by S. Tamanaha
In the ladies’ room, Susan washed the pins that she had used to secure the flowers in her hair and used them to help the women don their flowers. They all laughed and giggled like teenagers. Then the questions began.
Where was she from? What did she do in Hawaii? Had she and John been dating long? She told them that she was an attorney and that she had met him accidentally quite recently and had just started dating.
“You’re an attorney!” Isabel exclaimed. “And dating America’s hunk! Now there’s a story.”
“Well, if he was just a hunk, I don’t think I’d be dating him,” Susan said as she pinned the flower onto Isabel’s hair. “I do need to carry on an intelligent conversation with the people I date. He’s a very smart man and a hard worker. Two qualities that I admire a great deal. I just think that most people have difficulty seeing past that image. That orchid looks beautiful against your red hair.”
When they returned to the table, the women happily showed off their flowers. Shortly afterwards, the master of ceremonies stepped onto the stage and after thanking the audience in general for their support that evening, began acknowledging certain “special people” who had been instrumental in making the event possible, including the producer, Daniel Stevens, who was seated at their table and had attended the benefit without an escort. Then the band started to play.
The other producer, Gerald Hinshaw, and his wife, Amy, got up to dance.
“Come on Harold, let’s dance,” Rachel, the woman with the absent husband, said and hauled the single director to his feet.
“Do you want to dance?” Johnny asked her.
“My feet are really hurting in these new shoes,” she lied. “Perhaps Isabel would like to dance.”
He followed her lead. “Isabel, would you do me the honor?”
“Would I?” Isabel exclaimed. “Somebody find a photographer!”
He escorted Isabel to the dance floor and Susan smiled slightly as she watched the woman chatting non-stop with Johnny. She was now alone with Daniel Stevens. He appeared to be in his mid-forties, slender and fit, clean shaven, with wavy brown hair and hazel eyes. The suit that he wore was understated, but she was familiar with material, cut, and workmanship and she knew that it was expensive. He wore no rings or other jewelry but on his left wrist she noticed his sleek watch—a Rolex.
“John says that you’re an attorney,” Daniel said. “An interesting match.”
She told him the same thing that she had told the Isabel and the other women in the bathroom. Then she said, “You know, I was just joking with Johnny recently that with his hair cut short and dressed in a suit he looks so much like an attorney. An actor like him—with his reputation of being a sex symbol—becoming an attorney, that would be something. With his voice and his charm, he’d probably win every jury case.”
“Sex symbol turned attorney. You know, that wouldn’t be a bad plot for a series or a television movie.”
“Really? Do you think so?”
“Beefcake and brains. There’s an element of surprise in that since no one thinks that the two go together. There’d have to be a motivating factor though; some reason that explains why the switch occurs.”
“You mean like some personal tragedy that makes him seek justice?” she asked.
Daniel smiled. “Exactly.”
“Someone like that would be disappointed though. I’ve found that very often the law has nothing to do with justice. The person who wins is often the person who has the most money. Other than in personal injury cases, ordinary people need to be able to pay their attorneys and most of them can’t.”
“So this character would take on a case or cases that under normal circumstances would result in an injustice being done. Even better.”
“Even better?”
“For the development of the plot,” Daniel said.
She smiled. “Oh, I see.”
Daniel mentioned the idea to Johnny and the others when they returned to the table. They all seemed to like it.
“That’s a role I’d be interested in,” Johnny said calmly. “I can even get pointers from a real one.”
They all laughed.
“How’d you think of that concept?” Johnny asked.
“Well, I can’t take the credit,” Daniel replied. “I got the idea from talking with her.”
“Now he’s being totally modest,” she said. “All I said was that you look like an attorney in some of your photos when you’re dressed in a suit and your hair is cut short. And then we started talking about the law. He came up with the idea completely on his own. It does sound interesting though.”
“We should really discuss the concept and maybe start pitching it,” Daniel said to Johnny. “Who’s your agent?”
