A Starlit Summer by Kate Frost (best manga ereader txt) 📕

‘Everything okay?’ Gary made Jenna jump. Her cheeks flushed and she turned away. Even if he hadn’t heard what they’d said, he’d have heard their raised voices. How unprofessional had she been; Finn was working on her parents’ house. She was staying here for work and she was in this emotionally-charged mess with one of the builders and an even bigger mess with the lead actor. She’d spent the most amazing day with Finn on Sunday and had dinner with his parents afterwards, and now this. Unprofessional on all levels.

‘Finn, why don’t you make a start on the bathroom.’ It was an order rather than a question.

Finn picked up his tool box and headed for the stairs, not looking at her as he went past.

Jenna’s skin itched with heat and embarrassment, sensing Gary’s eyes on her. She didn’t want to turn round and face him. She wondered if he’d seen the article too, or if Finn had kept quiet about it. But either way, after seeing them so happy together on the weekend he must be wondering what had gone wrong.

She breathed deeply and turned round. ‘I’m going to put the kettle on if you’d like a drink?’

‘Tea for me please and I’m sure Finn’ll have a coffee.’ He went to pick up his tools and paused. ‘You’re sure everything’s okay between you two?’

‘There’s no problem, really. Just a bit of a misunderstanding.’

Gary didn’t look convinced. ‘We’ll have the water back on as soon as we can.’

~

Away from the toxicity of the hotel and the overpowering presence of Milo, it had been the best weekend. Lily and Amanda were great friends, chilled out and uncomplicated, and bumping into and spending time with people other than actors had been refreshing. And then Sunday on the beach with Finn; she’d loved spending time with him. She hadn’t wanted the evening at the pub to end, and exploring that quiet little cove had been magical. She wanted more than the friendship they’d developed. She wanted more than just a kiss. And now this. What she’d got was the focus of unwarranted gossip and the one person she’d had feelings for in a very long time was well and truly pissed off.

It had felt wrong with Milo from the beginning. He’d been keen to spend time with her when he didn’t even know her, almost like she ticked all his boxes – she was blonde, pretty and an actress; she’d do. He flirted like he was putting on a show, which, from what Jenna had gleaned over the past few days, was exactly what he was doing. With Finn... Her pulse raced and she flushed at the thought – it was anything but a show. They’d been hidden in the shadows of the rock on the beach, his firm strong body against hers as he kissed her passionately, not a pathetic brush on the cheek like it had been with Milo, all for the paparazzi. Whatever happened, she was going to find and confront Milo today.

~

With her mind firmly on Finn, and her heart not engaged with filming, Jenna got through the day. At least it was another relatively easy day filming in the tea shop in Porthleven. She wasn’t around Milo or Heidi either, so that was a relief – the Heidi bit at least. She was determined to speak to Milo though. She didn’t even have his mobile number to text him. That in itself spoke volumes; according to the world they were together, but in reality they were so un-together it was laughable. A sham. But after she wrapped for the day, having had no chance to speak to Milo, and no chance of seeing Finn either when she got back to an empty cottage, she headed straight back out. It was still light and she’d have enough time to drive to the hotel and back again before it got dark. She started the engine and pulled out of the drive.

It was probably a bad idea, she thought as she reversed into a space in the busy hotel car park. She had no clue if there were paparazzi hidden in the trees waiting for a money-making shot. What if the paparazzi knew where the cottage was? What if they’d followed her? It was possible. She switched off the engine and gripped the steering wheel. She stared at the hotel wondering what to do. Everyone had wrapped at least a couple of hours ago, including Milo. She knew he’d been driven back to the hotel. He was here and she could talk to him inside, somewhere private where no one would spot them.

She put her hand on the door handle. Except even a photo of her going into the hotel could be twisted a hundred different ways. Beth had told her the other evening to fuel the rumours, but did she really want to do that? Her thoughts returned to Finn and the hurt on his face when he’d slapped that magazine down on the kitchen table, the image of her in a bikini pressed against a topless Milo Blake like a huge wedge between them. She took her hand off the door handle, started the engine and drove back to Bramble Cottage.

~

Jenna decided to leave it until the next day at work. The base was a safer place to confront him. Security were on the entrance to the field and if anyone, whether cast or crew, felt the need to take a photo and sell it, well that was up to them and completely out of her hands. It was an early start and a busy filming day, so she was straight into hair and make-up before being bussed to location. At lunchtime when she saw Milo heading to his trailer she knew it was her chance. Food could wait, talking to Milo was the priority.

She stalked across the grass, which was dry and brown from the summer heat and thousands of feet trampling over it for the last