The Girl and the Genie

by E. M. Lilly

  The bald, pudgy man who stood next to Cole continued to glare his hate at Emily, his mouth pushed into a nasty oval. “Lady,” he yelled, “we’re trying to film a movie here. Can you please get that animal the hell away from here!”

  Derek Cole signaled for this other man, who must’ve been the film’s director, to be quiet. This angry, pudgy man didn’t like it, but went along with it.

  “Ah, what an ugly bastard,” Derek Cole said as he stared directly at Winston, mischief twinkling in his eyes. Very casually, he sauntered over to Winston so he could crouch down and roughhouse with the dog. Winston’s rear-end immediately began wiggling as he wagged his tail enthusiastically.

  “I love these ugly bastard dogs,” Cole said as he wrestled Winston onto his back, with the dog appearing to love every second of it. The actor looked up so he could wink at Emily, which made her blush deepen.

  “The beauty and the beast,” Cole said with a laugh. “Nothing I like better than these ugly bastard dogs than a breathtakingly beautiful young lass.” He jumped to his feet and held his hand out to Emily. “Derek Cole at your service,” he said.

  Emily felt her heart flutter as she took his hand and looked more deeply into his stunning blue eyes. She stammered out her own name in response. Her cheeks burned red as she did so.

  “A name befitting such beauty,” Cole said. “And the ugly bastard’s name?”

  Winston at this point had pushed himself back to his feet and was panting excitedly. He jumped up so that his front paws were leaning on Derek Cole’s leg, clearly wanting round two of their wrestling match. Cole complied, kneeling onto the pavement and wrestling Winston once more onto his back.

  “That would be Winston,” Emily said, her stammer a little less noticeable, although her blush deepened even more as she realized the crew and everyone in the crowd were staring at her.

  “Ah, a good name for him. I can see the resemblance,” Cole said as he looked back at Emily and gave her another wink. He then turned to the other man, who was still standing petulantly with his hands on his hips. “Jerry,” Cole said, “how about a forty-five minute break? We been at this for a while, you know? I could use a cup or two of strong coffee, mate.”

  “Sure, Derek,” the director said, his tone and the surliness of his expression showing he wasn’t happy about this. “I need to see if we can filter out that dog barking and salvage the last take, or if we have to reshoot. So go ahead, take forty-five.”

  Cole effortlessly went from kneeling to jumping back to his feet, and was once again smiling directly at Emily. “Do you know of any good coffee shops nearby?” he asked. “And even more important, would you do me the honor of accompanying me? Not only would it give me a chance to make up for Jerry’s rudeness, but I can’t imagine a more splendid way to spend forty-five minutes than gazing into your eyes over a cup of good French Roast.”

  “I live three blocks away,” Emily said. “And I have a top of the line espresso maker that can make anything, and I’ve got some very good French Roast.”

  The way Derek Cole grinned at her made her knees weak. “But I’m only inviting you for coffee,” Emily added hastily.

  “Of course, my lady, your honor will be protected by me at all costs,” Cole said with a hearty laugh. “Shall you lead the way?”

  Emily could barely believe that she had invited Derek Cole to her apartment for coffee, and as she walked with him she rambled on about how much she enjoyed his movies, which Cole seemed to find amusing.

  “Are you from Ireland?” she asked. “You always sound so American in your movies, but tonight you’ve had this Irish brogue, and you’ve been using these more Irish expressions.”

  Cole laughed at that. “Born and raised in Chicago,” he said. “The last movie I did before this was in Dublin, and I guess some of that brogue stuck with me. Add to that, we’ve been filming since six this morning. After over twelve hours, you tend to get a little punchy.”

  “Chicago, huh? Des Moines, Iowa, myself,” Emily said.

  Cole gave her a suspicious look. “Bears fan?” he asked.

  “Nope, Packers all the way.”

  He shook his head. “You’re too beautiful to hold that against you. And anyway, that makes us almost neighbors. Pleased again to make your acquaintance, Emily Mignon.”

  Cole held out his hand again, and this time their handshake lingered long enough that Emily’s cheeks felt as if they were on fire, but she held her gaze on his.

