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She pulled up Google and typed a web address she knew too well. The usual headlines popped up on her screen: celebrity baby bumps, beach body-ready starlets in bathing suits, and famous couples toting to-go coffees. When the final piece of the Mail’s landing page loaded, her fingers pushed along her laptop’s trackpad, her eyes searching.
And there it was: Mark Keegan’s Birthday Booze Up. She clicked.
He may be one of the most in-demand actors of the past year, but Lairds and Liars hunk Mark Keegan managed to squeeze in a few celebratory drinks for his twenty-sixth birthday. Castmates, crew, and friends joined the rising star last night for festivities at the Long Hall, a traditional Dublin pub dating back to 1881. The Dublin native is home filming his first leading role inA Promise Unspoken, a historical action/drama.
A large photo of Mark, Wink, and a few co-stars—Alex couldn’t remember their names—leaving the pub sat between the paragraphs. She recognized two members of the production crew, including the woman who had helped her back to the hotel on New Year’s Eve. She read further.
Mark wore a knee-length black coat over a blue button-down shirt…blah blah blah…
The next photo was Mark alone in a cab.
With filming scheduled to resume in the morning, Mark and his squad called it an early night, and a fleet of cabs whisked away the revellers by ten P.M. One person was notably absent: the woman locked in Mark’s New Year’s Eve embrace. Fallon Delaney, 25, his co-star inA Promise Unspoken, was nowhere to be seen. When asked about her whereabouts, a source said the two actors dated as teenagers but couldn’t comment on their current relationship status.
Alex grabbed her phone, her thumbs flying over its screen, texting Mark.
You there?
She held her breath. If he was filming, it could be hours before he responded—if he responded at all. He might be pissed off that she hadn’t answered his email. Mark knew it wasn’t her style to ignore them.
Ten seconds later, her phone buzzed—Lucy.
Help! Harry’s mum is suffocating me! She won’t take no for an answer. She’s texted me three times this morning about their annual Alps skiing vacation. Harry’s busy, but she wants me to go even if he can’t.
Alex responded. Go! What do you have to lose?
The three dots bounced as Lucy composed a response.
My lunch, my cool rep, MY LIFE? Fuck. Of all the guys to date, I picked one with pseudo-Olympians for parents. Why can’t they be couch potatoes? Why do they like me SO MUCH? Help! I’m not used to this parent-thing!
Alex smiled. Another text landed on her screen.
I’m here, Mouse x
Her eyes widened. Breathing in slowly, her thumbs took their time to answer.
Did you have a good birthday?She waited…reading it over—twice. With an exhale, she hit send.
Mark replied within seconds.
No. Worst one yet… for obvious reasons. How are you doing?
She bit the inside of her cheek as she typed her response. Sad, nostalgic, lonely. She paused and tapped the delete key, erasing ‘sad’ and ‘nostalgic’. Lonely could stay.
… for obvious reasons. FaceTime this week? We need to talk.
Yes! But I’ll come to you. Does Friday afternoon work?
Yes. x
