Chasing Rainbows
Part Fourteen

All the read throughs went well, the directors were pleased, Theo was locked in discussions for an hour afterwards. But Emma was really happy that he was pleased. She was leaving the studio for her last evening in the City - which she intended to spend alone panicking about the following day, when Theo called out to her, running after her at a jog.

“Thanks for coming out here Emma; it’s been really cool to have you around. As it’s your last night I was thinking I should buy you dinner, you know, as a thank you! I could pick you up? Half seven?” His smile and enthusiasm were infectious, but every inch of her wanted, if not needed the evening to steel herself for the following day.

Emma groaned, “I promised myself a night in, I’ve got an early flight tomorrow...” He gave her puppy dog eyes, and that world famous smile, and she couldn’t help but agree and as he walked off with a skip in his step, she had the feeling that this was more like a date than anything else. Every other time they’d gone out there had been more than just the two of them, tonight had ‘awkward’ written all over it.

“Just go and enjoy it!” Isobel assured her later as they battled on the phone, “I know what you’re saying. It’s complicated. But you’re hardly likely to dive into bed with Theo Samuel. I mean it’s dinner Ems, that’s all. A little flirting maybe just what the doctor ordered. If nothing else it’ll take your mind off tomorrow.”

“It’s all so bloody confusing Iz, I mean you wait all your life for a Hollywood star to ask you out, and it finally happens the night before you have a date with your new yet estranged husband. Who’d have thought it?”

Isobel laughed, “like I always say, a White problem is a crisis! You sure you’re ok to come into school on Wednesday?”

Emma had promised to speak to a school full of eager children on the merits of being an actress. Until fairly recently it hadn’t been the best life for her, but things were definitely looking up professionally. “Of course I am. Shit!” The realisation hit her between the eyes like a bullet, “what if he throws me off the show if I turn him down?”

“You’re getting hysterical White, go get that bath and take ten deep breaths. It’ll be fine! Text me from the date tomorrow? Let me know how the husband treats you!”

A bath and a cup of tea did little to settle Emma’s nerves, and then she had a text from Jacob telling her his plans for the following day. And it included dinner, at an exclusive restaurant. She groaned, she’d exhausted both her wardrobe and her credit card on this trip. She only had the dress she’d sidelined for tonight, a blue knee length number that Eve, Isobel’s twin had loaned her. So she had the choice, impress her new boss, or save it for her the man she was desperately convincing herself she hated.

In the end it was the potential of being photographed with Theo, the chance that they’d be in an exclusive place too that won through. With a bit of luck it’d still be clean the following evening...or she could try and get it dry cleaned? Then she shook herself, why did she care? She needed to get over this, over him, once and for all.

Either way, she was just ready when Theo called to say he was outside. As she stepped out into the warm evening, she gasped, there was Theo, leaning against a small but very expensive looking sports car, dressed in a tight sweater that managed to make him not look gay, thought on anyone else it probably would, and a pair of black jeans. He looked stunning, and the aviator shades he wore did give a bit of a disguise. Though there was no hiding this man was traffic stopping with his good looks, physique and the presence he commanded when he walked in a room.

“You look a-mazing!” he announced taking her hand and kissing her cheek. Then he helped her into the car. Emma followed where he led and soon they were whizzing through the streets of the city.

The Pacific Highway was spectacular, and with the top down on the rocket like sports car, Emma loved the feel of the breeze wrapping around them, and was glad that it was too noisy for conversation. Instead they had companionable silence as the car weaved its way along the rugged coast to Santa Barbara.

Emma stood in the bathroom, staring into the mirror. There was only ten minutes until she boarded the flight to San Francisco, and she was bricking it. The previous night, her time with Theo would go down as the most surreal evening of her life.

Theo, away from the cameras was a really nice guy. Quiet, thoughtful, he listened as well as talked. The restaurant he selected was a small Italian place, where the floor was paving stones, and the ceiling and walls were covered in growing vines. It was amazing, and a million miles from the sort of place she imagined he’d take her too. She ordered pasta after debating over the menu for far too long, and as she ate the delicious parpadelle with chicken and wild mushrooms, she listened to his tales of his last visit to London, all the time ruing the choice of main course. It was almost impossible to eat any of the ribbon style pastas in a situation like this without making a mess. She made a mental note NOT to order anything like this tomorrow, even thought spaghetti was her single favourite meal.

Once they’d finished the meal, Emma was telling Theo about her best friend’s upcoming wedding, and the bridesmaid dress she had to wear - though she didn’t elaborate that the other bridesmaids were so perfect in stature compared to her and she was likely to look like the dumpy one between two ex-catwalk models. There was no need to create a negative position for yourself needlessly, and any comment would make him instantly assess her and study her body in more detail than he had to. So instead she glossed over that, and described the country manor house that was to be the location of this wedding.

