Shafted (36 page)

‘Rave reviews, as expected,’ Georgie told him, pulling one of the tall stools out from under the breakfast bar and sitting down. ‘You’ll particularly like the write-up in the
Mirror
. But take a look at these pictures first.’

Looking over her shoulder as she laid the newspapers out, Larry smiled when he saw all the shots of his limo at the studio gates, taken from various angles to highlight the blonde girl in the too tight top and
way
too short skirt who was sprawled over the bonnet in one, looking suspiciously knickerless; trying to yank the door open in another; and kicking out at the photographers in another, with black mascara streaks running from her eyes to her chin.

‘Jeezus, she’s a mess,’ he snorted, shaking his head. ‘I had no idea any of that was going on.’

‘Notice anything familiar?’ Georgie asked.

Wondering if Stephanie had been right to worry after all, and the camera flashes
had
exposed them at it on the back seat, Larry peered at the car’s blackened windows. Satisfied that nothing was visible, he said, ‘Nope.’ Then, laughing, ‘Unless you’re talking about you in your car behind? Christ, look at your eyes. You’re like a rabbit in headlights.’

‘I’m not talking about me,’ Georgie said, impatiently jabbing a finger down on a shot of the girl. ‘I’m talking about
her
.’

‘What about her?’ Larry asked, moving away to fill the kettle. ‘Coffee?’

‘Yes, please. So you don’t recognise her?’

‘Should I?’ Switching the kettle on, Larry reached into the cupboard and took out three cups.

Guessing that Stephanie must have stayed the night – or maybe he’d picked someone else up after dropping her off, because who knew what he got up to when he thought nobody was looking? – Georgie said, ‘I’d say you should, considering you slept with her.’

‘Did I?’ Larry looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. ‘Can’t say I remember.’

‘Tania Baxter?’ Georgie persisted, watching his face for signs of recognition. Tutting when she saw none, she said, ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Larry. It’s the girl from the telethon. The one who destroyed your career, and almost ruined your life. Remember now?’

Frowning as he spooned coffee into the cups, Larry said, ‘No, it’s not. She had dark hair and small tits.’

‘Oh, so you remember that much about her,’ Georgie said disapprovingly. ‘Well, maybe you’ll remember sleeping with her as well, then. Because
she
certainly does.’

‘Bullshit,’ Larry snorted. ‘You know nothing happened.’

‘So you both said. But now she’s saying different, and I’d like to know why.’

‘
I
don’t know.’ Larry shrugged. ‘How do you know what she’s saying, anyway? Is it in the papers, or something?’

‘No, I had a chat with her last night when I gave her a lift home, and she told me you’d been seeing each other a couple of years ago but had agreed to take time out while you sorted out some
problems
. Now, I’m assuming that those problems were to do with the bad publicity about her age. And I’m also assuming that it was
your
idea to take a break. Am I right?’

Irritated now, Larry said, ‘My, we have been digging, haven’t we?’

‘So it’s true, then,’ Georgie said quietly, disappointed because she’d sincerely wanted him to deny it.

‘Not in the way
you
mean,’ Larry replied tersely, pouring hot water into the cups. ‘I never slept with her, and I can swear on that. Not that it’s any of your business if I did, by the way.’

‘You weren’t the one who had to rescue her from those reporters last night,’ Georgie reminded him bluntly. ‘So I’d appreciate a bit more
gratitude
and a bit less
attitude
, if you don’t mind.’

‘What’s that got to do with anything?’ Larry grunted, bringing the cups to the bar and putting hers down hard, so that some of the coffee slopped out onto the top paper.

‘If I’d left her there to tell
them
what she more or less told
me
we’d be looking at some pretty damning headlines right now,’ Georgie pointed out, moving the papers out of the way.

Telling her that she was overreacting, Larry sat on the stool beside hers and looked at the pictures again, saying, ‘Oh, come on. She’s a mess. You can’t really think I’d be interested in her?’

‘You were that night,’ Georgie reminded him. ‘You took her clubbing and were caught snogging the face off her, if I remember correctly.’

‘Snogging?’ Larry grimaced. ‘Don’t you think you’re a bit old to be using words like that? It sounds so wrong coming from someone like you.’

Ignoring the jibe, Georgie said, ‘You obviously had some attraction for her, and now she’s saying that things went further than either of you admitted. And I’d hate to think what damage she could cause if she said it to anyone else.’

