Lovers & Players (36 page)

Nigel was right, they made an amazing-looking couple.

Frank Sinatra crooning ‘Come Fly With Me’ was blaring over the sound system. Antonio would only work to the voices of Sinatra, Tony Bennett or Dean Martin. He was an old-time kind of guy.

‘Amy!’ Gianna cooed, spotting Amy and running over to her. ‘I am so
sorry
! What a
tragedia
.’ She enveloped Amy in a big warm hug. ‘You will be
bene,
no?’

‘Thanks, Gianna,’ Amy said, exchanging a quick glance with Jett. Were they
ever
going to get a chance to talk things through? She doubted it.

‘
Scusi
!’ Antonio shouted. ‘We working here! Gianna,
bella
, the camera,
immediatamente!
’

‘The maestro calls,’ Gianna said, licking her full lips. ‘Did you see Jett? My Yankee boyfriend looks so
delizioso
. How you say in America–tasty enough to eat?’

For a moment Amy wanted to scream, just let loose and yell her lungs out. But what good would that do? Everyone would think she was crazy, and she still had a job to take care of. Fixing a smile on her face, she approached Yolanda and the journalist from
People
. It was time to stop thinking about herself and get back to work.

‘I
was hoping we could talk before you read about Mrs Diamond’s murder in the newspapers,’ Diahann said, over the phone. ‘I left several messages. Why didn’t you call me back before?’

‘I’m sorry,’ Liberty said. ‘I only just saw a copy of the
New York Post.
’

‘As terrible as it is, it hasn’t really affected us at the house,’ Diahann continued. ‘Max Diamond was divorced from her, although Red Diamond is quite upset about all the publicity.’

Who cares whether Red Diamond is upset
? Liberty thought.
I certainly don’t.

‘I’m in L.A.,’ she blurted.

‘Excuse me?’ Diahann responded.

‘I’ve been booked on a modelling assignment.’

‘You flew to L.A. without telling me?’

‘It happened suddenly.’

‘
What
happened suddenly?’

‘My friend Beverly introduced me to a modelling agent,’ she explained. ‘He sent me out on an interview and I got the job. Exciting, isn’t it?’

Obviously Diahann did not think it was exciting at all. ‘You’re only nineteen, inexperienced,’ she said, sounding worried. ‘What makes you think the people you’re working for are legitimate? They could be white-slaving you. That kind of thing still goes on, you know.’

‘You’ve been watching too much
CSI
on TV, Mama,’ Liberty said. ‘Anyway, in my case it would be
black
-slaving, wouldn’t it?’

‘It’s true, Liberty,’ Diahann said, ignoring her daughter’s sarcasm. ‘Do you know anything at all about the people who took you there?’

‘Nobody
took
me here,’ Liberty said. ‘The modelling agency is very reputable. I’m staying in a great hotel by the beach, and they’re treating me like a princess. Plus I’m working with a well-known photographer who’s shooting me for the cover of a new magazine.’

‘This is all moving too fast for me.’ Diahann sighed. ‘One day you want to be a singer, the next you’re a model.’

‘I
still
want to sing, Mama,’ Liberty said softly. ‘You
know
that’s always been my ambition. But this job pays a lot of money. I couldn’t turn it down, and I’m glad I didn’t.’

‘Everything isn’t
always
about money,’ Diahann said.

‘Really?’ Liberty responded. ‘Wasn’t that why you went to work for Mr Diamond, ’cause you needed the
money?
’

‘That was different.’

‘Okay, Mama,’ Liberty said, anxious to get off the phone. ‘Why don’t I tell you all about it when I get home? I’ll even treat you to a big fancy dinner. How’s that?’

‘When
will
you be back?’

‘Thursday night.’

‘Libby,’ Diahann said hesitantly, ‘the two of us…we need to sit down and have a conversation.’

‘About what?’ Liberty asked, wondering if Diahann had heard that Cindi had moved out, and now she was preparing to give her a lecture on the dangers of a young girl living alone in New York.

‘The things I told you about your father, well…I wasn’t quite truthful with you.’

‘Huh?’

‘There’s something else you should know.’

‘What?’ she asked sharply.

‘Not over the phone.’

‘Mama,’ she sighed, ‘for God’s sake,
why
are you playing with my emotions like this?’

‘When I explain it to you, you’ll understand.’

‘Will I, Mama?’ she said, shaking her head. ‘
Will
I?’

