Page 12 of Just for December

Duke winces, and Evie swears he’s trying to give her acomic touch. ‘Sore subject, that,’ he says. ‘I just missed out on that role. Bloody Jamie Dornan.’

Evie closes her eyes. He’s insane. Actually certifiable. Cracking jokes in the face of her very warranted anger? She shakes her head at him as she tries to put on her coat. She misses the arm and he takes it from her, standing behind her and coolly helping her to put it on as she keeps up the momentum of her rant.

‘Thank you,’ she says, snatching the material away from him as he moves to try and help her zip up. She does it herself, hurriedly, so fast it almost breaks, then adds: ‘I hope it’s been amazing to have me here as per your summons, oh godly one, but contract or not, I’m going home. See ya.’

She stumbles down the narrow steps of the trailer as she flounces down them, not sure why she’s gone off the handle withquiteso much vigour except Jesus: she’s so over this Duke guy. Screw him. Screw this whole stupid thing. She should never have agreed to it. She’ll find the care home money another way –any otherway. A man like Duke can’t just say jump.

She styles out her misstep and slams the door behind her.

Duke Carlisle is an egocentric jackass,she thinks to herself, trying to figure out which way it is back to the hotel. As she walks, she remembers how he helped her with her coat.Urgh!

8

Duke

It turns into a cloudless, bright-blue-sky day, and as the sun gets brighter it serves to melt away Duke’s thoughts about Evie. It’s been less than twenty-four hours and they’ve butted heads three times. Once can be forgiven, twice is unfortunate, but three strikes? Yeah. He’s out.

For a moment it seemed like they might be able to turn things around in the trailer, and then she went postal on him, storming out. The woman is obviously unhinged. Duke had imagined she’d be like the characters in her books, but he’s realised something else now: people who make art are seldom ‘normal’. Evie must just be another one of those people-who-make-things. Actors, writers, artists, designers, musicians … when you try to experience the world and then say something about the world, you have to have a paper-thin skin to let the world affect you, to let it run through you.He’s going to have to file Evie into the ‘genius-but-volatile-and-unpredictable-with-it’ category.

Even though it’s freezing the sun shines intensely, in the way it does in Europe. Duke loves his house in London – a rambling townhouse with real working fireplaces and dark, ssumptuously decorated rooms – but the city itself is hard for him. Obviously being British he wants a UK base, but he isn’t in touch with his old school friends up north and all his industry friends are in LA, where he also keeps a home. He loves the sunshine there, and the way the weather so positively affects everyone’s disposition. The weather in the UK is always somehow damp. In London, he always seems to have cold feet, like the water in the air permeates his bones. Sure, he’s wearing thermal socks on set today, and thermal long johns under his costume, but it’s not cold like it gets at home. It’s crisp and clear, and it makes him feel … well, better about things. His broken heart seems less broken here, the change of scene helping to change the way he’s thinking about what happened back at Pinewood.

They’re set up in the marketplace beside the town hall. It’s a wide, paved square with a terracotta-coloured fountain and ten-foot Christmas tree with white lights and a big gold star. Lights are strung through the trees dotted around, lit, despite it being daytime. The timber buildings are three storeys with wooden frames in red and black set against white walls. Everything goes smoothly, with the weather making everyone chirpy and efficient. They get what they need quickly, and Duke knows he’s done a good job. He has to admit Daphne is still amazing to work opposite – she gives him a lot, and it means he can give a lot back. The chemistrydoesn’t have to be manufactured. His tentative okay-ness is sudden, a quick wind change, but since they spoke it’s sunk in for him that he and Daphne might really be better as friends. He can see how that might be true.

She didn’t have to shag the director, though.

If he’s truly honest, his ego might take a bit longer to heal than his heart.

For all her bluster, Evie has returned to set. Duke is aware of her behind the monitors, catching glimpses of her between takes. She’s got her sunglasses on now and looks ready for the slopes. Duke wonders if she does actually ski. He’s spent time with Kate Hudson and her family in Aspen – they get on like a house on fire, and he loves Kurt and Goldie, they’re a real laugh. They’d like Evie, understand her tortured-artist routine.

Okay, that’s peculiar. Thinking about Evie on holiday with him is creepy.

He glances across to where she’s stood again. She looks up. He turns away. Hmm. He’s still going to give her a wide berth. Apparently she isn’t off home like she threatened earlier, but still, their worlds should probably remain separate.

‘Hey,’ a voice says from behind him when they break for lunch. ‘Hey!’

He turns. Evie. So much for that wide berth. He takes off his own sunglasses and sees immediately that she’s mad. No surprises there, then. It’s her default state.

‘Hey, me?’ he asks, incredulous.

‘Have you seen this?’ she asks, handing him her phone. It’s a text thread, with the name Magda at the top. The last message says:Erm, okay girl. Talk FAST please!!Then there’sa link to a gossip site. He takes off a glove and opens it. The headline reads: DUKE CARLISLE TAKES A WRONG TURN WITH EXPLOSIVE AUTHOR FIGHT ON THE SET OFON THE ROMANTIC ROAD.

There’s a series of photographs of them from six hours ago, outside the make-up trailer, with Evie gesticulating wildly and Duke looking half amused, half pissed off. He moves his body to shield the phone from the glare of the sun, and squints to read the piece:

Hollywood heartthrob Duke Carlisle was pictured having what appeared to be a heated exchange with a colleague on the set of his new movie today.

TheAnywhere You Gostar, 37 – wowing in a snug grey tracksuit and form-fitting T-shirt – was said to have entered a war of words that ended in tears.

Author Evie Bird, 36 – looking pale and unkempt in exclusive photographs taken just hours into filming on location in Würzburg, Germany – stormed out of a trailer after a blazing row, sources revealed. The movie in question is an adaptation of her romance novelOn the Romantic Road, with Duke playing lead character George.

Handsome Duke clearly isn’t known for keeping the ladies of his latest movie happy, as he’s also fresh out of a break-up with his co-star Daphne Diamond. She was caught cavorting with married director Brad Beckonoff not long after filming in London commenced, and their affair is believed to be ongoing. Brad is married to Caterina Falange, and they have three young children.

Tension is alleged to be high with bad blood betweenall the stars on set, with Duke working under the man who stole his girlfriend, the ex who spurned him, and now the author he just can’t seem to get along with.

Evie Bird is no stranger to explosive sets herself, raised in Hollywood by esteemed writer-director and now estranged father Donald Gilbert. Gilbert was fired as head writer on his TV showLet’s All Just Get Alongafter allegations of unprofessional behaviour.

The argument comes as another blow for the film, a UK production in collaboration with Starry Night Studios, as gossip from set continues to eclipse production. The nature of this argument is unknown.

Bestseller Evie has an average 4.2-star rating on review sites, for novels that feature themes such as palliative care, teenage abortion, extramarital affairs and chance meetings that lead to love.

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