Relatively Famous (14 page)
Dani played along. “Of course, mother.”
Before she got off the video call with Leila, Dani promised to report in on every waking second of her life in California. It had come as a shock that her mother had been relatively easygoing about the whole thing, but Dani knew that she had probably taken advantage of Leila’s guilt. And she remembered belatedly that she never got a chance to hear her mother’s news.
Dani tried to reach Sam but got the voice mail. She left a message begging her friend to call her back.
The next call she made was to Jason.
After all, if she was staying, she might as well have a trainer for the summer.
**********
Mark pulled on a clean shirt and searched around the bedroom room for his wallet. He was going out again tonight
,
and he didn’t think Dani would mind. He knew she had called Kayla and had made plans to do something. Mark and Dani had plenty of time now anyway, right?
Mark had done his best to appease Leila when he’d spoken to her the other day about having Dani stay for the summer. He hadn’t been dying to call her or hear her voice, but Leila had been cordial and business
like, and he’d been polite and reassuring. He’d thought the room had been spinning, but that might have been the scotch before dinner.
It had taken a few days for Mark to refocus after the script-reading episode. Renna was right; he just needed to concentrate on his career. But tonight he wanted a distraction. And a few vodka martinis with the belly
-
ring girl was just what he needed.
Chapter 27
Dani pulled on the bikini strap that was knotted at her neck. Kayla would never let her hear the end of it if she got tan lines. She considered jumping into the pool
,
but then she’d have to remove Violet’s hairpiece. She had to laugh at herself, aware that she was growing unnaturally attached to the thing. Instead of a full-on plunge into the pool, Dani stepped delicately into the water and roamed the shallow side of the pool, careful not to splash away her makeup or wet her hair.
It had been two weeks since she’d decided to stay in California for the summer
,
and she had fallen into a comfortable routine. Mornings by the pool or at the beach club, afternoons shopping or at the spa, and evenings with the girls. And then, best of all, there were the training sessions with Jason. Not that they’d held onto much pretense of exercising, but Dani still dutifully put on work
-
out gear. So far, and much to the delight of her new friends, she and Jason had made out two more times in the pool, once on the deck off of her room, and twice on the well-cushioned couch in the living room. Kayla seemed happy that Dani was having a summer fling with Jason, a guy who was the best eye candy around. Sam loved all the details about her new romance and always demanded more pictures of the gorgeous boy. Dani always timed her visits with Jason so that Mark wasn’t around, which wasn’t too difficult considering how often he was gone. Not that she and Jason were running around the property naked or anything, but she really didn’t want to be caught canoodling in the Jacuzzi any
time soon.
Twice a week, or so, she and Mark would go to eat a delicious, over-priced meal at a trendy restaurant where waiters would hover over the pair, not allowing water glasses to approach empty, and confirming that all traces of Mark’s loathed cilantro were removed from his food. But most nights he was out with a woman, and so far Dani had not heard the same date’s name mentioned twice. It creeped her out, but he didn’t pester her about her personal life, so how could she question his?
Mark always slept in late
,
and Dani was usually gone by the time he got up. Considering he’d been the one to ask her to stay, she thought they would have been spending more time together. Of course, Dani knew that she had been so busy, too, but at some point they would really need to get their schedules coordinated and fit in some father-daughter time.
Dani stepped out of the pool and pulled a plush towel around her waist. She headed to the veranda and through the French doors that led to the living room. A strong floral aroma permeated the room, and she knew Mark must have arranged for another floral delivery. She looked around the room and found three bouquets of perfectly shaped roses. Pinks, reds, whites, all leafless and tightly bound together in formal
-
looking displays. They were beautiful, certainly, but stuffy. She headed into the dining room, where more sculpted arrangements had been placed. Why couldn’t Mark have some flowing, whimsical bouquets? Like the ones Alan got for her mother?
Alan. She still wasn’t ready for that. Leila continued to try and get her to talk about their strained relationship, but Dani refused.
Dani saw a business card sticking out of one of the vases.
Olivia’s.
A street address and phone number were listed for the flower shop. Well, she would just ask Mark’s driver take her down to the shop
,
and she could tweak the standing order to include some displays that didn’t look like centerpieces at a royal wedding.
An hour later, after showering and forgoing what had become her standard beauty routine, Dani stood in front of the flower shop. She prayed she wouldn’t run into anyone she knew in her disheveled state.
Considering the upscale location of the shop, Dani was pleased when she opened the doors to find that this florist was noticeably unpretentious. In fact, the place felt rather disorganized. Large plastic buckets sat in tiers on wire shelving, each overloaded with different kinds of flowers. There were a number of puddles on the cement floor, and stems and cuttings littered the counters.
“Hello. Can I help you?”
Dani looked up from a woven basket filled with sunflowers. The woman in front of her was considerably un-Beverly Hills looking. She had to be at least a size six—practically obese by local standards—and wore a loose
-
fitting off-white dress. Dani guessed she was in her early
thirties, but you never knew around here. She could be much older.
“Yes, hi. I think my father has a weekly delivery order here
,
and I was wondering if I could make a few changes to it.” Dani stepped over to the counter while the woman retrieved a thick file folder from a shelf.
“Sure. By the way, I’m the owner, Olivia. What’s the name on the account?”
“Ocean. Mark Ocean. And I’m his daughter, Dani.”
“Oh, yes. Him. He is definitely a client here.” Olivia made no attempt to hide her disdain. She slumped dramatically onto her elbows and cradled her chin in her hands. “What’s wrong this time?”
