Page 46

Wink’s massive elbow jabbed Alex’s shoulder.

“Have you ever seen Mark so happy? He’s in this movie because of me, you know.”

Alex looked to Mark for confirmation, but he was busy sharing a joke. She turned back to Wink. What the—? His face was now just a few inches away from hers, leaning in conspiratorially. Bleurgh. Sweat mixed with booze and musky cologne oozed from his pores.

“Mark talks about you all the time.”

Alex blushed. Aw.

“At first I thought you were his UK PR rep, his personal manager or something. It was ‘let me check with Alex’ this, or ‘I have to phone Alex’ that!” Wink laughed, releasing Guinness breath. “Then he said you were his girlfriend! I was pretty relieved, let me tell ya! Well, it’s finally nice to put a pretty face to the name. Here’s lookin’ at you, kid!” He raised his glass and supped the creamy head of the black beverage.

Mark handed Alex her glass. “One vodka and orange for my girl.” He raised his pint to clink against his girlfriend’s drink.

“Cheers.” She smiled and took a dainty sip.

Mark took a large mouthful. “Let’s find the gang.”

As they climbed the stairs to the upstairs lounge, the final gasp of Britney Spears’ “Oops, I Did It Again” gave way to the strumming guitar of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs”. Alex smirked. Old school. These songs used to be played to death on the radio when she was a kid. The other guests didn’t seem to care about the trip down memory lane; they were too busy pounding back pints, shouting over each other or staring at her passing ass. Mark, Alex, and Wink had to squeeze through a tight maze of locals in the narrow room until they found the boisterous cast and crew of A Promise Unspoken at the back. Stashing Alex’s parka in the corner booth, Mark held her tight and joined the party.

A woman, a year or two older than Alex, wearing a makeup counter’s worth of shimmery cosmetics, slipped through the crush towards them, her curvy five-foot-eight figure swathed in a clingy crimson cocktail dress. Its high neck and sleeveless silhouette gave way in the back to a deep V that stopped a half-inch above her bum. Her charisma screamed look at me, and most of the men in the room obeyed: approving stares followed every shift of the precarious V, their eyes leaving her bare skin only to check out the dark-haired guy holding her hand. Alex overheard the words ‘Leinster’ and ‘rugby’ excitedly expressed from a nearby table as the young couple approached. Many of the women did a double take behind their cocktail umbrellas. Where to look, her plunging dress or his muscular physique? Their starstruck reactions didn’t register; the woman’s crooked yet confident smile and large brown eyes sought out one person.

“Hello gorgeous! You must be Lex. Mark’s told me all about you.” She extended a soft hand and a welcoming grin. “I’m Fallon Delaney, his co-star.” She nodded at the rugby hunk glued to her side. “This is Duff.”

Alex perked up, relieved to hand over the title of ‘most naked woman in the pub’. She met Fallon’s greeting halfway. “Nice to meet you.”

Duff placed a hand on Fallon’s butt. Alex wasn’t keen on guys with over-the-top muscles, but even she stared at his pecs straining underneath his skin-tight white shirt, its buttons ready to pop.

Duff kissed his date’s temple. “Drink, Fal?”

Wink raised his pints of Guinness. “Like he has to ask.”

Fallon clocked Wink’s full hands. “You’re one to talk. Nice Irish handcuffs, ya got there!”

Mark and Wink laughed. Duff lumbered off to the bar, leaving a waft of spicy cologne behind. He stopped twice to fist bump and take selfies with several rugby fans. Mark clearly wasn’t the only celebrity in attendance.

Fallon fluttered her thick eyelashes in Wink’s direction. “Be nice, or I’ll trigger that escape clause in my contract. Remember, I’m doing you a favour.”

She leaned into Alex’s ear, Duff’s spicy fragrance accompanying her. “I saved his bacon before the Christmas break, taking this role. I even cancelled my holibobs with Duff. Mind you, that bloody read, I swear that’s the only ‘chemistry test’ I’ve ever passed.” A throaty laugh, defying her young age and worthy of a pack a day, flew from her pale lips.

Her easy charm and playful dig at Wink put Alex at ease. She jumped in, sharing the actress’s chemistry joke. “Ugh, I barely passed my sciences except biology. Thank goodness for the arts, huh?”

“I know, right?” Fallon’s Irish accent was slightly different from Mark’s, but Alex didn’t know enough about Ireland to place it. “I’d be asking people, Do you want fries with that? if it wasn’t for acting! Ooh, I love your dress, by the way.”

“Thanks! Your guy seems nice.”

“Yeah.” Fallon looked towards Duff, surrounded by admirers near the bar. “We’ve been dating three weeks. He’s fun—and insatiable.” She laughed and smoothed her pin-straight dark blonde hair away from her eyes. A small tattoo stretched over her inner wrist, a pair of crossed field hockey sticks. “What are you drinking? Vodka and orange?”

Alex nodded.

“That’s no way to ring in the New Year.”

“And our second anniversary.” Alex smiled widely, glancing up at Mark, who hugged her close. “It’s tomorrow.”

“Really? Well, an anniversary that falls over New Year’s calls for celebratory drinks. Mark, I’m disappointed in you.” She yanked Alex away, dragging her through the tight throng.

“Wait—” Concern clouded Mark’s eyes.

Alex glanced over her shoulder, grinning.