Gazelle (5 page)

“
It is.
 ‘
Rock
y
’ is the most romantic movie ever made
.
”

“
What? Seriously
?
”
“
Yes!  Have you seen it
?
”
“
Of course I have.  Bu
t…
I do
n’
t really see how i
t’
s the most romantic movie ever.  Ever?  Really?  Like, in the entire history of film?  How do you get that
?
”

              She steps from the bathroom, her eyes streaked perfectly with liquid liner, her lips deep red again.  She dabs her puff in a compact and runs powder over her nose, frowning at him the entire time.
 “
He did
n’
t
care
about winning.  He just wanted to get through it.  And all he wanted was to be good enough for her love and support in the end.  That was the prize.  He had to prove himself a man in his own eyes to be true to their love.  Duh
.
”

              He blinks, speechless, as she turns on her heels and disappears back into the bathroom.  Dirt Bag scampers after her and sits at the doorway between them.

“
I mean, I guess yo
u’
re technically right.  Maybe no
t‘
eve
r’,
” she calls
.“
Rock
y’
s definitely n
o‘
Time Away
.
’”

              He smiles and shakes his head at the reference.  His break through film, a romance blockbuster that earned him real status as a heartthrob.  She comes from the bathroom nonchalant, scratching Dirt Bag under his chin and grabbing her purse.  When she meets his eye, she smiles, her wet hair hanging about her like thick, dark rope.
 “
Ready
?
”

“
Did you get a new car this morning
?
”

“
No, the other one belonged to my PA
.
”

“
PA, like personal assistant?  You actually have a personal assistant
?
”

              They move to the black, tinted Prius and he presses the alarm.

“
Wait
,
” she says
,“
can I drive
?
”

              He shrugs and tosses her the keys
.“
If you want
.
”

              She squeals and rushes to the driver side, tossing her swollen purse in the back and scooting the seat up.
 “
Jesus, yo
u’
re tall.  I do
n’
t think
I’
ve actually ever driven a car made after 2000.  This is going to be a treat!  Does this one have the talky thing
?
”
“
What talky thing
?
”

“
The thing that tells you where to go and junk
.
”
“
GPS
?
” he laughs, unsure if she is joking.

“
Yes!  Does it have it
?
”

“
Uh, yeah, you just hit this and say the address.  Where do you want to go
?
”
“
No, I do
n’
t need it.  I know where w
e’
re going.  I just wanted to know if it had it.  Fucki
n
’ faaancy!  My sister has it in her car.  Hers has a camera that films you backing up, too
.
”

“
Lots of cars these days do.  This has that.  Hit that button
.
”

“
NO! I do
n’
t need it
.
”

“
Okay!  But if you d
o
…”

“
I do
n’
t
.
”

              She shoves a pair of large, cheap, round sunglasses on.  He pulls his baseball cap down and shoves on his Prada sunglasses.

“
We are both incognito
,
” she laughs.
 “
Time to pay the bills
!
”

              They speed down Los Feliz Boulevard with the moon roof opened and the radio playing loudly.  Julian feels his phone and glances down.  Eight missed calls from Michael, three from CeCe and two from his PR, Rhonda.  He purses his lips and tucks his phone away.

“
‘
P
A’
, huh
?
”
“
Personal assistant
,
” he says.

“
What does your PA do for you
?
”
“
Oh, uh, you know, she handles my meetings, functions, calendars.  Kind of like what a secretary does
.
”

“
She does
n’
t fetch you lattes and pick up your dog shits
?
”

              He laughs
.“
CeCe?  Hell no.  Sh
e’
s all business.  I pick up my own dog shits
.
”

“
Do you have a dog, too
?
”

“
No, I mean, if I did.  I would have to
.
”

“
O
h…
for a second, I thought we had something in common
.
”

              He smiled at her and she at him.
 “
The da
y’
s still youn
g…
I do
n’
t even have a place to live.  Where would I keep a dog
?
”

