The Platinum Triangle

by T V Hartwell

  “Ehhhummm,” Jamie cleared her throat as if to contemplate her choice of words carefully. “Yes, I think that’s wonderful that you asked your brother, Jake.”

  “Well, you don’t sound very excited. You think he should’ve asked Kirby instead?”

  “Oh, no, no. It’s fine. I think you did the right thing. That’s not what I am worried about.”

  “What are you worried about?” Jake asked a bit puzzled.

  Jamie sighed softly as her eyes began to tear up. “You marrying Amanda,” she said on the verge of falling apart.

  Jake did a double take. “What do you mean,” he said. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it right now; maybe I’m just having a hard time letting go of my baby boy. Let’s order dinner and then we’ll tell you more about our trip.”

  Chapter 11 The Producer

  Amanda pulled up in her Porsche Cayman at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Feeling slightly anxious, she opened the mirror on the back of the driver’s side sun visor to check her makeup and hair. She reapplied some lipstick and pressed her lips together a couple of times to make sure that it was evenly distributed before stepping out of the car. “Good evening,” the valet said, holding out his hand to help her out of the car.

  Adam, thirty-one and five years older than Amanda, had suggested they meet at The Polo Lounge bar in the hotel. The crowd there was usually a little older and full of entertainment industry types with whom those from old LA wealth don’t typically mingle. This made Amanda less concerned about being noticed by someone in her family’s or Jake’s family’s social circle, so she agreed to meet him there.

  Adam Weinstock was the son of Barry Weinstock, one of the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood. Weinstock Films mostly produced blockbuster sci-fi thrillers, fantasy, and action movies. Although the films were not the most critically acclaimed, they were commercially very successful and among the highest grossing domestically and internationally. Following his father’s footsteps into the movie business, Adam attended film school at USC and had already produced three moderately successful films under his own production company, First Cut Productions. Determined to make his own way in Hollywood, he mostly made movies that were more artsy and dramatic in content, aiming to position his company to produce Oscar worthy films like those of his idols, Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

  Given his family’s notoriety, success, and good fortune at the pinnacle of the Hollywood A-list, Adam had grown accustomed to enjoying nothing other than the finest life has to offer. Like many Hollywood celebrity kids, he had his share of material excess coupled with unlimited access to drugs and sex, but he did not get overtaken by any of those things and managed to make something of himself. Still, Adam developed a reputation for being somewhat of a playboy in a serial monogamist kind of way. Loves them, spoils them with lavish gifts and luxurious trips to Aspen and the south of France, and access to the most exclusive A-list parties. Then he would move on to the next lucky girl once he got bored or felt that his space was getting too cramped with expectations of commitment or settling down. Adam didn’t like women who were needy and clingy. However, it was hard for them not to be. Adam’s charm, ambition, good looks, and generosity with his wealth made him a very desirable catch. But Amanda Climent wasn’t all that impressed at first.

  She was the first girl he had ever dated whose family’s wealth and legend were greater than his own. Adam came from new money. His father, Barry, was a self-made man, having come from a working class, Jewish family in northeast Philadelphia. Barry’s parents survived the Holocaust and immigrated to the United States after WWII with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. In contrast, Amanda, considered American royalty, hailed from one of the most storied families in California history and was a descendant of European nobility from both her mother’s and father’s bloodlines. Although she mingled with celebrities on occasion, she was not particularly impressed by them or drawn to the company of the Hollywood crowd. Amanda knew who she was and was content with the social position she held. This was apparent and very intriguing to Adam; a woman who did not need him and who was not all that taken with him upon first meeting.

  They were introduced by Lucy who at the time was dating a good friend of Adam’s also in the entertainment business. Over the span of a month after first meeting in New York, Adam had to call Amanda four times before she agreed to go on a date with him. Amanda’s polite indifference toward him made him want her more.

