Part 6 (1/2)
”Funny as in haha,” she said, leaning her head back against the sofa. ”You're good fun. You make me laugh, and I honestly can't remember the last time I laughed as much as I have this evening.”
The minute she said that, I realised that she'd made me laugh all night as well: in the club, in the cab coming home, and now here in my apartment. I guess I'd just never realised quite how funny she was before, but now here she was, still tipsy from the champagne but triumphant in her spider-catching prowess, sitting on my sofa looking...well, human. Human, and lovely, and as s.e.xy as h.e.l.l.
I quickly turned my head away, making a big show of plumping up the cus.h.i.+ons behind me. Anything to distract me from Elise sitting on my sofa, still apparently looking at me.
”There hasn't been much laughter in my life lately, to be honest,” she suddenly said, breaking the silence.
”No?” I looked back at her.
She shook her head.
”I thought you enjoyed being on Portobello Road?” I asked, suddenly worried.
”Noooo, I didn't mean right now!” Elise laughed softly. ”That's what I was trying to say. I've had more fun since I came back to England than I have in months and months.”
”Really?”
”Really.”
”So LA wasn't a laugh a minute?” I subconsciously s.h.i.+fted my position a little further away from her.
”I had bad experiences there,” Elise said, shooting me a look. ”Some horrible experiences in shows, in castings, auditions...” She paused. ”With men.”
”Oh,” I mumbled, hoping that she wouldn't start trying to talk to me about men. ”Not good.”
She laughed. ”No, not good at all, Holly.”
”So a pretty miserable time all round, really, then?” I offered.
”You could say that,” she said, holding my look. ”So thanks.”
”Well, thank you for getting rid of the spider,” I said, leaning my head against the back of the sofa.
”Can I let you into a secret?” Elise leant her head back again as well.
I looked at her profile, the soft line of her jaw, her hair falling perfectly around her face. ”Hit me.”
”I don't really like spiders.” She wrinkled her nose.
”My hero!” I clasped my hands to my heart in exaggeration.
We sat, both with our heads leaning against the back of the sofa, and looked at each other for a second before I broke the gaze and lifted my head away. When I glanced back, she was still looking at me, and the look on her face made me feel uncomfortable for a second, but I didn't know why. Her expression was strange, but not in a bad way, and I wondered if she'd misinterpreted my quip about her being a hero for sarcasm.
”Yes,” she said finally. ”Your hero.”
I smiled uncertainly and then pulled myself upright, waving a hand in the direction of the kitchen. ”I think you more than deserve that wine now,” I said, still thinking about the look she'd just had on her face.
”I'd love to,” she replied. ”But”-she reluctantly pulled her eyes away from mine-”I really should go. Lines to learn and all that.”
Disappointment stabbed at me. I wanted her to stay longer and was urging her to change her mind and stay for another drink, but Elise seemed fl.u.s.tered-embarra.s.sed, even-which was most unlike her.
She got up from the sofa and wriggled her feet back into her shoes. ”Sorry.”
”It's no problem,” I said. ”Don't worry.”
”Thanks for the offer, though.” She looked as though she was about to say something else, but didn't.
”Any time,” I replied, reaching over to the chair to pick up her coat.
As I handed it to her, our fingers brushed and, again, I sensed my face reddening. After a few moments I looked at her shyly, hoping she hadn't noticed.
”I'd like to do it again sometime, though,” Elise said, standing with her coat in her hand.
”Clubbing with Bella and Robbie?” I made big eyes, making her laugh.
”No,” she said slowly. ”Drinks with you.”
”Sure,” I said. ”We'll have to arrange something again soon.”
”I'll look forward to it,” she said, holding my gaze. ”Guess I'll see you tomorrow, then.” She shrugged her coat over her shoulders.
”You sure will,” I said. ”Hey, thanks again.” I opened the door for her, peering outside into the hallway, relieved that the CD container was now spiderless.
”Any time,” Elise said, walking past me and bending to pick up her spider-catching implements from the hallway floor. She paused. ”Actually, no. Not any time!” She pulled a face as she handed me the container and postcard. ”See you soon.” Elise nodded, kind of curtly, before turning and walking off towards the lift. I stood in the doorway and watched her reach the lift and jab at the b.u.t.tons, turning to look at me one more time as the doors opened.
I closed the door to my apartment and leaned against it, thinking. It was as though I'd seen the real Elise that night for the first time, not the Elise that I'd been working with, and even if it meant she'd probably still drive me crazy at work the next time I was there, it really did seem as though I was finally making progress with the mystery that was Elise Manford.
And I liked what I was seeing. I mean, I really liked what I was seeing.
Chapter Seven.
The phone rang shortly after two p.m. the next day, just after I'd finally persuaded my hungover stomach to accept some food. I had no plans for the day, which was probably just as well, considering I didn't feel capable of doing anything more than just chilling out on the sofa and watching a soppy movie on one of the satellite channels.
I saw Elise's name flas.h.i.+ng up on the screen at me, sending a rush of adrenaline down my spine the minute I saw it.
”Hey.” Elise's voice sounded hoa.r.s.e, presumably still rough from the previous night.
”Hey.” An image of her face entered my head as I heard her voice.
”I wondered if I could come over,” Elise was now saying. ”I wanted to show you something.”
I scratched sleepily at my head. I knew that I was tired, hungover, and scruffy, but I was still ridiculously pleased that Elise wanted to come to my apartment again.
”Sure,” I said, trying to hide the pleasure in my voice.
”I think you'll like it,” Elise said.