Page 110 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘Do you?’
He nods. ‘Yeah, maybe then I’d have done something right in my life.’
The wind whips in off the sea and I shiver.
‘Are you cold – do you want my jacket?’ Rob asks, making me smile.
‘Do you remember the last time you asked me that when we were looking out over this beach?’
‘Of course I do. I’ve told you before I’ve never forgotten anything to do with you, Frankie,’ he says as he places his jacket over my shoulders. ‘I really would like to help you and Rosie, even if she isn’t my child.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you’re my friend. My oldest friend.’
‘If you really are my friend then you should understand why I can’t let you do this. Who offers to buy someone else a house, for goodness’ sake? You really must have more money than sense.’ I smile at him, trying to make light of this. I don’t want to fall out with Rob. Not tonight.
‘You’re not far wrong there,’ Rob says, kicking a pebble across the sand.
‘What do you mean?’
Rob shrugs. ‘Look at me, Frankie. I’m an ageing actor who made it big by playing a superhero. But superheroes don’t really age, do they? And I am right now – badly.’
‘You look OK to me.’
‘I look OK because I’ve had work done,’ Rob says, pulling at his face. ‘A necessary evil, I’m afraid, to keep getting the lead roles.’
‘You don’t have to do that.’
‘No, I don’t have to. But people remember me like I looked in my early movies. Young, handsome, chiselled, even. Most of them, apart from my most ardent fans, aren’t keen on seeing me the way I really am now. I’m tired, Frankie. I just don’t have energy like I used to, the energy to get into the sort of shape big movie roles require, and to be honest I’m also tired of the sort of life I live in Hollywood.’
I’ve never seen Rob like this before – weary of life. He’s always had so much get up and go.
‘Don’t go for the big roles then. Try something different instead. You just told me you have plenty of money, so you don’t necessarily need big-budget movies. You could try something like TV . . . or theatre, perhaps?’
Rob smiles at me. ‘You make it sound so easy.’
‘It is. Everything is easier when you’ve got options. It’s when you haven’t, the decisions are that much harder.’
‘Then let me help you,’ Rob says again, but this time he turns to me and takes my hand in his. ‘I want to do something good with my money.’
‘I’m sorry, Rob. But I can’t.’ I gently extract my hands from his. ‘Why don’t you give some to a charity if you want to do something good with it?’
‘I already do that.’
‘Then start your own charity. I’m sure your PA up there will be more than expert at helping you do that.’
Rob grimaces. ‘Nixie is expert in many things. But I feel setting up a charity might be a little out of her remit.’
I smile.
‘Are you happy?’ I suddenly ask.
‘With Nixie?’
I shake my head. ‘No, with life.Yourlife?’
Rob shrugs. ‘I guess. I mean, I can’t complain, can I?’
