Thrill! (16 page)

"Right now I'm planning on making a terrific movie, which - if everything falls into place - you'll star in. Then maybe I'll consider having another child - but only if Richard wants to."

Ginny Kieffer - Miles's wife - leaned into their conversation. She was a well-preserved blond of indeterminate age, with carefully sculpted features - the pride of her plastic surgeon.

"Kids!"

she muttered dourly, having swallowed several glasses of wine too many.

"Hate

"em. Lil"

bastards don"

appreciate anything you do for

"em. All they're after is your money."

"That's not true, dear,"

Miles interjected, surreptitiously moving her wineglass beyond her reach.

"How would you know?"

Ginny said, throwing him a hateful glare.

" Tou

"re never home."

Nikki exchanged glances with Lara. The battling Kieffers were at it again.

"/ wouldn't mind

"aving a baby,"

piped up the anorexic model, who although she looked fourteen was actually twentytwo.

"Not with me, darling,"

Kyle interrupted, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Two bright-red spots coloured her hollowed cheeks.

"I wasn't asking you to make me pregnant,"

the girl said in a strong cockney accent.

"Got me a ton of guys in New York who'd faint at the privilege."

Nikki decided the girl resembled a pretty young corpse. Someone should feed her. And soon, before it was too late.

"One cover on Vogue and they think they own the world,"

Ginny mumbled, groping along the table for her wineglass.

"Lara, I marvel at how quickly you put this party together,"

Barbara Westerberg said, twisting a strand of wispy hair around her finger.

"It's darling of you to invite the crew - they're very appreciative."

"It seems silly to always wait for the wrap party at the end of

106

the movie,"

Lara said.

"I thought it would be fun to do one at the beginning."

She didn't add that her inspiration was Joey Lorenzo, who so far had not shown up.

Where was he, anyway? And why did it matter?

Hmm . . . wasn't she being foolish, considering he was engaged, and even if he wasn't, every female on the movie had eyes for him.

"'Such a lovely idea,"

Barbara enthused, always especially nice to her stars.

"Wish I'd thought of it."

"Maybe you can pay for it,"

Nikki said, sotto voce.

Barbara pretended not to hear.

"Oh,"

she said, jumping up.

"There's Joey. Poor thing - he looks lost. Shall I invite him to join our table?"

"Who's Joey?"

Nikki asked, chewing on a carrot stick.

"An actor,"

Lara said vaguely, her heart starting to race, which infuriated her because he meant nothing to her.

"You mean that great-looking guy heading toward us?"

"That's him."

"Very fuckable,"

Nikki murmured.

"Why don't you lay claim before Barbara wets her panties?"

"Don't be ridiculous,"

Lara said crossly.

"He's engaged."

"Engaged means nothing,"

Nikki said flippantly.

"Marriage is the only condition that counts."

Lara picked up her glass of non-alcoholic fruit punch.

"Actors don't interest me,"

she said firmly, thinking - in spite of herself that this one did.

"Haven't you ever heard the words "location fuck"?"

Nikki said mischievously.

"It's a perk of the business. One great fling with a fantastic-looking guy, and at the end of the movie you both go your separate ways. Everyone does it."

"Is that what you used to do before you met Richard?"

Nikki nodded enthusiastically.

"You bet your sweet ass."

Roxy danced by, clad in a tigerprint jumpsuit. She was clinging tightly to her trucker, rubbing up against him as they rocked and rolled their way past.

Hmm .. . Lara thought, trying to get her mind off Joey, Toko's right - he is a fat one.

107 Roxy was followed closely by Yoko with her boyfriend, a muscled hunk who looked like he belonged on the cover of Plctygirl.

Right behind them came Trinee, accompanied by her fiance a solid tree trunk of a man who favoured a kind of crazed Mike Tyson look, and towered over the diminutive Trinee.

Lara waved, happy to see everyone having a good time, forcing her thoughts away from Joey once and for all.

"Oh, boy,"

Nikki said, sitting back and observing the passing couples.

"There'll be plenty of fucking on the beach tonight!"

# # &

Joey circled the edge of the party, winked at Trinee on the dance floor, and decided not to go over to the above the line table where Lara was sitting. Kyle would probably treat him like shit, and he wasn't into being humiliated in front of Lara.

He noticed Barbara Westerberg heading in his direction with a determined look on her face.

"Hi, Joey,"

she said, greeting him warmly.

"Barbara,"

he replied, knowing he could have her any time he wanted.

"Knockout dress - veree sexy."

She basked in his compliment.

"Thanks, Joey."

Trinee had given him the scam on Ms Westerberg. She'd been married to a well-known producer who'd gotten her into the business. After a couple of years he'd run off with his accountant, leaving Barbara to manage his flourishing production company by herself. She'd kept working, divorced husband number one and married husband number two, a writer who never worked unless she got him the job. They both slept around.

Barbara grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"You look lonely, Joey,"

she said, giving him a you can fuck me if you want look.

"Couldn't your fiancee make it?"

"Uh . . . she was all set to fly in, then somethin"

came up. She's workin"

a real important case. We were on the phone - that's why I'm late."

The truth was he was late because he'd sat in his room waiting

108

for Madelaine's call. Sure enough, she'd phoned at nine o'clock checking up on him. He'd wheezed and coughed over the phone, and as soon as he'd gotten rid of her, he'd left a message with the switchboard he was not to be disturbed and raced out.

"What a shame,"

Barbara said, not sorry at all.

"Yeah,"

Joey agreed.

