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crossed the room to close the doors, a task made harder by the press of onlookers trying to see inside. ‘Private party, so piss off!’ he warned the gawpers as he shut the doors, then turned to the new arrival and his companion. ‘Glad you could make it. You’re only an hour late.’
    As usual, the sarcasm went completely over Grant Thorn’s head. ‘Sorry, dude,’ said the Hollywood star. ‘Jessica couldn’t decide on a dress.’
    Eddie recognised his partner as Jessica Lanes, a starlet-of-the-moment famous for a couple of successful teen comedies and a horror movie, as well as her willingness to remove her clothes for lad-mag photoshoots. ‘Nice to meet you,’ he said to the blonde, who smiled blankly.
    ‘Eddie here saved my life,’ Grant told her. ‘He’s a cool dude, even though he’s a Brit.’
    ‘Wow, you saved his life?’ asked Jessica. ‘Awesome. So, you’re like a lifeguard?’
    ‘Something like that,’ Eddie replied, deadpan. Someone else tried to peer into the room; he moved behind Grant to secure the doors again, whispering, ‘Thought you were bringing that other Jessica? You know, the dark-haired one?’
    ‘Old news, man,’ Grant said quietly. ‘Besides, a Jessica’s a Jessica, right?’
    Eddie shook his head, then escorted the pair through the room, which had suddenly been energised by the injection of star power. Holly in particular was dumbstruck by the appearance in three dimensions of a man who had previously been limited to posters on her bedroom wall. ‘Everyone, this is Grant and Jessica, who . . . well, you probably recognise.’
    Nan peered at the pair as Eddie completed the introductions. ‘Ooh, I know you,’ she said to Grant. ‘I saw you on the telly. You were in an advertisement, weren’t you?’
    ‘Nan!’ hissed Holly, mortified. ‘It was an advert for his film ! That he was starring in! As the star!’
    ‘Oh, that explains it. I don’t watch films these days,’ Nan confided to Grant. ‘They’re all so noisy and violent, just silly nonsense. But I’m sure yours are very good,’ she added politely.
    Eddie held in a laugh at Grant’s discomfiture. ‘Anyway, I was getting drinks, wasn’t I?’
    He headed for the buffet tables, passing Nina along the way. ‘Who’s that with Grant?’ she asked.
    ‘A Jessica.’
    ‘I thought his girlfriend was the one with dark hair?’
    ‘Keep up, love. You’re a celebrity yourself, you should know this stuff.’
    ‘I am not a celebrity,’ Nina said, faintly irked by the accusation.
    ‘Right. Being seen on live TV inside the Sphinx by two hundred million people doesn’t count.’
    She groaned. ‘Don’t remind me. See you later.’ Giving him a kiss, she continued circulating, spotting some friends and workmates at one table. ‘Matt, Lola!’ she called, joining them. ‘Everything okay?’
    ‘Great, thanks,’ said Matt Trulli, holding up his glass. ‘Top bash you and Eddie’ve put on. Congratulations!’
    ‘Well, it’s mostly Eddie who organised it,’ she told the tubby Australian engineer. ‘I’ve been a bit preoccupied with work - I spent most of the week in San Francisco. But if you’re enjoying it, I’m happy to take the credit!’
    ‘You look lovely, Nina,’ Lola Gianetti said. Nina felt her cheeks flush a little at the compliment from her personal assistant - though she had to admit that her cream dress was considerably more elegant than the suits she wore at the office or the rugged and functional clothing preferred out in the field. ‘And I didn’t know you and Eddie could dance!’
    ‘That tango looked pretty hot stuff,’ said Matt. ‘There, er, there many single women at dance classes?’
    Nina was saved from having to answer by the arrival of another guest. ‘There you are, Nina,’ said Rowan Sharpe. ‘I thought I’d never catch up with you.’
    ‘We’ve spent practically the past week together, Rowan,’ she said, grinning. ‘I would have thought you’d be sick of the sight