Page 20 of Love like the (Real) Reel Thing
“Oh, that’s a shame.” Jess had no idea what a yucca was. “Still, at least the plant itself wasn’t damaged.”
Mrs McDonagh pressed her lips together for a moment. “Well, if there’s nothing else, ma’am.”
After she left, Jess slipped into her office, dumped her bag on the floor and shrugged out of her light jacket. Her phone started to ring and she swiped a finger across the screen, putting Kate on speaker.
“Hey, Kate, all good? How are the wedding plans?”
“That’s actually what I’m phoning you about. I’m doing a straw poll to see what sort of wedding cake most people want.”
“What?”
“I’m kidding,” Kate chuckled. “The cake was made months ago.”
Of course it was, Jess thought. Kate had obviously decided to let Simon’s mother arrange the whole wedding, and she’d gone with exactly what she thought was correct: a traditional fruit cake. Although, really, what did it matter? Kate was marrying the man she loved.
“So are you phoning about the wedding at all?” Jess asked.
There was a brief silence. “In a roundabout way.”
Jess pushed the heel of her hand into her tummy. “Is it about Adam?”
“He was asking how you are, Jess. Not just now, but before,” Kate said quickly. “He wanted to know how you’ve been.”
Jess felt a momentary buzzing in her ears. “What did you say? No, don’t – it doesn’t matter. He’s no right to grill you like that or –”
“He wasn’t grilling me, Jess.” Kate sighed. “He really did seem concerned. Why won’t you take his calls?”
“He can’t call me.”
“He can’t … you’ve blocked him?”
“Heleft, Kate.” Jess hated the familiar sickish feeling that rippled through her. “You know all this, I shouldn’t have to keep explaining it. And whatever he’s doing now, asking how I am, it’sjust guilt. He’s back in Dublin and you’re reminding him of me. He’s trying to ease a guilty conscience, that’s all.”
“Jess, I think you’re wrong.”
“I don’t think so.” She pushed down a wave of sadness. “Listen, I have to go, Kate.”
“Yeah, me too.” Kate sounded overly bright. “Figures to wrestle.” After a beat, she added, “Take care, miss you.”
“Miss you too.” Jess hung up.
Sometimes she wished she could pull every last memory of Adam out of her head so she’d never have to think about him again.
Except that then she’d lose all the good memories too.
With a small sigh, she opened her laptop and skimmed through her emails, answering the most important ones and marking a few to follow up later. Then she picked up her phone again. The previous week, she’d followed Afric and Spencer on their socials and updated her notifications. Now she spent a few minutes searching social media for references to Linford Castle and the movie.
Afric had posted a short video on Instagram just moments ago.So excited to start working onAn Irish Inheritanceat Linford Castle. Check out the cool orangery where we’re filming this morning. #AnIrishInheritance #romcom
Jess watched the video of a small group of designers putting the final touches to the set. At the end, Afric had cut to Spencer, who seemed to be giving a smouldering straight-to-the-camera look before walking out of the shot. Jess watched the last bit again. Nope, he was just glaring. She shook her head. If the leads were hoping to convince the cinema-going public that they actually got on, they needed to work a bit harder than that. Still, for once it wasn’t her problem.
At the same time, it’d be useful to be able to reshare posts on the group’s social accounts.
She worked for another while before giving in to her curiosity.
Outside the orangery, one of the ADs was lounging against the closed door, scrolling through her phone. She glanced up as Jess approached.
“They’re filming at the moment,” she said quietly. “I can let you in when they’re –”
