Thrill! (34 page)

she asked, wide-eyed.

"Are you really a fucking moron?"

he responded, quickly pulling on a pair of pants.

"Where does Mommy think you are now?"

"Told her I had to go to a party. She doesn't care, she's too busy with her movie and Richard."

"That old fart,"

Aiden growled, taking a gulp of booze from the bottle.

"Richard's OK,"

Summer said.

"I can get anything I want out of him, and he's like an amazing director - better than your friend Mick."

Aiden lowered his shades and regarded her for a moment.

"What are you after, kid?"

he asked, flopping down on a worn out couch.

"

"Cause whatever it is, you're not getting it from me."

235 Tm into experiencing life,"

she said ingenuously.

"You're treading a dangerous line. Fortunately for you, I'm not a bastard."

She giggled disbelievingly.

"You're wot?"

"Some people would've screwed the ass off you an"

not given a shit. But I got principles."

"Anyway,"

she said matterof-factly,

"that's why I'm here. I want you to ... uh ... do it to me."

"Not me, kid - I got enough problems."

"If you won't, I'll tell my dad you did, and the police'll arrest you

"cause I'm under-age."

He stared at her for a long silent moment.

"You'd do that, wouldn't you?"

"My dad's a bigtime shrink in Chicago,"

she boasted.

"He's got real pull. He knows the Mayor."

Aiden shook his head in disbelief.

"Get the fuck outta here or your mom's gonna hear about this."

"She won't believe you, and you'll like get dumped from her movie."

"You think I give a fast shit?"

he said, hustling her to the door.

"Go home, little girl, an"

don't come back."

"You'll be sorry,"

she said, shocked that he was rejecting her.

"So I'll be sorry. Big fucking deal."

236

I

^^^^^fb LARA AND Nikki sat in the Chinese restaurant {^^^P^B^^ across the street from the production offices enjoying a sumptuous feast of wild rice, sweet and sour shrimp, egg rolls and won tons.

"I've never seen you like this, you're positively glowing,"

Nikki said, reaching for an egg roll.

"And if you don't wipe that annoying smile off your face, I'll be forced to smack it off!"

"Isn't he great?"

Lara said dreamily.

"And it's not only his looks

- God knows I've passed up dozens of handsome guys."

"Silly you,"

Nikki murmured.

"You've got to understand,"

Lara said, her green eyes burning bright,

"Joey is different. He's gentle and strong, smart and undemanding . . . and soo sexy."

"Oh,"

Nikki said, nodding wisely,

"now I get it. It's a sex thing."

"No,"

Lara objected quickly,

"honestly, Nikki, it's not just sex."

"Yeah, yeah,"

Nikki said disbelievingly.

"He's got you hooked sexually. And how is he in that department?"

Ignoring her friend, Lara continued,

"It's as if we belong together. Like we were out there alone and . . . somehow ... we found each other."

Nikki plucked a won ton off her plate and popped it in her mouth.

"Does he have money?"

Lara frowned.

"What does money have to do with anything?"

"Don't be so naive. Let us not forget you're a rich woman."

237 "He's not asking for anything."

"He doesn't have to. Not yet, anyway."

Lara took a sip of black tea, attempting to remain calm.

"Why are you being so nasty?"

she asked at last.

"You're the one who kept on begging me to sleep with someone."

Nikki ran a hand through her short dark hair. Tm merely playing devil's advocate. A great fuck is one thing - but if you're falling in love, you need to know more about him. Like who he is would be a good start."

"I know plenty."

"Like what?"

"Like right now he's the perfect man for me."

"I give up!"

Nikki said, throwing her hands in the air.

"This is exactly what happens after a long dry spell."

"Excuse me?"

"Getting laid again. Screws up your head quicker than anything."

"Can't you be happy for me?"

"I am. It's just that this guy came out of nowhere. Dumped his fiancee and moved in on you bigtime."

"He didn't move in on me. I invited him to stay."

"OK, OK, as long as you know what you're doing."

They ate in silence for a few minutes, both busy with their own thoughts. Sometimes Lara resented Nikki's way of saying exactly what was on her mind. It was none of her business what she did or who she did it with.

"By the way, I need a favour,"

she said, breaking the silence.

"Speak now."

"I want Joey in the movie."

Nikki groaned and stopped eating.

"You've got to be kidding."

"We talked about it before."

"That was weeks ago. Every role is cast."

"You're the producer,"

she said sharply.

"Find him something, he's an excellent actor."

"I'm sure he is. But the truth is, you've left it too late."

"Too late for what?"

238

"For Mick. He's meticulous about his casting. Every character is set."

"Y'know,"

Lara said, speaking in measured tones to be sure Nikki got the message, Tm doing this movie as a favour to you. A fo^f favour."

Nikki was shocked, this was not the Lara she knew and loved.

"So?"

she said belligerently.

"So,"

Lara responded, allowing her words to hang in the air. Tm requesting something back."

"You're asking for something I can't do anything about,"

Nikki said, furious at being put in such an awkward position.

"Yes, you can,"

Lara countered.

"Be realistic."

Til talk to Mick,"

Nikki said resentfully.

Td appreciate it."

They finished lunch barely speaking.

