your old phone?’
She hadn't mentioned the mugging to her mother, not wanting to worry her. ‘I … lost it.’
‘ Oh that is a shame. Did it cost a lot to replace?’
‘ Not really.’
‘ Anyway, the reason I've been trying to get hold of you, apart from to see how you are of course, is that Ashby has been calling for you again.’
Jane rolled her eyes. ‘What does he want?’
‘ Well, he wants you. He says he's really sorry about what happened and he didn't know what he was thinking and he wants you to forgive him.’
‘ Huh.’
‘ He sounded really upset, darling. And he has always been good to you apart from that one time … Perhaps you should talk to him, see what he has to say.’
‘ No way. Absolutely not.’
‘ Now darling, are you sure?’
‘ Mum, we've discussed this. I am not talking to him or forgiving him. Ever. Ok? If he calls again, tell him to take a running jump.’
There was a guilty silence at the other end of the line.
‘Mum? What have you done?’
‘ Well, I did give him your mobile number.’
‘ My old number?’
‘ Yes.’
‘ That's dead now, thank goodness. Don't tell him anything more. Ok?’
‘ But—’
‘ Mum, promise me.’
Her mother sighed. ‘Ok. I promise. But if you change your mind ...’
‘ I know how to get hold of him, if I need to.’
Her mother sighed again. Jane changed the subject. They chatted about things not relating to Ashby for a few minutes.
When Jane hung up, Polly said, ‘What was that all about?’
‘ Ashby's been badgering Mum for my phone number. To apologise apparently.’
Polly raised one eyebrow. ‘Really? I hope she didn’t give him your number.’
‘ Only my old one. She thinks I should contact him. You know what she's like. She thinks the sun shines out of his arse.’
‘ Your mum just wants to be able to invite the Beckhams to your wedding.’ Her smile faded. ‘It is a bit weird though, isn't it? Ashby coming over all remorseful. It doesn't sound like him.’ She typed something into her laptop.
‘ What're you doing?’
‘ Just checking something out …’ Whatever she’d read had her frowning. ‘Oh dear.’
‘ What?’
‘ We-ll ... You know Cause Celeb has a cause of the month. You remember how they did that “what should Kate Winslet buy her husband for Christmas” one? And the “can you help Chantelle find the perfect shoes for this outfit” one?’
Jane wondered where this was going as a horrible thought began to coalesce in her mind.
Polly turned the laptop around, showing her the Cause Celeb blog. Jane read quickly. About halfway through, she started to swear.
‘ I'm going to kill him. I really am going to kill him.’
* * *
From: Jane, To: Ashby
Ashby. What the hell is going on? You are supposed to be leaving me alone, remember? And now suddenly I'm the Cause Celeb cause of the month!! Or, more to the point, I guess, you are. Just in time for the new album launch. What a coincidence. Look, I meant what I said. I haven't done you or your career any damage. In fact, I helped you as much as I could. Why can't you have the common courtesy to do the same for me? I was just getting on with my life. I have a job I like and I'm making new friends. Now, thanks to you, I have to watch my step everywhere I go, in case there's a photographer trying to get a shot of me. Again . Haven't you done enough to me already? Jane.
##
From: Ashby, To: Jane
Babes . The Cause Celeb stuff isn't really anything to do with me. We hired this new PR guy, he said it was good for the new album, so I just went along with it. Besides, it's true. I do miss you. You were a stabilising influence on me. And we had some good times, didn't we ? Ashby.
##
From: Jane, To: Ashby
I don't care whose idea it was. Call it off . Can't you get one of your little tarts to pretend they're going out with you? You can both get the exposure you need and you'll both be happy. What about that creature from Hollyoaks
She hadn't mentioned the mugging to her mother, not wanting to worry her. ‘I … lost it.’
‘ Oh that is a shame. Did it cost a lot to replace?’
‘ Not really.’
‘ Anyway, the reason I've been trying to get hold of you, apart from to see how you are of course, is that Ashby has been calling for you again.’
Jane rolled her eyes. ‘What does he want?’
‘ Well, he wants you. He says he's really sorry about what happened and he didn't know what he was thinking and he wants you to forgive him.’
‘ Huh.’
‘ He sounded really upset, darling. And he has always been good to you apart from that one time … Perhaps you should talk to him, see what he has to say.’
‘ No way. Absolutely not.’
‘ Now darling, are you sure?’
‘ Mum, we've discussed this. I am not talking to him or forgiving him. Ever. Ok? If he calls again, tell him to take a running jump.’
There was a guilty silence at the other end of the line.
‘Mum? What have you done?’
‘ Well, I did give him your mobile number.’
‘ My old number?’
‘ Yes.’
‘ That's dead now, thank goodness. Don't tell him anything more. Ok?’
‘ But—’
‘ Mum, promise me.’
Her mother sighed. ‘Ok. I promise. But if you change your mind ...’
‘ I know how to get hold of him, if I need to.’
Her mother sighed again. Jane changed the subject. They chatted about things not relating to Ashby for a few minutes.
When Jane hung up, Polly said, ‘What was that all about?’
‘ Ashby's been badgering Mum for my phone number. To apologise apparently.’
Polly raised one eyebrow. ‘Really? I hope she didn’t give him your number.’
‘ Only my old one. She thinks I should contact him. You know what she's like. She thinks the sun shines out of his arse.’
‘ Your mum just wants to be able to invite the Beckhams to your wedding.’ Her smile faded. ‘It is a bit weird though, isn't it? Ashby coming over all remorseful. It doesn't sound like him.’ She typed something into her laptop.
‘ What're you doing?’
‘ Just checking something out …’ Whatever she’d read had her frowning. ‘Oh dear.’
‘ What?’
‘ We-ll ... You know Cause Celeb has a cause of the month. You remember how they did that “what should Kate Winslet buy her husband for Christmas” one? And the “can you help Chantelle find the perfect shoes for this outfit” one?’
Jane wondered where this was going as a horrible thought began to coalesce in her mind.
Polly turned the laptop around, showing her the Cause Celeb blog. Jane read quickly. About halfway through, she started to swear.
‘ I'm going to kill him. I really am going to kill him.’
* * *
From: Jane, To: Ashby
Ashby. What the hell is going on? You are supposed to be leaving me alone, remember? And now suddenly I'm the Cause Celeb cause of the month!! Or, more to the point, I guess, you are. Just in time for the new album launch. What a coincidence. Look, I meant what I said. I haven't done you or your career any damage. In fact, I helped you as much as I could. Why can't you have the common courtesy to do the same for me? I was just getting on with my life. I have a job I like and I'm making new friends. Now, thanks to you, I have to watch my step everywhere I go, in case there's a photographer trying to get a shot of me. Again . Haven't you done enough to me already? Jane.
##
From: Ashby, To: Jane
Babes . The Cause Celeb stuff isn't really anything to do with me. We hired this new PR guy, he said it was good for the new album, so I just went along with it. Besides, it's true. I do miss you. You were a stabilising influence on me. And we had some good times, didn't we ? Ashby.
##
From: Jane, To: Ashby
I don't care whose idea it was. Call it off . Can't you get one of your little tarts to pretend they're going out with you? You can both get the exposure you need and you'll both be happy. What about that creature from Hollyoaks
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