"Hey - gotta let her do her thing, she's busy makin"

a name for herself."

"I insist you come and sit with us,"

Barbara said.

"Gonna pass,"

he said, shaking his head.

"Kyle doesn't like me."

"Kyle doesn't like ««y man he considers competition."

"Me? Competition?"

Joey said, laughing derisively.

"Me? Who's got three lousy scenes?"

"I know,"

Barbara agreed.

"Try to understand, Kyle's getting older, losing his hair,"

she lowered her voice.

"Look what happened to Burt Reynolds. And to add to Kyle's humiliation, he's now dating children."

"Huh?"

Joey said, his eyes straining to watch Lara.

"The girl he's with tonight can't be more than seventeen."

"What a loser!"

Barbara glanced around, making sure no one was listening.

"Try not to .say that anywhere Kyle can hear you. And Joey, if you repeat any of the remarks I've made, I'll deny them."

"You can trust me,"

he said, trailing her to what was obyiously the A table.

Lara rose to greet him.

"Hi, Joey,"

she said graciously.

"So glad you made it."

He stared at her incredible face. She was a Madonna for the nineties - breathtakingly pure and beautiful. He wanted to ravish her there and then, and yet he realized she was special - not just another conquest.

"Looks like a happenin"

party,"

he said easily.

"Thanks for invitin"

me."

She smiled, lighting up the night.

"It is."

Nikki gave her a sharp nudge.

"Uh . . . meet my friend, Nikki Barry,"

she said, getting the hint.

Joey nodded at the pretty, dark woman, hardly noticing her as far as he was concerned everyone paled in comparison to Lara.

"Well, hello,"

Nikki said, sitting up straighter.

109 Barbara took his arm in a possessive fashion.

"Come sit over here, Joey,"

she said, pulling him away.

"Excuse me,"

he said politely, as Barbara steered him to the other side of the table.

"You're excused,"

Lara responded with an amused smile - just to let him know it didn't bother her that he was in demand.

"She's hot for him,"

Nikki murmured, watching him go.

"And who can blame her?"

"They're all hot for him,"

Lara replied calmly.

"I don't think he plays around."

"'That makes a nice change,"

Nikki said archly.

"A guy who actually doesn't walk around with a permanent hard-on! Surely you jest?"

Lara smiled and wished she could stop her heart from pounding uncontrollably.

"His fiancee is a lawyer."

"Older than him?"

"How should I know?"

"How old's he?"

"I've no idea,"

she said coolly, although she did know.

"I told you - I'm not interested."

"Oh, yes, you are,"

Nikki said with a knowing wink.

"Why do you say that?"

"I can tell. As soon as he walked in, you got that itchy-pants look."

"Bullshit!"

Lara said, swearing - something she almost never did.

"Oh, bullshit, huh?"

said Nikki, thoroughly amused.

"Now I know you're interested."

Lara jumped up, sometimes Nikki could be the most annoying person in the world.

"You're such a fucking pain in the ass!"

she exploded.

"Two swear words!"

exclaimed Nikki, still laughing.

"I do believe you're in love."

Lara took off, wandering around the party, furious at Nikki for making such a big deal out of nothing.

And why was Barbara Westerberg coming on to Joey, anyway? Wasn't she aware he was engaged?

110

Freddie, the focus puller, who'd indulged in one vodka too many, grabbed her hand as she passed.

"Lara, Lara, Lara,"

he said pleadingly.

"Dance with me?"

"Love to,"

she said, on automatic-pilot response.

Freddie pulled her onto the dance floor, slippery palms gripping her slim waist.

"What a party!"

he exclaimed. He had fuzzy ginger hair, out-of-control matching eyebrows, and a cheeky lopsided grin.

"It's fun, isn't it,"

she responded.

"Never thought I'd get the courage to ask you to dance,"

he said, bowled over at his own nerve.

She smiled, having learned over the years how to be friendly but not overly familiar. It worked every time. Nobody dared make a move unless she gave them a green light.

She glanced over at her table as Freddie whirled her past. Miles and Ginny were bickering as usual. Barbara Westerberg was leaning into Joey, speaking intently. Kyle had struck up a conversation with Nikki, while his date stared blankly into space.

She decided it was foolish to be mad at Nikki, who after all was right - she did find Joey attractive, although she'd never admit it because that would mean nonstop teasing.

"Thanks,"

she said, deftly spinning out of Freddie's grasp.

"You're a delightful dancer."

Til never wash my hands again,"

he said, cheeky grin going full force.

Later that night, when the waiters were packing up and everyone had gone home, Nikki said a contrite,

"Sorry if I pissed you off."

"You didn't,"

Lara responded.

"It's just that I hate seeing you by yourself,"

Nikki explained.

"I'd like nothing better than for you to be with a guy who'll be as good to you as you'll be to him."

"Listen, Nik,"

Lara said, her beautiful face quite serious.

"I know you mean well, but it's my problem, not yours. And you know what? It's not even a problem because I don't need a man. I'm very happy by myself. In fact, I'm a lot happier than I was when I was with Richard."

Ill "Ouch!"

Nikki said.

"So do me a favour,"

Lara continued.

"Stop pushing. Joey's an attractive guy - which every woman on the set will attest to - but / am not interested. So quit teasing me about him."

"I get it, boss,"

Nikki said, mock saluting.

"Why are you calling me boss?"

Lara snapped.

"Cause you're going to star in my movie. You'll be the one with the clout."

"No, Nik - learn this now - you're the producer, which makes you the boss. It has to be that way, otherwise everyone will step all over you."