Home > Dreaming of Italy(6)

Dreaming of Italy(6)
Author: T.A. Williams

‘Didn’t one of them run out in front of a race horse and get killed?’

‘That’s right.’ Emma was impressed. Clearly he had paid attention in his history classes. ‘Anyway, in the course of the tour, she meets and falls in love with a young British army officer who’s on leave over there in Italy. What we’ve got to do is to find the most beautiful, emotive, atmospheric locations possible. Your father told me he wants people to fall in love with the scenery as much as with the characters.’ She paused. ‘Have you been to Italy?’

He nodded. ‘Yes, but the places I went to were anything but beautiful.’ He raised his head again. ‘It was a bad time for me. Did they tell you about my problems?’

Emma took a deep breath. ‘They told me you’d been in rehab, but that you’re clear now. Is that right?’

‘That’s what they tell me.’

‘You’re not convinced?’

He shrugged. ‘I’m taking it one day at a time.’

Emma decided to steer away from this topic but not before she had given him some encouragement. ‘Well, you’re looking good from where I’m sitting.’

He didn’t acknowledge the remark so she stood up, smoothing down her dress and checking that her sandals were once more hidden from view.

‘Feel like coming in with me for a drink?’

He shook his head. ‘I’m staying off the booze, thanks. To be honest, I’m not that fond of crowds these days. Besides, nobody’ll talk to me. Nobody knows who I am.’

Emma couldn’t let that one go.

‘What do you mean, nobody knows you? This is your house. You’re the son of the host and hostess.’

He gave her a wry smile. ‘I’ve pretty much been painted out of the picture over these past few years. They did it to protect me, but it also eliminated a source of embarrassment for them.’ He hesitated for a few seconds. ‘I don’t blame them, I really don’t. I’ve been an embarrassment to myself.’ He sounded genuine and Emma’s heart went out to him.

‘So you’re telling me most of the guests here tonight have no idea who you are?’ He nodded. ‘Well, that makes two of us. I’m almost completely unknown amongst all these big names as well. I’ve got an idea, let’s pretend you’re my little brother from England. Can you do an English accent? Come on, let’s go and have some fun.’

He looked up again and this time she felt she could discern a spark in those lifeless eyes. ‘Did you say little brother?’ As he spoke, he stood up and Emma couldn’t miss the fact that he had definitely inherited the height gene from his father. She wasn’t small, but he towered over her.

‘I stand corrected. You can be my younger, but taller brother.’ As she took a better look at him, she reflected that if she were ten years younger, she could quite easily have been attracted to this handsome, troubled boy. No sooner had the thought occurred than she dismissed it, just as she dismissed the thought of any man. She determined to concentrate on thinking of him as her little brother, six foot six or not. ‘Come on, let’s see if we can both find something non-alcoholic to drink. Don’t forget, I’m in my boss’s house. The last thing I need is to get plastered.’

This brought a real smile to his face and it took years off him. ‘Well, if you insist, my dear, I totally agree. Do let us go and have fun.’ He sounded like Lord Whatshisname out of Downton Abbey. She was impressed.

‘Wow, you do a good English accent.’

‘I had an English girlfriend for a while.’

There was a strange note in his voice and she should have picked up on it. Instead, she chose to keep the conversation going and immediately regretted it.

‘And what happened to her? Why did you split up?’

His answer suddenly changed the whole mood of the conversation.

‘She left me because I couldn’t quit the drugs.’ His voice was studiously level. ‘It was the right thing for her to do. I was a waste of space.’

‘Oh, Richard, I’m so sorry.’

‘Call me Rich. My friends call me Rich.’

Taking this as a positive sign, she caught hold of his forearm and set off towards the house.

‘All right, Rich, come and help your sister find a glass of water.’

A few minutes later, as they mingled with the crowd back in JM’s huge lounge, she felt a tap on her bare shoulder. She looked round to see none other than Ethan Dukes, one of the most recognisable faces – and bodies – on the planet. She had known him ever since he was a young actor just after getting his first big break and they had become good friends. As he was under contract to JMGP, they often met and they got on very well together. Unlike a lot of superstars, he had remained pretty grounded – insofar as you can be grounded when you do most of your travelling by private jet or helicopter.

They often spoke on set, or over a coffee, and she felt she knew him as well as anybody in the business. She got the impression that he enjoyed talking to her and, in fact, she sometimes felt more like an agony aunt, or a big sister, to him as he often came to her with his problems. In fact, she knew him so well by now that she genuinely managed to forget he was a global megastar when they met up and he probably appreciated being treated as a normal human being.

‘Hi, English. How you doin’?’ Ethan knew her name, but had always called her that, and when he greeted her he always imitated Joey from Friends.

She gave him a big smile and a kiss on the cheek. ‘Hi, Ethan, I’m fine. How’s life in your stratosphere?’ She pointed to Rich beside her. ‘Do you know Richard?’

Ethan nodded and shook Rich warmly by the hand. ‘Hi, Richie, I haven’t seen you since you were a spotty teenager. All good with you?’

Emma was pleased to see Rich respond with a real genuine smile. ‘I’m good, thanks, Ethan… now.’

Emma caught a glimpse of comprehension in Ethan’s eyes. She knew that very little escaped him here on his home turf and he had probably been one of the very few to know of Rich’s struggle with drugs. He clapped Rich on the shoulder and gave him an encouraging wink. ‘That’s great, Richie. Keep it up.’ He turned back to Emma and she felt his eyes on her, checking her out. ‘You’re looking gorgeous tonight, English, you know that?’

Emma had enough experience of Hollywood hype by now to be able to sidestep the compliment almost without blushing. Almost. Whether she thought of him as sort of her little brother or not, this was, after all, the man Cosmo readers had voted the sexiest man on the planet.

‘Why, thank you, Ethan, you say the nicest things. And you aren’t looking too shabby yourself.’

He grinned. They both knew that was the understatement of the night. ‘Hey, they tell me you’re on your way to Italy to scout out some romantic places for me. Is that really true, English?’

‘That’s right. Have you read the script of Dreaming of Italy?’ She lowered her voice as this was still a closely-guarded secret.

She saw him hesitate for a moment and it didn’t surprise her. He had probably received a one paragraph summary of the plot from JM or his agent and he wouldn’t start in on the whole thing until just a matter of weeks or even days before shooting began. Even so, she knew from past experience that he would be word perfect when he came on set.

Hot Books
» House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1)
» A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
» From Blood and Ash (Blood And Ash #1)
» A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime
» Deviant King (Royal Elite #1)
» Den of Vipers
» House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2)
» The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #
» Sweet Temptation
» The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1)
» Chasing Cassandra (The Ravenels #6)
» Wreck & Ruin
» Steel Princess (Royal Elite #2)
» Twisted Hate (Twisted #3)
» The Play (Briar U Book 3)