Julia tried to respond, but it was all she could do to remain on her feet when the woman with those incredible almond-shaped eyes looked right through her. She wrapped her arms around Rina and nestled into her neck.
Rina pulled back. “Honey, you’re trembling. Don’t tell me you’re nervous.”
Julia finally caught her breath. “Of course I’m nervous. Aren’t you?”
The actress hugged her. “Welcome to my home.”
“It’s beautiful here, Rina. I’m awestruck.”
“Awestruck. That’s exactly how I feel every time you’re near me.” Rina grinned. “Let’s go inside so I can throw myself at you.”
Julia laughed.
“Thank you, Julia. For a moment there I thought I’d lost you to awestruck.”
Julia turned back to her car. “Let me grab my stuff.”
“Maybe you’ll learn to like it here as much as you like the desert,” Rina said as she reached for Julia’s purse on the passenger seat.
“Wherever you are is where I like it best. Like, you could live in a yurt and I wouldn’t care,” said Julia, hoisting her suitcase out of the convertible.
“What’s a yurt?” Rina stared at the Fiat and then looked at Julia and shook her head. “Would you please accept the sports car already and give the Fiat a proper burial?”
“No.”
“Why won’t you take the car?”
“Because I wouldn’t want you or your friends to think I’m some kind of gold digger.”
Katarina rolled her eyes. “Come on, it’s not like I bought you a Ferrari. Besides, it’s only a car and I can pay for a fleet with my pocket change. Are you always this stubborn about everything?”
Julia’s smile broadened. “Only the things that matter. While I may not always be flexible, I am very adaptable.”
“Well now, Miss Dearling, that’s a side of you I can’t wait to know better.”
Julia followed Rina inside and stopped as she crossed the first threshold. Rina had almost reached the staircase across the room before she noticed Julia hadn’t moved past the door.
“What’s wrong, Julia?”
Julia stared at the perfectly lit display case against the wall next to the picture window. “I’ve never seen a real Oscar, let alone four of them.”
“The Oscars are lit just to impress you—in case you’ve forgotten how much you like me.”
“That view of the ocean doesn’t even seem real. Framed by the windows it simply looks like…art.”
Rina doubled back to where Julia stood. She eased the suitcase from Julia’s grip and set it on the floor. “Look at me. It is art. And it’s real. We’re real. I don’t know about you, but I’ve counted the minutes until you arrived.”
“Every minute,” Julia added.
“Do you want to take the house tour now or later? Would you like something to eat? Or drink?” Rina sighed and leaned on her right leg, placing her hand on her hip. “You know. I think you had a point. On second thought, I am a little nervous. Let’s go up to my private suite. I have food and drinks there and you can get settled in.”
Julia gazed at her lover. “I’m hoping that ‘settled in’ is some kind of euphemism for ‘I want to rip off your clothes and make savage monkey love to you in every possible way, right now.’”
“In case you haven’t noticed, this is me throwing myself at you yet again.”
Julia picked up the suitcase and delivered the line in the way she knew would garner her lover’s adoration. “Lead the way, Katarina.”
They crossed the room and Rina led the way upstairs. “You know I love it when you say my name that way.”
“I’m counting it as foreplay.”
“Julia, just to remind you, we have dinner with Clay and Gigi in a couple of hours.”
“I’m counting that as foreplay also.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next day, before Julia began getting ready for the big dinner party with Rina’s friends, she came upstairs to Rina’s suite from the kitchen. “Where are you?” she called out.
“In the dressing room.”
Julia leaned against the doorway and watched the woman argue with a zipper.
“Dammit! Come on,” she spat while struggling to close the zipper two teeth at a time. “These feel so tight around my waist! Julia, why do you have to be such a good cook?”
“We just need to ride more when you’re at the ranch.”
“And eat less.” Rina glanced at her in the mirror. “This is depressing. These were cut perfectly for me.”
Julia went to her. As gentle as a Southern breeze, she lifted Rina’s hair from her neck and kissed the soft skin. “I didn’t notice they were tight.”
