Season of Passion (21 page)
Authors: Danielle Steel
You were marvelous, my dear. I hope we see you again.
Thank you! Oh it was wonderful! And it was so easy! She was blushing and breathless and loving it and then suddenly she found herself in the comedian's arms.
Want to try that bed of marshmallows now, baby? But she even laughed at him too. She loved them all. And then, there was Nick, smiling down at her, and she felt her insides turn to mush.
You made it You were terrific. His voice was very soft in the wild confusion of the studio.
I forgot to talk about the dog and the weather.' They exchanged a slow smile. She felt shy with him now. She was Kate again, not the mythical Miss Harper.
We'll have to have you back then.
Thank you for un-scaring me. He laughed and put an arm around her shoulders. He liked the feel of her skin on his arm.
Anytime, Kate, anytime. We have about ten minutes until we ship out for that party, by the way. All set to go? She had almost forgotten it. And what about Stu? Wasn't she supposed to see him?
I don't know. I ' I think Stu '
He called before you got here. Hell meet us there. It's Jasper's birthday, you know. Everyone will be there Cinderella at the ball. But why not? She was dying to celebrate.
Sounds wonderful.
Do you want to go in one of the brown bananas, or shall we escape the crowds? He looked away to sign a paper on someone's clipboard and then glanced at his watch.
The brown bananas? She looked at him in confusion.
That's what I sent to pick you up. The brown limo. We have two of them. Everyone is going to die party in the two limos. All the guests from the show, and jasper. But we could avoid the rush and go in my car. It sounded simpler, but also a little unnerving. She would lose the safety of the group. On the other hand, Kate had a feeling the comedian would find some way back to her knee. It would be easier to go with Nick.
May I bring my flowers? He smiled at her question. She had remembered. No one ever did. They left them in the dressing rooms and the maids took them home. But Kate had remembered. She was that kind.
Sure you can. What's a little water all over the car? They both laughed as he led her back to the dressing room. There was a slowing of die pace around them, a feeling of winding down, in direct contrast to die mounting tension Kate had sensed before the show. What a way to live. Getting jacked up like that every day. But what a high too. She had never felt as good in her life. Or not in a long time at least. A very long time.
She carefully picked up the vase with the little pink roses and the baby's breath. She had long since slipped the card into her bag. A souvenir of her Cinderella evening. Thank you for these too, Nick. She wanted to ask him if he was always this thoughtful, but she couldn't It would have been rude.
It was over now. The performance was finished. They were both real people again. He was no longer The Producer, and she was no longer The Star. She felt a little awkward as they walked quietly out to his car, and then she stood back and whistled. The sound was incongruous with the way she looked.
Is that yours? It was a long, low, dark-blue Ferrari with a creamy leather interior.
I confess. I gave up eating when I bought that
I hope it was worth it.
But judging by the way he looked at the car, she knew it had been. In his own way, he was a big kid too. He held the door open for her and she slid inside. The car even smelled expensive, a rich mixture of good leather and expensive men's cologne. She was glad it didn't reek of perfume. That would have upset her.
It was comfortable there in the dark, as he pulled into the constant flow of traffic, and she sat back and started to unwind.
Why so quiet all of a sudden? He had noticed.
Just unwinding, I guess.
Don't do that yet. Wait till you see the party.
Will it be a madhouse?
Without a doubt. Think you can stand it?
This is some debut for a country girl, Mr. Waterman. But she was loving it, and he could see that.
Something tells me, Kate, that you were not always a country girl. None of this is new to you, is it?
On the contrary, it's all new. Or at least, I've never had the limelight on me before.
But on people near you? She jumped in her seat, and he looked at her, startled. What had he said? But she looked away and shook her head.
No. I led a very different sort of life from all this. But he had almost lost her and he knew it. She had hidden again. And then unexpectedly, she looked at him with a warm smile and a sparkle in her eyes. I certainly never rode around in Ferraris.
Where did you live before the country?
San Francisco. She had hesitated only for a fraction of a second.
Did you like it?
I loved it. I hadn't been back in ' in years, until about a month ago and then I took my little boy up a week ago, and he fell in love with it too. It's a neat town.
Any chance you'll move back there? He looked interested.
She shrugged. I can't see it really.
That's too bad. We're thinking about moving the show up there. She looked surprised.
