Smile Number Seven

by Melissa Price

  “I have a mother out there somewhere. My sister is really my only family, except for Cass and Isabella—an old family friend. Vittoria, my sister, flew in from New York for the weekend after you were here. We haven’t seen each other in about a year and I couldn’t help telling her about you.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “That I had met someone from LA and that I was falling in love with her—madly in love with her.”

  “You honestly knew that soon?”

  “Standing out in the rain that first night, I knew in an instant that I would fall in love with you.”

  “So you believe in love at first sight?”

  “I believe in you at first sight. Or maybe I’ve always loved you. Hard to tell.”

  “Julia?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Make a pass at me, because I can’t keep throwing myself at you and maintain any sense of dignity.”

  “Good enough reason for me, Katarina.” Julia moved close, leaned in, and kissed her lover’s neck.

  Rina tilted her chin upward and moaned. “I love when you say my name that way.”

  “I know,” Julia whispered, her breath next to Rina’s ear causing the woman to shudder. Their cheeks grazed one another’s as Julia pulled back to kiss her lips. “Are you certain you’re ready for this, Rina?”

  “I couldn’t be more proud to be with you.”

  “What if your crew doesn’t like me?”

  “Whether they do or don’t, I didn’t wait a whole lifetime to fall in love just so they could ruin it.”

  “A whole lifetime? You just said ‘it’ again, ya know.”

  “I did, didn’t I? Yes, Julia, a whole lifetime. I’m so completely—yours. I’m walking a tightrope with no net and I don’t care. I’ve been famous for so long, I think I learned to settle for so much less. And then—thank God, there you were.”

  “You settled for less than plain?”

  “Honey, I would never call you plain. You’re crazy-sexy. You dazzle me with your abandon, your sculpting talent…and oh my god, you’re a culinary vixen.” Rina’s gaze drifted to the fire and then back to Julia. “We laugh, we love—we talk like two old friends—” Rina moved the bangs from her lover’s eyes, “—and I’m experiencing myself in a whole new way for the first time. You opened me to real love when I least expected it.” She smiled. “Look who’s blushing now.”

  “I thought it got warm in here. Okay, then I suppose it’s time to throw myself to the wolves in your honor.”

  Rina slapped Julia’s arm playfully. “I promise I won’t let them devour you.”

  “Set it up.” Julia grabbed a couple of DVDs and held them up. “So, which movie?”

  Rina bore into Julia with her naked stare—camera-ready, almond-shaped. “Take me back to bed.”

  Julia stood and offered Rina her hand. “Right now, your eyes are transparent. And the way you’re looking at me…”

  “What about it?”

  “Each time is like the first time you looked into my eyes. I remember thinking that I felt like I was standing on pillows—couldn’t even feel the floor beneath my feet.”

  Rina stood and held Julia’s gaze. “Make sure it stays that way.”

  “Why would you say that?” Julia led her upstairs by the hand.

  “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, but we haven’t been off of each other long enough.”

  Julia snickered. “What is it?”

  “I’m starring in the new Reese Collingworth movie.”

  Julia stopped on the step and turned to Rina. “When? Where?”

  Rina tapped her temple with her index finger. “Don’t worry, I’ve thought it through and have a plan to see you. But honestly? Right now that’s all the blood my brain has available.”

  Julia led her the rest of the way and turned to her. She sensually stroked her lover’s neck, kissed it, teased her with warm lips and hot breath. She coaxed Rina back onto the bed.

  “There’s that fire in your electric blue eyes, Julia—like when you took me in the barn.”

  Julia stared at the woman under her. “There’s only one way to put that fire out, Ms. Verralta.”

  “Don’t look to me for help—I’m only going to fan the flame.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Two nights later, Cass stumbled through Julia’s front door juggling everything they’d need for their long overdue movie night. “Hey, Jules, I’m here,” she called out excitedly.

  “I’m on the phone. Be down in a sec,” Julia answered from upstairs.

