THEY were in Kirsten’s bedroom amidst chaos. The dressing table was cluttered with a wild assortment of jars, make-up and face creams, all in aid of Kirsten’s last-minute effort to look her best, and the bed was strewn with Chloe’s hairdressing equipment.
She’d planned to wear a long red dress to the première tonight. But that was when she had thought she was going with Jason. Her change of escort had thrown her into a total panic, and at the last minute she’d changed her mind about the red dress, rejecting it for being too daring. If it weren’t for Chloe’s kind offer to do her hair and help her get ready she would probably be really on the last minute by now, she thought.
‘Thanks for helping, Chloe,’ she said. ‘I did think, right up to last night, that I’d be able to get out of this ridiculous charade. I’ve tried to ring Sue Williams all week but each time I’ve been told she is unavailable and will ring me back but she never does. Of course, if it had been Cal phoning she would have snapped to attention. But Cal didn’t bother to phone her. Oh, no, Mr Cal McCormick could never be that decent. I swear he’s just going along with all this to annoy me.’
‘Hold still, for heaven’s sake!’ Chloe muttered, pushing Kirsten’s head further forward so that she could stick a few more hairgrips in the back of her hair.
‘The studio wouldn’t want to fall out with Cal. So if he had backed me up I’m sure they would have dropped the idea.’
‘Look on the bright side,’ Chloe mumbled through a mouthful of grips. ‘A lot of women would love to be seen on Cal McCormick’s arm. It won’t harm your career.’
‘No…just my mental health. I’ve had the most awful week with him at that studio, Chloe; you wouldn’t believe how irritating he can be. And tomorrow we have to go to San Francisco together, because the studio has booked us on the same flight. It’s just the last straw having to go out with him tonight as well.’
‘But you used to love him once…didn’t you?’ Chloe said softly. ‘He can’t be all bad.’
‘No…he’s not all bad,’ Kirsten admitted. She could feel her heart slamming against her chest as she thought about that question. ‘I did love him once…but it was a terrible mistake.’
‘So what were his good points?’ Chloe asked, trying to take her friend’s mind off the evening ahead.
‘I don’t know.’ Kirsten frowned; she didn’t want to think about his good points. She glanced sideways at the untidy room. ‘He was fanatically tidy.’
‘That’s not a good point.’ Chloe stuck the last of the grips in Kirsten’s hair. ‘There,’ she said with a certain amount of pleasure, ‘you can look now.’
Kirsten looked up and met her reflection in her dressing-table mirror in surprise. ‘Wow! Is that really me?’ She watched as Chloe lifted up a mirror to show her the back. She had wound her hair up into a very sophisticated chignon, which made Kirsten look extremely stylish and very feminine. ‘You’ve done a fantastic job, Chloe. Thank you. And my make-up is great too!’
‘I should have stuck to being a beautician, shouldn’t I?’ Chloe smiled. ‘At least I can make money out of that, unlike my acting career.’
Kirsten turned around to look at her friend. ‘Didn’t you get that part you auditioned for?’
Chloe shook her head. ‘I start back to work at the beauty shop next Monday.’
Kirsten regarded her sympathetically. ‘I’m so sorry, Chloe.’
Chloe shrugged. ‘I’ve got another audition tomorrow…so, who knows? I might get lucky. And at least I like my job at the beauty shop. It could be worse.’
‘Yes…like the job I got once as a singing waitress on rollerblades.’
‘I remember you telling me about that.’ Chloe laughed. ‘Was that around the time you first went out with Cal?’
‘No, I was successfully established as a singer when I first met Cal. Whereas his career in acting was just starting to take off.’
She was silent for a moment as she thought about that. ‘Things seemed so uncomplicated back then. He used to make me laugh…we had such fun together.’
‘So he did have some good points.’
‘Just a few,’ Kirsten admitted cautiously. She glanced at her wristwatch. ‘He’ll be here to pick me up soon. Are you sure I look all right?’ She stood up from the dressing table so that Chloe could run a critical eye over her.
She was wearing a long white dress with shoestring straps that crossed provocatively low on her back. The material was finest silk and it clung to her figure before falling to the floor with a side split that showed a glimpse of long leg. ‘You don’t think it’s too revealing?’
