No Matter What (72 page)

“Of that I’ve got no doubt.”

Vince took a deep breath.
 
“And she wants to talk to
India
.”

Kenny looked up sharply.
 
“Can’t promise you that’ll happen.”

Vince leaned forward, clasping his hands together.
 
“Do you know how she feels about Charley?
 
Has she said anything to you, anything at all over these past few years?”

“Not really, no.
 
She kind of just stopped talking about it altogether and no-one really wanted to push her.
 
There was no need.
 
Until now.
 
Because we can’t really hide it now, can we?”

“No.
 
We can’t.”
 
Vince pushed a hand through his hair and leaned back again. “I should have said something sooner, especially with you filming here, but I stupidly thought I could keep it a secret.”

“You were never going to be able to do that forever, Vince.”

“Well, it isn’t common knowledge to anyone, Kenny, so keep it quiet.
 
It’s what both me and Charley want, for now.”

“
India
needs to know.”

“I know she does.”

“You should tell her.
 
It should come from you.”

“I know.
 
And I
will
tell her, I promise.
 
I will.”

Kenny stood up, pushing his chair back under the table, looking at Vince.
 
“Do it soon, Vince.
 
Because if
you
don’t tell her she’s going to find out for herself, just like I did, and then I can’t promise what her reaction will be.”

Vince watched him walk away, knowing he was right.
 
He shouldn’t have kept it a secret at all.
 
The minute he’d seen Charley he should have told them.
 
He just hoped with all his heart that he hadn’t left it too late.

***

“And before you ask, no, I’m not going out tonight.
 
I’m staying in, having a nice hot bath and sitting in front of the TV,”
India
smiled at Kenny as he joined her in make-up.
 

He leaned over and kissed her cheek, quickly ruffling her hair because he knew it annoyed her.
 
“Lightweight.
 
We’ve had bigger nights out than that.”

“Then I must be getting old.”

He leaned back against the counter and folded his arms, smiling.
 
“Nah.
 
You’ll never get old,
India
.”

“Tell me that again when I’m seventy.
 
And you look annoyingly alert by the way.
 
I hate you.”

He grinned at her.
 
“That’s because I didn’t get married and turn into a total bore.
 
I can take my drink and survive on two hours sleep a night.”

“You’re such a pro, Kenny Ross.”

“It’s a talent.”

“Shut up,” she laughed.
 
“Do you want to come over tonight then?”

“Is your shadow going to be there?” he asked, examining a can of hairspray.

“If you mean Bobby, no, he won’t.
 
He’s off out with friends tonight so you’re safe.
 
Are you going to come over then?”

“I might as well.
 
Got nothing better to do.”

She kicked his ankle and laughed again.
 
“Don’t make it sound like I’m doing you a favour.
 
I can quite happily amuse myself you know.”

He smiled at her and she smiled back, loving every second of the back and forth banter.

“I’ll be over about ten then.
 
Once filming’s finished, ok?”
 
He leaned over and kissed her quickly.

“Ok,” she said, watching him leave, every female eye in the make-up trailer following him.
 

“Right then,
India
.
 
That’s you all done,” Scott, her favourite hairstylist and make-up artist smiled.
 
“Stunning, as usual.”

“Only because you guys are nothing short of magicians,”
India
said, getting up and kissing him on the cheek.
 
“Let’s face it, I looked like crap this morning.
 
I wasn’t an easy job.”
 
She checked herself out in the mirror.
 
No sign of the bags under the eyes or the limp hair that had been there when she’d arrived.

“Worth his weight in gold, isn’t he?” Bobby smiled, winking at Scott as he walked over to her, carrying a pile of papers and a bar of her favourite chocolate.
 
“Because you weren’t looking good an hour ago.
 
Here, shove this in your mouth and get out on set.
 
I told you if you wouldn’t eat I’d be nagging you so you
were
warned.”

She sighed and took the chocolate from him.

“And stop with the sighs.
 
If Mr Walsh thought I wasn’t looking after you ...”

“Mr Walsh knows I can look after myself.
 
Do you want a bit?”

She handed him some chocolate as they walked out of the trailer, making their way over to the hotel gardens where that morning’s filming was taking place.

“You need to make a few ‘phone calls this afternoon, angel.
 
You need to call your agent regarding some modelling work and there’s news of another movie in the pipeline they want you to try for, and a few magazines want to talk to you about this movie you’re doing with Kenny.
 
They’re quite happy to come to Vegas but, if you’re going to be in
L.A.
next week, you might be able to do one or two of them then ...”

But
India
wasn’t listening anymore.
 
Her attention was elsewhere as she watched someone walk through the hotel lobby, smiling and waving at people as she went and, as a thousand bad memories came flooding back into her mind, she realised there was no way they could avoid each other now.
 
She was face to face with Charley.
 
And she had no idea what to do.

