Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [42]
Meanwhile Frankie was buzzing. Having celebrities in his club was a plus, especially as he got off on spending time with anyone famous. Celebrities validated his existence.
Cookie had phoned several times asking when he was getting to the Malibu party. The last time she’d called he’d assured her he was on the way, and since Cookie was his pathway to bigger and better, he wasn’t about to let her down. Arriving with Willow and Billy – two of the hottest stars around – would definitely impress her.
After a while he rounded up Billy, Willow and the girls. ‘Got a couple of limos downstairs, time to bounce,’ he informed them. ‘Refreshments in the limos,’ he added with a knowing wink, while wondering if he stood half a chance with Willow – although rumour had it that she was a tried and true carpet muncher.
But hey – he was Frankie Romano, who knew what could happen?
* * *
Feeling out of her depth, Max grabbed a bottle of beer and fled down to the beach. She didn’t know what else to do. Maybe if she stayed away from the chaos everyone would go home.
Wishful thinking.
Whose dumb idea was it to have a party in the first place?
Mine! Mine! Mine!
As for Cookie and Harry, the two of them were useless. She’d thought they were at least loyal, but they’d turned into party animals thinking only of themselves. Although she didn’t blame Harry so much: he’d finally found a gay dude he could latch onto, and he wasn’t about to let the opportunity go to waste.
Why can’t I enjoy myself too? she thought. Just get stoned and drink like everyone else?
Because there’s no one I can enjoy things with. Besides, I’m a Santangelo – gotta stay alert.
She slumped down on the sand, closed her eyes and allowed the hypnotic sound of the waves crashing on the sand to wash over her.
* * *
After spending an awkward couple of hours with Carolyn and Vanessa, Denver drove home filled with mixed emotions. What was Carolyn thinking? How could she simply decide she was gay and that was it?
They’d been best friends since they were twelve. They’d shared everything – all their thoughts and dreams and problems with the men in their lives. Now Carolyn had taken off down a different road, and Denver couldn’t help feeling that somehow she’d been left behind. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Vanessa, the woman was warm and friendly, quite lovely in fact. So what was it?
Am I jealous? she thought. Do I feel as if Carolyn is deserting me?
Or maybe she sensed that their friendship was slipping away, because if Carolyn became a couple with Vanessa, there might not be any room left for her. Sad but true.
She wished Bobby was at home, waiting for her.
But no, Bobby was in New York, so she’d just have to make do without him. And that was one of the problems of having a long-distance relationship: the separations were a bitch.
* * *
Once they arrived at the party, Billy soon decided that he wasn’t in the mood to mix with a bunch of stoned people he didn’t know, who were all busy brown-nosing him simply because he had a hit movie. If he wasn’t a movie star they wouldn’t give a shit. He’d be just another good-looking dude searching for a break. And he knew this because of his experiences when he’d first arrived in Hollywood with no money and no foreseeable future. Countless auditions that had taken him nowhere, sleeping on friends’ floors, waitering for a living until the big break he’d been praying for – not that he was religious but a prayer or two in the right direction never hurt. The big break was in an Alex Woods movie, Seduction, playing opposite the incredibly famous Venus.
And so it had begun . . . The crazy career. The road to stardom, marriage to Venus, and all the bullshit that went along with it.
The party and the people were getting on his nerves, so after fifteen minutes of meaningless conversations, he made his way over to the steps that led down to the beach, leaving the party behind.
As he walked along the sand, he noticed a girl curled up against a rock. He edged toward her. ‘Hey,’ he said, gingerly nudging her with the tip of