Theo absorbed the details as she’d expect of a girlfriend, and he giggled appropriately and seemed to ask JUST the right questions. He was definitely a Metrosexual man, and she mentally compared how different he was to her own father, so traditionally formal, and an old fashioned man’s man! But then her father would never lower his defences to act, to throw himself into different scenarios as Theo did. Chalk and cheese! So many talk shows and problem pages described women seeking a father figure, a man of a similar type to him, but she knew that she wasn’t like that. But whilst she found Theo attractive, and he treated her SO well, there just wasn’t that spark that she’d spent so long looking for. Yet.

After dinner they’d gone to a quiet beach and paddled in the cool Pacific Ocean, strolling on the sand. He’d held her hand as they’d walked, talking about his childhood in Oxfordshire, his transition to the States as a teenager. She in turn gave him anecdotes about her acting experience to date, her commercials, stage work, then the voiceovers, all pieces in her quest to be where she was now. On the fringe of Hollywood, even if it was a bit part, meant everything to her.

Theo had dropped onto the sand, uncaring of the effect it might have on his designer trousers and patted the space beside her. Then he’d told her how much promise she had, how he saw this part as being the bridge she was looking for. “You’re punchy, strong...different to everyone else. I think that works...Stick by me kid, and I’ll see you do well!” There had been a sincerity in his voice and almost an intimacy that she found a little disconcerting. And his face and his smile had haunted her all night as she’d lain awake. Her thoughts fluctuating between Jacob and her new boss of sorts.

Splashing some water on her face, she tried to compose herself. Emma had never been in a situation where she had two men making unwritten demands on her. One flattering her, promising her the world, the other not letting her out of his grasp. As she left the sanctuary of the bathroom, she felt as though she was stepping from the frying pan straight into the fire.

The flight took little more than an hour, and all too soon there was nowhere for Emma to hide. She’d agreed to come here, she’d agreed with his demands, had made this deal, so she couldn’t run away. Not this time. So taking a deep breath she gathered her bag and strolled out into the bright arrival hall.

Jacob wanted more time; he suddenly wasn’t ready for this. As he stood there he hated what he’d done. Why had he forced her here? Because she intrigues you, because you’re not ready to let her go. Because you want to be the one to decide when that happens. Was this all just an ego thing?

It was too late to change that now, as he skipped across the road and into the airport he was met by a rush of people, the flight was in! And there, stood a little unsure in the midst of the throng was Emma...his wife.

He eyed her for a few moments, taking advantage of the fact that she was unaware of him to study her. He’d not seen her in anything other than party clothes to date, and seeing her in well worn jeans, flip-flops and a strappy white top was having a rather noticeable effect on his libido. This voyeuristic moment couldn’t last, and as her eyes scanned the arrival hall nervously, he moved into her line of vision and smiled. He hated the look of fear that flashed across her eyes as they connected with his, and he walked towards her with a smile on his face.

Reaching for the travel bag at her feet, he planted a kiss on her unsuspecting cheek. Returning to his full height he smiled again at the gasp on her lips, then said, “Welcome to San Francisco!”

It was the icebreaker that they both needed and Jacob was rewarded with a smile. “It looked amazing as we came in to land.”

He grinned, “I love this City, and I’m going to love showing a virgin around!” He then leaned in closer and added, “you’re on a loser Emma, really you are!”

She knew he was referring to their deal and that he believed she’d fall in love with his home, but there was definitely an unwritten context to his words, and it made her shudder with an emotion she was unwilling to define.

“It won’t be enough!” She managed to breathe, but the words almost choked her.

Jacob was exuding confidence, almost cockiness as he marched out into the sunshine and waved for a cab, bundling her inside he made small talk with the driver as he wove the vehicle deeper into the city. Emma was too busy staring in awe out of the window. The first ten minutes saw them pass through a commercial zone, but every now and then they’d have a great view of the bay, or a passing hill, and small glances at rows of clap board houses, each individual and different to its neighbours.

Just as she spotted what seemed to be the cityscape on the horizon, the cab detoured off the highway, and wound along more roads, until they stopped at a small harbour area.

“From the water is the best way to enter the City for the first time!” Jacob announced as Emma looked at him questioningly, and it was only then that she realised they hadn’t spoken since the arrival hall.

“Why are you doing this?” She asked as he got out of the car and paid the driver.

“Because I want you to have a truly special experience, if you don’t like it here, or like me...then I realise I’ve lost!”

The words were humble, and honest, but she couldn’t begin to trust him. Not an inch!