The Morning After (12 page)

Ethan’s mouth set in a thin line. “I’ve already lost Cara her job. And any prospect of getting another as a teacher in Ireland, because of it.”

Cara pulled her hand from under his. “Hang on a second, Ethan. You’re not to blame for this.” Her eyes couldn’t stray away from the picture, which lay on the table. She reached for it, and examined it. “The reason this picture lost me my job was because I was barely clothed in it. That was my fault. I never should have climbed into the costume in my underwear.”

Since her teens, she’d been concerned about preserving her reputation, not getting into trouble, and making sure she’d never see disappointment in her parents’ faces again. But being here with Ethan, seeing the liberties the press took with the truth, had opened her eyes to the way that life really was. Through no fault of her own, her reputation was shredded. And, what was today’s news would be tomorrow’s waste paper. Ethan couldn’t feel responsible for the words written by any journalist.

Melissa laced her fingers together, showcasing vivid red fingernails that curved like talons, presumably for ripping the press apart. “I agree. The picture would have considerably less impact if you were clothed. But combined with the photographs of you both at the fundraiser in Ireland, looking so happy,” she took another couple of pictures from the briefcase and slid them across the table, “people saw what they wanted to see. A couple entranced with each other.”

Ethan lifted one picture, and Cara picked up another. In both, they were smiling into the camera, obviously at ease.

“Carethan was born,” Melissa murmured.

Ethan glanced up. “And the fact that we weren’t—” he swallowed—”involved, doesn’t that count for anything?”

“Not really,” Melissa said. “These pictures hint at an intimacy, a closeness between you, that captured the public imagination. Rather like all of the great love stories in history, people want to believe that if you’re not already in love, you will be soon.” She pulled out a sheaf of paper. “These are printouts from the Carethan hashtag, and the majority of tweets are about what a great couple you make. How it looks as though Ethan cares, and about how much the tweeps want you to get together.”

“Christ.” Ethan ran a hand through his hair.

Cara’s heart dipped. Would it be such a bad thing to be
involved
with her?

“Moving on.” Melissa opened a copy of the National Inquisitor. “This is another matter. In this article, Michael makes concrete claims about Cara breaking off her engagement and leaving him. And names you as the guilty party.” She stared at Ethan. “If this isn’t true, we can sue him, although it will be difficult to win without proof. The danger is that it will keep the entire affair in the public domain for much longer.”

“They paint Ethan unfairly as a womanizer. Michael and I were never engaged. He’d proposed, but I hadn’t accepted. Ethan hit him when he saw Michael cheating on me,” Cara said. “Ethan behaved honorably. It’s awful that Michael should—”

“Lie?” Melissa asked. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone has lied about Ethan. And it won’t be the last. Unfortunately that’s the business he’s in.” She tapped her front teeth with a fingernail and stared out the window for long moments. “People want to see you together. If you’re just friends, or have other lovers, then I think you need to set the record straight. I know the studio is keen to give the impression that you and Dee have a flirtation going on, Ethan. As pre-publicity for the next movie.”

Ethan shook his head. “I’m not agreeing to that. Not for a minute. I’m sure Dee won’t want to either, we can’t stand each other.”

Melissa’s eyebrows rose in two perfect arcs. “That bad?”

“That bad,” Ethan confirmed. “The truth is…” He paused for a significant moment. “Cara and I have grown closer since this whole mess. But that’s no one’s business but our own.”

Cara reached for his hand and squeezed it.

“With the firestorm of interest in your relationship at the moment, I doubt you can afford the luxury of ignoring the press right now,” Melissa said. “Did you know the paparazzi are camped outside the gates?”

Ethan cursed. “Many?”

“A couple of dozen. They surrounded the car and were taking pictures of me when I came in. A couple even shot pictures through the gates when they opened. I saw them in my rear-view mirror.” She shoved the pictures and papers back into her briefcase. “The best thing to do is give the public what they want. Which is, pictures of both of you together. Be open about your relationship. Refuting the minutae of how you got together might come across as an attempt to blacken Michael’s name. He’s sold his story, and any public fight will just give him the opportunity to sell updates. If you deal with the situation as it is now,” she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, “then Michael’s story will quickly become yesterday’s news.”

