Chapter 16
Heading for the Hills
“Why have we never met before?” Ardan said. “Has your roommate been keeping you locked up?”
Victoria laughed. “I don’t really go out much,” she said. “This place is a bit above my pay grade.”
“Where do you like to party then?”
“The library, I guess.”
He frowned. “Is that the new club over on Sunset?”
“Oh no! I meant the place with books and—” She stopped and laughed when she noticed Ardan grinning. “You’re funny.”
“I’m really not. You should see girls fleeing after my first couple of bad jokes.”
“So I just have low standards, then?”
“Maybe you’re just really kind.”
“Well you did buy us this champagne,” Victoria said, raising her glass. “So I’ve decided to be nice to you.”
Ardan laughed. He put a hand on his chest. “I appreciate that.”
The club was so loud they had to put their heads together when they spoke just so they could hear each other. She wasn’t sure if it was the champagne or the way his eyes sparkled when he laughed or his masculine scent, but she felt quite giddy.
“So, why the library?” he said. “Are you a part-time researcher?”
“Writer,” she said. She found books and magazines were better resource materials than the internet for most of the science articles she wrote.
“Really?” He pulled out his phone and tapped it a few times. “What’s your full name? I’d like to read a book of yours.”
“I write science articles mostly,” she said. “For print magazines. I haven’t written a book yet.”
“But you will someday, right? I should just get your full name, just in case. And your number too,” he added.
“You don’t even know what kind of book I’m writing,” she said.
“Not science books?”
“No, I’m working on a novel. With robots.” She tried to keep a straight face.
“I love robots.”
Victoria was pretty sure Ardan could have said “I love chicken entrails”, and he would still have sounded drop dead sexy. “Victoria Slade,” she said, finally relenting. She gave him her mobile number.
Nicolette came back from the dance floor, a dark-haired man in tow. “You guys are getting acquainted, I see,” she said, sitting down next to Victoria. Her companion signaled for a waiter before sitting down next to her.
“Who’s your friend, Nic?” Ardan asked, nodding amicably at the other man.
“Julian Lucas,” he said, reaching over to shake Ardan’s hand.
“Ardan Kirkconnell, hi. Hey, you’re the actor!” Ardan said. “I knew you looked familiar.”
“I’m surprised you recognize me.” He shook his head. “Even my landlady has no idea.”
“Hey, you know, I think you’re pretty good in those episodes of Over Easy I’ve seen you in,” Ardan said. Over Easy was a popular sitcom about three chefs who were best friends.
Victoria’s face lit up. “Oh yeah, you played Janet’s boyfriend!” she said. “You were really funny. I was kind of bummed you left.”
“Well, Janet broke up with me. I mean, my character.”
“Well, you were too nice for her. I always thought you and Isabel would have made a better couple.”
“See? Your character sticks to people’s memory.” Ardan said. “You’ll go places, my friend, trust me.”
“Thank you. I hope that happens soon. Don’t get me wrong, all this partying is fun, but I’d really rather get more work.”
“I told Julian maybe he and I will get to work together someday,” Nicolette said. “I have a whole bunch of hot Hispanic characters in my scripts.”
“I’m all yours, baby,” Julian said.
“God he’s adorable,” Nicolette whispered to Victoria when Julian excused himself to go to the bathroom.
“You think all Hispanic guys are adorable,” Victoria said, giggling. “You’re mixing business with pleasure?”
“I’m having my pleasure before business, that’s what I’m doing. I’ve got no plans of sleeping with actors I work with, trust me. Speaking of pleasure... “ She cocked her head, looking at Ardan. “Hey buddy, you gonna dance with my friend here or what?”
“Nic!” Victoria said, blushing.
Ardan hesitated. “I am a terrible dancer,” he said apologetically.
“It’s fine,” Nicolette said. “So is Victoria. Go have fun.” She added, ignoring the dirty look her best friend shot her.
Ardan grinned. He emptied his glass, then got up and straightened his suit jacket. “My lady, may I have this dance?” he said, holding out his hand.
No longer smiling, his eyes met Victoria’s. For a second, the music and the noise of the crowd all faded away.
All she could hear was the beating of her own heart.
***
“Erika Daniels asked to meet you,” Sophia said.
“Did she?” Sebastian said. He took the scotch a male usher served him, and nodded his thanks.
The show was over and he had come by to offer her his congratulations on a successful show. They were sitting in one of the VIP lounges in the balcony of the club.
