Page 3 of Arranging Ayra
“That’s right.”
My stomach grumbled and I set my hand over my empty belly.
“Are you feeling all right, dear? Is my driving too topsy turvy?”
“Oh, no. I’m just a little bit famished. I didn’t have time to grab lunch and the time change has me a little mixed up.”
“I have just the thing.” He reached back behind my seat and brought forth a bundle wrapped in wax paper. “My wife makes the best sandwiches this side of the Thames.”
Hesitating, I smiled.
“Go ahead. Take it,” he said as he held it out to me. “I have three of them.”
My stomach let out a loud grumble that I couldn’t deny. Greedily, I took the sandwich and took a bite. Divine. Thick chewy bread loaded with thin slices of meat, cheese and shredded lettuce.
After the massive sandwich, my eyelids grew heavy and I dozed off, awakening only when the car came to a stop.
“Moon Manor,” Burgess gently announced.
I opened my eyes. “Already?” I slept through the entire trip.
I paid Burgess and got out. “Thank you so very much.”
After unloading my luggage and setting them on the ground, he tipped an invisible hat. “My pleasure.”
As he drove off, I turned to face the impressive manor. Looming three stories high, the old building was imposing. In the distance, near the main front door, a tall, elegant woman stood hugging a handsome man in his early thirties.
“Naya?” I muttered to myself, unsure as I walked up to the pair. “Naya Darcy?” I’d seen her in many films, but with her hair pulled back into a tight bun, I wasn’t sure if it was really her.
The stunningly beautiful Bollywood star saw me and smiled.
“My, my,” she softly said as she released the hunky young man who stood inches over her tall frame. “You must be Ayra. It is positively uncanny. You look just like your mother. You could be her twin!”
I shot her a quizzical glance then looked to the sexy guy beside her. Was the older star having an affair with the young man she’d been holding in such a tender embrace?
“Devi,” she said to him. “You already met with Ayra earlier this afternoon, didn’t you? So, I guess you two already know one another?”
Devi? The Devi that I waited for at the Lion’s Head Pub?
Confused, I panned from her big brown eyes to the steely eyes of the tall man.
Devi looked at me with a sheepish grin. Guilt and charm danced in his eyes as he sought a way of explaining why he had stood me up.
Naya looked at my confused expression and back to Devi. “Devi? You did meet with Ayra earlier, didn’t you? You told me that you’d had a lovely meeting and that you were looking forward to working with her.”
“I... I... I...” He cleared his throat. “Mum, I did meet briefly with a young girl in London. I’ll admit that I was in a bit of a rush, and perhaps I didn’t verify the pretty girl’s identity, but...”
“Devi!” Naya scolded.
“But I really thought it was Ayra and, well... you know that this is my first big romantic leading role and you know how nervous this all makes me and... I simply rushed through the meeting.” He looked at me, his eyes begging me to bail him out.
Mother, why did you not tell me? I thought. Devi was the real-lifeBarnaby Darcy, the star of the movie that I was to work on. He would be playing my all-time fantasy crush, Mr. Darcy. I wasstunned. I wasstunnedandspeechless. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Part of me was still smarting from his total disregard for me – standing me up was unpardonable – but another part of me was fascinated by him. I would be working with this gorgeous hunk of a man - a real-lifeMr. Darcy.
Star-struck, I realized that he was even dressed for the part of Mr. Darcy. His white linen shirt was tucked into his tight riding trousers. All that was missing was the cutaway tailcoat.
“Now that I think of it,” I said, “I did briefly speak with a young man at the pub. I guess that I, too, didn’t realize who I was talking to.” My story made no sense, but it was all that I had.
And Naya saw right through me, but said nothing. “Alright, alright, you kids. The important thing is that you’re both here now.” She gave me a big hug. “I just so happy to finally meet you... such a pretty girl! I’m sure you two will get along just fine.”
