‘Apology accepted,’ he grated.
‘So why don’t you tell me why…what you wanted to discuss with me…?’
‘I’m very fond of your sister,’ Nick began, ‘but before you jump in both feet first, let me just add that she and I are not having a relationship. At least, not in the sense in which you probably expect that we are.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Do I have to spell it out for you?’ He impatiently tugged off his tie and undid the top two buttons of his shirt. Was it his imagination or was this place sweltering? ‘Lily and I are not having sex. We have never had sex. It has not been that kind of a relationship between us…’ Since that made a first for him, he was inordinately proud of the fact that he was managing to sustain a great, platonic relationship with a beautiful woman. Not only that, but he felt no stirrings of attraction whatsoever. It had occurred to him that his relationships had become more problematic as the years had progressed. Women had invariably wanted more than he could offer and was it really worth the hassle?
‘What kind of relationship is it, then?’ Rose asked.
‘She’s a sweet kid. I know a lot of people in the industry and I’ve been helping her.’
‘Helping her do what?’
‘Helping her with her career.’
‘You mean putting her in touch with…’ With whom? Actors? Producers? Directors? Rose knew precious little about what went on behind the scenes in the world of acting. It was so far removed from the prosaic life she led.
‘With people who could help her.’
‘That’s…very nice of you.’ Frankly, she was slightly bewildered. ‘Is that why you wanted to see me? Why couldn’t Lily have just told me all that herself? Instead of being so secretive about…everything?’
‘Have you ever heard of Damien Hicks?’
‘Should I have?’
‘Just answer the question, Rose.’
‘No.’
‘Well, he’s an up-and-coming film producer.’
A sense of humour inserted itself in between her bemusement as to where Nick was going with this conversation. ‘Not many of those roaming around in my line of work. Do they have any distinguishing features I might identify them by?’
‘They’re fond of cigars,’ Nick answered drily. He paused. ‘I met Damien when one of my companies was doing an advertising shoot in the Maldives. Not really Damien’s thing now, but five years ago he was just beginning to make his mark. He did the campaign for me and I helped him finance his first film. Just a short feature, but since then his rise has been meteoric. He likes working with new talent.’
‘And Lily is new talent.’ Rose smiled. ‘She should have been jumping at the opportunity to tell me, after all the disappointments she’s been through.’
‘His new film needs a lead, Rose. Don’t get me wrong, he’s auditioned countless young hopefuls and has come to the conclusion that Lily is the one through no doing of mine. I introduced them, got him to give her a chance and she’s done the rest.’
‘Why do I get the feeling that there’s a but lurking just around the corner?’
‘But,’ he said quietly, ‘and this is why Lily was having a hard time discussing this with you…the part will be shot exclusively in America and there’s more than a fifty-per-cent chance that, once she gets over there, she’ll find herself caught up in the Hollywood industry. It’s bigger, there are more opportunities and with a CV that starts with a Hicks movie…’
Rose knew that the colour was draining away from her face.
‘I know this is probably unexpected and not particularly pleasant…’
‘And Lily wants to go to America to live?’
‘She wants to give it a go, see what happens.’
‘Right.’
‘She also wants to go with your blessing.’
‘Right.’ Rose barely had any memories of a life without her sister. They had always been there for one another and she had never given much thought to the day when they would go their different ways. That had been a bridge waiting to be crossed and she had never considered how she would cross it when it did finally loom on the horizon. ‘Of course she has my blessing. I…I only want what’s best for her and if there’s a chance that she could make her dreams come true out there, well…who am I to stand in her way?’ The words were right but the hollowness inside made her feel sick.
‘Come on. Let’s get out of here.’
‘Yes.’ She stood up and took a deep breath. ‘But there’s no need for you to come. You’ve done what you came to do and you can leave me now. I’m capable of taking care of myself.’
‘Try looking in the mirror and then telling yourself that.’
Rose turned away and fumbled for her bag. She couldn’t help but think that this was all his fault even though she knew that the chance he had given Lily was the greatest favour he could have granted. Was she so selfish that she would rather have Lily stay at home than take flight and find her dreams somewhere else?
But when she thought of her sister living across the Atlantic, she wanted to burst into tears.
She made a few feeble protests about wanting him to go, but she didn’t put up much of a fight when she found herself back in his car being driven to her house.
‘Go and sit. I’ll get you something to drink.’
‘I’m not thirsty.’ Rose finally surfaced from her thoughts and tried to shoot him her widest smile. ‘And look…’ She pointed at her smile. ‘Doesn’t this prove that I’m just fine?’
‘Lily will be back shortly. Do you want her to see you freaked out like this?’
‘I am not freaked out.’ She glared at him through the smile. It was so hard to do both and in the middle of trying she felt her lower lip wobble and she knew what was coming. Not even closing her eyes could squeeze back the tears, and then she felt his arms go around her and, worse, felt herself comforted by his strength as he enveloped her.
Nick felt her melt against him and drew her as tightly to him as he could. He had never had the benefit of siblings and, yes, he had known, just as Lily had known, that Rose would be upset, but up close he was staggered by the power of her affection for her sister. He could actually feel her tears soaking into his shirt and she was sobbing, but quietly, as if ashamed at making so much noise.
He felt in his trouser pocket and located a clean handkerchief, which he pressed against her cheek, and that seemed to staunch some of her tears although when she drew back he very nearly wanted to pull her against him again.
His only experiences with weeping women had been at the end of a relationship and their tears had irritated him. What did one say to a woman at a time like this?
‘I’ll make sure you get the hankie back.’ Rose spared him the dilemma of finding the right words. She gave him a watery smile and he did the only thing he could think of doing. He wiped a stray tear from her face with his finger, which made her remember who he was and she stepped back a little further.
‘Thank you for the lift back.’ Rose gathered herself sufficiently to look him in the eye. She could see the sympathy there and felt a complete and utter fool because she knew what he must be thinking: that the loser of a sister was so thrown by the thought of being on her own that she had broken down and blubbed like a baby. ‘I’m glad that I’ve got that out of my system and, honestly, I really am happy for Lily and hope that she gets everything she deserves.’
‘I’m