Real Love Page 7

  But before she could get to her invitation for a drink back at her place, Daisy abruptly looked at her watch and said ‘Sorry, is that the time? I’ve got to go. Lovely to meet you.’

  And she was gone.

  Alexa was shocked. She’d been hoping it was the beginning of the night, not the end.

  Out in the night, Daisy jumped in a cab and told the driver her address. If she got home in the next ten minutes, she might still get to say goodnight to Jake.

  As she looked out of the window, watching the city fade into residential streets, she pretended her pulse wasn’t still racing from the last few minutes in the bar.

  Because she didn’t have time for all that. Laid in Medford was work. Alexa was a part of that work, albeit a particularly gorgeous part. But it didn’t matter. Looking was one thing, doing was another.

  Whatever had just happened, Daisy wasn’t someone who had the liberty to let it get any further. She had too many other things to think about. There was no time to act like the young, free and single type most people probably thought she was. That wasn’t her life and that was that.

  ‘Mum, how was it?’ Jake said, half asleep, tucked deep into his duvet.

  ‘Went alright, I think’ Daisy said from the doorway. ‘I haven’t gotten the sack yet, anyway.’

  ‘Can’t wait to see you on the TV again. You were really good the last time.’

  ‘Thanks, Monkey.’

  ‘Don’t call me Monkey’ Jake said sleepily, already drifting back off.

  Daisy closed his door gently and padded softly down the hall, headed for her bedroom. Another door opened and Kathy stuck her head out, a game show blared through the gap behind her.

  ‘You’re in, then?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘Will you always have to work these types of hours?’

  Was it a criticism or simply a general enquiry? With Kathy, it was often impossible to separate the two.

  ‘Hard to say, Mum.’

  ‘I see… Well, good night.’

  ‘Night.’

  And the head went back in, no doubt wanting to catch the answer to that question about how many stomachs a cow had.

  Daisy went to her room, grateful for the solitude. It had been another strange day on the set. But as Daisy climbed into bed, she wasn’t thinking about the shoot. She was thinking about Alexa.

  But thinking was allowed. She couldn’t hurt anyone with thinking.

  Ten

  ‘Alexa. Alexa!’ Charlie shouted and Alexa finally snapped out of her daze.

  ‘What?’

  ‘You were in a trance. I think you need to hydrate.’

  Alexa took the water bottle that was offered but she only took the smallest of sips. She wasn’t really that thirsty. They’d barely started yet. That wasn’t the reason she’d gone off into her own little world.

  She handed the water back to Charlie.

  ‘Come on, let’s get back to it.’

  ‘You’re supposed to rest for another minute-’

  ‘Nope. Let’s go.’

  ‘You’re the boss.’

  And then Charlie proceeded to watch Alexa work herself inhumanly hard, moving from circuit to circuit like a woman possessed. Even for Alexa, never one to slack off, it was quite a feat. The ab crunches alone were enough to make Charlie wince in sympathy at what Alexa was putting her body through.

  ‘Woah,’ she called eventually. ‘Take it easy. You need to rest or you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.’

  But Alexa wouldn’t stop. ‘Just getting warmed up.’

  ‘Stop now or I’ll sit on you.’

  Alexa stopped.

  ‘Is there an award ceremony coming up or something?’ Charlie asked.

  ‘No, why?’

  ‘Because you’re on a mission of some sort and I was wondering what it was.’

  Alexa sighed deeply and then gave Charlie a serious look. ‘Charlie, can I ask you something?’

  ‘I don’t like the sound of that but go on.’

  ‘Have I… Have I still got it?’

  ‘Got what? Did you lose your phone?’

  ‘No. It. Am I sexually attractive still?’

  Charlie put her hands on her hips and looked at the ceiling. ‘Oh, Christ. I can’t go answering questions like that. I’m a married woman.’

  ‘And besotted with your wife, yeah yeah. I know that and you know I know that so completely objectively speaking, and with no ulterior motive, would you please just tell me if I’m going off the boil?’

  ‘Where’s this coming from?’

  Alexa moaned, embarrassed. ‘I got knocked back.’

  Charlie laughed. ‘What? Really?’

  ‘What’s funny about that?

  ‘Alright, since you went to pains to point out that I am indeed completely obsessed with the woman I married, then I can say that yes, I’m quite surprised that anybody would turn you down. And thank god for Amy, while we’re on the subject, because if I didn’t have her I’m certain I would have some horrible crush on you. Because, yeah, you’ve still got it. And quite a lot of it, if you must know.’

  Alexa smiled, relieved. ‘Thanks, Charlie. I really needed that.’

  ‘Who was it? This mystery woman?’

  ‘New girl on the show. Her name’s Daisy.’

  Charlie searched her memory banks. ‘Oh, yeah, I know her, Amy made me watch that one. Didn’t you tip a load of wine over her? She’s cute.’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘But she said no?’

  ‘She didn’t say no, exactly. It didn’t really get to the point of anyone having to say one way or the other. It was more like… I sent out a search party and they came back empty handed.’

