Chapter 2

Tess was glad she had let them talk her into coming out for the night. The nightclub was electric with the energy of a couple of hundred people, drinking, talking and dancing the night away. It certainly looked like one of the places to be on a Saturday night, Tess thought as she walked passed at least three tables of people she had seen on set the day before. When Emma, Beth and Pete had taken them back to the table they had found a number of other crew members already downing a variety of colourful drinks. After Carrie and Tess had sat down Pete got their drinks order and bustled off to the bar as he had already found that one of the barmen was extremely cute and also completely gay too.

Tess placed her jacket on the back of the chair and sat down at the end of the table next to Carrie as Pete returned with their drinks. Tess took a sip of her beer as Carrie asked Pete if he had any luck at the bar with the young barman.

“Not yet, darling but the night is young. I am getting a couple of nibbles but we shall just wait and see.”

“Just make sure he only nibbles, Pete, you have to start work on Monday,” Carrie warned as she snapped her teeth together a few times for effect.

“And if all goes well that means there’s just over 24 hours of nibbling to be had. God help me, I hope so.” Pete added as he fanned himself as everyone listening laughed at him.

Tess turned around and began to chat to Emma seated next to her as Carrie looked around the room, scoping out the male talent in the place. It did not take her long to find at least half a dozen potential dance partners before her eyes found Elijah sitting with three other guys. When she realised that under the yellow baseball hat was Orlando she turned her attention back to her friend.

She really did want Tess to find some happiness. Even though Tess had only spoken to her about her childhood a little Carrie knew that there was a lot more hurt and pain that she had not revealed to her. She understood that for Tess to open up to anyone was so hard for her that it was almost impossible but Carrie felt that if she found just the perfect person she would be able to stop forcing herself to be happy.

Carrie had seen Tess when either her father or someone equally as stupid and uncaring threw her into her despair. Then she would watch Tess pretend with all her heart that everything was fine at work but when she left she would be miserable for days until she was able to pull herself out of it. Carrie had never been able to lift her spirits and elevate her above the pain she felt she deserved.

Yesterday when she had watched the interaction between Tess and Orlando Carrie had begun to think that maybe there was something there to work on. She vowed that by the end of this shoot not only was she going to be firmly taken but so was Tess and her number one choice for Tess was the young and good looking elf boy. Over the next few days she would watch to see if that first spark between them would ignite into something more and if it did Carrie was more than willing to fan the flames.

“Hey Tess, did you see your elf’s here.”

“Who?” Tess pretended she did not have a clue what Carrie meant but when Pete had returned with their drinks she had noticed Orlando sitting at a table with three of the hobbit boys. He had been looking in her direction but she was sure he was just looking around the club, probably trying to find a cute girl to chat up.

“Orlando, you ninny,” Carrie said.

“Oh yeah, I saw him before and would you stop calling him my elf.”

“Well he is, you look after his makeup, plus on another level - he will be,” Carrie stated with a cheeky grin.

“Oh, will you stop it. You know you’re a busybody. One day you’re going to put your foot in it.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. He looks cute in that hat, doesn’t he?” Carrie asked searching for signs of interest.

“I didn’t look that closely. Maybe you should be the one going after him, you seem to take more notice than I do.” Tess jokingly mocked her friends fishing expedition.

“You know he’s not my type. I’m only making sure that he is good enough for you. ”

“God, will you shut up. Go and get us a beer and leave the poor boy alone.” Tess told her as she took a small purse out of her jacket pocket and fished out a ten dollar note before handing it to Carrie.

After Carrie left to go to the bar Tess stole a glance towards the table where Orlando was sitting. She had no idea as to why Dominic, Billy and Elijah were all throwing nuts at him but she laughed as she watched him try to hide his face with his arms until the onslaught was over. When he emerged from behind his arms and Tess could see his laughing face she knew Carrie was right in saying that he looked cute in the yellow hat.

Tess quickly looked away as she noticed him start to look around the club. Obviously he was scoping out the room for the local talent, she thought objectively as she looked over to watch Carrie return with their beers, not even considering when Orlando's eyes had found their mark they were trained on her. Tess took her drink from Carrie, completely unaware that Orlando continued to look at her, and she quickly dismissed from her mind that he might be interested in her.

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