But Clover also knew trying to stop them would be like shouting into the wind. The ball was already rolling down the hill, momentum starting to gather, and she knew perfectly well that the laws of attraction couldn’t be stopped. Only ignored.

Chapter Ten

‘Ignore us,’ Clover said quickly, as Beau staggered downstairs into the living room. He was wearing just a pair of Supreme stretch boxers. He stopped mid-stride, his hands still pulling down on his cheeks as he saw the camera trained upon him.

Johnny had set up a tripod along the far library wall opposite the stairs. It gave him an easy panorama of the room, from the sofas and fire by the picture window on his right, panning round to the dining table, the lift and staircase, over to the kitchen and the door leading into the cinema room and snug. In other words, it left nowhere to hide.

‘Just ignore us. Go about as if we’re not here,’ she said breezily.

Beau’s hands swung down from his cheeks. ‘Ah man! I’m wrecked though.’ He did look less than well.

‘I sincerely doubt this is going to be interesting enough to make the cut,’ she smiled reassuringly. ‘We’re just letting the camera roll.’

‘Have I gotta do the interview with you now?’

‘No,’ she smiled.

He relaxed again. ‘Oh good.’

Clover watched through the lens as Beau sauntered over to the table and collapsed into the chair opposite Ari, who was already at the table, eating toast with a taciturn expression. He looked like a little boy who’d been scolded by his mother, his eyes skating towards the camera every thirty seconds. Clover knew he was waiting – and bracing – for Foley’s appearance. She wondered what he had said to Kit last night about the filming beginning in earnest, and how Kit had taken the news.

‘You okay?’ Ari grunted to Beau as Carlotta came through from the kitchen and poured his black coffee.

‘Yeah mate,’ Beau nodded repetitively. From here, Clover and Johnny could only see him from behind, but he still had a bouncy puppy quality; he was never down for long.

‘Up for getting out there today?’

‘For sure!’ Beau reached for some toast too and tore into it, dry, seemingly unable to wait. ‘Umpf,’ he moaned as he chewed. ‘I just need to load up on carbs.’

Ari glanced towards the camera.

‘Reckon Mikey’ll be up there again?’ Beau asked, his mouth full.

‘No. Tipper had a chat with him after the session yesterday. He’s heading to Saas-Fee.’

‘For the camp?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Doing both weeks?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Huh,’ Beau nodded. ‘Guess we’ll see him there then.’

‘Yeah.’

‘. . . You okay?’ Beau asked.

Ari dragged his gaze off the camera and looked back at him. ‘Yeah.’

Johnny pressed his thigh against Clover’s in amusement. Beau was a natural, Ari was not.