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Liam waited for Julian to end the conversation, but he just hung on the line, breathing, not saying anything. Finally Liam said, “Is there something else?”
“Yeah. Uh … how does she look? I mean, I need to be prepared. ”
It was a perfectly human question, nothing wrong with it, so why did Liam feel suddenly angry? His answer was barely audible along the crackling line. “She looks as beautiful as you probably remember. ”
Val’s office was a huge, open space tucked into the northeastern corner of a high-rise on Wilshire Boulevard. Huge glass windows paneled the corner, capturing a vista of other tall buildings. Behind them lay a filmy layer of brown smog.
A few sleek chairs were gathered around a glass coffee table. Movie posters and theater announcements graced the walls, each one representing a client. A huge television, flanked by fifteen smaller screens, dominated one corner. Currently a music video pulsed on every screen.
Val’s desk was an immense, rectangular sheet of green glass. He was slouched over in his chair, hold
ing his head in his hands.
Julian didn’t need to be told to keep his voice down. He’d partied with Val enough over the years to know when his best friend was nursing an ugly hangover. He crossed the room and sat down in the cushiony black leather chair opposite the desk.
“Quieter,” Val moaned.
“Look, Val, I know you feel like four kinds of shit, but I really need to talk to you. ”
“Whisper, please. ”
“I called that doctor in Podunk, Washington. It was about Kayla. She’s had an accident. She’s in a coma. ”
Slowly Val lifted his head. His eyes were puffy and bloodshot. “So, what, they need money for her hospital bills?”
“No. The doc said she responded to my name. They seem to think it would help if I talked to her. ”
Val ran a hand through his hair. The greasy blond locks fell right back in front of his ashen face. A slow-growing smile plucked one corner of Val’s mouth. Julian recognized the look: It was Val’s we-can-make-money-here look. “It’s like one of those chick fairy tales. A kiss of true love to wake her up—get it? True love wakes her up. Now, there’s a hell of a headline. ”
“This is serious, Val. She’s pretty bad off. She could die. ”
“Oh. ” Val’s smile faded.
Julian stared at his friend. Val was so goddamn transparent. Now he was thinking that it wouldn’t do much good if the headline was TRUE LOVE KILLS.
“So, what are you going to do?” Val said at last.
Julian leaned back. The chair squeaked, rolled an inch backward. Images and memories drifted through his mind like clouds on a summer’s day. “She was the one, Val. She really loved me. ”
“They all love you, Julian. ”
“Kay was different. I loved her, too. ”
“I’ve seen movies that run longer than your love. ”
That stung. “I’m going up there. Right after the Rolling Stone interview. ”
“What? This fucking movie’s gonna be big, Juli. Big. We’ve got a shitload of press scheduled—”
Julian smiled. There was nothing he liked better than surprising Val; it was damned hard to do. “It’s not like I’m vanishing. I’m just going out of town for a day or two. I pay you two and a half million a year. Make it work. ”
Val shook his head. “Okay, Jules. Go play Prince Charming. But be back in two days. I mean it. ”
“And no press. I want to do this alone. ”
Val looked at him hard. “Jesus, Juli, you never do anything alone. ”
“There’s always a first time. ”
