Page 58 of Love like the (Real) Reel Thing
Sylvia smiled non-committedly. “Well, I think you’ve made a good impression on our annual planning committee. Robert was telling me his uncle was very pleased with all the extra money. Oh my goodness, Spencer Torres is coming over. How does my hair look?”
Before Jess could reply, Spencer, Mel and Ben had reached them.
“Hey there, ladies,” Spencer drawled. “This all looks damn good!”
“Jess, don’t you look sweet in that little dress!” Mel said.
“Oh!” Jess flushed. “Thanks, Mel.”
She glanced over at Spencer, but he and Ben had already moved along the table, helping themselves to food, while politely allowing the paparazzi to snap a few more photos.
“Hopefully, things will settle down a bit as the evening goes on,” Jess said. “I’d love to see the cast and crew just relax and enjoy themselves.”
“They will.” Sylvia laughed. “I’d say once everyone in the village has got a selfie with the cast, and the press are happy they’ve enough photos, they’ll leave them alone.”
Mel excused herself and Jess turned back to Sylvia. “What are these, by the way? They’re yum!”
“Greek stuffed vine leaves,” Sylvia said, looking pleased. “Take another one.”
Jess put a second one on her plate. “So, who’s Robert’s uncle?”
“Ted, of course. Uncle-in-law, really. Sinéad is his aunt.” Sylvia looked surprised. “Did you not know that?”
Jess was a bit thrown. “Um, he might have mentioned something, yeah. Is that Emily over there?”
Sylvia followed her gaze. “Yes, she asked if she could take a stall for her jewellery. She’s quite talented.”
“I know she is! I must have a look when I get a chance.”
Jess wandered over to Emily.
“You can add Sylvia to your list of admirers,” she said.
“Aw, that’s so sweet of her.” Emily beamed. “I’ve sold a few of my rings already. Holly said she loved the double-knot one, so I gave her and three of her friends my mate’s rate.”
Jess laughed. “You can’t keep giving everyone mate’s rates – you won’t make any money that way!”
Emily went a bit red. “I break even, so it doesn’t matter.”
“Hey, maybe you’ll make a couple of sales tonight with the film crowd,” Jess suggested, feeling a bit guilty for teasing her.
“How come you never told me that Sinéad and Ted are related to you?” Jess asked Robert a while later as they stood drinking Sangria and listening to an Irish traditional band.
Robert sighed. “I wasn’t deliberately hiding it from you. I sometimes get the feeling that you’re still trying to get your head around a village this small, and I wasn’t sure you were ready to hear that half the residents are related to each other.” He scratched his chin. “Plus, Ted can be a pain in the backside. Even I can see that.”
“I’m sure he’s fine when you get to know him,” Jess said, trying to be diplomatic.
Robert started to say something when somebody jostled Jess, sloshing her Sangria out of her glass.
“Sorry!” The woman shot Robert a quick look. “My bad.”
Jess’s heart sank as she recognised the reporter who’d ambushed Robert outside Ted’s store.
“You’re Jess Bradley, right?” the woman said quickly.
Jess summoned up a smile. “Yes?”
“I’m Jane Byrne. I do a lot of work for the big news agencies. You’re Linford’s decoy bride, aren’t you? What are you doing here? Is tonight a PR stunt for Blue Star Studios to try to deflect from all the problems they’ve had with this movie?”
