Jackson and Olivia were standing next to a sculpture of melted coloured glass that looked like a twisted Eiffel Tower in red, white and blue. They were each nibbling goat’s cheese tartlets. There was a violin quartet playing in the corner and waitress in a tuxedo circulating with a tray.
After the woman drifted away, Jackson pulled Olivia behind the Eiffel Tower, where no one else could see them.
‘I just wanted to say that I’m really sorry about last night,’ Jackson said, drawing her close.
‘I know,’ Olivia replied. ‘But it all worked out in the end.’
‘We’re going to sit down with Amy and decide on the perfect time to go public.’ Jackson looked like he would ninja-chop anyone who tried to convince him otherwise.
She nodded. ‘OK. If it’s what you want.’
She leaned forwards and Jackson did, too. Just as they were about to kiss –
‘There you are!’ squealed a high-pitched voice. Jackson and Olivia broke apart to see Jessica Phelps poking her head around the glass tower. Jessica sashayed over and kissed Jackson on the cheek, completely ignoring Olivia. ‘I’ve been wondering where my fabulous co-star was hiding!’
Olivia felt her face freezing into an Ivy-special death stare. Jessica was being so rude!
‘Hi Jessica,’ she cut in, not letting the Hollywood starlet squeeze her out of the conversation.
Jessica blinked at her, clearly annoyed that Olivia had dared to interrupt her. ‘And you are?’
Olivia smiled through gritted teeth, wondering if she could get away with chucking her goat’s cheese tartlet at Jessica. But Jackson stepped in.
‘You remember Olivia,’ Jackson said pointedly. ‘She was a supporting actress in The Groves and is, of course, my leading lady.’
Olivia wanted to hug him again. That was the first time he’d said to anyone straight out that they were a couple. She wanted to do a cheer, she was so happy.
Jessica narrowed her eyes. ‘Leading lady?’
Jackson gave Olivia another little cuddle, and Olivia smiled at Jessica.
‘Well.’ Jessica tossed her hair. ‘How nice.’ But since she made no attempt to move away and leave them in peace, Olivia could tell that she wasn’t going to give up that easily. She’d obviously tracked Jackson down for a reason and Olivia had a sinking feeling that she wasn’t going to like whatever it was. ‘What were you two talking about?’ Jessica asked.
‘Well, I was going to tell Olivia about this new script I’ve been offered,’ Jackson said. ‘Amy does a little dance every time she brings it up; she thinks it’s going to be big. It’s a book-to-film adaptation called Eternal Sunset.’
Jessica and Olivia squealed at the same time.
Olivia knew that book and the whole series like the back of her hand. It was Count Vira’s most epic vampire romance and one of her favourites.
‘Reading the script is the next thing on my list,’ Jackson said.
‘I got that script today, too!’ Jessica purred, slipping her arm through Jackson’s. ‘I’m up for the lead. Wouldn’t it be great to get Jessickson back together?’ She shot Olivia a look at this point that pretty much said, ‘Watch out.’
No, it would not, Olivia wanted to shout. And the whole merged couple name ‘Jessickson’ sounds stupid!
Jackson was frowning, too. ‘Ah, well . . .’ he trailed off.
‘It would be killer if you were in that movie,’ Olivia told him, steering the conversation away from Jessica’s pointed remark. ‘I absolutely love those books.’
‘They aren’t exactly my kind of thing,’ Jackson admitted.
‘What do you mean?’ Olivia said, hoping Jackson wasn’t going to be disparaging about Count Vira’s writing.
‘Honestly, I’m just not a big fan of vampires,’ he replied, shrugging. ‘The whole idea of them is dumb.’
Jessica tossed her hair. Of course, Jackson didn’t know about vampires, and it was going to have to stay that way. Olivia hated keeping such a big secret from him, but it wasn’t really her secret to tell.
‘Well, Jackie,’ Jessica said. ‘I just wanted to say that LA really misses you.’ She put on a fake pout, but Jackson wasn’t playing her game. He gave a polite smile, saying nothing. He’d moved to Franklin Grove to be near Olivia, and there was nothing Jessica could do about that.
‘You should come back,’ she purred. ‘It’s where you belong.’ She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. ‘Bye, now!’ She waggled her fingers and flounced away.
Jackson looked baffled. ‘She’s a little over the top tonight, isn’t she?’
When isn’t Jessica over the top? Olivia took a deep breath. ‘That’s one way of putting it.’
The sign said, ‘Money-crazed, desperate men abandoning all morals in the rush to strike it rich.’
Ivy sighed. Is that the California Gold Rush or a description of the people in this room?
She’d been busying herself reading and rereading sections of the museum’s displays to avoid having to talk to anyone. This one was about how Franklin Grove was a busy stop on the route to California.
She was keeping an eye out for Olivia, the whole reason she had come tonight, but ever since Jackson had showed up, her sister had disappeared.
A bald man to her left was flashing a chunky gold watch and designer sunglasses. A woman on her right wore a two-inch-wide ruby bracelet. The young couple in front of her had both clearly had plastic surgery.
‘Oh, you’re so funny!’ someone declared and then burst out into a fake laugh.
Ivy didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was. Jessica Phelps.
A hush fell over the crowd as an ice sculpture of Jackson’s and Jessica’s heads was wheeled into the room.
Jessica squealed with delight and rushed over. ‘Oh, my gosh!’ she practically screamed. ‘It’s me!’
Like we needed you to explain that, Ivy thought. How can anyone take her seriously? She may be a vampire, but she acts like the doziest bunny there ever was.
Ivy decided she’d had all she could take and was just about to make her way to a side entrance to sneak out when she caught sight of a familiar face. Blonde ponytail, slightly too much blusher and a little sneer. It was Charlotte Brown.
‘How did she weasel her way in here?’ Ivy muttered. Charlotte had only had one disastrous scene as an extra in the film, so there must have been some Daddy manoeuvring that got her an invitation.