Chapter Twenty-Six
The night before the wedding, dinner was served in the formal dining room.
A few magnums of Dom Pérignon chilled in a giant gold champagne bath in the corner of the room.
The chandeliers sparkled overhead, but in contrast everyone was dressed casually.
Alex wore a battered pair of denim shorts and a Hawaiian shirt; Ellie wore white linen trousers and a floral halter-neck.
Everyone else was dressed in similar laid-back tropical style, just as Alex had reassured her they would be, putting her nerves to rest.
Well, at least until his dad took one look at her and said, ‘Ellie, you’re looking a little overdressed this evening.’
Raucous hoots of laughter erupted in the room, and, even though her face was in flames, she forced herself to face it – albeit with a grimace. ‘Yes, and hopefully I’ll stay that way.’
‘Spoilsport,’ replied Robert with a grin, causing more chuckles around the room.
‘To be fair, your backflip was pretty impressive. I don’t know if you could recreate that even if you tried,’ said Savannah cheerfully as they all took their seats. Robert and Liam began pouring the champagne and handing it around.
‘We thought we’d have a simple supper tonight before the festivities tomorrow. Something light and delicious to prepare our stomachs for tomorrow,’ Jessica said as they took their seats.
Ellie had to hide her smile behind her crystal flute.
Alex’s family were so extra, she doubted they could ever manage a simple supper.
Alex gave her a subtle wink while he sipped from his own glass, and a moment of understanding passed between them.
It was nice that he finally seemed to understand his privilege, and, rather than be embarrassed or ashamed, he now accepted it for what it was.
She wondered if it was her influence, but she suspected he would have realised it on his own eventually. He was a good man.
‘I just want you all to know how happy we are that you’re all here,’ continued Jessica, her bottom lip trembling, as she raised her glass. She made a point of looking at Ellie and Alex. ‘This wouldn’t have been the same without you.’
After a deep steadying breath, she turned to Liam and Savannah. ‘We love you both so much and, while things weren’t easy at the start of your relationship, I want you to know… We… I…’ Her words died and Alex tensed beside her. Ellie’s heart lurched for both mother and son.
Alex stood and raised his glass, his voice as clear as a bell.
‘Welcome to the family, Savannah. To Liam and Savannah!’ A chorus of cheers filled the room, causing the atmosphere of the whole group to sing with joy.
Even Richie looked positively thrilled, and she’d never seen him even quirk a lip since she’d met him.
Savannah grabbed Liam’s arm and kissed his dazed face while his mother beamed at all of her children proudly, and wiped away her tears with the Versace handkerchief passed to her by her husband. Robert gave Alex an appreciative and approving nod.
Ellie was so proud of him she whispered, ‘You did good!’ as he sat back down.
Alex shrugged. ‘I’m happy for them.’
Leaning closer, she whispered, ‘Really?’
She followed his gaze to Liam and Savannah, their faces shining with love and excitement, their hands clasped together.
‘Yeah…’ He turned towards her, covering her hand with his. ‘I am.’
The meal passed pleasantly, which was shocking in itself.
Alex was laughing and joking with his family, telling them stories about his stay in London, in which she made a surprising number of appearances.
There were no awkward silences, no terrible moments.
In fact, if Ellie hadn’t known about their history, she would have imagined this was like any other family dinner – chandeliers, champagne and Hollywood stars excepted.
Alex was charming, relaxed and… loved up.
That was the most disconcerting thing of all: how he behaved. He would hold her hand, or press his cheek gently against her shoulder, and once he even brushed a stray hair away from her face in a loving caress.
It was nice. She couldn’t deny that. But a small part of her was still uneasy, as if she were waiting for it all to go wrong. Hadn’t she said they should confess the truth? Why would he behave like this, if in a few days’ time they’d reveal it as a lie?
Was he trying to make Savannah jealous? But no, he seemed relaxed, easy-going. There was nothing contrived in his behaviour; it seemed real.
But it couldn’t be. Unless… was she the rebound girl?
She’d played that role in the past too. The comic light-relief girlfriend – fun-time Ellie.
Until things – she – turned more serious, and they’d run for the hills, turned off by her eager plans.
She’d thought laying her heart bare as Alex’s friend would protect her against that pain.
That he knew how much she wanted to settle down, and would know how cruel it was to raise her hopes.
Because they were friends first, BFFs.
To give herself a moment to think, she excused herself and went to the loo. When she came out a few moments later she was surprised to see Holly waiting outside. There were hundreds of bathrooms in this place. So why was Holly waiting for her?
‘You all right?’ she asked cheerfully, praying she wasn’t about to be ambushed.
Holly’s smile turned predatory, and Ellie felt as if she were a mouse that had been caught by a bored cat. ‘I knew Alex was a good actor, but you really should go into the business, Ellie.’
Her heart plummeted to her toes. ‘What?’
Holly sniggered. ‘I thought your relationship was a little too convenient. Alex King falling in love with a fat girl? After all those rumours about him being toxic over Savannah’s weight?
I mean, I didn’t get it at first, but now it’s obvious why he picked you.
It would have worked too, if Alex could keep it in his pants for five minutes.
’ She flashed her phone at her, and there was a grainy picture of a bare-chested and sweaty Alex, taking a selfie with a smiling young woman.
MY UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH ALEX KING, the picture proclaimed.
Ellie felt sick. His hair was long, like it had been before the Olivier Awards.
‘Oh no!’ cried Holly with a mocking laugh.
‘I thought you were in on it. Don’t tell me you thought this was all real?
’ Her eyes narrowed and Ellie recoiled from the vicious hatred swirling within.
