Illusions of Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

walking up alongside him and handing him another glass of champagne.
    Martha Turner – Reece’s wife of almost eight years and the one person that had kept him sane during all the crazy shit that had gone on in the past.   An accomplished character actress, she’d fallen into the role of India ’s mum like she’d been doing it all her life, and for that alone Reece loved her more than he could ever explain.   Any ounce of stability that India could get was better than none at all, and sometimes Martha was the only person that India would actually listen to.  
    He pushed a hand through his rapidly greying hair and smiled at his wife, taking the champagne from her.   ‘Yes, well, I guess she’ll always be my little girl.’
    Martha squeezed his shoulder, kissing him quickly.   ‘Maybe you making this movie with her is a good thing right now then, huh?’
    Reece nodded, looking over towards his daughter who was talking to Layla Boyd.   They were examining each others nails, laughing like a couple of school kids, and a few years ago that wasn’t a sight anyone ever thought they’d see.
    ‘I hate saying that it gives me a chance to keep an eye on her but, y’know… her being so close to Michael…’
    Martha squeezed his shoulder again.   ‘It’ll be fine.   She’s been through a lot, but she’s also learnt a lot of lessons.’
    Reece took a long drink and looked over at India again, the sight of her so happy – despite her marriage falling apart around her – only making him increasingly nervous about future actions she may feel inclined to take.
    ‘I hope you’re right, Martha.’   He looked at his beautiful blond-haired blue-eyed wife.   Would India ever find the security and love that he’d managed to find?   ‘I really hope you’re right.’
    ‘She won’t go back to him, Reece.   Surely.   Not after everything that’s happened?’
    Reece shrugged, a feeling of more-than-familiar unease creeping over him as relocation to Las Vegas loomed ever nearer.
    ‘I’d like to think that was true, Martha.   I really would.   But I know my daughter.   I’ve seen what that man can do to her.   And if I wasn’t making this movie with her, believe me, I would be doing everything in my power to make sure I was in Vegas watching over her.   I’d be doing everything in my power to make sure I was there…’
     
    ***
     
    Layla liked India .   Now.   The relationship they had seemed to grow that little bit stronger and that touch more friendly as the months went by and it was nice, getting to really know each other.
    India had chosen Layla’s very popular daytime chat show in which to give her first major interview after her near-fatal accident, and Layla had been somewhat overwhelmed at a gesture that India need not have given, considering the past they’d shared.   But it had been the beginning of something that both Layla and India felt much more comfortable with – liking each other rather than the constant sniping that had gone on previously.
    They had far more in common than they’d originally thought, but the one thing they’d always had in common was the one thing that was making Layla so sad right now.   Michael Walsh.   He’d been at the centre of everything back then and he was continuing to hold onto that position now, but Layla knew it was nobody’s fault.   Not this time.   She knew that Michael had tried to love her, he really had, and she’d loved him all the more because at least he’d made an effort to put his ex-wife behind him and move on.   He just hadn’t had the will to move far enough.   And now Layla was more than aware that her days in his life were well and truly numbered, and it was something she was just going to have to learn to deal with.   But it was hard.
    ‘You… you know that Michael and I, we… we’re all but over.   Did you know that?’
    India looked at Layla, surprised that she was bringing this subject up because the one thing