Upset and confused, she walked back to the lunch table and handed Teddy his phone. Just when she’d thought she had answers, Diahann had to come up with this.

She wished she hadn’t phoned her mom back, it had ruined her day. And where was Cindi when she needed her? They’d always talked about everything and now she had nobody to share things with–good
or
bad.

The ‘team’ whisked her off for more changes. A different hairstyle, make-up touch-ups, an incredibly sexy one-piece red swimsuit with strategic cut-outs.

Once they were back on the beach, Teddy, who was a real sweetheart, asked her if everything was all right.

‘Why?’ she asked apprehensively. ‘Am I not looking Okay?’

‘You’re coming across in the Polaroids as a tad uptight.’

‘Oh, God, I’m sorry. It’s my mom,’ she confessed. ‘She’s impossible to understand.’

‘Ah,’ Teddy said wisely. ‘If we understood our parents, the world would be a much calmer place.’

‘Right,’ Liberty agreed.

Making a concentrated effort, she put the conversation with Diahann out of her head, and once more threw herself into posing.

At six o’clock Chip announced they were through for the day. ‘I’m inviting everyone for dinner,’ he said, crooked grin going full force. ‘Ivy at the Shore. Seven-thirty in the lobby.’

‘What’s Ivy at the Shore?’ Liberty asked Uma, the stylist, as they walked towards the hotel.

‘A restaurant,’ Uma replied, giving her a look as if to say,
What rock have you been hiding under?

‘Uh…I don’t have anything to wear.’ Liberty said, frowning.

‘This is L.A.,’ Teddy said. ‘Nobody dresses up here, unless it’s a big event or you’re Paris Hilton.’

‘Jeans’ll do it,’ Quinn added. ‘It’s casual.’

They all headed into the lobby of Shutters. As they started towards the elevator a male voice called out, ‘Lib?’

‘Ohmi
God
!’ Quinn exclaimed, in a stage whisper. ‘It’s Tony A. Do you
know
him?’

Liberty stopped and stared as a handsome young man dressed all in white rushed towards them, trailed by what appeared to be
his
‘team’.

‘Tony?’ she questioned excitedly. ‘Is that
you
?’

‘Libby? I don’t
believe
it!’ he yelled, hugging her, then standing back. ‘
Look
at you! You’re a glamour queen.’

‘You’re the queen,’ Quinn muttered, under his breath.

‘Shut
up
!’ Teddy hissed. ‘Liberty actually
knows
him!’

‘Who’s Tony A?’ Uma asked, as they all watched Liberty and Tony embrace.

‘Only the hottest Latino singer since Ricky Martin wowed ’em at the Grammys,’ Teddy said, rubbing his hands together.

‘Gay playing it straight,’ Quinn said,
sotto voce.
‘But, I have to admit, gorgeous all the same.’

‘This is
amazing
!’ Tony said, shaking his head in admiration as he checked Liberty out. ‘What are you
doing
here?’

‘Shooting a cover for a magazine.’

‘You’re a
model?
’ he said, flashing whiter than white teeth in a dazzling smile.

‘And you’re Tony A,’ she responded. ‘Wow! I’ve listened to your song on the radio. I never put it together that it was
you.
’

Tony Artura, the Puerto Rican boy who used to live next door to her in Harlem, until Diahann had yanked her away to Manhattan and the Diamond mansion. The boy who’d taken her roller-blading in Central Park, taught her to pick at a guitar, helped her with her homework. And then, when she’d moved back to live with Aunt Aretha and Cindi, he was the boy she’d been serious with until his mom had decided they were moving to Miami.

Tony Artura, her first big crush. Now he was Tony A–the new Latino singing sensation with a big hit record. What a rush!

‘Y’ know,’ he said, still smiling, ‘I often thought about you, wondered how you were doin’.’

‘Then how come you didn’t phone or write?’

He shrugged. ‘Things changed when we moved out of New York. I got into a performing-arts school that kept me
real
busy. It was all work, work, work. My mom had big ambitions for me.’

‘You look
great,
’ Liberty said, reaching out to touch his spiky blond hair, streaked by the sun.

‘So do you. I always
knew
you’d turn out to be a beauty.’

‘Thanks.’

‘You were such a skinny little runt–with those long spider legs and wild green eyes.’

‘And
you
had a mullet!’ she teased. ‘Guess you want to forget about
that.
’

They both started laughing. ‘How about we get together later for a drink?’ Tony suggested. ‘Catch up on everything.’

