The Morning After (14 page)

She was so matter of fact this morning. So detached, as though his words of the night before had meant nothing. Or as if she didn’t want to acknowledge that her best friend had fallen in love, reneged on their agreement to have a couple of weeks of fun and not let it affect their relationship.

Ethan stood and paced his trailer. Eleven steps, end to end. Then eleven back.

He swiveled and kept walking.

There was no way they could go back to being just friends. Not now. She had no job to go back to. No one waiting for her back home who needed her as much as he did. He crossed his arms and whistled tunelessly as he paced.

When he got home, they were going to talk about it. He didn’t want her to leave. She needed to know and truly understand how much he loved her. How vital to him she was. He’d tried yesterday, but somehow it hadn’t got through. The thought that maybe she wasn’t ready, or worse still, didn’t want more than a quick fling wasn’t something he was prepared to consider.

Whatever her reservations, he’d overcome them.

A rap on the trailer door.

At his shout, the door swung open. Maggie stood in the doorway. “Ethan, have you got a minute?”

Ethan nodded.

She sank onto the nearest chair. “You’ve been getting a lot of calls on your cell. From Aoife Fitzpatrick, I guess she still has your number.” Her mouth stretched in a grimace. “I’ve spoken to her and told her you’re unavailable, but she just keeps calling. Eight times at last count.”

Ethan resisted the urge to punch the wall. “What does she want?”

Maggie shrugged. Her eyebrows pulled together like acrobatic caterpillars. “She keeps saying she needs to talk to you urgently.” Her nose wrinkled, and her lip curled. “All delivered in a rather weepy voice.”

The last thing he needed was to play therapist to Aoife. She hadn’t even had the guts to tell him face to face that she was moving out and moving in with Zane, had just done the deed while he was at work, and left him a Dear Ethan letter.

But if he didn’t call, she’d keep ringing his cell. It wasn’t fair that Maggie should have to keep dealing with it.

“Pass it over then.” He extended his hand, palm up.

“I’ll be outside.” She gave a pointed look, which he interpreted as ‘and I’ll make sure no one barges in.’

Ethan sat down, propped his Converse clad feet on the table, and crossed his ankles. He punched a couple of buttons, and reminded himself she must be hurting. And a gentleman never kicked a person when they were down. Especially if they were a girl.

“Aoife? It’s Ethan.”

“Ethan?” her high breathy voice dissolved in a flurry of feminine sobs. Not great, big, ugly gulping sobs, but pretty sounding ones.

“You’ve been calling me,” he said.

“I made the most awful mistake, Ethan. Zane—”

“I heard.”

“He cheated on me.” A tough note crept into her voice. “He’s played me for a fool. I need my friends, Ethan. I need to move out, and I need somewhere to stay…some support. I thought maybe…”

Ethan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Did she really for one moment think—

“You and I had something special, Ethan. I shouldn’t have walked away.”

“Hold up.” He couldn’t for one moment let her continue. He forced calm into his voice, and clenched his hand into a fist. “You and I are history.
Ancient
history. I’m sorry things haven’t worked out for you, but you can’t stay with me.”

“This crap the papers have been spouting about you and Cara can’t be true, Ethan?” She laughed—a tight, brittle sound. “I know you two are friends, but
Cara
…”

“I’m sorry not to be able to help, Aoife.” Ethan’s voice sounded coldly dismissive, even to his own ears. “But I’m sure you’ll find someone.”

He hung up, pushed open the trailer door, and handed his cell to Maggie. “She won’t be back.”

****

After a morning finishing Juliet’s book, Cara decided to flex her literary muscles by writing a detailed summary of it for Ethan. He didn’t read as fast as she did, and had so little free time that she knew he’d find it helpful. He was due to go for a screen-test the following week, and Manny had said he was expecting the script any day now.

Knowing as much as possible about Juliet’s book prior to the party could only work in his favor.

As the printer churned out the pages of the summary, Cara gazed at the cirrus clouds streaking the sky, as her mind flashed back to the events of the previous night. Ethan had told her he loved her while they were making love. It would be so easy to just accept him at his words, but something held her back, made her scared to believe it.

