Fearless Heart (EDITING)

Part 9

Vince's script had been a big hit with his agent. In no time at all they had set up a small team to collaborate on edits and setting up the camera team. The idea was to shoot some of it before hand, as a kind of segment to compliment the filmed sections in front of a live audience.

Suddenly all his free time had become studio time or time spent in meetings, discussing ideas, pitching them to various studios and finally finding someone who would air a creation from the bizarre mind of Vince Bogart.

In the spare time he did have, he would nip round to Harriet's or she would visit his home just to "chill out". Today was no exception as they sat together on the sofa playing some game he'd bought for the PlayStation in their underwear.

"What the fuck, what the fuck?? Dude!" Harriet shouted at the screen as her character was knocked down by a zombie yet again.

Vince chuckled, his character coming to save the day with a double barrelled shotgun before his character was attacked from behind by a sneaky member of the undead.

"Honestly?!!" Vince raised his voice as Harriet laughed, the screen asking if they would like to continue.

Harriet was wearing Vince's kimono as she stood up, looking at the time.

"On that note I better get going, I have another meeting in the morning."

Vince nodded and sighed.

"Me too."

Harriet pulled on her clothes, asking him about the meeting.

"Is it with that Steve guy again?"

Vince nodded, "yeah he's starting to get on my nerves. I can see what he means by some of the ideas he comes up with, it's just the way he says it, it's so, pretentious."

Harriet laughed loudly.

"You can't say that! You are the embodiment of pretentiousness."

"I know but still," he said, crossing his arms and smiling.

"And plus anyway, I wanted to talk to you about this meeting."

Harriet's throat constricted as she swallowed.

"What's up?" She asked, taking her seat again.

"So you know I'm going to be going on another tour with the team?"

Harriet nodded. She had been dreading him leaving as she had assumed that when he left she would be out of the picture.

"I was thinking that maybe you'd want to come along? You know, write on the road, maybe do a little bit of writing for my show, like publicity and all that?" Vince shrugged.

"Oh wow." Harriet answered, staring at Vince with confusion. There were a million different things speeding through her mind, the good, the bad, the ugly. "And you're not just saying that because you don't know the best way to break it off with me?" She laughed.

Vince tugged her hand towards him, pulling Harriet into a headlock as he tickled her sides.

"Don't be a ninny, I'd be stupid to break this off."

Harriet smiled, prodding Vince's sides in revenge. He quickly let her go.

"What a soppy git." Harriet sat up, poked a finger in her mouth and pretended to throw up, "somebody get me a bucket."

Vince pushed her backwards onto the sofa and launched himself on her.

He kissed her passionately, holding her head as he pulled them together. Harriet felt the warmth of his bare chest against her fingers as she ran fingertips down his torso.

Breaking away from the kiss Vince asked,

"So is that a yes then?"

Harriet smirked.

"I'll think about it."

*

Harriet's fingers hovered over the buttons on her phone, Clive's contact open in the call menu.

She hadn't spoken to him for over two weeks now and as much as she missed him she couldn't face to hear him give her some more unwanted advice. Plus, surely if he'd wanted to speak to her then he would have rang her or apologised with wine like he usually did.

She put the phone down on the bed as she carefully folded the rest of her clothes, ready for Vince's tour.

Sighing she picked up the phone and hit the call button.

"Long time no speak." He answered, dry and calculated.

"I thought I would let you know that I'm going out of town for a while."

"Ok. Have fun." He said simply.

Harriet sighed. Clive could be a stubborn bastard sometimes.

"I miss you." She admit quietly.

Clive was quiet on the other end of the phone. Harriet could almost hear the cogs work in his brain as he decided on his response.

"I miss you too chick." He sighed.

Harriet smiled weakly as she took a seat on the end of her bed.

"So where are you going?" Clive asked.

"Vince has invited me to come on his tour with him all around the country."

"Oh." He said quietly.

"So when will you be back?"

Harriet chewed her fingernail before she answered.

"Probably a couple of months at the most. Work still want me to nip in every now and then but I've arranged to Skype them when I need to until I'm home again."

There was another pause as neither one of them knew what to say.

"You know I didn't mean what I said the other week, don't you? You can always come to me if you have any problems."

Harriet nodded.

"I know bub."

"Do you have time for a quick coffee before you go?" He asked.

"I think I can make time." Harriet answered, smiling.

"Good. Because I have important news."

*

"You're what?!" Harriet exclaimed, taking Clive's left hand in hers, admiring the simple engagement band on his finger.

Clive chuckled.

"Brendan popped the question yesterday. I don't think I've been so excited."

"Please don't tell me that Liza Minnelli is going to be there."

Clive scoffed.

"It's not an episode of sex and the city and besides we have one better in mind, George Michael."

Harriet chuckled.

"No way. Shut up."

Clive chuckled.

"Sadly we couldn't get him to come either."

"So when is the big day?"

Clive admired his ring.

"It won't be until the end of the year. We wanted a winter wedding. So it should be about a month after you get back from tour. How are things anyway?" He asked warily, not wanting to rock the boat.

"Yeah not too bad, we meet up when we have time."

Clive nodded. To him it sounded like Harriet was treating this arrangement as if they were in a relationship. Vince wasn't one for monogamy and he knew it would only be time before he did something stupid.

They finished their coffees and Harriet made her leave, having to finish packing before the bus left.

"Take care chick." Clive said, giving her a bear hug, "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too bub."