The Unexpected Consequences of Love (13 page)

For the next couple hours they carried on working, capturing the food being crafted in the kitchen, the cheery atmosphere among the staff, and the spectacular views from the windows of the restaurant. Josh uncomplainingly shifted tripods, fetched and carried boxes of equipment, and held up reflector boards as instructed. By the time Sophie finally had everything she needed, it was six o'clock and the first of the evening's invited guests were starting to arrive.

“How are you doing?” Josh watched as she surreptitiously arched her back and pressed her knuckles into the area around the base of her spine.

“Okay. Holding out.” She'd been moving slowly, taking care not to put any more strain on the torn muscles, but they were really starting to burn again now.

“Want me to give you a massage?”

Sophie thought about it. A massage would help; it would be perfect, just what she needed right now. She imagined how it would feel, those warm, firm fingers kneading away the pain, the unhurried physical contact of skin on skin…

Oh
wow.

She looked at Josh.

Who was looking at her.

Probably best not to.

“No thanks, I'm fine.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Except you aren't.”

Sophie eyed him steadily. “I still don't want a massage. You might make it worse.”

And now he was giving her the kind of look that signaled how ridiculously easy it was to read her mind. Finally he said, “Okay.”

Phew
.

The guests had begun to arrive. Flutes of chilled Prosecco were served, trays of canapés were brought out from the kitchen, and the buzz of anticipation gave way to the sounds of a jolly party in progress. Thankfully the sun was still out and the wind had dropped, so people were milling around outside in the garden too. Sophie moved between them, taking her favorite informal shots. Everyone was having fun, the hosts were happy, and the noise level of chatter and laughter was steadily rising.

Then Maddy and Max's friends turned up with the evening's star guest in tow, and the excitement in the air accelerated to the next level. Everyone was casting barely noticeable glances in their direction while pretending not to be remotely starstruck. Which was the good thing about being a professional photographer: when you were the one with the camera, it kind of meant you had to look; you didn't have a choice.

Perry Elson had short, tufty dark hair, a cute nose, warm hazel eyes, and a winning smile that by some miracle hadn't yet been subjected to a Hollywood dental surgeon's makeover. He was wearing a sea-green shirt and black jeans, and was currently busy being introduced to people. Keeping in the background, Sophie carried on unobtrusively snapping away as instructed. Then Maddy brought him over to her and said, “Perry, this is Sophie, who's taking the photographs this evening.”

“I'd noticed.” His eyes glinted with amusement. “Always worth being extra nice to the photographer. Hi, good to meet you.”

He had a just-right handshake and a way of looking at you that made you instantly feel special. It was this quality that had undoubtedly contributed to his success.

“You too.” Sophie marveled at his ability to exude charisma; it was indefinable but just…
there
. “Maddy wants me to take lots of pictures of you, I'm afraid.”

“Be kind, please. No drunk shots.” He pulled a comedic face, his eyes half closed, his mouth hanging open. “Or double chins.”

“I promise.” He didn't have a double chin.

Evidently keen to move on with the introductions, Maddy said, “And this is Sophie's assistant.” She shook her head at Josh by way of apology. “I'm
so
sorry. I've forgotten your name…”

“Josh Strachan,” Perry supplied helpfully.

Maddy looked as stunned as if one of the canapés had sat up and spoken.

“It's okay, we know each other.” Breaking into a grin, Perry said, “Josh, how you doing? Great to see you again. This is crazy. I knew you'd left LA, but had no idea you were here. And you're a photographer's assistant now?” He tilted his head in Sophie's direction. “I mean, I can understand why, when the photographer looks like this, but…”

“I had a bit of an accident yesterday.” Sophie indicated the stitches on her forehead. “Hurt my back. He's just here helping me out.”

“Okay, I get it.” Perry nodded. “That makes sense. And are you two a couple?”

“Definitely not,” said Sophie, at the same time as Josh said, “No.”

“Well, what a coincidence, you two knowing each other!” Maddy was enthralled and wildly curious.

“Josh used to manage the band Go Destry,” Perry explained. “I was cast in the movie they made, back when I was a nobody. We used to play pool in our spare time; that's how we got to be friends. Man, it's good to see you again!”

“Goodness, that's amazing.” Eyeing Josh with new respect, Maddy said, “I'm
so
sorry I didn't recognize you before. Maybe we can get some photos of you too?”

***

Josh, watching as Sophie leaned against the wall in order to take the next series of shots, saw the effort she was putting into concealing the amount of pain she was in. No one else knew, but he could see it in the way she held herself, the measured way she moved, and the occasional fleeting wince when a muscle spasm caught her by surprise.

