Kerry sat at the table in my room, chewing her lip as she spoke on the phone.
On the other end of the line was one of the firms representatives and they were discussing the best way out of our predicament. She tapped a pen on the table, a sign that she was getting agitated.
'Ok I'll keep you posted.' She hung up the phone and looked at the pair of us shaking her head.
'My god Jac, this is the most spectacular stunt you've ever pulled, what were you thinking? Getting married like that for Christ's sake. Don't both of you remember anything?'
We shook our heads like penitent children. ' Well The Firm thinks to minimise the bad publicity, that maybe you both should brazen this out. Let everyone think you're on the level about this, and then maybe in a year or so quietly divorce. They think people will expect it because you both rushed into this marriage.' She sighed deeply and looked at us both still shaking her head. 'They said, and don't bristle here Jac, this is their words not mine. They said that they didn't want their client's career hurt by a reckless stunt involving an infamous actress who was well known for her wild behaviour, that your image Jac, would probably stand up to the bad publicity, but that Kevin's wouldn't. They want to minimise all possible damage to the Backstreet Boys and Kevin's reputation. But if this course of action was to painful for Kevin, and he wanted to get a divorce or an annulment straight away they would reluctantly support him, but they preferred he stick this out for a year.'
Kevin leapt up angrily ' Hey that's not fair, I'll not let them get away with that, both of us got into this mess, they shouldn't just blame Jac, besides I'm just as much to blame. I mean we both got married.' Kerry shook here head at him. 'Hey I'm just the messenger here country boy. Don't shoot the messenger. That's what they said ok?' He looked annoyed at the country boy tag and before he could bite and say something he didn't mean, I yanked Kevin back down beside me, amused by his Quixotic behaviour. 'Be sensible Kevin, of course they'll think that way. I do have that reputation, no one is surprised that I've done something like this. If you want out now, say so, it's a whole year of your life for what, a moment of chivalry for someone you've known just twenty four hours, no matter how much we were enamoured with each other at the time. I can't ask that of you, lets just say we made a mistake, we were drunk and did it for a laugh. I'll survive the fuss and bother. We'll have a storm of publicity for a little while, then it'll all die down and everyone will forget….'
Kevin interrupted me laying a finger on my lips 'Jac, listen. No way. I'll not have you shoulder the blame for this, and you will you know, from what I've seen written in the newspapers, they'll crucify you and that's not fair. Now I'm prepared to go through with this, let people think it was a spontaneous moment, love at first sight whatever, but I'm not throwing you to that pack of wolves.' He gave me that half smile that I was beginning to recognise as unique to him. 'Besides will being married to me for a year be so bad?'
I smiled slightly. 'Well if today is any indication yes…' but seeing his face fall I hastened to reassure him. ' I was just kidding you Kev. Are you sure about this though, seriously Kevin, a lot can happen in a year?'
'True a lot can happen but I'm still not letting you take the blame for this.' He said setting his jaw. Shaking my head at him I told him 'I knew as soon as I laid eyes on that chin you were a stubborn one'. With a sigh of resignation I looked at him, summing him up, making sure he knew what he was doing. 'You're a real gentleman aren't you?'
He shrugged his shoulders and said ' I don't know about that, but I'm doing what I think is right. So you agree to do this then?'
I nodded reluctantly and he took hold of my hand 'Ok so we face the world as a couple then?'
I looked over at Kerry and she shrugged her shoulders at me. "Jac you know I'll back you whatever you decide. Maybe this is the best way to handle this I dunno, and I still can't believe the pair of you got yourselves into this mess.'
'Well this masquerade might just be my most challenging role yet.' I sighed. 'Did you get Kevin a change of clothes Kez.?'
'Yeah I did, over there in that bag, and let me tell the pair of you, the wolves are baying at the door, you should see the press that's waiting outside this hotel, are you just going to walk straight out the front door?'
I looked at Kevin and he nodded, and I said 'Ok in for a penny in for a pound. But after we the others later, I was thinking of going home to Beauleigh, face the music there, then I've got to be in LA next week for rehearsals for my new movie. Kevin what's your schedule like?'
' Well after we face the fellas this afternoon, I've got till next week as well, then we have to be back home for some recording sessions. Do you want me to tag along and face the music with you as well?'
'Would you? It might help smooth things over if we're together, and if we can convince Daddy we meant to get married, hopefully he'll back off and leave us alone. And then he might be able to pull some old establishment rank and use his connections to get the press to back off.'
Kerry laughed. 'Oh you've always been able to twist him around your little finger, and I suspect he'd like to see some of your spirit in Richard, even if he won't admit it. I think he finds your earnest brother a tad dull. That's probably a good idea Jac going home.'
'Yes, and we could invite the others to come as well, what do you think Kev? The old place is huge, so we won't get on one another's nerves, and we all can get to know one another better.'