And away from the mecca of Hollywood? Why?
Jasper doesn't like it here. He wants to live someplace more civilized.' We suggested New York. But he's tired of that. He was there for ten years. He wants San Francisco. And I suspect he looked at her with a rueful grin that if he wants it badly enough he'll get it.
How do you feel about that?
Okay, I guess. I've had my kicks here. But it gets old very quickly.
Quick, bring in the Vestal Virgins! She laughed at him, and he ran a hand through her hair playfully.
Vestal Virgins, eh? You must think I use em up a dozen a day.
Don't you?
Hell, no. Not anymore! Try as I might, I can't get past eight or nine ladies a day. Must be old age.
Must be.
They were playing, feeling each other out Who are you? What do you want? What do you need? Where are you going? But what did it matter? She realized with a little sinking feeling that she'd probably never see him again after tonight. Maybe in another five years, if she had a book that was a big success, if he was still with the show, if there still was a show' if.
Scared?
Hm?
You looked so serious. I wondered if you were nervous about the party.
A little, I guess. It doesn't really matter. I'm an unknown. I can be invisible.
Hardly, love. I don't think you could ever manage that
Bullshit
They laughed again and he pulled into a palm-lined driveway in Beverly Hills. They had been passing mammoth palaces for the past ten minutes.
Good lord. Is this Jasper's house? It looked as big as Buckingham Palace. Nick shook his head.
Hilly Winters.
The movie producer?
Yes, ma'am. Shall we? Three attendants in crisp white jumpsuits were waiting to take the cars, and the door to the house was being opened by a butler and a maid. One could just glimpse a brilliantly lit hallway before the door closed again. Kate couldn't decide whether to look inside or out at the nonstop stream of Rolls Royces and Bentleys rounding the bend into the drive. It was easy to see why Nick had bought the Ferrari. He moved in a world that resembled no other.
The door opened again, and they were instantly sucked into the eye of a glittering storm. There were easily three hundred people, and Kate had a blurred impression of chandeliers, candles, sequins, diamonds, rubies, furs, and silk. She saw stars from every film she had ever seen, read of, or heard about.
Do people really live like this? Kate whispered to him as they stood at the edge of the crowd in the ballroom. The house had a fully mirrored, magnificent ballroom, which had been brought over piece by piece from a chateau on the Loire. How could this be real?
Some people live like this, Kate. Some of them do it for a while, some forever. Most don't do it for very long. They make a fortune in the movies, spend it, blow it, give it away. He eyed a pack of rock stars at the other side of the room. They stood in skin-tight satin, and the wife of the lead singer was wearing a very bare skin-colored dress and floor-length sables with a hood. A little warm for the ballroom, but she looked happy. That kind comes and goes quickly. People like Hilly will be here forever
It must be fun. She looked like a little girl peeking through the banisters at a Mardi gras ball
Is that what you want? But he already knew it wasn't.
No. I suppose I don't really want anything different from what I have. Yeah. The friend who spoils your kid. He remembered that, and suddenly felt bitter. She had more than anyone in that room. And much more than he had. Lucky bitch. But she wasn't a bitch. That was what bothered him. He liked her. Too damn much. And she was so naive. He wondered what would happen if he just grabbed her and kissed her. She'd probably slap him. Marvelous old-fashioned gesture. The thought of it made him laugh as he put an empty glass of champagne back on a tray. And then he noticed that she was gone. She had drifted off in the throng, and he could see her twenty feet away, being harangued by some guy in a maroon velvet dinner jacket. He was one of the local hangers-on. Somebody's hairdresser, somebody's boy friend, somebody's son. There were a lot of guys like him around Hollywood. Nick started to move slowly through the crowd to get back to her. He couldn't hear die conversation but she didn't look happy.
Harper? Oh yeah. The writer on Jasper's show tonight. We saw you.
That's nice. She was trying to be polite, but it wasn't easy. The guy was drunk, for a start. She still couldn't understand how she could have gotten pushed this far away from Nick, but there were so many people, and the ballroom was becoming the big attraction. The band was beginning to play some hot reck.
How come a broad like you wrote a book about football?
Why not? She looked at Nick. It was hopeless to try to get to him. But he was slowly making his way toward her. Another two minutes maybe.
