Patently in Love (12 page)

Cause Celeb has heard that Triphoppers star Ashby Thornton
is gearing up for the launch of their next album
Swagger
. But sources
say that Ashby's heart is not really in it. Twenty-five year old Ashby is still
pining for his ex girlfriend Jane Porter.

"He feels really badly about what happened," band member and close
personal friend Lee told our Cause Celeb reporter. "He let fame get to him and
he let go of what was really important. He has tried to contact Jane, but can't
find her anywhere. He's really hurting right now."

CAUSE CELEB
CAUSE OF THE MONTH: Can YOU find Jane
Porter? Contact us on [email protected]

* * * *

To: Marshall Winfield

From: Stevie
Winfield
Hi Marsh. I've just
seen the latest Cause Celeb. Apparently, Ashby Thornton is wanting to get
back together with Jane. I know you were going to have dinner with her next
week. She might be on the rebound, so please, please be careful.
Just
thought I'd let you know.
As you say, it's probably not a good idea to date
a colleague anyway.
Love
Stevie

##

From: Marshall Winfield

To: Stevie
Winfield
Thanks for the
advice, but I don't really see what that has to do with anything.
Anyway,
it's bit too late now. ;-)
Marsh

##

From: Stevie
Winfield
To: Marshall
Winfield
You don't
mean...?
OMG! OMG! OMG!
That was quick work. Especially for
you. I hope you know what you're doing.
Stevie

##

From: James Edwards

To: Marshall Winfield

Lou tells me you've had
some progress on the Jane front. What happened to waiting until after the
partners meeting?
Jim

##

From: Marshall Winfield

To: James Edwards

Things took an interesting
turn last night... I'm afraid my resolve crumbled. We've agreed that we're
going to keep it out of the office. She was very understanding about it. I guess
the whole unwanted publicity thing that she had with her ex means she doesn't
want to draw attention to herself either.
Am I to take it that you, Lou and
Stevie have been talking to each other?
Honestly, haven't you people got
anything better to do?
Marsh

##

From: James Edwards

To: Louise Edwards

Lou
Since you insist I go
and see how Marsh is, I have done so. He looks...happy. That's the only way I
can describe it. He was humming to himself. Humming, Louise. I haven't seen
him humming since...god, not for years. Not since that girl back in the first
year...what was her name? The one with the scary teeth.
I'm a bit worried
that he's risking upsetting the partnership, but he says he's got it under control,
so I guess we have to leave him to it.
Please don't ask me to go and talk to
him about his feelings. I'm a bloke. We don't talk about that sort of thing
without several pints being involved.
Jim

* * * *

Jane wriggled her freshly painted toes. For a moment she thought wistfully of the
stylist who used to do her hair and makeup before any big do with Ashby. Technically, the
girl had been hired to do the hair and faces of the band, but Triphoppers' manager thought that
Jane was an important part of their image too.

No more.

She put the lid on the nail varnish and settled back in her chair. Beside her, Polly's
landline rang.

Polly was lounging on the sofa, working, her pen between her teeth as she tapped
away on her laptop. She looked up at the sound of the phone but didn't move.

"Shall I get that?" Jane was already reaching over.

"Please."

"Jane!" Her mother's voice came, fast and breathless, as soon as Jane said "Hello".
"Oh thank goodness. You weren't answering your mobile and I was starting to get
worried."

"Oh, sorry Mum. I've just got a new phone and I haven't got round to sending
everyone the new number yet."

"What happened to your old phone?"

She hadn't mentioned the mugging to her mother, not wanting to worry her. "I...lost
it."

"Oh that is a shame. Did it cost a lot to replace?"

"Not really."

"Anyway, the reason I've been trying to get hold of you, apart from to see how you
are of course, is that Ashby has been calling for you again."

Jane felt the blood leave her face. "What does he want?"

"Well, he wants you. He says he's really sorry about what happened and he didn't
know what he was thinking and he wants you to forgive him."

"Huh."

"He sounded really upset, darling. And he has always been good to you apart from
that one time... Perhaps you should talk to him, see what he has to say."

"No way. Absolutely not."

"Now darling, are you sure?"

"Mum, we've discussed this. I am not talking to him or forgiving him. Ever. Okay? If
he calls again, tell him to take a running jump."

There was a guilty silence at the other end of the line.

"Mum? What have you done?"

"Well, I did give him your mobile number."

"My old number?"

"Yes."

"That's dead now, thank goodness. Don't tell him anything more. Okay?"

"But--"

"Mum, promise me."

Her mother sighed. "Okay. I promise. But if you change your mind..."

"I know how to get hold of him, if I need to."

Her mother sighed again. Jane changed the subject. They chatted about things not
relating to Ashby for a few minutes.

When Jane hung up, Polly said, "What was that all about?"

"Apparently, Ashby's been trying to get hold of me. To apologise."

Polly raised one eyebrow. "Really?"

"According to Mum. She thinks I should contact him. You know what she's like. She
thinks the sun shines out of his arse."

"Your mum just wants to be able to invite the Beckhams to your wedding." Her smile
faded. "It is a bit weird though, isn't it? Ashby coming over all remorseful. It doesn't sound
like him." She typed something into her laptop.

"What're you doing?"

"Just checking something out..." Whatever she read had her frowning. "Oh
dear."

"What?"

"We-ll... You know
Cause Celeb
has a cause of the month. You remember
how they did that 'what should Kate Winslet buy her husband for Christmas' one? And the
'can you help Chantelle find the perfect shoes for this outfit' one?"

Jane wondered where this was going, a horrible thought began to coalesce in her
mind.

Polly turned the laptop around, showing her the
Cause Celeb
blog. Jane read
quickly. About half way through, she started to swear.

