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

be here or not. She faltered outside the open front door, took a deep breath, strode in and collided with Gary.

‘Sorry, Jenna, didn’t mean to walk right into you.’ He motioned towards the living room. ‘Finn’s in there; I’m just getting something from the van.’ He gave her a knowing smile, brushed past her and disappeared out of the front door.

Jenna took another deep breath. Now she had to talk to Finn.

She walked over to the living room and hovered in the doorway. There was a massive improvement from the week before. The room was bright and clean and old sheets covered what little furniture there was. Finn had his back to her, painting the wall to the left of the opened-up fireplace.

‘Hey there,’ she said quietly. ‘I wrapped early. Was hoping to catch you before you finished.’

Finn slapped the remainder of paint on the wall and turned to her.

The frown on his face made her falter.

‘I, um... I was er, really hoping we could talk. Maybe go out for a drink...’

‘Jenna, what’s the point? Aren’t you leaving soon?’

‘Saturday.’

‘Well, then, what more’s there to say? You messed me around just like every other girl. You’re leaving in a couple of days. End of.’ He dipped the brush into the Farrow and Ball paint her parents had chosen called Sudbury Yellow, and turned his back on her again.

‘And you’re being a dick, you realise that right?’ she muttered as she left the room.

She wanted to scream in frustration at his inability to allow her to talk. But he was right when he’d said what was the point. It was back to real life next week. It was the briefest of summer flings that had ended in tears before it had really started, and all she was left with was the memory of watching him work on the cottage and two blissful days together.

~

‘And that’s a wrap for Jenna!’

Cast and crew clapped as the director shook Jenna’s hand. She could only imagine the wrench of leaving a long-running series; she’d been working on the film for eight weeks, a short time in the scheme of things, yet it felt a monumental time in her life. Part of her was relieved it was over, the other part was anxious about the future. She had a casting for another film the week she got back, and then the following week she was jetting off to Ibiza to film an advert for a travel company – both off the back of the made-up feature about her and Milo. But then of course, once the gossip about them died down, it would be back to the endless cycle of auditions, luck and looking right for the part. She’d turned down the biggest opportunity she’d ever had – financially at least – so next year, instead of a huge job waiting for her, her diary was pretty empty.

It wasn’t the final day of filming, just the last day of filming for her, and as she walked from the minibus back to the costume tent, everything was continuing as normal with a handful of crew grabbing a late lunch and extras in costume getting on another minibus to take them to location. Apart from Milo and a couple of the other principal actors, most people had finished, and so there was a wrap party at the hotel later.

~

Jenna arrived at the hotel fashionably late. A taxi dropped her off and she’d already booked one to take her home later – she needed to drink tonight, let her hair down and celebrate the end of a crazy few weeks. She wasn’t sure if the party was taking place inside or out, so she made her way to the bar first. It was pretty empty apart from a middle-aged couple not associated with the film, and Timothy ordering a drink. He spotted her and waved her over.

‘What you having, Jenna?’

‘Oh, a gin and tonic for me, please.’ She joined him up at the bar.

‘You’re not driving tonight then?’

‘No way; I feel like I deserve to celebrate.’

‘You and me both.’ He passed her the gin, handed the barman a note, picked up his beer and knocked it against Jenna’s glass. ‘To the end of filming.’

‘I can’t believe it’s over – well for us at least.’

‘Tell me about it.’ He slid off the bar stool. ‘Everyone else is outside.’

They walked out together, back into the beautiful August evening. The light was beginning to fade, the sky clear and starlit, the air warm. Among the cast and crew, Jenna spotted Lily and Amanda on the other side of the terrace. She was about to make her way over when Timothy put his hand on her arm.

‘I’ve had a chat with Milo.’ He led her to an empty table on the edge of the terrace, pulled out two chairs and they sat down.

‘He won’t go back on what’s already been said, I’m so sorry, Jenna. If it’s any consolation I’ve made him promise that he doesn’t mention you in the press again, at least not “romantically”. He’s got Heidi for all that now.’ Timothy looked away, a wobble in his voice as if the words were difficult to say.

Jenna took his hand in hers. She really felt for him, having to keep his feelings secret, and his relationship with Milo reduced to them creeping around in the middle of the night to see each other. Carla had been right; it must be exhausting to keep up the pretence. And for how long? What if they wanted to take their relationship to the next level? Move in together or even get married? It would never happen, not while Milo clung on to his lies to keep himself firmly in the limelight.

Jenna squeezed his hand. ‘You okay?’

He nodded. ‘It is what it is.’

A slight breeze swept in off the sea. The water glimmered red and gold from the fading sun. The terrace was edged by solar lights, and warm light spilt from the hotel.

‘How’s things with