“I don’t want Cara followed everywhere. I can’t be with her all the time, filming is still ongoing, and I want her to be safe.”

Melissa nodded. “Of course. She might be photographed, but she’s unlikely to come to any harm. It’s inconvenient, sure, but…”

“I’ll be fine,” Cara said.

“My advice would be to take the high road, and not to panic,” Melissa soothed. “What’s done is done, and the best way to move forward is to appear together at a couple of functions, to pose nicely for photographs. That should diffuse the frenzy that’s building up. People will soon lose interest and focus on the next hint of scandal. You could even tweet something innocuous to calm the twitter stream.”

Ethan puffed out a breath. “I hate having to play these games.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “And I hate twitter.”

“Don’t I know it!” Melissa laughed. “Getting you to tweet is like pulling teeth.” Her eyes softened. “But I really think it would be worth it, Ethan.”

Ethan stared into Cara’s eyes. “What do you think?” he asked, caring evident in the depths of his eyes. “Are you ready to face the press?”

Cara glanced down at her jeans and bare feet. “Maybe I should change first.”

Ethan stood. “Okay, I’ll tweet that we thank my followers for their concern, and are happy together. Will that do it?”

Melissa nodded.

“I’ll make some coffee while you get ready,” Ethan said. “Then we’ll walk to the gate and give them a photo-op.”

****

He wanted to hold her hand.

But Cara crossed her arms and kicked the ground with one sneaker-clad toe as the gate swung open.

The whirring cameras sounded as though a swarm of cicadas had landed outside the gates. There were at least ten, maybe fifteen photographers jostling for position, and as they caught sight of Ethan, the air filled with shouted questions.

Ethan stepped forward and held out his arms. He forced a smile. “I have a quick statement, and then I’ll take questions.” The photographers kept taking photographs, but at least stopped shouting.

“Cara and I know you’re keen to get pictures, and ask questions.” Despite what he’d agreed with Melissa, Ethan couldn’t let the impression stand that Cara was a casual lay he’d picked up on his last visit to Ireland. “Cara and I are old friends. A lot of inaccurate information has been in the press over the last couple of days. When I was in Ireland recently, Cara was recovering from a relationship that had already ended.” He drew out the last bit, emphasizing the truth of the matter. “I asked her to come and stay with me in Malibu for a short holiday.”

A shout from a rather sweaty journalist at the back, “Are you sleeping together?”

Ethan swallowed back his anger, and fixed the journalist with a stare. “My relationship with Cara is our business.” He clenched his teeth. “However, I’m aware there is great interest in it, so I will say that we are in a relationship, yes.”

He stepped closer to Cara, and reached for her hand.

“Questions?”

Shouts came quick and fast. “Cara, how do you feel about your fiancé’s article?” “Cara, how long are you staying?” “Ethan, are you talking marriage?”

He wanted to stand in front of her. To shove her back behind the safety of the gate, away from prying eyes.

She squeezed his hand. “I’ll answer some of those,” she said in a voice so quiet the paparazzi fell quiet to listen. “I was never engaged, and the end of my relationship had nothing to do with Ethan,” she said in a calm voice. “I’m staying for a couple of weeks. I’ve never been to America before, and Malibu is fabulous. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more of your beautiful country while I’m here.”

The cynical faces softened the moment they caught her smile.

“I think I can answer the last question that was aimed at Ethan.”

He held his breath.

“Ethan and I aren’t thinking marriage.”

“We’re happy to pose for photographs for a few minutes, but we have to leave in half an hour.” He snaked an arm around Cara’s shoulders.

“Kiss her!” someone shouted.

Ethan felt a smile tug at his lips. “I don’t think so, guys. Sorry.”

“What about the pic in your underwear, Cara? Any comment?”

Before she could respond, Ethan cut in. “We really don’t have any further comment about that.”

Cara nodded.

They posed for photographs for five minutes, then Ethan stepped away from Cara’s side. “That’s it.” He softened his words with a smile. “Thanks very much.”

Cameras lowered. “Thanks for coming out, Ethan,” a tall thin man at the front said. “Appreciate it.”

