wanted to reach out and take her hand. She looked so beaten, and Kenny didn’t think she deserved to be that down. Even though she’d entered into a relationship with Michael with her eyes wide open and the knowledge that he would never love her as much as he loved India, she still didn’t deserve any of this. It was all such a mess. India and JJ divorcing, and Michael and Layla’s relationship on the edge of breakdown, for a reason so clear to everyone. Michael just couldn’t put India behind him, even if she was happy to forget him. Layla knew that. Everybody knew that. It was just harder for those more closely involved to handle the reality.
Layla looked up at him. ‘It all seems such a waste, Kenny.’
He put his coffee down and reached out for her, pulling her into his arms as she started to cry, holding her tight as all the frustration finally spilled out of her. She’d really loved Michael, although Kenny couldn’t for the life of him understand why, but she had – she still did. And once again that man was hurting people. Even if, in reality, Layla had always known this day would come.
‘How about we go out tonight, huh?’ Kenny smiled, stroking her baby-blond hair from her eyes, gently wiping her tears away. ‘I know some great places where we can just hang out and not be disturbed. Let’s try and forget all the shit that’s going on. You with me?’
She smiled too, even though he could still see the sadness in her eyes. ‘Yeah. I’m with you. Why not?’
He pulled her into his arms again, just letting her hold onto him. They needed each other, him and Layla, because both of them were trying to put behind them the two people who’d put the pair of them in this situation – Michael and India Walsh. So, for Kenny and Layla, maybe together that job of forgetting would be a whole lot easier.
***
Dominic lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, his hands clasped over his chest. He had too many things on his mind, so many things to think about, because this plan of his was starting to veer slightly off-course. Things were happening that he hadn’t banked on; things were going on in his head that he hadn’t expected to feel, and, if he wasn’t careful, it could all get in the way of what it was he was really here to do.
He sat up and pushed a hand through his hair, throwing his head back, sighing heavily. A few days. He’d known India Walsh a few days and she was messing with his head already. What was it with that woman? He had to knock these feelings out of himself; he had to forget they were there because none of this was going to work if he let them take over.
He had a point to prove, that was all; a point to prove to himself more than anybody. That he could get one over on Michael Walsh, that he could take something from him that most people thought impossible. Most had even stopped trying. Even JJ Foster had failed, and everyone had thought he and India were solid, after everything that had happened. So this wasn’t going to be easy. But Dominic had to succeed. And only then could he finally tell everyone the truth.
***
Vince watched from the sidelines as Michael directed India in a movie she was fast making her own. He loved watching her work. She was the ultimate professional but with an air of fun about her whenever she was on set. She was always smiling, always willing to talk to anyone, and the crew loved her. After every movie she’d made in recent years she’d always rewarded everyone with gifts, making sure they all knew how grateful she was to them for everything they’d done, and that’s why everyone loved her.
But no-one loved her as much as Michael, Vince could see that now. Michael was the ultimate professional too, when he was working. But, as Vince watched closely, watched the way Michael looked at India, the way he watched her on set, it was obvious there was more to their relationship than just actress and director. Oh, he knew India had no intention of revisiting the past, she’d made that perfectly clear to anyone who asked, but it didn’t seem to be stopping Michael from still loving her the way he always