To the Moon and Back

Chapter 35




He got back to Ellie while she was at work the next day.

‘Tony! Are you all right?’ She’d actually started to worry when his phone had still been switched off this morning.

‘I’m fine, sweetheart.’

‘Where are you?’

‘At home in LA.’

God, who’d ever trust an actor? He was such a plausible liar. ‘No you’re not,’ said Ellie. ‘I spoke to Tamara. You’re over here.’

‘Oh. Damn. OK, you’re right. I knew I should have returned Tamara’s calls first.’

‘Your phone’s been switched off !’

‘Battery was flat. I forgot to pack my charger, that’s all.’

‘Why didn’t you come to the flat?’ Where you have a perfectly good spare charger.

Tony paused then said, ‘I thought you and Todd would appreciate having it to yourselves. I was being discreet, giving you a bit of space.’

‘Are you serious?’

‘Really, it’s not a problem. I took a room at the Berkeley. You and Todd don’t want me hanging around and—’

‘Oh, Tony, that’s over, it didn’t work out. It just wasn’t right.’ Ellie lowered her voice; Zack was only in the kitchen and she didn’t want him to overhear. ‘We tried, but we’re happier as friends.’

‘Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be. We’re both fine about it. So you can check out of that hotel right now and get yourself over here. You won’t be a third wheel, it’ll just be us.’

‘Except I’m heading back tomorrow. It was just a flying visit. It’s hardly worth it now.’

He sounded… sad. ‘Are you busy tonight?’

‘No, no, nothing planned…’

Something definitely wasn’t right. ‘Come over, then. I haven’t seen you for ages. I’ll cook dinner,’ Ellie volunteered. ‘I’ve learned how to do Thai green curry.’

‘Really?’ It was his favorite.

‘Really!’

‘Is it nice?’

Honesty forced her to prevaricate. ‘It might be nice.’

‘Or it might not?’

‘I’m still practicing. Come over and let me give it another go. If it all goes horribly wrong, we’ll order a takeaway.’

Sounding slightly more cheerful, Tony said, ‘Or shall I just order it now?’

Zack came into the office a couple of minutes later, dressed in a suit and jangling his keys.

‘All OK? I’ve got a lunch meeting in Piccadilly. Can you take Elmo out for a run at some stage? I’ll be back by four at the latest.’

‘No problem, that’s fine.’ He was wearing a new turquoise shirt and it was on the tip of her tongue to say how much the color suited him, but Ellie felt the speeding-up sensation in her chest that meant she was finding him attractive again. Dammit, and she’d worked so hard to squash those feelings, had thought she’d succeeded in getting them under control. OK, just don’t mention it, keep it zipped.

But she must have looked as if she were about to say something because Zack had stopped in the doorway and was looking expectant. ‘Anything else?’

Yes, that color’s fantastic against your tan, you look unbelievably gorgeous, you’re making me think things I shouldn’t be thinking…

‘No,’ Ellie flashed him her busy smile, ‘nothing else. Have a nice time!’

At two thirty she gave Geraldine a call. ‘Hi, it’s me. Do you want to send Elmo over?’

‘Oh hello, darling, absolutely! Sweetie, up you get, it’s for you.’

Ellie heard snuffling and said, ‘Elmo! Coming for a walk?’

‘There you go,’ Geraldine said with satisfaction. ‘He’s on his way.’

Moments later Ellie looked out of the kitchen window and saw Elmo launch himself over the wall. He burst through the dog flap, tail wagging furiously and paws skidding across the tiled floor.

‘Come here, baby.’ She bent to clip his lead on, but the doorbell simultaneously rang and Elmo gave her the slip. Finally she managed to scoop him up and answer the front door.

‘Oh.’ Louisa, on the top step, recoiled from the sight of Elmo at unexpectedly close quarters. ‘I’ve come to see Zack. Is he upstairs?’

‘He’s not here.’

‘You’re just saying that.’

‘I’m not.’ What was this about?

‘His car’s over there.’ Louisa pointed across the road.

‘He took a cab into town. He really isn’t here. Was he expecting you?’

‘No. I just need to talk to him.’ Louisa’s hair and makeup were perfect; she was wearing an apricot linen dress and ultra-high, ultra-pointy cream shoes.

‘Well, he’s in a lunch meeting now. Why don’t you try phoning him later?’

‘I’ve tried phoning him. It’s not the same, and most of the time he doesn’t even pick up.’ Louisa’s voice began to wobble. ‘Look, can I come in?’

Elmo was wriggling like an eel, keen to get on with the business in hand. Ellie hesitated. ‘The thing is, we were just about to go out for a walk.’

‘Fine then. I’ll come with you.’

‘But—’

‘Please let me. I need to talk about Zack. There, there, good doggie.’ Gingerly Louisa patted the top of Elmo’s head, which had to be a first. Even Elmo looked astonished. ‘He’s quite sweet really, isn’t he?’

‘Who, Zack?’

‘No, the dog.’ She watched as Ellie attached the lead to Elmo’s collar and put him down. ‘The last few weeks have been horrible. I’ve missed him so much.’

‘Who, Elmo?’