  As Amanda walked her way up the long red carpet to the hotel entrance, she felt as though she was about to throw up. She was excited to see Adam, but sick with guilt because she didn’t know exactly why. She and Adam agreed to meet in the hotel lobby, but he wasn’t there when she entered. After pacing for a few minutes, she reached for her phone to text him but was interrupted by a very masculine sounding voice from behind.

  “Well hello, gorgeous,” Adam said in his deep voice, looking as dapper as ever in a casual charcoal gray Armani suit and a checkered baby blue shirt that perfectly matched his piercing blue eyes.

  A bit startled, Amanda turned around to face him. The combination of Adam’s perfectly coifed dark, wavy hair, thick eyebrows, and lightly tanned olive skin was striking. His open collar shirt revealed a peek of his muscular, hairy chest. He didn’t have the unruly, bushy kind of hair, but fine hair that perfectly studded the curvature and definition of his chest like a five o’clock shadow. Amanda forgot how beautiful Adam was; so stunning that she was rendered momentarily speechless and could barely muster a hello in return before Adam embraced her.

  “How…how are you?” she stuttered. “You look great.”

  “So do you,” Adam said with a broad smile looking directly into Amanda’s face at close range with his arms tightly around her still. His embrace was affectionate, warm, and lingering, but Amanda gently pulled away.

  “Thank you for agreeing to see me. I was pleasantly surprised that you accepted my invitation.”

  “Why would you be surprised?” Amanda asked, attempting to appear oblivious to the obvious.

  “Well for starters, you dumped me for that other guy you met in college, and I hear you’re about to marry him.”

  “Oh that,” Amanda said coyly as they began to walk toward The Polo Lounge. “I have guy friends just like my fiancé has friends who are girls. There’s nothing wrong with that. Besides, I was curious to see how you were. It’s been a while.”

  “Mr. Weinstock, nice to see you,” said the strikingly attractive blonde hostess in a familiar kind of way.

  “Hi, Nicole. Good to see you as well.”

  “We have your booth waiting for you,” she said.

  After they sat down, Adam continued where Amanda left off. “Soooo,” he said, giving Amanda the once-over. “Indeed, it has been a while. I’ve missed you.”

  “Awww, that’s sweet of you to say.”

  “It’s true. You’re a very special girl, Amanda. Your fiancé is a lucky man. I hope he realizes that.”

  “You’re too sweet, as always.”

  “So when’s the big day?”

  “Less than a month away now, the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend.”

  “Mmmm,” Adam uttered, seemingly in contemplation without offering his congratulations.

  “What about you? Are you seeing anyone, Mr. Casanova?”

  “Mr. Casanova! What are you saying?”

  “Oh stop. You know what I mean. You have no problem sweeping women off their feet and right into your arms.”

  “Oh, so that’s what you think I do? I am a modest man. I have no game,” Adam said, trying to appear bashful.

  Amanda laughed out loud and then quickly covered her mouth with the menu, clearly tickled by Adam’s charm and self-deprecation. “You are being ridiculous. You know, that’s what you do so well. Your sense of humility and moderation is your game. You are smart, a studio mogul in the making, and very handsome, and you come across so unaffected. That’s why women are so drawn to you.�
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  “Okay. If you say so.”

  “Adam, come on. I’ve heard that you’ve dated several young Hollywood things since we broke up.”

  “Those are all rumors. And I am shocked. Are you reading the tabloids now? That’s so beneath you. Not your style at all Ms. Climent,” Adam said in a scolding, but playful tone.

  “What! I didn’t say I heard about it in the tabloids.”

  “Oh, then it must be from Lucy. She’s the gossip queen and I know she’s connected to a lot of people in the business. I hear she’s dating Cass Bettencourt these days. You know he was the lead in my second film?”

  “Yes, of course I know that, but don’t try to change the subject.”

  “You know I’m not really into dating actresses, at least not seriously. Those girls can be a little too desperate and needy.”

  “Oh, so you’ve just been hooking up with them?”