Chloe shook her head. ‘You look stunning.’ She tapped her fingers on the glossy magazines that she had brought with her into Kirsten’s room. ‘Just have a flick through these…they’re all wearing dresses like that to the premières now.’
The shrill ring of the doorbell cut through the silence of the apartment. Kirsten looked at her friend in alarm. ‘If that’s him he’s early!’
‘Keep him waiting, then,’ Chloe said, turning for the door. ‘I’ll go and let him in.’
Kirsten sat back down at the dressing table. She felt incredibly nervous, as if she had first-night jitters or something. This was a ridiculous situation, she thought angrily. Whoever had heard of being forced to date your ex-husband for publicity purposes? Hollywood was a weird place.
She heard Cal’s voice from the hallway and stared down at her hands…hands now devoid of the wedding ring she had once worn. ‘You must have loved him once.’ The words echoed through her mind.
She had thought she loved him…had thought that it was love at first sight.
They had met at a wedding. She had been a friend of the bride; he’d been a friend of the groom. She had glanced across the aisle of the church and their eyes had met. Right there and then she had fallen under his spell.
He had looked so handsome in his dark suit, and when he’d smiled at her she had felt herself blush to the roots of her hair. She remembered feeling pleased that she had been wearing a wide-brimmed hat so that she could dip her head and hide from his deeply provocative gaze.
‘Who’s that?’ she had whispered to her friend Charlotte, who had been sitting next to her. ‘No…don’t look yet…he’ll know I’m asking about him.’
Charlotte had peeped from under her own hat and then smiled. ‘That’s Cal McCormick…he’s an actor. He had a cameo role in the movie that made it big last summer. Apparently he’s very up-and-coming. According to the grapevine, definitely one to watch.’
‘I can agree with that.’ Kirsten had smiled and risked another glance across the aisle. ‘Who is he with?’ she had asked, looking at the attractive brunette by his side.
‘Maeve Ryan. She’s married to Brian Harris, the director. He’s a lot older than her, but apparently it’s been a match made in heaven as far as her acting career is concerned. I think Brian is working abroad; that’s why she’s here with Cal. They’re very good friends.’
They’d been more than just good friends, Kirsten thought angrily now. Trouble was, she had been too blind to see it, and by the time she’d woken up to the fact she and Cal had been married, and she had been seven months pregnant.
The baby wasn’t something Kirsten allowed herself to think about. It was too painful. Even now when her thoughts flitted over the subject she felt the raw thrust of emotion…a pain that had never healed.
She heard Chloe’s laughter emanating from the living room. Obviously Mr Smooth was working his charms again, she thought. She glanced at her watch and stood up. Might as well get this over with.
Cal stood up as soon as she entered the room.
He looked incredible in a dark suit that most probably had a designer label; a white shirt open at the collar emphasised the tan of his skin and the darkness of his hair.
‘You look lovely, Kirsten,’ he said, his gaze moving leisurely over her figure with a gleam of male appreciation.
‘Thanks.’ She avoided his blue eyes, her senses were in enough disarray as it was, and instead she looked pointedly at her watch. ‘I suppose if we are to stick to the studio’s timetable we should be going.’ She couldn’t resist reminding him that she wasn’t going out with him by choice.
‘Yes, you’re right,’ he replied, totally unconcerned. He smiled over at Chloe. ‘It’s been a real pleasure meeting you.’
Kirsten watched her level-headed twenty-eight-year-old friend blush like a schoolgirl and cringed. It really wasn’t fair that Cal had been given such power over women…such good looks.
‘Have a wonderful evening,’ Chloe said as they went out towards the front door.
‘We’ll try our best,’ Cal replied and, catching Kirsten’s eye, he grinned. ‘But we’re not promising anything.’
Cal wasn’t too hot on promises, Kirsten thought sarcastically.
Considering that it was only early March, it was a pleasant evening, warm and muggy with not a flicker of a breeze. Kirsten settled herself into Cal’s impressive sports car and tried to count her blessings. No breeze to disturb her hair…no wedding ring…no complications in her life. Once the première was over and they got to the party she would ditch Cal until it was time to go home.
‘How did good ol’ Jason take being stood up?’ Cal asked as he stopped the car at some traffic lights.
‘As you can imagine, he wasn’t pleased. But I told him I’d see him there, and have a drink with him at the party.’