Rina leaned into her lips. “Stop trying to humor me.”
“I’m not. I’m in love with you. And I couldn’t care less if you gained a pound, lost a pound, ate a cookie, didn’t eat a cookie.”
Rina turned and put her arms around Julia and stared at her dead-on. “You are so not LA.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It’s not, but how can I count on you to tell me when I don’t look right? Where’s Gigi? I can’t get dressed without Gigi!”
“When you’re naked in bed—my bed, your bed, rolling on hay in the barn—you look perfect to me.” Julia stepped back. “Anything I can do to help?”
Rina turned back to her rows of hangers and shuffled through them like a deck of cards. “No.” Slide. “No.” Slide. “No, no, no.” She continued to slide each rejected contender along the rack. She stepped out of the pants and left them on the floor.
Julia stared at a panorama of designer jeans, shelves full of cashmere sweaters, racks of shirts in every shade. She reached around Rina and selected two silk outfits with loose-flowing pants. Holding Rina’s hand, she led her into the bedroom and laid the clothing on the bed.
“Try those.” Julia sat in the upholstered armchair and leaned back, admiring the woman standing before her in the bra and silk boxers.
Rina stared at her girlfriend with an amused upward turn of her lips. “Fine, Julia, just to accommodate you.” The actress held up each outfit on its hanger under her chin and then switched them back and forth. “Well?”
“The green one,” Julia replied. “It makes your eyes electric and creates a soft contrast with your auburn highlights.”
Rina chuckled. “A soft contrast? You’re just full of surprises, my little artist.” She laid the clothes on the bed and sat on Julia’s lap. She stroked her lover’s face and gazed into her eyes. “Kiss me, Julia, and don’t smear my lipstick.”
The sculptress’s hand delicately traced the length of Rina’s thigh up to her silk boxer-covered cheek. Her fingertips molded Rina’s kinetic reaction to her touch—an anatomical binding of art and life, without the sacrifice of one having to imitate the other. “Right now, looking into your eyes makes sex appear closer than it really is.”
“Be a good girl. I’ll be counting the minutes until we’re alone tonight. Know that every time I touch my earring, like this,” Rina tapped her earlobe with her fingertip, “it means I love you.” She stood, tried on the green silk outfit, and walked to one of her mirrors. She inspected herself from every angle. “You’re absolutely right, Julia. Huh! I’ll have to remember to buy more outfits in this color.”
Julia laughed. “Just what you need—more clothes to be unable to decide between. You look drop-dead gorgeous, Rina. Too beautiful to have a ranch girl slash cook slash sculptor as your dinner date.”
Rina flicked a glance at Julia in the mirror and then went to her. “Stand up.”
Julia stood and let the woman lead her to her favorite three-paneled mirror—the one positioned for Rina to make her final once-over before walking out the door. She stepped behind Julia and wrapped her arms around her. “Look at us, Julia. This is us, remember? We made a deal on the ranch.”
“Which one? We’ve made a few.”
“We’re not going to
let anyone else define us. Who we are together is ours and ours alone.”
“I’m nervous about meeting your friends. Well-known actors, important Hollywood folks, Reese Collingworth! And who am I?”
Rina’s eyes captured Julia’s in the reflection of the mirror and she wrapped Julia even tighter in her embrace. “You, my love, are everything.”
Julia held her gaze. “You mean that, don’t you?” She turned around in Rina’s embrace and kissed the woman. “I’m beginning to know when I’m talking to the real you.”
Rina took a step back. “Go get dressed and come get me when you’re done. I want you on my arm when we make our entrance.”
“All right. But do you ever tire of making an entrance?”
Rina chortled. “Oh my God, no. Never. You’ll get used to it.”
“Sure, as long as you can get used to someone who hasn’t a clue and couldn’t care less.”
“That’s why you have me. Get dressed. We can’t be late for our own dinner party.”
“God forbid.” Julia retreated to her bathroom and adjoining dressing room.