  Adam didn’t answer Amanda directly. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to get too seriously involved with people you might hire to work in your film projects. Besides, I want to marry a real princess, like you, not somebody who tries to act like one after becoming famous.”

  “That’s a pretty good line for a guy with no game.”

  Adam grinned from ear to ear in response.

  “Okay. If you don’t want to talk to me about your love life, that’s fine. Let’s order drinks.”

  “I want to talk about you, not other girls. I wanted to see how you were,” he said as he placed his hand on top of Amanda’s, rubbing it gently. “You know I never really got over you. And seeing you right now and how amazing and beautiful you are is a reminder of why it’s so hard to get you out of my mind. I really haven’t been able to do that even though I haven’t seen you in more than a year.”

  Touched by Adam’s words, Amanda looked at him slightly mesmerized as he spoke, recalling the taste of his mouth, the impeccable hygiene reflected in the warm, soothing caress of his breath, and the softness of his full lips when they would kiss. Although she had never felt the emotional connection to Adam she shared with Jake, she could not deny their sexual chemistry was amazing. She pulled her hand out from under his and placed her index finger to her mouth to control the quiver of her lips.

  “I never got to tell you how surprised I was after you broke up with me. We were together ten months and I thought things were going so well. You didn’t even give me a chance to get over my shock. We had just gotten back from a long, romantic weekend in Hawaii and all seemed good and well in paradise. And then out of the blue, you call me one morning to tell me that we’re finished and that you’ve gotten back together with your ex.”

  “I know,” Amanda said before sighing deeply, feeling somewhat ashamed. “Adam, I’m sorry that I broke up with you so suddenly. I regret that I didn’t handle that as well as I should have. It was sloppy and very inconsiderate of me to treat you that way. At the very least I should have spoken to you in person. I agree that things were going well between us and I enjoyed being with you. But you always knew that Jake was in my rear view mirror and that we were just taking a break from one another. I was honest about that from the very beginning.”

  “Were you still seeing him when we were together?”

  “I mean, we talked, but I wasn’t seeing him per se.”

  “What does per se mean?”

  “You know, we were still on friendly terms and we have a bunch of mutual friends so we ran into each other a couple of times.” Amanda was only telling half the truth, not revealing that she and Jake not only ran into each other, but hooked up on three separate occasions, precipitating their reunion.

  “Well I kind of suspected that you two weren’t completely incommunicado. But you were so good at covering it up. I have to hand it to you, Ms. Climent. You played me well.”

  “I was not playing you, Adam. That wasn’t my intention. When we were together my feelings for you were real and sincere. It’s just that a part of my heart was still with Jake too. And when he finished law school and moved back to LA things changed.”

  “I don’t mean to sound bitter or jaded. So please forgive me if I am coming across that way. You are young and beautiful and have so much going for you. I know a girl like you has options. He won your heart, and I consider it my failure for not doing more to win you over and to convince you that I am the better man for you.”

  “Adam, you did win me over. That’s why we were together for ten months. But even though I liked you as much as I did, I was still in love with somebody else. I am so sorry for hurting you, if that’s the way you feel. I really am, because you are such an amazing guy. I just want you to understand that my breaking up with you was not about you or about anything you did or didn’t do.”

  “Well, like I said, I had my chance, but I’m not sure I’m ready to throw in the towel just yet. Seeing you tonight has given me some hope,” Adam said with a twinkle in his eye.

  Amanda smiled broadly, flattered by Adam’s chivalry. “You are too cute, but Jake and I are a done deal,” she said.

  “Oh really. Then why did you agree to see me? I can’t believe Jake would approve of you going on a date with your former lover.”

  “I don’t consider this a date, and I don’t need his approval to do anything.”

  “Now, now, don’t get defensive. I’m just sayin’,” Adam said, grinning.

  “I am not being defensive. I just know that Jake and I are rock solid.”

  “Hmmm, well I know a thing or two about that fancy, Stanford boyfriend of yours.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “I’ll just keep it to myself for now.”

