GLASS_ A Standalone Novel - Arianne Richmonde Page 0,21
thing I wanted to forget. The wish I’d made, willing Daniel and Natasha to split up.
“I never seem to meet anyone I find really attractive,” I lamented, “you know, someone who makes my heart race.”
“That’s because you live in New York. All the good looking guys in New York are gay. Or married.”
I laughed. Star always got straight to the point. “I know,” I groaned, “it’s true. Every time I see someone hot, the second they open their mouth, the illusion is gone.”
She padded over to the kitchen table and refilled my coffee. “Have you tried therapy? I know someone who could help you.”
“I need a hypnotist not a therapist. Someone to make me forget him completely, wipe him, not only from my mind, but also from my deep subconscious. Did you ever read Midsummer Night’s Dream?”
“Course. Long time ago though.”
“It’s like that. As if someone put love juice on my eyelids while I was sleeping and the first person I saw when I woke up was Daniel. Like I have a spell on me. After we finished rehearsing, even when I knew he was getting married, I’d walk past his door in hope I’d bump into him. How sick is that? Like I was a glutton for punishment. Knowing he wasn’t into me, yet praying somehow he’d change his mind.”
“He must have given you some kind of come-on at some point or you wouldn’t have been so hooked on him.”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not. He can’t help having piercing blue eyes that shoot straight through to your soul.” And other places. “It’s like the classic student/teacher syndrome. A schoolgirl crush. Just because they show you some attention, your mind fancies there’s mutual attraction, when in reality they think of you as a child.”
Star reached up for a mug from the kitchen cabinet. The place was sleek, all chrome and white marble floors. Futuristic. It was a lot of prime real estate for someone of her age. I was impressed. “You want some muesli? Toast? I’ll squeeze some orange juice.”
“Juice would be great, thanks. Nothing to eat though. Maybe later. Sorry to go on, Star, I know I must be boring you.”
“We’ve all been there. That’s why I’m so glad to be married now even though Jake drives me nuts sometimes.”
“Where is he by the way? And where are the kids?”
“You noticed the silence too, huh? They’re on set.”
“All of them?”
Star cut some oranges in half and put one into an old-fashioned juice press, drawing down a lever and emptying the juice into a large glass. “Yeah, they’re all working today and I love it. Peace at last. Talk about keeping it in the family. Hero wanted to act, and anything Hero wants Leo wants too. This is the second movie in the trilogy—Jake said no at first, but they offered him so much money he couldn’t refuse.” She handed me a full glass of juice.
“Love your citrus squeezer.”
“We keep electric gadgets to a minimum. Someone is always getting up at five a.m. to be on set, so we all learn to sneak around as quiet as mice. Did you check your voicemail by the way? I turned the ring off the landline—didn’t want to be disturbed.”
“No, why?”
“Because Pearl called my cell. Twice. I haven’t listened to the messages yet but I’m wondering if she’s trying to get in touch.”
“With me? I doubt it.”
“Well answer her. Not only is she a very cool person, but she’s a big player too. I’m going to get dressed—help yourself to anything you want.”
“Thanks, I will.”
Star left the room, and I took my juice and coffee to my bedroom. I sat cross-legged on the mattress and stared out at the view. The sun was pretty high and had transformed into a glare so bright I had to look away. The ocean was a dark blue, the horizon a haze of paler blues and gradating turquoises melting into the sky. There were a few surfers dotted about in wetsuits, like bobbing seals. I wondered if there were any sharks in these waters. Wish I’d never seen Jaws. Despite the rubbery neck of the obviously fake shark in the movie, I still feared the ocean.
I picked up my phone. Again, I scoured through my messages, just in case the “Call me. Now” text really did exist.
No, it didn’t. Of course it didn’t. When would I learn?
I listened to my voicemail: “Janie, it’s Pearl. Well, hon, you really have stirred things up with Sam. Telling him