Ordinarily, Solomon couldn’t care less if he wasn’t allowed into the building. He would be happy to never set foot near Jack Starr again, and he is trying to detach himself from Laura, but he needs to gain access for the sake of the documentary. He tells himself it’s for that, nothing to do with wanting to be near Laura. Tomorrow he will be in Switzerland and he won’t have to continue this battle in his head.
Laura and Bo are already inside. They’ve had most of the day together while he’s been off filming Grotesque Bodies, as Paul Boyle prepares for his pending operation in Switzerland. Solomon thought he would enjoy being away from them both after such an intense few days, but instead he’d spent the entire day worrying about Laura. Short texts from Bo kept him informed, but her last text had been an angry FFS she’s a grown woman, stop it. She hadn’t responded to his reply. He had no idea where they’d spent the day, or what they’d done, couldn’t even imagine the two of them doing anything together.
Rachel steps back outside to stand with Solomon. ‘I think he’s going to let you in, he just wants to let you stew for a while.’
‘Fine with me,’ Solomon says, placing his equipment down and leaning against the wall for what will no doubt be a long wait.
‘Did you hear from Bo today?’ Solomon asks Rachel.
‘I did and I didn’t,’ Rachel says.
‘What does that mean?’
‘She called me a few times when I was at the scan, even though she knew I was at the scan. She left a message asking me to come meet her and Laura.’
‘To film?’
‘No, just to meet them.’
Rachel’s face said it all. She was annoyed about being disturbed on her personal time. Solomon liked the fact that Rachel could talk about Bo as she wished, regardless of the fact they were in a relationship. He liked that she felt comfortable with him enough to say what was on her mind, and they could say what they liked about their boss. Solomon didn’t like to complain about Bo, but Rachel knew, she always knew, when he was bothered. What bothered Solomon about Bo was what bothered most people about Bo.
‘Was Laura okay?’ he asks, frowning at the news that Bo had called Rachel for assistance.
‘I’m sure Laura was fine. It may have been Bo that was struggling.’
Solomon wonders why, in all the texts she’d sent him, Bo never once admitted that she needed him. He gave her plenty of opportunities. Though he couldn’t have dropped work and rushed to be with her. But he would have.
The door opens and Bo finally appears, looking uncharacte?ristically flustered. Having Solomon and Jack in the same building – one ex-boyfriend, one current boyfriend who’d beaten up the ex-boyfriend and thus gotten himself fired and thrown out of the building – was never going to be an easy situation. But as soon as she sees Solomon and Rachel, the worry disappears from her face. ‘Hi, guys,’ she says, her relief clear, then it turns to confusion. ‘What are you doing standing outside?’
‘He won’t let me in,’ Solomon says, indicating Michael.
‘She can go in,’ Michael says, taking a bite out of an apple. The apple is invisible as his enormous hand wraps around it, the bite he makes almost ends the apple.
‘She has a name,’ Rachel says.
‘My apologies.’ He dips his head. ‘But asshole here, doesn’t.’
‘Apology accepted,’ Rachel chuckles.
‘Michael,’ Bo says, ‘Jack said it’s okay for him to come in.’
‘Well, Jack never told me that.’
‘I bet,’ Solomon says.
‘Why won’t he let you in, Solomon?’ Laura says suddenly, and they all turn to see her behind Michael’s enormous frame. Her eyes are wide and fearful.
‘Laura,’ Bo says, annoyed, as though speaking to a child, ‘I told you to stay in the waiting room.’
‘Asshole’s not allowed in,’ Michael explains to Laura, ‘because last time I laid my eyes on this little girl, she was having a hissy fit. Had to carry her out kicking and screaming.’
‘She punched quite well for a girl, I thought,’ Rachel defends Solomon. ‘I wasn’t here, but I saw the bruises in the photos in the newspaper.’
Michael turns his attention to Rachel.
‘She’s not a fan of Big Mickeys,’ Solomon says, and Rachel rolls her eyes.
‘Jesus, none of us will be allowed in if you carry on like this. Let me sort it out,’ Bo says, rooting through her bag for her phone.
‘Bo, please tell Jack Starr thank you very much for the opportunity, but I won’t go in there without Solomon,’ Laura speaks up, polite but firm.
Solomon looks at her in surprise and doesn’t attempt to hide his grin from Michael.
Laura’s honour doesn’t impress Michael, who has seen enough fame-hungry blonde beauties pass through these doors.
‘It’s okay, Laura, I’ll call Jack,’ Bo says quickly, moving away from them with the phone to her ear, which bothers Solomon because he wants to know what she’s saying to her ex-boyfriend about him. Within five minutes, they’re whisked inside by Bianca, a handler equipped with a clipboard and headset, who is now leading them through a network of corridors.
‘Hey,’ Rachel says to Laura, ‘I didn’t greet you properly out there.’ She throws her hand up for a high-five, which Laura smiles at and meets.
‘How’s your baby?’ Laura asks.