Paradise (15 page)

‘They look pretty into each other, don’t they?’ Benny put in. He seemed to thrive on her discomfort.

Ethan reached out and rubbed Angel’s back. ‘You okay?’ he said sympathetically.

‘Of course! Why wouldn’t I be? I’m just pissed off that he lied to me. I hate that.’

‘Your nearly-ex is quite the man,’ Benny put in, clicking on his mouse and bringing up another picture – this time of Cal and Simone sitting in the back seat of a limo. Simone was leaning into him and he was gazing at her; it seemed an incredibly intimate moment. For Angel that image was bad enough in itself, but it also threw up many troubling memories of Cal’s infidelity, which she had first found out about when someone sent her a photograph of Cal and the beautiful Italian woman Alessia embracing. Irrational as it was, it felt to
Angel as if Cal was betraying her all over again. She couldn’t bear to sit there with Benny gloating over the pictures any longer and abruptly stood up. ‘If that’s all, Benny, I’ve got things to do.’

She managed to walk out of the room with her head held high but, as soon as she was out of sight, she bolted upstairs and locked herself in her dressing room. On top of feeling hurt and churned up she also felt bitterly humiliated – hated the fact that Cal had lied to her. He had
promised
there was nothing more than friendship between him and Simone. She felt so stupid for believing him. To Angel it felt like Cal knew that she still had feelings for him, and enjoyed knowing that he still had a hold over her. She couldn’t face telling any of her friends; Jez and Gemma most likely already knew and were wondering how to break it to her.

A soft knock at the door roused her from her thoughts. ‘It’s me, babe, can I come in?’ Wearily Angel got up from the sofa and unlocked the door. Ethan stood there looking concerned. He reached out and lightly touched her cheek. ‘Hey, I had no idea Benny was going to show you those pictures. I’m sorry, babe. I’ve told him it was really inconsiderate.’

Angel managed a half smile. ‘It’s okay. It’s better to know, isn’t it?’ They both sat on the sofa, Ethan with his arms around her. ‘You don’t have to put on a brave face for me, I’ll understand if you’re hurt. It must bring back memories of . . .’ He broke off, clearly sensitive to mentioning the affair.

‘Cal shagging Alessia,’ Angel put in for him. ‘D’you know what? Fuck him. I hate the fact that he always makes me feel guilty for leaving him when
he
was the one who was unfaithful, and I hate the fact that he lied to me about Simone. Can we go out somewhere? I just want to forget that I was ever married to him.’

When Cal phoned later that evening to speak to Honey, Angel made sure that Lucy took the call. She had instructions to say Angel was out. From now on, Angel decided, she was going to have as little contact with him as possible. She had softened towards him and he had hurt her; an all-too-familiar pattern that she wanted to break, once and for always.

Neither Jez nor Gemma believed her when she mentioned that she thought Cal was seeing Simone, saying that they were sure the pictures were either old or just showed them as friends, and Angel was jumping to the wrong conclusion, which made her feel even more isolated as if even her friends weren’t being honest with her. She was so glad she was living in LA. The thought of bumping into a loved up Cal and Simone in Brighton was just too painful.

Fortunately she had plenty to distract her, and Benny was right: it was indeed a helluva two weeks in the run up to the first show – a whirlwind of press calls and interviews. Angel’s face almost ached from smiling so much for the cameras, but she couldn’t complain because the publicity for the show was going brilliantly well and they had secured a great deal of press attention. It seemed as if the show would be a ‘must see’. Ethan was lovely to her during this time. He made her feel safe and loved, and it was hard to imagine him ever lying to her like Cal had done.

And then it was time for the big TV interview with Sam Ferrara on E! in front of a live studio audience. Angel was extremely nervous as Susie put the finishing touches to her make up in the dressing room. She had never liked doing TV, never mind live TV, always got anxious that she would come out with the wrong thing and sound like an idiot.

‘Just be yourself, babe,’ Ethan told her from the adjacent chair where his hair was being carefully gelled
into place by his make-up artist. ‘And they’ll love you.’

‘I know that I can come across as being wooden sometimes. What if he asks me a really awkward question?’ Angel fretted. She had already changed into three different outfits in her anxiety about the interview, in the end settling for black skinny jeans, a pair of gold peep-toe Jimmy Choos, white vest and white boyfriend blazer plus the diamond necklace Ethan had bought her from Tiffany’s. She could almost hear Gemma in her head saying, If in doubt go classic, but now she wasn’t sure if she looked spectacular enough. Maybe she should have gone for the leather trousers . . . but they were way too hot under the lights!

