by Beth Orsoff
“Because I’m not.”
“You are too. You just went out with Richie Rich a few days ago.”
“I told you, that’s over.”
“So because you decided three days ago to make your relationship with Noah exclusive, you think that means he decided the same thing?”
“Why are you taking his side? You’re my friend, you’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I’m on your side. That’s why I’m telling you this. I know you really like Noah and I don’t want to see you blow it with him over something stupid like him going to a basketball game with another woman. For all you know, this could be their last date too. Or maybe she’s just a friend.”
“If she was just a friend, he wouldn’t have said she was a guy.”
“The point is you don’t know and it could be nothing. You need to relax.”
“If he’s seeing someone else, I have a right to know.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not going to sleep with him if he’s sleeping with someone else.”
“But you’re not sleeping with him.”
“I would have if he hadn’t fallen asleep!”
Kaitlyn threw up her arms in disgust. “What are you going to do? Ask him if he’s seeing someone else?”
“I would if I thought he would tell me the truth. But he lied about Jean. Now I can’t trust him.”
“Then what? Hire a private detective to follow him around like some suspicious wife?”
“No, you know I can’t afford that. I’ll have to do it myself.”
“You’re not going to start stalking Noah!”
“Of course not,” I said. “We’re dating. I’m just going to casually bump into him at the Lakers game tonight. Then I can judge his relationship with Jean for myself.”
“You don’t have a ticket,” she said.
“Then I’ll buy one.”
“I’m sure the game’s sold out.”
“Then I’ll get one off a scalper.
“You’re going to spend $500 just to spy on him at a basketball game?”
“Do tickets really cost that much?” I had no idea.
“For a good game.”
Hmmmm. I hadn’t anticipated that.
“I have a better idea,” Kaitlyn said. “Why don’t you come with me and Steve to the movies tonight. Then tomorrow, when you’ve calmed down, if you still feel like you need to you can call Noah and ask him if he’s seeing anyone else. I’m sure if you explain to him how important it is to you, he’ll tell you the truth.”
Kailtyn had a point. I couldn’t think rationally on four hours sleep. I should go to bed early tonight, get lots of sleep, and confront Noah in the morning when my head was clear. Then I could really nail him to the wall.
Chapter 53
Surprise
I’d already seen the movie that Kaitlyn and Steve wanted to see, so I went home and took a nap. When I awoke, I caught the tale end of Suspicion on Channel 11, then started clicking up the dial. I was into stations I never watched like the Golf Channel and the Soap Network, when I passed a basketball game. I clicked back. It wasn’t the Lakers game, but it gave me an idea.
I called Greg. “You’re a Lakers fan, right?” I asked. I could hear people talking in the background.
“Yeah,” he said. “Why?”
“Do they broadcast the home games too?”
“On cable. Which must mean you’re not already watching the pre-game show.”
“No. What channel is it on?”
“Thirty-eight.”
I clicked over to Channel 38. “We must have different cable systems. My channel thirty-eight is Spanish language news.”
“Look for Fox Sports West.”
I pulled out my cable guide. “I don’t think I have that one.”
“Too bad. You’re welcome to come over here and watch it if you want.”
I desperately wanted to, but I didn’t want to intrude. “It sounds like you’ve already got some people with you.”
“Just my buddy Mike and his girlfriend. There’s always room for one more.”
That was all the encouragement I needed.
I stopped at the grocery store on my way to Greg’s house and picked up a six-pack of Sam Adams. I knew I’d be welcome if I brought along beer. My timing was perfect. I reached Greg’s door just as the pizza delivery man was leaving.
The four of us ate pizza, drank beer, and watched the game. At half-time, Mike and his girlfriend went out for more refreshments and I stayed behind with Greg.
“So why the sudden interest in basketball?” he asked. “I didn’t think you were a sports fan.”
“I’m not, but I’m seeing a guy that is. He’s actually at the game tonight.”
“So what’s the plan? You pretend to like basketball to reel him in?”
“Something like that.” Greg didn’t need the whole story.
To my surprise, I caught a glimpse of Noah in the stands at the end of the third quarter. Of course I’d been hoping to see him. That’s why I was watching. But I didn’t really think I would. The gods were smiling on me tonight.
He was exactly where he said he’d be—five rows up and just to the left of Jack Nicholson. He was sitting between Ron and some guy I didn’t recognize. I didn’t see a woman, but they were only on camera for a second. I could’ve missed her.
The next time the camera panned Noah’s seats, I pointed him out to Greg.
“How did he score those seats?” he asked.
“They’re not his, they belong to a friend of a friend.”
“Well tell him to introduce me.”
The game was in the fourth quarter with only three minutes left when I saw the woman two seats away from Noah. If that was Jean, he sure wasn’t paying much attention to her. Maybe Kaitlyn was right. Maybe they were just friends and I’d blown the whole thing out of proportion. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Two seconds before the buzzer, Kobe scored the winning basket. The camera panned the cheering crowd, then froze on two men kissing.
