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"I thought you were taking the day off," I say

"Do you have a better suggestion?" he counters, a delicious deviousness in his voice

"As a matter of fact, I do"

I don’t think that Daestion that we e in bed for the rest of the afternoon watching old Thin Man race And I’m surprised to learn that he actually knows the movies as well as I do

"William Powell is brilliant," he says, "but I think I have a crush on Myrna Loy"

"I have a crush on her wardrobe," I ad evening gowns"

"Maybe we need to take you shopping"

"I’d love it," I say "But you’ve already filled up a closet fore earlier "If we go shopping, it’s for furniture"

"All right," he says "It’s a date" But neither one of us says when I know it’s ridiculous to hide in Damien’s apartment; if I wanted to hide, I should have taken him up on the offer to leave the country I’ve never been to Switzerland, after all But right now, lounging casually beside Da me here, it’s the sweet pleasure of the man beside me

We’ve just finished the first movie and started on After the Thin Man when nize the nunore calls, then I really airl "Hello?" I say tentatively

"Nikki? It’s Lisa We met in the cafeteria"

"Oh!" I’ to do coffee, I’m not in the office today" I don’t ain

"I know," she says "Listen, I heard what happened, and I just wanted to say that I’m sorry The press are a bunch of vultures, and it sucks that they’re shitting all over you"

"Thanks," I say

"I dropped into the office to see you, and after I learned what happened, Bruce gave me your number I just wanted to let you know that my offer for lunch or coffee is still open Anyti polite I’d thought when I met her that it would be nice to have a few more friends in LA And I’ now that I’m the object of ridicule