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She and Rick walked into the Hilton, where sanity prevailed in contrast to the paparazzi and fans outside. They followed the crowd toward the International Ballroom. Fortunately she didn’t cross paths with anyone she knew well. She wasn’t sure if she was up for further discussion of her ultimate accessory—namely, Rick.
When they reached their table, she sighed with relief. So far, so good.
“Rick, sugar!”
Chiara turned and spotted an actress she wasn’t well-acquainted with but whose name she’d come across more than a few times. Isabel Lanier.
She’d never heard Rick’s name said in the same breath as sugar before. In her opinion, spice was more appropriate.
“Wow, I haven’t seen you in ages!” Isabel said—and though she addressed Rick, she directed her crystalline blue gaze to Chiara. “And you’re one half of an item, too, I hear.”
“Isabel, this is—”
“Chiara Feran,” Chiara finished for him.
She assessed the other woman. Isab
el Lanier had a reputation in Hollywood, and there wasn’t enough Botox in LA to make it pretty. She’d slept with directors to land supporting roles. She’d broken up a costar’s marriage by having an affair with him during filming. And she’d been named in a lawsuit involving back rent on a house in the Hollywood Hills.
Isabel looked her over in turn, and then, directing her gaze to Rick, murmured, “I’m so glad you’ve moved on, sugar, and to another actress, too. No bad feelings, hmm?”
Rick seemed to tense, but then Chiara wondered whether she was imagining it.
Isabel fluttered her mascara-heavy eyelashes. “I’d love to talk to you about—”
“Isabel, it was a surprise running into you. Glad you’re well.”
The dismissal on Rick’s part was polite but unmistakable.
Chiara wondered about his past tie to Isabel. It gave her a bad feeling—though, of course, not jealousy. What had Rick been thinking? Isabel? Really? The woman’s reputation followed her like a trail of discarded clothing in a tacky Vegas hotel room.
Isabel gave them a searching look, and then nodded as if reaching a conclusion. “It’s time I got back to my date.”
“Hal?” Rick inquired sardonically.
Isabel tossed her head, her smile too bright. “Oh, sugar, you know better.” She flashed her hand and a ring caught the light. “But this time, I did find one who is for keeps.”
“Congratulations.”
The smile stayed on Isabel’s lips but her eyes were sharp. “Thank you.”
When the other woman moved off, Chiara turned to Rick. “Should I ask?”
“Will you be able to stop yourself?”
“Do you date all your leading ladies?”
“In Isabel’s case, it was more her trying to hook up with me. Misguidedly, as it turned out.”
Chiara raised her eyebrows.
“Isabel is the reason that I don’t get involved with starlets. They’re trouble.”
“Men are trouble.”
“Finally, a topic that we agree on,” he quipped. “The opposite sex is trouble.”
Chiara shrugged. “Isabel Lanier seems an odd choice for you.”
