Page 47

“Ahh, leave them to it.” Wink smirked. “Besides, it’s almost ten o’clock, and you’re not even buzzed, man. You’ve got some serious catching up to do.”

Mark craned his neck, trying to spot his girlfriend. “But she’s not really a big party girl—”

“Stop being so protective.” Wink elbowed him in the back. “She’s an adult. Let her go. She’s made a new friend, and yours are waiting. It’s all good, bro.” He steered Mark to a crew of raucous males shouting at each other over a table clogged with pints and an ignored platter of deep-fried finger foods.

• • •

By quarter past eleven, the Stag’s Head was rocking with plenty of good old-fashioned Irish hospitality, unlimited booze, and a standing-room only crowd. Glittery party hats had been handed out along with noisemakers and confetti. Clusters of drinkers hollered and prematurely blew their celebratory horns from the curved red leather booths that lined the narrow space.

“Lexy, darling, get over here!” Fallon unleashed her body-shaking laugh and waved a crimson cocktail that matched her dress.

Alex clung to the edge of the tiny parlour bar. Her heavy eyelids blinked lazily, a cocktail umbrella and wedge of pineapple beside her white knuckles. “No…come here!”

An impatient suit with a stained tie and lipstick on his cheek stuffed himself into the sliver of space between Alex and the wall, weakening her grip. Her blood-starved fingers let go. She fell backwards, crashing into the plaid-covered chest of a tall beardy redhead supping his pint. With nowhere to go but down, she crumpled awkwardly on her hip and his scuffed leather boots. “He’s a lumberjack and…ow! Not okay…” Her tipsy sing-a-long dissolved into uncontrollable giggling.

Wink ducked through the swarm, careful not to spill his latest Guinness. He snatched Alex’s arm, tugging her up onto rubbery legs. “Careful there, little lady.” He grinned sheepishly at Alex’s lumberjack, who shrugged away the nuisance. “Sorry, buddy.”

Alex shoved Wink’s hand away and dropped her clutch. “Don’t tell me what to do. I’m not Mark.” She weaved on the spot, her right ankle buckling sideways in her heel, causing her to lurch into a lopsided slump.

“Ooh, the mouse that roared.” Wink bent down to pick up Alex’s clutch and handed it to Fallon. “One of the film assistants is fetching Mark. What the hell happened?”

“We were having drinks, chatting with some blokes from set…” She pointed to two thirty-something guys with Duff near the room’s front window. Twinkly fairy lights glowed against its fogged-up glass. “It was great craic.”

“How much has she had?”

“Two—three at most!”

Wink blew out his cheeks. “Lightweight.”

Fallon held Alex’s shoulder, keeping her from crashing to the floor again. “She had strawberry mojitos. She wasn’t going to have another, but—”

“She told me…” Alex’s head wobbled as she pointed at Fallon.

“What’s she on about?” Wink downed the dregs of his pint and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“I told her about the sex scene—with Mark. She seemed pretty put out by it. He’s done kissing scenes before, but nothing full on like what we shot yesterday.” Fallon chewed her bottom lip. “Once she heard about the nudity, she wanted another drink. Downed it in one.”

Alex rested her head on Fallon’s breast and began to hiccup. “Why…hic…didn’t he tell me…hic…tell me…?” She sounded like a stuttering CD.

“See? That’s the problem with girlfriends not in the biz,” Wink whispered. “They get jealous…dating outside the industry never works out.”

“I thought she’d understand. Isn’t she a playwright?” Fallon backed up. “Lexy, hon—you okay? Here, let’s get this back on ya.” She slipped the wrist strap of Alex’s clutch over her hand.

“Lex!” Mark pushed through the throng, a female production assistant by his side. “What happened?”

Fallon handed Alex over to Mark with concern in her eyes.

“Babe…you wanna play, right?” Alex melted into his arms and hoisted the hem of her dress.

Mark batted her hand, dropping the flirty fabric back down to her mid-thigh. He looked at Fallon. “What’s she been drinking?”

Fallon toyed with the silver coin bracelet on her wrist. “Mojitos.”

“Where did you come from?” Alex touched Mark’s cheek. “Your face, it’s wet…”

“I was in the loo.”

“That loo sees you more than I do…hic.”