‘I happened to catch a look at Richie’s emails today, all about how he was going to work the fat angle. ’
You’re a fool, Ellie. You’ve proven it, time and time again. He doesn’t want you, nobody wants you, screamed the cruel voices inside her head – the ones she’d thought she’d silenced long ago.
Holly wasn’t finished with her vitriol. ‘All this body-positivity shit makes me sick. People like you are just lazy and gross, always acting like the victim, when you’ve never had to put in any real work.
I’ve worked for this body! Alex would never have looked twice at someone like you if it wasn’t a PR ploy.
’ She screeched the last few words in a frenzy, and Ellie instantly recognised Holly for who she was.
A woman who believed that beauty was earned through starvation and constant exercise, who sought validation through the eyes of others. That was why she hated Ellie so much; Ellie hadn’t earned the right to have a man like Alex on her arm, to have friends and people who liked her.
She’s right, sneered the voice in her head.
Ellie struggled to contain her whirling thoughts. Even if her heart and pride were wounded, she wouldn’t give Holly the satisfaction of seeing her break. ‘I wouldn’t believe everything you read, Holly. Isn’t that the first rule in the business? I’m sure your sister knows that better than anyone.’
As she walked away a brittle coldness swept through her, and her spine stiffened. She lost track of the conversations at dinner, allowing them to flow around her while she drowned in a sea of her own intrusive thoughts.
By the end of the dinner her emotions were so frayed and ragged she feared she would shatter like glass as she rose from the table. Alex took her elbow as they made their good nights. Ellie did her best to pretend she was happy, that this was normal.
They’d been pretending this whole time. She could make it a couple more days.
As soon as the door to their room clicked closed, she shrugged out of his hold and strode towards the bathroom, eager to put some space between them.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, his voice sounding genuinely confused.
‘I’m fine.’
Alex groaned as if he’d been shot in the gut. ‘Now I know I’m in trouble. What did I do?’
She spun on her heel, and was momentarily shocked by how close he was. He loomed over her, not in a threatening way but still dangerous all the same. ‘You can stop now. We’re alone.’
‘Stop what?’ he asked with an adorable floppy-haired frown, as he pushed his glasses up with one finger.
‘Pretending you like me.’
‘I do like you.’
‘Fancy me then – or whatever. Just stop it.’ She turned to walk away, but the soft touch of his hand on her bicep made her pause.
‘But I do.’ He pulled her close to him, the power of his intense gaze stealing her breath and causing her heart to pound fiercely.
With a strangled snort, she stared down at their feet. Afraid that if she didn’t, she would spill her hopes and silent dreams all over the floor, only to be trampled over and spat on.
‘There’s a photo of you half naked with a woman on the internet. Your hair was longer, so it must have been before the awards, and I’m pretty sure if a woman was going to brag about a one-night stand she’d do it straight after.’
‘What are you talking about?’ He walked over to the desk and took out his phone, tapped it quickly, and then shook his head with disbelief.
‘Have you read it?’ he asked quietly. ‘Properly?’
Ellie crossed her arms. ‘I didn’t have time. Holly was too busy rubbing my face in it!’
Alex sighed, and then read from his phone.
‘I was delighted when Alex King took a selfie with me at the gym.’ He raised his phone so that she could see it.
‘You can even see the gym equipment in the background. Hardly a one-night stand, and I was texting you at the time – otherwise I would have gotten away from her sooner.’
Ellie swallowed. She’d not paid attention to the rest of the photo, and now she’d made a fool of herself by complaining about it.
Defensively, she added, ‘Well, no, I didn’t see that.
But apparently Richie is spinning the “fat angle” of our relationship to fight the rumours of you being toxic about Savannah’s weight. ’
Alex tossed his phone back on the desk with a heavy thud. ‘Fucking Richie and his goddamn narrative!’
‘So it’s true.’
Alex met her eyes. ‘I don’t know. But probably, because that’s what Richie does.
He makes choices that work for the press.
It’s not what I asked him to do, and, if you must know, I’ve never said anything about Savannah’s weight, toxic or otherwise.
The press have constantly, because that’s what they do. ’
She believed him and yet more shame and embarrassment crawled up her neck. ‘I’m sorry. I let my insecurities get the better of me.’
He moved closer and stroked his hands down her arms lightly in a soothing gesture. ‘Ellie, I haven’t lied to you. In fact, I want…’ He hesitated, took a deep breath, and then said, ‘More.’
Her stomach flipped as if she’d taken a nosedive on a rollercoaster. She dared to peek up at him. His eyes were pinched closed as if he were afraid to look at her, but after a quick inhale he opened them again.
‘What do you want?’ he asked.
You. There was a horrible moment when she wondered if she’d spoken her confession out loud, but Alex continued to wait for her answer, and her mother’s voice filled the silence in her head with a sharp dose of reality. You have to ask yourself… Why did he pick you?
‘Why?’ Why would Alex King want her? Yes, she was a good person. But what did someone like him really see in her?
And there it was, in his easy sweet answer, ‘Because you’re loyal, kind—’
‘Like a friend.’ Or a dog, she thought bitterly.
‘No. I want more than that.’ He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘I was hoping you felt the same.’
‘I’m not breaking our rules, Alex,’ she said firmly, trying to ignore the heartbreaking way his shoulders sagged. ‘I’d rather we remained friends. This was all just for show. No one was meant to get hurt.’ Me. I don’t want me to get hurt. ‘None of this is real. I think you’ve forgotten that.’
He sucked in a breath as if she’d really punched him in the gut this time. As he tilted his head up at the ceiling his lips thinned, and he spoke without emotion: ‘You’re right. I’m sorry.’
Ellie couldn’t bear it any longer. ‘I’m going to get ready for bed.’ When she left the bathroom a short time later, the bedroom was empty.
For the first time since their arrival, Alex slept on the sofa.