Daisy’s breath tickled her ear, so she wiggled away. “Why?” Alice pitched her voice low. “They know we’re not hookers, right?”
“Of course. They just want company.” Daisy had glued little rhinestones into the corners of her dark eyes, dressing up her uniform, and in the flashing strobes, she really did look like a fairy, here and then gone, here and gone. “The Serpent’s about to close and they want to keep partying. Gabriel has a place outside the city—they were talking about it, said it’sfancy. He’s a billionaire, Alice, with ab. Like a tech mogul or something. Somebody to know.”
There was a currency more valuable than money, and that was stature, being the kind of person who appeared on blogs and TVnews and red carpets. The kind that could impart favors, jump-start the careers of hungry aspiring artists like the kind on staff at the Serpent Room.
Alice’s brows shot up atbillionaire. Daisy took it as encouragement. “Let’s just go and drink their fancy booze, see their fancy shit, maybe take some pictures that make us look hot.” She laughed. “Come on.”
Alice bit her lip. It was hard making decisions after so many drinks. “I don’t know—”
“They promised to make it worth our while.” Daisy’s grip on her arm tightened. “They gave Tatithousands.”
Alice stared, torn.
“Think about what you could do with that money.”
Alice was always thinking about what she could do with more money. If she had a couple extra thousand,god—she could put down a deposit on an apartment and stop sleeping on her friends’ couches. Then, when she told her dad she’d dropped out of college, she’d look like she had her life together.
Maybe once the dust settled, Grey could even come over. They could have sleepovers. She pictured the two of them camped out in front of a scary movie, Alice braiding Grey’s long blond hair, saying,How gorgeous, my darling girl, vamping like she always did, anything to crack her little sister’s serious expression, make her smile. A frisson of excitement traveled up Alice’s spine.
“Okay,” she said, laughing when Daisy twirled in victory. “But you better not run off on me. We stick together.”
“Me?” Daisy teased. “You’re the one the billionaire likes. He hasn’t stopped watching you all night.”
Alice looked up. Sure enough, Gabriel was watching them. They locked eyes. Is that what Daisy thought—that helikedAlice? Goose bumps lifted over her arms. There was something in his eyes when he looked at her, but it didn’t feel like a crush.
“Don’t worry.” Daisy slid her arm around Alice’s waist. “I won’t leave your side, I promise.”
Chapter 33Juliet, the Model
PRESENT DAY
The lights were coming down at the Chinese Theatre, the tuxedo-clad attendants were rolling up the red carpet, and still Scout was nowhere to be found. Whispers buzzed outside the theater as Scout’s crisis comms team covertly interrogated guests before security got a chance to hustle them inside.
Haley, Scout’s agent, seized Juliet by the arm, long fingernails digging into her bicep. “Has she texted you?” she whispered. Her blue eyes jumped to Juliet’s date. “Do I know you?”
“No, Haley, I haven’t heard from her.” It was a sunny afternoon, and Juliet squinted, wishing she’d brought sunglasses. “And this is Luca Clearwater. She runs an advocacy group called the Green Lions. You might’ve seen her on CNN.” Juliet couldn’t keep the pride from her voice.
“It’s nice—” Luca started to say, but Haley interrupted.
“Haveyouheard from Scout?”
Luca gave her a small smile. “I’m afraid I haven’t met Scout yet. That’s why I’m here, actually. To meet her.”
“Shit.” Haley chewed her fingernail, a nervous habit Juliet never would’ve suspected of the steel-nerved agent. “Well, if she contacts either of you, tell her she’s the one who’s been begging me for years to get her songs on a movie soundtrack. Now I have, and she gets invited to the goddamnpremiere, and she doesn’t show up. Tell her she’s making a lot of people very angry.”
Luca’s poise didn’t falter. “Is it unusual for Scout to go dark?”
“I’d love to say yes. But lately, it’s par for the course.” Haley exhaled.“I don’t know whether to be scared she’s gotten herself into trouble or worried she’s out there—” She caught herself. “Never mind. If your Hot Girl Murder Club, or whatever you call yourselves, gets to her first, tell her criminal charges are one thing, but breaking her word to me is another.” Haley strode off.
“That’s not what we’re called,” Juliet yelled to her back. She grimaced at Luca. “I’m sorry. Agents, you know?”
Luca smiled like she found the whole thing amusing. “I used to think Congress was the country’s biggest shark tank, but Hollywood might give them a run for their money.” Her gaze fell on the Chinese Theatre’s uniformed attendants, who were pulling down the step-and-repeat and dismantling the lights, deconstructing the glamorous world of the movie premiere. What lay behind it was Hollywood Boulevard, a congested drag of fast-food chains and souvenir shops. “Fascinating how easily it can all come down,” Luca mused. “It’s just smoke and mirrors. Like the Wizard of Oz behind his curtain.”
“I’m sorry Scout’s not here,” Juliet said. “I really wanted you to talk.”
“Juliet! Who are you wearing?”
Juliet twirled and found one of the paparazzi Cybele had introduced her to. “It’s vintage Miranda Preston,” she said, feeling a warm flush as she struck a pose, loving that Luca was witnessing this moment.
