Chapter 13
OLLIE
There were already two very large men standing at the front doors and another two would be joining them shortly.
Not to mention that Sandra, who ran the office, was also already there with tonight’s guest list on her clipboard.
Any potential gatecrasher had more chance of surviving a run-in with his two power-lifting bouncers than with Sandra, who might be small, but she was both mighty and a stickler for the rules.
Besides, he had a pretty good idea who the latest woman claiming to be his girlfriend in the press was, so he was confident that he’d see her coming and manage the situation. That was a problem for another day.
But, at least for now, he had some peace and quiet.
Calvin was somewhere in the building checking on the preparations for tonight and the progress with fixing electrical issues, while dealing with the documentary production team that had arrived to film the press interviews and audience reactions at the screening tonight.
That left Ollie with some quiet time to think and to reflect on his conversation with his mum, before the signing deadline at six o’clock.
‘Ollie Chiles, spit it out and don’t dare make me use my imagination because it’ll only be worse than reality and you don’t want to be responsible for sending my blood pressure through the roof. And don’t think about leaving anything out because I’ll know.’
That had actually made Ollie laugh, because she’d been issuing the same warning to him since he was about ten and he never had worked out how ‘she’d know’.
However, he’d taken her at her word and had mapped out the problem.
Explained it step by step. He wanted to make a life with Stevie.
Have a family. Be with her. But she always avoided those hard conversations because, ironically, the things that made him attractive to previous girlfriends and his ex-wife too – the money, the fame, the travel, the swanky lifestyle – were all the things that Stevie had no interest in.
She wanted a normal life, with a partner who spent more than a few months a year by her side.
She wanted to raise their kids together, not alone.
And she didn’t want to give up her job to travel with him because her career and her independence were both important to her.
She loved her life here. And Ollie had no doubt she loved him too.
But why should she be the one who had to choose between them?
Why shouldn’t it be him? Just because he earned more? Just because he was the TV star?
‘There’s a reason that I’ve loved that girl since the day I met her,’ his mum had said when he’d got to that part.
It wasn’t a glib comment because Ollie knew that to be true.
Stevie was the daughter of Lisa Dixon, one of Moira’s oldest friends, although they’d only met last year after Lisa had passed away.
Despite the wide difference in their ages, the two of them had loved each other on sight and formed a bond that would last a lifetime – whether Stevie ever became Moira’s daughter-in-law or not.
‘All that means is that she loves you for who you are, not what you’ve got. ’
‘I get that,’ Ollie had assured her. ‘And, you know, I’ve got enough in investments to live a pretty comfortable life even if I don’t pick up any decent roles in the future.’
‘So what’s the issue?’ she’d asked. ‘Son, I’ll bet on you any day of the week. And if all else fails, I’m sure Alyssa would give you a job behind the counter in the café. Be good for business.’
He’d thought about leaving it there, but he knew she’d think about this later and the reality would dawn on her, just as it had with Calvin this morning.
‘My investment in the Academy is the issue, Mum. Just now, I put close to seven figures in a year, and I’m happy to do that. But if I can’t…’
‘Oh.’ Moira had sat back on the sofa at that point, thought about it.
The moment of truth. She would be perfectly within her rights to tell him to stop being so bloody selfish, to think about all the kids that came here, the staff, the legacy that they were building.
And she’d be right… But Moira hadn’t taken that tack.
‘Don’t sign the contract, son. Choose you. Choose the future you want.’
‘But, Mum…’
‘Ollie, this isn’t up for discussion. All this is great, but if you’ve found the person you should be with, don’t let them go – no matter what.
’ He’d heard the catch in her voice and knew that was personal for her.
When she was in her twenties, she’d walked away from Nick, the love of her life, and only reunited with him last year.
‘How many times have I said that leaving Nick and then us finding each other again thirty years later was fine because it was just the way it was supposed to be?’
‘Many,’ he’d answered truthfully.
‘Well, here’s the thing – I was lying. It isn’t fine.
Every single day I think about what would have happened if I’d stayed with him, if he’d been your father, if we’d built a life together instead of apart.
I’m so pissed off with myself for the decisions I made.
I should have put love first and I didn’t. Don’t make the same mistake.’
Her candour had shocked him and saddened him too. He hated to think of her having any regrets.
‘But one thing…’ she’d gone on. ‘Have you spoken to Stevie about this? Maybe if you map it all out for her, then she could be part of the decision process.’
