Early the next morning, Steve crept out of the house, without waking Ruby, and went for a run before work.
He liked running. It cleared the cobwebs out of his head and let him enter his own bubble. It was something he usually did when on location, if he could. It enabled him to work on his character inside his head. He would have his personal trainer with him, and maybe a bodyguard. They were part of his small entourage.
Today he wouldn’t be running with a bodyguard or trainer.
But he could think about his new character; Stuart Fisher.
Joining a gym wasn’t an option. It was bad enough going around busy shops and worrying he might get spotted. He’d planned initially to move to a better hotel, and have a few pieces of gym equipment installed in his suite, rather than use the hotel’s gym facilities, to keep a low profile. However, since Ruby’s ingenious plan for normality, and therefore an even more important need to lie low, a run would have to do.
Being October, the sun wasn’t even up. With his iPod tucked in its pouch around his bicep, he pushed in the ear buds, did some stretching and warmed up, then began a gentle jog, bringing up the pace. He started up the story he’d been listening to and it took him a moment to remember where he was in the thriller. He preferred to listen to books sometimes, rather than music, because the beat of the song affected his pace, either slowing him down, or making him run too fast. It was okay if he had his personal trainer with him, because he’d set the pace. But as there was no one setting the pace today, he’d stick to narrative rather than music.
By the time Steve returned to Ruby’s house, sweat poured from him and his chest heaved as he drew in deep breaths. He’d run for an hour and wasn’t even sure of the distance. Quietly, he entered the house, and did a warm-down in the lounge, stretching out his calves and hamstrings, then started sit-ups, crunching his abs, then press-ups, counting them out, his breathing heavy, his chest and biceps burning as he pushed.
“What are you doing?”
Steve jumped at Ruby’s voice, unbalancing, and he groaned, landing in a heap on the floor. “Push-ups. What do you think it looks like?”
“Far too energetic for this time of the morning, it’s not even seven o’clock.” Ruby wrapped her dressing gown tighter, padding into the kitchen, and Steve carried on his exercising, hearing the kettle switch flick on.
Ruby came back out, and frowned. “I told you to act normally.”
“Regular people exercise, Ruby. Besides, no one saw me – it’s pitch black out there.” Steve stood up, and wiped the sweat out of his eyes with his T-shirt.
“Would it harm if you put a bit of weight on? It would change your appearance.” She poked his stomach, her expression surprised when she felt how solid he was.
“I’m filming in three months.”
“Isn’t it a romantic comedy?”
“Yes, but it has bedroom scenes—”
“I’m getting the picture, loud and clear.” Ruby quickly held her hands up. “Coffee?”
“Not yet, I’ll take a shower.”
For the next two weeks, this was Steve’s life. Every other morning he’d get up early and go for a chilly run before work. Autumn deepened, with icy winds making it harder for him to breathe. His head would ache as if he’d eaten ice cream too fast. He wasn’t used to running in the cold in sunny LA.
Work treated him well, too. He fitted in. No one questioned who he was. Only Alice worried him, as she kept up to date on celebrity news with all the glossy magazines in the spa. Callum and Brett let him enter their small gang, and they’d joke childishly about bloke stuff. Cars, women and football. He hadn’t had the time to follow football in the US so he swotted up on the Premier League, watching Match of the Day – luckily sometimes they had it on in the bar – and reading the sports pages of the newspapers. He went with supporting Manchester United as he vaguely remembered Dad supporting them, and as Brett did too, it made the conversation easier – and less meant rivalry. He used the excuse that with travelling he’d not been able to follow the football so easily, so his lack of knowledge was accepted. Remembering Ruby’s advice, too, whenever with Callum and Brett, he kept up his nerdy, dorky appearance. He was getting used to the glasses now, even forgetting they were on his face at times.
Right now, Brett was sitting with them in the small staff room drinking coffee, and they were discussing gaming. Callum played Xbox a lot. Brett too – though he seemed a fan of his Wii.
“We should have a boys’ night in,” Callum said, ladling sugar into his coffee. Steve watched, trying to hide his grimace. He remembered the days when he used to take sugar in his drinks. He’d weaned himself off it, and was now grateful. Unwanted calories, plus he enjoyed the flavour of the coffee.
