The Perfect Hero: The perfect summer read for Austen addicts!. Victoria Connelly

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      Kay wondered who Oli was. Probably some poor put-upon assistant.

      ‘This is the best double,’ Kay said. ‘You can see the Cobb and the whole of the front.’

      ‘Is there a bath? I must have a bath and a shower.’

      Kay nodded. ‘The shower’s above the bath—’

      ‘Oh, God! Not one of those pathetic pieces of work that dribbles tepid water, is it?’

      ‘Don’t pay any attention to her,’ Sophie said. ‘She’s nothing but a spoilt brat.’

      Beth turned round to face Sophie and, for one frightening moment, Kay really thought she was going to punch her.

      ‘And there’s a lovely twin next door,’ Kay said, thinking it wise to move Sophie out of harm’s way.

      ‘Oh, it’s lovely!’ Sophie said. ‘Will I be sharing it?’

      ‘Depends how many of you there are,’ Kay said.

      ‘Hasn’t Teresa told you?’

      Kay shook her head.

      ‘Well, I think there’s only Gemma and Oli and I’d better not be sharing with Oli – no matter how divine he is.’ She flopped back on to the bed and sighed. ‘I wouldn’t want to make Beth jealous. She’s such a diva. All the attention’s got to be on her twenty-four seven. I wouldn’t mind but she’s not even the lead.’

      ‘No?’

      Sophie sat back up. ‘Gemma’s the lead and you wouldn’t find a sweeter actress anywhere, but she’s as jumpy as anything. The complete antithesis of diva-face next door. God! I can’t believe I’m working with her again. She haunts me!’

      Kay grinned. ‘What have you been in together?’

      ‘There was that dreadful TV thriller last year and, before that, we were in that boarding school drama that seemed to go on for decades without any of us growing any older.’

      ‘Oh, yes!’ Kay said. ‘I remember that. Gosh, you’ve both been acting for years then.’

      Sophie grinned. ‘You make me sound like an ancient dame.’

      ‘Oh, no! I mean, you’ve got so much experience. You make me feel so ordinary.’

      Sophie looked at Kay. ‘But you’ve got this place. It’s pretty amazing.’

      ‘Thanks. I’ve just bought it. I was left some money,’ she said, thinking how easy it was to talk to this woman. ‘I’ve always wanted to live by the sea.’

      ‘I live near Waterloo station in London. It’s horrible. My flat’s not too bad, I suppose, but it’s so ugly there. I try and work as much as possible so I don’t have to stay there.’

      ‘But isn’t it odd living in hotels all the time?’ Kay asked.

      ‘You get used to it. I don’t mind living out of a suitcase and I love acting. I love becoming someone else.’

      ‘It must be a strange life,’ Kay said. ‘I can’t quite imagine it.’

      ‘Some are better suited to it than others,’ Sophie said. ‘Diva-face next door makes life miserable for everyone whose path she crosses. You won’t have to let her get to you. But Oli, now he’s brilliant.’

      ‘Who’s Oli?’ Kay asked.

      ‘HELLO?’ a male voice yelled from downstairs. ‘Anyone there?’

      Sophie smoothed down her hair with her hands. ‘I think you’re about to find out.’

      Suddenly, everyone was out on the landing.

      ‘We’re up here, Oli,’ Teresa shouted.

      ‘I hope you’ve got my bags!’ Beth said, walking out from her bedroom, her lips now painted a fierce scarlet.

      ‘There’s a double left for you, Oliver,’ Teresa said and that’s when Kay saw him for the first time. He was walking up the stairs and, at first, all she could see was a shock of butter-blond hair. Then he lifted his head and a pair of blue eyes met her own and a huge smile broke across his face.

      ‘Hello,’ he said.

      Kay’s mouth dropped open. It was the actor, Oli Wade Owen, and he was the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on.

       Chapter Eight

      If she could have taken her eyes away from him for a second, Kay would surely have done a prize-winning double take. To have a director in her house had been excitement enough, to have two famous actresses had almost caused Kay to combust with delight, but to have one of Britain’s most handsome actors – the man who’d played a thousand heroes, the man who’d adorned every cover of every magazine and newspaper – was almost too much to bear. And he was walking straight towards her.

      ‘You must be the good lady of the house,’ Oli said, extending a hand towards her. Kay held hers out and he took it in his and shook it. It was a warm, melting sort of a moment and Kay felt sure that her entire store of blood had rushed to her face because she felt as if her cheeks were on fire.

      ‘Kay,’ she managed to say. ‘Welcome to Wentworth House.’

      ‘Very apt,’ Oli said. ‘Seeing as I’m Wentworth.’ He looked around at the group that had gathered on the landing and everyone laughed. It was as if he was a king holding court.

      ‘Right,’ he said, breaking the spell as he retrieved his hand, ‘who’s for a drink?’

      ‘I am,’ Beth declared.

      Teresa stepped in, holding her hand up. ‘One drink,’ she said. ‘We’ve got an early start in the morning in case you’d forgotten.’

      Oli clapped his hands together. ‘The Harbour Inn it is then. For one drink,’ he added.

      Kay watched in bemusement as everyone bundled downstairs and she couldn’t resist following. The front door was flung open and Oli exclaimed as he almost smashed into a young woman standing on the step.

      ‘Gemma! What took you so long?’

      ‘I was carrying all these!’ she said, gesturing to the two suitcases and a bundle of carrier bags.

      ‘Oh, my hats!’ Beth said, nodding to the bags. ‘I found this divine hat shop here in Lyme. Take them upstairs, will you, Gemma? I’m in the double at the front.’

      ‘I bet you are,’ Kay heard Gemma say under her breath as she squeezed into the hallway.

      ‘I’ll give you a hand,’ Kay said, stepping forward and smiling at the pale-faced actress.

      ‘Oh, you’re not coming with us?’ Sophie said. ‘And Gem – you’re coming, aren’t you?’

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