usually this bad tempered. It's been a long tour and everyone's strung out."
Jenny nodded. Taylor and Frank didn't look up from their menus.
When Angel returned, there wasn't a single tearstain marring her impeccable makeup. She was all smiles again, as if nothing had happened. "It's so good to see you again, Cat. We have to go shopping again another time. There's a pair of shoes I think I'd like to have in pink after all."
I glanced at Frank in case their earlier argument had been about her spending spree, but he ignored his wife from across the table.
"Speaking of pink, you look gorgeous in that dress, Cat," Angel continued. "I love that color on you."
"Stunning," Taylor agreed, lowering his menu, his smile back. "You know, I'm surprised you never did more in Hollywood. With your bone structure and figure, you should be a star."
"Maybe I should have hired you as my agent," I said.
His laughter bubbled out in a deep, rumbling chuckle. "I'll consider the career change when Play Group ends."
"Which won't be anytime soon," Frank said into his menu.
The four members of Play Group exchanged glances while I pretended not to notice the charged atmosphere.
We ordered and ate while only exchanging polite words, mostly between myself and the four group members. Frank sat sullenly in his seat, getting ruddier with every glass of wine.
After the main meal I excused myself and went to the bathroom. On my return, I had a good view of Angel and Corey's backs. What I saw made me stumble in my heels. They were playing footsies under the table.
Hell-o!
I sat back down and engaged Angel in a conversation about L.A. in the hope that I would detect something between her and Corey, but they were seasoned performers and not a sign of their foot play showed.
During dinner, Frank's phone rang and he searched for it in the pocket of his jacket, hanging over the back of his chair. He pulled his hotel room key out, placed it on the table, then fished out his cell. He returned the key as he stood and then walked off, talking loudly on the phone. The mischievous devil that sat on my shoulder got a glint in her eye. The good girl in me didn't stand a chance when that happened.
Before dessert arrived, I made my move. I cornered Jenny in the bathroom and asked her to swap seats with me.
"Why?" she asked, lip gloss poised. "You're not going to ask Frank questions about my money in front of everyone, are you?"
"No. I need some financial advice." I winked at her.
She gave me a blank look then shrugged.
Back at the table, she said she needed to speak to Corey, so I gave her my chair. As I settled into her seat, I turned the charm on for Frank. It wasn't as easy as usual. In between glaring at his wife, who ignored him, he guzzled his wine and food as if he'd just come off the grapefruit diet. He stuffed crepes into his mouth before he'd finished chewing the last spoonful. It was disgusting. He hardly noticed me at all.
"Jenny tells me you're the one to speak to about financial matters," I said.
"What of it?" he said, his mouth full.
"Maybe you can help me. I recently came into some money—"
He put down his spoon and looked at me for the first time. "How much?"
"A few thousand. Do you know any investments I could dabble in?"
"It's not worth my while unless you've got at least ten grand." He returned to his dessert.
I leaned closer and lowered my voice. "Actually, it's twenty."
That earned me his complete attention and a smile. His chest swelled and something passed over his face. He went from asshole to slick salesman in a heartbeat. "Well then, you came to the right man. I have some exciting new opportunities that need backing from someone just like you." He leaned closer, conspiratorial. "Someone willing to see the big picture and the long-term benefits."
"Are they safe?" I flicked my hair, doing the ditzy thing. "I mean, will I lose my money?"
"Safe as houses." He smiled and was almost handsome when he put in the effort. I could
Jenny nodded. Taylor and Frank didn't look up from their menus.
When Angel returned, there wasn't a single tearstain marring her impeccable makeup. She was all smiles again, as if nothing had happened. "It's so good to see you again, Cat. We have to go shopping again another time. There's a pair of shoes I think I'd like to have in pink after all."
I glanced at Frank in case their earlier argument had been about her spending spree, but he ignored his wife from across the table.
"Speaking of pink, you look gorgeous in that dress, Cat," Angel continued. "I love that color on you."
"Stunning," Taylor agreed, lowering his menu, his smile back. "You know, I'm surprised you never did more in Hollywood. With your bone structure and figure, you should be a star."
"Maybe I should have hired you as my agent," I said.
His laughter bubbled out in a deep, rumbling chuckle. "I'll consider the career change when Play Group ends."
"Which won't be anytime soon," Frank said into his menu.
The four members of Play Group exchanged glances while I pretended not to notice the charged atmosphere.
We ordered and ate while only exchanging polite words, mostly between myself and the four group members. Frank sat sullenly in his seat, getting ruddier with every glass of wine.
After the main meal I excused myself and went to the bathroom. On my return, I had a good view of Angel and Corey's backs. What I saw made me stumble in my heels. They were playing footsies under the table.
Hell-o!
I sat back down and engaged Angel in a conversation about L.A. in the hope that I would detect something between her and Corey, but they were seasoned performers and not a sign of their foot play showed.
During dinner, Frank's phone rang and he searched for it in the pocket of his jacket, hanging over the back of his chair. He pulled his hotel room key out, placed it on the table, then fished out his cell. He returned the key as he stood and then walked off, talking loudly on the phone. The mischievous devil that sat on my shoulder got a glint in her eye. The good girl in me didn't stand a chance when that happened.
Before dessert arrived, I made my move. I cornered Jenny in the bathroom and asked her to swap seats with me.
"Why?" she asked, lip gloss poised. "You're not going to ask Frank questions about my money in front of everyone, are you?"
"No. I need some financial advice." I winked at her.
She gave me a blank look then shrugged.
Back at the table, she said she needed to speak to Corey, so I gave her my chair. As I settled into her seat, I turned the charm on for Frank. It wasn't as easy as usual. In between glaring at his wife, who ignored him, he guzzled his wine and food as if he'd just come off the grapefruit diet. He stuffed crepes into his mouth before he'd finished chewing the last spoonful. It was disgusting. He hardly noticed me at all.
"Jenny tells me you're the one to speak to about financial matters," I said.
"What of it?" he said, his mouth full.
"Maybe you can help me. I recently came into some money—"
He put down his spoon and looked at me for the first time. "How much?"
"A few thousand. Do you know any investments I could dabble in?"
"It's not worth my while unless you've got at least ten grand." He returned to his dessert.
I leaned closer and lowered my voice. "Actually, it's twenty."
That earned me his complete attention and a smile. His chest swelled and something passed over his face. He went from asshole to slick salesman in a heartbeat. "Well then, you came to the right man. I have some exciting new opportunities that need backing from someone just like you." He leaned closer, conspiratorial. "Someone willing to see the big picture and the long-term benefits."
"Are they safe?" I flicked my hair, doing the ditzy thing. "I mean, will I lose my money?"
"Safe as houses." He smiled and was almost handsome when he put in the effort. I could
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