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‘I don’t want to be pictured next to anyone tooyoung,’ she spat.

Alex nodded. ‘Of course.’ She looked around again. A playwright named Lena Jones was sniffing a canape suspiciously. ‘There, perfect. Your age, totally a member of the lesbian theatre mafia. That would work, right?’

‘I took a risk marrying a woman. I can’t be seen with people like her. It reduces my accessibility. Theatre people? Lesbians? It won’t play in Peoria, as the Yanks say.’

Alex couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Isabelle—and I mean this as a compliment—you’ve never beenremotelyaccessible. And that’s exactly what people like about you.’

Isabelle smiled despite herself. ‘I take your point.’

‘So…’

‘Still a no. Try again.’

‘The party is gonna wind down in a minute, and people are gonna start leaving,’ Alex warned her.

Isabelle rolled her eyes. ‘Fine. Whoever you mention next, I’ll take, OK?’

Alex scanned the room, looking through the non-famous faces for just the right person. ‘Hmm, well, how about… Erin!’

Isabelle looked at her in horror. ‘Have you lost your mind?’

‘No, sorry. I didn’t mean… She’s here!’

Isabelle turned in wild panic to see what Alex had just spotted. Erin Porter swanning in with Leigh.

And here Alex had thought the evening was winding down.

Sixteen

It had taken forever to drag Erin to the party from the dive bar around the corner. It had also taken a lot of booze. Leigh practically had to smack drinks from her hand toward the end to keep her from getting completely smashed.

But they were here now at this shindig for… What was it again? Leigh couldn’t quite remember, but it didn’t matter. The place was stocked with media types, actors, and a photographer. It fitted their needs.

‘Just mingle,’ Leigh told Erin. ‘Don’t worry about anything more. We’re just letting people know you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.’

Erin nodded. ‘Where’s the champagne?’

‘Maybe stick to OJ?’

‘Fine.’

Erin walked off, and Leigh nervously watched her go. Had she forced her out too early? The picture had only come out two days ago. Leigh had been fending off the press ever since. She was rejecting all of them until the firestorm had died down a bit. Cool heads were needed now. Leigh was determined to keep hers fridge cold.

Leigh was mulling her next move when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to see Alex. It was quite the jump scare. ‘Jesus!’ she exclaimed too loudly. Several people looked around.

‘Lovely to see you, too,’ Alex said, power suited to the nines.

It made Leigh wonder if she was overdressed in her black gown. The trouble was, Alex never looked out of place anywhere. It was a confidence thing, not a sartorial thing. You couldn’t buy that off the rack, that was for sure.

Leigh realised something. ‘Oh my god, ifyou’rehere…’

‘That’s right. Isabelle’s right over there. And I don’t think either one of us wants them to have any interaction whatsoever tonight.’

‘God,no,’ Leigh agreed.

They looked at each other expectantly. Leigh realised what Alex was waiting for. ‘Oh, you think Erin’s leaving?’

‘Of course.’