  “Keep what to yourself? Don’t bullshit me, Adam,” Amanda said, not trusting him but curious nevertheless.

  “Well, you know how those frat boys are with their Greek traditions and all. Their idea of brotherhood can be somewhat pederastic, if you know what I mean.”

  Amanda was incredulous. “You mean as in pederasty? What are you talking about? So you think Jake likes boys? What kind of grade-school trash talk is that?”

  Adam backtracked, not wanting to elaborate on what he was insinuating. “I’m sorry. This conversation is going in the wrong direction,” he said, shaking his head and self-correcting himself. “The truth is I haven’t been seeing anyone seriously since our break up. You are hard to replace, and to be completely honest, you are the princess that I still want in my life. I gave you up without a fight and that was my mistake. I should’ve made more of an effort to convince you that I am the better man for you. I’ve only got less than thirty days to do that now, but I’m still going to try.” Adam had his arms resting on the table in front of him with his fingers pressed together as he stared ahead with a sense of stealth determination and focus, as if he was plotting in his head how and when to implement his next move.

  Amanda was completely taken aback by Adam’s assertiveness and presumption that he could say or do anything at that stage to win her back when her wedding day was around the corner. She couldn’t tell if he was toying with her or being serious, but she was intrigued and felt a little flattered nonetheless.

  “Oh well, good luck with your plans. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got up your sleeve,” she said dismissively.

  Amanda was beginning to think that agreeing to meet with Adam was not such a good idea. She didn’t expect him to come on to her so strong. In fact, she didn’t expect it at all. After all, it had been more than a year, and she thought he had moved on just as she had. She wasn’t sure what she had expected really, but certainly not declarations of undying devotion. She also was annoyed about the way Adam brought up Jake, and thought it was below the belt for Adam to make salacious accusations about someone he didn’t know even if it was meant to be a careless dig. The idea that Jake was into the same sex was far-fetched and never crossed her mind in all their years together, and how on earth would Adam know such a thing anyway, she thought. She was tempted to get up and leave, but she reall
y liked Adam. He treated her very well while they dated and she still felt a certain degree of guilt for walking out on him so hastily and with little explanation or regard for his feelings. So she decided to stay with him awhile longer to share a drink or two for old times’ sake before calling it a night.

  Chapter 12 Booty Call

  “I think your mom will like her birthday gift, especially since I picked it out,” Laren said cheerfully.

  Kirby didn’t respond as he sat on Laren’s couch mindlessly channel surfing. They had just returned from Century City for a quick dinner and to purchase Kirby’s mother a gift for her birthday on Sunday.

  “Shall I make out the gift card from the both of us?”

  “Both of us? I thought you were getting her your own gift.”

  “The gift you bought is what I picked out and would have gotten her anyway, and since we’re a couple, I think it’s okay if it comes from the both us. Don’t you think?”

  “I guess,” Kirby said reluctantly, not wanting to make an issue out of it.

  From the time Kirby and Laren started dating during their senior year at USC, their relationship had been rocky, fraught with constant breakups and makeups over the subsequent four and a half years. When Laren left Washington, D.C. to attend college in Los Angeles, she wanted a change in scenery and a taste of the California lifestyle. She was also escaping the watchful eye of her parents, both physicians. As the oldest of three children, they took a particular interest in trying to shape and mold their eldest child into their own bourgeois image. They would have preferred that Laren pursue a career in law or medicine instead of the entertainment business where she had taken a job as an assistant at one of the leading casting agencies in town after graduation. However, on the whole, they were pleased with the direction Laren’s life was headed, especially her relationship with Kirby. He came from exactly the kind of family they dreamed of for their daughter to marry into and were keeping their fingers crossed that Kirby would be popping the question sooner rather than later after having dated their daughter since college. However, Laren and Kirby’s relationship was complicated and fading. At this point, Laren was nothing more than Kirby’s beard, unbeknownst to her, and he had no intentions of marrying her.