Hollywood Divorces / Hollywood Wives: The New Generation (22 page)

T
he party was in full swing when Claude’s Rolls drove up to Kyndra and Norio Domingo’s palatial estate in Bel Air. Set in over thirty acres, the Domingos had lived there for over twenty years.

The Rolls was soon stuck in a line of limos and cars.

‘For God’s sake, how many people have they invited?’ Claude grumbled.

‘Too many,’ James answered.

‘Are you
sure
I should be doing this?’ Lissa said, worrying, because she didn’t know how she’d handle it if any rude comments came her way.

‘Of course, my angel,’ James assured her. ‘You’ll be the star of the party. And if anyone says anything untoward to you, they’ll have
me
to deal with.’

‘You’re sweet.’ She sighed.

‘Yes, I’m so sweet that you reveal
nothing
to me. Claude,’ he said, leaning forward and tapping his partner on the shoulder, ‘are you aware that Madam has a new love?’

‘I do
not
,’ she objected, furious that James was so intuitive.

‘You cannot fool me,’ James said with confidence. ‘It’s written all over your pretty face.’

‘I’ve just gotten rid of one,’ she answered guardedly. ‘Why would I even
think
about a new one?’

‘I suppose when you’re a stunning superstar, men simply fall into your lap. They can’t help themselves.’

‘Bullshit, James.’

‘I can see it, darling. You’re glowing.’

‘I am
not
glowing.’

‘How long do we have to sit here?’ Claude complained, a man not used to waiting. ‘This is a joke.’

‘Sorry, Mr St Lucia,’ his driver said, apologizing as if it was his fault.

‘I wish they’d learn to stagger the guests,’ James said. ‘That would be the civilized way of doing it.’

‘I can just see them staggering the guests,’ Lissa said. ‘What did you have in mind, James? The A group first, and the C group later?’

‘There
is
no C group at the Domingos’,’ James said imperiously. ‘Everyone’s a star. And if they’re not, they’re married to one.’

Lissa adjusted her diamond earrings. She was getting more and more nervous about facing everyone. Would they think she was a failure? No. They would simply feed on her fame, because that’s all that really mattered in Hollywood.

She wondered what Michael was doing. He’d said he was getting ready to give someone the let’s-break-up speech. Hmm…who was that someone? A long-term affair? A casual three-weeker?

The Rolls was almost at the entrance to the house.

‘We don’t have to stay long, do we?’ Lissa asked, taking a deep breath.

‘Just as long as it takes for you to dazzle and shine,’ James said. ‘Then, I promise, we’ll have you home by midnight, exactly like Cinderella.’

Kyndra greeted her guests resplendent in a full-length gold, strapless gown, her ebony skin gleaming with gold flecks, a diamond choker, long diamond and ruby earrings, and her
jet hair piled high on her head in an Erykah Badu do. She looked amazing, like an exotic African queen.

Norio, standing beside her, was a tall, distinguished-looking Colombian man, with hypnotic eyes, a bald head and a sly way of flirting that made every woman feel special.

Their marriage had endured through several affairs on both sides, and now they’d settled into an easy togetherness.

‘Where
is
that child of ours?’ Kyndra murmured to her husband. ‘She promised to be here early.’

‘When did you speak to her?’ Norio asked, adjusting his onyx and diamond cufflinks, an anniversary gift from his wife.

‘A few days ago.’

‘Knowing Saffron, she’s probably forgotten.’

‘And she’s supposed to be bringing Lulu.’

‘Good. We don’t see enough of our grandchild.’

‘Now, Norio, please remember–no pictures of me with Lulu. I have a certain image to preserve.’

‘Of course, darling,’ he said, smiling. He knew his wife, and as much as she adored Lulu, she had a thing about
not
being labelled Grandma–even though she was in excellent company–including grandparents Mick Jagger, Whoopi Goldberg and Jack Nicholson.

Larry Singer walked in alone.

Kyndra greeted him with a kiss on both cheeks. ‘Where’s Taylor?’ she asked.

‘Working,’ he replied, feeling quite lost without his wife beside him.

‘Oh, yes,’ Kyndra said. ‘I heard she’s shooting a movie with Montana Gray.’

‘I didn’t know it was Montana’s film,’ Larry said, surprised that Taylor hadn’t mentioned the name of her director.

‘You’d better watch out,’ Kyndra said, with a wily smile. ‘You know what a feminist Montana is. Before you know it, Taylor will be runnin’ your ass!’

‘Not even remotely funny, Kyndra,’ he said stiffly.