‘Zack.’ Once the front door was closed, Louisa followed them down the stone steps. ‘So how’s he been?’

‘OK. The same, really.’ Oh dear, was that insensitive? ‘I’m sure he’s missed you too,’ Ellie said hastily. ‘You know what men are like. They hide it well.’

But it was too late; Louisa’s face had crumpled. ‘It’s so unfair. I’ve never been so miserable in my life. Does he talk about me?’

‘Um… not really.’

‘He must do. He must have said something! We were perfect together.’

They made a strange little procession, heading past the shops along Regents Park Road. Elmo led the way, straining against his lead and desperate to reach grass. Ellie was second, walking fast in her sparkly flip-flops. Bringing up the rear, hobbling slightly and struggling to keep up in her too-high heels, was Louisa.

‘He hasn’t said anything to me,’ Ellie called over her shoulder. She waved to Briony, who worked in the cake shop.

‘Is he seeing someone else?’ said Louisa.

‘No.’

‘How can you say that? How do you know?’

‘OK, he hasn’t told me he’s seeing anyone else. And last week I had to go along as his plus-one to an event, because—’

‘Oh God, the dinner at Claridge’s? He invited you? That’s so unfair!’

Ellie increased her pace; this was getting awkward now. Louisa’s voice had risen and people were turning to stare at them. At last they reached Primrose Hill itself and she was able to let Elmo off his lead. Finding a stick, she threw it as far as she could and watched him tear after it.

‘I bet you’re glad we broke up, aren’t you?’ Louisa’s hands were on her hips as she struggled to get her breath back. ‘You’ve got Zack all to yourself now.’

Don’t blush, don’t blush. ‘I work for him. That’s all.’

‘Urrgh!’ Louisa let out a panicky screech and kangarooed sideways as Elmo came hurtling back with the stick in his mouth. Her heels sank into the ground and she struggled to regain her balance. Accusingly she said, ‘But you must fancy him.’

‘OK, enough. I do not fancy Zack.’ Ellie prayed her nose wouldn’t suddenly extend by a couple of feet. ‘I have a boyfriend. His name is Todd.’ Todd wouldn’t mind her borrowing him again; it was all in a good cause. ‘And I don’t need to listen to this rubbish, so you can stop following me now. Bye.’

Louisa promptly buried her face in her hands and shook her head in defeat. ‘Oh God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I just d-don’t know what to do…’

People were definitely paying attention now. A small girl tugged at her mother’s arm and said in a loud voice, ‘Mummy, is that big lady crying?’

This only made Louisa cry more. She clenched her fists and wailed, ‘I’m not big.’

‘Come on.’ Ellie ushered her over to a free bench. ‘Sit down. Here, I’ve got a tissue somewhere.’

All the makeup, so carefully applied in Zack’s honor, came off on the tissue. For several minutes Louisa sobbed noisily. Ellie sat next to her, let her get it out of her system, and threw the stick twenty or thirty times for Elmo to chase after and joyfully retrieve. Like a girl with hopeless taste in men, getting her heart broken over and over again, it evidently never occurred to Elmo to stop and wonder if maybe it was all a bit pointless.

‘Have you got any more tissues?’ Louisa mumbled finally.

‘No.’

‘Do I look a mess?’

Mess was an understatement. How to be diplomatic? ‘A bit.’

‘Oh Goddddd…’ Louisa rose to her feet. ‘I need to clean myself up. Can we head back to the house now, so I can use the bathroom?’

Ellie hesitated but didn’t have the heart to refuse. Oh well, she could make it up to Elmo with a top-up walk later. Whistling and calling him back, she re-attached his lead and said, ‘OK, let’s go.’

Elmo registered his protest by waiting until they’d reached Ancram Street before squatting and depositing a pile of poo on the pavement.

‘How can you do that?’ Louisa shuddered as Ellie bent and did the inverted nappy-bag trick to pick it up. ‘That’s so gross.’

Did she think poo-collecting was her favorite hobby? Ellie said evenly, ‘I don’t love it. It’s just something that has to be done.’

‘What time did Zack say he’d be back?’

‘He didn’t.’ Oops, another lie. ‘He could be gone for hours yet.’

‘Or he might not. I could stay and wait.’

‘I don’t think so, I have to work,’ said Ellie.

‘I wouldn’t be a nuisance. I’ll just wait for him upstairs.’

‘Really, it’s not a good idea.’

‘Oh, for God’s sake, you’re not very sympathetic, are you?’ Louisa’s emotions rose and her face reddened. ‘You just don’t get how important this is! I love Zack and I want him back. He means everything in the world to me. My heart is breaking, I’m going through hell here… you can’t begin to understand how I feel!’

Just for a microsecond Jamie appeared without warning, leaning against a parked car with his arms casually crossed and his blond hair glinting in the sunshine. He surveyed Louisa with amusement. Then, as if sensing that Ellie was teetering on the edge of retaliation, he turned and shook his head at her. ‘Don’t do it.’

He was right. It would be the cheapest form of one-upmanship. Ellie exhaled. Then a taxi drew to a halt and Jamie, in his pink T-shirt and jeans, simply vanished. Elmo let out a volley of barks as Zack jumped out of the cab.