She and Lara both shed tears when she said goodbye, and they promised to talk often. Lara said she’d come to London to visit and wished her luck with the film.
“Say goodbye to Dad for me,” Antonia said softly, as Lara’s eyes filled with tears and she nodded, sorry for her not to have her father’s approval, which she so deserved.
Antonia said goodbye to some girls in her dorm that afternoon, and met Jake for a fast hug in her room. It was already stripped bare, and he had been running around New York for three days with his family. They had all come from San Francisco to see him graduate. Antonia had seen them at the ceremony, and they were thrilled to see her. And now, it really was over. She and Jake stood looking at each other, smiling through tears, as he pulled her into a fierce hug and held her.
“If he doesn’t treat you right, you come back to New York and stay with me,” he said in a gruff voice, his tears falling into her long blond hair.
“I’ll be fine,” she promised, drenching his T-shirt with her own tears. “You take care too.”
“Don’t forget me when you’re famous,” he said sadly, and she gave him a sisterly shove.
“Oh shut up. That’s not going to happen. I’ll probably get crap reviews and then he’ll let me write a screenplay.”
“More like you’ll win an Oscar and forget who I am.”
“Or you’ll be the hottest actor in the world and we’ll be in a movie together.” They teased each other with their fears and fantasies. It was going to be hard for Antonia to leave Jake. She loved him so much. He wanted her to be happy and lead a charmed life, and she wanted much the same for him. It was hard growing up and leaving this final nest. They were on real time now.
“Shit, Jake, we’re grown-ups.” She still couldn’t believe that college was over and they’d graduated. It had gone by in a flash.
“Speak for yourself, I’m Peter Pan. I refuse to grow up.” But that was easier said than done, and sooner or later, life would force their hands.
He helped her down the stairs with all her bags and suitcases and shopping bags. She was taking all of it on Hamish’s plane, so he told her she could bring as much as she wanted. And when she arrived in his suite at the Waldorf after her last tearful hug with Jake, Hamish realized that she had taken him at his word. She looked like a kid returning from camp. She even had a duffel bag.
“You’re bringing all that?” He looked surprised and she was instantly sheepish.
“Is that okay?”
“It’s fine.” He laughed at the sudden mess in the suite. It looked like a gypsy camp, and he loved it, and her.
“I’d forgotten a few things,” she said apologetically. He got up and walked over to her and put his arms around her.
“Come here, Miss Magna Cum Laude. I’m so proud of you. Have I told you lately how fantastic you are?”
“Not since yesterday.” She grinned at him, as he kissed her. He felt as though he had half adopted her and half fallen in love with her, and he didn’t mind the feeling at all. All he wanted to do now was protect her, make her happy, and make her life easier in a thousand ways, as no one had ever done for her. He didn’t ever want her to feel sad, or unloved, or invisible again.
Chapter 13
Antonia’s hard work with the drama coach in New York showed when they got to work on the film. She learned her lines with ease, and was the consummate professional. She followed Hamish’s direction, and trusted his vision of every scene. Only once or twice did she make alternate suggestions, and he liked them, and they worked when he tried them. They proved to be an efficient, collaborative team, with a sixth sense for each other. Hamish was respectful of her and the other actors, and brought out the best in everyone. He had hired her a new drama coach, but with his meticulous and very clear direction, she didn’t need the coach.
They ran into surprisingly few problems on the set, and much to everyone’s surprise, they wrapped at the end of September. Antonia and Hamish went to Italy for two weeks, and then he moved on to post-production, but her part in the film was over, except for a few B shots and voice-overs.
Antonia did some writing while he was busy, and she called Jake and Lara from time to time. Jake had gotten a part in a low-budget indie film, and Lara was busy with a real estate boom in New York.
Antonia’s life with Hamish felt like a fairy tale. Whether working or at home, they got along. The press had decided that they were the new golden couple and followed them everywhere, which she hated, but Hamish was good at eluding them, and knew places where they could go to avoid them.