You know, there was a football player years ago with the same name as yours. Harper. Bill Harper. Joe Harper. Something like that. Went nuts. Tried to kill somebody and shot himself instead. Nuts. They're all nuts. Killers. You related to him? He looked up sloppily at Kate and burped. It would have been funny except that suddenly she knew the clock had struck twelve. It was over now. It had happened. Someone had remembered. Someone. That was all it took.
From where he stood, Nick could see panic break out on her face. You related to him? The guy was persistent, and smiling ghoulishly.
I' what? No. Of course not!
I didn't think so. But Kate didn't hear his last words. She pushed herself in the direction of Nick who forded the last clump of bodies between them, and finally reached her. There was terror stamped all over her face.
Are you all right? Did that guy say something out of line to you?
I ' no ' no, no, nothing like that. But there were tears swimming in her eyes, and she looked away. I'm sorry, Nick. I'm not feeling well. It must be all the excitement. The champagne. I' I'll call a cab. She was squeezing her handbag and looking around nervously as she spoke.
The hell you will. Are you sure that guy didn't say something? He'd kill him if he had. What the hell had he done to her?
No, really. He knew she wouldn't tell him the truth, and that made him madder still. I just want to go home. She said it like a child, and without another word, he put his arm tightly around her and led her out into the main foyer, and then quietly out of the house, after collecting her shawl.
Kate he looked down at her as they waited for the car please tell me what happened.
Nothing, Nick. Nothing. Really. He tilted her face up to his without saying a word, and in spite of herself, two tears spilled out of her eyes and onto her cheeks. I just got frightened, that's all. I haven't been around ' around people for a very long time.
I'm sorry, baby. He folded her into his arms and held her there until the car came. She stood there, feeling his jacket, and breathing the scent of him in the night air. He smelled of spice and lemons and he was warm and solid next to her. When the car came, she pulled away slowly. took a deep breath, and smiled.
I'm sorry to be such a fool.
You're not. I'm sorry that happened. This should have been your big night.
It was. She looked at him as she said it, and then slipped into the car. She had done it at least. Done the show. Gone to the party. It wasn't anyone's fault that someone had remembered Tom. But it was heartbreaking to know that some people still did. Why couldn't they remember the good years? The happy times? Why did they remember only the end? She looked up and realized that Nick was watching her. He hadn't started the car yet. He wanted to take her home, to his place. But he couldn't, and he knew it.
Want to stop off someplace for a night cap? But she shook her head. He'd known she would refuse. He didn't want one either. And he didn't know what else to suggest. A walk? A swim? He was at a loss. He wanted to do something simple with her, not something Hollywood. There were times when he hated this town, and tonight was one of them. Back to the hotel then? She nodded regretfully, but with a small, grateful smile.
You've been wonderful, Nick. A dismissal. He wanted to kick something. And she didn't understand his silence all the way back to the hotel. She was afraid he was angry. But he didn't look it, he looked sad Or maybe hurt He was feeling helpless.
Sure I can't talk you into something glamorous, like an ice-cream cone?
Do people indulge in simple pleasures like that here?
No, but I'd find you one.
I'll bet you would. She said it warmly, and she wanted to touch his face as they drove up in front of the hotel. I'm afraid Cinderella has had her big night at the ball. And if I were you, I'd beat it before this jet plane of yours turns into a pumpkin. They both laughed at the thought, and she picked up her bouquet of roses from the floor. See, they didn't even spill. He was watching her, and she found his eyes again. Thank you, Nick. For everything. He didn't move, and for a moment neither did she. She hesitated. She wanted to touch him. His hand. His face. To hold out her arms again and let him hold her. But this was different She knew she couldn't do that. And she knew, too, that she wouldn't see him again.
Thank you, Kate. He said it very carefully. As though he meant it, but she wasn't sure why.
Good night. Gently, like a quiet whisper of air, she touched his hand and then opened the car door and was gone. The doorman closed the Ferrari door behind her, and Nick watched her go. He didn't get out, or call her back, or even move. He just sat there, for a very long time. And when he called her the next morning, she had already checked out It took all his connections through the show to find out from the manager that she had checked out a little after i A.M. That was when he'd brought her home. It didn't make any difference, but he had wanted to know. It was that sonofabitch at the party. Damn. And he didn't even know where she lived. He wondered if Weinberg would tell him.