Shifting their friendship into romance was easy. But the prospect of really loving him, without any guard on her fragile heart, was terrifyingly difficult. Ethan lived in a different world, with a satisfying job, a beautiful house, and a life. Hers had been turned upside down, and although it would be easy to merely be—girlfriend, or companion—it wasn’t enough. She needed to steady her feet on solid ground again. Needed to be in control of her life rather than just washing back and forward like flotsam floating on the tide.

She’d spoken to her family before she left. Had told them that she was going for a short holiday with Ethan. If she didn’t return to Donabridge, all the rumors that she had once again fallen recklessly into the arms of a bad-boy would be confirmed. And no doubt her brothers would be out to America on the next plane, to question Ethan about his intentions.

She hissed out a breath.

There was nothing for it. She would have to stick to the original plan. Spend two weeks here, and then return to Donabridge and determine exactly what path the rest of her life would take.

Before she weakened she logged on to the internet, booked a ticket a week hence, and started the clock ticking to her departure. That done, the day stretched out before her, long hours of freedom and solitude. Being out and about with Ethan over the weekend had been such fun, but there was still so much to do and see that the prospect of another day on the beach held little appeal. The car had a sat-nav, why not just head out, make a day of it?

She’d picked up a guidebook in a little shop near Malibu pier, and now flicked through it. The Getty Villa was nearby, a wonderful collection of antiquities showcased in a replica Neapolitan Villa, with herb gardens laid out just as they would have been in Roman times.

Scooping her bag from the table, she picked up Ethan’s car keys, and headed for the front door.

****

The house was in darkness as Ethan’s driver pulled up outside. Despite his best intentions, the last day of filming had overshot. He’d had to call Cara and cancel their dinner plans. She’d sounded bright on the phone.

“Do you want me to leave something for you?” she’d asked. “Because I made some dinner…”

He should have called earlier. But somehow he’d been hoping things would magically improve and he’d be back before nightfall. “I’ll eat here.” The talk would have to wait too. “Sorry, honey.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I’m pretty exhausted, I went out today.”

Ethan tensed. “You didn’t have any problems?”

“I didn’t even catch a glimpse of anyone with a camera. We must be old news. Your agent was right, it seems that the press have moved on.”

Ethan propped his feet up on the table in his trailer, and wished she was with him. Talking on the phone was a poor substitute. “Where did you go?”

“Ancient Naples.”

She sounded as though she was smiling.

“The Getty Villa?”

She laughed. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? Then after I found a little outdoor farmers market and bought some yummy stuff for the fridge.”

“Don’t wait up.”

Apparently, she hadn’t. Ethan climbed out of the Mercedes and handed an envelope to the driver. “Thanks for ferrying me around, Mike.”

The driver’s eyebrows rose. “It’s all taken care of, Mr. Quinn, you don’t have to…”

Ethan nodded. “I know.” He grinned. “Thanks, Mike.

“Thank
you
.” Mike stuffed the envelope into his jacket and smiled back. Then, with a salute, turned the car outside the house, and left.

The engine faded into silence as Ethan walked to the front door and let himself in. Even though Cara must be sleeping in the bedroom, the house felt empty. He flicked on a light and glanced around. Night after night, he’d come back to an empty house without for one moment missing the presence of another. Day after day, he got up, showered, and went to work. Filming was over. Tomorrow, there would be no car to take him away.

Tomorrow, it would just be him and Cara.

He locked the door, and went to find her.

Chapter Sixteen

“Might Harrison Ford be there?”

Cara’d pinned her hair back with a couple of jeweled clips she’d found somewhere. The different hairstyle emphasized her cheekbones. Her eyes sparkled, and her eyelashes looked longer somehow. A faint sheen of pink shone on her lips. Ethan peered closer. “Have you put makeup on for Ford?” he growled.

Cara’s dimple made an appearance. “Or Mr. Jackman, I reckon if he’s there…”

Ethan frowned, and advanced on her like a lion pouncing on a gazelle. “All these men better damn well understand—” he snaked his arms around her and tugged her close—”you’re
my woman
.”

Cara squirmed. Her body shook with laughter. “I see a remake of Tarzan in your future,” she teased. “You’ve got him off to a tee.”

