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Alex called Baker in. ‘I need a full address list for every voter for the National Guild of Actors Award, the Lawrence Griffin Award, and the MOKDA’S.’

‘You campaigning for Isabelle? Should I get DVDs made?’ he asked.

‘Get them made, but don’t send them anywhere. People will get them in gift bags, along with the story of the little movie that could.’

Audrey raised an eyebrow. ‘Gift bags?’

‘Yes. I’m going to throw a disgustingly lavish screening party.’

Baker laughed. ‘Do we do that here? I thought that was a Hollywood thing. And also, can I go?’

‘It is, yes. And no, you can’t.’

Baker tutted. ‘But isn’t it a bit brazen?’

‘Yeah, it’s gross. And itworks.’ She thought it over. ‘And find out who’s doing the high-end gift bags. A budget of five grand a bag.’

‘Jesus. You could put an iPhone in them at that price.’

‘If that’s what a bribe costs,’ Alex shrugged.

‘Wow,’ Baker said in sheer amazement at Alex’s gall.

‘No one just wins a best actress award,’ Alex told him. ‘There’s a system. I’m simply planning to be a bit gauche about it. But watch if it doesn’t work.’

‘You’re so corrupt,’ Baker said. ‘I love it.’

‘I try. Oh, and by the way, make sure to put Leigh Calloway on the invite list,’ she said.

Baker looked at Alex like she’d gone mad. ‘Erin Porter’s PR person? Why?’

‘I just thought she’d like to come and see what she’s really up against,’ Alex said. ‘Hopefully, it will intimidate her and shatter her confidence,’ she added quickly.

Did Alex believe that? Almost. Because she was pretty good at denial. But the truth couldn’t be held at bay forever. And the truth was that Alex wanted to impress Leigh. Same as before.

Ten Years Ago

Alex didn’t know how she’d ended up sitting with this trio of idiots who were never gonna get any of these girls into bed. She should have been upstairs, alone with Leigh. She didn’t even care whether they slept together tonight. She just wanted to kiss her. Or touch her hair. Inhale her. Anything, really.

The whole thing made Alex feel just a little crazy. She felt like she was walking willingly into her own madness. She’d never understood anyone else’s need to make someone else the answer to life until right now. Because there was simply something about Leigh that seemed like an answer to a question Alex hadn’t known how to ask.

‘Right, Leigh, you’re up first,’ said one of the guys, the purple-haired one. Alex couldn’t be bothered to memorise his name. ‘Tell me about the first time you had sex,’ he said, looking pleased with himself, like there was any originality to his question.

‘Oh, Jesus, really?’ Leigh said, looking adorably embarrassed.

‘You can take a drink if you don’t want to…’

Leigh necked a shot before anyone could say further. ‘That’s me done. Next.’

‘Alex, same question.’

Alex necked a shot. She then watched as everyone did the same thing except for one girl who seemed pretty keen to describe a tryst when she was seventeen.

‘I lost it on holiday, with my family,’ the girl said.

‘Youwhat?’ the purple-haired guy asked worriedly.

The girl realised what she’d said. ‘No, I mean, I was on holiday with my family when it happened. I shagged a barman at the onsite pub. I mean,obviously, you creep!’