The Perfect Location (27 page)

Looking up, she saw the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Tall, handsome, around thirty-six, she guessed, he was the perfect specimen of what a Hollywood movie star was supposed to look like. Blue eyes, tanned skin, great body, she noticed underneath his white v-necked t-shirt and jeans. Wholesome, and yet with a distinct air of sex about him. Sapphira felt herself assessing him and then stopped herself. No time or energy for anything but healing, she reminded herself as she accepted his extended hand.

‘Hi, you okay? My sister had Epstein-Barr when she was at college. My mom had to take care of her for three months. She still gets tired easily. You should try Vitamin B shots, they helped her a lot,’ he said sincerely.

Sapphira smiled. ‘Thanks. I’ll look into it.’ And she sank into the sofa opposite him. Jack and Alex sat down.

‘I’m surprised you two don’t know each other,’ said Jack easily. ‘I thought you’d move in the same circles in LA.’

‘I don’t really move in any circles, I guess. I try to stay out of all the hoopla. LA is a crazy town that steals your soul if you let it.’

Sapphira laughed. ‘I know what you mean, I grew up there. I think I lost my soul a long time ago.’

Alex looked at her dark eyes and her jutting collarbones underneath her singlet top. She was unwell, clearly, but it was more than Epstein-Barr, he was sure. His sister had never looked like Sapphira; she just slept a lot.

‘I doubt it, if you are friends with Jacky then you must have something in you that resembles a soul. He’s the greatest man I know,’ said Alex warmly.

Sapphira looked at Jack, who was reddening, ‘Enough, please. I already have an ego the size of Russia. You’re both great friends and I hope you will become friends with each other also. Nothing would make me happier, other than a night with a sexy Italian man who can keep a secret,’ he laughed.

Sapphira and Alex laughed and then tiredness washed over her. ‘I might head off for a sleep, leave you two to talk shit,’ she said as she started to leave the room.

‘Oh, there’ll be plenty of that,’ said Alex. He stood as she left the room, watching her thin frame clad in black leggings start to climb the stairs. Epstein-Barr, my ass, he thought.

Sapphira had her small dinner in her room that night and stayed on her floor for the next few days, while her therapists came and went. She had no idea what Alex and Jack were doing but she heard them coming and going. Jack buzzed her on the intercom but she said she was fine and would come down when she was ready. In truth, Sapphira was feeling a little better; each day brought a new challenge but also a new awareness.

Finally Jack insisted she come out of her solitude and join him and Alex on the roof for a traditional Italian Sunday lunch. Sapphira was torn between wanting to stay in her cocoon and knowing she needed to join the world. ‘Just for a little while,’ she said.

‘Well, can you please wear something other than those fucking leggings?’ laughed Jack.

Sapphira screamed with laughter. ‘Always the style guru, Mr Reynolds. I don’t think either you or Alex really give a shit what I wear.’

‘Well, I do, so look nice, lady,’ instructed Jack.

Jack had seen the way Alex had looked at Sapphira, and her reaction to his beauty. He was beautiful and uncomplicated in ways that Sapphira was an intricate web of secrets and mystery. When Alex had rung, trying to find a safe harbour from his relationship breakup back in the States, Jack saw the opportunity for Sapphira and Alex to meet. He knew it was too soon for a relationship for either of them, but they had to know there were other people in the world. And what the hell, he thought, a little matchmaking was always fun.

Sapphira had looked through her things. Everything seemed too slutty or hard. Clothes for a person she no longer was. Not that she was hankering for Liberty prints but she wanted clothes that caressed her, not defined her. Remembering the bags of Gucci from when she stayed with Jack previously, she buzzed him. ‘Do you have any of that Gucci from last time or did it go back?’

‘It’s in my wardrobe. I’ll bring it up.’

‘I’m not even going to ask why it’s in your wardrobe,’ she replied, laughing.

The bags arrived with Jack, who was dressed in linen, his standard Venetian wear. The air was getting cooler as they were heading into autumn and Sapphira’s clothes were all for the Italian summer. Jack pulled out a pair of black pants and a lace shirt. ‘Too girly?’

