Phoebe
After Barney had dropped me home, I ran to my room, covered myself with my duvet, and sobbed into my pillow until it was soaking wet. Beth had rushed up the stairs after me, but I was ashamed to admit that I’d slammed the door in her face.
I knew she’d looked in on me, because I felt her rub my back and my old teddy bear was pushed under the covers, but she hadn’t forced me to talk, for which I was grateful. I guessed a couple of hours at least had passed because I heard the theme music to the boy’s favourite tea-time TV program, drift up the stairs. Taking in a deep breath, I poked my head out and looked across the room to see Beth sitting on the floor, her back against the wall.
“How long have you been here?” I croaked.
“About an hour, maybe less.”
“Beth,” I groaned. “Your arse must be numb.”
She shrugged and pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around them.
“I know it must be really hard,” she said. “But you’ll see him again soon.”
I inhaled sharply, remembering that the last Beth knew, I was going to help Grantley pack and arrange when I’d go out to LA to visit.
“I’m not going,” I whispered.
“What?” She scrambled around and crawled over to me. “What do you mean, you’re not going? What happened?”
“I can’t do it Beth. Shit,” I muttered, wiping my nose as the tears started again. “The distance, it’s just too far.”
“But you were so adamant it was going to work. Grantley, was so adamant it was going to work.”
“I know, and he wanted it, but I can’t stand the thought of him being there and seeing pictures and reading gossip about him. Like you said, I was an idiot over Serena and he was only talking to her, so imagine how I’ll feel if I’m thousands of miles away and see a picture of him with someone.”
I’d told Beth all about Serena and she’d call me an idiot, but she also understood. Steven had put her through that sort of crap their whole marriage – not that Grantley was anything at all like that dick.
“But this is just stupid,” my sister cried, throwing her arms into the air. “You’re heartbroken and you don’t have to be.”
“Yes I do, I have to be heartbroken now because it won’t be as bad as when I’m deeper in love with him.”
“Have you told him?” Beth asked.
“What?”
“That you’re in love with him.”
My mouth gaped. “Of course not.”
“Well you should have. But that doesn’t matter,” Beth snapped, getting up on her knees and leaning against the bed. “The thing that does matter is that you’re being stupid, ending things when you could have something amazing.”
“No I can’t. He might be shooting a film in Paraguay soon, and then where will he be after that?” I cried. “He could be anywhere in the world, and I just know there’ll be times when I can’t see him. Those times will get more and more until eventually I get the call that says ‘this isn’t working, Phoebe’, or worse, ‘I’ve met someone, Phoebe’, and I won’t be able to take it, Beth.”
“You can’t end things just in case he ends it in the future, or meets someone else. You’re being stupid.”
“No I’m not!” My voice cracked as I shouted at Beth. “He’s a gorgeous film star, Beth. He’s never going to be able to stay faithful.”
“He’s not fucking Steven, Phoebe. Not every man is like that piece of shit I married. Give him some credit.”
“But even if he doesn’t cheat, I can’t go there all the time. I have to work and who would help you with the boys if I was jetting off to LA for a few days each month?”
“Oh no, no you don’t.” Beth pushed herself up to stand, and slammed her hands to her hips. “You are not, not doing this because of me and the boys. We will be perfectly fine. In fact, if you want my damn opinion, I think you should go out there for good. Go and live with the man if you’re that worried about a long distance relationship.”
“Beth,” I gasped. “You don’t mean that.”
“Yes I bloody well do. You love him and I know without doubt that he loves you. I can see it in his eyes, the way he looks at you, and if you lose him because of some stupid idea that he may or may not cheat on you in the future, then you’re a bigger prick than Steven.”
“I am not,” I cried in dismay, throwing back the duvet. “I’m being sensible and I can’t just go and live there, he hasn’t even asked me.”
“So just tell him that’s what you’re doing. When have you ever been scared to say what you think?”
“When I fell in love with a film star.”
“A film star who loves you back, you idiot. Just tell him that’s what you want and I bet you a tenner he’ll want it too.”
“You’re betting my future on a bloody tenner?”
Beth grinned. “Well once you’re gone, I’ll need money to pay a babysitter.”
“You see, I can’t possibly go.” I rubbed my temples, wishing I hadn’t appeared from under the duvet. Life was much simpler under there.
“Don’t be so dramatic. I was joking.”
Beth stood in front of me and taking my hands pulled me to standing. She brushed my hair away from my face and cupped my cheek.
“Phoebe, I love you so very much and I can’t tell you how much help and support you’ve been, living with me and the boys, but it’s your time sweetheart.”
“But I don’t want to leave you.”
“Yes you do, especially if it means you’re with the man you love,” she said in a hushed tone.
“What if it’s not what he wants?” I asked, feeling sick to my stomach at the thought. “What if he only wants the long distance thing?”
“Well then, you have to make a choice,” she replied. “But if that’s all he wants it will only be because he doesn’t want to rush things, not because he doesn’t love you.”
“I don’t know Beth.”
“I do,” she said with a grin. “Go and get your man and show mum and dad that Melania isn’t the only one who can bag a rich and successful man.”
