I decide to have a bath, to soak the chlorine from my skin. I have time today, I'm usually in such a hurry but here I have all the time in the world. I run a big bath full of scented bubbles and after discarding my clothes I step into the fragrant hot water, my skin stinging, the first indication that I've burned slightly. Ouch. Lots of after sun when I get out!
I lie back in the huge tub, sinking down into the luxuriant bubbles, inhaling the comforting scent of citrus and vanilla and turn over all the information I have collected today. I'm looking forward to having some one to one time with Jimmie later. He is definitely the most open and forthcoming of the five of them and I'm hopeful I can get some interesting tit-bits during our conversation.
I will have to schedule working hours and meetings with the guys or I will never get anywhere with this biography.
I'll enjoy a couple of weeks of relaxation and get to know them a little better by just observing them being themselves. That's the strange thing about celebrities, we feel like we know everything about them as they are so visible, their lives played out on stage or on camera, every aspect seen as fair game for a perpetually ravenous general public, eager to know EVERYTHING about their idols. That appetite fed by people like me, digging up and publishing even the most trivial piece of inconsequential 'NEW' information about a star sells copy!
I once shared with my readership the brand of toenail clippers Harry uses just to meet my word quota for that piece. Sales for that company increased by 30% in the three months after that and those clippers were sold out everywhere within in days!
Crazy but true!
We presume they must be just like the character they play, or the persona they project, but in reality they are just as flawed, fallible and normal as the rest of us. Using the same brand of nail clipper, eating the same snacks or drinking only alcohol endorsed by a certain celebrity makes these fans feel closer to the object of their lust and affection. Of course it doesn't, it can't, but it is exploited to make sales and is incredibly effective. Most of the famous people I have met are very different in real life. A lot of them infact are entitled, narcissistic arseholes!
After a lovely long soak I climb out of the bath and wrap a super fluffy bathrobe around my body before opening up the wardrobe to find something suitable to wear.
I browse through the hangers full of beautiful clothes and settle on a gorgeous nude halter neck, backless dress with a mid thigh length slightly flared skirt. It's classy but still cute. I think Jimmie deserves for me to make an effort with my appearance tonight. I cover my skin in moisturiser, style my hair in a relaxed up-do leaving some curls loose to try and hide the ugly blue stitches just above my left brow, and the bruise that is currently a very unflattering combination of mottled yellow and green, unlike the day after my accident when it was a brilliantly vivid shade of aubergine! After applying a light concealer in an attempt to, well..... conceal .... the discolouration surrounding my eye socket I apply a little natural make up, blush, mascara and a light dusting of bronzer, but in an attempt to draw attention away from my injured eye I opt for a deep scarlet red lipgloss for my naturally full lips, then dress. I find some stunning diamanté flat sandals and a small black clutch bag. I check my reflection and am more than satisfied with my appearance. I head off to meet Jimmie, humming happily to myself.
Teddi, Noah and Yanni are eating steaks and chatting at the table when I arrive in the kitchen and don't notice me straight away.
I call out a hello and all 3 of them turn to look in my direction, mouths agape. I worry that I might have my skirt stuck in my knickers but after having a discreet feel and finding that thankfully that's not the case I give them a twirl and ask how I look.
Teddi is fanning his face and falls to the side into Noah's lap in a fake swoon. Noah let's out a long whistle and tells me I look hot!
Yanni just stares blankly for a few seconds then turns back to his plate and continues to eat his meal.
I didn't expect any kind of compliment from him but it still wrankles that he can't even be polite, and I find that I'm more upset by his lack of response than I am pleased by the others very positive responses.
At that moment as I'm about to question Yanni about his lack of a denigrating comment Jimmie bounces into the room looking utterly spectacular in tight indigo jeans, a navy shirt with red hearts all over, a pair of gorgeous black Gucci loafers and finishes it off with some chunky silver jewellery.
"You look amazing J!" I tell him with a grin. "Very handsome indeed"
"As do you Babe, as do you! Well, I mean you look amazing too, not handsome, obviously. Are you ready?" he asks, his head angled in a questioning gesture, embarrassment clear on his seductively endearing little face!
"I am, let's go. See you later guys, have a good night. Oh, and don't wait up!" I tease with a wink, moving towards the front door. Yanni has just finished putting his plate in the dishwasher and is also leaving the room. He leans close to me and tells me quietly, his voice a husky whisper...
"You look beautiful......... and in another outfit chosen by me! I certainly do have excellent taste in all things don't I!? Have a great night!", and with that he disappears upstairs.
I can't believe he has just paid me a compliment and hasn't followed it with an insult. I can feel my face heating up, and I want to look away as I feel suddenly shy, and I'm grateful I didn't get the opportunity to ask him why he hadn't made a mean comment or he would never have said something so nice to me, then I remember my resolution to wind him up. I know it's petty, and I know I should act like a grown up but he is so utterly irritating, and I don't have much else to occupy me, so I resolve to make him believe I'm interested in him so I can tell him to jog on! Oh, it's going to be so much fun!!
Jimmie and I have a fantastic night. We watch the new Rom com at the cinema, but he has hired the entire screen, so we are alone. I've never been the only person in a cinema before. It's so nice not to have to hear sweet wrappers rustling, or people talking, or having to worry about being the cause of the noise disturbance.
It is a good film, written by an up and coming female writer. It's very funny, and we both seem to have a similar sense of humour, laughing in all the same places. I'm impressed he is so in touch with his feminine side, comfortable to laugh at period jokes and also to cringe at horrific birthing descriptions. Most men don't like to acknowledge these natural occurrences, finding them distasteful and non essential information. I think every woman would love such an understanding and sympathetic partner as Jimmie.
Later in the evening we have a relaxed dinner in a private room at a very fancy seafood restaurant and have a very comfortable and informative conversation.
He tells me about his childhood, his family, his love for dancing, where he attended school and some of his hopes for the future, specifically his hopes of becoming a parent. He will make a tremendous father. He loves kids and has a godson he adores, and by the sound of it, spoils rotten!
Surprisingly for a man, he is actually interested in me and my life too. Maybe I've only ever met self absorbed egocentrics, but that is unusual to me. It's so refreshing to have someone take an interest in me and my life. My job requires me to ask questions all day, so answering them is an odd feeling, but it makes me feel special....
We arrive home very late after lots of drinks, giggling like schoolgirls.
"Sshhhhhh!!!" I tell him with a giggle, leaning forward and placing my finger on his lips. He pulls me towards him, placing his arms around my lower back and looks into my eyes, a serious expression on his face.
"Sydney. I'd really like to kiss you.... may I?!" he asks shyly, anxiety evident on his face as he bites on the corner of his bottom lip.
I stop giggling and regard him closely. He is so earnest and formal, my heart swells a little at his request. How gentlemanly! I've never been asked that before.
I nod my head and smile and he visibly relaxes, although he swallows hard. I place my hands on his chest and lean into him. He smells amazing, like rosewood and lemongrass.
His lips are soft and warm. The kiss is gentle, slow and sweet. He doesn't try to fill my mouth with his tongue, his hands are not roaming all over my body. It is very respectful and chaste and only lasts a few seconds, but is lovely.
He pulls back and smiles the most beautiful smile, which I return.
"Good night then!?" a voice asks from the darkness of the lounge