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“Thanks for the reminder, Chris,” Robin snapped. “Someone might have forgotten.”
Dorian hadn’t known Chris as well as Robin did, and Ben had sung his praises as a writer over his new script, but he did know Chris wasn’t always on the same planet as the rest of them.
Chris bit his lip. “Sorry. I didn’t think.”
He sat down and Karl arrived with a soup tureen. It was hard not to keep glancing in Simon’s direction. Robin was an attentive partner, always had been, and Dorian wondered if he was even more so due to the current situation. He didn’t blame Simon for being insecure over Robin, but at least it didn’t appear that he thought Dorian was a threat.
“I suppose it’s more of a surprise we’ve not met before,” Simon said.
“That’s my fault. My filming schedule often got in the way of things.”
Robin huffed. “Yes, well, it had to happen eventually. I’m sure we are capable of being civil.”
Simon chuckled. “We could even try for friendly.”
Ben, who had been receiving silent instructions from Ashley via pointed looks, was always a consummate host, and he launched into a story Dara had uncovered in the archive about one of his Regency relatives and an Egyptian-themed party held at the hall.
Dorian loved these stories, and Ben seemed to have so many of them. “I dunno, Ben, the Redbourns are more theatrical than most actors I know. Maybe you missed your calling.”
Ben scoffed. “Hardly. I’ll leave that to you.”
“Someone needs to fill the vacuum since I’ll be taking a break. I’ve bits of promo I need to do, including a red carpet event, but after that, I’m lying low.”
“I thought you were done with those for your latest,” Ben said.
“The London one was delayed as the UK release is later.”
Dara grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “Are you going to take a plus one—a pretty bloke this time rather than a lassie?”
“Nah, I don’t think so. I don’t need to make a statement.”
Robin sat back in his chair. “They’re great publicity though. If we hadn’t split up it would have been great exposure for the Flint charitable venture with the two of us on the red carpet.”
Simon’s gaze fell to his soup, Ashley glared at Robin, and he winced as he must’ve realised how what he said must’ve sounded.
But it was Chris’s reaction that surprised Dorian. “What a dickish thing to say. I thought you knew better than that!”
Simon recovered, but his smile was tight. “It’s just an observation—I’m sure Robin didn’t mean anything by it.”
“No, shit. I’m not suggesting it either.” He grabbed Simon’s hand. “I seem to be spending all of my time of late making up for being a thoughtless ass.”
Dorian had seen mocked-up pictures of himself and Robin on a red carpet, some of his fans were ardent supporters of him and Robin getting back together and trying to show how it would be for him to have a beautiful man by his side and not a beautiful woman. From what he’d seen they were harmless, a bit creepy, but he’d tried not to think too much about the obsessive nature of some people and Robin had mentioned Simon had received a few dodgy messages so had closed his Instagram.
“We could all go,” he said. “Robin with Simon together as partners, and I’d be there as a friend and supporter of the happy couple. I know there’s a few mutterings about me and Robin getting back together, but maybe this’ll help nip those in the bud.”
“I’m not sure,” Robin snapped.
Simon seemed to consider it for a moment. “I could at least see if the dates would work.”
Robin frowned. Red carpet events had always been a sore point between them. He’d taken woman after woman, and Robin—if he went—was part of his wider entourage. “If Simon wants to attend, then I suppose I’m fine with it too. I’m heading back to the States in a couple of days so you’ll need to let me know when and I’ll check if it’s doable.”
He knew if Simon had objected then it would have been a flat refusal from Robin, Simon seemed to want to build bridges and Dorian thought the more decent people he could have in life, the better. He’d been surrounded by vipers and hangers-on for years, everyone wanting something from him.
“I imagine your line of work is always busy,” Dorian said, keen to look as if he was trying.
“Unfortunately so. There’s always something nasty on the go, but it’s better here than Essex.”
Ashley snorted. “Stop picking on Essex.”
