go?’
‘How about Il Cantinori, eight thirty?’ she suggested. ‘Remember Il Cantinori?’
‘Sure,’ he said ruefully. ‘I only hope they don’t remember me. I gotta sneaking suspicion I wrecked the place one night.’
‘You did. But Frank, the owner, is a cool guy, so don’t sweat it. Besides, you’re with me,’ Beverly said confidently, adding casually, ‘Anyway, that was then, this is now–an’ you’re a changed person. Right, baby?’
‘You’d better believe it.’
He clicked off his cell and thought about calling Max or Chris. Then he decided, why do that? He’d barely heard from either of them since their father’s seventy-fifth birthday celebration four years ago when he’d really been out of his mind and embarrassed everyone with his behaviour. Shit! Falling into a three-tier cake with an under-age Puerto Rican hooker he’d picked up on the street was truly not the way to go. Especially with his pants off.
Thinking back, he considered it quite funny, although he would bet money his family didn’t. They were probably still talking about his bad behaviour.
Well, they’d be shocked tomorrow when the new, sober, semi-successful-in-a-career-they-wouldn’t-approve-of Jett showed up.
Yeah. He was certainly going to surprise everyone.
Max wondered if being summoned to his father’s house had anything to do with his upcoming wedding. Probably not. He’d done the proper thing and sent Red and Lady Jane Bentley an invitation. So far he had received no response. He wasn’t surprised: it was just like Red to be rude–the old man had no manners. Of course Red would come, but because of who he was he didn’t feel it necessary to reply.
Red Diamond was a much-married lecherous snake who’d managed to get rid of each of his wives as soon as he was ready to move on. Max often wondered about the demise of his own mother, Rachel. She’d given birth to him, and apparently died of heart failure six months later in her sleep. A perfectly healthy woman, twenty-six years of age. Max wasn’t sure he believed it. A vibrant young woman with no health problems. How had something like that happened?
Sometimes, late at night, the thought crossed Max’s mind that maybe Red was in some way responsible. But then he always dismissed it as impossible. Red couldn’t possibly be that bad.
Or could he?
After Rachel’s death, Red had married another beauty, Olivia, and she’d given birth to Chris. The new marriage hadn’t stopped him screwing around, for when it came to sex, Red was insatiable, preying on any woman he could. Eventually he’d divorced Olivia and married Jett’s mother, Edie, whom he’d managed to turn into a raging alcoholic.
Quite frankly, Max didn’t give a damn if Red showed up at his wedding or not. Why should he allow Amy to be contaminated? His bride-to-be had yet to meet the snake–what a treat she had waiting for her.
Nancy Scott-Simon was outraged at Red Diamond’s lack of manners. ‘How am I supposed to seat your father and Lady Jane?’ she’d demanded, glaring at her soon-to-be son-in-law. ‘And what about the rehearsal dinner? Will your father be giving one since I am handling the wedding?’
‘No rehearsal dinner,’ Max had said at first. But Nancy was having none of it, so to keep the peace he’d arranged to give it himself. He was taking over a room at the Waldorf Astoria, and a hundred and fifty people were attending on Sunday night. He had not invited Red or Lady Jane, deeming it unnecessary.
Tomorrow night was his bachelor party. There was nothing he looked forward to less.
Birdy Marvel was pretty in a trashy, vacuous way. Petite and stacked, she was only just eighteen, and an idol to the entire teenage female population. Her records sold in the millions, and her fans faithfully followed everything she did. There was an elite group of young girl singers–Britney, Hilary, Lindsay, and the Olsen twins, but right now Birdy Marvel was top of
‘How about Il Cantinori, eight thirty?’ she suggested. ‘Remember Il Cantinori?’
‘Sure,’ he said ruefully. ‘I only hope they don’t remember me. I gotta sneaking suspicion I wrecked the place one night.’
‘You did. But Frank, the owner, is a cool guy, so don’t sweat it. Besides, you’re with me,’ Beverly said confidently, adding casually, ‘Anyway, that was then, this is now–an’ you’re a changed person. Right, baby?’
‘You’d better believe it.’
He clicked off his cell and thought about calling Max or Chris. Then he decided, why do that? He’d barely heard from either of them since their father’s seventy-fifth birthday celebration four years ago when he’d really been out of his mind and embarrassed everyone with his behaviour. Shit! Falling into a three-tier cake with an under-age Puerto Rican hooker he’d picked up on the street was truly not the way to go. Especially with his pants off.
Thinking back, he considered it quite funny, although he would bet money his family didn’t. They were probably still talking about his bad behaviour.
Well, they’d be shocked tomorrow when the new, sober, semi-successful-in-a-career-they-wouldn’t-approve-of Jett showed up.
Yeah. He was certainly going to surprise everyone.
Max wondered if being summoned to his father’s house had anything to do with his upcoming wedding. Probably not. He’d done the proper thing and sent Red and Lady Jane Bentley an invitation. So far he had received no response. He wasn’t surprised: it was just like Red to be rude–the old man had no manners. Of course Red would come, but because of who he was he didn’t feel it necessary to reply.
Red Diamond was a much-married lecherous snake who’d managed to get rid of each of his wives as soon as he was ready to move on. Max often wondered about the demise of his own mother, Rachel. She’d given birth to him, and apparently died of heart failure six months later in her sleep. A perfectly healthy woman, twenty-six years of age. Max wasn’t sure he believed it. A vibrant young woman with no health problems. How had something like that happened?
Sometimes, late at night, the thought crossed Max’s mind that maybe Red was in some way responsible. But then he always dismissed it as impossible. Red couldn’t possibly be that bad.
Or could he?
After Rachel’s death, Red had married another beauty, Olivia, and she’d given birth to Chris. The new marriage hadn’t stopped him screwing around, for when it came to sex, Red was insatiable, preying on any woman he could. Eventually he’d divorced Olivia and married Jett’s mother, Edie, whom he’d managed to turn into a raging alcoholic.
Quite frankly, Max didn’t give a damn if Red showed up at his wedding or not. Why should he allow Amy to be contaminated? His bride-to-be had yet to meet the snake–what a treat she had waiting for her.
Nancy Scott-Simon was outraged at Red Diamond’s lack of manners. ‘How am I supposed to seat your father and Lady Jane?’ she’d demanded, glaring at her soon-to-be son-in-law. ‘And what about the rehearsal dinner? Will your father be giving one since I am handling the wedding?’
‘No rehearsal dinner,’ Max had said at first. But Nancy was having none of it, so to keep the peace he’d arranged to give it himself. He was taking over a room at the Waldorf Astoria, and a hundred and fifty people were attending on Sunday night. He had not invited Red or Lady Jane, deeming it unnecessary.
Tomorrow night was his bachelor party. There was nothing he looked forward to less.
Birdy Marvel was pretty in a trashy, vacuous way. Petite and stacked, she was only just eighteen, and an idol to the entire teenage female population. Her records sold in the millions, and her fans faithfully followed everything she did. There was an elite group of young girl singers–Britney, Hilary, Lindsay, and the Olsen twins, but right now Birdy Marvel was top of
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