“Only in L.A.” one of the announcers said.
“You got that right,” the other one agreed.
The two men stopped kissing and looked up. One of them pointed to the overhead television screen and waved. The other one looked embarrassed and sat down.
“Isn’t that your boyfriend?” Greg said.
Chapter 54
Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda
I could not believe my eyes. At least Noah was the one that looked embarrassed. Although not as embarrassed as I was.
I told Greg I needed to leave and ran out without even saying goodbye to Mike and his girlfriend. I tried both Kaitlyn and Simone from my cell, but I couldn’t reach either one of them. I was debating who to call next when I passed the twenty-four hour grocery store. I made a fast u-turn and screeched to a stop in the parking lot. The fruit popsicles in my freezer weren’t going to cut it tonight.
* * *
I was two-thirds of the way through the pint of Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heathbar Crunch before I started feeling sick, but all I could think was how could I not have known Noah was gay? I missed all the signs—gay friends, extensive assortment of hair care products, not wanting to sleep with me. How could I be such an idiot!
But if he’s gay, why is he still dating women? Is it just about appearances? Is he really that insecure? I had to know.
I dialed his number and was still debating whether I should leave a message on his answering machine when he picked up the line.
“I was about to call you,” he said breathlessly. “I just walked in.”
“How was the game?” I asked.
“Good. Very exciting.”
“I know. I saw it on TV”
Silence.
“I especially liked the close-up of you at the end. I’ve never seen you kiss from that angle before. But then again, I’ve never seen you kiss a man before either.”
“It’s not what it looked like.”
<
br /> “Really? You mean me and the other ten million people watching the Lakers game only thought we saw two guys kissing? We all had some sort of collective delusion?”
“Gene was excited and he kissed me. That’s all. It was no big deal.”
“No big deal! Noah you kissed him back.”
“He caught me off guard. I didn’t know what to do. After all, he was the one who invited me.”
“So what are you saying? You only kissed him because you didn’t want to offend him?”
“Exactly.”
Talk about denial. He made my mother look positively self-aware. “Noah, you’re thirty-six-years-old. Don’t you think it’s time you admitted you’re gay.”
“I’m not gay!”
I hung up. Dating was hard enough without adding closet homosexuals to the mix. Five seconds later the phone rang. I let the answering machine pick up. As soon as I heard Noah’s voice, I unplugged the phone and went straight to bed. Even with all the sugar and caffeine I’d just consumed, I fell right to sleep.
Chapter 55
Moving On, Again
I was actually happy to go to work Monday morning. It would be a good distraction. I needed to think about something other than Noah. I planned on spending the entire morning researching right of publicity claims. Simone had other plans. She didn’t even wait for Rosenthal to leave for his therapy session before she came into my office.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
“About what?” I hadn’t even told her about Noah yet.
“About Noah. Greg told me.”
That big mouth. “Who else knows?”
“No one, as far as I know.”
I hoped she was right.
We both heard Rosenthal coming down the hallway. He was yelling to Diane to tell whomever was on the phone that he’d call them back. It was too late for Simone to sneak back to her own office unnoticed, so I handed her some papers and picked up a pad and pen in the hopes that when Rosenthal walked by he would think we were discussing a case.
Ten seconds later, Rosenthal was standing in my doorway. “What are you two up to?”
“The Kirby case. The reply brief is due tomorrow and I wanted Simone’s opinion on the procedural issues.”
She handed the papers back to me and said, “I think you’re right on target. Let me know if you want me to read through the final draft.”
Simone stood up to leave when Rosenthal said, “Write it up as research. Clients don’t like it when they see a lot of lawyer conferences on their bill.”
“Sure Bruce,” Simone replied. She waited until he turned his back before she silently growled at him and left.
Rosenthal shut the door behind her and sat down. “So how’s everything going?”
“Fine,” I said cautiously. A closed door conference couldn’t be good.
“Your personal life I mean,” he added. “Not just work.”
What was he up to? Normally, his only concern about my personal life was that it didn’t interfere with my billable hours. “That’s fine too.”
“I heard about your boyfriend.”
“What boyfriend?” It was at least possible that he didn’t know about Noah.
“I realize that you might think it’s none of my business, but as senior partner, I have a right to be concerned about the welfare of my associates.”
“Bruce, what are you talking about?”
“Your boyfriend,” he said. “The guy from the Lakers game.”
I was going to kill Greg. The only person I knew who had a bigger mouth than Greg was Rosenthal. Now the entire firm would know about me and Noah, assuming they didn’t already. My only hope was a convincing lie. “Bruce, I appreciate your concern, but he wasn’t my boyfriend. He’s just a friend. Actually, I’ve suspected for quite a while that he might be gay. That’s why I never dated him.”
It must’ve worked because Rosenthal looked relieved. “Good,” he said. “Glad to hear it. Does that mean you’re not seeing anyone?”
None of your damn business. “Why?”
“Because if you’re not, I thought you should reconsider my suggestion about First Date.”
