No butter. No dressing, please.”
“Make that two,” India chimed in. “Though I’d like lots of dressing with mine, please.”
“So what did you think of the show, Annie? Did you buy anything?” Adam asked, after ordering the filet mignon minus the jus and with green beans instead of carrots.
“I had them put a couple of pieces aside for Joss to look at tomorrow. He’s the expert, not me,” she said, unfolding a snow-white napkin and placing it on her snow-white pants.
We can’t possibly be related, India thought, looking down at her creased cargos.
“I bet the stuff would look great out in Malibu,” Adam added. “It really is an amazing house, Annie.”
“Thanks. I love it, too. Especially for parties.”
“So India,” Adam said, breaking into a bread roll and leaning across for the butter, “is it true you live in London?”
“It’s true,” she said.
“And is it still true that if you’re tired of London, you’re tired of life?”
“I hope not,” India replied, “because, honestly, I am a bit tired of it.”
“Well, the city’s one of my absolute favorites. I have a friend, a director, who has a fantastic apartment in Green Park. And last year, he asked me to play the lead in a new West End production. I was all set to move and then the financing fell…” Adam paused, annoyed, and reached down into his pocket to silence his cell phone. “I am so sorry,” he said, checking out the number. “I hate when this happens. But I think I have to take it.”
“No problem,” Annie said. “It’s LA, right?”
“Yeah,” he said, shrugging. “I’ll make it quick.”
India watched as he strolled through the French doors onto the patio. “It’s probably his wife.” She sighed.
“He doesn’t have a wife anymore, darling, I told you. Relax.” Annie smiled.
“My nerves are shot to pieces,” India confided.
“Well … I’m feeling skittish myself. I’m so grateful you’re here … more than you know,” Annie replied, adjusting the linen scarf around her neck. Just as she seemed close to revealing what was really on her mind, Annabelle was ambushed from behind by two hands over her eyes and a whispered “Guess who, darling.” The accent was a pure Southern drawl.
“Loretta,” Annie said with a wide smile, leaping up from her seat. “You look amazing. What are you doing here? Please, sit down and say hello to my sister, India.”
“Pleasure to meet you, India,” the woman said as Adam arrived back at the table.
“Hi Loretta!” Adam grinned. “You haven’t been anywhere near Brazil by any chance have you?”
Loretta gave a deep-throated laugh. “You always cut to the chase, don’t you, Adam? It’s a good thing I have a sense of humor. Because as it happens, yes. A little R&R, you know?”
India had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.
“Well, it suits you.” Adam winked. “The R&R, I mean.”
Soon after, the food arrived, and Loretta and Annie plunged deep into conversation. India turned to Adam. “What on Earth?” she said.
“Dr. Perez?” Adam replied. “The plastic surgeon? Surely, you’ve heard of him?”
“No,” India said.
“Which is one of the reasons I want your number. You have no idea how refreshing it is to meet a woman who’s never heard of Perez. It proves there’s still hope for the planet.”
“I get to score points for being out of touch or for not having a face-lift?” she asked, avoiding eye contact and focusing on her plate. (Omygod he wants my number! He wants my number!)
“Both,” Adam said, touching her hand. “Like the lady said, I cut straight to the chase.” He pulled out his cell. “Damn thing just died,” he said, putting it away again. “Can you write it down?”
India fumbled around in her purse for a pencil and ripped out a page from her leather notepad.
“Profound Thoughts?” Adam said, peeking at the cover. “Is that for real?”
“It’s a present from my friend in London.
“Make that two,” India chimed in. “Though I’d like lots of dressing with mine, please.”
“So what did you think of the show, Annie? Did you buy anything?” Adam asked, after ordering the filet mignon minus the jus and with green beans instead of carrots.
“I had them put a couple of pieces aside for Joss to look at tomorrow. He’s the expert, not me,” she said, unfolding a snow-white napkin and placing it on her snow-white pants.
We can’t possibly be related, India thought, looking down at her creased cargos.
“I bet the stuff would look great out in Malibu,” Adam added. “It really is an amazing house, Annie.”
“Thanks. I love it, too. Especially for parties.”
“So India,” Adam said, breaking into a bread roll and leaning across for the butter, “is it true you live in London?”
“It’s true,” she said.
“And is it still true that if you’re tired of London, you’re tired of life?”
“I hope not,” India replied, “because, honestly, I am a bit tired of it.”
“Well, the city’s one of my absolute favorites. I have a friend, a director, who has a fantastic apartment in Green Park. And last year, he asked me to play the lead in a new West End production. I was all set to move and then the financing fell…” Adam paused, annoyed, and reached down into his pocket to silence his cell phone. “I am so sorry,” he said, checking out the number. “I hate when this happens. But I think I have to take it.”
“No problem,” Annie said. “It’s LA, right?”
“Yeah,” he said, shrugging. “I’ll make it quick.”
India watched as he strolled through the French doors onto the patio. “It’s probably his wife.” She sighed.
“He doesn’t have a wife anymore, darling, I told you. Relax.” Annie smiled.
“My nerves are shot to pieces,” India confided.
“Well … I’m feeling skittish myself. I’m so grateful you’re here … more than you know,” Annie replied, adjusting the linen scarf around her neck. Just as she seemed close to revealing what was really on her mind, Annabelle was ambushed from behind by two hands over her eyes and a whispered “Guess who, darling.” The accent was a pure Southern drawl.
“Loretta,” Annie said with a wide smile, leaping up from her seat. “You look amazing. What are you doing here? Please, sit down and say hello to my sister, India.”
“Pleasure to meet you, India,” the woman said as Adam arrived back at the table.
“Hi Loretta!” Adam grinned. “You haven’t been anywhere near Brazil by any chance have you?”
Loretta gave a deep-throated laugh. “You always cut to the chase, don’t you, Adam? It’s a good thing I have a sense of humor. Because as it happens, yes. A little R&R, you know?”
India had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.
“Well, it suits you.” Adam winked. “The R&R, I mean.”
Soon after, the food arrived, and Loretta and Annie plunged deep into conversation. India turned to Adam. “What on Earth?” she said.
“Dr. Perez?” Adam replied. “The plastic surgeon? Surely, you’ve heard of him?”
“No,” India said.
“Which is one of the reasons I want your number. You have no idea how refreshing it is to meet a woman who’s never heard of Perez. It proves there’s still hope for the planet.”
“I get to score points for being out of touch or for not having a face-lift?” she asked, avoiding eye contact and focusing on her plate. (Omygod he wants my number! He wants my number!)
“Both,” Adam said, touching her hand. “Like the lady said, I cut straight to the chase.” He pulled out his cell. “Damn thing just died,” he said, putting it away again. “Can you write it down?”
India fumbled around in her purse for a pencil and ripped out a page from her leather notepad.
“Profound Thoughts?” Adam said, peeking at the cover. “Is that for real?”
“It’s a present from my friend in London.
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