Her jaw dropped. The Stollway was among the most lush, lavish and expensive places in town. Next moment, they were nearing the entrance and she could see the flashing lights, the cars crowding in to disgorge gorgeously dressed men and women onto the broad red carpet.
‘I had no idea it would be like this,’ she gasped.
‘The PR department has made the most of it,’ Travis said.
‘But I thought it would just be a restaurant. This place is so big and … that crowd … it’s like a premier.’
‘Good. So there’ll be a lot of people to see the story we’re trying to tell them. They’ll know that you don’t need Lee Anton, because you can have any guy you want, just by snapping your fingers. And they’ll see that I only like nice girls.’
While she struggled for words, his face softened, his eyes became pleading.
‘I guess I wasn’t quite straight with you. I should have told you everything but I was afraid you’d say no, and I really need to do this. You can get me out of trouble as nobody else can.’
She remembered how he’d cast his protective mantle over her that afternoon. But for that, she’d be back in the hotel now, fighting back tears of rejection.
‘But do you think I’m up to it?’ she said. ‘It’s so scary.’
‘We’ll do it together. Don’t be afraid. Just smile and make it look as though it was the most natural thing in the world to you, and you love every minute.’
He put his hands on either side of her face, looking deep into her eyes. ‘Give the performance I know you can give.’
Suddenly she was inspired. There was a time for ducking out and a time for making the most of things, and this was definitely the second.
‘As long as you’re there, giving me directions,’ she said. ‘Let’s do it.’
‘That’s the spirit. I knew I could rely on you. Now, here comes our grand entrance.’
The car stopped. Cheers erupted from the crowd as they saw Travis emerge, smiling, waving, then reaching in for her. She took his hand and he drew her out into the spotlight.
He was playing his part perfectly, leading her slowly along the carpet so that everyone could get a good view of her quiet, restrained appearance. A gentle tug on her hand and he drew her around to the other side, just in case there was anyone who hadn’t seen how modest and ladylike she was.
Charlene smiled, turned to meet his eyes, and almost gasped at the adoring look he was giving her. If she hadn’t known better, she could almost have believed him about to fall on his knees and worship her.
What an actor! she thought.
He drew her hand to his lips and the cheers rose around them. She lowered her eyes, apparently overcome, and felt him draw her close.
‘Well done,’ he murmured in her ear. ‘Keep it up.’
As they approached the huge main doors there was a flicker of interest from behind them. Turning, they saw another car arrive, the door open and Lee emerge, accompanied by Penny. Their arrival caused a small commotion but nothing like the agitation that had greeted Travis. As they danced along the carpet three photographers dashed out to get closer shots.
Lee turned his head, laughing, preening in the spotlight. But his smile died as the photographers passed him by to surround Travis and Charlene. She had a brief glimpse of Lee’s face, aghast, astounded, chagrined. Then Travis swept her into the building.
Inside, there was more of the same as they made their way to the huge restaurant at the back of the hotel. It was called Aladdin’s Cave, and decorated with a magical theme. Brightly coloured lanterns hung from the ceiling, elaborate pictures decorated the walls and everywhere there was the glitter of gold.
They were escorted to a table for two, where he settled her with every attention and said, ‘Let’s have something to drink.’
‘Orange juice for me, please.’
‘This is an evening for champagne,’ he protested.
‘Orange juice,’ she said firmly. ‘Or sparkling water.’
He was silent a moment, but then nodded and made the order. He asked no further questions, but she had a sense that he understood why she wouldn’t touch alcohol.
Denzil bustled over, rubbing his hands with delight, paid Charlene extravagant compliments and then bustled away. People were arriving slowly, waving at Travis, looking curiously at Charlene before flaunting themselves before each other, all putting on performances. For the moment it was still quiet enough to talk.
‘You’ve saved my neck, you know that?’ Travis said. ‘All those pictures they took of us outside. I have a career again.’
‘Just like that?’
‘It can happen that way in this city. Here today, gone tomorrow, back again the day after.’
‘Don’t you ever find the life exhausting?’
‘Well, I do end up living on edge a lot of the time, but it can feel worth it.’
‘I suppose success is wonderful.’
‘Yes. Not that I’ve been a success long enough to know very much. But it matters to me to achieve everything I can, just to stop my father disowning me.’
‘But surely you don’t need him? You’re independent.’
‘I meant disowning me in spirit.’ Travis gave a brief laugh. ‘It’s odd isn’t it? I disapprove of Amos, sometimes I even dislike him. But I still hate the feeling that I’m the one on the outside of the family. He despises me for not being like him, the way my brothers are.’
‘All of them?’
‘Mostly. Darius is a big man in finance, just like Amos. He’s been hit by the credit crunch, and now he’s living on Herringdean, an island off the south coast of England that one of his debtors used to pay him off. He started out hating it, but he came to love it. Falling in love with a local girl helped. I was at their wedding a few weeks ago and if ever two people were crazy about each other it’s those two.’
‘You sound as though you envy them.’
‘In a way I do. It’s nice to know your final destination, and be able to reach it. Darius has been married before and it didn’t work out, but he’s safe with Harriet. Plus his first wife likes her, even encouraged them to marry because their two children like her as well.’
Charlene recalled him talking about his father and all the children Amos had by different women. His brother’s arrangement sounded so much happier that she began to understand the touch of wistfulness in his voice.
He can’t really be jealous, she thought. An ordinary domestic set-up. Many people would call it boring, but the great star actually wishes … no, that’s just the sort of thing he’d say in interviews. I’m imagining things. Shut up, Charlie.
‘What did you say?’ Travis asked, staring at her suddenly.
‘Nothing.’
‘I thought you whispered, “Shut up, Charlie”.’
‘Did I say that out loud? Oh, heck!’
‘You actually call yourself Charlie?’
‘When I’m trying to remember to be sensible. It’s not easy in a place like LA. Common sense seems the last thing you can manage, and actually the last thing you want.’
‘I know the feeling,’ he said wryly.
‘So your brother’s settled for common sense?’
‘That’s not what Darius calls it. To him it’s finding out what his life is really all about.’