“Yeah, I can’t afford to keep going out. I want to move out of my parents’ place,” Brett said, grumbling. The three of them were wedged around a small table.
“You’re still living at home?” Callum teased.
“Yeah, after my ex dumped me, I moved back a couple of months ago so that I could save for a deposit on a property.” Brett scowled at Callum. “And one day I want to open my own restaurant.”
“Come on over to mine,” Steve said, before even thinking it through. The place wasn’t his. It was Ruby’s.
Brett frowned. “Won’t Ruby mind?”
“Nah, believe it or not, I’ve got her wrapped around my finger.”
“I don’t know,” said Callum, “Won’t it be a bit weird? I don’t think Miss Whiplash likes me much.”
Brett punched the top of his arm and Callum winced, a look of ‘what did you do that for?’ “Keep calling her that and she won’t like you. Besides, she’s not that bad. She’s only doing her job. If you didn’t fuck about, she wouldn’t have to nag.”
Callum rubbed the top of his arm, then brought his mug to his lips. “So what have you got, an Xbox or a Wii?” Callum turned to Steve, changing the subject back, and Steve’s mouth opened, then shut.
What did he have?
“Um, both. Only bought them the other day—” He shouldn’t have said that.
“Whoa! How much exactly is Ruby paying you?” Callum eyed Steve suspiciously.
“Oh no, I mean…” Steve laughed as he spoke, scratching the back of his head, hating the fact he couldn’t run a hand through his gelled hair, but getting used to it. “I only unpacked them the other day. I’ve had them in storage for a bit.” Luckily, the lads didn’t seem to question it and Steve let out a relieved sigh as they walked back down to the office with their hot drinks in hand.
“So we’ll come over with the pizza and beers – tonight?” Callum scraped his chair along the floor as he stood up.
“Yeah, why not. It’s Friday,” Steve said. “Do you guys have work tomorrow?”
“Not till later,” Brett said shaking his head.
Shit, what was he doing? He didn’t own any games consoles. Trip to the Mall required urgently – he’d slip out at lunchtime.
Callum smiled eagerly. “Perfect.”
***
As soon as Steve arrived back home, he started setting up the games console in Ruby’s lounge, plugging it into her TV. He’d hidden the boxes so they didn’t look just bought. Ruby stood there, hands on her hips, and he knew he’d have to do some sweet talking. She didn’t think his charm worked on her, but it did.
“What the hell is that?”
Steve tapped the boxes. “Xbox. I can play with Callum then.” He grinned, showing off perfect teeth.
Ruby rolled her eyes. “Is this why you borrowed my car at lunchtime?”
“Yep. You wanted me to be ordinary, so that’s what I’m trying to do. Mr Mediocre Man is into computer games.”
“Mediocre man?”
“Yeah, you called me that when we were shopping that time, and it stuck. By the way, they’re coming over at seven with pizzas.”
“What? Who?”
“Brett and Callum. I couldn’t ask you in front of them, how un-cool would that look?” he said, his expression and tone wry. “Sometimes I need to look as if I wear the pants.”
“I’m your sister, not your wife.”
“I know, and a bossy one, too. But because I need to make it up to you, I’m letting you boss me about.” He winked, then continued with getting the TV set up.
“And the word is trousers. Ditch the American.”
“Trousers.” Steve nodded.
“Right, so I need to make myself scarce?” Ruby puffed cushions on her sofa and tidied the lounge so it looked uncluttered, stacking CDs, putting books back on the shelf and magazines in the rack.
“No, you like pizza, join us. It’ll be fun.”
“But…I’m their boss,” she said, hesitantly.
“Ruby, you don’t have to be their boss after hours. Relax and let your hair down.”
She flicked her fringe out of her eyes and slumped onto the sofa, Steve sat beside her with the remote controls.
“How much did this set you back?”
“Don’t ask. I bought the Wii too.”
“Well, make out you’ve had them a while, not you’ve just bought it.”
“That’s why I’m sitting here trying to work the damn thing out!”