& #

Summer awoke in her own bed, late. She yawned and stretched, allowing her mind to wander over the events of the previous night. First the dinner party. Boring. Then her nocturnal visit to Aiden Sean. What a big fat disappointment he'd turned out to be. Just because her mother was Nikki Barry he hadn't wanted anything to do with her, he'd practically thrown her out - which really sucked.

Still . . . Aiden Sean was a movie star, and that had to count for something - especially in Chicago where she could impress everyone - including her dad's new wife, who thought she was such a hot number. Well, not hot enough - because Rachel hadn't almost made out with a movie star.

What would happen if she told Rachel the truth about the man she was married to?

The Monster Man.

My Daddy.

Suddenly Summer's eyes filled with tears as the truth came crashing back. She could never tell anyone. She was too ashamed.

239 Get over tt, her inner voice screamed inside her head. GET OVER IT!

But it wasn't that easy.

ft -to ft

Back at the production offices, Mick stopped by to say hello to Lara, staring at her through his strange, magnified glasses.

"Lookin"

forward to tomorrow,"

he said, rubbing the tips of his long bony ringers together.

"The readthrough's gonna be a happenin'."

"I'm looking forward to it, too,"

she replied, wondering what working with him would be like.

Later, after Lara had gone off to meet with the wardrobe people, Nikki cornered Mick in his office. He was on the phone having a conversation in which he appeared to be begging some woman to forgive him for a past indiscretion.

"C'mon, sweetie baby-love,"

he wheedled.

"We'll have dinner, sex, a few laughs. You know you get off on me."

Apparently the woman didn't, because Nikki could hear the loud dial tone on the other end of the phone as she hung up on him.

Mick pretended she was still on the line, mumbled a phony

"Goodbye,"

put the phone down and turned to Nikki.

"What's up?"

he asked, slumping back in his chair. She began pacing up and down in front of his desk, apprehensive about broaching such a delicate subject.

"Uh . . . this is the deal, Mick,"

she said, dreading his reaction.

"Yeah?"

he mumbled, checking out her legs.

"The truth is we're lucky to have Lara in our movie, on account of her being such a big star and all."

"What're you telling me?"

Mick asked irritably.

"She met me, doesn't like me, an"

wants to walk? Is that it?"

"No, she thought you were charming,"

Nikki said. Actually they'd been so busy discussing Joey, they'd barely mentioned him.

"Bull's-eye,"

Mick sneered.

"I score charming award of the year."

He snickered wildly.

"That's before she's worked with me, right?"

240

Nikki sighed.

"She wants us to give her boyfriend a part."

"Aw, shit!"

he said, sitting up straight.

"I told her everything was cast."

"You mean that creep she was with last night?"

"He's not a creep,"

Nikki said patiently.

"He's her current boyfriend, and she wants him in the movie."

"Who does she expect him to play? One of the freakin"

rapists, for Chrissakes?"

"Maybe a detective?"

Nikki suggested in her best please do this for me voice.

"Perhaps you can write another one in."

"When didja ever see a detective that looked like him?"

Mick grumbled.

"He's freakin"

Mel Gibson twenty years ago - an"

taller, too. Bastard!"

"That doesn't necessarily make him a bad guy,"

Nikki murmured.

"It don't make him a good actor either."

"The thing is, we'd like to have a happy star, wouldn't we?"

She trailed off, hoping he got it.

"This is some fuckin"

drag,"

he mumbled.

"I never hadda compromise before."

Well, you've only been in the business five minutes, she was tempted to say. But she didn't, knowing it wouldn't help matters.

"Will you think about it, Mick? For me? After all, I did you a favour with Aiden last night, who, I might add - wasn't exactly the life and soul of the party."

"Do I at least get to read the boyfriend?"

Mick asked, curling his lip.

"Of course."

"Have him here at seven in the mornin"

before the readthrough. For you I'll check him out."

"Thanks, Mick,"

she said gratefully.

"I owe you one."

"A blow job'll pay me back,"

he said with an insane cackle.

Til tell Richard, he'll be flattered someone else wants me."

"Not you,"

Mick said scornfully.

"Your daughter."

She gave him a long cold look.

"I take it you're joking."

He laughed hysterically.

"Never joke about pussy."

241 "Then I'll make believe I didn't hear you,"

Nikki said, thinking that sometimes his pathetic attempt at humour was way out of whack.

"Whatever gets you through the night,"

he said, with a manic shrug.

Yeah, she thought, whatever gets me through the night. Richard's turning into a cold fish, Lara's in the throes of a love affair, Mick wants to get it on with my teenage daughter, and I'm left out in the cold trying to keep it all together.

She went into her office, closing the door behind her, and immediately began thinking about the previous night's dinner patty.

By the time everyone had left, Richard was completely plastered. He'd staggered into their bedroom, flopped on the bed, and she'd been forced to listen to his ranting and raving about Revenge, and Mick, and what a mistake Lara was making, before he'd fallen into a drunken stupor.

She had no respect for him when he drank too much - being loud and belligerent didn't suit him. What was it with these old guys she married? First Sheldon, now Richard. Was this marriage starting to crumble, too?

In the morning she'd left before he got up. And now she was at the office trying to get Lara's boyfriend a job. Producing a movie was not going to be as easy as she'd thought. Everybody had an angle - including Lara.

# # #

When Lara arrived home, she found Joey in the den, watching sports on TV, looking perfectly content.

"Hi, beautiful,"

he said, barely glancing up.