Page 37 of From Notting Hill with Love…Actually (Actually #1)

Now is really not the time to be living in a movie scene, I thought, recalling Four Weddings and a Funeral , and in particular the scene where Hugh Grant is stuck in the closet while the bride and groom bonk on the bed outside.

No films , I silently prayed. Not now of all times—please, not now!

I think someone must have been listening. Because then I heard Sean’s voice—

“No, I’m sorry, I really can’t do this.”

“Sean, darling…come on, just for old times’ sake.”

I heard a sort of scuffling noise.

“No, Jen! Really, I can’t. There’s someone else now.”

“Who? You never mentioned anyone else at dinner.”

Yes, who, Sean? You’ve never mentioned anyone else to me either. But if it means getting rid of this Jen…wait, wasn’t Jen the name of Sean’s contact in New York?

“Well, there is,” Sean said so quietly I could hardly hear him. “And she’s very important to me.”

“So what was tonight all about, then?” Jen demanded. “Just dinner?”

“Yes,” Sean said, sounding apologetic. “That’s exactly what it was—just a thank-you for helping me out.”

“I see.”

“I’m sorry if you thought it was more than that, Jen. I can assure you my intention was not to lead you on.”

There was a brief silence and then Jen spoke again.

“I haven’t heard from you in years, Sean, and then out of the blue I get a phone call from you asking for help. What am I supposed to think?”

I’m guessing Sean shrugged then because there was silence once more. Oh, it was so annoying being in this cupboard—I wanted to see what was happening. Then I remembered why I was there, and I calmed down again.

“Well, you never contacted me either, did you? You ran off with the Yank, and that was the last I knew. I mean Oscar isn’t likely to tell me what you’re up to, is he?”

Oh my God, Jen is Oscar’s sister…the one who broke Sean’s heart!

“He was called Rob, as you well know, Sean. After all, he was your best friend.”

Oh my God, his best friend? Sean said he was just a work colleague.

“Exactly, Jen, my best friend, and you ran off with him.”

“That’s ancient history as far as I’m concerned. And anyway, if you were still so sore about it, why did you call me up wanting my help? You knew I’d be here in Paris right now for fashion week. Admit it, Sean, you wanted to see me again.”

Don’t, Sean—don’t admit anything! I willed from my cupboard.

“I had no idea you’d be here,” Sean said coolly. “I assumed you were safely back in New York when I called.”

“So why call?”

“Because, for the hundredth time, I needed some information, and, unfortunately for me, you were the only person I knew who might be able to help.”

“So why ask me out to dinner then?”

“I didn’t; you invited yourself. And because you’d been so unusually helpful, I was too polite to say no.”

“You used me,” Jen said accusingly.

“I did not.”

“So where is she then? This girl you’ve been helping? I’m assuming she’s the someone else you mentioned.”

Silence.

“I thought as much,” Jen continued. “If that’s the case, I may as well just go. You’ve humiliated me, Sean, letting me follow you to your hotel room like this. I hope you’re happy.”

“I promise you it was not my intention, Jen. However, if that’s how you feel, then…”

There was silence again. Oh how I wished I could see what was happening.

“Then what, Sean?”

“Then I’ll look on it as an added bonus. Because now, Jen, you’ve experienced just a tiny percentage of how you made me feel when you ran off with the Yank!”

Go, Sean! I wanted to yell .

A door slammed shut and the room fell silent. I felt secretly pleased for Sean—he had definitely won that battle.

But my euphoria was somewhat short-lived—for it dawned on me I was still stuck in the wardrobe. It was getting hot and stuffy in here now, and my legs were starting to cramp from straddling Sean’s suitcase. How on earth was I going to escape?

Hmm…I thought hard for a moment. Let’s assume Sean will probably just go straight to bed now, that means I will just have to wait here a little longer until he falls asleep.

But what if he hangs his clothes in here before going to bed?

I panicked a little. No, that wasn’t likely to happen, men never hung their clothes up.

They just left them lying over a chair—or, more likely, in a heap on the floor.

But if he didn’t visit the wardrobe before bedtime, and I was lucky enough to have him fall asleep without finding me, how on earth would I get back to my room again?

I couldn’t go out of the door—even if I did get through it without him stirring, I didn’t have my key with me to get back into my own room again.

I heard Sean moving about and then I heard him mumble something that sounded like “What’s this?” and there was a rustle of paper.

Oh no—my note!

“Meet me at the Eiffel Tower…” His voice trailed off. “Oh, Scarlett,” I heard him say softly.

I listened intently, my ear pressed up against the wardrobe door, but all I heard next was another door open and close.

What’s he doing now? I wondered impatiently. Then it dawned on me…

Quickly I opened the wardrobe door and ran toward the balcony. Through the open windows to my room I could hear Sean knocking hard on my door.

With any luck he’ll assume I’m asleep when I don’t answer and leave me alone , I silently prayed, as I grabbed hold of the drainpipe again.

The knocking subsided.

Phew …I carefully swung my leg over toward my own balcony, got it safely over, and was just about to swing the other one across when I heard Robbie Williams’s “Let Me-ee…Entertain You…” booming from my back pocket.

Shit, Sean was only calling my mobile now.

Hastily I swung my other leg across the gap and reached into my back pocket just as Sean appeared on his balcony.

He looked at his phone and then he looked at me. “What are you doing out here?” he asked. “I was just at your door, knocking. When you didn’t answer I assumed you were still out.”

“I was out—well, out here taking a call…from David. I didn’t hear the door. I must have just hung up as you called.”

“Oh, I see. Are you OK, Scarlett? You look a bit…flustered.”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Did you have a good night?”

Here we go, I thought. Wait for it…

“It was…all right,” I answered hesitantly.

“Only, I just found this.” Sean held up my note.

“Ah…that.”

“I’m so sorry. I’ve only just got back from…my meeting. I didn’t see it before.”

“No worries,” I said with a shrug. “It was a bit of a joke really. Just another movie moment for me to add to my list. ”

“Oh.” Sean looked thoughtfully at the piece of paper. “Look, do you want to come over here for a while, or shall I come to you? I feel a bit silly talking to you across our balconies.”

“I’ll come over to you.” I was relieved, yet puzzled as to why Sean hadn’t ribbed me about the Eiffel Tower. Maybe he was saving it until he’d found out for sure I’d spent all night up there alone.

I grabbed hold of the drainpipe and began to climb back over to Sean’s balcony.

“Scarlett! What the hell are you doing?”

“Oh…yeah,” I said, blushing as I quickly pulled my leg back. “Maybe it would be easier if I just came around to your door.”