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. . . I know you’ve been through hell with the press and I wanted to protect you. That’s whyI haven’t told you before. It has nothing to do with our relationship.’
    ‘Ethan has only ever been thinking of you, Angel.’ Benny again. ‘He’s been ripped apart with guilt and worry, don’t be hard on him.’
    Angel
really
wished he’d piss off now. Just then Ethan’s phone rang. He looked at the number and groaned.
    ‘It’s my coach; he must have seen the story on the news. I’d better take this.’ He stood up and stepped through the open French windows and on to the decking beyond. Angel had no desire to stay in the same room as Benny and was all set to join her friends.
    But Benny had other ideas. ‘I’m sure we can fix this, Angel. It will blow over soon – these things always do.’ His description of Ethan’s daughter as one of ‘these things’ only made Angel loathe him even more.
    She didn’t say anything. Benny carried on, ‘So, are you still being managed by Carrie Rose?’
    Angel nodded, not wanting to engage with him further. She was still reeling from Ethan’s news and didn’t want to talk about business, but that was Benny all over, the world’s most insensitive man.
    ‘You know, you could really do with an agent out here to raise your Stateside profile. Carrie can’t do that in London. I could take you on. I know all the people you should know. It would be good for you and Ethan. I was speaking to Larry the other night and mentioned you. I reckon I could get you a centrefold spread.’
    Several years ago Angel had appeared in
LA
Dreams
, owned by the legendary magazine magnate and multi-millionaire Larry T. Chance, but since then she’d had Honey and had vowed not to pose topless any more, which ruled out
LA
Dreams
.
    ‘I’m perfectly happy with Carrie, thanks, Benny,’ Angel said, more calmly than she felt.
    ‘Don’t be too hasty, Angel. I definitely think it’s something you should consider – not just for your sake but for Ethan’s. Two are always better than one, don’t you think? And you two make a very attractive package to advertisers and sponsors.’ He licked his lips as if relishing the prospect of all that extra money.
    Angel looked at him scornfully. He was the last person she would want managing her. The conversation was over. She got up and was about to leave the room to find her friends when Benny called after her, ‘And maybe while you’re thinking about what we’ve talked about, you should let me give you the number of a surgeon – those tits of yours could probably do with an upgrade sometime soon, couldn’t they?’
    The man was fucking outrageous! She wanted to tell him as much and where he could go. Instead she said coldly, ‘I’m sure Ethan wouldn’t appreciate you speaking to me like this, so shall we just forget your last comment?’
    Benny shrugged. ‘Whatever. But I’m right, Angel.’
    Thankfully Ethan returned at that moment and Benny was prevented from making any further obnoxious comments. Ethan looked completely shattered. ‘Benny, I need to speak to Angel now.’
    Benny remained sitting.
    ‘On her own.’
    Benny did not like being asked to leave, but eventually he stood up. He had reached the door when he stopped and said, ‘Oh, and by the way, we need to set up an interview and shoot with
OK
for you guys to put on a united front, so Angel can say how much in love she is with you, and how the fact that you have a child with another woman doesn’t change anything . . . blah blah blah. You know the kind of thing.’ He raised his arm in farewell and left.
    Ethan came and sat next to Angel. He tentativelyreached for her hand which she was reluctant to give him. ‘I’m so sorry, Angel, I never wanted you to get caught up in all of this.’ He certainly seemed sorry, just as Cal had done when news of his affair had broken.
    Angel could sense that Ethan wanted her to say that she still loved him, that she believed him, but something