Gold Rush, Olivia Petter – Exclusive Extract
We give celebrities a power they don’t deserve. Power they haven’t earned. What happens when they exploit it?
Imagine you’ve just spent the night with the most famous man on the planet. Except you don’t quite remember it. That is what happens to Rose, a twenty-something woman who seemingly has everything going for her. Working for one of the most powerful publishers in the country, Rose spends her days doing PR for glossy magazines. There are tedious spreadsheets, fashion divas, and many A-list parties.
It’s at one of those parties where she meets Milo Jax, the world-famous, globally adored, British pop sensation. An unlikely flirtation turns into an even more unlikely evening and then Rose wakes up, unable to piece it all together. What happens next changes everything.
Slumped against the wall, he was enclosed by a semicircle of three women. All of the women were talking animatedly, whether it was to each other or Milo wasn’t completely clear. But he wasn’t saying anything and, in all honesty, looked a little bored. His eyes widened when he clocked Rose and smiled, gesturing for her to come over.
‘Ah! My blooming Rose,’ he said as she approached him.
The three women didn’t acknowledge Rose’s arrival and continued talking.
‘I think they’re keen to get you to the afterparty now,’ Rose said over them.
‘Who’s they?’
‘My boss.’
‘Will Rose get into trouble if I don’t come to the after- party?’
‘Most likely,’ she replied.
‘Then it looks like we’re going to the afterparty.’
He said his goodbyes to each of the women, kissing them all on both cheeks.
‘I’ll email Joss on Monday about the boots!’ chirped one of them.
‘Great, thank you so much!’ Milo replied, giving her a thumbs-up as he walked away.
They left the building through the underground car park, where Liz had texted Rose that a car would be parked waiting for him. The lift down there was small and entirely airless, meaning Rose’s body was suddenly inches away from Milo’s.
‘Christ,’ he said, tugging at his shirt as he leaned into the corner of the lift.
‘Are you okay?’
‘Yeah. Just not great in small spaces.’ ‘Ah, yeah. This lift breaks a lot.’ ‘What?’ His eyes were wide with panic.
‘I’m kidding. Sorry.’ She flushed red, annoyed at herself for making such a terrible joke. ‘I’ve never actually been in this lift before.’
‘You had me there, Rose. I’m a gullible person.’
‘Here was me thinking you were someone who wouldn’t scare easy.’
‘And here’s me thinking you would.’
Rose felt nauseous at how effortless it was for him to flirt with her. She wasn’t sure if he actually meant anything by the comment, or if he just said it for the symmetry, but she was grateful when their interlude came to a sudden halt as the lift doors opened and they stepped out into the dark, underground car park.
Milo didn’t say anything and headed straight to the car door that was being held open for him by a chauffeur wearing an actual top hat. Rose realised that her time with one of the most famous pop stars in the world was coming to an end and wondered why she felt like she’d failed at something.
‘Okay, it was nice to meet you,’ she said. ‘Would you mind taking the goody bag out at the party? Just so the photographers get a shot with the sponsor’s logo.’
He nodded, taking the bag from her, his fingers brushing lightly against hers.
‘Anything for you, Rose.’
‘Have a lovely time this evening,’ said Rose, as he climbed into the car.
‘You’re not coming?’ he asked, buckling his seat belt with the door still open.
‘Erm. No.’
‘Well, that’s not much fun for you, is it?’
Rose smiled weakly. ‘Well, I wasn’t invited. And I’m working, remember?’ These were both lies: it was 11 p.m., her shift had officially finished. She could easily leave now. And any difficulty she’d have getting into the afterparty would be immediately diminished with Milo by her side. He leaned out of the car, hand outstretched like a claw.
‘I thought your job tonight was to look after me.’ Looking at his dilated pupils, Rose figured he was a bit drunk. ‘You should come. These things are mostly full of people being idiots and saying obnoxious things about themselves. There’s sometimes free cheese, too. I think you’d find it funny.’
Not taking his hand, she took a step backwards. ‘What makes you think I’d find it funny?’
‘I have good instincts. And I think I know a bit about you.’
‘I’ll bet I know more about you.’
He smiled. ‘Are you getting in or not?’
There are some moments in life when a question isn’t really a question at all. And that’s because the answer has already been determined by greater and more powerful external forces. Those forces could be the social norms that require you to say ‘Oh, I love them!’ upon receiving a hideous pair of pink pyjamas for your birthday from a distant relative. Or the pressures that compel you to say ‘Go on then’ when the person you fancy offers you a free tequila shot in a club even though you hate tequila. In this instance, those forces were stronger than ever, because the person asking Rose to do something was Milo Jax. And when someone like Milo Jax asks anyone to do anything, there is only ever going to be one answer.
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