“
What do you mean?  Yo
u’
re a big shot, movie star! How can you not have a place to live?  People like you have a million places to live
.
”

“
People like me?  What does that even mean?  How many people like me do you know
?
”
“
Oh,
I’
m all in the scene.  Me and Di Capriohad lunch last week at Canto
r’
s.  H
e’
s a big tipper, which, you know, is
n’
t arrogant at all.  Like, some people tip big and you think
,‘
show off! I can barely afford the breath mints
!
’
 
But not him.  H
e’
s such a humble guy, he really is, youwould
n’
t expect less
.
”

              Julian laughs and hits th
e‘
ignor
e
’ button on his phone again.
 “
Yeah, well, I do
n’
t have a place yet.  I just got here.  I live in New York so
I’
m crashing at my agen
t’
s
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re couchsurfing
?
”

“
Not exactly.  I
t’
s more lik
e‘
house sittin
g
’ while his wife is in Europe.  But it looks like
I’
m going to be here awhile, and sh
e’
s coming home soon, so I have to find a place
.
”

“
That sounds fun.  I recommend the Silver Lake area.  I
t’
s really well gentrified and full of the hipster types now,you have nothing to worry about.  Yo
u’
ll fit right in
,
” she jokes.

“
Yo
u’
re really funny, you know?  I
t’
s refreshing
,
” he says, hitting th
e‘
ignor
e
’ as it rings again.

              She glances down at his phone and then at the worried expression on his face.
 “
Someon
e’
s blowing up your phone
.
”

“
Yea
h…
le
t’
s not think about it
.
”

“
’
Kay!  You want to get a coffee?  My treat
!
”

“
Sure
!
”

              They pull into a Starbucks and park.  She unbuckles her belt and starts to get out but he remains sitting, looking apprehensively at the building.
 “
Are you coming
?
”
“
U
h…
no.  Just, get me whatever yo
u’
re getting.  But no milk or sugar
.
”

“
Really?  Yo
u’
re not coming in
?
”
“
I
t’
s better if I do
n’
t
.
”

              She eyes him skeptically.
 “
Okay,
I’
ll be right back
.
”

              He watches as she skips away, her wide hips swaying in an unfamiliar, intriguing way.  Tha
t’
s what real women look like, he thinks as he hits th
e‘
cal
l
’ button.

“
JULIAN! What the FUCK
!
”

“
Hi, Mike
.
”

“
Where the FUCK are you?
!
”

“
Something came up
.
”

“
Nonono, something does
n’
t come up when you have a meeting like this.  There is nothing more important on this Earth right now then that tight little ass of yours in Warne
r’
s firm, loving grip!  I do
n’
t give a fuck where you are, you get here NOW
!
”
“
Not gonnahappen, Mike
.
”

              There is a brief pause.  Julian listens, hearing the steadying, struggle of Mike trying to calm himself.
 “
Okay, uh, listen, buddy, seriously.  This-this is
very
important.  You need to be here, now, okay?  I can only do so much
.
”
“
Bullshit, Mike.  You do
n’
t need me.  I hired you because you do
n’
t need me.  I need you
.
”

“
Yes-you do-and-
f
”

“
Ey!  Listen, Mike,
I’
m not fucking around. 
I’
m telling you to be there and handle this, okay?  I do
n’
t give a fuck what you have to do or say, just fucking do it, understand?I do
n’
t want to hear another goddamn word about this now!  Get it done
!
”

              Dead silence.  In the five years they had been together, Julian had never resorted to this type of assertion with his agent.  Mike had witnessed it often with others but had been savvy enough to avoid it himself.  He knew he had no choice but to adhere to whatever Julian wanted.

“
Alright, Jules.  But I ca
n’
t promise everythin
g’
s gonnacome off
.
”

“
Yes, you can.  Tha
t’
s what I pay you for
.
”