Page 14 of Hate You to Love You

Elliot looks at me with a hint of sadness. ‘You could’ve picked up the phone too,’ he says softly.

Aside from the one message he sent me after my dad passed away, I hadn’t heard a word from Elliot. At the time, I was barely treading water for myself. I didn’t have the energy to reply. Was he really blaming me for that?

The silence that follows feels heavy, as if all the unspoken things we’ve needed to say to each other over the last few years are lingering in the air.

Before I can speak, a loudspeaker crackles and everyone turns their attention towards a woman on the stage holding a microphone.

‘Good evening, everyone. My name is Michelle and I’m the CEO of Redhouse Publishing. It’s my great pleasure to welcome you to the launch of Claudia Leighton’s stunning new novel, These Days. It’s safe to say that after years of anticipation, we are beyond excited to be launching this book with an unmissable international campaign and tour.’

The crowd applauds and I do my best to keep my attention on the stage and not on Elliot.

As Michelle recounts the history of Claudia’s career, it finally hits me just how exciting it is that I get to interview Claudia Leighton. If this article goes well, it could be a major career moment. A flash of the future races through my mind, and the writing career I’d always dreamed of starts to feel more within reach than it has in a long time.

I turn back to the drinks table and grab myself another glass of wine. As I take a sip, Michelle’s speech fades faintly into the background, and I sense someone looking at me.

‘Can I help you?’ I grumble at Elliot, refusing to turn around to face him.

‘We should talk,’ he says, and the sombre tone in his voice is a little unnerving.

‘What’s there to talk about?’ I say angrily under my breath. ‘It’s all history, right? Let’s leave it in the past.’

Elliot lets out a tired sigh. ‘So, it’s really going to be this way?’

I gulp. My chest is tight. ‘Did you really think this would go any other way? You left.’

‘If you just give me a chance to explain why—’

‘You’re all out of chances.’ I step to the side, trying to get past him in an attempt to catch the rest of Michelle’s speech.

‘Wait,’ Elliot pleads, holding out an arm to stop me.

The palm of his hand brushes just below my shoulder. It’s only for a moment, but it’s enough to make me flinch. Elliot notices me wobble backwards and reaches out to grip my shoulders, steadying me.

‘Let me make this right,’ he offers.

‘Don’t,’ I snap, jolting backwards to get away from him.

The problem is that I trip, stumbling straight into the drinks table. There’s a loud clatter as glasses tumble over and a couple smash on the floor. Shocked gasps echo through the room.

And then everything goes silent. I lie flat on the floor, staring blankly up at Elliot.

‘Here,’ Elliot says, extending his arm out to help me up.

As if by reflex, my hand shoots up to meet his. But as my hand hovers over his, a montage of memories flash before my eyes. The memory of our goodbye. The years of silence that followed. I hastily pull my hand back and haul myself up.

‘Classy,’ he mutters, shaking his head at my refusal to accept his help.

I open my mouth to give him a snarky response, but the words catch in my throat. The last time I stood this close to him I was able to kiss him. Now, there’s nothing but fury reflected in his eyes. The anger of everything I’ve been wanting to say to his face for the past three years is so all-consuming that it makes me tremble.

‘I thought my entrance would be what everyone was going to talk about,’ a silky yet stern voice forces us to break apart.

It’s Claudia Leighton. She looks exactly like every television interview and paparazzi image of her that I could remember. She evokes a 1980s Princess Diana elegance with a cream-coloured, textured pie-cut blouse and striking red blazer complete with shoulder pads. Her eyes scan me up and down, and I can’t help but watch her face closely. Her chiselled jaw gives her face a permanently firm expression and her bewitching hazel eyes are emphasised by the trace of her eyeliner. I’m awe-struck that the Claudia Leighton is standing in the same room as me.

Elliot steps forward, off balance and nervous for the first time this evening. He does up the buttons of his blazer while greeting Claudia. ‘Claudia, I didn’t think you’d be getting here until after seven thirty,’ he says to her.

She’s still giving me an unyielding stare while I stand frozen in place. A couple of the catering staff hover around me to clean up the mess I’ve made. Frenzied thoughts race rapidly through my mind. From Elliot. To embarrassing myself in front of Claudia. I plead with myself to say or do anything. But I can’t.

‘This is Carlos Reyes,’ Elliot finally says to break the tense silence. ‘He’s the one accompanying us on the tour for the Sparked interview.’