Dani noticed that Olivia blew her bangs out of her eyes the same way Dani did. Her shaggy blonde hair appeared natural, without the fake golden and white tints that most blondes around here had. “Nothing is wrong at all. I just wanted to see about getting some variety in the arrangements.” Dani leaned in. “I gather my father is not your easiest customer?”
“No one around here is easy, but Mark Ocean lives in a permanent state of dissatisfaction. What do you want me to change this time? Bows not strangling the roses enough for him? Did a
g
erbera daisy have one too many leaves?”
Dani watched as the florist flipped to Mark’s page in her folder. “He’s never said anything to me about being unhappy with the flowers. I just thought it might be nice to have something that wasn’t quite so put-together. Something softer and more fun. Like some wildflowers, maybe?”
Olivia popped her head up from the account page. “Really?” she asked, suddenly enthusiastic. “I’ve been waiting for someone like you to come in here for the past three years! If I have to jab stems into one more piece of that disgusting floral foam or put together one more funereal arrangement, I…Let’s just say this would be a much-needed change.” She dropped a pen and hurried
toward
the buckets in the back of the store. “I’ll put together a sample bouquet right now, okay?”
“Sure,” Dani said, somewhat taken aback.
“This is great. Nobody ever buys these poor flowers. They sit in the back, all alone, while their glamorous friends are sent home and showcased in crystal vases for wealthy jerks.” Olivia cheerfully selected a few poppies. “Oh, sorry,” she said apologetically to Dani. “I’m sure your father is a very nice man. Not a jerk at all.”
Dani watched as Olivia amassed an armful of Canadian lilies, butterfly weed, columbine, and forget-me-nots. “Have you met my father?”
“Nope. His assistant does all the ordering.”
“I’ve only known him for a short time,” Dani said, smiling. She briefly explained how she’d come to learn that Mark was her father. “It’s just beautiful in here. How long have you owned this shop?”
“Almost three years. My parents ran it for ages, but after they both died in a car accident, I felt an obligation to take over. I’d just finished getting my master
’
s in psychology, but I became a florist.”
Dani wrinkled her face in confusion. “You went to all that trouble in graduate school
,
and you never wanted to use your degree?”
“There, what do you think?” Olivia held up the collection of flowers and then answered Dani’s question. “God, no. I could never be a therapist. Sitting around listening to people complain to me for eight hours a day? I don’t know how people do it. But it’s an interesting field. All those personality disorders? Fascinating. I also have a master’s in English lit. That was just a good excuse to spend two years reading.” Olivia pointed happily to the bouquet in her hand. “So, is this what you had in mind?”
“Exactly.” The bright wildflowers reminded Dani of home. “It’s just perfect.”
Olivia began wrapping the wildflowers in thick paper. Dani liked her. She was smart, genuine, and outspoken. And didn’t have a wedding ring.
“So, do you have a boyfriend?”
“Nope. And I can’t imagine I’ll find one in this town. I’m not into the whole Beverly Hills scene, but the shop is here.” She snipped a long stretch of linen ribbon. Dani marveled at how quickly her fingers tied an intricate bow. “Why do you ask?” Olivia looked suspiciously at Dani.
Dani barreled ahead. “Have you ever been on a reality show?”
“What?” Olivia gasped. “No, I most certainly have not.”
“Do you wear thongs or see
-
through shirts?”
“Excuse me?”
So far, so good.
“What do you know about my father?”
“I know he is another actor making more money than he probably deserves. What is this all about?” Olivia placed her hands on the counter and squinted her eyes at Dani accusingly.
“I just think you’re interesting
,
and maybe you and my Dad could go out sometime.”
Olivia shook her head. “No. I don’t date actors. Or anyone in the business.”
“He’s nice. I think you two would really hit it off,” Dani encouraged. “That’s probably why he’s been so grouchy about the flowers. He’s lonely. But he is really cool. Smart, funny, handsome, considerate…not at all what you’re picturing.”
Olivia was precisely the kind of person her father
should
be dating. She didn’t have the forced glamour of Mark’s usual dates, but she was pretty in an understated way.
“You want me to date a movie star? I don’t think so.” Olivia shook her head, but Dani could tell she was considering. “It’s nice that you’re looking out for your father, but I wouldn’t fit in with his crowd. I can’t imagine we’d be right for each other.”
“Don’t you at least want to see a picture of him?” It was a little gross, but she didn’t mind pimping her father out for a good cause.
Olivia crossed her arms and sighed. “I cannot believe this. Fine. Show me a picture.”
Dani rummaged through her purse until she found her phone. She scrolled through the pictures and held out the small screen for Olivia to see: a gorgeous photo of Mark and Dani together.
Olivia stared at the screen and didn’t change her studious expression. “Okay, I’ll go out with him.” Before Dani could clap her hands together, Olivia stopped her with one finger held up in the air. “But one date only. I’ll have to see for myself what an ass he is.”
Now it was just a matter of convincing Mark.
Chapter 28
“You told her what?” Mark could not believe what his daughter had done.
“Now don’t spaz out on me yet. She’s really nice. Please?” Dani begged.
“I may not have been a father for very long, but even I know not to fall for those sad eyes and pout.”
“Okay,” Dani said. “But what’s the harm? You could at least meet Olivia.”
“I have a certain type of woman I prefer to go out with, Dani. I’ve been managing my own personal life for quite some time now, you know.”