Eternally North (Eternally North 1)

We were snuggling in each other’s arms when he spoke. “My mother and I spoke to Boleyn’s doctor today. He’s recommended that she goes to a retreat in Toronto for abuse victims for a few weeks, to help her deal with everything that’s happened. Mom takes her tomorrow – the sooner the better.” He paused. “My agent also called this morning, and I need to go to LA a weeks’ time for read-throughs and costume fittings on The Blade Reaper II. I knew I’d have to go soon, unfortunately."

I nodded slowly against his stomach, and my heart fell at the thought of him leaving for a prolonged period of time. I had gotten so used to him being here twenty-four seven and sleeping with him every night. I guessed this would be the start of the reality of our relationship: me being here and him being wherever it was that movie stars needed to go.

He lifted me up to his face. “Is that okay?”

I kissed him and smiled. “Of course, babes, it’s your job.”

He frowned. “I don’t want to go without you. I’m already dreading leaving to shoot this friggin’ movie. I wish I hadn’t signed on to do it and just taken a year off or something to be with you.”

I put my hand on his cheek. “Tudor, don’t be daft. You agreed to this before you even knew I existed, it’s your job. This is how our lives will be, and sooner or later we would’ve had to deal with it.”

He pecked a chaste kiss on my head. “I’d rather it would’ve been later,” he sulked.

I sighed. “I’ll be okay with the Tinkster; he’ll be pining for Tater-Tot too, but we’ll come and visit you guys any chance we get.” That made him somewhat brighter. I hated seeing him all sullen and down, but at the same time, it was reassuring that he was dreading being without me. But he will have a lot of… distractions out there.

Tudor shuffled down to meet my worried eyes. “What is it, gorgeous?”

I tucked my hair behind my ear, fidgeting. “I just worry that I’m not cut out for Hollywood. It’s a bit daunting for a northern girl from England to wrap my head around. But at the same time, I’d do anything to be with you.”

Tudor seemed to go rigid. I grabbed his arm. “Hey, I’m not running, I swear, I’m just opening up, telling you how I feel. No secrets, remember?”

“That’s not the problem.”

“What is it, babe?” I asked cautiously.

He reached into his bag beside his bed and pulled out a folded piece of A4 paper and gave it to me to open. “It was released tonight.”

I pulled a curious, confused face and opened the folded paper. It read:

'Press Release on behalf of Tudor North: A photo was leaked to the press several weeks ago showing Tudor North with a mystery woman. There was speculation at the time that said woman was romantically linked to Mr. North. The claim was denied due to private family circumstances, but he is now able to confirm that the woman in question is his significant other. Mr. North would like to affirm that he is in a committed and serious relationship and he requests privacy and respect on this matter.'

I dropped the paper and it floated to the floor.

“I called Kate yesterday. It will have been issued to all the major entertainment channels and public relations reps by now. I did it because I remembered a conversation that we had that stuck with me, before we were even together. You said that it would mean everything to you if someone loved you so much that they would declare it for the world to hear. Well, I thought actions would speak louder than words.”

For once in my life, I had nothing to say. Literally nothing.

Tudor fidgeted with his hands at my silence, seemingly doubting his statement release. “There will be a price to pay for this, the press will want to know all about you and they will want pictures, interviews – oh and a piece of your soul,” he tried to joke, looking incredibly worried.

I shook my head. “I… I don’t care about them, I-I just can’t believe you did that.”

He lowered his eyes and shuffled on the mattress. “Was it wrong? Did I f**k up?”

I shifted towards him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Wrong? Bloody hell, I’m speechless. I thought you wanted off the radar, not to be the bloody bulls-eye target?”

He hunched his shoulders. “I want everyone to know we’re together, that I belong to you and you to me. A quiet life is nothing if I don’t have you.”

I put my hand on the back of his head and pressed his head against mine. I whispered, “So you were never embarrassed by me?”

He moved his hands to my head, grabbing a fistful of my hair, tilting it back. “Are you kidding? How could I be? I know you have this crazy notion that you’re not good enough or don’t measure up, but the truth is you’re out of my league.”

I snorted at that. “Tudor I’m not perfect, not by any means.”

He pressed his head back to mine, his breath fanning my skin. “No, but you’re perfect for me.”

It was true, we were perfect together. I just hoped we were strong enough, – no, that I would be strong enough – to cope with being the girlfriend of a movie star and all that it entailed. I was about to venture into unchartered territory, and I was as apprehensive as hell.

Chapter 28

Loose lips

I woke up on the morning of my twenty-ninth birthday and sighed as I ran my hand over Tudor’s side of the bed; it felt cold. I hated not sleeping next to him, snuggling into him and I was feeling a little apprehensive as to why he had chosen to stay away the night before my birthday. He had simply said that “he had something to do”.