Olivia could feel her toes curling up with anger – how dare the man say these things? ‘Excuse me,’ she called over. The two security guards turned in her direction while Jerome leaned on the barrier near the girls. ‘It’s really not fair to judge someone you don’t know.’
The short man took off his sunglasses. ‘I was just saying –’
Ivy put a hand on her arm, but Olivia wasn’t going to be dissuaded. ‘You were just being pretty mean about a guy you don’t even know.’
The guards all stared at her.
‘Are you going to make the effort to actually get to know Jackson,’ Olivia went on, ‘or will you just end up spreading around ideas that he’s not a good person, simply because of what he does?’
‘Listen, kid,’ the short man said. ‘I don’t know who you are, but I don’t give two hoots what you think about Jackson. Now, get out of here!’
‘Come on!’ Ivy pulled her sister away before things could get any worse.
‘Wh-what?’ Olivia said, almost tripping over her faux-fur boots.
Even when they were a safe distance away opposite one of the big trucks, Ivy and Sophia had to stand between Olivia and the guards, she was so ready to go back and keep talking.
‘You’re going to start a lynch mob,’ Ivy said.
‘Did you see that lady behind us?’ Sophia pointed to the large lady in the coat. ‘She was about to jump in and give that guard a piece of her mind, too.’
‘We’re trying to get you a second chance to see Jackson, not get thrown off the set,’ Ivy scolded. This matchmaking thing was turning out to be more difficult than she’d expected.
‘Pardon me,’ said the voice with the English accent. Spinning round, Ivy saw the taller security guard. His hat, sunglasses and turned-up collar covered most of his face.
Uh oh, Ivy thought. I bet he’s going to make us leave the premises.
‘Yes?’ she asked, shoving Olivia behind her to prevent her saying anything else. Maybe I can talk our way out of this, Ivy thought.
‘I just wanted to say: don’t worry about Harry,’ the man said. ‘He was born grumpy.’
Olivia stepped out from behind Ivy. ‘I didn’t mean to be rude; I just wanted him to know how wrong he was.’
‘Those earmuffs look smashing, by the way.’ The security guard smiled.
‘Uh, thanks,’ Olivia said, her hand moving to touch one of the muffs.
‘Sorry,’ Ivy said. ‘We didn’t mean any harm.’
But the security guard wasn’t listening to Ivy; he stepped closer to Olivia and said, ‘I should be thanking you.’
‘What for?’ Olivia asked.
He slid his glasses down his nose and Ivy could see a light of recognition in Olivia’s eyes.
‘Olivia, do you know him?’ Ivy asked, staring. Then she caught sight of the guard’s sparkling blue eyes.
Ivy pointed and said, ‘You’re, you’re . . .’
Sophia slapped her hand away and said, ‘Don’t blow it!’
The security man was Jackson.
Chapter Four
‘Hi there,’ Jackson said, dropping the English accent. ‘Nice to see you again, Olivia.’
He remembers my name! Olivia thought.