‘What time?’

‘I’m performing at a charity event in Beverly Hills. I should be back around eleven.’

‘Call me,’ she said, hoping he would. ‘If I’m still awake I’d love to.’

A dark-haired, slim-hipped Hispanic man inserted himself between them. ‘Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?’ he said to Tony, arching his finely plucked eyebrows.

‘Yeah, sure,’ Tony replied, a touch awkwardly. ‘Hector, this is Liberty.’

‘Hello…Liberty,’ Hector said, giving her a full-on dirty look.

‘Libby and me were at school together,’ Tony explained, ‘
and
we lived next door to each other.’

‘Back in the day,’ Liberty said, smiling.

‘Cosy,’ Hector said, placing a hand possessively on Tony’s arm–a gesture that was not lost on Liberty. ‘We have to go,’ Hector continued. ‘We cannot be late.’

‘Well,’ Liberty said wistfully, ‘it was great seeing you, Tony. Your success is fantastic.’

‘You too, my little Libby.
Sooo
beautiful.’

‘Come
on,
’ Hector said, impatiently tapping his watch. ‘The limo is waiting.’

‘I guess the limo is waiting,’ Liberty said, still smiling.

‘I guess it is,’ Tony responded, smiling back. ‘’Bye for now. Don’t forget, I’ll call you later.’

Impulsively she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. ‘Thanks for all the fun memories,’ she whispered. ‘You made growing up kind of special.’

Before she could say anything else, Hector successfully dragged him away.

Teddy was in a state of excitement. ‘You
know
Tony A,’ he said, his voice filled with admiration. ‘You actually
know
him.’

‘Obviously she does,’ Uma said drily, herding them all into the elevator.

‘Then if you know him so well,’ Quinn said, ‘you should advise him to haul his sexy little
butt
out of the closet. His gay fans are not pleased he’s pretending to be straight.
Who
exactly does he think he’s fooling?’

‘He wasn’t gay when
I
knew him,’ Liberty said.

‘He certainly is now,’ Quinn replied crisply. ‘He’s the talk of the gay community.’

‘He is?’

‘
Everyone
knows. And
that
was the boyfriend.’

‘What makes you think he’s got a boyfriend?’ Liberty asked, remembering the fun she and Tony had shared, fooling around without actually going all the way. She’d been a very young teenager at the time, but she recalled that Tony had been a fantastic kisser–almost on a par with Damon. And he’d never objected to the many blow-jobs she’d put his way.

Ah…fond memories…

‘Because it’s
obvious
,’ Quinn snapped. ‘That guy was in full
drool
mode over Tony, and he hated
you
.’

‘He did?’

‘
Hated
you. If Tony had stayed any longer, Hector would’ve thrown a jealous
fit
! Do
not
expect a phone call later. Hector will
not
allow it.’

The elevator ground to a halt at her floor, and she got off.

‘See you in the lobby at seven-thirty,’ Teddy called after her. ‘Don’t forget–very casual.’

Sure. Like she had anything that
wasn’t
casual. She hadn’t possessed a dress since she was twelve.

So,
she thought,
Tony Artura is Tony A. If it can happen for him
…

She opened the door to her room and was amazed to find it filled with orchids. White orchids, lilac orchids, pink orchids–exotic and beautiful baskets dominated every surface space.

A white card was propped up against the biggest arrangement. She opened the card and read the message:

‘LL?’

It was Damon. Nobody else called her LL.

She experienced a shiver of excitement. As if the orchids weren’t enough, five minutes later he was on the phone.

‘Thanks for the beautiful orchids,’ she said. ‘How am I supposed to get them back to New York?’

‘On the plane,’ he said casually.

‘I won’t be able to carry them–there’re too many. Besides, I don’t think airlines allow—’

‘My plane,’ he interrupted.

‘
Your
plane,’ she said disbelievingly.

‘That’s right.’

‘You’ve got a plane?’

‘The company does. I call it mine ’cause
I
own the company.’

‘Damon—’

‘I like it when you use my name. You got a sexy voice, LL. You know that?’

‘You’re crazy.’

‘No,
you’
re the crazy one,’ he insisted. ‘Runnin’ out on me when I was all set to hook you up with the right producer. Weren’t
you
the girl who was raggin’ on me to get her a singin’ career?’

‘I
still
want it,’ she said, delighted to hear his voice. ‘It was just that this modelling thing came along, and I really need the money, so I couldn’t say no.’