Whatever it was, the women stood, grinning and waving at him as they crossed the bar to sit with another group.
Gratified by their departure, I slid into the seat opposite Theo. The pub was busy, the bar area packed with people. My friend was nursing a whisky.
“You look like shit,” he greeted me pleasantly.
“It hasn’t been the best day.”
“Tell me about it. Did you know the Roe is becoming a celebrity hangout?” He leaned forward in his seat. “Those girls were telling me Angeline Potter’s been in here this week. I’m telling you, that woman is stalking me.”
The British actor and rom-com sweetheart, whom I did a movie with back in the day, was a member of Ardnoch, and according to Aria, she spent a lot of time there. I’d been lucky enough to avoid her so far because once she got talking, it was difficult to get away. She was kind of self-involved.
“I didn’t know Angeline was interested in you.”
“Cornered me at the fucking estate last Christmas under the mistletoe. Never one to let a lady down, I obliged her with a grope.” He seemed to consider this. “Ah, actually, I think I went down on her in the restroom.”
I grimaced. “You think?”
“I was drunk. But it would explain why she keeps sliding into my DMs and stalking my favorite pubs. I am excellent at cunnilingus.”
I stood up abruptly. “I need a drink.”
Theo gave me a smug grin. “Don’t be jealous, old boy. Some of us are just gifted.”
I flipped him off and his laughter followed me to the bar. People had turned to stare as soon as I’d walked into the Roe, but as if used to the odd celebrity spotting, they’d returned to their conversations and food. However, they parted for me at the bar, giving me friendly smiles I returned. Usually, I didn’t like to take advantage of my well-known face, but I was hungry and in need of a drink, so I allowed them to skip the queue as the bartender came over for my order.
“Loved you in King’s Valley,” the bartender said as he poured me a pint.
“Thanks, mate. I appreciate it.”
“On the house.” He pushed the pint toward me.
I slid money along the bar as a generous tip. “That’s very kind, thanks.”
The bartender took the cash with a pleased gleam in his eyes. “Cool. We’ll bring your burger over when it’s ready.”
“Did you order food?” Theo asked as soon as I returned to him.
I nodded. “I’m starving.”
Theo considered me. “You do look like shit, mate. What happened?”
After taking a refreshing chug of beer, I explained the day’s woes to my friend.
He exhaled wearily when I was done. “I don’t even want to acknowledge it because you know I find romance tiresome, but has this got anything to do with the luscious Aria?”
“You know it fucking does,” I grumbled. “I’m a bloody coward who ran away from the first problem we encountered.”
“Her breaking it off is rather a big problem, though.”
I glowered at him. “I should have fought for her. Now I’m like the walking fucking wounded. I try to be Daniel, but I can’t stop thinking about her, so I’m always North.”
“Is it because you miss her or because you’re worried about her? There is a big difference.”
“I know you’d quite like it to be the latter,” I huffed. “But nothing has happened to either of us since the attack. Nothing came of it.” The plates on the Defender that tried to mow us over were false, so we couldn’t track the vehicle to the attacker. “There’s been no more letters. Everything has gone quiet.” I’d been checking in with Walker several times a week just to make sure. With no leads, there was no choice but to carry on with life as I knew it.
Life without her.
The pain in my chest flared, and I rubbed it absentmindedly as I took a sip of beer.
“How are the rest of the cast? Have they noticed you bungling it?”
“Blake has. We had a word. But everyone else is just going with it. Eden doesn’t join us until Berlin.” I referred to my costar and leading lady Eden Gabriel, a French actor who’d smashed international barriers to find global fame. We’d met months ago at a table reading and she’d flirted her arse off with me. I’d been seeing Cara at the time, so I wasn’t interested.
Now I feared I’d never be interested in any other woman ever again.
Aria Howard had fucking broken me.
Not that I’d admit that aloud. There were only so many hits I could take to my ego and masculinity.
“Ah, Eden Gabriel.” Theo swirled his drink. “She’s rather beautiful.”
“I’m not going there.”
“I’m not advising you to.” My friend leaned forward. “My number one rule is never fuck anybody on your film set. Costars, crew, no one. Too much money involved for the drama it invites. If the attraction is great, you can always fuck them once the film wraps.”
“Nice to know you have some principles,” I replied sarcastically.
“You are in a charming mood.” He grimaced. “Okay, I’m only saying this because I find you more tolerable than most people, but—fuck, I can’t believe I’m saying this—have you considered a grand gesture to win your lady back?”
Surprised he was trying to give me romantic advice, I raised an eyebrow. “Grand gesture?”
“Yes. You said the reason you broke up with the delightful Ms. Howard is because she has trust issues. Why don’t you prove you trust her beyond any doubt? Perhaps in doing so, she’ll feel moved to reciprocate.”
Huh.
My mind raced as I considered his advice and what I could do that would break through Aria’s walls.
What I did know was that I couldn’t go on like this.
Every day had become about missing this woman. The only solution was to get her back.
I opened my mouth to thank Theo, but a deep, American voice cut me off.
“Cavendish!” A tall, familiar bloke with dark hair and light eyes appeared at our table and clapped a hand down on Theo’s shoulder. “Imagine seeing you here.”
It took me a second, but the reason for his familiarity became clear.
Preston Holden, of all fucking people.
“Preston.” Theo gave the American a tight-lipped smile. “What brings you here? I hope you lot aren’t trying to infiltrate my local?”
“Your local what?” Preston frowned, still wearing that shit-eating grin.
Theo sighed wearily. “Never mind.”
“Okay, then.” Preston’s eyes flicked to me, away and then quickly back. “Fuck, man. North Hunter.” He gestured to me excitedly and then held out a hand across the table. “Nice to see you again.”
“He was talented, so I helped him get an audition for my dad’s movie and he got it. I surprised him by showing up to set one day and found him fucking his costar in his trailer. He dumped me while he was still inside her. Cheers to being told that you were no longer of use and that I was getting fat while he’s literally inside his beautiful costar.”
Aria’s words blasted through my mind as I stared at this motherfucker who the entire world loved with his acting accolades and Oscar.