Page 84 of Broken Beyond Repair
She could never hide Sydney, and would never ask her to hide, even if it meant being without her. She knew from experience how exhausting it was to live a lie. Some lies were easy to live with whilst others ate you up inside. Hiding was part of her life; it hadn’t been easy to suppress that part of her, yet she’d dealt with it, learned how to manage it. Being around Sydney certainly tested everything she’d put into practice over the years.
As Alison helped her undress after the photo shoot, she had interrogated her about why she wasn’t taking Sydney to the States. She fobbed her off with the excuse that Sydney had much-needed downtime owed to her. It wasn’t a lie. Anyway, she was destined for greater things than being a PA, and with the book release, her career as an author might finally gain some traction.
What she hadn’t disclosed was the need for distance between them; 5,456 miles should about do it. She wasn’t sure Sydney felt anything more than a crush for her, an infatuation even, and she wasn’t about to turn her life upside down for that. She wasn’t even sure of the extent of her own feelings. She was smitten with Sydney; that was undeniable. It was a great feeling to find that connection with someone, for them to know everything about you and see you, like you even, for exactly what you were. But that didn’t mean it ran deeper. What she was sure of was that hitting her fifties was a pivotal point in her career; it had never been so fragile.
She didn’t relish telling Sydney that their time together was ending sooner than planned. Stepping from the bath, she dried herself, relieved to see the skin on her leg improving after a week with no cast. Entering the bedroom, she secured her towel around her only to find Sydney placing a pile of laundered clothes on the bed.
“Sorry. I was hoping to be in and out in a flash.” Sydney blushed as her eyes darted in every direction other than towards Beatrice.
“It’s fine,” she sighed as she sat on the bed. It was far from it. Sydney was a couple of feet away, and she had nothing covering her except a towel. She wanted to throw it off and give Sydney everything she wanted. The voice of restraint helped her keep her nerve.You’ll regret it. One time won’t be enough.
Her head twitched as she tried to shake off the voice.
“You okay?”
It was a question best left unanswered.
“Alex has been invited to spend the last few weeks of the holidays at a friend’s house in Cornwall. Can you make travel arrangements for him by train, please? I’m… also returning to the States a little earlier than planned.” Her eyes drifted to Sydney, hoping to gauge a reaction, though she regretted it as soon as she saw her assistant’s pained expression. Was she about to be sick? “I need a period of adjustment before I begin filming again, and as I can walk now, there’s nothing holding me here.” Her eyelids dropped with regret at her phrasing. “I mean…” She paused again.
“It’s okay,” Sydney reassured her as she took some more clothing from the bed to a drawer.
“You don’t have to put my clothes away for me. It was kind of you to do it whilst I was incapacitated, but I didn’t expect you to keep doing it once I was weight-bearing. I’m aware I’ve asked more than expected of you. More than anyone can ask of an assistant.”
“I don’t mind. I like looking after you.”
“It’s not your job,” Beatrice said, ensuring there was enough firmness in her voice to carry the message yet not too much to sound ungrateful. “You’re not a carer, and I no longer need one anyway.”
“What do you need?”
Beatrice gulped at the question.
“I need you to book a flight. Commercial, first class to LA. Send the flight schedule to Jonathon; he’ll be returning with me.”
Sydney’s face dropped with disappointment, dragging her own down with it. The last thing she wanted was for their last few days together to be full of sadness, regret, and disappointment.
“Why don’t we go out somewhere?” she questioned. “We could go for a drive and stop somewhere for a picnic. Celebrate our success in getting the book towards a close.”
The suggestion did the trick; the light was back in Sydney’s eyes.
“I know just the place. There is something I’ve always wanted to do that Gertie could never manage. Assuming you don’t mind going in Gertie.”
“Oh, what the hell! Why not?” She’d give her assistant all the small wins she could now.
“I’m hoping she won’t let me down.”
Sydney spoke so flatly that Beatrice wondered if it was a genuine wish about her vehicle or if there was something deeper aimed at her behind it.
An hour later they were encamped in Gertie, heading towards London and what Sydney assured her was a very steep hill where they could test her limits.
“Other camper enthusiasts have tried it with the original engine and recommended avoiding it.”
Beatrice’s lips quivered; she rubbed at them before they could expose the mischief they held.
“Out with it!” Sydney demanded from the driver’s seat.
Too late.
“What?”
