sense, I suppose.
“Did the pair of you fall out?” I ask.
“Not exactly,” says James. “He came along with my third stepmother. From a previous marriage. He resented me as competition.”
“You had three stepmothers?” I can’t keep the surprise from my voice.
“I had four stepmothers,” corrects James. “My father is currently on wife number five. He is not the easiest of men to get along with. And he’s a sucker for youth and beauty,” he adds with a touch of bitterness.
I can’t work out from his expression how he feels about this. I can’t imagine it’s good. I remember the movie script. The film we’re about to shoot is based on Beauty and the Beast.
Five stepmothers, and a little lost boy. No wonder James Berkeley likes fairy tales. The realisation makes a little tug on my heartstrings
“So , Ben came into your family with the third remarriage?” I am still trying to take this all in.
“Ben was a pampered little prince,” says James. “He was eleven when his mother married my father. And he was spoiled in every way imaginable. His mother used her looks to acquire rich men, and Ben learned to manipulate people from her.”
We’re both silent for a time. James manoeuvres the car expertly through Chelsea and out towards the north of the city.
The act of driving seems to put all thoughts of Ben Gracey from his mind, and the annoyance has dropped from his expression.
I eye James behind the wheel. He looks alive with pleasure, and I feel a thrill of happiness to see him so carefree.
This could be the perfect time to quiz him, I decide. I have him all to myself, with no chance of a physical distraction.
“How do you know Natalie?” I ask casually, opting for my most pressing question.
He gives a smile, which shows he’s seen through me immediately.
“Everyone in LA knows Natalie,” he says. “She’s very talented.”
Ouch.
“Is that why you cast her in your movie?”
“Of course.” He turns to look at me for a moment. “I also think she needs a second chance. Natalie is one movie away from Hollywood death. It would be a shame to waste her abilities.”
This is news to me.
“Why one movie away?” I ask, curious.
James shrugs, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Because she is extremely difficult to work with,” he says. “No other director will touch her. And her last few movies bombed.”
“But you think you can bring out the best in her?” I can’t keep the pain from my voice.
James looks at me, surprised.
“Isabella Green,” he says, “are you jealous?”
“A little,” I admit. “I’m also curious. What is it she does which makes her tough to work with?”
“What doesn’t she do,” says James. “She’s late, rude, argumentative. And she has a list of diva demands as long as your arm.”
“But you want to work with her?”
“I think she would be less unreasonable with me.”
“Why is that?”
Does she like him? Does he like her? My mind is in a jealous funk and refuses to listen to reason.
“I am good with difficult people.”
This brings a flash of memories to me. Of his past. His ex-girlfriend. The love of his life.
Can I ask him about it? His car feels like a safe space somehow.
“Was your ex-girlfriend a difficult person?” I whisper. “The one who died of a drug overdose?”
James lips set in a tight line, and for a moment I think he won’t answer.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to talk about that, Isabella,” he says, and the sadness in his voice is heart-breaking. “I’m not saying I’ll never be ready. You are the only person I can imagine talking to about it.”
He is still staring at the road.
“Did you love her very much?” I ask.
James blinks in surprise.
“No,” he says after a moment. “No, I wouldn’t say I loved her. But she needed me. It was a complicated situation.”
Oh . I stare ahead at the road, wondering what to make of this.
“I will say this,” adds James, turning to me for a moment
“Did the pair of you fall out?” I ask.
“Not exactly,” says James. “He came along with my third stepmother. From a previous marriage. He resented me as competition.”
“You had three stepmothers?” I can’t keep the surprise from my voice.
“I had four stepmothers,” corrects James. “My father is currently on wife number five. He is not the easiest of men to get along with. And he’s a sucker for youth and beauty,” he adds with a touch of bitterness.
I can’t work out from his expression how he feels about this. I can’t imagine it’s good. I remember the movie script. The film we’re about to shoot is based on Beauty and the Beast.
Five stepmothers, and a little lost boy. No wonder James Berkeley likes fairy tales. The realisation makes a little tug on my heartstrings
“So , Ben came into your family with the third remarriage?” I am still trying to take this all in.
“Ben was a pampered little prince,” says James. “He was eleven when his mother married my father. And he was spoiled in every way imaginable. His mother used her looks to acquire rich men, and Ben learned to manipulate people from her.”
We’re both silent for a time. James manoeuvres the car expertly through Chelsea and out towards the north of the city.
The act of driving seems to put all thoughts of Ben Gracey from his mind, and the annoyance has dropped from his expression.
I eye James behind the wheel. He looks alive with pleasure, and I feel a thrill of happiness to see him so carefree.
This could be the perfect time to quiz him, I decide. I have him all to myself, with no chance of a physical distraction.
“How do you know Natalie?” I ask casually, opting for my most pressing question.
He gives a smile, which shows he’s seen through me immediately.
“Everyone in LA knows Natalie,” he says. “She’s very talented.”
Ouch.
“Is that why you cast her in your movie?”
“Of course.” He turns to look at me for a moment. “I also think she needs a second chance. Natalie is one movie away from Hollywood death. It would be a shame to waste her abilities.”
This is news to me.
“Why one movie away?” I ask, curious.
James shrugs, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Because she is extremely difficult to work with,” he says. “No other director will touch her. And her last few movies bombed.”
“But you think you can bring out the best in her?” I can’t keep the pain from my voice.
James looks at me, surprised.
“Isabella Green,” he says, “are you jealous?”
“A little,” I admit. “I’m also curious. What is it she does which makes her tough to work with?”
“What doesn’t she do,” says James. “She’s late, rude, argumentative. And she has a list of diva demands as long as your arm.”
“But you want to work with her?”
“I think she would be less unreasonable with me.”
“Why is that?”
Does she like him? Does he like her? My mind is in a jealous funk and refuses to listen to reason.
“I am good with difficult people.”
This brings a flash of memories to me. Of his past. His ex-girlfriend. The love of his life.
Can I ask him about it? His car feels like a safe space somehow.
“Was your ex-girlfriend a difficult person?” I whisper. “The one who died of a drug overdose?”
James lips set in a tight line, and for a moment I think he won’t answer.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to talk about that, Isabella,” he says, and the sadness in his voice is heart-breaking. “I’m not saying I’ll never be ready. You are the only person I can imagine talking to about it.”
He is still staring at the road.
“Did you love her very much?” I ask.
James blinks in surprise.
“No,” he says after a moment. “No, I wouldn’t say I loved her. But she needed me. It was a complicated situation.”
Oh . I stare ahead at the road, wondering what to make of this.
“I will say this,” adds James, turning to me for a moment
Similar Books