  “I’m only two doors down,” Emily said in a near breathless voice.

  When they arrived at the apartment, Emily gave Cole a quick tour of the living room, den, and finally the kitchen, while Winston waddled along with them, all the while panting happily. Cole let out a long whistle. “A stunning place,” he said. “For a Des Moines girl, you’ve done good.”

  “Thanks, but I’m only house-sitting here.”

  Cole looked around the kitchen admiringly, then took a closer look at the espresso maker. “A DeLonghi,” he noted. “Very nice. A hell of a gig you’ve got here, Emily.”

  “Someone must’ve been looking out for me. So what’s your pleasure? Espresso, cappuccino, latte, coffee?”

  “Coffee. Unadulterated.”

  Emily directed him to take a seat at the granite countertop while she busied herself making coffee for the two of them. “I don’t have much to offer outside of this,” she said, “If you’d like some doughnuts, I bought a box yesterday from a pretty good bakery, and they should still be good.”

  “After breathtakingly beautiful young women and ugly bastard dogs, there’s nothing I love more than a good doughnut. I do believe I hit the trifecta here.”

  “What do you think about pizza?”

  “Fourth on my list.”

  Emily was near floating on air as she got the doughnuts out and poured coffee for the two of them. “I really do love your movies,” she said. “I think you’re a wonderful actor, even if you’re a Bears fan.”

  Derek Cole made a face at that. “If you can call what I do acting,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned they use me as if I’m little more than a flesh and blood G.I. Joe action figure. They have me sit around until they’re ready to position me the way they want me. Sometimes they have me utter a few lines. Sometimes they tell me to act a certain way. Like ferocious.” All at once Cole’s expression changed to reflect ferociousness. “Or stoic.” And then he became the picture of stoicism. “Or fearful.” Cole then exaggerated his fearful expression to something almost comical, like the way a silent movie star might’ve acted. “Anger.” He looked so bizarrely angry right then, as if steam were about to pour out from his ears, that Emily almost spat out hot coffee laughing. Cole smiled at the reaction he got.

  “Of course, I’m nothing but a complainer,” he said. “It pays the bills, after all. And with this movie, we’re on location, so at least there’s no blue screen acting. I actually get the luxury now to be able to act against real actors as opposed to imaginary CGI characters. And it’s a romantic comedy, so for this one I get to be used as a flesh and blood Ken doll instead, which allows me to express a completely different range of emotions.”

  Derek Cole rattled off a list of potential emotions and expressions more common for romantic comedies: obliviousness, annoyance, confounded, consternation, interest, desire, and finally, horniness. After announcing each of these he proceeded to act out the word in an exaggerated manner, which got Emily giggling. He seemed pleased by this, and when he finished his demonstration he polished off the chocolate glazed doughnut he had picked and took a long sip from his coffee mug, emptying it. “Real acting is the stage,” he said, “not what I do. But enough of such matters. Tell me about yourself. You must’ve been a cheerleader back in high school breaking dozens of boys’ hearts. And how exactly did such a delightfully beautiful girl from Des Moines end up here in Manhattan?”

  Emily was feeling increasingly comfortable around Cole, but his last comment still got her to blush and she took his coffe
e mug to refill it so that she could hide from him exactly how crimson her cheeks were becoming.

  “I was never a cheerleader,” Emily said, her back turned to Cole as she poured more coffee into his mug. “I had other interests back in high school. And I don’t think I broke too many hearts either, at least none that I was aware of.”

  “That’s impossible!”

  Emily shrugged. She turned back to him and handed him a fresh cup of coffee. Derek Cole’s smile turned wicked seeing how deep her blush had become. Emily found that she didn’t mind. On the one hand, it seemed unreal to her that she was sitting in her apartment having coffee with a world-famous actor, on the other, it felt so natural being with him. His smile was infectious enough to make her start grinning herself.

  “Not that impossible,” she said. “I was somewhat of a loner as a kid, always reading. And I’m still always reading. That’s why I’m here in New York. I work in publishing as an assistant editor.”

  “Beauty and brains!”

  “I’m not so sure of the brains part,” Emily said, her grin dimming somewhat. “I’d make more as a waitress than as an assistant editor.”