Sapphira picked up the shirt. The lace was soft, not scratchy. It was silk, a fine pattern, not overdone like the lace that Sapphira had always stayed away from, but a small delicate weave that did not overtake the wearer. The black gabardine pants were simple to offset the lace shirt. ‘I don’t know, Jack,’ she said, holding the shirt against her. ‘It seems too much.’

‘Try it on with the black singlet underneath which you seem to love so much.’

Sapphira pulled off the t-shirt she was wearing and put the black singlet on with the shirt over the top. Jack looked at her and then went to her wardrobe. ‘Wear it with this,’ he said. And threw her dark denim Joes Jeans at her.

Slipping into them, she realized how much weight she had lost. They hung around her waist and were a little baggy in the back. ‘Wear the shirt out,’ Jack instructed, as he left the room. ‘With black flats,’ he called from down the stairs.

Sapphira did as he said. Who was she to argue with Jack? And besides, it felt good to be wearing something more than the stretchy clothes she had been wearing for the past few weeks.

Plaiting her hair and applying a small amount of make-up to disguise the shadows on her face and add some colour to her pallor, she headed upstairs to the roof garden. The light was lovely and Jack had had his staff set up a table for the three of them. Alex was up there, waiting for her and Jack. He turned when he heard her come into the space and smiled. ‘Hello, you look lovely,’ he said sincerely.

Sapphira gave him a friendly smile. ‘Thanks, I’m feeling better lately.’

‘Good, I’m glad. Jack’s been worried about you. He really loves you.’

‘I love him,’ she said simply. ‘He saved my life, I think.’

Alex didn’t push her any further.

Sapphira took a cigarette from the open packet on the table. ‘Do you mind?’ she asked.

‘Not at all, they’re mine,’ he said, taking one himself.

‘Sorry, I thought they were Jack’s,’ she said. ‘I should give up.’

‘Well, we all should, but what the hell. There are worse things you can do,’ he said as he lit her cigarette, cupping his strong brown hand around hers, as she sheltered the flame from the light breeze, and then lit his own.

At the touch of his hands, Sapphira felt a small shiver through her body. It had been a long while since she had touched a man’s body in any way other than friendship, she thought, looking at the muscular shape of Alex’s legs underneath his jeans.

‘So, how long are you staying here?’ she asked Alex, blowing smoke into the air.

‘Till the dust settles back home. I broke up with someone, it’s a fucking circus back there. I have no idea why my love life is so interesting. It isn’t,’ he said vehemently.

‘What happened? If you don’t mind me asking,’ she said, pushing her Gucci sunglasses that were on her head onto her nose.

‘Nothing, we went out for a long time. I wanted to get married, and she didn’t, simple. Then one day I got sick of asking. Told her I was leaving and now she’s playing the sad girl victim and I’m left looking like a heel.’ He rubbed the side of his jaw thoughtfully.

‘It shouldn’t be that hard, I thought after a while. If we were meant to be together then we would be, but things kept separating us – work, travel, our friends. I like seeing the world, experiencing things. She liked routine, gym, acting classes and parties. I don’t know. We were just in different places throughout our relationship.’

Sapphira nodded, understanding a little.

‘What about you? You seeing anyone?’ he asked casually, butting out his cigarette.

‘No, no one. I don’t really do relationships,’ she said.

‘How come?’

‘I like my freedom, I like waking up and thinking, what do I want to do today? If I want to work, then I do. No ties, no real home. The world is my home. I like seeing things, learning things. Staying at Jack’s has been the longest I’ve stayed anywhere in a very long time, besides for work.’

‘So where do you base yourself? Where are all your worldly possessions?’ he asked, fascinated by her nomadic life.

‘I have a house in LA, because I have to. I had to buy something, my manager forced me to. I have some books and clothes there but not much else,’ she said, thinking she never stayed there because her stalker always knew where she was and started to send her gifts again. Travelling the world continually meant she was harder to find.

Alex assessed her; she was calm today, quiet but fascinating. She was unlike any woman he had ever met in LA; she seemed not to care about the trappings his last girlfriend had worried about. Needing to be seen, always telling her PR person where she was going with Alex, so they could be photographed together. It drove him mad, he couldn’t even go for a ride on his motorbike now without the paps following him dangerously, almost wanting him to have an accident, so they could get the shot and the bounty from selling the photo.

‘So, what happens after this?’ he asked. ‘When you get better?’