Ethan reached out for her hand. ‘Seriously, you’ll be great.’

Still, Angel reflected as she and Ethan made their way onto the set during an ad break, ready to meet the host Sam Ferrara, at least he wasn’t known for doing difficult interviews. The chat-show host, in his early-fifties, radiating good health and dentistry, instantly leapt up and shook Ethan’s hand. He slapped him on the back and kissed Angel. ‘Thanks for coming on, guys. Just make yourself comfortable, we’ll be with you shortly.’

Angel sat down on the beige leather sofa and had to press her legs together to stop them from shaking with stage fright. She didn’t dare look out at the audience, knowing that if she saw all those anonymous faces staring back at her, she really would freak out. A sound engineer quickly attached a microphone to her jacket, and Ethan, sensing her nerves, reached for her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

‘Don’t let go,’ she whispered.

‘Just chill, you’re going to be fine.’ And he turned
and kissed her which had the audience cheering even before the show had started.

Then, all too soon for Angel, the ad break finished and Sam was beaming away at the cameras and introducing the couple. Angel clutched even more tightly to Ethan’s hand, while he seemed supremely confident. Sam kicked off with plenty of compliments to Ethan about having such a beautiful girlfriend. He had also seen the show and loved it – thank God for that, Angel thought, she really wasn’t up to an interview with someone ripping the piss out of her. All Angel was required to do at this point was smile and come out with the odd comment, she left all the talking to Ethan, but then Sam asked about Megan and Angel knew she would have to say something more.

‘So, Ethan, it’s been quite a year for you – you’re with Angel and you’ve just discovered you have a daughter.’ He leant forward expectantly, knowing that this was where the interview would get juicy.

‘Yeah, it was a bit of shock finding out about Megan, but I think we’re dealing with it.’ Ethan no longer sounded so confident; he half turned to Angel as if seeking her approval.

‘We’re more than dealing with it, Sam,’ she replied, knowing from the media training she’d had that it was important to use the interviewer’s name wherever possible as it made you sound friendly and as if you were in control, even if you felt nervous as hell, as she did now. ‘Megan’s a fantastic little girl and I think Ethan’s going to be a great dad.’

Cue cheers from the audience. ‘So you didn’t mind?’ Sam asked, with his concerned, you-can-tell-me-everything look.

‘Sam, we’ve all got pasts. Maybe I was shocked when I first found out, but now . . . not at all. I just want us to be happy together. After all, Ethan has to get used the
fact that I have a daughter from a previous relationship.’ Phew! She’d managed a decent couple of lines without mishap; maybe this was going to be okay.

Ethan smiled his appreciation at her.

‘Well, that sounds great, Angel, good for you. I know a lot of people might not be quite so understanding under the circumstances. So what about the future for you guys? Can I ask if marriage might be on the cards?’ Sam looked eagerly at the couple, no doubt desperate for a heads up on every other media outlet.

Ethan put his arm round Angel. ‘No plans yet, we’re just happy the way things are. And you know the expression, Sam. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?’

He didn’t do the gushing number he’d done for the reality show, which Angel had found so off-putting and corny. She looked at him with new respect; she really did love this man. Suddenly she had an overwhelming desire to show him how much. She had put him through a great deal in their short relationship – first having an intense affair with him, then rejecting him and going back to Cal, then back to Ethan, then refusing to get divorced. And during all that, his love for her had been constant.

She felt an opportunity opening up before her, something she had to seize with both hands in case she lost it. She had been so wrapped up with thinking about the past, she’d forgotten to appreciate what she had with Ethan.

She looked back at Sam. ‘Actually, I do have something to say.’ Ethan stared at her, clearly wondering what she was going to come out with, as did Sam. Angel gave a nervous laugh. Her stomach felt full of butterflies.

‘I’ve never done this before, and I can’t quite believe that I’m going to do it now, but Ethan . . . will you marry me?’

The audience let out a collective gasp of astonishment – no one had seen this coming! Sam looked as if he might explode with happiness that he’d had the announcement made on his show.

Ethan looked completely stunned. He turned to Angel. ‘Is this what you really want?’ It was hard for him to make himself heard over the audience, who were now applauding, whooping and whistling loudly. Sam held up his hand to silence the crowd, as right in front of their eyes a very private drama was unfolding.