  “But it’s your passion. And nothing I admire more than a person chasing their passion. Tell me more about life for a young Emily Mignon in Des Moines.”

  Emily was normally a private person who rarely talked about herself or gave anyone glimpses into her past, but she found herself opening up to Cole, telling him things she had never told anyone else; like about how her dad died when she was only a young girl and how she tried to escape her grief through books. As she watched the compassion and genuine interest filling up Cole’s eyes, she found herself daydreaming about what it would be like to kiss him. When her daydream drifted to imagining Cole carrying her to her bedroom and removing her skirt as she lay on her bed, she snapped out of it, her face flushed.

  “Is anything wrong?” Cole asked, concerned.

  Emily looked away from Cole and shook her head. She caught a glimpse of the clock on the oven and saw that more than forty-five minutes had elapsed since they had come up to the apartment.

  “Only that you’re late,” Emily said, her voice huskier than normal. “You need to get back to your movie.”

  Derek Cole waved the idea of that away. “Let Jerry blow a gasket,” he said. “I’m enjoying myself too much to leave now.”

  “Uh uh,” Emily said. “That director is unhappy enough with me as it is.”

  Derek Cole gave her another demonstration of consternation before smiling a devilish smile. “I’ll leave on one condition,” he said. “That you come to my suite at the Plaza tomorrow night so that we can continue this over dinner and champagne.”

  Emily hesitated, and Cole broke out laughing. It was a charming and pleasant laugh. “I’m only asking you out on a date, Emily, not a hookup. Your virtue will be protected at all costs. You have my word. But I badly want to get to know you better, and I’m hoping you feel the same about me.”

  He gave her an exaggerated puppy dog look then, and Emily couldn’t help herself as she broke out laughing. “Of course,” Emily said. “I’d love nothing more. Especially if it gets you back to filming that movie!”

  They exchanged cell phone numbers, and Derek Cole pushed himself off his counter stool and sprung to his feet, bowed gracefully, then took hold of Emily’s right hand and kissed it ever so gently.

  “Until tomorrow evening then,” he said with a wink. He bowed once more before leaving the apartment. Emily sat where she was for several minutes after hearing the front door close, her heart beating just that much faster. With Cole gone, it was just her and Winston in the kitchen, and at first it didn’t seem possible that she had spent the last hour drinking coffee and talking with one of the most famous movie actors in the world, and even more, had a date with him for the following day. More than just that was how comfortable she had felt with him. And that he was so unbelievably good-looking. But it was real. It had happened.

  Emily continued to sit where she was for another fifteen minutes absorbing everything that had happened. When she finally got up to leave she caught her reflection in the surface of the stainless steel refrigerator and saw that she was grinning from ear to ear.

  Chapter 22

  A little later Emily was in the den sitting in her favorite armchair as usual with Winston lying by her feet. When she summoned Jack, the genie did a double take.

  “Miss Mignon,” he said, “You’re absolutely radiant tonight, which I am more than pleased to see.” He paused for a moment before adding, “I am curious as to what has caused this remarkable change to your recent mood.”

  Emily shrugged as if she wasn’t sure what Jack was talking about. “I met someone tonight,” she said. “In fact, we spent an hour in the kitchen drinking coffee and eating doughnuts.”

  “That is excellent. As I mentioned before, you’ve gotten too thin, and eating an occasional sweet now and then should be fine. I take it this person is a man, and also a significant improvement over that author?”

  “Correct on all accounts.” Emily’s smile turned more into a coy, cat-who-swallowed-the-canary variety. “In fact, he’s famous.”

  “Very good, Miss Mignon. Any event that could return you to this more joyful disposition is very good news.”

  The genie then proceeded to browse for a book to read while Emily watched him.

  “Don’t you want to know who he is?” Emily asked, trying hard to hide her irritation over Jack’s seeming disinterest in knowing the identity of this famous man.

  “Miss Mignon, I’m a genie, and you’re my master. It’s not my place to ask questions like that. But very well, what famous person did you meet?”

  “Never mind.”