So while Johnny, Daniel, and the other men at the table discussed business, she conversed with the women at the table, telling them about other Hawaiian myths and legends and showing them a picture of Angel when one of them happened to mention that she owned a dog. By the end of the night, they were all in good spirits and treated Johnny and her as though they were close friends.
As the limousine drove them back to the studio where Johnny had left his car, he leaned over and kissed her lovingly. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said.
“Like what?”
“You know what I’m talking about. First you told Isabel what she needed to hear and then you told them the story about pure love—the one thing that probably none of them have found and are still looking for—and then you planted that idea about a new series or movie in that guy’s head.”
“I wish you wouldn’t make it sound like that. It sounds so ... manipulative. I just tried to talk about things that I thought would interest them and, whenever possible, direct their focus back to you where it should be. And I didn’t lie. I do believe that the right casting is important for a movie, and the story about the orchid is an actual Hawaiian fable and I really do think that you look like an attorney in some of your photos. I can’t do it if I actually have to lie. And I never expected him to propose a new series. I just wanted him to keep you in mind for more serious parts if they came along. Anyway, don’t expect miracles. They may forget by tomorrow.”
“I don’t care. They were entranced by you tonight.” He kissed her again. “I was entranced. Do you know that I’ve run into Isabel many times before and this is the first time that she’s invited me to sit at her table? And do you know how hard it is to get a producer like Daniel Stevens interested enough in a concept that he’s willing to pitch it? My agent’s going to fall off of his chair. And when are you going to stop surprising me?”
“Surprising you?”
“I didn’t know that you made that dress. You never told me.”
“Oh, didn’t I?” She frowned slightly trying to remember. “I guess the subject never came up.”
He smiled. He wondered if she knew how really unique she was, especially in that city where people seized every opportunity to talk about themselves and their accomplishments.
The limousine delivered them to the studio parking structure and she sighed with relief as she settled into the passenger seat of Johnny’s old Chevy.
“Does the studio always make you take a limousine to these events?” she asked.
“Yep. They want their stars arriving like stars. Why? Don’t you like limos?”
She shook her head. “They’re dark and all the windows are rolled up. It makes me feel closed in. I’d rather have a car like this and the wind on my face.”
He smiled. “Me too.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Let’s go back to the hotel.”
“Can we please get some food first?” she asked. “I was so nervous over there, I didn’t eat anything.”
He laughed. They stopped at a Jack-In-The-Box, picked up some fast food, then returned to the hotel and changed out of their evening clothes. They sat out on the balcony to eat their dinner.
“I don’t know how you do it,” she said. “having to go to these thing
s so often. It’s exhausting.”
“I know one thing. The next time I show up, I’d better have you with me or they’ll have my head.” He took hold of her hand and kissed it. “Thank you. I’m sorry that I tricked you into it, but I’m not sorry that I took you. You really were incredible.”
“I’m just trying to get them to see what I see in you.”
He kissed her hand again and held it as they looked out at the city. “You don’t like this city, do you?” he asked after a while. She hadn’t said anything but Johnny could see it in her eyes.
“I’m not going to lie,” she said quietly. “I find it cold and hard to look at.”
“But you’re still willing to move here—for me?”
She nodded. “Whatever it takes to help you get your dream. But you need to promise me something. You need to promise that you won’t let chasing this dream change you. I couldn’t stand it if I lost the you that I fell in love with.”
“As long as I have you, I’ll remain sane,” he said.
They stayed that way on the balcony for a while, looking out at the city, feeling the peace of being back in their own world. Then he leaned over and kissed her tenderly.
“Are you too tired?” he asked.