Angel felt as if every eye was on her, but for once she didn’t mind the attention – she wanted everyone to know what was in her heart. She felt completely calm and in control, knowing that she was doing the right thing.

‘It is. I haven’t been fair on you. I’ve been in a kind of limbo, not able to let go of my old life, but now I know that I want to and I really want to marry you, Ethan.’ She paused, then bit her lower lip with anxiety as realisation dawned that she would never live down the humiliation if he said no.

‘So what’s your answer?’ she asked nervously.

‘What do you think?’ Ethan exclaimed. ‘Yes!’ And then he pulled her to him and kissed her passionately, which drove the audience into a frenzy and caused Sam to exclaim, ‘Get a room already!’

As soon as the couple came off the set Benny and Susie were there to greet them with a bottle of champagne, along with Mimi, Todd and the ever-present camera.

‘Way to go!’ Benny exclaimed. ‘That is the best fucking news ever! Though maybe a heads up would have been good, Angel, so I could have got a press announcement ready.’ He hugged Ethan and then Angel. She was feeling so happy that for once she didn’t even mind having physical contact with him.

‘I’m thrilled for you, Angel!’ Susie seconded him, and air kissed Angel and Ethan. They all drank champagne in the dressing room while Mimi attempted to interview Angel and Ethan for the show, but the couple were too delirious, too high on love, to answer her questions seriously. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other and Ethan alternated hugging and kissing Angel with saying, ‘She’s going to marry me!’

And his phone kept ringing with people wanting to congratulate him, though the first thing Angel had done was to switch hers off – tonight she wanted to focus on Ethan, didn’t want to hear anyone’s opinion on whether she had done the right thing or not.

‘So this means you better get that divorce, Angel,’ Benny put in. ‘Last time I checked, bigamy was still illegal in the State of California. And I’d hate to see a pretty little thing like you behind bars. Mind you, that could
really
boast the ratings.’ He paused, seeing the shocked expression on her face. ‘Just kidding, Angel. You don’t think I’m that desperate, do you?’

It was so typical of him to come out with something like that! Angel thought bitterly. She wanted tonight to be all about her and Ethan; absolutely did not want to think about Cal.

‘Man, you can kill a moment.’ Ethan turned to Benny. ‘Angel knows that she’s got to get a divorce but tonight is just about us. Where d’you want to go, babe? We can go anywhere you like?’ He had his arms round her waist and had pulled her to him. Angel thought for a moment then said, ‘I’d like us to go and tell Loretta in person, though I guess she’ll have seen the show and knows already.’

Ethan smiled at her. ‘That would make me so happy.’

Benny, Susie, Mimi and Todd were all set to follow them, thinking of the emotional drama they could whip
up for the series with Ethan telling his dying, beloved grandmother the good news. ‘Sorry, guys,’ he said, realising what they expected. ‘This one is just for me and Angel.’

‘What if you give her the good news first without the cameras and then we film you? It would make great viewing,’ Benny said. Angel waited for Ethan to give in to Benny like he had so many times before. Instead he shook his head and replied, ‘You’ve got the great scene with Angel proposing to me live on air. Now let us have our privacy.’

‘Ethan, you’re not thinking straight. This could be a killer moment . . . you telling your sick grandma the news she never thought she would live to hear. Surely you want the world to know that!’ Benny had taken hold of Ethan’s arm for extra emphasis. He was persistent, Angel gave him that.

But Ethan stood his ground. ‘I don’t need reminding how ill Loretta is. I’m not doing it, Benny, and that’s final. I’ll speak to you tomorrow. Goodnight.’

For a few seconds Benny kept his hand on Ethan’s arm and looked shocked, as if he couldn’t quite believe Ethan was saying no to him. Then he snapped out of it and removed his hand. ‘Sure, Ethan, we’ll talk tomorrow. You guys go head and celebrate. Congratulations again. And give my love to Loretta.’

Ethan and Angel said their goodbyes, but as Angel turned to pick up her bag she caught the look Benny was directing her way. His usual lecherous leer had been replaced by one of pure venom. He saw her looking and quickly switched to a fake smile. What was that all about? she wondered as she and Ethan walked out of the building. Then she forgot all about it as they stepped out of the studio and into a volley of flashes from the waiting paps. Instantly Angel put her head up
high and smiled. She had made her choice and she was proud of it.