Again, we all cheered heartily. Lord knows I was happy to find Tamara and even more excited that she had found me!
Naomi, the Executive Producer continued. ‘As you have probably noticed, we have many very talented performers with us tonight and two in particular that I would like to introduce to you. Meet our lead actors forBetween Night and Day– Travis Taylor and Holly Bale.’
They stepped up on stage. Travis shook Edgar’s hand and Holly kissed him on the cheek. Then they grabbed each other’s hands, stepped forward and took a little bow, laughing the whole time. We all gave them a resounding round of applause and cheering.
‘Want to say a few words?’ Naomi asked, handing over the microphone.
Travis offered it to Holly first who said a few gushing words about Edgar, well I think she did because I was too busy trying to subtly watch Edgar, to listen closely to what Holly was saying. Travis followed after her and said he was coming around to collect everyone’s autographs on his script during the night. What a sweetie – way to go, Travis, you’ve won my heart for being so down to earth.
Naomi thanked them both and then introduced Edgar.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, the man who will bring out your best and bring this story to life on the screen – Edgar Linton.’
The roar and clapping were thunderous, and Edgar genuinely looked slightly abashed, or he acted well. He thanked Naomi and took the microphone
‘Hello everyone, and I think you will bring out my best!’ he generously said. He held the room in the palm of his hand; I subtly glanced around to watch everyone enamoured with him, including me, I have to confess.
‘I look forward to the months ahead and making this film, our film, with you.’ And then he abruptly finished, insisting we socialise and enjoy ourselves. That was it … not one for speeches. A jazz band started up in the corner and drink waiters appeared en masse with trays of drink and food. I had to eat something or I’d be under the table after one drink.
I was still subtly watching Edgar as he moved off the stage and everyone wanted a piece of him. For the first hour, all I could see was his back or the back of his head, as he shook hands, signed scripts and posed for photos. Everywhere I looked I could see Isabella posing with the cast or crew … she was almost in as much demand as Edgar. She seemed to be very close with the leading actress, Holly – they were acting like best friends forever. I wondered how well they knew each other before Holly got the role. Oh God, I’ll never be able to pull off that sort of smooching. I might have to be one of those ‘aloof’ stars with a tight inner circle. Sigh.
The party had got much louder and Nelly and I had done our share of dancing as well. The get-together was a brilliant idea; we’d all be so much more relaxed with each other when we officially began work on set. I intended to keep sober though … the last thing I needed was to do something embarrassing and then have to live with it for the rest of the production – even though there would be a few stories like that, there always were.
Nelly and I took a break from the dance floor to get some ice water and Nelly pounced—well almost—on Tamara. I was about to offer my vote of support for Nelly when I felt a hand on my shoulder and wheeled around to find Edgar Linton looking gorgeous and holding two champagne glasses.
‘Refill?’ he asked like we had been talking all evening.
‘Thank you,’ I said, putting down my now empty water glass and accepting the flute. We clinked glasses in a toast and I saw flashes going off. That will be on someone’s social media feed before I have my first sip. Yah!
We talked over the noise until he indicated we should step out onto the set apron, which was just a big flat area in front of the open doors. I followed behind him, waiting as he stopped for photos with the cast and crew, and shook hands. We finally made it outside; it was cooler and quieter with only a handful of actors nearby talking or having a smoke.
‘Ah that’s better,’he sighed,‘I’m not one for the party scene,’ he confessed.
‘Really?’ I teased. ‘I would have thought you would be partying every moment you weren’t directing.’
He smiled. ‘I like intimate gatherings … to have people over. People I like,’ he emphasised. ‘A small group that you can talk with over the music, chill with a few drinks, swim if you want to, sit down to really good food, you know that sort of thing.’
‘No, I can’t say that I do,’ I said and smiled. ‘My life of late has been acting, pushing my CV on agents, rehearsing, grabbing a kebab for a late dinner while driving home and when I’m free, heading home to spend spare time on the moors.’
Oh my God, I’m with Edgar Linton and I’m talking about kebabs. Shut up now.
‘See you are like me … the need for space, especially green space.’ He turned to study me. ‘Speaking of which, after theCat on a Hot Tin Roofperformance, Isabella said you lived at Wuthering Heights. Do you know our place is on the moors? I get out of London and go there between films.’
‘I know,’ I said,’ ‘Thrushcross Grange.’
He smiled and looked surprised that I would know the name of his home.
‘Don’t panic, I’m not a stalker,’ I assured him. ‘We used to ride past your property all the time when we were kids – Heath and I.’ I didn’t let on that we would spy through the windows sometimes and laugh at the two of them.
‘I’m surprised we never met you or Heath when we were younger,’ he said.
‘Yes, we were on the moors all the time.’ I guess that said volumes. Edgar and Isabella probably never left the house to go into the ‘wild’ … they probably just admired the green view from the windows, while Heath and I were like wildlings.
‘Wuthering Heights is the large grey mansion that was rezoned to townhomes about a decade ago, right?’ he asked. ‘You can’t buy in or sell without every tenant’s agreement. That the one?’
I nodded impressed. ‘You know a lot about it.’
‘I checked it out. We thought about doing the same to our place when Mum and Dad died,’ he said, with a glance upwards to the skies, ‘but we just couldn’t bear subdividing our family home.’