I nod my agreement. She is strong. Stronger than I could have been in the circumstances.
She leaves the stage after rehearsals and it takes me a while to extricate myself from a tense discussion with the lighting technicians, but when I do, I go to find her, drawn by a longing I can’t control.
The excited conversation from the few people I pass on the way to Liz’s dressing room should have given me a clue, but I’m not paying enough attention. I enter her dressing room before I realize she’s not alone.
She’s standing beside the chair in front of her mirror, wearing only a silk robe. Beside her, with one arm around her shoulders, is a man whose famous face I’d come to hate almost as much as I told myself I hated Liz all those years.
Devlin Coates.
Her first big co-star.
Her tabloid love interest.
Her ex-fiancé.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t come earlier,” he whispers to her. “I came as soon as I could get away.”
Jealousy sears me like a hot knife. I should walk away, but I can’t. Devlin notices me first and with excruciating slowness, he releases Liz and turns his megawatt smile and capped dentition in my direction.
Liz turns at the same time. “Aidan…” Something like guilt crosses her face. “Devlin, this is Aidan Court, my… director. Aidan, Devlin Coates.”
Devlin stretches out his hand to me with a good-natured smile. “A pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard of you and seen your work.”
I bare my teeth in a semblance of a smile. I’d much rather throw his plastic ken-doll face and body out of the room, the theater, the city. “Same.”
“I came to offer Liz my condolences.” He smiles fondly in her direction. “I’ll leave you two…” He stops and touches her cheek and I want to punch him. “I’ll call you later.”
She nods. He gives me another pearly smile as he walks past me. The door closes behind him and I find Liz watching me, her face uncertain.
“I didn’t know you had a guest.” My voice is tight.
“He just stopped by. I had no idea he was coming.”
I take in her state of almost casual undress. In her robe, she looks young and delicate and excruciatingly beautiful.
A view I hate to share with anyone, especially her ex.
“You seem very comfortable around him.”
She takes a step toward me. “Aidan, he’s just a friend.”
Is my jealousy so obvious? She’s grieving. I should be more considerate, but I just want to remind her, again and again, that she only belongs to me.
Except she doesn’t.
Not really.
“You don’t have to explain.” I force a smile. “It doesn’t matter what I think about your relationship with Mr. Synthetic-smile Hollywood heartthrob.”
She sighs. “It matters to me.”
Why? I want to ask. Why do you need me to believe we have a chance? How soon until you crush my heart again?
“I just came to check how you were doing.” I continue. “Obviously, you’re fine.”
I turn to the door, but her voice stops me.
“Aidan, don’t be like this. Don’t leave.”