‘I don’t know. I’ve pulled out of film for a year. I’m trying to change my life in some ways and I want to do something more. The only trouble is, I don’t know what that is yet,’ she said ruefully, putting out the cigarette and sipping her wine.

‘You’ll know when it comes, stay open to it,’ said Alex, smiling kindly as Jack came out onto the roof.

‘Thanks,’ said Sapphira, looking at his straight white teeth, the type that had never had braces but were a dentist’s dream.

‘How we getting along, kids?’ asked Jack as he poured himself a wine. ‘Playing nice on the roof?’

‘For sure, man. Just talking shit, as you would say,’ Alex said, nodding to Sapphira.

She laughed and Jack sat down.

‘Sapphira was talking about wanting to do something after she leaves here but not knowing what it is yet.’

‘Well, there’s no need to do anything just yet, pussy cat,’ said Jack, serving himself antipasto the housekeeper had placed on the table. ‘You know you can stay here as long as you like.’

‘I know, but sooner or later I have to get a life,’ she said, nibbling on an olive.

‘You have a life, a good one. You just need to find your purpose. Everyone has a purpose, you know.’

‘What’s yours?’ asked Sapphira with a little smile. ‘Besides beautiful boys and luxury goods.’

‘I am shocked you think that’s all my life is,’ said Jack with mock indignation. ‘I will have you know I donated over five million dollars to charity last year and attended several important symposiums on the various causes I’m interested in.’

‘Really?’ she asked, surprised.

‘Yeah, he did,’ answered Alex for Jack. ‘We’ve done a bit together, actually.’

Sapphira sat back thoughtfully. ‘Saint Jack.’

‘No, I never tell the media what I’m doing. I’ve no need for the publicity. I just like to bring people’s attention to what is happening in the world. People have more power than they realize to change things.’

Alex laughed. ‘Remember when we did that gig in New York and you asked the Buddhist monk where he got the Tod’s loafers and he answered they were Richard Gere’s hand-me-downs. I thought you were going to get asthma you laughed so hard.’

Jack laughed. ‘Very funny night. Very funny.’

‘How do you know what to give a shit about? There is so much going on in the world,’ said Sapphira.

Alex served himself some bread and broke it, thinking. ‘I think you have to look back on your life and see if there is a particular incident or moment that resonates with you. For me, I like the idea of education for everyone. I went to a great school and a great college. I was in a safe place at home to learn. I had a great childhood. I think every child deserves that. So I work with an education foundation that gives out school supplies to kids who need them, write cheques for college tuition for families who are struggling. I like it and it feels good. I get letters from kids who are doing what would have been impossible without the fundraising that I do. You have to do something with the celebrity you have, otherwise you become consumed with yourself. I lead a privileged life, I know that, so I figure I should share some of it while it lasts.’

Sapphira listened. The way he spoke so openly and passionately about his cause was inspiring. What the hell did she have to show for her life so far besides some films, money and track marks?

‘I want to do something,’ she said.

‘Good for you, honey,’ said Jack, looking at her shift in emotion from behind his Prada sunglasses. ‘I think you will do something … amazing,’ he added.

She smiled and picked up a piece of crusty bread. ‘I’m starving,’ she said and Jack smiled from behind his shades.

The next morning Sapphira was up early. She had done her yoga, had her acupuncture and was feeling the best she had in ages. She had spent a few hours on the internet looking at causes and charities across the world. She was looking for something in particular, but could not narrow the choices down. She rang Giulia, who was down in Jack’s office.

‘Giulia, can I come and see you for a moment? I need some help with something.’

Going downstairs, she was carrying a stack of printouts and had a pencil stuck behind her ear, her hair up in a messy bun on her head. Alex came out of the kitchen. ‘Hey there,’ he said. ‘Hey, yourself,’ she shot back at him as she walked past.

‘Where you off to?’ he enquired.

‘Getting some help from Giulia with something. What are you up to?’

‘Jacky and I are heading off for a “man trip” today. He wants to go and do some sightseeing. Man time!’ he said, flexing the muscles in his arms.

Sapphira laughed, noticing how toned he was. ‘Well, look after Jacky for me.’

‘Always,’ he shot after her as she headed into Jack’s office.

Giulia was at the desk, working on the computer. ‘Hello, Sapphira, how are you?’ she asked, looking up.