  Cass didn’t even care that Julia had suggested a Katarina Verralta movie—she could have guessed that. Happy that things finally seemed to be getting back to normal, she carried the bag of snacks into the kitchen and set it down on the island. One deep whiff of the exotic flower bouquet wafting from the table throughout the kitchen caught her attention. Taking a step toward it, she listened for Julia in the hallway before she peeked at the card on the spike in the back of the arrangement.

  Under her breath she read: “Thinking of you every minute. Remember how much I love you. R.” What?

  Cass hastily stuffed the spike back down into the arrangement when she heard Julia bounding down the stairs.

  “Hi, Cassie!” Julia kissed her on the cheek.

  “Hey. You’re in an awfully good mood.”

  “I’m glad we’re finally back to movie night.”

  “You’re so busy all the time. Wait till you see what I brought.”

  “Popcorn?”

  “Yes, and your trail mix experiment from the diner. There’s chocolate and,” Cass fished through the bag and pulled out a bottle, “wine.”

  “Great! Do you mind watching the Verralta movie or did you have something else in mind?”

  “That’s fine. I haven’t seen it and I know how you love her.”

  Julia grinned. “I do. I love her.”

  “What’s the title again?”

  “Allies of Night. I have to tell you though, the small screen won’t do some of the scenes justice. I’m glad I saw it in the movies.”

  “So—who are the fancy flowers from?”

  “I did a favor for someone, that’s all.” Julia shrugged it off and took her corkscrew from a drawer. She twisted it down into the bottle and eased out the cork.

  Cass set two glasses on the counter and deliberately waited for Julia to begin pouring before she asked. “Where have you been disappearing to on your days off?”

  Julia missed the glass, splashing wine on the counter. “Shit.” She reached for a rag. “I haven’t even had any wine yet!”

  “So? Where’ve you been going? I’ve hardly seen you and neither has anyone else.”

  This time Julia carefully steadied her hand. “You know—in the studio. Riding. Just busy.”

  “Uh-huh. Do you want to tell me what’s really going on?”

  “When?”

  “Like every time I call when you don’t pick up and then don’t return my call until a day later. Or the phone calls you make from outside on your breaks? How about when I call to come by and ride with you and you tell me that both horses have already been ridden?”

  Julia took a long sip of wine.

  “Who is she, Jules?”

  “Who is who?” Julia answered wide-eyed.

  “Don’t insult me. You’re a bad liar, and I know every guilty expression you have. I’d much prefer you say you don’t wanna talk about it.”

  “Okay. I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “You have to talk about it!”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m your best friend and I have a right to know.”

  “Why do you need to know right now?”

  “Because face it, you’re acting weird.”

  “How?”

  “For instance? You don’t usually store baking dishes in the cooler.”

  “I did? I’m sorry.”

  “I haven’t even
had the opportunity to tell you that Nicki has been coming into the diner the past couple of weeks when you’re not there.”

  “Why?”

  “She’s been asking about you a lot. But after I saw how she had treated you at her birthday party, I told her she blew it.”

  “Glad she didn’t come when I was there.”

  “Then you’re going to be extra un-glad when I tell you she’s acting like she wants you back.”

  “What! No way.”

  “She asked me about the woman she met in your barn.”

  “Nicki had no right to ambush me that day. My fault for leaving the gate open. Since when does she talk to you about me?”

  “Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but we’ve been selling out of humble pie at the diner. Anyway, she keeps coming in and asking about you. You’re not interested—” Cass’s nose crinkled. “Are you?”

  “No.”

  “Then back to the lady in your barn. Nicki said you’d hired some barn help and asked me if I knew her. Somebody named Reen? She admitted she was jealous until she thought she might be older.”

  “Big deal, I needed some help.”

  Cass thought of the card on the flowers, signed ‘R.’ “Who’s Reen?”

  Julia groaned. “I’m not ready to talk about her.”

  “I know whoever she is, it’s a big deal or you’d be gabbing away by now. I have one question. Why won’t you tell me?”