‘He’s still going, then?’
‘Of course.’
She hesitated and then found the courage to ask, ‘And what about you? Will your current girlfriend be there?’
‘Which current girlfriend are you talking about?’ He grinned at her, a spark of devilment in his eyes.
‘Still putting it about, then,’ she muttered. ‘Some things don’t change.’
‘I’m a single guy, Kirsten. There is nothing to stop me putting it about, as you so quaintly like to put it.’
What about Maeve, Kirsten wanted to ask, doesn’t she ever get a bit jealous? She bit back the words, some things were best left unsaid.
‘At least as neither of us is seriously involved with anyone no one is going to be hurt by what’s written in the papers about us,’ Cal continued.
‘Speak for yourself,’ Kirsten said in annoyance, and then found herself lying. ‘Actually Jason’s fizzing.’
‘So the relationship is serious, then?’
‘I told you, Jason and I are very close.’
‘Well, forgive me if I don’t lose sleep over Jason. I really couldn’t care if he’s annoyed or not.’
‘I wouldn’t expect you to care.’ Kirsten stared out at the dark sidewalks and wondered why the heck she felt impelled to lie about her relationship with Jason. He’d been disappointed when she’d cancelled, but she couldn’t honestly say he’d been annoyed. Was she so damn proud that she couldn’t bear for Cal to know that there was nobody serious in her life? Hadn’t been since the divorce?
Up ahead, Kirsten could see the theatre floodlit against the night sky, and she started to prepare herself mentally for the flash of photographers’ bulbs and the onslaught of media attention.
The entrance to the theatre was roped off to keep the crowds at bay. As each car drew up and celebrities walked up along the red-carpeted area there were cheers and whistles from the perimeters. Being basically shy, Kirsten hated these events. She was OK being the centre of attention when she was playing a part, or when she was lost in her music, but these occasions where she was just herself with no work to hide behind really threw her. She still couldn’t believe that anyone would be interested in what she had to say, or what she was doing with her life. It was a complete mystery to her.
‘You still hate these things, don’t you?’ Cal threw her a sympathetic look as he started to slow the car, and she found herself remembering the many times in the past when he had supported her through promotion events, always there with a gentle word of encouragement, a protective arm around her waist. That had been the one good thing about being married to him, she remembered suddenly. He’d always shielded her from potential problems, eased the way with his charm and his confidence.
‘I’m fine.’ She angled her chin high, determined not to let him see that the shy country girl still existed. ‘They don’t cause me a second thought any more.’
‘Good.’ He smiled and pulled the car to a halt. Then they were stepping out into the media circus. For a second Kirsten was blinded by the amount of cameras that flashed in their direction.
Cal’s car was driven away by the valet parking attendant and he walked to her side.
‘Cal…over here…over here.’ Various journalists and photographers vied with each other for his attention.
He smiled and then, putting a gentle hand against her back, guided her up towards the theatre entrance. She couldn’t help comparing this to the times when she had arrived here with Jason. There had never been this flurry of excitement…this level of interest zoomed in on every smile, every exchange between them. Kirsten hadn’t experienced this since the days when Cal had been her husband and his career had suddenly rocketed upwards.
‘Cal, have you got a moment? This is Sandy Peterson, for Cable TV.’ A glamorous blonde stopped them just beside the door of the theatre.
‘Would you mind giving a quick interview for tomorrow’s Hot News programme?’
‘Just for you,’ Cal agreed with a grin.
Kirsten was very conscious of the way he pulled her closer to him as he spoke to the other woman, she was aware of his hand resting against the naked skin of her back, could feel the warmth of him pressed against her.
‘Could you tell us a little bit about the film The Love Child that you are currently working on?’ The cameras moved closer.
‘It’s a modern love story about a couple who are married but have no children. They love each other, but somewhere along the way that’s been forgotten amid the pressure of their high-flying careers. Then unexpectedly they are asked to look after Henry, their six-year-old nephew, and his dog, and that’s when a well-ordered lifestyle starts to fall out of shape.’
‘That part is being played by Josh Summers, isn’t it?’ Sandy intercepted.
‘That’s right.’
Sandy smiled and her attention turned to Kirsten. ‘Now, you play the part of Cal’s wife, Helen. Is this a familiar feeling for you…after all, you used to play the part in real life, didn’t you? You and Cal were married for nearly a year.’
