs hitting the mattress.
He cradles me as I fall backwards, his fingers tracing the sliver of skin between my shirt and jeans.
***
Danny sufficiently distracted me from the impending disaster, but now as I race around my apartment picking up random bits of clutter and desperately cleaning the bathroom, I can’t help but spiral.
“I’ve never seen you like this,” Danny says, leaning against the door frame of the bathroom as I frantically clean the shower. “I highly doubt Cassie will need to shower, but I’m sure she will appreciate the effort.”
I glare at him. “You are so not funny. You could always help.”
“I helped an hour ago when you were deep cleaning the kitchen, and I’ve dusted and vacuumed everywhere. Which I’m pretty proud of because that French vacuum cleaner was a very difficult contraption.” He steps towards me and takes my marigold clad hand. “I think you need to relax, freckles. They’re normal people.”
I sigh. “You’re right.” I drop my sponge. “You’re right. I’m just stress cleaning.”
Danny presses a kiss to my forehead and grabs his phone to check the time. “Pip texted saying they’re on their way.”
“W hat? ” I blurt, “but I’m not ready.”
“You look fine!” Danny says as I start to push him out of the bathroom.
I huff. “You are such a man.”
He allows me to push him into the hall with a laugh. “I’m going to order the food,” he says through the door.
I don’t respond, instead ripping my clothes off and stepping into my nice clean shower.
I don’t think I’ve ever got ready so fast in my whole life. Which is probably a good thing, as I have no time to panic about a supermodel, a pop star and my maybe-boyfriend eating dinner in my apartment.
Boyfriend ? Where did that come from?
I have no time to dwell on the thought. I can hear Danny greet them at the door, welcoming them in as if he’s done it thousands of times. By the time I emerge from my bedroom, dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt, my palms are sweating as I approach the group.
Pip spots me first, swallowing a sip of wine. “There you are!” She hugs me as if we’ve known each other for years and not a number of hours. “This is Cassie.” She gestures to Cassandra, who is already sitting on the couch and chomping on chips and dip. I wave awkwardly, unsure what to do with my hands.
Pip separates from me and I gravitate to Danny’s side. He wordlessly hands me a glass of wine before I sit next to him. I take a large sip to cool my nerves.
“I was just telling the guys about Aunt Claudette.”
“Yeah, we spotted the fertility statue,” Cassie laughs.
I giggle. “Yeah, hopefully that’s a dud.” I freeze. Please say I didn’t just reference having sex with my secret maybe-boyfriend.
I turn, wide eyed to Danny who, quite rudely, laughs at my expense. Taking pity on me, he presses a kiss to my palm and says, “We’ve ordered Chinese.”
I take another gulp of wine.
“I’m dying for a duck roll.” Cassie groans. “My mother hasn’t let any food touch my hand unless it’s made out of water or lettuce.” She raises her glass and takes a sip.
Pip and Danny share a loaded look. “How long is your mother here for?”
Cassie leans back in her seat. “Same as me. The only reason I was able to get away from her tonight is because I said I was meeting up with you guys. She just doesn’t know we’re having a greasy takeaway instead of a five-star meal at Le Cinq.”
I feel my cheeks pink. Maybe I should have let Danny go without me to a posh restaurant, instead of hiding away inside drinking store-bought wine.
Pip nudges Cassie. “You don’t even like Le Cinq. You said the shellfish was gross.”
Cassie waves her hand, the wine sloshing in her glass. “Which is why this is so much better.”
Danny’s palm finds my knee and squeezes. It’s strange letting him touch me so casually when we’ve been monitoring every glance as if someone will jump out and point at us accusingly. The warmth of his palm makes me curse the jeans I’m wearing for providing a barrier between his skin and mine. My gaze follows his arm up to his strong bicep to see his blue eyes staring at me with a wink. I get lost in them for moments before Cassie’s voice snaps me out of my trance.
“How’s it going with McBride?”
Everyone tenses. I know Danny has a history with Callum, which is pretty obvious from every interaction they’ve ever had and his vague warning to stay away from him, but I didn’t think Cassie would bring it up.
Danny pulls his hand from my knee and reaches for the wine. “As you would expect.” He takes a swig.
