Milo sighs. ‘I’m serious, Katies,go home. I don’t need to be looked after.’ He pauses, then grins. ‘Plus, there’s only that one opening thing I have to do tomorrow, right? Then I’ve got a week off anyway. I love you, mate, but I can manage one event without you.’
Her eyes burn with indignation. ‘Absolutely not, you need someone with you.’ She sighs. ‘I’ll call the agency again and see if there’s anyone they could send along tomorrow.’
My mouth opens and I am speaking before I can think any of it through.
‘I can do it,’ I say suddenly, and they both turn to look at me. I shrug, like it’s nothing. ‘I’m a publicist. Or I was, over in America where I’ve been living. I did all the big premieres over there, looked after all the Hollywooders.’ The lies come so easily. ‘You know the Hollywood Walk of Fame?’ I nod at them as they regard me blankly. ‘All those celebrity hands in the cement? Mostly arranged by me. I, like,placedtheir hands into the mushy concrete, y’know? Some of these A-listers have quite weak hands and I was, like, anexpertat really making sure that handprint was done properly.’ I wink at Milo. ‘Couple of days with me and I could probably get you a spot on that sidewalk. I think they have a spare bit of pavement over there.’
His eyes widen and I can tell he is impressed. Or possibly amused. It’s hard to tell which.
‘It wouldn’t be a couple of days,’ Katiezzz snaps. ‘It’s one day –one event.’
‘I think Clara would be great,’ Milo says slowly, and if Ihad to pick one or the other, I’d say his tone is nowdefinitelyamused over impressed.
Katiezzz narrows her eyes at me. ‘What PR companies have you worked at then?’
‘Ermmm’ – I wave my hand – ‘all the US ones. You’ve probably not heard of them because they’re in, um, America. But y’know, that really big, main one…’ She continues to stare at me. ‘Yeah, like, Top Publicity, that was a good one. I also worked at Celebs R Us and, um, The Best PR. Oh, and obviously I had all those good years at… Lord of the High-Fliers.’
Harry’s voice at my shoulder takes me by surprise. I had no idea he was listening.
‘She’s the best publicist I’ve ever met,’ he says solemnly, and I fight an urge to laugh.
Milo grins. ‘She’s obviously qualified, Katies. Qualified enough to help me out at just one event! It’s not like it matters if I have someone with me anyway.’
Katiezzz sighs reluctantly, looking me up and down. ‘OK, fine,’ she says, resigned. ‘Oneevent. We’ll pay you a day rate. I’ll give you my email address so you can send over any questions or concerns.’ She hands me a business card, adding, ‘Send me a message right now, and I’ll forward you the details for tomorrow.’
I pull out my phone to shoot off a greeting as Milo rolls his eyes. ‘It’ll be fine, Katies, stop stressing! And go home!’
She nods, stroking her bump fondly. ‘Fine, I will.’ She looks up with determination. ‘But first, come and meet this producer chap, he’s been asking after you.’
Milo laughs. ‘OK!’ He regards me with sad eyes for a moment and then takes a deep breath. ‘Sorry, I’d better go.’ He sounds reluctant. ‘But this has been really fun and I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks for shielding me from the showbiz crowds for a few minutes.’ He winks, adding quietly, ‘Sorry we didn’t get to upend any tables.’ He turns to Harry and Salma. ‘Feel free to come along tomorrow by the way, if you fancy it. And either way, it was great to meet you both.’ Harry looks crestfallen. His new best friend has already forgotten him. As he debates correcting the record I notice Milo’s distracted. He’s watching Jemma across the room, where she is draining the dregs of strangers’ drinks. He looks like he’s going to say something but Katiezzz seizes her moment and drags him away.
‘Bye, Milo!’ I call, my stomach fizzing with anticipation. ‘See you tomorrow!’
Holy shit. This is amazing. I’m Milo Samuels’ new publicist.
Chapter Twenty-SixJEMMA
This is a beast I have not fought for many years.
‘Ughhhhhhh, help!’ I shout, and listen out in the house for sounds of life. A rumble begins down the hallway and Clara appears breathlessly in the doorway.
‘You rang?’ she asks, grinning way too happily. ‘Oh Jem, dude, you look WAY rough.’
‘Cheers,’ I mutter, rubbing my eyes. ‘Please please can you get me some water? I’m so hungover, I can taste my lungs.’
Clara laughs, moving further into the room. ‘There’s a glass of the good stuff right next to you.’ She nods at my bedside table and I gasp with relief, grabbing its cool watery-ness with my hot hands and gulping it down. ‘Harry put it there for you before he went to work this morning,’ she says, raising an eyebrow. ‘He’sverythoughtful, isn’t he? Very kind to always be thinking of you like that.’
‘Uh huh,’ I agree, unable to muster the energy to fight her matchmaking nonsense. Right now I’d let her marry meoff to Harry if she brought me pasta, a block of cheese and a Lucozade.
‘Oh god,’ I groan, collapsing back into the pillow. ‘I feel so awful, Clara. Like, so awful that I can’t even feel embarrassed about the way I acted last night. And I know I was an absolute knobhead at the event, and you guys had to put me to bed. But that is not even touching the sides, because the head pounding and nausea is too intense.’
She shrugs. ‘I don’t really get hangovers.’
If I was physically able to stand, I would honestly go murder her in this moment. Look at her, all perky and dressed for the day. What a bitch. Instead, I turn slightly, retching a little, and wonder how I’m going to survive the day.
It suddenly hits me. I left the note yesterday. E might actually have replied. There might be a letter with a name waiting for meright now. And I’m too deathly ill to get there!
‘I need to go to the library,’ I moan, trying to roll over and failing. ‘The note!’