Ruby huffed and disappeared upstairs, and Steve fiddled with the equipment, trying not to get frustrated. Why had he agreed to tonight? He’d played on the things, occasionally, because they were available in hotels and on film locations, as a way to kill time while waiting around during filming. But they were already set up, he just had to press a button and go. Steve plugged both the Xbox and the Wii into the TV. Even kids used these game consoles, so it couldn’t be that hard to set up.
Steve was about to throw the remote control at the television when Ruby snatched it out of his hand.
“Oh, give it here. Luckily for you I’ve had a few ex-boyfriends who were addicted to these things.” She pressed a button and the Wii’s welcome screen appeared.
“A few ex-boyfriends? Not one or two?”
“Don’t look at me like that. I’m twenty-seven. I carry baggage.”
“Do I need to go visit any of these ex-boyfriends?” Steve said, seriously, eyeing her suspiciously. Every now and then he’d get that pang of guilt that he’d been missing from her life, not looking after her. When Dad had died, he’d promised himself he’d be the father figure for Ruby. He’d failed.
Ruby laughed, punching his arm softly. “No, I’m over them.”
The doorbell chimed, interrupting Steve’s thoughts.
“Oh, Christ, is that the time already?” Steve glanced at his watch. No, even for a cheap watch, it kept time perfectly. It was just him losing five minutes here and there. He hated running late, and so did Callum and Brett, apparently, because they were early.
“Ha, you’ll have to wing it now. No time to practise.” Ruby leapt off the sofa, and answered the door. Steve, finding his glasses and putting them on, hastily threw any remnants of packaging behind the sofa and followed. Callum and Brett stood bearing gifts; pizza, computer games and cans of lager.
“Sorry. Pizzas didn’t take so long at the takeaway, hence we’re early.”
“Yeah, there wasn’t a queue,” Brett added.
“Hello, Ruby,” Callum said, entering the house holding two large pizza boxes as Ruby beckoned them in. “All right, Stu.”
“Hi,” she replied.
Both wore casual clothes, which for a moment made them unrecognisable out of their work uniform.
“Stuart, shall I put the beers in the fridge?” Brett asked. He wiped his feet on the doormat, and once he’d removed his shoes, walked into the lounge.
“Yeah, just through to the kitchen,” Steve said, pointing, used to being called Stu or Stuart now. Ruby tended to stick to calling him Bro when anyone was about. Would she remember tonight? She needed to be careful if drinking as she didn’t want to get sloppy and blow Steve’s cover.
Once settled, eating pizza direct from the boxes and drinking lager from the can, except Ruby, who had got herself a glass, they started playing the games.
There was a lot of laughing and jeering. Depending on the game, they either played individually or teamed up. Ruby and Brett versus Steve and Callum. “Good job my neighbour’s partially deaf,” Ruby said, her words slurring a little. “The noise three men make over a game.”
Steve, pleased Ruby was relaxing, gave her a hug. “See, this is fun.”
“Yeah, it is.” She plopped herself next to Brett on the sofa and nudged him. Steve noticed his nervous smile.
***
In the early hours of the morning, Callum and Brett’s taxi arrived to take each of them home. Ruby, a smidge drunk, gave them both a hug before they walked out the door.
She’d had real fun tonight, and it had been nice getting to know the two men a little better outside work. Maybe Callum wouldn’t be so off-ish with her now.
“Night, Stu. Night, Ruby,” Callum called out, waving, then walked towards the taxi.
“Thanks for coming, it was fun.” She paused, hugging Brett, liking the sensation of him holding her. It had been a while since she’d been held. He didn’t feel so scrawny now while she cuddled him. Was it her imagination or did he hesitate in letting her go?
Ridiculous!
He smelled rather nice, too, she thought, catching his aftershave, which she had been smelling occasionally.
Probably the alcohol, it was making her delirious.
“Thanks, team mate,” she said as he let her go, and waved them off, Steve standing beside her. He’d done brilliantly tonight, too. They’d had fun, and Callum and Brett, though younger than him, had accepted him as a friend. Her plan was working, though a boys night in was hardly a way for Steve to find his true love. However, he had to begin somewhere, and friends were a good start.