“Me Tarzan,” Ethan muttered in her ear, breathing in her musky perfume.

She sighed, and tilted her head back as he nibbled his way down her neck. “Oh wow. Me Jane.” Her back arched, pushing her breasts against his chest.

Ethan’s body reacted—raw, primitive desire making him wish he had time to rip off her shimmering party dress and drag her back to bed.

He pressed his mouth against the spot where her neck became her shoulder. Loosened his grip, and regretfully, pulled away. “We’ll have to delay this until later.”

Her eyes were dark with desire. She pouted. “Huh. Later you’ll be thinking about the new movie.”

He kissed her carefully, so as not to muss her lipstick. “I’ll be thinking of you.” His gaze traveled the length of her, perfectly showcased in the black dress that clung to every curve. “I’m always thinking of you.”

Pink swept Cara’s cheeks. She glanced away.

What was it? Was he coming on too strong?

“Cara?”

Her gaze returned to his. “I have to go back.” Her lips pressed together. “My family will be worried if I stay here for longer than I’d said.”

“We can talk about it later.” Getting into a discussion about their future when they should be in the car heading to a party was a very bad idea. Especially if she was going to insist she went home soon. He needed to persuade her, tell her he wasn’t going to let her go so easily. And he needed all his powers of persuasion to do it. Which involved getting her naked.

“I’ve booked a ticket.” The words hung in the air between them. “I know you want me to stay longer…”

Stay longer? He’d been thinking about her staying forever. But obviously she hadn’t.

Ethan’s hands dropped to his sides.

“Look—” Distress flared in her azure eyes. She could read his body language as easily as he could read hers, apparently. The legacy of years of friendship. “Ethan, my life is upside down, I need to sort things out, need to find myself. We both knew this was just a temporary thing between us…”

Cold steel squeezed around Ethan’s heart. He took a step back. “Fine.” He turned away, not willing to give her even the chance of reading his feelings if she didn’t return them.

Her hand grasped his arm. “I was planning on coming back.” Her voice was low and quiet.

“How do you think your family will take that?” For years, she’d lived her life living up to her parents’ and brothers’ expectations. She’d dated Michael because her father thought he was suitable. Trained as a teacher, because it was a respectable profession for a woman to have in Donabridge. And had been devastated when scandal had struck and irrevocably shattered her life.

Now, instead of embracing all that her life could be, she was running back to try to put the pieces of a proper life back together. Her family had never approved of Ethan, not really. They’d tolerated his friendship with Cara because she’d been adamantly determined not to give him up. But the prospect of adding a bad-boy to the family ranks wasn’t one that they’d accept easily. And unfortunately Cara didn’t seem to have the courage to take a chance.

Cara bit her lip. “I can’t just let them read the papers and believe what they will, I have to see them, reassure them…”

“Are you ashamed?” he ground out through gritted teeth. “Or do you even intend to tell them that our friendship has altered to friends with benefits?”

Cara’s eyes widened. “We’re not just friends with benefits.”

“Really?” Ethan arched a brow. “What else would you call us?”

Cara’s fingers fiddled with the bracelet at her wrist. “You know I care for you. You’re the most important person in my life, I just can’t…” She broke off and stared with eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Just can’t take a chance. On love. On him.

“We have a few days left?”

She nodded.

“Let’s enjoy them.” He grabbed her hand, and walked her out to the car.

****

 “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Ethan pick you up from the airport,” Juliet said.

They were sitting on a small gilt sofa in a quiet corner of Stephen’s airy sitting room. Long glass doors were open to the garden, and beautiful people Cara recognized from film and TV filled every available inch.

Juliet leaned closer. “When Stephen suggested him for
Edge of Night
, I wasn’t sure,” she murmured quietly. “But watching him now, I can see how he’d be just perfect for the role.”

Cara glanced over to where Ethan was deep in conversation with their host. He glanced over, then returned his gaze to Stephen’s.

“The character, Philip, is very reserved. Very deadly.” Juliet’s mouth curved in a smile. “Ethan seems to play very confident and take-charge characters. I had a problem envisioning him in the role.” Her eyes twinkled. “He keeps watching you when you’re not looking. And my goodness, he’s a master of conveying emotion without words.”