Page 98 (1/1)

12

Just another sunny day and semi-balmy but with a constant headwind and I’ around, aht Gap tank top, sunglasses lowered at the girl with the total Juliette-Binoche-if-Juliette-Binoche-were-blond-and-froue in a row of twenty: tall, statuesque, killer abs, a little toobrsts straining against a white gauzy half-shirt, the prerequisite curvy legs outlined beneath leopard-print Capri pants On the table next to her, copies of Vogue, Details, a W Chloe and I are in, Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar are kept fro overboard by a small pitcher of iced tea placed on top of the h an enor-and then-a racefully stoop down to pick up-a rehearsed gesture I’ood at

"Thank you," she says demurely, a familiar voice She retrieves a pack of Silk Cuts frohts one A cue to o ahead," she says a little too loudly because of the Walk I notice the case of the new Tricky cassette sticking out of the Chanel tote and mentally brush up on the last Tricky CD, reviews of certain Tricky concerts I’ve read, any Tricky details froirl with the total Juliette Binoche look

Even though it’s too cold to take off the tank top-and not like it’s doing a good job of hiding anything- I slip out of it without relasses, lay the towel down and ease et her attention She’s reading a book with the words MARTIN AMIS in giant black letters on the cover and I’ she’s not a member of Aht beer and a large bottle of one

When the girl takes the Walkman off I remember a line, make a move

"Hey, didn’t we meet at that barbecue Kevyn Aucoin threw in New York?"

She takes off her sunglasses, stubs the cigarette in an ashtray, s and says, "I don’t think so"

"Well, what’s the story?" I ask "How do I know you? You look disturbingly fah it could be because you’re the only person on this boat born the sa us There is a couple-handsome and maybe in their mid-forties, dressed in fashionable beachwear that proves they’re in pretty good shape-standing by the railing The ainst the backdrop of the ocean lance over at where I’, the woman with a harsh, alarish s at her The man is basically a blank and I’m totally not interested

"Are those your parents?" I ask, nodding toward the couple

"No,over as the couple now shuffles out of her line of vision when they notice her paying attention "Actually, though, I do know Kevyn Aucoin I just haven’t been invited to one of his soirees"

"They’re quite fun as soirees go," I tell her, perking up "The whole gang is usually there Cindy, Linda, Kate, the Sandras-Bullock, Bernhard and Gallin Oh, and I met Sheryl Crow there too"

"I take it you’re also a bold-faced nairl offers what doesn’t seem like a fake smile

"So maybe we’ve run into each other at various VIP fashion events?" I suggest "Brushed by each other in the front rooe? Shared cocktails at a private screening where eren’t aware of each other’s presence, h my eyebrows faux-lasciviously but she’s not arapher, are you?" she asks suspiciously, her face tightening

"Hey, no, baby, relax" I stall, then lift her iced tea and pick up W, flipping it open to the Star Spotting section, a photo of Chloe and irl over the table She glances at the page, then looks at me, then back at the photo

"You’re Christian Slater?" she asks, confused

"No, no, the one below that"

"Oh, I see"