“I have to hug you too.” Felicity beamed, wrapping Taylor in an embrace. “Thank you for having me down.”
Over Felicity’s shoulder, I could see a wave of discomfort pass over Taylor’s face. I hadn’t exactly told her I was bringing an assistant. But what could she expect? I was a star; of course I had an assistant. And the line producer had approved the cost last-minute without protest. She was lucky I didn’t travel with a personal chef, a trainer, and a makeup artist, like some of my contemporaries.
Felicity fingered Taylor’s curls. “Your hair smells amazing. What is that?”
“It’s just the…uh, the hotel shampoo,” Taylor stammered, her cheeks pink.
“It’s delicious,” Felicity breathed. “I’m gonna steal every bottle in my bathroom.”
She released Taylor, leaving the impression of her wet swimsuit top on Taylor’s black T-shirt, and swept her arm out at the brilliant beach. “Gorgeous day.”
“So you’re Stella’s assistant?” Cole asked her, though I could’ve sworn I’d just clarified this. Maybe I hadn’t. Sometimes the pills I took for my anxiety made it hard to differentiate between what I’d thought and what I’d actually said, but they made me feel so good I didn’t mind. I’d snuck an extra on the plane ride over, and now I was wrapped up in its soft embrace like a baby in a blanket. I was supposed to be sober, of course, but the pills were prescription. No one but Felicity needed to know how many I’d taken or how delightful they made me feel.
Felicity nodded, batting her kohl-rimmed almond eyes at my ex-husband.
“She’s the absolute best,” I confirmed. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
I could see the edge of Cole’s lip twitching like he was holding back a smirk. “And how long have you been working together?”
Felicity slipped her tanned arm around me and gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Feels like forever, doesn’t it?”
“But how long has it actually been?” he needled.
What was he on about? “We met around the time the rains cleared,” I offered. I’d thought that would be enough, but they were all still looking at me expectantly. “It must’ve been spring,” I clarified, catching Felicity’s eye for confirmation. “The jacarandas were blooming, remember?” She nodded. “I love the jacarandas, raining soft purple flowers all over the city…” Now they were eyeing me. Perhaps I’d said too much. It was so difficult to strike a balance between not enough and too much when you were floating on a cloud just above your body. “I’m so transported by beauty,” I explained. “It makes me feel alive. It’s beautiful here too though, isn’t it?”
There, I’d brought it back around. I felt a trickle of sweat run down my back as we all took a minute to appreciate the gently lapping sunlit sea.
“Yes.” Taylor nodded. “I love those flowering red trees.”
“The flamboyant trees!” I exclaimed, proud I knew the name. “I love the flamboyant trees too.”
“Flamboyant trees, what a great name.” Taylor was smiling for real now. I could always tell when people were smiling for real. And I have to say, her wide smile made her much more attractive. “How did you know that?”
“I shot a movie down here—Call of the Sea? I played the daughter of a ship captain, learned to sail a boat and everything. But I just fell in love with those trees. Loved them so much I had one planted in my yard back in LA.”
“I know Call of the Sea,” Taylor piped up. “You were fantastic in it. Weren’t you nominated for a supporting Oscar?”
“No.” I sighed. It was a sore point. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I got freshly angry anytime I thought of it. “I got the Golden Globe nom but was snubbed by the Oscars.”
“That was one of the first R-rated movies I ever saw,” Felicity chimed in.
“No need to remind us of your embryonic age, babe,” I teased. “You exude youth like a virgin at prom.”
Taylor laughed. “You’re funny,” she said in what I thought just might be an admiring sort of way. Maybe I was going to like this devious little slut after all. She was no beauty, bless her heart, but she was cute. She had spunk, and a little spunk goes a long way, especially combined with flattery.
“So, two months, then?” Cole was looking at me like he expected an answer; I had no idea what he was talking about. I would have raised an eyebrow, but I’d had my forehead Botoxed the previous week, so that was impossible.
Felicity pursed her full lips. “Something like that.”
I was glad they’d settled it.
“Huh,” Cole said. “And how did you meet?”
Lord he was nosy today. “Pure luck.” I couldn’t help but smile, remembering Felicity silhouetted by the late-afternoon sun, the bracelet slipping from her wrist as she crossed the path ahead of me. “I was with Mary Elizabeth at Lake Hollywood—”
“She’s still alive?” Cole spat incredulously.
“Who’s Mary Elizabeth?” Taylor asked.
“Her Chihuahua,” Cole clarified. “She must be a hundred years old—she’s had her since we were together.”
“Oh my God shut up. It wasn’t that long ago.”
He chuckled. “It was pre-Obama.”
I rolled my eyes. “No need to date—”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s all a fog for you, darling.” Cole bared his teeth in what appeared to everyone else as a charming smile. And here I’d been thinking perhaps he’d changed.
But I wouldn’t let him get me down. I opened my bag and gently lifted my sweet darling from her tuffet. She was shaking, unnerved by the sudden exposure to the terrible brightness of the beach and all the staring
