Well, you couldn’t accuse Julian of mincing his words. I exhaled heavily, my throat clogged with emotion. “But he was so beautiful, and charming, and he made me feel special. Every day for three whole months we’d meet for tea and biscuits on the roof of the theatre at eleven fifteen. We used to talk about everything -- our fears, our hopes and dreams. I felt like we had this…connection. Then last month after we’d been out drinking with the cast, he took me back to his place and we had sex. It went on for two weeks, until one morning he got distant on me, couldn’t get me out of there fast enough. And today when I saw him on set he was just awful. I trusted him, Julian. He was the first person I’d been with in a whole year, and now my heart feels like it’s breaking.”
He came closer and wrapped his arm around me, smelling of perfume. Olivia’s, I presumed. “Well, of course it does. You’re not a casual-fling girl. You’re a forever girl. But the likes of Blake Winters doesn’t want forever, nor does he deserve it.”
“He might want it…someday.”
“No, he won’t, and I’m telling you this because I’m a Blake Winters, so take it from somebody who knows. Our attention spans are as short as our list of conquests are long.”
“You’re not helping.” I groaned as I imagined a different woman gracing Blake’s bed every night. My breast bone ached with misery.
“I’m sorry, love. Maybe this will make you feel better. Did you know his real name is Oswald?”
I grimaced. “As in Cobblepot?”
“The very same. I had a romp with one of his exes several moons ago, and she had a big mouth. Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as Blake Winters, eh?”
“No, definitely not.” I almost smiled. Julian gave my shoulders a squeeze, his embrace a small comfort to me.
“Tomorrow’s closing night, isn’t it?”
“Yes. At least after that I won’t have to see him again. Iggy’s been contracted to work on a stage adaption of Moulin Rouge. We start rehearsals in a fortnight.”
“Well, that sounds exciting.”
“Yeah, I think so, too. Anything to take my mind off Blake.”
Julian gave me a stern look. “Don’t let this get you down, Rose. You’re too good for him, far too good. Look at that rack and those legs, look how gorgeous you are and how talented. You just need to learn your worth. As soon as you do, you’ll see that Blake was never worthy of you and you’ll finally find someone who is.”
His words hit home. I was certain Blake couldn’t see the real me, not after how he’d acted tonight. But perhaps I couldn’t see the real me, either. I smiled at Julian grimly. “Sounds like a fairy tale.”
His eyes softened. “If anybody deserves one, it’s you.”
“And you,” I said quietly, my voice tender.
He grew uncomfortable and glanced away, clearing his throat. “Yes well, you get some sleep, beautiful. First thing on tomorrow morning’s agenda is a trip to the STD clinic.”
As he turned to leave, I launched a pillow that went sailing through the air and hit him square on the back of the head. But damn, he was right. He always was.
Two.
*Rose*
For two whole weeks I wallowed. The first few days were particularly unpleasant and consisted of me going through several boxes of Kleenex, not washing my hair and letting out dejected sighs that I was sure were driving Julian up the wall.
In the end his patience ran out, and he firmly escorted me to the shower, still in my PJs, and shoved me under the water.
It was COLD.
“Fuck! Julian!” I swore loudly, struggling to get out of his hold.
“Finally, a sign of life,” he exclaimed glibly, and I scowled at him hard.
The icy liquid slithered down my body, and somehow the shock of it drew me out of my stupor. Julian was right. I’d been acting like a zombie, and it was ridiculous. Blake didn’t warrant such broken-heartedness, especially not after how easily he’d tossed me aside.
After my cold shower intervention, I threw myself into work, spending hours with my boss, Iggy, as we put the finishing touches to the Moulin Rouge choreography. It wasn’t long before the first morning of rehearsals arrived.
Iggy pulled me excitedly inside his office the moment I walked into the studio. His eyes glittered with untold gossip as he closed the door behind us. “Have you heard that Jacob’s hired Damon Atwood to