  ‘I see. Are you sure she’s even into girls? Maybe your gaydar’s just on the fritz.’

  ‘I’ve always prided myself on being good at that. And I had this feeling about her... But maybe you’re right. Maybe I just misread the situation.’

  ‘Or maybe there’s other reason’s she wasn’t receptive?’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘I don’t know, I’m not Yoda. I’m just saying, there are levels to things.’

  ‘Thanks, Not-Yoda. I’ll bear that in mind.’

  ‘Cool. Hey, do you wanna hit the gym café? They’ve got some awesome cakes in today-’

  Alexa’s phone went, it was Aaron the Runner. ‘I’d better pick up. It’s work.’

  Charlie gave her a nod and Alexa answered.

  ‘Alexa, I know you’re not supposed to be working today but Ryan has asked if it’s possible to come in this afternoon?’

  ‘Yeah, I guess I could. What’s the change?’

  ‘He’ll tell you when you get there. I’ll send the call sheet now.’

  That afternoon, Daisy was back on set for her third day on Laid in Medford and Jane had given her the set-up. Daisy was visiting Robyn for tea and gossip. The main topic would be the snogging of Will and the subsequent kick-off. They were shooting in a couple of minutes.

  ‘I heard you did the old Irish Goodnight while I was busting a move. Very sneaky’ Robyn said as she walked onto the ‘Set’, aka Robyn’s real living room. It was nice. Very white.

  ‘Sorry, I was just knackered out. Next time I’ll do better, I swear. Did you guys make a night of it after I left?’

  ‘Could say that. Reece pulled, of course.’

  Daisy nodded and tried to be nonchalant with her next question. ‘Anyone else pull?’

  ‘I thought I was on a promise with this one guy. But then he showed me his tattoo of his ex-girlfriend’s name and I thought better of it.’

  That hadn’t really been what Daisy had been trying to find out. But there was no way she was going to ask if Alexa had gone home with anyone. It wasn’t her business for a start. Secondly, she didn’t want it to be. She’d spent her three days off thinking about that little moment with Alexa but at a certain point, it started to feel like fixation. After that, Daisy had tried to shove Alexa out of her mind. It hadn’t worked
remotely, but that didn’t mean she had to encourage herself by actively quizzing Robyn on Alexa’s love life.

  But at least Alexa wasn’t in this scene, Daisy was pleased to note. She wouldn’t have to think about this daft crush, at least for today. She only had a few minutes to enjoy that relief before…

  ‘Alexa!’ Robyn suddenly called over Daisy’s shoulder and Daisy felt like her heart was going to fall out of her arse as she turned to see Alexa walk into the living room, dressed in workout gear. She looked edible.

  ‘You’re not in this scene, are you?’ Robyn asked, confused.

  ‘Just got the call, I guess they’ve ‘re-written’ it’ Alexa replied with a small nod to Daisy. Daisy smiled hello back. She felt like her teeth were too big.

  Ryan’s head peeped around the door. ‘Alexa my darling, you’re a trooper. I hope I didn’t drag you away from anything too important.’

  ‘Of course not’ Alexa said. ‘So, what’s the change?’

  Ryan grinned in a way that unnerved all three women. ‘Well… We’ve been looking at the footage from last week and we have some thoughts about a way to jazz up the season. And it’s all down to Daisy.’

  Everyone looked at Daisy. Daisy looked at Ryan, wondering where he was going with this.

  ‘You’re a little minx, Daisy Howard. And you might just have given us a way to get the numbers we’ve been after all season.’

  ‘How?’ Daisy asked, baffled.

  ‘Do you remember your first take of Robyn’s birthday scene?’

  As if she could forget.

  ‘We’re running with it’ Ryan finished.

  ‘What?’ Alexa interjected. ‘You mean the one where Daisy…’

  ‘Flirted with you, yes. Our thinking is that Daisy might be stronger as a potential love interest for you, as the third member of the love triangle. Instead of Reece.’

  Alexa and Daisy looked at each other. They couldn’t help it. They both quickly looked away.

  ‘So, girls, what would you think?’

  Alexa knew Ryan. Just as with Daisy’s return, if he was asking, it was already a done deal. ‘I’m fine with it’ she said, knowing that was the correct answer. She’d process the full ramifications of this later.

  Ryan looked to Daisy. Daisy realised there had been a cue to speak and she’d missed it by a couple of seconds. ‘Oh. Yes. Fine. I…’ Daisy stopped there. She felt that anything further she might want to say should probably be slept on.

  ‘Great! We’re wanting to build on it immediately, with this scene.’

  And then he explained the sequence while Alexa, Daisy and Robyn listened. After that, Alexa was sent to hair and makeup while Daisy and Robyn waited to shoot the first half of the scene.

  Daisy sat down on Robyn’s couch while the last of the setting up was done. She realised as they waited that Robyn hadn’t said anything since Ryan had walked in and hit them with the changes. She’d known Robyn a very short time, but still, she knew that was odd. Robyn was a talker.

