“Yeah, although Harry has no idea we’ve been hanging out. I knew he’d hate having to cover for me. So when he and Elijah asked about doing that meet and greet for the fundraiser, I figured out it was the one for Grampy G and, thanks to your dad, I knew you were the best mate ‘Molly’ he mentioned, so I said yes.” So that’s why Joseph D Chambers had broken his rule of not doing press?! He scrunched his nose. It was probably insured for twelve billion dollars. “And when Elijah called to say earlier it was going to be with you, it got even better!”
He knew?!
“But I just cancelled it?”
“That’s when I knew you were even more awesome than I thought. Not many people turn down exclusive ‘intimate meals’ to hang out with an awkward American guy who likes Elvis conspiracy theories and overly descriptive hot drink reviews.”
My brain was doing the brain-equivalent of the spinning computer wheel of death.
All these years I hadn’t let anyone get to know the real me. I’d been so focused on making sure no one knew anything about me. And now I’d let someone in. And that someone was Joseph D Chambers. And he was saying me, Molly Embarrassing-Elf Bell, with no secrets left to hide, was … awesome?!
This was a mistake, wasn’t it?
“I’m sorry, Jay… This is just a lot. Like, a lot a lot.” I didn’t know what to think. If the last day of term had been hard, how full on would it be if people discovered I’d been hanging out with the star of the film? “Maybe even, I dunno … too much.”
“I get it. No pressure.” Jay sighed, picking up on my folded arms. But was I doing to him exactly what people had done to me? Treating him differently because of something that wasn’t anything to do with who he really was? “Although, kinda wish I was Kyle the usher right now.” He looked me dead in the eye. “Because, for the record, can I say that for once in my life I’ve met someone that I really like. I really like. Who makes me laugh, makes me share stuff I’ve never shared? Makes me vibe about Christmas.” He pointed to his reindeer badge.
“And for clarity…”
“Yup. That person is you.”
“But you saw me in my sister’s dressing gown?”
“And that’s exactly WHY it’s you!”
And I liked him. And finding out who he really was shouldn’t change that, should it?
“Grace is going to freak.”
“Think she might already be…” He nodded down, the words JOSEPH D CHAMBERS still pinging on my phone every few seconds, only broken up with photos of her doing her tongue-out-fake-dead face.
“Can we pretend you’re not seeing that?” I bet this would never happen to Maeve.
“We can.”
“And can we also pretend that man isn’t taking photos?” I pointed outside to where a man was crouched, pointing up a long lens camera. Jay instinctively flicked his collar up and turned his shoulders away. The saddest thing was, he wasn’t even bothered. My end of term entertainment had been bad enough for me. But this was his life. I stood in front of Jay and waved. Big double arm wave. And jumped about. “If you want a photo with Elf Girl,” I shouted at the window, posing in all kinds of shapes. “Just ask.”
After flicking a heavy variety of swears with his hand, the photographer walked off.
“And I refer back to when I said you’re epic…” Jay smiled. But we were stuck. Neither of us sure what should happen next. “So…”
“Sooo….” I replied.
“Thanks to him, if we walk out, I can already see the headline.”
I filled in the blanks “Joseph D Chambers… Why do they always say all the bits of your name by the way?”
He shrugged.
“Dunno, Molly N Bell. But you’re right.”
I finished off my thought. “Joseph D Chambers walks out of own film. Elijah would kill you.”
“You’re not wrong. And it’s Christmas box office in a few days, and I’ve never seen him so … well … Elijah.”
“Well, in that case…” A burst of “Love Your Elf!” drifted in from the film. “If you’re up for it. How about we just go back in?”
“You really want to do that?” Jay looked like he couldn’t tell if I was joking. It was like he had no idea how much I liked him.
So I did the only thing I could think of.
Grabbed his hand, and went back into the cinema to watch my date pretend to fall in love with someone else while I tried not to fall too hard for him.
CHAPTER
21
TO DO:
•Set alarm for Grace’s train
•Go get that yurt
•Update invites & send
•Make 69 snowflakes
•Brush teeth
