Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [100]
‘Well, I’m assuming you believe in a woman’s right to choose?’
‘Huh?’
‘You heard.’
‘Look,’ he said, sensing a fight looming if they continued with this line of conversation, ‘they’re taking a trip right after Max’s party. Hopefully they’ll work it out.’
‘You think?’ she said, a tad sarcastic. ‘A trip’ll solve everything, right?’
‘Who knows?’ He decided it was definitely time to change the subject. ‘What I do know is that I’m having to stay in Vegas to keep a watch on things.’
‘Well, I can’t stay, you know I have to get back.’
‘I wasn’t expecting you to, sweetheart. I’ll be putting you on a plane to L.A., and we’ll speak every day. It’s only for a week.’
Denver nodded. It looked like The Talk would have to wait, along with their romantic dinner for two.
Suddenly she wasn’t so sure about anything any more.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
‘What’ve you done to your hair?’ Max gasped, when they all met by the elevator
Self-consciously Cookie reached up and patted her newfound curls. ‘Felt like a change,’ she mumbled.
‘It’s like a way big change!’ Max exclaimed, thinking how weird it was seeing Cookie without her trademark dreadlocks.
‘My idea,’ Frankie boasted.
‘I bet,’ Max retorted, flashing him a look.
‘What? You don’t like?’ Frankie said, a touch aggressively.
‘It’s . . . different,’ Max said, as the elevator arrived and they all piled in.
Danny had booked them a limo, even though The Cavendish was within walking distance.
Now it was Ace’s turn to look at Max as if to say – A limo on top of everything else. What a joke. But they all got in, and five minutes later they were there.
The Cavendish was nowhere near as luxurious or glamorous as The Keys. But its two owners – Renee Falcon Esposito and Susie Rae Young – made sure the hotel was a fun alternative. When Lucky had first built The Keys there’d been bad blood between them – or at least on Renee’s part. Renee had imagined The Keys was her competition, but it had turned out to be quite the opposite. Being located next to such a magnificent new hotel complex had revitalized The Cavendish, and business was booming. Renee and Susie adored Lucky, and would do anything for her. Lucky often came to their hotel and hung out, especially since they’d adopted a five-year-old Vietnamese orphan who was the light of their lives.
When Danny had called to get front-row seats for Max and her friends to attend the sold-out Gerald M. concert, Renee was happy to oblige, although why she was supposed to do it when one of Max’s friends was Gerald M.’s daughter, she wasn’t sure.
Gerald M. was quite a draw with Middle America. The ladies were all agog – he represented old-fashioned sexy. A few of them stashed an extra pair of panties in their purse, for when the opportunity arose they planned on tossing them onto the stage in the hope of attracting his attention at least for a second or two.
Max and her group arrived at the theatre in the hotel with minutes to spare. They were led to their front-row seats by an enthusiastic attendant, also a big Gerald M. fan.
‘I want to go backstage after,’ Frankie said to Cookie as they took their seats. ‘He does know we’re here, doesn’t he?’
‘Uh . . . yeah,’ Cookie lied. She was hoping that by the time the concert was over and if they took their time getting backstage, her dad would’ve taken off to the airport and the private plane he always had waiting. She was not thrilled about the prospect of Gerald M. meeting Frankie. Not that her dad would object to her having an older boyfriend, but she knew it was quite possible the two of them would bond – smoke a joint together, snort a little coke. And that thought horrified her.
Once they were settled in their seats, Ace reached for Max’s hand. She held his reluctantly, still struggling about what to do. Should she tell him about her and Billy? Or just carry on as if nothing had changed?
It was a dilemma she couldn’t quite work out. Eventually she would, because it wasn’t as if Billy was still in the picture, and Ace was a major hunk.
However, Lucky had always taught