‘It’s come as a bit of a surprise, finding myself acting alongside Cal,’ Kirsten admitted. ‘They say never work with animals or children. I think they should add ex-husbands to the list, then I’ll have a hat trick.’ She smiled.
‘Do you think the more serious aspects of this story reflect in any way your marriage break-up in real life with Cal?’
Kirsten was totally unprepared for that question.
‘Now, Sandy, we can’t answer that,’ Cal cut in smoothly to the rescue. ‘Kirsten and I have moved on from the past. That’s why we can work so well together now. But the film we are shooting is basically light-hearted. It’s about not taking things for granted…it’s about two adults whose priorities are sharply jogged back into place by a child.’
‘And is there any truth in the rumour that you two are getting back together?’
‘We are going to plead the fifth on that, aren’t we, sweetheart?’ Cal gazed down at Kirsten with warmth in his eyes and she felt her insides melt. ‘Let’s just say we are taking things a day at a time, but it feels real good being here together tonight.’
‘Have you anything to add to that?’ Sandy asked, moving the microphone towards Kirsten again.
Kirsten could hardly think straight because Cal’s fingers were stroking against her skin caressingly and the feeling was sending shivery, sensuous sensations shooting through her.
She didn’t dare make a scene but she really wanted to pull away from him. ‘We’re just good friends,’ she managed to murmur.
‘Very good friends.’ Cal bent closer and before she realised his intentions he kissed her softly on the lips. The kiss was over almost before it had begun but not before it had rocked Kirsten’s tenuous composure. Her body felt as if someone had just lit a bonfire in it.
There was a whistle of approval from the watching crowds, then they were moving swiftly on inside the theatre.
‘Wasn’t too bad, was it?’ Cal asked her in a low tone against her ear as they entered the foyer.
‘Are you joking?’ she breathed unsteadily. ‘It was a nightmare. How dare you kiss me like that?’
‘Nothing personal,’ he replied. ‘Just doing my good-deeds act for the PR people.’
Kirsten felt anger sizzling all the way through her, even into her toes. Before she could formulate any kind of a reply, however, they were walking through towards the auditorium.
She saw Jason across the crowds and he waved. She waved back and felt a tinge of regret that she wasn’t sitting with him. Jason was such undemanding ‘safe’ company. They’d chat about the film they were about to see, and he’d have all the behind-the-scenes gossip, but more importantly whenever he accidentally brushed against her there was no wave of sensual awareness, no undercurrent of dangerous passion. Not like now with Cal.
As they took their seats she was painfully aware of everything about him. She could feel the soft material of his jacket pressed against her bare arm. Could smell the familiar tang of his aftershave. She tried to make herself as small as possible in her chair so that there was no possibility of touching, but in the confined space she was fighting a losing battle.
The lights went down and the music started to play. Cal leaned closer and whispered against her ear. ‘Theo will be here tonight with his new bride; apparently she is a stunning beauty.’
Kirsten shivered at the unexpected closeness, at the sensation of his breath against sensitive skin. All her senses were so tuned into him that she couldn’t concentrate on the credits of the movie at all.
‘Are you warm enough?’ Cal asked as he casually draped a hand around the back of her. ‘The air-conditioning is a bit fierce, isn’t it?’
She wanted to pull away from him, but there was no room. She felt trapped…and overwhelmed by memories of other occasions when they had sat close together like this, Cal whispering in her ear, a sense of warmth and togetherness flowing easily between them.
Kirsten tried hard to concentrate on the lists of names that flashed before her eyes on the big screen. Tried very hard to concentrate on what was being said, but inside her mind there was a different set of pictures unfolding…none of them welcome.
She was remembering the first time Cal had kissed her beneath a shimmering full moon. Behind them the sounds of the wedding party in full flow.
They had hardly known each other, hardly exchanged more than a few sentences, but when he’d folded her into his arms the emotional freefall had been spectacular.
She had never met anyone who could seduce her with just a smile or a certain gleam in his eye. Her normal caution, her usual rules had all been swept aside. They had slept together on their third date, and even trying to maintain the will power to wait that long had been difficult.
He’d invited her to his apartment for dinner. But they had never got around to eating the food he’d prepared. Several hours later they had lain languidly in each other’s arms, naked bodies pressed close together in the afterglow of love, other appetites forgotten.
