With their love notes in hand, Alessandra and Fish meet in the middle of the coffee house. They exchange their colorful declarations of love, smile like smitten kittens at each other, and then march, hand in hand, out of the coffee house... where they walk past Georgina and Laila furiously beating the crap out of Keane’s love mobile with baseball bats, much to his chagrin.
“The End,” Maddy says. And her enraptured audience instantly explodes with excitement.
“Can I ask a question?” Alessandra says. “I’m not trying to look a gift horse in the mouth here. I can’t believe how lucky I am. But why are all these famous artists willing to make cameos in some nobody’s video?”
“Every last one of them owes me a favor,” Reed says. “But also, and this is the truth, Alessandra, none of them would do this if they didn’t genuinely like you and believe in your song.”
Alessandra couldn’t be more effusive and adorable in this moment. She thanks Reed profusely and says she’s going to hop up and thank each artist around the table, individually.
“No, no,” Reed says, laughing. “Thank them tomorrow if they actually show up. Also, there’s no need to thank me. I wouldn’t be doing any of this if I didn’t think I’d make my money back, and then some.”
I smile at Reed. Liar. I love him for it, don’t get me wrong. But I’ve come to realize Reed isn’t trying to make Alessandra a star for money. He’s doing it for himself. As a game. Just to see if he can. And, of course, he’s doing it for me. The same way I wrote a sappy love letter about him for Rock n’ Roll, rather than a hard-hitting, revealing piece for Dig a Little Deeper.
A waiter comes to refill water glasses and Reed gestures to him. “Open a case of your finest champagne. We’re celebrating an amazing charity concert and the imminent birth of a superstar.” He indicates sweet little Alessandra with his whiskey glass. “Mark my words, this girl here is about to make every person at this table look like a fucking amateur.”
The waiter chuckles. “Yes, sir.” He looks at Alessandra. “Congratulations.”
As the waiter leaves, I lean into Reed’s ear. “When we get back to our hotel room, I’m going to give you a blowjob that will make you pass out.”
Reed grins. “Gosh, I wonder what prompted that reaction, Miss Ricci.” He winks. His face aglow. “And you thought you didn’t have a price.”
Chapter 36
Reed
“Wasn’t Alessandra amazing?” Georgina gushes.
We’re cuddled up together in the backseat of Tony’s black sedan, heading to my mother’s facility in Scarsdale. Throughout the drive, we’ve been talking enthusiastically about yesterday’s music video shoot for Alessandra’s single. Reliving it. Laughing about it. Marveling at how well it went.
“She was adorable,” I say. And it’s the truth. To my surprise, Maddy was able to coax a delightful performance out of shy little Alessandra. Actually, I think it’s fair to say Maddy captured lightning in a bottle from everyone. “Props to Maddy for what she accomplished yesterday,” I say. “She impressed the hell out of me.”
“Me, too.” Georgina lays her head on my shoulder. “You swear I didn’t embarrass myself?”
I kiss the top of Georgina’s head. “Sweetheart, I promise you were magnificent in the video. A bombshell. A siren.” And, again, I’m telling the truth. Not surprisingly, Georgina was a star yesterday, just like I knew she’d be. When I watched her being interviewed the other day on Good Morning America, her star power was undeniable. Even CeeCee saw it. During the interview, she leaned into me and said, “I’m not going to be able to hang onto my unicorn for long. She’s going to get a whole lot of TV offers after this... and, at some point, she’s going to take one.”
CeeCee didn’t sound the least bit upset when she said that, by the way. Only proud. Because CeeCee knows, as do I, that dreams are inherently meant to grow and expand. Right out of college, Georgina thinks writing for Dig a Little Deeper is the highest peak imaginable for her career. But one day, probably soon, I’d guess, Georgina will realize she’s standing at the base of a much, much higher peak. She’ll realize she was born to take that GMA interviewer’s job one day, or its equivalent. And when Georgina realizes that, and leaves Dig a Little Deeper to chase an even bigger dream, CeeCee will be as excited for Georgina as I’ll be.
Tony brings the sedan to a stop in front of my mother’s facility. “Will this be a long visit today, Mr. Rivers?”
I touch the ring box in my pocket, reassuring myself, yet again, it’s still there. I’m not going to give it to Georgina until we’re in Sardinia, standing on a beach at sunset with a photographer there to capture the once-in-a-lifetime moment. But when I took the ring box out of the hotel safe this morning, I didn’t feel good about packing something so valuable in my suitcase. And so, here it is. Burning a hole in my pocket. Making me feel physically ill with excitement about what’s to come every time it bumps against my thigh.
“It’ll be a long visit today, Tony,” I say. “Feel free to head to a diner or something. I’ll text you when we’re close to leaving.” I look at Georgie. “You’ve got a print-out of your article?”
She pats her purse. “God, I hope Eleanor likes it.”
I reassure her my mother will love it, even though, in truth, nerves are suddenly gripping me. I’m almost positive I’m right about that—that my mother will, indeed, love the article Georgina has written for her. But you never know with Eleanor Rivers. There’s always the chance the article will send her spiraling into some sort of unexpected meltdown.
I lay my palm on the ring box again, subconsciously reassuring myself it’s there. And then, with a kiss to Georgina’s cheek, get out of the car, take Georgina’s hand, and lead her up the familiar steps toward the facility.
Chapter 37
Georgina
There she is. Eleanor. Curled into Child’s Pose, alongside her boyfriend, Lee, at the front of her yoga class. When the instructor sees Reed and me in the doorway, she says something to Eleanor that makes her sit up and look, and the moment Eleanor sees us, her face ignites with childlike joy. She leaps up, shrieking happily, and bounds over to us like a gray-haired gazelle. Only this time, unlike last time, Eleanor flings herself into Reed’s strong arms, first—but only to chastise him for it being so long between visits.
“It’s my fault,” I say. “I had a bunch of deadlines for my summer internship, and I had to hunker down. I promise, I’ll never let so much time pass between visits again.”
“No, no, it’s my fault,” Reed says. “I should have come weeks ago, by myself. The truth is, I haven’t traveled these past six weeks at all, other than one short business trip out West, because I’ve enjoyed staying home with Georgina so much.” He looks at me and flashes a smile that sends my heart fluttering. “Georgina’s living with me now, Mom. Permanently. And, suddenly, the only thing I want to do is stay home and hang out with her.”
Eleanor looks pleased. “Well, if you’re going to ignore me for way too long, I suppose that’s a delightful reason.” She waggles her finger at her son. “But never stay away this long again, Reed Charlemagne.”