He’d shaken his head. ‘Calvin made the same point, but there’s a problem with that.
How can I start off a new chapter in our lives, ask her to be with me, say I’ll be the person she needs me to be, but only if I put other people’s happiness at risk?
You know her. She’d never agree to that.
Then she’ll go off and marry some nerdy doctor who’ll come home from doing brain tumour surgeries every day and be the perfect husband. ’
That had amused Moira. ‘Eh, can I remind you that you’re pretty impressive yourself.
I mean, only on a good day – I don’t want you getting big-headed.
But I know what you mean and I can see that you’re right – you have to make this decision for yourself.
And, son, I’d rather you were happy. If Stevie’s the one, do everything you need to do to get her.
Don’t let all the “what ifs” stop you and don’t carry all this on your shoulders.
There’s a whole team of us working at the Academy.
We’ll figure out a way to keep it going.
As soon as her spots have gone, I’ll get your Auntie Jacinta to sleep with one of the documentary producers and hope that makes them keep the show on the air. ’
At that, Jessie had popped her head round the salon’s staffroom door and told Moira she was ready for her. Ollie had left five minutes later, in a flurry of hugs.
‘We’ll all be headed to the Academy as soon as my hair is done, so we’ll see you there,’ his mum had said, with nods of agreement from Jessie and Georgie too.
As he’d got back in the car, he hadn’t been sure if he felt better or worse.
‘Well?’ Calvin had asked, pulling down the passenger-seat visor before lifting his Tom Ford specs.
‘She said I should put Stevie first. And that we’d figure out the rest.’
‘Then that’s what we’ll do,’ Calvin had agreed.
Ollie needed an extra layer of assurance. ‘You’re positive?’
‘I am. And I want it noted that this is the only time in my career that I’ve ever advised an actor to say no to a bloody great big wedge of dosh. I must be going soft.’
So that was that. Decided. Done.
Now, a couple of hours later, he hadn’t changed his mind. He’d get in touch with his management team in LA and let them know his decision. They’d be shocked and more than a little pissed off that they were losing the commission on the deal, but he’d just have to deal with that too.
He’d just pulled his phone out of his pocket to make the call to his agent. It would disturb his 6 a.m. personal training session with the latest big name in LA fitness circles, but Ollie wanted to get it over with.
He was about to click on the contact when the phone rang in his hand. Stevie.
‘Hey, babe, I was just thinking about you,’ he told her truthfully. ‘In fact, I’ve been thinking about you all day.’ Again, not a lie. ‘Listen, there are a couple of things I want to talk to you about. What time are you going to get here tonight?’
A pause. At first, he thought there was a problem with the line, but then he heard her sniff.
‘Erm, that’s why I’m calling. I’m not going to make it tonight.’
‘Aw crap, has something happened at work? Are you okay? Stevie, don’t tell me you’re staying to cover for someone because, come on, babe, tonight is going to be great.
I don’t want you to miss it.’ It was only a half-truth.
The other half was that he was desperate to share his decision and his plans for the future. For their future.
‘No, it’s not work. I’ve just left there and I’m heading home.’
‘Then I don’t get the problem. I’m at the Academy now. Just come over…’
‘Ollie, I don’t want to come tonight.’
‘Is it because of the press? Look, I promise I’ll keep my distance and won’t drag you into it. No one will even know we’re together.’
This had been her thing right from the start – her aversion to being labelled as his ‘girlfriend’. To people intruding on their private lives. To being the centre of attention. And this was exactly why he couldn’t commit to another five years on The Clansman.
‘That’s the issue though, Ollie – at some point the world will find out and I’m just not ready for it. I’m sorry.’
‘Okay, I get it. Look I’ll come over after the screening…’
‘No.’ Her reply was so sharp, it startled him. Stevie was the most laid-back person ever. She never raised her voice, didn’t get dramatic. ‘Please don’t.’ Her tone was softer now, but just as firm.
‘Stevie, what’s going on? I don’t get any of this. This morning, everything was okay. Or did I miss something?’ He tried to rewind, but his confusion over this call was blocking his brain.
‘No, it’s just… I realised today that I need some space.’
She sounded so defeated, exhausted, he immediately went into ‘fix’ mode.
‘That’s okay. We can go away for a few days. Somewhere remote. I’ll wear a balaclava. No one will even know it’s me.’
‘I don’t mean that kind of space, Ollie. I mean space from… from… us. I just need time and space to think about what I want. I’m sorry. I really am.’
And that’s when the phone went dead.