Yet she'd spent all day playing down the symptoms, insisting she was fine. For Sophie, pride and professionalism were paramount. Which was what had made last night's experience in the bathroom all the more endearing and enjoyable. Lifting her out of the bath and briefly experiencing her half-naked body pressed against his had been a defining moment, a highlight of their…well, whatever it was they'd shared so far. A friendship, yes, hopefully that. A relationship…not the kind of relationship
he
would have chosen, that was for sure. But for the first time yesterday, he'd sensed that the one-sidedness of the situation might not be entirely one-sided after all. Maybe he'd imagined it…or
wanted
to imagine it…but something had told him Sophie might not be as utterly unaffected by him as she'd been making out.

Which was both a good sign and utterly frustrating, because why would she persist in refusing to relax and enjoy a relationship that had the potential to be fantastic?

From across the room, he watched as Perry chatted with a group of people clustered adoringly around him. Glancing up and catching Josh's eye, Perry charmingly excused himself from the group and came over to join him.

“You're doing great,” said Josh. “Good job.”

“Oh man, they're nice people.” Sitting alongside him on the window seat, Perry discreetly massaged his jaw. “What no one ever realizes is how tiring it is, being nice the whole time. My face aches from smiling. My brain hurts from saying all the right things, making polite conversation instead of coming out with whatever I want to say.”

“I know.” Josh nodded; the members of Go Destry had told him the same thing on so many occasions. Being endlessly on show was both an occupational hazard and an exhausting process.

“Anyhow, not for much longer. I can leave soon.” Checking his watch, Perry said, “A couple days off, then it's back up to London. So what's the situation with the girl? I saw you just now, watching her.”

“If you ask her out, she says no,” said Josh.

Perry laughed. “You mean
you
asked her out and she said no.”

“Not just me; others have tried and failed. She's just not interested. Allegedly.”

“But you think she might be?”

“I have no idea.” Josh shrugged. “And I just hate not knowing.”

“Why don't I ask her?”

“I don't think she'd tell you.”

“Okay then, why don't I ask her out? See what happens?”

Josh hesitated. Now this was a scenario he wasn't sure he was comfortable with. He'd asked Sophie out and been turned down, but the rest had been hearsay. Riley and Tula had both told him she wasn't the dating kind, but what if she were to say yes to Perry Elson?

Because if she did, he'd look completely stupid. And wouldn't feel too good about it either.

Then again, at least he'd have his definitive answer. Like it or not, he would
know
.

“Fine,” he said. “Try it. But be subtle.”

“Hey, I can do subtle.” Perry gave him a nudge. “I'm a movie star, remember? An
actor
. And guess what else I am?”

“No idea.” Already beginning to regret this, Josh said, “What else
are
you?”

There was the playful movie-star grin. “Absolutely fantastic in bed.”

***

Sophie moved the vase of freesias on the table so the sunshine was streaming between their swan-necked stems, while in the background a young girl in a pink dress dreamily enjoyed a spoonful of apricot ice cream. Her white-blond hair was haloed with sunlight and her elbow on the table exactly mirrored the angle of the spoon in her hand. Sophie took a few more shots, aware that someone was standing behind her. Finishing, she turned and saw it was Perry Elson.

“Hey, I'm leaving soon. Maddy and Max wondered if you could take some more pictures of me outside the restaurant before I head off.”

“Okay.” Straightening up, she smiled at the little girl and said, “Thanks, sweetie, you were great.”

Outside, Perry leaned against the whitewashed rough stone wall with the restaurant's name on the plaque next to his left shoulder.

“Take some close-ups,” he told Sophie as she moved around him in search of angles.

“I will.”

“Closer than that.”

“I don't need to get closer,” Sophie reminded him. “I have a camera lens to do that for me.”

He smiled his million-dollar smile and she captured it for posterity. “You're smart. And pretty. Are you free tomorrow night?”

“For work?”

“Actually, I was thinking more of pleasure. I'm single,” said Perry. “I hear you are too. I was wondering if you'd like to meet up in a camera-free situation.” He shrugged lightly. “Could be fun, couldn't it?”

“You're inviting me out? On a date?”

“Why not?”

Sophie put the Nikon down and gave him a long, steady look. “Okay, three things. One, the answer is no.”

“But—”

“Second, I'm guessing your friend Josh put you up to this.”

Wide-eyed, Perry said, “I don't know what you mean.”

“Oh, I think you do.” His too-innocent expression was
such
a giveaway. “You're a Hollywood star, over here for a couple days. There's no way you'd ask out a girl like me, with a bad back, covered in bruises, and”—she pointed to her temple—“with a load of stitches holding together a big, ugly cut on her face. Whereas Josh can't get over the fact that he asked me out and I turned him down flat. So it stands to reason that he'd get you to do this to test me.”

