Thrill! (14 page)

They ate it up. Women loved a man they thought they couldn't get.

Every day Lara seemed to go out of her way to greet him with a friendly wave and a smile. They'd never had a conversation, but he knew she was aware of his presence. Of course, it would be hard for her not to be, since he was always in the background of her scene, watching her.

He'd made it his business to find out more about her. Trinee was right, she wasn't in bed with the director, she didn't have a current boyfriend. She was staying in a rented house on the beach with her assistant and a guard, and everyone seemed to love her.

In spite of her friendly demeanour it appeared to Joey she was

91 a loner - exactly like him. His kind of woman. But for once in his life he was too edgy to go for it.

Joey Lorenzo. Stud supreme. There was no way he'd risk a turn-down.

Madelaine had threatened to arrive that evening, so his immediate problem was figuring out a way to stop her. He borrowed a cellphone from one of the crew and called her.

"You're not gonna believe this,"

he said in a husky voice.

"What?"

Madelaine asked suspiciously.

"I got a bitch of a sore throat. It's so freakin"

bad I can barely speak. Only good thing is they'll never get to my scene today. I gotta be OK by Monday, so I'm gonna spend the weekend in bed drinkin"

hot tea an"

missin"

you."

"Wouldn't hear of it,"

Madelaine said briskly. Til come look after you."

"No, honey, no,"

he said.

"I'm serious about this. I have to rest up."

"But, Joey,"

she said, hating herself for sounding needy,

"I was looking forward to seeing you."

"Jeez, Madelaine,"

he snapped.

"Don't make me feel guilty about bein"

sick. It's my big scene on Monday - you understand, don't you?"

"Yes,"

she said reluctantly.

"I suppose you're right."

"Doesn't mean I won't miss you,"

he said, turning on the charm again.

"Are you sure?"

Now the full seduction voice came into play.

"C'mon, baby, you know I will.''

That taken care of, he headed back to the set.

# # -M-

^dtho^h -rCad thr°ugh the scriPl of Revenue three times, and and°iolenceWT>!r8h "** °n aCC°Unt °f ^ ^S"^ honesty

-K the righ; ^~h: Z-ZM piece - "d

92

Placing the script in her purse, she left her trailer and headed for the set, literally bumping into Joey Lorenzo on the way.

"Sorry!"

he said, stepping back.

"No, Fm sorry it's taking so long to get to our scene,"

she said, and for some unknown reason she felt her heart fluttering.

"You must be going nuts watching us flub lines."

Once again, up close and personal, he marvelled at her dazzling beauty. "S OK,"

he said, managing to sound casual.

"I'm gettin"

used to sittin"

on a bar stool - takes me back to my juvenile delinquent days."

"Oh, yes?"

she said, with a beauteous smile, thinking that he was quite incredibly handsome and funny too.

"Was that so long ago?"

"Awhile."

"Shy about your age,"

she teased.

Tm thirty - how old are you?"

She was not used to being asked such a direct question.

"Actually, I'm thirty-two,"

she said, answering him anyway.

"My publicist keeps on urging me to say I'm twenty-nine. But since every magazine knows the truth, I keep on telling him it's somewhat pointless."

They both laughed.

"It can't be easy being as famous as you,"

he said, unable to stop himself from staring.

"It's not,"

she replied, meeting his gaze.

"Although it does have compensations."

"Yeah,"

he grinned.

"I bet."

Jane barged between them.

"Both of you are needed on the set,"

she said officiously.

"Thank you, Jane,"

Lara said, dismissing her in a nice way. She began walking towards the action. Joey fell into step beside her.

"I hear you're engaged to a lawyer,"

she said.

"That must be an interesting profession."

"Yeah,"

he said.

"When the OJ case was goin"

on I had my own runnin"

commentary. She should've been up there instead of Marcia Clark - she'd've done a better job."

93 "Have you been engaged long?"

"A year,"

he lied.

"It's kinda like a commitment without being the final closed door, y'know what I mean?"

She laughed softly.

"I'm sure your fiancee would love to hear that.''

"Hey"

he said quickly, lest she thought less of him.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way. It's just that - well, y'know, marriage is important to me. When I get married, it's gonna last for ever."

He looked at her intently.

"Isn't that how you feel?"

"My track record's somewhat blurred,"

she said, thinking that was exactly how she'd felt when she'd married Richard. Tm divorced."

"Didn't know that."

"Hmm ... I guess you don't read People magazine,"

she said lightly.

"My divorce was rather public."

"Who was the lucky guy?"

"Richard Barry, the director,"

she replied as they arrived back on the set.

"How long were you married?"

"Long enough to realize it was a mistake. The good news is we're friends now."

"That's nice."

"Time to work,"

she said crisply.

"And if Kyle stops tripping over his lines, maybe we'll get to your scene this afternoon."

"That'd be a surprise."

They held a long, steady look. He was making her nervous, the way his eyes seemed to penetrate right through her.

"Uh . . . I'm glad we finally got to talk,"

she said.

"Yeah,"

he said, still watching her closely.

"Is your fiancee visiting you this weekend?"

she asked. Oh, God, Lara,, what a stupid question!

"No, she's workin"

a case. Why?"

"Oh,"

she said, groping for a reason.

"I ... uh ... was going to invite the two of you to a party at my house tomorrow night."

