She’d quit her job. She probably had enough savings to pay the next four or five months’ rent and then she’d be out.
Her phone beeped again and she lifted it up. Immi.
Portia sagged down onto the sofa. She was sure something was going on with her sister—the last thing Immi needed was to listen to Portia’s problems. But it was almost as if her sister had a sixth sense. As soon as the pictures had hit the press she’d kept texting, asking Portia to get in touch.
And it wasn’t high-five texts like those she’d got from some Hollywood friends. Immi wasn’t dazzled by the thought of her sister dating a film star.
Portia took a deep breath and pressed ‘Call’.
Immi answered instantly. ‘Tell me you’re okay.’
It didn’t matter that Immi sounded anxious; for Portia the familiarity of her voice was like a snuggly blanket. Comfort. That was what she needed right now.
‘Tell me you’re okay,’ she replied quickly. ‘Is something going on? I feel as if there’s something you aren’t telling me.’
There was a long sigh at the end of the phone. ‘Deflection, deflection, deflection, Portia. And it isn’t going to work. To answer your questions, I’m fine. We can talk about me later. Just know that I have everything under control. Now, tell me what’s really going on.’
A tear snaked down Portia’s cheek. She was so used to being the big sister. She was so used to being the one that had stuck plasters on her sisters’ knees and stopped their squabbles.
‘Portia? Are you crying? Talk to me. Tell me about Javier Russo. I don’t need to ask what you’ve been doing because I’ve seen it. But I want to know how you are. I want to know what’s happened.’
Portia licked her dry lips. Her case was still bulging by the door. She had half a mind to pick it straight back up and find another flight to somewhere else in the world.
Immi kept talking. ‘I know he was in Italy this morning. I know he visited the family of the friend people are talking about. And if I believe what I hear on the news, he’s currently on his way back to LA.’
Portia’s heart nearly stopped. Javier was coming back here? Why? What for?
‘Portia. Talk to me now. If you don’t start talking I’m going to climb on a plane and shake you until you do.’
The words stuck part way in her throat. ‘I... I don’t know what to say...’
It was clear Immi was getting exasperated. ‘Well, say something!’
The tears just started to flow. ‘I’ve made such a mess of things. I’ve quit my job—’
‘What?’
‘And Javier thinks I’ve betrayed him. He thinks I lied to him. He thinks I broke the story about what happened with his friend. I would never do that. Never.’
‘Well, of course you wouldn’t. And why on earth would he think that?’
Portia sniffed. ‘Because he hadn’t told anyone else. Just me. Next thing it was plastered all over the news. He thinks it was me.’
She could hear the change in Immi’s voice. ‘What kind of a man is this Javier Russo? Doesn’t he know you at all?’
Portia’s voice broke. ‘But I hadn’t told him. I hadn’t told him that my boss had given me an ultimatum to find a story.’
Immi’s voice softened. ‘Why not?’
‘Because I didn’t want him to think badly of me. He hated the press. They harassed his mother when he was a young boy. He didn’t trust anyone in the press.’
‘But he must have trusted you. I’m assuming from the way you were wrapped around him you got up close and personal?’ Portia closed her eyes. She could picture Immi right now with her eyebrows arched as she asked the question.
She sagged a little further on the sofa. ‘Yes.’
‘And now—you’ve fought?’
‘Yes.’ It was all she could get out.
‘Tell me what you think of him. Tell me what you really think of Javier Russo. And no holding back. Is this man really worth your tears? He’s a film star, after all—aren’t they all just smoke and mirrors?’
Portia blinked back her tears. It was a reasonable question. She’d moaned often enough to her sisters about the lies and betrayals in Hollywood.
She squeezed her eyes shut again and took a deep breath. ‘I know that the man I met on L’Isola dei Fiori has the biggest heart on the planet. He’s nothing like the arrogant man I’ve met on the red carpet. Most people watch Javier on a movie screen and just see the sexy Italian star with a twinkle in his eye. There’s so much more to him than that. He’s caring. He’s hard-working. He wants to do his absolute best. I was lucky to spend time with him. I was lucky to connect with him in a way I’ve never connected with anyone before. He made me feel confident. He made me feel sure. He made me want to do better in this life.’ She couldn’t believe she’d actually just said all that out loud.
‘Oh, no.’
‘What do you mean—oh, no?’
Immi spoke in a voice that sounded so much older than her years. ‘I mean, oh, no. You’ve fallen for him. You’re in love. You never speak like this about anyone. Never. He’s broken your heart—hasn’t he? Right, that’s it. Get me an address. Javier Russo is going to meet the Marlowe sisters in a way he could never even imagine.’
Portia choked out a laugh. She could only imagine her sisters stampeding Javier and letting him witness the full extent of the Marlowe sisters’ ire.
She shook her head. ‘Stop it, Immi. You can’t do that. I don’t know his address.’ Those words made her heart squeeze. She hadn’t asked Javier for his address. They hadn’t got around to it.
‘Why?’ asked Immi, her voice wavering slightly. ‘You’d do the same for me.’ Her voice softened. ‘What else are sisters for?’
Portia smiled. She wiped away her tears. ‘Thank you, honey. It’s good to talk. I need to take some time to decide what to do next.’
Immi was quiet for a second. ‘Okay. You’ll call me if you need me?’
‘Only if you call me if you need me.’ Immi gave a little sigh. ‘Let’s talk in a few days.’
‘Done.’
Portia rang off, pushed herself off the sofa and walked over to the window. Hollywood wasn’t for her any more. Not like this.
But there was some place she still wanted to go.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
HIS PHONE STARTED buzzing as soon as he landed. Text after text after text.
His visit with Aldo’s parents and sister had been short and sweet. Aldo’s mother and father were upset by the press intrusion but the local polizia had moved them on. They’d known Aldo’s last call had been to Javier. They’d known Javier hadn’t got it. They hadn’t known about the message.
&
nbsp; But they’d handled it well. They didn’t blame Javier. They knew he’d been filming in the middle of nowhere and working long hours. They’d been heartened by the news of his plans for the charity and the helpline. Their reaction had given him new vigour.
The paparazzi were waiting at the airport. Swarming around him. A private security firm kept them at a distance as their cameras snapped and their shouted questions all just merged into noise.
A car was waiting for him. He climbed into the back and leaned back against the cool leather seats. He was tired. He hadn’t slept at all.
He ignored the texts and the messages on his phone, instead pulling up his browser, his fingers poised over the keys. He knew better than to do this. He did. But his fingers worked automatically.
The first hit surprised him.
Holly Payne lands Entertainment Buzz TV’s top job after Portia Marlowe quits.
It was only a few hours old.
He straightened up in the seat. Why would Portia quit?
The horrible nagging feeling that had been in his stomach since he’d left Villa Rosa intensified.
His mind started to swirl. Portia had quit. That wasn’t the sign of someone chasing a story. That wasn’t the actions of a woman that was trying to entice someone into revealing details of their life.
He groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. It didn’t matter that the car was air-conditioned, sweat started to break out on his skin.
He searched on his phone. There. A picture of the journalist that had broken the story. An Italian journalist. His mouth was dry. He recognised the guy.
The man from the next balcony in the hotel in Naples.
He’d heard every word.
Every part of Javier’s body cringed. It was obviously intentional. The man had deliberately booked into the next suite to his. Hoping to find a story. And he’d got it.
He could feel his heart thud against his chest. Everything he’d hoped. All the plans he’d had in his head. Plans for him and Portia.