Lucky Stars by Jane Heller

Author:Jane Heller
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Movie Industry, Hollywood
Published: 2003-04-24T13:34:25+00:00

About a week later, my mother suggested another dinner with Victor. I agreed and invited Jack to come along. He declined, citing his workload, even though I pleaded and cajoled and tried to make him feel guilty (I inherited this trick from Mom).

“I’ll make it worth your while,” I teased. “We can fondle each other under the table.”

“I’d rather fondle you without your mother hovering,” he said.

“I know, but I really want you to meet Victor, so you can give me your unbiased opinion of him. I also want my mother to get to know you better.”

“And why’s that? Are you thinking of keeping me around a while?”

I blinked in response to his question. He made it sound as if our continuing on together was my choice— an entirely new concept for me. Based on my previous romantic disasters, I had come to believe that it was up to the man to either love me or dump me; that I was just this passive blob who had no say at all in matters of the heart. I’d fall hard, hope the feeling would be mutual, and end up disappointed, so where was my power, my choice? Was Jack telling me without telling me that he was in the relationship for the long haul and that if we were ever to part company, it would be up to me to say good-bye? Inconceivable.

“Yes, I’m thinking of keeping you around a while,” I said. “So would you please come to dinner? You’ve just got to witness the love fest that goes on between my mother and Victor. He actually calls her Cookie, and you don’t want to miss that, do you?”

“Stacey, you know I’d come if I could, but I’m under the gun with the show and I just can’t take the time. You go and tell me all about it, okay?”

Reluctantly, I let him off the hook and went to dinner with the twosome myself. Once again, we landed at Il Pastaio, and once again everybody stopped by our table to fawn over my another, tell her how much they enjoyed her, and give her the “Make no bones about it” line, imitating her nasal, crabby voice.

Victor laughed at everything she said and told her how beautiful she looked and generally behaved like a man who was smitten.

“See how they adore you, Cookie,” he said of the gawking passersby. “You’ve won their hearts as well as mine.”

Brother. I could have been invisible for all the attention they paid me, although Victor did ask about Jack, about why he couldn’t be there.

“He’s very busy with his television show,” I said. “He wanted to come, really.”

“Well, I was looking forward to seeing him,” said Victor. “He and I have so much in common.”

Not your taste in clothes, buddy. (Victor was a vision in a yellow-and-orange striped sweater and navy slacks.) “So much in common?”

He smiled. “Yes, the two Reiser women.”

“Right.”

“Yes, I was really hoping to dine with the toast of Hollywood,” he went on.

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