She shook her head and he smiled and led her by the hand back into the room. As passionate as their lovemaking was, he wished that he could do more to express his love to her. She had captured his heart and soul long before that evening, but at that event he had seen how she had conquered her own fears and her dislike of being there and used her sensing skills and her charm and wit to do whatever she could do to help him. And she was willing to give up her beloved sanctuary and almost everything else that she loved and move to a city that she hated just for him. He had never been loved like this before and knew that he would never be again. She was the Universe’s gift to him and he would treasure that gift forever.
“I love you,” he whispered as he took her. “God, I love you so much.”
His words, even more than his physical touch, brought her to tears and heightened her passion. “I love you, Johnny,” she whispered into his ear, sending shivers through his body. “You are my soul.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
It took Susan a little more than two months to settle her affairs in Hawaii. Most of her money was tied up in her sanctuary. Nevertheless, it was unthinkable to her to sell her special place so she arranged to rent it at a slightly lowered rental rate to a couple of trusted friends so that she could pay the mortgage and wouldn’t have to worry about anyone destroying her place. She also got her friends to agree to allow the band to continue to rehearse there, in the front room, about once a week. Her family threw her a farewell party. Her friends did too. They were all surprised when she told them where she was headed and why.
“I can’t believe it,” Gail said excitedly. “I’m so happy for you.”
“I can’t believe it too sometimes,” Susan said. “Me in L.A. with the man just named one of Hollywood’s sexiest stars. It’s not exactly the lifestyle I would have pictured myself living just a few months ago.”
“Well, I know you wouldn’t be doing it if you didn’t think that he was the one,” Gail said.
Susan smiled. “He really is the one. That much I know. But did my soulmate have to be the fantasy lover of thousands of women?”
“Including Trish,” Gail said, and they both laughed.
“I’ll keep in touch by email,” Susan promised. “Write back, okay? I don’t know a single person in L.A. except for Johnny.”
She bought two seats on the plane so that Angel would be more comfortable in her carrier. As the plane prepared to land at LAX, she looked out of the window at the sprawling city with its seemingly endless rows of gray concrete buildings. In the distance, she could see the buildings disappearing into the infamous haze. She couldn’t help but feel a little sad at the thought of having to make a life in that city, but when she saw Johnny waiting for them at the arrival area, smiling happily, she knew that she had no choice. Johnny had to stay there and she had to be with him.
She and Angel settled into their new surroundings fairly quickly. Johnny’s house was barely furnished and he gave her money to buy whatever furniture or furnishings that she wanted. She shopped wisely, almost exclusively online, and purchased all that she needed with money left over that she returned to him. He had arranged to have the patio area and the backyard cleaned and landscaped so that Angel would have a safe place outside to explore and do her business. She had shipped her own car over so that she wouldn’t have to go through the painful process of finding another one and he taught her how to get around the city. At first, she had resisted his offer of driving lessons.
“Can’t I just hire an instructor or something?” she asked.
“Why would you want to pay someone for that? What’s wrong with me teaching you?”
“You’re so busy,” she tried to reason with him. “I could be learning with an instructor while you’re at the studio.”
“Susan, what’s this all about? What’s the real reason?” He could read her perfectly now.
She sighed. “I hate stupid drivers. I get road rage, Johnny. Sometimes I get so angry that I start swearing and I don’t want you to hear it.”
He laughed and hugged her. “I have it too,” he confessed. “And yours can’t be as bad as mine.”
“Well, all the more reason then. Should a person with road rage really be teaching another person with road rage how to drive?”
He smiled. “I’m going to teach you. And I’ll try to control mine if you do the same. Maybe this is a good thing. It’s not safe for you to be yelling at people here in L.A.” He lifted her chin. “So, what kind of swear words do you know?”
“Stop it, Johnny,” she said, looking embarrassed.
He laughed again and kissed her.
His schedule kept him as busy as ever, but he was never happier. He felt so at peace now that she was with him permanently. In just one month, she had transformed a barely furnished house into a comfortable home that he was proud of. He had never given much thought to furnishing and decorating his place, but he liked how her sanctuary had been decorated and she had chosen the same look for his home—sleek and uncluttered.