'No harm in asking everyone I guess, how old is this place then?' He asked
Kerry laughed. ' Kevin it's ancient and scary, it has a moat and dungeons..'
'Don't listen to her Kev, Beauleigh is technically castle, but over the centuries additions have been made to it. It's probably one of the few left almost intact here in England, it's survived civil wars and death duties, but it's home and it's a beautiful place, and yes we have a moat and dungeons. Oh and a few ghosts as well.' I smiled, as much as I disliked being titled, I did love my home and it's history. It was the snobbishness that surrounded us I hated.
Kevin looked amazed 'Just how old is this place then?'
'Umm, it was first built in 1162 in the reign of King Henry II, but it wasn't until 1661 when Charles the second granted the 10th Lord Roycroft an Earldom for his loyalty to the royalist cause. So we have an old name and title. Each generation has added to the old place, I'm rather attached to it actually. Kevin don't look so shocked Why so pale?'
'God I've married England.' He looked shaken.
I laughed. 'Well I suppose you have, well at least temporarily. It's just a pile of stones Kev, but a beautiful pile. Do you ride?'
'Yeah I do why?'
'Well Beauleigh is famous for it's stables, and if you ride you'll get Daddy onside easier, he's horse mad. It's a Roycroft, thing ..wild blood and horses '
'And she's no slouch in the saddle her self.' Kerry added.
I stood up and stretched. 'Kez neither are you as well. Well we are just putting off the inevitable here, I'm going to get showered and ready to put on my bridal face.'
Kerry and Kevin watched her disappear into the bathroom.
'She always does that?' Kerry sighed.
'Does what?' Kevin asked puzzled.
'See, if you praise her or complement her, she just deflects it away from herself. Jac's a real enigma Kevin, she's my friend and I love her dearly and once you get to know her better, you're realise she's nothing like what she seems.'
Kevin looked thoughtfully at the bathroom door. He had already sensed that, and it enhanced the attraction she held for him.
************************
The elevator doors opened and what felt like a thousand flashes and the shouts of the press greeted us. Kevin wrapped his arm around my waist and looking down at me with a smile said ' Ready?'
'Let show time begin.' I said with a deep breath. His green eyes looked deep into mine and he gave me a reassuring nod. 'Ok lets get this over and done with.' He leaned in and kissed me, it was unexpected and my heart flipped. His lips were warm as they gently moved over mine in a lingering kiss. Raising his head he grinned unashamedly, 'Well we are married.' Around us the sound of camera's clicking almost deafened us.
'So we are.' I couldn't help but smile up at him. He ran a finger down my cheek. 'Let's give these vultures a show.'
I suppose the attraction we had for each other made it easier for us to carry this masquerade off. It was no hardship to pretend this was real as he wrapped his arm protectively around my shoulder as he manoeuvred us through the press of people crowding us. His tall lean frame was all muscle and he shielded me protectively from the most vigorous of the reporters as they pushed and surged at us. Kerry following behind, dressed in a dark suit and heels wearing her hair up, looked every bit the professional manager she was, she was well known for grinding out contracts and striking a hard bargain. She had inherited her father's business acumen. . She scowled at the reporters as we hurried by, several taking a backward step under her ferocious gaze. We decided before not to stop and speak as we wanted to just get out of the hotel in one piece. A microphone was shoved in my face, hitting me in the eye, as someone pushed the reporter from behind. I recoiled in pain, putting my hand to my face, I was shaken, I'd never faced a mob like this before and it frightened me. Kevin grabbed it in his hand and shoved it back, his green eyes flared in anger. 'Get that out of my wife's face right now or you'll be extracting it from you're body for a week after I shove it in you.' He hissed through gritted teeth. Pulling me protectively in towards him, he shouldered a few more reporters out of the way using his height to push towards the waiting car. My heart was pounding frantically as we finally reached it. Kevin put me in side and turned to help Kerry get in, before he clambered in after us. The driver took off, and the flashes of lights from the cameras still followed us as the press ran after the car as we drove away
'Jac honey, let me look at that eye.' He pulled me over to him so he could study it. Hie green eyes full of worry and concern. 'God, you're going to have one hell of a black eye there.' He smoothed his soft fingers over my bruised skin. 'Does it hurt?'
I shook my head. 'Not at the moment, I can not believe all the fuss, I'm so sorry about all this Kevin.'
He squeezed my hand. ' Not your fault, remember Jac. We'll get something on that eye as soon as we can ok?'
'Bloody vultures' Kerry said as she rustled in her bag for her phone. 'I think we better ring and make sure we can get through to the guys with a lot more safety than that. Are you ok Jac ?'
'Yeah I think so, once my heart stops pounding. That sure was scary.' And I now wondered if I had got myself in way to deep.