way, tell me about you.’ Lainey kept the smile pasted on. ‘Are you married? Do you have a family?’
They traded information for the next few minutes then Malcolm got to his feet. ‘Thanks, Lainey. I hope I haven’t upset you.’
‘Not at all. You’re just doing your job.’
He raised his glass and moved away.
Well, that had been interesting. Not a conversation she was in a hurry to relay to Nick, though. Lainey stood up and headed for the ladies’ room. She was touching up her face, deep in thought, when two young women came in.
‘Oh, hi! ’ The one who greeted her swayed a little. ‘You’re with Nick Cusack, aren’t you? He’s the most gorgeous man! And isn’t this party fantastic? Oh, don’t mind her.’ She giggled at the sound of her friend throwing up. ‘Too much champagne, silly thing. She’ll be alright in a minute. Oh! Looks like someone was here before me!’
She spoke in a singsong voice as she peered at some white powder on the granite bench top. When she pulled a straw from her bag, Lainey got out of there.
Her table was still empty. She picked up her drink, only to have it snatched out of her hand.
‘Lainey, don’t!’ Nick looked at her in alarm. ‘Somebody could have put something in it while you were gone. I saw you come back from the ladies’ room.’
‘I can’t believe I did that. I do know better, Nick.’
He put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. ‘You’re not used to having to worry about stuff like that. Did Malcolm look after you alright?’
‘Yes, thanks.’ She was still unsettled over what she’d seen and heard in the last twenty minutes and avoided his eyes by checking her watch. ‘I need to go, Nick. I’ve got work tomorrow.’
They’d already arranged for her to be driven home. Nick made the call before taking her over to say goodbye to James and Mia, then walked her out to the hotel entrance.
He put his arms around her. ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Thank you for doing this. It was huge, and you were a star.’
‘No, you were the star. You’re a very talented man, Nick.’
‘And I was proud to have you with me.’ He kissed her then helped her into the car. Leaning in, he kissed her again before waving her off.
As she was driven home, Lainey stared out of the window, not really seeing anything. Her mind was on what she’d experienced tonight.
Maybe the question from Malcolm was more sensible than she thought. Would she hold Nick back from his career? At the moment, she didn’t think so, but what if things became very serious? Was she prepared to follow him all over the world, go to parties like this one on a regular basis? Was this what God wanted for her?
For the girl in the ladies’ room, the party was one of the highlights of her life and she had no idea how sad that was. It might be as close to heaven as she was ever going to get. For Lainey, it could be the closest she’d ever get to hell.
She could be on her way to making the biggest mistake of her life.
Chapter Thirteen
Lainey was hooked, addicted to a drug called Nick. She supposed she was no different to any other girl in a new relationship, but he wasn’t just any man.
After experiencing part of the glitzy side of his life, it amazed her how Nick was happy doing ordinary things. The night after the premiere he went grocery shopping with her, pushing the trolley just like all the other men. Except the other men weren’t asked for their autographs in the cereal, shampoo and dairy sections.
On Friday night, he went and played tennis with Adam and then stayed to watch the end of Sleepless in Seattle , teasing her when she cried.
On Saturday, he played golf in the morning, again with Adam, and then helped wash her car. She and Lara made a giant stir-fry for dinner and he stayed, content to hang out with her and the crew.
And on Sunday, he told her he loved her.
Kate was having a siesta, Lara and Adam were out and Lainey was doing schoolwork. Usually, she did it on a
They traded information for the next few minutes then Malcolm got to his feet. ‘Thanks, Lainey. I hope I haven’t upset you.’
‘Not at all. You’re just doing your job.’
He raised his glass and moved away.
Well, that had been interesting. Not a conversation she was in a hurry to relay to Nick, though. Lainey stood up and headed for the ladies’ room. She was touching up her face, deep in thought, when two young women came in.
‘Oh, hi! ’ The one who greeted her swayed a little. ‘You’re with Nick Cusack, aren’t you? He’s the most gorgeous man! And isn’t this party fantastic? Oh, don’t mind her.’ She giggled at the sound of her friend throwing up. ‘Too much champagne, silly thing. She’ll be alright in a minute. Oh! Looks like someone was here before me!’
She spoke in a singsong voice as she peered at some white powder on the granite bench top. When she pulled a straw from her bag, Lainey got out of there.
Her table was still empty. She picked up her drink, only to have it snatched out of her hand.
‘Lainey, don’t!’ Nick looked at her in alarm. ‘Somebody could have put something in it while you were gone. I saw you come back from the ladies’ room.’
‘I can’t believe I did that. I do know better, Nick.’
He put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. ‘You’re not used to having to worry about stuff like that. Did Malcolm look after you alright?’
‘Yes, thanks.’ She was still unsettled over what she’d seen and heard in the last twenty minutes and avoided his eyes by checking her watch. ‘I need to go, Nick. I’ve got work tomorrow.’
They’d already arranged for her to be driven home. Nick made the call before taking her over to say goodbye to James and Mia, then walked her out to the hotel entrance.
He put his arms around her. ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Thank you for doing this. It was huge, and you were a star.’
‘No, you were the star. You’re a very talented man, Nick.’
‘And I was proud to have you with me.’ He kissed her then helped her into the car. Leaning in, he kissed her again before waving her off.
As she was driven home, Lainey stared out of the window, not really seeing anything. Her mind was on what she’d experienced tonight.
Maybe the question from Malcolm was more sensible than she thought. Would she hold Nick back from his career? At the moment, she didn’t think so, but what if things became very serious? Was she prepared to follow him all over the world, go to parties like this one on a regular basis? Was this what God wanted for her?
For the girl in the ladies’ room, the party was one of the highlights of her life and she had no idea how sad that was. It might be as close to heaven as she was ever going to get. For Lainey, it could be the closest she’d ever get to hell.
She could be on her way to making the biggest mistake of her life.
Chapter Thirteen
Lainey was hooked, addicted to a drug called Nick. She supposed she was no different to any other girl in a new relationship, but he wasn’t just any man.
After experiencing part of the glitzy side of his life, it amazed her how Nick was happy doing ordinary things. The night after the premiere he went grocery shopping with her, pushing the trolley just like all the other men. Except the other men weren’t asked for their autographs in the cereal, shampoo and dairy sections.
On Friday night, he went and played tennis with Adam and then stayed to watch the end of Sleepless in Seattle , teasing her when she cried.
On Saturday, he played golf in the morning, again with Adam, and then helped wash her car. She and Lara made a giant stir-fry for dinner and he stayed, content to hang out with her and the crew.
And on Sunday, he told her he loved her.
Kate was having a siesta, Lara and Adam were out and Lainey was doing schoolwork. Usually, she did it on a
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