Pip runs her hand through her hair. “Just leave it alone, Danny.”
Danny raises his hands innocently. “I wish I could but he’s like a bad smell. Always hanging around.”
It’s fascinating to see Danny in this environment. I only really know what he’s like on set with people he’s only just started warming up to, and what he’s like with me. I know who he really is underneath and it makes my heart swell to watch him banter with Pip and Cassie.
“I just think—” Cassie starts before she’s interrupted by the buzzer.
“I’ll get it.” Pip jumps up quickly running from the room. “Wait,” I hear. “Anya, what do I do?”
I follow her with a laugh and see her holding the dated intercom phone with confusion.
I take it from her, “ Bonsoir , quatre etage si’l vous plait. ” I place it back on the receiver.
“I wish I could speak French,” Pip says wistfully.
“I can teach you if you like.” I offer.
Pip grins. “It’s a date!”
The food arrives and we tuck in, eating out of foil cartons, not bothering with dishware. I would have thought this group would only eat off fine china and fancy silverware, but it all feels so…normal.
“How’s the album going?” Danny asks Cassie.
She groans. “It’s going somewhere. I was so sure I wanted to do this one on my own and now that I am, I realize why I’ve always worked with a bunch of people.”
“Have you finished any songs?” Pip asks, around a spring roll.
Cassie shrugs, “A few. There’s one in particular that is really pissing me off. I’ve got the gist, but can’t figure it out.”
“Maybe we can help,” Pip says. “We’ve had enough to drink that I’m sure we’ll be helpful.”
Cassie laughs and I pipe up. “I have a guitar. Danny plays it all the time.”
Pip and Cassie look at Danny so fast I’m surprised they don’t get whiplash. “He does?” Pip blinks owlishly.
Danny ducks his head. “Only a little.”
I furrow my brow. “You’re really good Danny.” It’s his sister, surely she’s heard him play before.
“I didn’t know you were playing again,” Pip says.
There’s a telltale blush on his cheeks. “It’s a uh,” – a glance at me – “recent thing.”
It dawns on me. Although Danny and Pip are close now, there’s a very big part of his life that he’s kept to himself. Until now.
“Well, let’s see,” Cassie says. “Maybe you’ll be able to pick up on what I’m missing.”
I glance at Danny trying to apologize with my eyes. His crinkle softly at the corners and I know I’m forgiven. I grab Claudette’s guitar and I hand it to Cassie.
She strums a tune and sings along, the lyrics sound disjointed even to my amateur ears. “And then I have this riff but no lyrics yet.” The tempo changes and she hums along.
I try to remain cool, but when the biggest pop star in the world is workshopping her newest song in my living room, it’s almost enough for me to pinch myself. I sit back resting my arm on the top of the couch and sipping my wine, hoping I’m portraying my nonexistent aloofness. I look at Danny. He’s leaning forward, staring intently at the guitar on Cassie’s lap as if he can see the sounds coming out of it.
He sits back and pinches his lip with his fingers. Sat on opposite sides of the couch, he catches my eye. I lean my head on my arm and smile at him as Pip and Cassie talk quietly over the gentle music she plays. I feel like I can read his mind. Should I? I smile at him. This is it.
He nods to himself and clears his throat. “May I?” Cassie stops playing and looks at him.
She hands the guitar over, and I watch as he settles it in his lap. “Sing what you have,” he tells Cassie.
She looks at me and I shrug.
Danny starts playing. I would have thought he’d seen the sheet music, but knowing this is Cassie’s demo, it’s impossible. He parrots the chords Cassie played earlier. Her surprise leads her to stumble on the first line, but she picks it up quickly. When it gets to the empty refrain, Danny opens his mouth.
Shivers break over my spine as I watch him make magic. Pip’s jaw is on the floor but Cassie’s eyes are lit up, and she follows where he’s leading her, their voices mingling. Eventually he stops and looks at me. I don’t even bother hiding my grin.
“Holy shit,” Cassie says. “How did you do that?”
Danny shrugs. “I just picked it up.” He glances at Pip, who’s still shocked.
“Wow,” she says.
I reach out and run my fingers across his temple. “That was amazing.”
Cassie pulls out her phone and presses record. “Let’s do it again.”