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“Thank you for having me, Sasha.”
Sasha held the book up once more. “The Trouble with the Dukeis releasing tomorrow everywhere books are sold. It’s available for pre-order now in both digital and paperback forms, and I will be sure to share any film news when I get it. Everyone in the audience has a free copy to take home with them today that Ellie has kindly signed for you, so please make sure you grab yours after the show ends. We’re heading for a break now, so I will see you again in a second.” She finished with a beaming smile, and the hustle and bustle of the advert break took over.
Ellie took a moment to say goodbye to Sasha before she was pulled back to the side of the set with me, and she collapsed into my arms as her publicist approached us. “No,” she mumbled. “Go away, Erica.”
Erica laughed, touching my arm. “She’s done. I know.”
“Until tomorrow,” Ellie muttered.
“Two book signings.”
“One at three and another at seven,” I replied. “I have it down. I’ll make sure she’s alive and ready to go at the store forty-five minutes before.”
Erica patted my arm. “You’re a good egg, Max. Thanks. Go get her some food before she collapses. You did great, Ellie. Only a few days left, okay? Then you’re going home on Sunday afternoon, so no more four a.m. wake up calls.”
“That’s how I know you don’t have a cat,” Ellie retorted. “There most certainly will be.”
She laughed and bid us both goodbye, and after returning to the dressing room to get Ellie’s stuff, we were escorted to the lifts to make our way out of the studio by ourselves.
Ellie was dead on her feet, and I took her bags from her so she didn’t have to carry them.
“Thank you.” She yawned and covered her mouth with her hand. “Ooh. I’m tired.”
“Well, you’re done for today, like Erica said. Want to go home and do nothing until tomorrow afternoon?”
“That’s music to my ears.” She wrapped her hands around my arm and leant against me. “Don’t you have an appointment this afternoon?”
I nodded, unlocking the car. “Four o’clock.”
“Do you mind if I skip it?”
She’d attended a few sessions with me over the past several months. It hadn’t been couple’s counselling, per se, but as I’d come to terms with my father’s actions that night, it’d sometimes been easier to only say things once. She’d mentioned being in the room for today’s meeting, but I’d already assumed she wouldn’t be there.
I didn’t mind.
I was happy for her to be with me or not.
“Of course not. Shall I order food or cook?”
She frowned, opening the car door. “I think Kevin wanted us to all have dinner. Something about the wedding. His, not ours.”
Right. Of course.
I shut her door and got in the other side, popping the key into the ignition. “I’ll call him when we get back. You can shower and take a nap and I’ll sort it all out.”
She reached over the car and squeezed my arm. “Thank you.”
I would call Kevin, tell him to bring food, then give him our share when he arrived or when we got to his place.
I knew that. She knew that. Kevin would know that as soon as I called him.
“Can you call your grandma and see how Winston is, too?” she asked, resting her head against the window as I pulled out of the extortionately overpriced underground parking garage.
“Right after I call your brother,” I confirmed, glancing over at her. “You should sleep.”
“No, I’m fine. I’m not tired,” she said right as she yawned.
“Oh, yes. You’re a real bundle of energy.”