I fought to keep my voice from rising. “Bruce, the answer’s no. I like to keep my private life private.” Or at least between me and my friends.
“I understand, but I think it would be a really good opportunity for you.”
You mean a good opportunity for you. “I doubt that, and it won’t help the firm either. Greg told me he talked about his job for hours, but the editors cut it all out. All they want to air is the sexy stuff.”
“I think it would be different this time.”
“Why?”
“I played golf with the show’s general counsel over the weekend. He thinks we may be able to work out an arrangement. If someone from the firm went on the show again, he said he’d make sure some of the work talk aired in exchange for a break on legal fees.”
“Bruce, I’m not going to prostitute myself on national television just so you can get some free publicity.”
“It would be publicity for you too you know. We would all benefit.”
I just pressed my lips together and glared at him. I figured whatever came out of my mouth at this point would only get me fired. Which I was starting to think might not be such a bad idea, when Rosenthal looked at his watch and stood up.
“I’m late for a meeting,” he said. “Just think about it.”
“I’ve thought about it and my answer is no.”
Rosenthal shook his head. “Remember, Julia, it’s not good to bite the hand that lays the golden egg.”
I wasn’t even going to guess at what that was supposed to mean. Instead, I waited for him to leave then counted backwards from ten while taking deep cleansing breaths. Neither calmed me down, so I walked next door to Simone’s office. “You’re not going to believe this!”
No matter how much Simone laughed, I didn’t see the humor in this one. She finally had to pacify me by telling me about Marty. His full name was Edmund Martin Kale III, but everyone called him Marty. According to Simone, he was thirty-three years old, single, good-looking, and best of all, not gay. He worked with Todd at the stock brokerage firm and Todd had invited him to Thanksgiving dinner at his mother’s house so he could introduce him to me.
“You’re still coming, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Yes.” Since I had just seen my parents in September, I figured I was off the hook to visit them until spring.
“Good. This will be perfect. You’ll meet Marty, he’ll ask you out, the two of you will start dating, and a year from now we’ll be planning your wedding.”
If only it were that easy.
The last item on my day’s To Do list was to call Joe and apologize. If it wasn’t for Joe, I wouldn’t have learned the truth about Noah, or at least not so quickly.
“Don’t hang up,” I said when he picked up the phone.
“Why not?” Joe asked, his voice tinged with anger. “I believe the last thing you said to me was something like you never wanted to speak to me again.”
“Actually, what I told you was to lose my number,” then quickly added, “but I called to apologize.”
A short silence, followed by, “I’m listening.”
“You were right about Noah. Or half right.” I relayed the events of Sunday evening.
Joe’s response was, “It serves you right for not trusting me.”
I could just imagine his self-satisfied grin. I almost objected, but stopped myself. He earned the I-told-you-so. “In the future, I’ll know better.”
“I certainly hope so.”
Now he was pushing it. “Well, thanks again. I really do appreciate it.”
“How much?” he asked.
“Excuse me.”
“How much do you appreciate it?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure how to quantify it.”
“Enough to take me out to dinner?”
Hmmm. Looks like we’re not
done here after all. “I don’t know. You were only half right. I don’t have my actuarial chart in front of me, but I think a partially correct warning may only entitle you to a lunch.”
“I’ll take it.”
We agreed to meet when Joe returned to L.A. Unlike me, Joe had decided to fly back east to spend Thanksgiving with his family.
Chapter 56
Thanksgiving
I was thankful that the grocery store was open on Thanksgiving Day. I stopped to pick up a bottle of wine on my way to Simone’s house. I didn’t want to arrive at her future mother-in-law’s home empty handed.
The plan was that I would meet Simone at her and Todd’s place, then Todd would drive the three of us to his mother’s house. Simone said she thought I’d be more comfortable arriving with the two of them, rather than alone, which was true. What Simone didn’t say was that with me there, she’d have an excuse to leave early. That was also true.
I circled Simone’s block three times, but I couldn’t find a parking space anywhere. I would’ve thought that when you pay over eight-hundred-thousand dollars for a two-bedroom condominium in Brentwood, it would come with a guest parking space. I was wrong.
I called Simone from the car and she came downstairs and waited with me in the red zone. Todd pulled his BMW X-5 out of the garage a few minutes later and I pulled into his parking space. Simone and I climbed into the SUV and we took off in the direction of Bel Air. Poor Simone. Not only was she getting an interfering mother-in-law, she was getting one that only lived ten minutes away.
The security guard stopped us at the entrance to the gated community. The guard checked Todd’s name off his list and waved us in. We wound our way along a wide, tree-lined street with a disappointing view. All the houses we passed were set far back on their properties, most behind tall shrubs and fences. When I was lucky, I caught a glimpse of a second story window. Apparently, this was how the other half lived. Maybe I’d been too hasty with Richie Rich.
Todd turned off the main road onto a long circular driveway. The outer edge was lined with parked cars. They were mostly Mercedes and BMWs with the occasional Porsche or Jaguar in between. I was glad I’d left my Acura in Simone’s garage.