She remembered that same evening she had learnt that her record had just gone into the top ten in the charts.
Things had just seemed too good to be true…and of course they had been.
It was only after the wedding day that the cracks had started to appear in their relationship and the doubts had started. Had Cal married her because he loved her, or because she was two months pregnant?
On the day of their wedding she had firmly believed it was love, but as time unfolded that certainty had diminished and dwindled to a mere spark of hope.
A lot of the problem had been down to the stress of their careers. They’d constantly been pulled in opposite directions. For the first few months of their marriage Cal had been filming on location in the Caribbean and Kirsten had been in New York, plugging a new record.
When they had got back together Cal had told her that once the baby was born he wanted them to go to London, where he’d been offered a major deal in a movie that was going to be very big. She hadn’t been too keen because she’d hoped that once the baby was a few months old she could record a new album at the LA recording studios.
A conflict of careers had ensued. Hers versus his. And the atmosphere between them had been heated. But, although they’d argued, when Cal had taken her into his arms and held her at night she’d known deep in her heart that she would give in, that she would follow him to the ends of the earth if need be. Naïvely she had believed that their only problems were work-related…and that they could be overcome.
Then, when she’d been seven months pregnant, she had discovered the real reason Cal was so keen on the acting job in England…his co-star was to be Maeve.
Maeve had coolly informed her of this one night at a dinner party, had more or less insinuated that Kirsten was responsible for keeping them apart. ‘We’re very special to each other, Kirsten,’ she had said meaningfully. ‘I hope you understand this?’
‘No, I don’t understand, Maeve,’ she replied quickly. ‘What are you trying to say?’
‘Just that of course Cal loves you…you’re the mother of his expected child.’ Maeve’s tone was patronising. ‘And of course that makes you special—after all, it’s why he married you… But Cal and I also have a very special relationship. Don’t ever forget that.’
The sheer audacity of the words blew Kirsten’s mind, and suddenly huge, distasteful chunks of a jigsaw started to fall into place.
‘How do you feel about Maeve?’ she asked Cal on the way home.
He slanted a rather odd look at her. ‘What do you mean, how do I feel about her?’
‘Would you describe her as special?’ she persisted.
He thought about that for a moment, and then inclined his head. ‘Yes, I suppose I would.’ Then he reached for her hand and added lightly, ‘Not as special as the mother of my baby, of course.’
They were the wrong words at the wrong moment. She didn’t want him to love her just because she was the mother of his forthcoming child. It wasn’t enough… She had never been a jealous person, but that night she felt the first pangs of the emotion and they hurt deeply.
Maybe they would have worked things out…maybe she would have kept Cal if their baby had lived. He’d been so very keen on being a father and he might have chosen her and the baby over Maeve… She had spent many nights wondering about that afterwards…thinking about what might have been.
But once they had lost the baby, suddenly everything had been wrong. Even the nights when they had lain together in the same large double bed had been spent stiffly apart. By day they had thrown themselves into their work with gusto, and to outward appearances they had both seemed to cope well with the tragedy, but what they had really been doing was using work as a means of escape. In reality their marriage had been over.
The lights in the theatre started to go up, startling Kirsten back to awareness.
‘What did you think?’ Cal asked as he took his arm away from her, and she realised with embarrassment that the film was over and she hadn’t seen any of it.
‘It was OK.’ She blinked in the bright lights.
‘Are you all right?’ Cal glanced at her in concern.
‘Of course.’ Very quickly she tried to pull herself together. Cal was too damned perceptive sometimes and she would die rather than let him know that she was anything other than perfectly in control.
He looked at her with disbelief. ‘What was it that got to you…was it the part where the dog died? You’re always a sucker when it comes to animals.’
She smiled shakily. Thank heavens there was something in the film that warranted a tear, Kirsten thought grimly, unable to believe that she had sat all the way through a film without seeing a thing! She really was going to have to forget the past before it ruined her future.
‘No, I’ve just got something in my eye.’ Kirsten stood up briskly as everyone got to their feet. She couldn’t wait to get out of here.
‘Would you like to give the party a miss?’ Cal asked once they were outside in the warmth of the evening.
‘What about the studio and our timetable?’