"Yeah?"

She couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. Was she insane? She had no party planned.

"It'll be fun,"

she continued.

"Yoko and Roxy are coming, and most of the crew."

94

His black eyes continued to draw her in.

"OK if I drop by alone?"

"Of course,"

she replied, slightly breathless.

"Then I'll be there."

"Good. Oh, and if your fiancee should arrive, please bring her."

She made a quick escape, hurrying over to Miles, who waited impatiently. I'm having a party, she thought. Better get Cassie on the case immediately. She'll be thrilled.

Joey watched her go. She was certainly something else. Knockout beautiful, incredibly nice and friendly. Not like any woman he'd ever known.

Lara Ivory was the real thing and he desperately wanted her.

Joey Lorenzo had never met the real thing before.

95

^^^^Jfl NIKKI SAT on the American Airlines plane on her ^^^P^PL^ way to New York. She'd told Richard a couple of days ago that she planned to visit Lara.

"Why?"

he'd asked irritably.

"Because it's important. I need to get her reaction to the script."

"Revenge is not a project for Lara to be involved in,"

he'd said in his / know best voice.

"She's a big movie star, you're making a small film."

"I know. But she is considering it. Think what a coup it would be if I got her!"

"You can't go asking favours."

"It'll be entirely her decision."

"She won't do it, Nikki."

"Wasn't it you who said that one of the most important things a producer can do is follow their instincts? Well, that's what I'm doing."

"If you have to - then go."

"And you'll take care of Summer?"

"She'll be fine with me."

Later, she'd spoken to Summer, telling her that Richard had promised to watch out for her.

"Excellent!"

Summer had said.

"Richard's the greatest."

Til be back in two days. You'll have a nice time together."

"I'm having a good time anyway,"

Summer had said.

"LA's amazing. Wish I could stay here for ever."

96

"Do you?"

Nikki had said, quite surprised. She could just imagine Sheldon's face if she told him his daughter wanted to live permanently in California. He'd be furious. Summer was his precious prize - there was no way he'd let her go.

"We'll discuss it when I get back,"

she'd promised.

Now she was on her way, ready to talk Lara into the role of her life.

She slept most of the flight, trying to avoid conversation with the German businessman sitting beside her whose reading material consisted of Penthouse, Playboy and the Watt Street Journal. He ignored the Journal, and studied the centrefolds at least twenty times, grunting to himself.

"You need to get laid,"

she muttered, as they disembarked.

The man frowned, small raisin eyes under monstrous bushy eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"I said the stewardess needs to get paid - for the headphones."

His frown deepened. American women were very strange.

Lara had sent a limo to the airport. Nikki got in and settled back, enjoying the ride to the Hamptons.

By the time she arrived it was past seven and Lara was home from her day's work.

"What a house!"

Nikki exclaimed, walking around.

"It's so charming."

"I'm considering making an offer,"

Lara said.

"You're not contemplating moving?"

"No. I'd use it as a retreat, somewhere nobody could find me."

"That's right - become even more reclusive!"

"I'm not reclusive."

"Says you."

Later they had dinner on the back deck.

"Well?"

Nikki asked, unable to wait any longer.

"What's your opinion of the script?"

"Truth?"

Lara said, teasing her.

"Of course the truth."

Lara smiled.

"I love it!"

Nikki sat up straight.

"You do?"

"It's everything I wanted it to be."

97 "Am I pleased to hear that!"

A beat.

"Now the really important question - will you do it?"

"Well. .."

Nikki leaned across the table, her excitement palpable.

"Yes!"

Larasaid.'Iwill!"

"Thank you, God,"

Nikki said fervently, clasping her hands in front of her.

"I promise I'll be good for the rest of the year!"

fr & &

With Nikki safely out of the way, Summer planned on having an even better time. She called Richard in the editing rooms and begged off dinner - saying she had to attend a friend's birthday party.

Richard was quite agreeable.

"Don't be home too late,"

he said.

"And for God's sake don't tell your mother I didn't take you to dinner."

"Is it OK if I invite a few friends over on Sunday?"

she asked, figuring she'd strike while he was in an amiable mood.

"Fine,"

he said.

"I'm working all weekend."

Goodbye, Richard, she thought gleefully. Much as she liked him, she preferred total freedom.

Jumping out of bed, she tried to decide what to do today. If only she could drive. Well, the truth was she could drive, but if she got busted behind the wheel of either Richard or Nikki's car she'd be in deep shit on account of the fact that she wasn't yet sixteen, and she didn't think that either of them would appreciate a visit to the police station to bail her out. Cabs were eating up all her cash, even though she was getting money from Richard, Nikki, and her father. She'd sent Daddy Dearest a frantic letter informing him that Nikki hardly gave her anything, and in return he'd mailed her five hundred dollars without so much as questioning what she needed it for.

She'd already made up her mind that the best thing would be to stay in LA, have Daddy Dearest send her money, and eventually move into a place of her own. After all, she'd be sixteen in a couple of months - she'd be able to drive legally. How radical would that be!

Of course, she thought sourly, Sheldon wouldn't appreciate her staying in California, he'd hate her being so far away. But if he put up a fight she could always blackmail him. She had stuff on Mr Big Shot Famous Psychiatrist that he wouldn't want anyone knowing not even his precious Rachel, who in spite of being nice was a bit dense.