Page 19 of The Lavender Bride

18

In the end, it’s the promise of a Green Card that decides me. Although I won’t lie, the thought of Father’s reaction when he finds out I’m married to Rex is a pretty strong inducement too.

I sleep on it because I’ve been brought up to think all decisions look clearer in the morning and, when I feel the same after my first cup of coffee, I go downstairs to the entrance hall and call Rex’s number.

‘It’s Audrey,’ I say when he comes on the phone. ‘I’ll do it.’

‘You will?’ He sounds stunned and incredibly relieved. ‘Oh, I didn’t dare hope. You’re the best! I cannot tell you how grateful I am.’

A warm glow forms in my stomach. I let Freddie down but I’m making it right with Rex. This time, friendship will stand true and we’ll make a future together.

‘Come over later on,’ Rex says. ‘I’ll get Dirk over and we’ll celebrate.’

I’m pleased and slightly relieved that he feels it’s a cause for celebration. I’m well aware that the cost of saving his career is giving up Tony and that can’t be easy.

* * *

When I stand by Rex’s door later that afternoon and look up at the house, it’s hard to believe it will soon be my home. I’m a whirl of contradictory emotions: excited yet nervous at the huge change that’ll soon happen in my life, anxious about playing my part convincingly and worried about what people will say when they find out I’m marrying my movie-star boyfriend. I know Ginny and Rita will be thrilled when I tell them we’re engaged but I wish I could tell them it’s a marriage in name only. Lying to them will be very hard indeed.

Rex opens the door himself and sweeps me up in a huge bear hug which takes my feet off the floor.

‘Audrey, my saviour!’ As he puts me down, he adds, ‘I’m so glad you’re here. Dirk wouldn’t let me open the champagne until you arrived.’

Being called Rex’s saviour brings back that warm glow in my stomach. This is the right thing to do. Together, we’ll beat Eyewitness and all those other people who want to destroy him. That’s got to be a good thing.

As I follow him across the hall to the sitting room, he adds, ‘We’ll get you a ring tomorrow morning. I’ll get the jeweller to send some over to the studio for you to try on. Any idea what you want?’ He glances back at me, notes my red, polka-dot dress. ‘You look good in red, maybe a ruby.’

‘Something elegant,’ I say firmly, thinking of Elizabeth Taylor’s engagement ring from Conrad Hilton, a beautiful diamond in a platinum setting. ‘Classy.’

‘Diamond then.’ Rex grins at me. ‘I knew you’d know.’

‘Congratulations, kid!’ As I enter the sitting room, Dirk comes over and kisses me on the cheek. ‘I’ll miss you. You’re the best secretary I’ve ever had but I don’t mind losing you,’ he slaps Rex on the back, ‘to this guy.’

I stare at him. I’ll have to give up work? Dirk must see the shock on my face as he laughs. ‘You didn’t think you’d keep working, did you? You can’t do that. People would think Rex couldn’t afford to keep you.’

‘Erm, of course,’ I murmur. I’m getting married and with that comes a Green Card. That’s the important thing. There’s no point getting upset about giving up work. I’ll be busy doing whatever movie stars’ wives do. It’ll be all right. I just need time to get used to the idea. That’s all.

‘I’ll get the champagne!’ Rex says.

After Rex leaves, Dirk takes my arm. ‘Come in late tomorrow.’ Dirk smooths his moustache. ‘I’m letting Tony go and in case he cuts up rough, I’d rather you weren’t around.’

I stare at him. He’s dropping Tony? To lose Rex and his agent in one weekend. He’ll be devastated!

‘Do you have to?’ I ask. ‘The poor guy!’

‘He’s never going to make it. Honestly, I’m doing him a favour getting him out of the business.’

I’ve worked for Dirk for long enough to know the word ‘honestly’ invariably prefixes a lie. My eyes narrow. What is he up to?

Dirk pats my arm as if I’ve agreed. ‘Eleven o’clock okay for you?’

‘All right,’ I say slowly.

‘Good girl.’

Rex returns with champagne in an ice bucket and three coupe glasses. He opens the bottle with a muted pop and hands me a glass. ‘To my beautiful bride,’ he says, clinking his glass against mine.

‘You don’t have to say things like that when it’s only the three of us,’ I say, a little tartly.

Honestly, if he’d been this fulsome with compliments when we were dating then I might have genuinely fallen for him and now where would I be? Heartbroken and sobbing as I was after I found out about Freddie and Michael. I never want to be hurt like that again. I know where I stand with this lavender marriage and if that keeps my heart safe then I’m fine with that.

Rex looks miffed which makes me feel bad. Wishing I’d been more tactful, I give him a placating smile.

‘Give him a break, kid.’ Dirk nudges me. ‘He’s never got fake married before.’

‘Nor have I.’ I fold my free arm across my chest. ‘I just meant save it for when we need it, all right?’

Rex nods and then raises his glass. ‘To pulling the wool over the eyes of Louella, Hedda and Eyewitness .’

‘I’ll drink to that.’ Dirk clinks his glass against Rex and mine. ‘So when are you two going to tie the knot?’

‘There’s no rush, is there?’ I say at the exact same moment that Rex says, ‘Soon.’

We look at each other and laugh. It feels more right than any other moment in our relationship. The constraint between us has gone. We both know where we stand now and from this moment forward, we’re in it together.

Dirk looks between us and says, ‘How would the fourteenth suit you?’

My eyebrows shoot up. ‘Of February? But that’s less than two weeks!’

‘The papers would love a Valentine’s Day wedding.’ Dirk knocks back half of his champagne. ‘And really, what’s the point of waiting?’

‘I don’t want a church wedding,’ I say abruptly. I’ve thought about this on the drive over and there is no way I can marry Rex in church. I walked away from everything Father holds dear but I was brought up as the Minister’s daughter and I can’t stand in church and say words I don’t believe.

‘The courthouse it is then,’ Dirk says. ‘I’m sure we can get you in there on the fourteenth.’

I press my hand against my fluttering heart. Giving myself more time to think isn’t going to help. I’ve committed to this path with this man. I glance at Rex and he beams at me, that thousand-watt smile that has melted a million hearts.

‘All right,’ I hear myself saying, ‘Valentine’s Day it is.’