  ‘What did you make of that, then?’ Daisy asked her, trying to sound light.

  Robyn pursed her lips. ‘Interesting.’

  Daisy waited for more but it never came. ‘That’s your only comment?’ Daisy prompted.

  ‘For now’ Robyn said with an enigmatic smile.

  ‘ACTION!’

  Robyn snapped into character. ‘How was your night? I didn’t see you after…’ Robyn trailed off.

  ‘I kissed Will and then you ran off to tell your brother on me?’

  ‘Sorry but it was hot goss! I had to tell someone. It didn’t occur to me it would start a row between him and Will’ Robyn said without a hint of regret. ‘Alexa didn’t seem very happy about it all.’

  ‘No’ Daisy said, intentionally holding something back so that Robyn could pull it out, bit by bit.

  ‘You guys seriously need to make it up. The drama is killing Reece.’

  ‘Maybe we will’ Daisy said, putting as much mystery into the comment as it needed.

  Robyn, pretending confusion, asked. ‘Did she apologise for the wine incident?’

  ‘No. But it’s OK.’

  ‘Are you serious? I couldn’t let that go if it happened to me.’

  Daisy shrugged. ‘Perhaps she’ll find a way to make it up to me later.’

  Robyn’s mouth opened, as though to quiz Daisy on her strange comment, but the doorbell stopped her in her tracks. Robyn got up to let Alexa in, her ‘surprise’ guest. She walked back in a moment later, looking concerned and trying to explain to Alexa what the hell Daisy was doing there. But Alexa wasn’t interested in Robyn’s excuses.

  ‘It’s fine, Robyn.’

  ‘Do you want a drink?’ Robyn asked her, right on cue. Alexa, of course, did. And off Robyn went, to make a cup of tea that would take, at the very least, three minutes to produce.

  Daisy, sat on the sofa, found that thing was happening to her again. Within the confines of this ‘Reality but not really’ scenario, she wasn’t the woman who’d fled a bar following Alexa’s flirtation. She was someone else, a sexually confident vixen with her sights fixed very firmly on something she wanted.

  ‘Why don’t you come and sit down?’ she said to Alexa, patting the sofa next to her. Alexa raised the infamous eyebrow and Daisy didn’t know what she was going to do. She’d been given free reign by Ryan to make this as hard as she wanted on Daisy. But instead, she simply sat down. On a chair across the room.

  ‘How’s Reece?’ Daisy asked, provocatively. She knew where the scene was meant to end, but she wanted to get there the long way, with as many twists as she could find.

  ‘I really wouldn’t know’ Alexa said icily. ‘I haven’t seen him since Robyn’s party.’

  ‘Oh, did you guys not make up yet?’

  Alexa looked away. ‘No.’

  ‘That’s a shame.’

  ‘Is it?’ Alexa asked with venom.

  ‘No’ Daisy said, tapping her finger on her teacup. ‘Not for me, anyway.’

  Alexa nodded, pleased to have cards on the table.

  ‘Because you want Reece back?’

  Daisy took a sip of her tea, drawing out the moment. ‘Come on. You know that’s not why I’m pleased.’

  Alexa licked her lips a touch nervously. ‘That’s not happening.’

  Daisy smiled slowly. ‘Isn’t it?’

  Alexa looked at Daisy square in the eye and opened her beautiful mouth to respond… And then Robyn walked in and handed Alexa a steaming cup of tea. She stood in the middle of the room, looking back and forth between Daisy and Alexa, smelling the vibe.

  ‘You two weren’t arguing, were you?’

  Daisy stood. ‘Gotta go. Call you later’ she said and kissed Robyn on the cheek. She walked out.

  Alexa and Robyn then moved the scene into some chatter about an upcoming event, yet another vapid party on their endless social calendar.

  Meanwhile, Daisy stood outside with Aaron, who handed her a coat as she came out. She was thinking about the ‘conversation’ she’d just had with Alexa. It brought back the thing Jane had said to her on her first day.

  ‘Just be yourself. Within limits, of course.’

  But she wasn’t herself at all. She’d created a character who embodied several traits she’d probably have liked to have, as well as few she didn’t love at all. That character would romance Alexa Lockwood. And why shouldn’t she?

  Because it wasn’t Daisy. Not really.

  In Robyn’s living room, Jane yelled ‘Cut’ and Alexa quickly got up and headed for the bathroom. She didn’t need to go, but she wanted a second to herself. She’d just about gotten herself convinced that Daisy’s rejection didn’t have to be a big deal. And then Ryan had to go and have his big idea.

  She now knew the full extent of how dreadful the next few months of shooting might be, and the potential it had to drive Alexa around the bend. Daisy, who had just gotten Alexa in a lather that required no acting at all, was going to make this situation worse and worse. And th
ere wasn’t a fucking thing Alexa could do about it.

  She was going to have to stew in her mistake as well as this unwanted attraction. That was apparently her job now.