‘Happy anniversary, Larry.’

‘It’s not
my
anniversary.’

‘Sure it is,’ she teased. ‘It’s the anniversary of your wife becoming a major feminist!’

Larry was unamused. He didn’t enjoy attending these big social events at the best of times. And he certainly didn’t need Kyndra making cracks at his expense.

As soon as they realized he was present, people began coming over to him. He felt vulnerable and trapped, and there was nothing he could do about it because he had no Taylor by his side to protect him from the onslaught of would-be deal-makers who all wanted something from Larry Singer.

Slowly he managed to edge his way into a corner, finally spotting Lissa Roman, whom he quickly waved over. Lissa was his favourite of all Taylor’s friends. Not only was she beautiful and talented, she had a certain sweetness about her, in spite of her sometimes raunchy public image.

‘You look lovely,’ he said.

‘Thanks, Larry,’ she replied, glancing around. ‘Where’s Taylor?’

‘Haven’t you spoken to her?’

‘We’ve been missing each other.’

‘She’s shooting a movie.’

‘Your movie?’ Lissa asked.

‘No, a cable film.’

‘I was hoping you’d say that she’d finally gotten
her
movie off the ground.’

‘It hasn’t happened yet,’ Larry said.

‘That’s a pity, I know how much it means to her.’

Larry was silent for a moment. The previous evening he’d been asleep when Taylor had finally come home. When he’d awoken in the morning, she’d already left for the
studio. He’d wanted to tell her that he’d hired a new writer for her project, and that if she wanted him to, he’d put his name on as executive producer. Better she should be starring in her own film rather than making a lesbian-themed cable movie. And now that he’d heard Montana Gray was the director, he was less than pleased.

‘Are you okay, Larry?’ Lissa asked.

‘Yes, why?’

‘You seem a little lost in thought.’

‘More important, how are
you
?’ he asked. ‘I was sorry to hear about you and Gregg. Are you coping okay?’

‘You know what it’s like when you’re tabloid headlines,’ she said ruefully.

‘Yes, I’m afraid I do,’ he replied, remembering his very public divorce from his first wife.

‘It’s so embarrassing to have one’s soon-to-be ex mouthing off all over TV and the tabloids,’ Lissa confided.

‘Everyone says they don’t read those papers,’ Larry remarked.

‘I know,’ Lissa agreed. ‘They
claim
they glance at them while they’re standing in line at the supermarket.’

‘As if any of these women stand in line at a supermarket,’ Larry said.

Stella and Seth joined them, both balancing Martinis.

‘My God!’ Stella exclaimed, pert and pretty in a red Valentino dress. ‘We were sitting in our car for twenty minutes.’

‘So were we,’ Lissa said.

‘Who’s we?’ Stella asked, curious as usual.

‘I came with James and Claude.’

‘Good move,’ Stella said, adding an irreverent–‘Safety in fags.’

‘Don’t be rude. You know James
hates
that word.’

‘I tell it like it is,’ Stella said, surveying the room. ‘Can you
believe
this turn-out? I’ve already bumped into Luther
Vandross, Stevie Wonder
and
Gladys Knight–this is like an old-time soul reunion.’

‘Norio
has
been a successful producer in the music business for years,’ Larry pointed out.

‘Yes, and Kyndra
is
a major diva,’ Lissa added.

‘I always get a kick out of the music-business crowd,’ Stella said. ‘I’m thinking of using a B. B. King track on our next project. Soundtracks are so important today. Did you know that you can launch a movie with the soundtrack alone? That’s if you do the right marketing on the Internet.’

‘You can’t possibly believe that,’ said Seth, a wiry-haired man with cordial features and ruddy cheeks.

‘Yes, I can.’

‘You and your ideas,’ he said. ‘There was a time when we made movies and the story alone brought people into the theatre. Right, Larry?’

‘Don’t be so old-fashioned, darling,’ Stella chided. ‘Listen to me, you
know
I’m always right.’

‘The women are taking over, Larry,’ Seth said warningly. ‘We’d better watch out.’

Larry nodded in agreement.

A silicone blonde walked by, her large boobs barely covered by a few strategically placed stuck-on sequins.

‘I do so
love
rock ’n’ roll parties,’ Stella said, staring at the girl. ‘And judging by the way your eyes are bulging out of your heads, you guys love it, too.’

‘What?’ Larry said. He honestly hadn’t noticed the girl.

Seth nudged him. ‘She’s referring to the almost naked blonde.’

‘Who?’ Larry said, wondering when his wife would arrive.

