Ivy decided she’d had all she could take and was just about to make her way to a side entrance to sneak out when she caught sight of a familiar face. Blonde ponytail, slightly too much blusher and a little sneer. It was Charlotte Brown.
‘How did she weasel her way in here?’ Ivy muttered. Charlotte had only had one disastrous scene as an extra in the film, so there must have been some Daddy manoeuvring that got her an invitation.
Charlotte hovered behind Jessica, clearly eavesdropping and trying to get the starlet’s attention. Ivy ducked behind a potted topiary in the shape of a peacock, so she could get closer without being seen.
When Jessica looked over, Charlotte turned on her biggest smile. ‘Oh, hi, Jessica!’ she said, trying to pretend that she just happened to be standing there.
Jessica raised one eyebrow.
Ivy leaned forwards and pushed away a twig that was sticking out from the peacock’s tail and tickling her nose. She was hoping for a delicious cut-down. After all, Jessica wasn’t nice to anyone and surely the Hollywood vamp was going to tell Charlotte to get lost.
‘I just love those Bibble Bubble shoes,’ Charlotte cooed. ‘They must be next season’s because I haven’t seen them anywhere.’
Jessica looked Charlotte up and down, clearly evaluating whatever pink, fashion-victim code she was presenting, and deciding that Charlotte passed.
‘You’re right,’ Jessica said. ‘François sent them to me straight from the prototypes.’
‘Oh, you’re so lucky!’ Charlotte said.
Ivy let out her breath. What a let down! It seemed the two shallowest people currently in residence in Franklin Grove were destined to be friends. Ivy had been hoping for some kind of spontaneous combustion. Still, with two egos that size, there might be some fireworks to come.
‘I love your hair, too,’ Charlotte was saying. ‘And your ice sculpture is so fab.’
‘Thanks!’ Jessica said to Charlotte. Then she narrowed her eyes. ‘You must live here.’
Stop the press, Ivy thought. The girl is a genius.
Charlotte nodded eagerly.
‘That means,’ Jessica went on slyly, ‘you must go to school with . . . oh, what’s-her-name . . .’
‘I know everyone who’s anyone,’ Charlotte bragged, flipping her hair.
‘Dark hair, green eyes,’ Jessica went on vaguely. ‘Had some minor role in the movie.’
Charlotte was like a baby bird waiting for its breakfast, desperate to get the answer right. ‘Um . . . oh, I know! Olivia! Olivia Abbott!’
‘Hmm,’ Jessica said and Ivy wanted to dump the full potted plant’s worth of soil over her head.
How dare she pretend not to know Olivia’s name! Ivy thought.
Ivy was just about to step out and let Jessica have it when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She whirled around to see Mr Harker wearing what looked like the same pair of scruffy jeans from last night but with a different band’s T-shirt under his black blazer.
‘I was hoping to run into you, man,’ he said, as Ivy sheepishly stepped out from her hiding place. ‘Although I’m not sure I would have expected to do it behind a manicured plant.’
Ivy offered a weak smile. Maybe he will just decide I’m an idiot and not want me to star in any of his movies, she hoped.
‘Let’s find somewhere a little more quiet to talk,’ Harker commanded.
Ivy followed him through the throng to the drinks table.
‘Hello, sir,’ said the bartender, clearly aware who Harker was. ‘What can I get you?’
‘I’ll have what she’s having,’ Harker replied and the two of them waited for Ivy to decide.
‘Uh,’ she stammered. ‘Apple juice.’
While the bartender busied himself getting glasses, Ivy decided to be straight with Harker about her lack of acting ability. ‘Look,’ she said. ‘I’m not really . . .’