‘She can’t hurt me,’ Larry scoffed dismissively, shoving the offending pictures away. ‘She’s already told everyone what really happened that night. She didn’t stay the night with me, and we didn’t have sex.’

‘But
some
thing happened,’ Georgie said perceptively. ‘And please don’t lie, because I can see it in your eyes.’

Adamant that he genuinely hadn’t had sex with the girl, Larry admitted, ‘But I might have promised to take her out to dinner, or something. I’m not sure.’

‘For her birthday?’

‘Yeah, I think so. But only to get her off my back.’

‘Wonderful,’ Georgie groaned, flapping her hands. ‘How could you be so stupid?’

‘
I
don’t know,’ Larry retorted, feeling as though he was being told off by his headmistress. ‘You know what I’m like. I say stuff like that to girls all the time, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to do it. And they don’t usually try and hold me to it.’

‘Yes, well, this one isn’t quite like the rest,’ Georgie told him, sighing wearily. ‘I get the feeling she’s a wee bit
unbalanced
when it comes to you.’

‘Well, that’s her problem, not mine. And I’ve got no intention of taking her out, so that’s the end of it.’

Saying, ‘I certainly hope so,’ Georgie smiled at Stephanie who’d just walked in, wearing Larry’s dressing gown and with her hair wrapped in a towel. ‘Morning, dear. You’re looking better today. Sleep well?’

Taken aback by the friendly tone, Stephanie said, ‘Er, yes. Very well, thanks. I think I was just a bit stressed out yesterday, with all the running around trying to get to the studio.’

Peering at Georgie bemusedly, having also picked up on her seeming change of attitude, Larry looked at Stephanie and raised his eyebrows in a
whaddyaknow?
gesture.

Aware that she’d surprised them both, Georgie reached for her coffee and gazed around the kitchen as they kissed each other good morning. Given what Larry
could
have hooked himself up with, Stephanie suddenly didn’t seem so bad. Maybe it was time to stop treating her like the enemy, Georgie mused. She was a nice-looking girl with no airs and graces, and Georgie had to admit that she was having a good effect on Larry, because he was so much more relaxed when she was around. And, despite drinking last night, which was quite acceptable given the occasion, he’d managed to stay relatively clean so far.

Looping an arm around Stephanie’s waist now as she sipped her coffee, Larry said, ‘Georgie’s just been telling me about that girl last night. You’ll never guess who it was.’

‘Who?’ Stephanie looked from him to Georgie.

‘Remember I told you about that trouble a couple of years ago with the girl who lied about her age to get onto my show? Well, it was her,’ Larry said, adding sarcastically, ‘
Apparently
we were having a relationship, and agreed to not see each other for a while.’

‘Oh, really?’ Stephanie gave a wry smile. ‘And I take it she’s ready to pick up where you left off?’

‘Guess so.’ Larry shrugged. ‘You can’t believe the crap some people come out with, can you? And Georgie reckons she really believes it.’

‘Scary,’ Stephanie murmured, shaking her head.

‘Very,’ Georgie agreed. ‘But I told her to stop chasing him because he’s very happy with you, and suggested that she get herself a boyfriend her own age.’

‘Oh, I bet she loved that,’ Larry chuckled, delighted that Georgie had recognised that he was happy with Stephanie and seemed to have accepted it at last. ‘What did she say?’

‘Nothing. She just jumped out of the car and stomped away like a sulky little girl.’

‘Is that her?’ Stephanie asked, leaning forward to peer at the newspapers.

‘Yeah,’ Larry said, his tone sneering again. ‘As if I’d look twice at someone like
that
when I’ve got you.’

‘About that,’ Georgie interjected thoughtfully. ‘I was wondering if it might not be time you were seen together – as a couple.’

‘You what?’ Larry snorted. ‘Craig would cut your tongue out if he heard you suggesting something like that. He’d freak out about losing all the viewers if they realise I’m off the market.’

‘I don’t care what Craig thinks,’ Georgie said dismissively. ‘But I
do
care about you, and I think it would be a good preventative measure – to stop any silliness with girls like that one last night cropping up again in the future.’

Stiffening, Stephanie was about to protest that she really wasn’t ready to put herself in front of the cameras. But Larry saved her the trouble, saying, ‘That wouldn’t be fair. It’d feel like we’re just using Stephanie as some kind of besotted-fan shield. We’ll come out when we’re good and ready – eh, babe?’

