“Fabulous time last night. Please tell Rain.”
I glance at him. He’s raising his eyebrows at me as if to ask who it is. “Thanks, Alexis. I will.”
“I’m calling to see if you want to come to Georgina’s.”
Georgina is Alexis’s best friend. She plays the lead on that hit CW show about aliens.Elsewhere.She’s dating her costar, Blake, in real life, but their characters are just secretly in love on the show for now. It’s actually kind of addicting. I marathoned all of season one on the plane while we were on tour.
“Today?” I glance at Rainer. He smiles encouragingly. “Sure,” I say. “Yeah. That works.”
“I’ll pick you up in an hour,” she says. “Bel Air, right? Looking forward to it.”
I hang up and look at Rainer. He’s coming toward me, an apple in one hand.
“I thought we could spend some time alone this afternoon,” I say. “Just the two of us.”
“I’d love to,” he says. “But I can’t. I have to deal with stuff.”
“Stuff.” I nod. He means his dad. “You know you can talk to me aboutstuff,” I say.
Rainer takes a bite. “I know. I just want to keep you out of this.”
I shake my head. “But I’m not out of this. I’m in this.”
“No, you’re not. I don’t want your name alongside mine in those headlines. It’s bad enough I’ve been dragged into all the stuff with my dad. I’m not dragging you, too.” He looks tired, resigned. I notice for the first time that there are circles under his eyes.
“Rainer…”
He holds up his hand. “There isn’t anything more to say.” He reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “Go see the girls. Let me handle this.”
Two hours later I’m at Georgina’s Malibu Colony beach house. I’m stretched out on a lounge chair, trying to take a nap, but Georgina is chattering to Alexis and me about Blake. Apparently she’s pissed he’s not here with us this weekend.
“He never leaves Atlanta,” she tells us wearily. “He’s obsessed with being in character. You’re so lucky Rainer is here, Paige.”
I make a noncommittal noise.
“Why is my glass empty?” Alexis asks. She’s standing above us, clad in a white bikini and giant-brimmed hat. She’s blocking my sun.
“Aren’t you on a juice cleanse?” Georgina gets up and tops off Alexis’s glass, spilling some champagne on the ground.
“I think all liquids count,” Alexis says, settling herself on the lounge next to me.
Georgina’s house is impressive. Alexis told me her money comes from endorsement deals. “Plus, her mom createdCharlie’s Angelsor something,” she said when Georgina went inside to get reinforcements.
Speaking of endorsements, I have a lot of offers on the table besides 7, who I’ve already partnered with. Burberry, Lancôme, even Chanel. Tawny and Sandy are pushing me for Lancôme—it’s the most approachable, they say. And the brand is trying to reach a younger audience.
I close my eyes, letting the sounds of the ocean lull me. Cassandra isn’t here, and I need friends in L.A. This is what Sandy tells me. This is what Rainer tells me. Alexis seems like as good a place as any to start. Besides the small issue that she’s probably spending her sleeping hours curled up in some kind of lace negligee with Jordan. I squeeze my eyes tighter, trying to get rid of the image.
“I did not!” Alexis shrieks.
My eyes fly open, and I see her, mouth agape, looking at Georgina. “You didn’t what?” I ask.
“You reek of it,” Georgina says, ignoring me.
Alexis shakes her head.
“What?” I ask again, still trying to catch up.
“Hot, all-night-long sex with Jordan Wilder,” Georgina says, finishing off her glass.