On one of those rare occasions that he was home early enough to join her while she took Angel for her walk, he discovered that she had also made friends with people in his neighborhood that he never knew existed. As they walked the little dog around the block, a man in his thirties, attractive and tanned, called out her name and came running after them.
“Hi,” he said. “Glad I caught you.”
“Hi Damien.” She greeted him as though they were old friends.
“Here’s a replacement tube for that ointment that you loaned me,” he said, handing her a small box.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“No, it’s okay. It worked so well, I went and bought two.”
“Well, thank you so much. Oh, I’m sorry, Damien, this is Johnny. Johnny, Damien Barrachi.”
“Very nice to finally meet you,” Damien said as he shook Johnny’s hand. “Usually I only see Susan and Angel on their walks. I do see you driving by in your vintage Chevy though. That’s a great car.”
“Thanks so much,” Johnny said. “It’s nice meeting you too.”
“Well, I’m late for a dinner. I’ll see you both later.”
“Thanks Damien.”
“Who was that?” Johnny asked after he had left.
“That was your neighbor from down the street. He’s involved with the production of music videos. I ran into him and his little King Charles spaniel while walking one day. Haven’t you ever seen him the entire time you’ve lived here?”
“Not that I noticed. What’s that he gave you?”
“Ointment for dog itch. His Spaniel had a problem and I loaned him what I use on Angel and it worked. He’s just paying me back.”
She could see that he was brooding a little. “Y
ou aren’t jealous are you?” she asked.
“Maybe ... a little,” he conceded. “Also, I’m not sure if you should be getting too friendly with people, especially the men around here, since I’m gone so much.”
Susan smiled. “The only reason Damien came running after us is because he so wanted to meet you.”
He looked down at her, frowning.
“He’s gay Johnny. Every time I run into him he raves about your latest photo and how beautiful you are. You’re the one who should be worried.”
He laughed. “I guess my reading skills are useless when it comes to men and you.”
“This from a man whose job it is to make love to and flirt with gorgeous women.”
“Well, that’s all make-believe. The people you meet are all real.”
“The people I meet could never hold a candle to you,” she assured him.
His long hours at the studio made daily lovemaking impossible but as passionate as these two Scorpions were, they didn’t really mind. Sex was a way for them to express their love for each other—a way to allow them to get as close to each other as humanly possible. It was not, however, the only way to express love.
If he came home exhausted and irritable after fourteen hours at the studio, she would make sure that there was something for him to eat, have him take a warm shower, and massage him until he fell asleep. She would get up when he got up, no matter how early so that she could make him a quick but healthy breakfast to eat on his way to the studio, which he preferred over the food available through craft services, and kiss him goodbye. He would call her during his breaks to let her know that he was thinking of her and her soothing voice would always make him feel better if he was irritable. She continually worked on the house—painting, cleaning, and fixing the things that needed to be fixed—so that Johnny would have a welcoming and relaxing place to kick back in after a hard days’ work; his own sanctuary of sorts.
They never made money an issue. She had insisted on paying rent to him to help cover his mortgage, but he refused to accept any money after she moved in so she paid for the utilities, food, and whatever else that was needed. By anyone’s standards, he was extremely frugal, but he was open and generous when it came to her. When checking out of the hotel after visiting him in L.A., she discovered that he had paid most of the bill. She protested, but he insisted that it was only fair since she would be giving up so much to move to L.A. and he knew that there would be costs involved in that move. He had even set up an account for her to use into which funds were deposited weekly because he knew that she would be losing a substantial portion of her income by moving to L.A., but she managed to avoid using that account. She did not want to drain him financially, and she needed to be financially independent, so she negotiated a lower salaried position as a consultant with her previous employer since no one had been found who could fully take over her duties and she was able to do much of the work via the internet. She was also still receiving some royalties from sales of her book and was working on another novel.