Smiling when he squeezed her around the waist, Stephanie mouthed a grateful thank-you. Then, reaching up to touch the towel, she said, ‘I’d better go and dry my hair before it sets like this.’

‘You’re not still going to work, are you?’ Larry gazed up at her disappointedly. ‘I wanted you to come with me today.’

‘I’ve got to,’ she told him, reaching behind him to put her cup down. ‘I’d get out of it if I could, but I’ve got a heads-of-department meeting at ten, and I’ve really got to be there.’

‘What is it that you do, dear?’ Georgie asked, taking an interest in her for the first time.

Shrugging modestly, Stephanie said, ‘Nothing very exciting. Just retail.’

‘I keep telling her she should pack it in and move in with me,’ Larry said, looking to Georgie for support.‘There’s no point her working so many hours when she could be a lady of leisure.’

‘I don’t want to be kept,’ Stephanie murmured, wishing he wouldn’t do this in front of his agent, because she’d probably think that Stephanie was after his money now.

‘Quite right,’ Georgie said approvingly. Then, to Larry, ‘And you shouldn’t be trying to take her independence away from her, because we women need to be able to stand on our own two feet. Too many of us rely on men only to find ourselves up the creek when they decide to trade us in for better models.’ Back to Stephanie: ‘Not that I’m suggesting for one minute that he’ll trade you in, my dear, but I’m sure you know what I mean.’

Giving the most genuine smile Georgie had seen from her so far, Stephanie said, ‘Yes, I do. And I’ve got to admit that I had no idea what I was getting into when I agreed to go out with Larry, or we might not be having this conversation right now. But I don’t want the fame, or the money, I just want him. And if we do ever get caught out, I want to be able to hold my head up, knowing that no one can accuse me of being a gold-digger.’

Peering up at her, Georgie pursed her lips and nodded slowly. Then, turning to Larry, she winked, and said, ‘She’ll do.’

Laughing when Georgie had finished her coffee and gone, Larry pulled Stephanie into his arms and said, ‘See, I told you she liked you.’

Exhaling with relief, Stephanie said, ‘Took her long enough.’

‘Ah, yes, but she had to put you to the test before she gave us her blessing.’

‘Bit late for that,’ Stephanie said, biting her lip coyly as she peeled Larry’s hands from around her waist and backed away from him. ‘If she had any idea what we’ve been getting up to behind closed doors, she’d have had me burned at the stake months ago.’

Loving that she was being so playful, Larry reached for her again, saying, ‘Don’t go to work. Phone in sick and come back to bed.’

‘No,’ she said firmly, sidestepping him. ‘You heard your mother . . . I need my independence.’

Rolling his eyes now, Larry said, ‘I think I’m already regretting letting you two get to know each other. Now there’s two of you to gang up on me.’

‘Two of us to love you,’ Stephanie corrected him softly, stroking his cheek. ‘Now, stand aside, Mr Logan, and let me get ready for work.’

‘Only if you promise to meet me at the studio when you’re finished and let me introduce you to George Michael,’ Larry said, following her when she headed for the bedroom. ‘Craig’s arranged for us all to go out for dinner, and I’d like you to come.’

‘I can’t,’ Stephanie said, flicking her head forward and rubbing her hair briskly with the towel.

‘It’s a really safe venue,’ Larry told her, thinking she was refusing because of the publicity shit again. ‘Definitely no paps, or George wouldn’t have agreed to come.’

‘I still can’t,’ Stephanie said, moving him out of the way so she could reach the hairdryer she kept in his drawer. ‘I’m being sent to Milton Keynes on an over-nighter straight after the meeting.’

‘Again?’ Larry moaned, frowning now. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘Because they only told
me
yesterday, and you were too busy celebrating when I saw you, so I didn’t want to put a downer on things. But it’s only one night, and it sounds like you’ll be having fun with your pop-star friend.’

‘I wanted you to come,’ Larry said, watching as she started to style her lovely hair.‘Even Georgie thinks it’s a good idea for us to be seen together.’

Gritting her teeth, Stephanie forced herself to smile at him in the mirror. As much as he was – light-heartedly – regretting her and Georgie making friends because it meant they could now henpeck him together, it was going to make things even more difficult for
her
now that Georgie seemed to have accepted her. Now she’d have
two
of them pressuring her to go public.