“You're good,” Perry acknowledged. “Very good.” He nodded in appreciation. “What's the third thing?”

“I'm glad you asked me that.” Sophie paused, then added, “I know I said no, but I'm thinking it might be fun if you told him I said yes.”

Breaking into a grin, Perry said, “Want to know what I'm thinking? That you're a bad, bad girl. But also a bit of a genius.”

Josh watched the two of them make their way back inside. He wasn't able to tell what had happened. Perry headed over to rejoin his hosts and Sophie resumed taking photos of the other guests.

Had Perry done it? Please God let her have turned him down. Josh experienced an unfamiliar jolt of alarm at the unwelcome prospect of being proven wrong. Okay, on the upside, at least he'd know. But on the downside, it would be a real kick in the teeth.

Ten minutes later, having charmed everyone, Perry made his excuses and said his good-byes to those around him. Before leaving, he came over to Josh and said breezily, “Sorry, mate. Some you win, some you lose.”

Was this it? Josh felt himself tense. “Meaning?”

Perry winked and said, “Turns out it isn't men in general she's not interested in. Just you.”

Bloody
hell
. “What did she say?”

“Hey, she said yes, what else? We're going out tomorrow night. No need to congratulate me.” Perry looked modest. “You've either got it or you haven't. See you around, man!”

And with that he was off, pausing only to exchange a discreet smile with Sophie on his way out. Josh saw him mouth
tomorrow
at her and Sophie shyly nodded before turning away.

For crying out loud, this wasn't supposed to happen; he hadn't meant for Perry to go ahead and actually
make
a bloody date.

***

By ten thirty, Sophie had done everything she could do, taken hundreds of photographs both formal and reportage-style, and captured the feel of the restaurant, its food and clientele. Now it was time to go home, and she'd never been more glad of it. Resting on a padded blue and white chair outside while Josh packed all the equipment back into the car, she watched as the remaining guests danced in the garden beneath the twinkling multicolored glow of the lights strung in the trees overhead.

It had been a good party. Everyone looked so happy. A couple in their thirties who'd been dancing together earlier was now sitting at the next table. Married, by the look of their matching wedding rings. He was holding her left hand while with her right she scrolled through a message on her phone.

“Oh, brilliant!” Her face lit up. “Pearl's having a party at her place next Saturday and we're invited!”

“Saturday? Well, we can't go to that.” Her husband shook his head. “We'll be at Mum's.”

It was the intransigence of his tone that did it. Sophie felt a trickle of ice slide down her spine.

“But we go to your mum's every week,” his wife protested. “Surely she wouldn't mind if we went to see her on the Sunday instead, just this once.”

He exhaled. “I don't want to go to the party anyway. It'll be noisy.”

With a slight air of desperation, the wife said, “But she's my friend! How about if you visit your mum and I go to the party? I mean, that would suit both of us, wouldn't it?”

Her husband's jaw was set and he was shaking his head again. “Except the last time you went out with Pearl you said you'd be home by midnight, didn't you? And what time did you get back?”

Sophie watched as the man's wife visibly deflated. “I know it was a bit later than that, but we weren't doing anything wrong. Just having fun.”

“One o'clock in the morning.” His eyes were steely now. “And I didn't know where you were. You might call that a bit late; I call it selfish. Tell Pearl we can't make it. We're going to my mother's instead.”

His wife belatedly sensed Sophie's gaze upon them and turned her head away. The husband, having brought the matter to a satisfactory conclusion, resumed idly stroking the back of her hand with his fingers. Except what had seemed like a loving, romantic gesture of affection now looked sinister and not romantic at all.

Sophie shuddered at the overpowering sensation of déjà vu. Oh yes, this was how it happened: after weeks or months of the old memories fading, she would see or hear something—something like this—that brought all the old feelings crashing back. Together with the urge to stop it happening to other people.

Should she? Could she? Sophie took several breaths; recognizing the passive-aggressive signs always made her feel sick, but was there actually anything she could say that would make a difference? Or would it just make a bad situation worse? Like drug addiction, maybe it was something the person had to recognize and deal with by themselves. The beginning was insidious and it might take a while to realize what was happening, but understanding you had to take a stand needed to be a personal decision.

Not something to be blurted out at you by a complete stranger while your overcontrolling husband was sitting right next to you, holding your hand.

“All packed away.” Josh reappeared in the doorway. “Ready to go?”

“Yes.” With difficulty she hauled herself up out of the chair.

“Need a hand?”

“I'm okay.” Like a geriatric duck, Sophie waddled after him. She glanced across one last time at the married couple and saw the wife hastily look away again. The husband smiled pleasantly and said, “Hope you feel better soon.”