  Jack sighed softly and went back to browsing the book shelves. Emily watched him for another minute before telling the genie that she had had Derek Cole in her apartment. Jack turned back to her, smiling patiently.

  “I’m afraid I don’t recognize his name.”

  “He’s only one of the most famous movie stars.”

  The genie appeared completely unfazed by this news as he nodded and told Emily that whoever it was, he was glad the person had such a positive effect on her, all of which irritated Emily to no end. Her eyes narrowed as she asked Jack why he hadn’t heard of Derek Cole.

  “I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean?”

  “You had told me before that you’ve watched thousands of movies wherever that place is you go whenever you enter your lamp. I’m surprised you’ve never seen any of Derek’s movies.”

  Jack smiled at that. “You’re on a first name basis with this movie star?” he asked.

  “Of course. After all, we have a date tomorrow evening.”

  Jack didn’t groan outwardly at the news, but he appeared to inwardly, at least, with the look of deflation that came over his face. “Miss Mignon, again, it is not my place as your genie to offer a comment regarding this, but may I be so bold as to do so anyway?”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Very well.” Jack forced an uneasy smile. “It’s long been my experience that actors of both sexes are a very different breed than what most people are used to. Granted, they have their charms, but they also tend to be incredibly narcissistic, needy and the most superficial group of people you’ll ever meet. If you’re seeing this actor for only one date, then fine, but if you’re expecting anything more from this person I’m afraid you’ll end up disappointed.” The genie’s smile turned more strained. “Even if they wish to be faithful, the vast majority are incapable of it. Many of them move from affair to affair simply because they crave the flattering that these affairs provide. It’s beyond their control to do otherwise.”

  “Thank you for your candor,” Emily said with a forced politeness.

  Jack went through the motions of sighing heavily, even though he wasn’t actually breathing in or out air. “It’s what you asked for,” he said. “You also asked me earlier why I haven’t heard of
this person given the many movies I’ve seen. I only watch highly regarded movies, and most of these were made twenty or more years ago. But later I’ll find some of this actor’s movies, and I’ll report back on his acting ability the next time you summon me.”

  “You don’t need to bother,” Emily said.

  “It won’t be a bother at all. I’ll be more than happy to do so.”

  Jack once again went back to browsing the book shelves, and as he did this Emily brooded. While she mostly believed he was being sincere, she found herself suspicious about whether he could’ve had an ulterior motive for what he told her, and the warning inscribed on the bottom of the genie’s lamp kept popping into her thoughts. Do Not Trust Him. She waited until Jack found a book and relaxed onto his invisible chaise longue before telling him that he was wrong. He turned back to her with a puzzled smile.

  “You’re wrong about Derek,” she said. “Yes, he’s very charming. Incredibly so. But he’s also one of the most down-to-earth and solid people I’ve met since coming to New York. Maybe it’s because he’s also from the Midwest and we were able to connect so well, but you’re all wrong about him.”

  “Miss Mignon, he’s an actor. He can present himself any way he wants. It’s what they do.”

  She stubbornly shook her head. “You’re completely wrong about him,” she insisted. “But we don’t need to discuss this anymore, and I don’t need to hear any more of your opinions about actors.”

  The genie shrugged his shoulders as much as a half an inch and turned back to his book. “Very well,” he said.

  The seeds of doubt were planted before Jack had told her his opinion of actors, but it only got worse after that. The rest of the evening Emily found herself brooding and unable to concentrate on the manuscript she was trying to read. She ended up calling it an early night and sending Jack back into the lamp an hour earlier than usual. Emily knew she needed to stay away from doing any web searches on Derek, that if she did she’d only find one story after the next linking him to glamorous actresses and models, but she couldn’t help herself. It crushed her as she looked at half a dozen photos, each one found showing Derek with a different willowy and long legged actress or model. She’d had this suspicion that she didn’t want to admit to: that the only reason Derek didn’t try to sleep with her that night was because he had already lined someone else up for later, and that he was planning for Emily to be his main course for the following night. As she continued to look at a longer parade of gorgeous women rumored to be linked to Derek, that suspicion only became more gut wrenchingly real. Although it took a great bit of will power, she turned off her computer and walked away from it.