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“We were having dinner, Lily and me.” He touches her back again. “Now we’re headed to the hotel next door for a cocktail. We’d love to have you join us.”
Lucas has wound his way around the family and is jabbing at the elevator button. Lily opens her mouth to say something, but I interject.
“I’d love to. But I need a shower.” I sweep my hands down my body, which is caked with red dirt. “I’m a bit too dirty for polite company.”
I make a point of staring at Lily while I say this, and she blushes. “You know, a late night isn’t a good idea, Rob. Come to think of it, Max and I have an early meeting with a German magazine.”
“Just one drink.” Rob affects a pout.
“You kids have fun.” I smirk at them as I walk away, but inside I’m pissed.
What kind of game is Lily playing with me? If that’s what she’s doing, I can play too. Tonight I’ll sleep in my own suite.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
LILY
Our SUV seems to be driving into the middle of the desert, an apt metaphor for how conversation is going between me and Max this morning. It’s our day for the photo shoot, and instead of doing it in a studio or somewhere iconic on the Las Vegas Strip, we’re going a half hour south of the city to someplace called Seven Magic Mountains.
From the tension inside this vehicle, it’s more like Four Surly Adults and a Driver Who Plays the Worst Music Ever.
Tanya is sitting up front near the driver. Max and Lucas are in the second row of seats, and I’m by myself in the way back. Back at the hotel when we climbed in at five in the morning, Max tried to be chivalrous and take this seat, but I wouldn’t let him.
That was the last thing we said to each other this morning. The ride has given me plenty of time to think about last night, when Rob and I ran into Max. Obviously, I didn’t mean for that to happen. Tanya had told me to steer Rob to the bar next door so the paps could get some shots. After we had that drink, I’d told Rob I still had work to do (somewhat true) and had returned to my suite. I’d expected Max to text or call, and when he hadn’t, I went to bed alone.
My sleep sucked. It looks like Max’s did, too, because there are dark circles under his eyes.
Somehow, I can’t get Max’s wounded expression from last night out of my mind.
We turn down a road, and a tumbleweed rolls in front of our car.
“Okay, we’re almost here,” Tanya chirps. “Let me tell you a little about this place. It’s a large-scale public art installation by Ugo Rondinone, who is from Switzerland. It’s intended to be a splash of color in the Mojave Desert.”
I have no idea what that means.
Tanya continues. “We have two hours for the shoot here, until eight. The magazine thought it was best to do this in the morning, when it’s not so hot. There will be a trailer for changing and makeup, and the photos should be quick. I’ve told them that Max has to get back to the track for practice and we’re on a tight timeline.”
“Oh, look at that,” Lucas cries.
I lean forward, trying to get a better look. I’m sitting behind Max, because if I sat in the other seat, I’d have to look at his profile. Still, it’s torture, because I can smell his soap.
In the distance, out the windshield, I see what looks like stacked rocks painted in bright colors. Okay. I sit back and pretend to scroll through my phone.
The van comes to a stop and we’re herded out by a chipper young woman with a blond ponytail. Behind her are seven stacks of boulders, each in neon hues, and all about the height of a four-story building.
Max squints at the rocks, and I can tell his analytical brain is having a difficult time interpreting them.
“Let’s change and do a quick makeup. The photographer—his name is Legolas—wants to take advantage of this beautiful light.”
Tanya and Lucas wander off to look at the giant rocks and Max and I make our way into one of two luxury RVs. This is a bigger budget photo shoot than I anticipated, but then again, it isGQ Germany.
Inside, a guy in skinny jeans whisks Max to one end of the RV, and the blond tells me to follow her into the back room, which is separated from the rest of the vehicle by a door.
“Okay, so we’re thinking you would wear this.” She turns to a free-standing clothing rack and plucks a silver minidress off a hanger.
I suck my teeth. Not only is the dress the opposite of anything I’d ever wear, but it looks like it might barely cover my butt.
Might being optimistic.