“Thanks.” It took all her self-control not to turn to his wife and say, “Go to your friend's party,
please
.”

***

They'd been driving for some twenty minutes before Josh said, “What did you think of Perry, then?”

Twenty-one minutes actually. Sophie checked her watch and smiled into the darkness; she'd had a mental bet with herself that it would happen inside half an hour.

“He seems nice. Down to earth.” She shrugged. “Fun.”

There was a pause. Ha,
this
was fun.

“So,” Josh said finally, “what are you doing tomorrow night?”

“Me?” She turned to look at him. “Why?”

He glanced across at her. “Did Perry ask you out on a date?”

“What?” Sophie blinked. “Maybe.” She fiddled distractedly with the silver bangle on her wrist. “Okay, yes, he did.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Did you turn him down?”

Straight
to
the
point.

“No, I didn't. I said yes. We're going out tomorrow evening.” She said it with a mix of bashfulness and pride, and watched the expression on Josh's face.

“I thought you always said no.”

See? The fact that he'd asked her out and been rejected definitely still rankled. What she couldn't work out was whether he really liked her or just couldn't handle the idea that
anyone
was capable of turning him down.

She suspected the latter. Men with high opinions of themselves tended to get competitive.

“I always have said no.” She shrugged. “But this time I said yes.”

“And what made you change your mind?”

Ooh, definitely competitive.

“Well, like I said, he's really nice. Good-looking. And fun! I thought, why not just go for it?”

Josh's tone was even. “And he's made a few movies.”

“I know, but that isn't why I said yes. He's just really easy to talk to. Good company.”

“Okay, but don't get too overexcited. He's heading back to LA in three days.”

She smiled. “Thanks for that. Then again, a lot can happen in three days.”

“Hmm.”

Ha,
such
a sore loser.

They traveled on in silence after that. After another twenty minutes, Sophie unzipped her silver-studded turquoise shoulder bag and took out one of the restaurant's business cards. When they next pulled up at a junction, she passed it to Josh.

“What's this?”

“Read what's written on the back. It's a message from your friend Perry.”

He took it from her and switched on the overhead reading light. She watched him read the words scrawled across the back of the card.

In sloping black handwriting, Perry had scrawled:
Just
kidding. She said no. Dammit!

Josh's expression was unreadable as he handed the card back to her. Then he switched the light off and she could no longer see more than a faint outline of his face.

“So you turned him down.”

“Yes.”

“But you said you hadn't. Why?”

“Come on. You set the whole thing up to see what I'd do. It seemed only fair to get you back.”

“And you did. You got me. Well done.” He was smiling now; she caught the white gleam of his teeth. “I have to say, I'm glad you aren't fantasizing about some falling-in-love-in-three-days scenario in which the movie star ends up whisking you off to LA.”

“Thanks.”

“Oh, you know what I mean. That sort of fairy-tale stuff doesn't happen in real life.”

“But you thought I might fall for it anyway. Cheers.”

“I didn't think that,” Josh pointed out. “You were the one who said a lot could happen in three days.”

“And you assumed it involved the handsome prince carrying Cinderella off to his Hollywood castle. Whereas I could have meant both of us staying here in Cornwall.”

“Which would make an even better ending for a film. Okay, this is crazy,” Josh said abruptly. “Now we're arguing about something that's never even going to happen.”

“True.”

“Because you refused to go out with a Hollywood film star.”

“Technically,” Sophie reminded him, “he didn't want to go out with me. He only asked because you told him to.”

“Because you turn down everyone who asks you,” said Josh.

“Also true.”

He braked to let a fox slope across the road ahead of them. “Why do you do that?”

“You asked me that question before. Did I give you an answer then?”

“No.”

“Exactly. So why would things be any different now? It's my choice, my decision, my life. I choose to concentrate on my career.”

“You could have both,” said Josh.

“I'd rather not.”

He glanced across at her. “Can I ask a personal question?”

“What, another one?”

“Were you attacked? Assaulted?”

Sophie shook her head. “No, never.”

“Are you sure?”

“Truly. Nothing like that.” It gave her a jolt to realize that this was the conclusion he'd drawn. Did other people think it too? It hadn't occurred to her that there might be speculation about her decision. Her voice softening, she looked at him and said, “I promise. It was just a decision I chose to make. Relationships aren't the be-all and end-all. They go wrong. Most of the time they're more trouble than they're worth. There's more to life.”

“Right.” He paused. “If you say so.”

“I do. And please don't think I'm covering up something sinister,” Sophie reiterated. “Nobody tried to hurt me.”

Which was true, more or less, wasn't it?

Theo had only tried to hurt himself.