“She asked me to make sure you’d be at the afterparty,” Sophia said. “She’s a nice girl, so don’t break her heart, okay?” She wagged an index finger at him in mock scolding.
He took a sip of his drink. “Sophia, you know I never break women’s hearts.”
“You don’t, do you? You approach all your affairs like a bank transaction. Mutual benefit for a specific period of time. I’m surprised you don’t make each of them sign a contract swearing to never fall in love with you.”
“Well, that wouldn’t look very romantic would it.”
“So the semblance of romance is all you try for.”
“Yes. That’s why no one gets disappointed.” Sebastian cocked his head slightly, his eyes mischievous . “I would think you would approve. All your relationships come with an expiration date too, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Ah, they do. But unlike you, I let myself fall in love.”
“Doesn’t it hurt?”
“Exquisitely, my dear. You should try it.”
***
“Look, do you guys wanna go to a party?” Julian said.
Victoria pointed at what had to be her fifth glass of champagne, a quizzical expression on her face. “Aren’t we already partying?” she said. She and Ardan had spent a total of five minutes on the dance floor before they both broke down laughing at their miserable attempts to bust some moves.
“It’s an afterparty,” Julian said. “For a fashion show or something. Lana said I should come by, there’ll be lots of showbiz people there.” He turned to Nicolette, grinning. “Unless you don’t like that sort of people?”
“Oh, honey, I am that sort of people,” Nicolette said, patting his cheek. “Well, I will be someday.”
“After that party last month for a film release, didn’t you say you thought showbiz people were pretentious?” Ardan said.
“Those were indie folks, Ardan, dear,” Nicolette said. “These will be Hollywood types. Just as pretentious, but prettier and with more money. Shall we?”
“I’ll call for the check,” Victoria said, signaling one of the wait staff.
She and Nicolette spent the next next twenty minutes watching with amusement as Ardan and Julian fought over who got to pay the bill. Ardan won, but only because Julian found out how much the two bottles of Cristal cost.
They drove to Beverly Hills in Ardan’s car, with Victoria sitting up front and Nicolette and Julian at the back.
“It’s inside Summit,” Julian said, and gave Ardan the house number. “It’s probably easy to find, there are only, like, 80 other houses over there.”
Nicolette gave a low whistle. “I heard Cate Blanchett used to live there,” she said.
“That was Priscilla Presley’s house, she used to rent it out to celebrities a lot,” Ardan said. “I think my mom stayed there for a while.”
“Is she an actress?” Victoria said. It wasn’t much of a stretch — Ardan was handsome enough to be an actor himself.
“She was a producer, actually. She’s retired now.”
“You’re not in showbiz, are you?”
“Nah. Nothing that exciting. I’m a lawyer. Probably the most boring kind — I do real estate and tax law.”
“Well, you know. If it makes you happy.” Victoria leaned back in her seat, enjoying the luxurious feel of leather.
“It does! It’s not fair, really. People always assume people who are writers are doing what they love. They never think that of accountants.”
“That’s not even true about writers, you know.”
“You don’t love writing?”
“I do love it,” she said. “But that has less to do with me being a writer than the fact that I’m pretty terrible at everything else.”
“Okay, there is no way you’re a terrible... uhm, escort,” he said. He suddenly looked angry. “Did some jerk client tell you that?”
“What?” Victoria’s eyes were wide with shock. “I’m n-n-not...”
“You’re not?” Ardan looked confused. “But I thought...you and Nic worked together.”
“No! I mean, I can’t even kiss a guy on a first date.” Victoria was mortified. Did he think she was a working girl this whole time? She turned to see if Nicolette and Julian were listening, and found the two of them kissing, oblivious to the conversation in the front of the car.
She sighed with relief. Turning to Ardan, she asked, “Did you think this was a ... paid engagement?”
“No, I swear,” Ardan said. “I ... I thought you liked me.”
“So, you were really going to call me, then?” she said. “Most guys don’t want to have anything to do with escorts.”
“I’m going to call,” he said. “Look, this was clearly just a misunderstanding.” He smiled. “So what exactly are these things you’re so terrible at, Victoria Slade?”
“I’m a tutor. And I work as a waitress at a coffee shop.”
He looked at her. “I love coffee,” he said.
“As much as you love robots?” she teased him.
“Not as much as robots, no. I mean, obviously.”
“Obviously.”