Seth burst out laughing. ‘Larry,’ he said. ‘You’re truly an original!’

‘Cool,’ Saffron said, parading in front of the mirror. She’d raided Nicci’s closet and come up with a black leather jumpsuit which fitted her perfectly. Fortunately, they were more or less the same size.

‘Mommy pretty,’ Lulu said, tilting her head to one side and inspecting her mother.

‘You’re
always
pretty, angel peaches,’ Saffron said, scooping her daughter up and giving her a big kiss. ‘Now it’s Mommy’s turn.’

Nicci had decided to wear her red Azzedine Alaïa dress again, and her Jimmy Choo heels. Her power outfit. Not that it had done her much good at their ill-fated dinner party.

‘Hot look, babe,’ Saffron said admiringly.

‘Yeah, hot and hung-over,’ Nicci answered wryly.

‘Pretty, pretty,’ Lulu repeated, jumping up and down. ‘Everybum pretty!’

‘Will you be quiet?’ Saffron scolded. ‘You’re startin’ to sound like a parrot.’

‘Mommy’s a parrot, Mommy’s a parrot,’ Lulu chanted.

‘Shush,’ Saffron said. ‘Nicci’s got a big bad headache. We mustn’t make it worse.’

‘
Baaad!
’ Lulu giggled.

‘Come on,’ Saffron said, picking the little girl up and taking her into the bedroom. ‘I’m putting you in front of the TV until we go.’

‘You know,’ Nicci said, when Saffron returned, ‘I’m a
very
a good friend.’

‘You are?’ Saffron said, clipping on large gold hoop earrings.

‘Yes, ’cause I’m going with you tonight, when I’d
so
prefer to lie down and quietly die.’

‘Aren’t
we
the dramatic one?’ Saffron said, admiring herself in the mirror again. ‘Where
did
you go last night that you’ve got this amazing hangover?’

‘To a rave.’

‘A rave?’ Saffron shrieked. ‘Girl, you haven’t done that since you an’ Evan got together. Who’d you go with?’

‘The bad-boy brother.’

‘Oh, wow!’ Saffron exclaimed. ‘Didja get it on?’

‘That’s just it,’ Nicci said glumly. ‘I feel like one of those Doris Day movies you see on late-night TV. Did we or didn’t we? I have no freakin’ clue. I only know I woke up in his bed this morning totally bare-assed.’

‘No
shit
?’

‘It’s true.’

‘You gotta
know
if you screwed him.’

‘
He
can’t remember either. We were so wasted what with the booze and drugs and God knows what else.’

‘I’m proud of you, girl!’ Saffron said, with a wide grin. ‘The old spirit lives! An’ I thought I’d lost you.’

‘I’m engaged, Saff,’ Nicci said unhappily. ‘Don’t you get it?’

‘Yeah, I get it,’ Saffron said. ‘You’re engaged, not
dead.
’

‘Evan’s a great guy, except…there’s one small problem.’

‘And what would that be?’

‘According to Brian, Evan was engaged to someone else before me.’

‘How’s
that
a problem?’

‘Cause it is,’ Nicci said. ‘When you’re
engaged
to someone, they’re supposed to share that kind of information with you. That’s the stuff you have to talk about.’

‘Get real, Nic. You didn’t think he was a virgin, did you?’

‘Getting laid and getting engaged are two different things.
I
told him everything about
me
.’

‘You did?’ Saffron teased. ‘And he still wants to marry you?’

Nicci couldn’t help giggling. ‘Well…not
quite
everything.’

‘Hey–maybe it’s cool.’

‘What’s cool?’

‘Hangin’ with the brother,’ Saffron said. ‘You’re gettin’
married
, girl. You gotta let it loose before you do it.’

‘This is a lot more than getting loose, Saff,’ Nicci said miserably. ‘I might’ve
slept
with his brother.’

‘Oh, yeah, I can see where that would be kinda upsetting.’

‘
Kind of
upsetting?’

‘Let’s go party. An’ I promise, when we get back I’ll stay up with you all night talking. Deal?’

‘Anyone for second helpings?’ Carol asked. There was an anxious air about her, as if she was frightened everyone would get up and leave before she had time to offer them dessert.

‘Give me more food an’ I’ll bust right outta my clothes,’ Amber said, smoothing down her skirt.

‘Nothing like a satisfied customer,’ Carol said, with a grateful smile. ‘How about you, Michael? Interested in seconds?’

‘No, thanks, Carol,’ he said, feeling uncomfortably full. ‘It was good, you’re quite a cook.’