Cal shrugged. ‘The studio might forgive us if we go somewhere intimate and have supper.’
‘I’m not hungry,’ Kirsten answered quickly, the thought of being alone with him in an intimate setting giving her immediate palpitations. ‘Anyway, I said I’d meet Jason at the party for a drink.’
‘We mustn’t disappoint Jason then,’ Cal said drily, opening the passenger door of his car for her.
The party was like most of the others Kirsten had attended in Hollywood; an occasion for networking, for seeing who exactly was in the upper echelons of the movie business and who was to be avoided. It was all incredibly false. The only thing in its favour was the champagne and the venue, which was one of Los Angeles’s premier hotels.
Kirsten stood by the window and looked out over the glittering skyline of the city. She could hear a woman behind her talking to a producer, gushing with enthusiasm about how wonderful his film was, how brilliantly cast. Then as he left to talk to someone else she could hear her saying in a derisory tone, ‘The best actor in it was the dog.’
Kirsten looked over and caught Cal’s eye and they both laughed. For a second Kirsten felt the tension that had been eating her all evening lessen. In that instant they were transported back to a time when they had laughed easily together, both on the same wavelength with the same sense of humour.
‘I told you we should have skipped this party,’ Cal said, reaching to get her another glass of champagne from a passing waiter. ‘I knew it would be full of flakes.’
‘Yeah, but you love it really, don’t you?’ she murmured sardonically.
‘No, I don’t,’ he said quietly. ‘I’d have much preferred to be alone with you a million miles away from here.’
Kirsten met his eyes with a feeling of uncertainty. There were times when he totally confounded her. Was he just being charming because he wanted them to work well together? It seemed the most likely explanation.
Across the room she saw Jason making his way through the crowds. He smiled at her as their eyes met.
‘Film was OK, wasn’t it?’ he said as he joined them. ‘Hello, Kirsty.’ He kissed her on the cheek and then turned his attention to Cal. ‘Haven’t seen you at one of these occasions for a while.’
‘No, I think the last time was when you were here with Kirsten…just after we split up,’ Cal replied.
‘Was it?’ Jason looked as if he didn’t recall that event, but Kirsten did. If ever she had needed Jason’s moral support it had been that night. She remembered keeping her arm linked firmly through his, trying not to notice how many women approached Cal.
A group of people claimed Cal’s attention and Jason took the opportunity to pull Kirsten to one side.
‘How’s it going?’ he asked with concern.
‘So far, so good.’ Kirsten glanced back over at Cal, noticing how he was almost a head taller than most people in the room, including Jason.
Kirsten didn’t want to compare the two men…after all, Jason was a really nice guy. And yet she did find herself measuring them against each other. They were about the same age, and, like Cal, Jason was wearing a stylish suit, but there the similarities ended. Jason’s hair was thick and blond, maybe not even entirely natural-looking. His physique was lightweight compared to Cal’s, in fact, his suit seemed to drop away at his shoulders instead of fitting them.
She wished suddenly that Jason could turn her on, excite her, the way Cal had once. Then she was ashamed of the thought. Cal was history.
‘I’d like to take you home,’ Jason said urgently, claiming her full attention back.
Kirsten shook her head. ‘I can’t; I’m stuck with Cal tonight.’
‘You’re bearing up under the strain anyway,’ he murmured, an edge to his voice.
His tone took her aback a little, as did the way he was looking at her. Was Jason just a little bit jealous? she wondered suddenly. Then dismissed the notion. Jason had never been jealous before; they didn’t have that kind of a relationship.
‘I can assure you that appearances can be very deceptive,’ she told him. ‘This is all a charade for the PR people. Which reminds me, have you ever heard of the production company, Sugar Productions?’
‘No, can’t say I have. Must be a new company.’
‘Yes, they are. They’re making this film that we are working on and I thought if I could talk to someone there about this PR stuff it might help. But there was no one available to talk to me.’
‘It sounds like you’re having a tough time. I’m sorry, Kirsten, if I sounded a bit on edge before…it’s just that there was something I wanted to talk to you about and I was hoping I could do it tonight.’
Kirsten frowned and leaned closer to him. ‘Is it something to do with work?’ she whispered.
‘It’s…’ Jason shook his head. ‘It’s not work. Just…something I would like to talk to you about.’