CHAPTER 37

Although Bobby had only been working with
India
for a couple of years he was still all too aware of the history concerning Charley Miles, ex-porn queen and

ex-best friend of his employer, although he thought of
India
as much more than just his boss.
 
She was his friend; he loved her, and as he watched what was happening here, watched as
India
and Charley came face to face for the first time in heaven knows how many years, he took
India
’s hand and squeezed it tight.
 

She was rooted to the spot, she wasn’t moving, just staring at Charley who, to any on-looker, seemed just like a very pretty dark haired girl who was about to approach India to say hello, but Bobby knew it was much more than that.
 
These two had a past.

India
was just grateful that Bobby was there.
 
She couldn’t believe she was looking at Charley, right there in front of her, looking just like she remembered her from the days when they’d been closer than sisters.
 
The beautiful dark hair, cascading over her shoulders, her face pretty and radiant.
 
She’d looked happy, until she’d set eyes on
India
.

“Do you want to leave, angel?” Bobby asked quietly, giving her hand another squeeze and
India
shook her head, still staring at Charley as she came closer.

This was a face she hadn’t thought she’d ever see again, a face she hadn’t even thought about for years now.
 
It had never seemed important.
 
She’d never thought she’d ever be in this situation so, what did she do now?

Charley had never felt so nervous or so sick, so unsure of what to do.
 
She approached
India
slowly, looking at her, looking at how she’d changed.
 
She looked every inch the Hollywood movie star.
 
She was absolutely stunning and Charley couldn’t take her eyes off her.
 
They’d been so close once, the closest of friends and yet now - now she felt as though she was just some fan trying to grab a quick hello. The detachment she felt was almost depressing.

“
India
...”

India
shook her head again, holding tightly onto Bobby’s hand, wishing this wasn’t happening.
 
She really had no idea what to do.
 
All she knew was that she didn’t want this to be happening here, not here, where photographers were everywhere and the public were well within view.

“I can’t do this, Charley,” she said quietly.
 
“Not here.
 
Don’t ask me to do this here.”

“Can we ...can we just talk?
 
Please,
India
…”

“I can’t, Charley.
 
I just can’t.”
 
She felt tears start to well up in her eyes and all of a sudden she just wanted to find a quiet corner and call Michael.
 
She turned to Bobby and he got the message, leading her away from the scene before anything that could attract attention happened, leaving Charley more confused than ever.
 
But she was sure she’d seen something in
India
’s eyes, something that had given Charley hope, no matter how slight.
 
And all she could do was cling onto that.

“Have you got my ‘phone, Bobby?”

Bobby rummaged about in his bag, pulling out her ‘phone and handing it to her.
 
“Can I get you anything else, angel?” he asked, as they approached the set.

She shook her head.
 
“No.
 
I’m fine.”
 
She looked at him and smiled a smile of reassurance.
 
“Really Bobby.
 
I’m fine.
 
It was just a bit of a shock, that’s all, seeing her again, after all this time.
 
It wasn’t something I’d expected to happen, especially not here.
 
It wasn’t something I’d ever really planned for.
 
But I’m fine.”

“If you’re sure you’re alright,...”

She kissed him quickly, hugging him.
 
“I’m alright.
 
I just want a couple of minutes alone.”

“To call Mr Walsh?”

She smiled again.
 
“Yeah.
 
To call Mr Walsh.”

Bobby left her to it, and she knew he’d do his job of making sure nobody disturbed her for a few minutes.
 
She just wanted to hear Michael’s voice, then she’d be fine.

He picked up after a few seconds, but he sounded stressed and her stomach fell.
 
He wasn’t going to be in the mood for this, was he?
 
He was probably busy and here she was calling him just because she’d seen someone from her past that she never thought she’d see again.
 
She was an adult, she should be able to deal with this without running to him all the time but, she just really wanted to hear his voice.
 
What was so wrong with that?

“Michael?”

“Hey, kiddo.
 
How you doing today?”
 
His voice changed in that instant and she breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m not disturbing you am I?”

“No, you’re fine, honey; we’re just setting up for something.
 
I’ve got a few minutes, I’m in my trailer. .. is something wrong?
 
You sound a bit, I don’t know, flustered.”

“I’ve just seen Charley.
 
Here, in Vegas.
 
In the hotel.”

“Charley?
 
Jesus ... are you ok?”

“I’m fine.
 
I’m ok, of course I’m ok.
 
It was a shock but I’m fine.”
 
She closed her eyes for a second, still trying to take in what had just happened.
 
“I couldn’t say anything, Michael.
 
I couldn’t speak to her, I couldn’t get the words out.
 
I didn’t know what to do.”

“Do you know what she’s doing there?
 
I mean, does Vince know she’s in the hotel?”

“I don’t know.
 
I don’t know anything.
 
I only saw her seconds ago … she wanted to speak to me but I couldn’t do it.”

“Do you
want
to speak to her?”