Summer's Lease (The Shakespeare Sisters 1)

Now she was going too far. Why was Kitty looking so smug? ‘It’s not on over here.’

‘It’s already on the Internet. You can watch it on YouTube, I’ll send you the link. It’s only ten minutes long.’ She’d barely finished speaking before the URL came up in the chat box. ‘Go on, click on it.’

Cesca’s eyes widened. ‘Now?’

Kitty gave a little chuckle. ‘Why not?’

Because she didn’t want her sister seeing her break down. Because she wasn’t sure she could see Sam’s face without wanting to throw something at the laptop screen. Because everything felt too raw and painful.

‘Just watch, it, Cesca.’ Kitty’s tone turned cajoling. ‘I promise it’s not that bad.’

She clicked the link, which took her straight to the YouTube channel. After five seconds of adverts, the clip came on. Mary Jane Landers was talking to camera, making a joke about the audience needing a ‘Summer Breeze’ because it was getting hot in there. And then she was introducing Sam, to the whooping and catcalls of the audience, who from the camera shot were all thirty-something women.

Was it wrong to hate an entire age demographic?

And then Sam walked in, and it was like the past two weeks had never happened. As though he was walking into the library, giving her a smile before grabbing her for a kiss. Except this time the smile wasn’t for her. It was for Mary Jane and a hundred goddamn women.

Cesca could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage as she watched Sam take a seat, and say hello to Mary Jane. Then he was running a hand through his hair, pulling it out of his eyes, and Cesca could almost feel those coarse strands in her palms.

‘So, Sam, I hear you’ve been a bit of a naughty boy,’ Mary Jane said. More giggles and catcalls came from the audience. Sam turned to camera, an awkward smile on his face.

‘I’ve been a bit of an idiot, yes.’

‘Is it true what they’ve been saying?’

He raised his brows. ‘What have they been saying?’

‘That you’re like a jackhammer.’ She turned to the camera and made a silly face. ‘We all want to know if you really are.’

Sam laughed and rolled his eyes. ‘I can think of better ways of describing me.’

It was strange, watching him on the screen. He was Hollywood Sam, all perfectly groomed, yet there was still a hint of the other Sam, too. Her Sam. It made her heart ache.

Mary Jane asked him another question, but Cesca was too busy staring at Sam to hear. It was only when Kitty shouted, ‘This is the bit,’ that Cesca really started listening.

‘So what’s the deal with you and Serena Sloane?’

Sam grimaced. ‘There is no deal. It was practically over before it began. If I’d have known she was married it wouldn’t even have got that far. You know what Hollywood’s like. Why tell the truth when you can tell a thousand lies?’

‘So you’re available?’ Mary Jane waggled her eyebrows. The audience laughed.

‘I didn’t say that.’

Cesca leaned forward, intent on hearing every word. Somebody could have thrown a million pounds into her bedroom and she still wouldn’t have moved an inch.

‘Well this is interesting. Tell us more, please, but try not to break all our hearts, OK?’ Mary Jane said, leaning forward. Cesca wasn’t sure whether she wanted to slap her or hug her for asking.

‘There’s not too much to tell, yet.’ Sam smiled as he started to talk. ‘But I met a girl this summer and she was . . . really special. I don’t think she understands how special, but I’m determined to let her know somehow.’

‘Will she be watching now?’ Mary Jane looked excited at the prospect of a live exclusive. ‘You could tell her on air.’

He shook his head, grinning. ‘She lives in London. And she’s probably busy working or doing something important. She’s a writer.’

‘Is she a screenwriter? Will we have heard of her?’ Mary Jane asked. ‘And more importantly, where did you meet her?’

He could be talking about anybody, couldn’t he? OK, so the likelihood of him meeting two writers this summer was small, but it was still a possibility.

‘In Italy,’ he replied. Cesca’s pulse increased. ‘At a villa on Lake Como.’