‘I don’t know when we can get together now; I’m going to San Francisco tomorrow and—’
‘Listen, I’ve got to go up to San Francisco soon on business,’ Jason said suddenly. ‘How about if we meet then? Grab some supper together?’
‘That sounds good.’ Kirsten nodded. ‘Phone me on my mobile and we’ll arrange it.’
‘Thanks.’ For a fleeting second Jason touched her face with his hand. Kirsten wished she hadn’t caught Cal’s eye at that moment, the derision in his expression made her blush.
‘Kirsten, I’m going to miss you, you know,’ Jason said softly under his breath.
Kirsten smiled. ‘I’ll see you soon, Jason,’ she reassured him, and he pulled her close and kissed her cheek.
‘Sorry to break up your tender moment but I think we should be going, Kirsten,’ Cal cut in on them abruptly. ‘We’ve got an early start tomorrow, travelling to Frisco.’
‘Yes…’ Kirsten looked with concern at Jason. ‘Are you OK?’
He nodded and reluctantly released his hold. Then, with a curt nod at Cal, he made his way over to mingle with the crowds.
‘Gives up easily, doesn’t he?’ Cal remarked drily.
‘What do you mean?’ she muttered.
‘I heard him saying he wanted to take you home. Then he just caved in.’
‘Yeah, well, maybe the mighty weight of the PR moguls got to him?’ She arched a look of annoyance at him. ‘And, anyway, Jason isn’t one to make a fuss. He’s a gentleman.’
‘Is that code for bad in bed?’
‘You’re disgusting sometimes.’ Kirsten marched away from him, her heart thudding unevenly against her chest as she fought with herself to keep cool and not to create a scene.
She didn’t speak to him as they got outside.
‘Jason always fancied you,’ Cal continued, undeterred, as they got back into his car. ‘I don’t care what you say about him being so damned gentlemanly. As far as I’m concerned, he lost no time in wrapping his arms around you as soon as I walked out the front door.’
That wasn’t true, but Kirsten didn’t bother to argue the point again. She had attended a première with Jason soon after Cal had left her, but there had been nothing between them except friendship. Jason had rung her out of sympathy and to pay his respects when he heard about the loss of their baby, and he had been so gentle and so understanding that Kirsten had poured her heart out to him on the phone and told him that Cal had just left.
She couldn’t think back to that bleak time now without a feeling of thanks for the support Jason had given her.
‘I thought you’d be happily ensconced in a love nest together by now…an engagement ring on your finger,’ Cal continued with a sardonic note in his voice.
‘Just lay off Jason, OK?’ she warned him edgily.
‘Touched a nerve, have I? Doesn’t he want to commit to you—?’
‘Mind your own business, Cal,’ she said succinctly, refusing to rise to the bait.
‘Only making conversation.’ He shrugged.
What about you? she wanted to ask… Where was Maeve? Was he still hanging around, hoping she’d divorce her husband? But she wouldn’t ask that question, she told herself, her resolve stiffening. She wouldn’t lower herself; he might misinterpret and think she cared.
Cal pulled up outside her apartment. The streets were dark, and all the lights were out on her front porch.
Kirsten reached for the door handle of the car, anxious to escape.
‘Aren’t you forgetting something?’ Cal asked her.
She hesitated and turned back with a frown. ‘What?’
He nodded towards the clock on the dashboard. ‘It’s ten minutes to midnight. We’ve got time left over.’
She looked at him blankly, unable to read his expression in the darkness. ‘What are you talking about—?’
Her words were effectively and firmly silenced as he bent closer and kissed her. Shock coursed through her. Unlike the kiss outside the première, this was no brief, controlled kiss, this was long and lingering and all-consuming. It caught Kirsten completely off-guard and off-balance and for a confusing second she found herself kissing him back, her stomach tying itself into a thousand knots of longing as she felt his hand touching against her face, holding and controlling her in a confident caress.
She was breathless as he released her. ‘Why did you do that?’ she asked shakily. ‘There are no reporters about.’
‘Aren’t there?’ She heard the smile in his voice and wished she could see his eyes properly. Was he laughing at her? Was this all just some huge joke to him?
‘That wasn’t a publicity stunt, Kirsten,’ he drawled huskily. ‘That was very much for old times’ sake.’