When Julia returned, she was wearing the outfit that Rina had left for her. She didn’t even want to guess what this trendy little number she was wearing cost. All Rina had asked her for were her measurements and favorite color.
“I’m really not used to wearing off-the-shoulder silk knits, Rina. It makes me worry about a wardrobe malfunction.”
“Let’s see. Turn around.”
Julia did a spin.
“Oh, Julia! You’re not only beautiful, right now you’re upstaging me. Makes me want to rip off your clothes the way you did to me our first time together.”
“So, rain check on the dinner party?” Julia teased.
“I’ve never seen you wear makeup that way. You look stunning with your hair down.”
“I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to boost my confidence, aren’t you? You’re not that good an actress.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, of course I am. But I’m not acting. Come here.”
Julia groaned. “Again with the mirror?” She crossed the room to join Rina.
“Stop right there. Now close your eyes. Go ahead, do it.”
Julia closed her eyes.
Rina counted to five. “Now, when you open your eyes, look straight ahead.”
Julia did so. “This does look nice on me.”
“Not just nice, honey. You’re a knockout. The vultures are going to swoop in on you.” Rina tickled her.
“Now you’re scaring me.”
“We have to get out of here. Being alone with you makes everywhere else negotiable.”
“Promise me something, Rina?”
“Anything, love.”
“Don’t let them eat me alive downstairs.”
“I told you, they’ll only respect you if you push back.”
“But that’s not my style.”
“Julia, this is about survival, not style. Survival is pushing back. Style is about how you take them down. I’m confident you’ll show them your boundaries.”
Julia exhaled hard. “If you say so.”
Rina held out her hand. “Shall we?”
Julia took her hand and walked through the sitting room toward the front door of the suite.
“Remember what I told you about everyone and you’ll be fine,” said Rina. They descended the stairway and turned toward the party room. “Enter slowly, like you own the place. Shoulders relaxed, head high. Smile. Take a deep breath. Exhale. Enjoy yourself.” They took another few steps.
“Jesus, Rina, am I about to make my first entrance?”
Rina laced her arm through Julia’s and stepped across the threshold. “Darling, you already have,” she whispered.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Reese. Layla,” Rina said joyfully. The director kissed her on the cheek. Reese and Layla Collingworth, I’d like you to meet my lover, Julia Dearling.”
Julia froze. Lover. She shook their hands. “Hello,” she mustered. “A pleasure to meet you.”
“And this is my publicist and friend, Susie Blank.”
“Hi, Julia. Welcome to LA.” The woman gripped Julia’s hand and stared into her eyes.
Julia tried to avert her stare from the too-perky breasts on either side of the canyonesque cleavage. Those have to be fake. “Thank you. Nice to meet you, Susie.” She slid a little closer to Rina.
Rina looked out at her small gathering. “We’re so happy you could make it to the first of our many soirées as a couple.”
Julia gulped. Soirées? Couple!
“Rina!” came one voice after the other. The hawks swooped in, and with each greeting, the flock subtly moved Julia another step farther from her date.
Julia absorbed the scene as Rina greeted her friends. She wasn’t sure where to stand or what to do with her arms so she let them hang by her side. With every person that Rina greeted, Julia’s breathing became more shallow. The pang of lack-of-accomplishment hit her when she surveyed the room. By these standards she might have been the least accomplished person in the entire galaxy.
Each person’s handshake upon meeting her was no doubt an assessment—a once- over—over and over. She smiled anyway. Everyone is exactly as Rina described them.
Rina reached for Julia’s left hand and stepped through her guests to close the space between them. “Have you met Pinna, Julia?”
Julia smiled the good-to-meet-you smile she’d rehearsed with Rina. “Pinna Goddard? From Voice of Hollywood?” The woman’s talonesque manicure only reinforced Julia’s fears of being torn to shreds by the end of the evening.
“I like her already, Rina.”
Rina introduced the rest of the small circle—not that most of them needed an introduction.