"I'm going to kill him. I really am going to kill him."

* * * *

From: Jane Porter

To:
[email protected]
Ashby. What the hell is going on? You are
supposed to be leaving me alone, remember? And now suddenly I'm the Cause
Celeb cause of the month!! Or, more to the point, I guess, you are. Just in time
for the new album launch. What a coincidence.
Look, I meant what I said.
I haven't done you or your career any damage. In fact, I helped you as much as
I can. Why can't you have the common courtesy to do the same for me?
I
was just getting on with my life. I have a job I like and I'm making new
friends. Now, thanks to you, I have to watch my step everywhere I go, in case
there's a photographer trying to get a shot of me. Again.
Haven't you done
enough to me already?
Jane

##

From: [email protected]
To: Jane Porter

Babes.
The Cause Celeb stuff
isn't really anything to do with me. We hired this new PR guy, he said it was
good for the new album, so I just went along with it.
Besides, it's true. I do
miss you. You were a stabilising influence on me. And we had some good
times, didn't we?
Ashby

##

From: Jane Porter
To:
[email protected]
I don't care whose idea it was. Call it
off.
Can't you get one of your little tarts to pretend they're going out with
you? You can both get the exposure you need and you'll both be happy. What
about that creature from Hollyoaks that you so famously cheated on me
with?
Seriously, if this doesn't stop and soon, I am going to see a lawyer
about suing the pants off you and Mike for invasion of privacy.
Jane

##

From: [email protected]
To: Jane Porter

Janelle? No way. She hires brain
cells by the hour.
Aw c'mon Jane, don't be like that. Everyone will have
forgotten all about you in a few weeks. Where's the harm?

##

From: Jane Porter
To:
[email protected]
WHERE'S THE HARM???
I can't believe
you. Have you not paid attention to a word I've just said?
I want my life
back you selfish bastard.
You'll be hearing from my lawyer.
Jane

##

From: Jane Porter
To: Polly

I just threatened to sue Ashby.
I'm
not even sure I have a case. It's not libellous to say he misses me.
Besides,
I can't afford a lawyer. Help!
Jane

##

From: Polly
To: Jane Porter

Jane. Relax. It's just a stupid
magazine.
No one's going to bother you. They'll forget about you soon
enough. It'll be fine.
HUGS
Pol

##

From: Jane Porter
To: Polly

I can't just forget about it, Pol. You
don't know how awful it was. Every time I went out of the flat, some guy with
a camera would take photos of me. I couldn't even open the curtains without
someone trying to get a telephoto lens on me. I had to live in perpetual twilight
for days.
Even when I escaped to Mum's house, they hunted me
down--although, Mum might have let that one slip. Not sure. People kept wanting me
to comment on how I was feeling and what I thought of that woman from
Hollyoaks. All I wanted was to be left alone.
I can't go through that
again.
Jane

##

From: Polly
To: Jane Porter

Try not to think about it, hon. It'll
all be okay. Honest.
Just concentrate on that nice new man of
yours.
Love
Pol
PS: Don't even think you've got out of telling me
the details. I will be waiting for you when you get home.

##

From: [email protected]
To: Mike Taylor

Dude, Jane says to call off the press or
she'll sue.
Ashby

##

From: Mike Taylor
To:
[email protected]
Let her sue! That's publicity money can't
buy!
I've arranged a photoshoot for Tuesday 2pm. Tell the
lads.
Mike

From: Sally Thomas

To: Ruth Jones

Hi Ruth. Have you seen
Cause Celeb are trying to find a Jane Porter that used to go out with Ashby
Thornton. Do you think she's the same Jane Porter as our Jane?
I've just
been looking at pictures on the web. They look vaguely similar, but it's hard to
tell. Celeb Jane is blonde and all air brushed. Our Jane is normal looking.

##

From: Ruth Jones
To:
Sally Thomas
I see what
you mean. There is a resemblance. It is a bit of a coincidence, isn't it, with the
same name and Jane being from Manchester. I noticed she doesn't talk about
her love life, which would make sense if she was trying to get away from
it.
On the other hand, she's training to be a patent agent--it's hardly a glam
job, is it? And Porter isn't that unusual a name--maybe there are a lot of Porters
in Manchester.
Besides, Jane's so quiet. She wouldn't say boo to a
goose.
I don't know. I'm inclined to think it's just a massive coincidence.
But I'll keep an eye out for other clues.
Ruth

* * * *

Jane was so flustered by being the focus of
Cause Celeb
that she couldn't
concentrate. It was nearly lunchtime, so she grabbed her coat and left, telling Ruth she was
going to get a sandwich. There were several sandwich shops nearby, most of which had
people queuing. Recalling seeing a soup place not too far away, she walked in that direction.
When someone called her name, she turned and saw Keith, running to catch up with her.

"Going out for lunch?" He was wearing a long black coat and what looked like a
university scarf.

Jane considered lying and saying she was going to the bank, but she had a feeling that
no matter what she said, he was going to try to join her. She didn't reply.

"I'll come with you," said Keith, as if she'd welcomed his approach. He fell in beside
her.

Jane was reminded of leaving the office with Marsh the night before. How different
an experience that had been.

"I know a nice place the does a lovely plate of couscous," Keith said, as they turned a
corner.

She didn't want to have lunch with Keith. On the other hand, if she got a soup and
took it back to the office, she would have to sit in the canteen and listen to the gossip, which
she really didn't feel like doing.

"It'll be fun. A nice hot lunch." He looked at her, his expression faintly pleading. It
suddenly occurred to her that, for all his bravado, he might be quite insecure. Perhaps his
constant invitations to the pub stemmed partially from the fact that he was lonely.