  “It’s complicated, Cass.”

  “How so? She’s not married, is she?”

  “No!”

  “What then? She’s older—is that it?”

  Julia downed her wine and picked up the DVD off the counter. She stared down at Rina’s picture on the cover and slowly lifted her eyes to meet Cass’s stare. She held out the DVD.

  “What?”

  Barely audible, Julia replied, “Her.”

  “Her what?”

  “Her, Cass. It’s her.”

  “No more wine for you.”

  “Reen is Rina—which is short for Katarina. Katarina Verralta is my lover.”

  Cass burst out laughing. “God, I miss you. That fucking dry sense of humor.” Then Cass laughed until tears came to her eyes. She picked up the wine bottle and turned toward the living room. “Come on, goofball, get the popcorn and let’s start the movie. Hahahaha. Her,” she mocked. “Her!”

  Julia ran her finger lightly over Rina’s picture when she took out the DVD.

  A huge party bowl of popcorn and almost a bottle of wine later, Julia’s phone rang. Cass reached for it on the coffee table before Julia could get to it. Her jaw fell open when she read the name on the caller ID. “Rina?”

  “Give me that!” Julia swiped the phone from her hand and fumbled it trying to answer. “Hi, what a wonderful surprise.” Julia paused. “Yes. Cass is here for movie night. Allies of Night.” She paused again. “No, really. It was Cass’s pick.” Julia winked at her friend. “Any chance I get to see you is good, even if it’s only on film. Thank you, the flowers are gorgeous.” Pause. “I miss you, too. Yes, a lot. Yes, more than that. And that. That too. May I call you later?” Julia smiled and uttered a phone kiss before hanging up.

  Cass paused the film and filled their wineglasses to the top. “Julia Dearling, you tell me right now, girl!”

  Julia chuckled. “I tried to, but you wouldn’t listen.”

  Cass glanced at the frozen image of Katarina on the TV screen, then she turned and stared at Julia. She repeated the ritual three times. “Seriously?”

  “Very seriously.”

  “You? And, and, and, her?” Cass stared at Julia head on.

  Julia nodded for what seemed like fifteen times before Cass could speak.

  “How? When? Where?”

  Julia inhaled deeply, exhaled forcefully, and began. “It happened the night Nicki and I broke up. Right after you left me at the diner. When my car died.”

  “You mean if I hadn’t left you there I’d have met Katarina Verralta?”

  “Yes. But as a straight girl, I doubt you’d have been the one to sleep with her.”

  “Guess again! I’d make an exception—she’s drop-dead gorgeous. I’m dumbfounded. I don’t even know what to say.”

  “You’re the first one to know. That means if anyone around here finds out, I’ll know it came from you.”

  “I’m the first to know?” Cass smiled.

  “Well, yeah! You are my best friend.”

  Cass bounced up and down twice on the sofa. “This is so exciting.”

  “Settle down. Rina wanted me to ask a favor of you.”

  “She knows my name!” Cass beamed.

  “Yes.”

  “What’s the favor?”

  “She wants to have a dinner party to introduce me to her friends. And she needs to do it on a weekend.”

  “You need me to work for you?”

  “Would you mind terribly? I’d ask Jimmy, but we all know he’d need supervision.”

  “You’ve got it, on one condition.”

  “What is it?”

  “I want details. A blow-by-blow of the party. Everything.”

  “Duh! Who else am I going to tell?”

  “Vitty doesn’t know?”

  “She knows I’m seeing someone but no details other than the woman is from LA.”

  “Back up. Tell me how you met. I want to know everything.”

  Julia and Cass pulled their feet up under them, tailor style, and leaned in to share their secrets the way they had when they were teenagers. Only now, there was wine. Lots of wine.

  “Where do you want me to start?”

  “Wherever you want, as long as you don’t leave out the best parts.”

  Julia took another sip of wine and placed the glass back on the table. Her gaze drifted to Cass, and she waited a beat before speaking. “Cassie, I’m gonna marry that girl.”