Julia swallowed every silent “Ohmigosh.” Her stomach flip-flopped every few seconds, especially when she met actor Monty Callan. But clinging tightly to Rina’s advice—and her hand—she just relaxed and let it happen.
“What would you like to drink, Julia?” asked Gigi.
Not exactly the beer and peanuts crowd. “I’ll have a water, please.”
“Ah, are you in the program?” asked the Emmy-winning Monty.
“Program?” Julia repeated.
“You know, AA? Or rehab, like Rina did?”
“Oh. No, it’s nothing like that. I’m parched.” Rehab like Rina did? “I was a big fan of your show, Monty—and so disappointed when it was canceled.”
Monty stared at her, expressionless. “Yes,” he said, allowing his “S” to hiss.
Rina cleared her throat, and Julia gathered she’d already made her first faux pas of the evening. “Honey,” said Rina, “I have that white wine you served me the night we met. Join me in a glass?”
Julia smiled. “You remembered the vintage?”
“How could I forget? Gigi, would you please have the waiter pour us the Sancerre?”
“Sure.” Gigi flagged down the server.
“Sancerre.” Pinna nodded her approval. “I’d like to hear more about the night you met. Julia, have you met Gil Garrish?” Pinna held out her hand to welcome Gil to the circle.
Julia raised her eyebrows. “Garrish Productions?” she asked.
Through a beard a little too black for his age, Gil smiled. “See, Pinna, I told you audiences read the credits. Or did Rina put you up to this, Julia?”
Julia felt her face flush. “Nice to meet you!”
Rina chuckled. “No, Gil. Julia is a movie buff. However, you may be out of your league with her. She can quote dialogue.”
“Adorable,” said Susie before she tossed back her shot of tequila.
“Isn’t it?” added Gigi.
In the far corner of the room, the DJ spun from his eclectic repertoire of cocktail party music.
“I’m impressed how you’ve managed to keep this relationship quiet,” said Pinna. “How long have you two been together?”
Julia heard Rina in her mind. “Let me field a
ny questions from Pinna. I love her dearly, but she is the actual voice of Hollywood.”
“It feels like I’ve known Julia forever.” Rina put her arm around Julia’s waist.
“Four months,” Julia blurted out.
Pinna laughed. “Honey, in Hollywood every month counts as a year.”
Breathe. Julia exhaled and turned to the waiter who approached. “Thank you,” she said as he served the wine.
Rina raised her glass and gazed into Julia’s eyes. “To you, my love.”
Gigi raised her glass. “Congratulations, Rina. This is certainly a side of you no one ever sees. Not even with Brit…”
Rina cut her off. “Thank you for your good wishes, Gigi.”
“Not even with…?” Julia began.
“Not important,” Rina interrupted.
Julia drank a long, unsophisticated dose of Sancerre and set the glass on a table. “Let’s dance, Rina.”
“To this? I thought you didn’t like to dance.”
In the silence that followed, Julia felt eyes awaiting her response. “Name what you’d like to dance to and I’ll ask the DJ to play it.”
“How about Madonna or some Eighties techno?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Julia’s expression was dead serious. “How about something from this millennium?”
Pinna coughed and turned away. Susie the publicist seemed struck with the same schadenfreude that made people stop to watch train wrecks, and Clay simply smiled at her.
Ugh. I can’t believe I just said that in front of Rina’s friends. She must hate me right now!
“Surprise me, Julia. But not before you kiss me.”
Julia delivered. Rina gazed into her eyes and touched her earring. Suddenly she was grounded again. In her mind, she heard Rina say “I love you.” She felt her shoulders drop three inches back to their normal height. “Excuse me,” she said before leaving. So this is what it’s like to be examined under a microscope. Glad I flossed my teeth. Even from behind her, she could feel the furtive stares.
Julia had known she’d be the subject of scrutiny that evening, that many in the group had probably been taking bets on how long it would take for her to make an ass of herself. She sighed. Well, they didn’t have to wait any longer. She already had. Poor Rina. She has to put up with my lack of sophistication. Then again she also has to put up with the snobbery of these so-called friends.
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