We both burst out laughing at the thought of our parents’ imaginary, perfect daughter.
“I suppose it would piss them off a little. Does a film star trump a doctor?” I asked.
“Hey,” Beth said with a mock frown. “He’s not just any old doctor, he’s a brain surgeon.”
Laughing I pulled her into a hug, swaying us from side to side.
“I love you,” I said into her hair.
“I know, I’m the best.” She pulled away and looked at her watch. “What time is his flight, because it’s almost six now.”
Dread thundered in my chest. “He’s leaving the hotel around seven, his flight is at nine-thirty. I’ll never get there in time.”
“So call him, stop him from going.”
I shook my head. “No I can’t. If I call, he won’t go, I know he won’t and he can’t miss this flight. He has to get home to be on a live show tomorrow night. Marcia will kill him if he misses it.”
“Hah,” Beth said waving a dismissive hand. “As if she’s scary.”
I looked at her wide eyed. “Would you really want to break the news to her?”
Beth thought about it for a second and shook her head. “No, you’re right. Don’t stop him getting on that plane, but at least try and get there to tell him.”
“Really, you think I should?”
Beth huffed and turned to pick up my shoes, before thrusting them at me.
“Just go. Take my car and don’t you dare come back here without telling him. Chase him to the airport if you think you’ve missed him at the hotel.”
I lifted a leg and pushed on a shoe, stepping into the other as I rushed from my room.
“Are you sure I’m doing the right thing?” I called over my shoulder.
“You won’t know until you ask him,” Beth shouted as I ran down the stairs. “Just don’t drive too fast.”
“I won’t,” I replied as I picked up her keys from the hook on the wall and flung open the front door. “Wish me luck.”
“What do you need luck for, pretty girl?”
My heart stopped to a shuddering halt, as I came face to face with Grantley.
“What are you doing here?” I gasped, touching his face with my fingertips, checking he was real. “You have a plane to catch. You’re going to be late. Marcia will kill you.”
“I don’t care.” As he breathed out the words, his eyes watched me with an intensity that heated my veins. “This is more important.”
“W-what is?” I stammered.
Without warning, Grantley’s mouth slammed against mine in the most amazing of kisses. It was hot and hard and it took command of my senses. My hair twined through his fingers as he held my head in place, pushing his hard body against mine as our tongues and lips collided. Finally, breathless and with my body buzzing, he pulled away.
“That was more important,” he stated.
“You came all this way and missed your flight for a kiss?” I asked, still reeling.
“Nope. I also came to tell you I love you.”
My heart didn’t just stop this time, but it dropped like a stone and then, as if electrified, jumped right back up to my chest and thumped wildly. My hands started to shake and my chest heaved with the exertion of the adrenalin battling with the blood in my veins.
“You do?” I asked, my voice quiet and breathy.
“Yes, I fucking do. More than I can tell you and I don’t want to spend even one minute without you in my life.” His big hand cupped the back of my head, as he looked at me with heat and passion in his eyes. “I don’t care what you say, this is not ending.”
“Grantley -.”
“No Phoebe, you’re going to damn well listen to me. This is not ending, it’s just starting because you’re coming to LA with me and I don’t just mean for a fucking visit.”
“You don’t?” I asked dreamily, hardly believing that he was here, holding me.
“Nope. I need you in my life, every day and you’re right, long distance wouldn’t work.”
“It wouldn’t?”
“Nope. So this is how it’s going to be. You’re coming to live in LA, I’m going to marry you and we’re going to have lots of sex and have us some beautiful kids and an amazing life together. You on board with that?”
I nodded, wondering if maybe I’d been drugged, but when Grantley trailed his knuckles down my cheek, making me shiver, I knew it was real.
Grantley James loved me and wanted to marry me.
Wait, what?
“You want to marry me?” I asked, shocked.
“That’s what I said.” He grinned and kissed me. “Not the most romantic proposal, I know, but I’ll do the mushy shit when I get you a ring.”
Tears of joy had now replaced those of sorrow from earlier, as I leapt into Grantley’s arms, wrapping my legs around him.
“I love you,” I cried, planting a big, wet kiss on his lips. “So very much.”
“You do?” he asked, giving me a gorgeous, shy smile.
“I do. I was on my way to tell you and to ask if you’d mind too much if I came to live with you.”
“Really?”
I nodded and squeezed my thighs at his waist.
“Are you going to get into trouble with Marcia?”
Grantley shrugged and leaned in for another short, sweet, kiss. “Don’t know and don’t care.”
“You really love me?” I asked incredulously.
“Yes pretty girl, more than anything. You make me smile, you make me laugh, and you fill my heart to bursting and I can’t imagine a life without you.”
“Well you don’t have to,” I sighed, nuzzling into his neck, “because I’m not leaving you ever again.”
“Good,” he breathed out, his voice full of relief, “because I wouldn’t let you anyway.”
As Grantley kissed me again, I thanked Genesius- the Patron Saint of actors- for giving me this beautiful man and was grateful for the day I was too busy on my phone to notice him.
“Hey,” Grantley said, breaking the kiss. “Who do you love?”
I smiled and kissed his nose. “I love you. Always you.”