  Cass cocked her head. “Don’t you mean that woman?”

  “Her too.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  So this is Malibu, land of dreams both made and broken, Julia thought. She rolled to a stop before the scrolled wrought-iron gate, then reached out and pressed the Call button. She swiped back her wind-blown bangs when her image appeared on the camera screen.

  “Ms. Verralta is expecting you, Julia,” said the disembodied female voice. “Follow the drive, stay to the right past the guest house, then drive up the hill.”

  “Thank—”

  Click.

  “—you.”

  The old Fiat convertible strained as it ascended the winding drive in second gear, first curving past floppy webs from elderly sycamores, then beneath palms that stretched to the peacock-blue sky, their fronds towering above the lush grounds. Julia inhaled the mingled scent of eucalyptus trees and ocean that replaced the fumes she had left behind on the traffic-bloated Pacific Coast Highway. The vehicles that had raced behind her there faded from her consciousness the farther she traveled toward the curious new world ahead—the world where Rina really lived. Not the ranch where the woman came to have clandestine trysts with her simple landlocked girlfriend. A sudden quiet enveloped her and she took a full breath, forcefully exhaling her jitters—and the car lurched forward, responding to the unsteady foot hesitating on the clutch.

  Julia slammed on the brake to let a coyote pup cross into the hillside. He seemed out of place to her—strangled in civilization.

  Around the next bend, the brilliant cobalt ocean below filled the trough between her and infinity—a vibrant but startling contrast to the burnt umber and earthen hues of her desert world. So bright was the reflection of the sun glimmering on the waves, she envisioned a gazillion sparkling diamonds floating on a bed of sapphire. Malibu was hyper-chromatic Technicolor in her eyes—green never greener and the richness of the water bluer than the sky. She sighed, as though until this moment she had lived her life in sepia or worse, in beige—the color of dust.

  This place was like nowhere she had ever been or imagined—the manor of Kat
arina Verralta. Movie star. Girlfriend.

  What does Rina see in me? What happens when she sees how out of place I am in her world? What if I see it? She groaned. I already see it.

  At the next turn, terra-cotta rooflines of Spanish Mediterranean architecture came into view—several, as though this were two or maybe three really big houses instead of one. Nestled in the hillside, beyond the terraced gardens, Italian cypresses guarded the pool and spa and, beyond that, the endless sapphire jewel. As she neared, Julia’s stomach rumbled louder than the Fiat in neutral. Looking down at her attire, she suddenly felt too plain, so ordinary.

  “What am I doing here?” She scraped her long wind-blown hair back from her face, then paused to reassure herself. “For chrissakes, it’s just Rina—the woman you’re in love with. The one who told you she’s in love with you. The same Rina who sleeps in your four-poster bed on the ranch and who took you for hours in the barn.”

  Her mind raced. She tried to sigh away the anxiety. The idea of diving into this foreign world whose inhabitants were rich and famous unnerved her. These people were refined. Successful. Older.

  Then her heart fluttered, and she shivered at the thought of Rina’s touch. They were so safe on the ranch, locked away behind the gate of the Y2. Julia stopped and tilted her rearview mirror to check her makeup. She swiped some gloss onto her lips and coasted to the main entrance.

  The instant she caught sight of Rina, Julia’s entire inner monologue flew out of the convertible and onto the cobblestone driveway, where her tires promptly squashed it. A thought-free flood of longing rushed through her body and all her fears melted into amorphous blather.

  The actress stood waiting in front of the grand double doors of the estate. A gentle ocean breeze made the silk fabric of her off-white flowing shirt and pants ripple as Rina stepped toward the semi-circular driveway.

  That’s her I-won-the-Oscar smile! Oh, god. She’s aiming it straight at me. The Fiat engine grumbled for a few seconds after Julia turned it off, but she hopped out of the car anyway and reached for Rina’s embrace.

  Rina squeezed her tightly and then placed her warm lips against Julia’s. “I’m so happy you’re finally here, Julia.”