Ethan pressed a button, waved briefly as the gates slid closed, and blew out a breath as the paparazzi were shielded from view. With luck they would leave. But his stomach clenched with nerves at the thought that they may not. And an overzealous person might even find a way over the wall and pester Cara while he wasn’t there. Might photograph her on the beach. She needed his protection, even if she didn’t want it.

He glanced at his watch. “We better get ready—the car will be here soon to take me on set. I want you to come with me.”

Cara’s eyes lit. “Really?”

“Really. It’s about time you saw what I do for a living.”

****

Four hours later, the excitement of being on a movie set was fading. Ethan had introduced her to it seemed like hundreds of people, all of whom had been very welcoming, but curious, and Cara was beginning to feel as though she was in a fishbowl, swimming in ever decreasing circles.

She’d sat in Ethan’s chair, and watched him act. Chatted to the makeup department, and even popped in to the costume trailer and had a look at the props. Now, rather than return to watch Ethan run through yet another scene, she sneaked back to the trailer, grabbing a cup of tea on the way.

She sank down into a comfortable armchair, and tucked her feet under her. Cara rooted in her voluminous bag, and pulled out the paperback Juliet had shoved into her hands on the flight over.
Edge of Night
. The cover didn’t look as though it was her usual type of reading material, but hadn’t Juliet told her not to judge a book by its cover? She opened it, and by the time she’d read the first chapter, she was totally hooked. Juliet’s writing was so good she could see why the movie option had been picked up. The main character was complex, finely drawn, and compelling. With an edge of danger and menace that sent shivers up Cara’s spine. Any actor would kill for the role.

Cara’s legs tingled. She stretched out her legs and rubbed them, turning a page as she did so.

The trailer door creaked open.

“Hi, Cara,” Maggie said, looking around. “Is he here?”

“Um…” Cara reluctantly pulled her attention away from
Edge of Night
. “No, I think he’s still filming.”

“Filming’s finished for the day.”

Cara glanced at her watch, surprised to see that a couple of hours had passed without her noticing.

“I’ll just wait here for him.” Maggie closed the door behind her and sat on the loveseat in the corner. “I have to pass on some messages. His agent was trying to get hold of him.”

The door pushed open again.

“Hi,” Ethan grinned. “Sorry, I got distracted.”

A small, dark haired man in a black suit stood behind him. “Cara, this is my agent, Manny Silverstein.”

“Ah, you found him then,” Maggie interrupted. “I was just coming to tell you, Manny’d been on a few times, Ethan.”

Ethan focused his gaze on her. “Are there any other messages I should know about?”

Maggie’s head shook from side to side. “That’s it.”

“Okay.”

Maggie’s eyebrows rose in silent query.

“I think that’s it for today, then, Maggie.”

She nodded, and made for the door. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With a smile, she angled past Manny.

Cara stood, turned down a corner of her book, and shook Manny’s extended hand. “Pleased to meet you,” she murmured.

Manny’s gaze was fixed on the book in her hands. “You’re reading
Edge of Night
?” His forehead creased with a frown. “That’s weird. I didn’t think it was on sale in America yet.”

“I met the author on the plane.” Cara glanced from Manny to Ethan, wondering why the agent was so perplexed by what she was reading.

“Sit down, Manny.” Ethan pointed to the loveseat. “And tell me what’s so urgent it’d bring you out of the office.”

A sly smile played over Manny lips. He settled on the love seat, and crossed his legs, revealing a flash of sock suspender. “Before I do…” He stared at Cara. “What do you think of the book, any good?”

“It’s fantastic,” Cara admitted. “The writing is really compelling, and the plot draws you right in.”

“And the main character?” Manny glanced at Ethan.

“Really three-dimensional. The sort of character that burrows into your brain, and makes you really wonder what drives him. I haven’t read anything so good in a long time.” Her school workload had cut into her reading time. She spent the day imparting the classics to a classroom of bored boys, struggling to try and pass on her love of words. At the end of the day she was always exhausted, but never too exhausted to read. Books, and the glimpse they gave into other worlds, were her life.

Manny nodded. “I haven’t read it yet. But I’ve been hearing good things. Brightman Pictures are going to turn it into a movie.”