Read Online Drop Dead Beautiful by Jackie Collins - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jackie Collins
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tragedy had taken away her childhood and all the good memories, but screw it—even after Dario was murdered and then Marco, she’d never allowed herself to get beaten down. Never.
No. Lucky’s power was in her strength, and nobody could take that away from her.
Nobody dared.
Early Thursday evening Max bounced into the den where Lucky was busy working on the security list for Gino’s party, and Lennie was jotting down random notes on the script of his upcoming movie.
“Hey, Mom,” Max said, employing her best conciliatory tone of voice. “I just came up with a totally cool idea.”
“Really?” Lucky said, hardly looking up.
“Yes,” Max replied. “Y’see, I have the perfect solution.”
“You do, huh?” Lucky said skeptically.
Max nodded, full of confidence. “I’ll drive to Big Bear tomorrow , then come back Sunday morning like way in time for Grandpa’s party. How’s that?”
Lennie glanced up from his script. “You’re going to Big Bear?” he said. “I used to love to ski.”
“And your lovely daughter doesn’t,” Lucky said crisply. “Besides, Max, there’s no way you can miss dinner tomorrow night. Gino’s driving in from Palm Springs, and Bobby and Brigette are coming from New York. It’s a big family reunion dinner, and I’m cooking.”
Max groaned inwardly. Friday nights Lucky made a point of everyone sitting down for the whole family dinner thing. Why did she have to be there? Surely she had enough of Gino Junior and his lech friends all week?
“But Mom—” she began, working it hard.
Lucky shot her daughter a look. Friday nights were important, especially this Friday with everyone arriving. She’d planned on taking over the kitchen herself and making the one dish she excelled at: pasta and meatballs with her special sauce. It was Lennie’s favorite meal, and preparing it was her favorite therapy. Besides, she’d always encouraged her kids to bring their friends, so why was Max so intent on giving her a hard time?
“You should be here,” she said, throwing her daughter another long, steady look. “Everyone wants to see you.”
Max frowned. This Friday-night family deal was totally lame, she was so not into it, even though her friends couldn’t wait to come over for Friday dinner. “Damn, girl!” Cookie was always informing her. “You actually, like, have a family. All I’ve got is my dad, an’ all he has is a different bigboobed skank like every other second . An’ he gets to fuck ’em. I have to talk to them, so Friday night at your house rocks!”
It infuriated Max that both Cookie and Harry considered Lucky and Lennie the coolest parents ever.
“ You don’t have to live with them,” she would often point out. “They’re not that easy. My mom can be a total pain. When I got that tattoo on my thigh she went total ape shit.”
“I’d swap ’em for mine any day,” Harry would always reply. “At least they notice you’re alive.”
Max had to admit that on the very few occasions she’d seen them, Harry’s parents were quite scary. And as for Cookie’s dad, Gerald M., he was a major sex addict.
“Everyone will see me on Sunday at the big party,” Max said, flashing Lennie a pleading look. “Dad …”
“What’s the deal?” Lennie asked, finally putting down his script.
“One of Cookie’s friends is having a blowout birthday thing Saturday night,” Max said, words tripping over each other. “And Mom says I can’t go. But if I’m back in time for Grandpa’s party …” She trailed off, continuing to gaze pleadingly at Lennie, all intense green eyes and innocent expression.
Lennie got the message. “Hey, Lucky,” he said. “Whyn’t you let her go? What’s the big problem?”
“No problem,” Lucky responded, suddenly feeling like the uptight mother figure, a feeling she did not appreciate. “I guess as long as she’s back for Gino’s party it’s okay.”
“I, like, so will be,” Max dutifully promised, vainly
No. Lucky’s power was in her strength, and nobody could take that away from her.
Nobody dared.
Early Thursday evening Max bounced into the den where Lucky was busy working on the security list for Gino’s party, and Lennie was jotting down random notes on the script of his upcoming movie.
“Hey, Mom,” Max said, employing her best conciliatory tone of voice. “I just came up with a totally cool idea.”
“Really?” Lucky said, hardly looking up.
“Yes,” Max replied. “Y’see, I have the perfect solution.”
“You do, huh?” Lucky said skeptically.
Max nodded, full of confidence. “I’ll drive to Big Bear tomorrow , then come back Sunday morning like way in time for Grandpa’s party. How’s that?”
Lennie glanced up from his script. “You’re going to Big Bear?” he said. “I used to love to ski.”
“And your lovely daughter doesn’t,” Lucky said crisply. “Besides, Max, there’s no way you can miss dinner tomorrow night. Gino’s driving in from Palm Springs, and Bobby and Brigette are coming from New York. It’s a big family reunion dinner, and I’m cooking.”
Max groaned inwardly. Friday nights Lucky made a point of everyone sitting down for the whole family dinner thing. Why did she have to be there? Surely she had enough of Gino Junior and his lech friends all week?
“But Mom—” she began, working it hard.
Lucky shot her daughter a look. Friday nights were important, especially this Friday with everyone arriving. She’d planned on taking over the kitchen herself and making the one dish she excelled at: pasta and meatballs with her special sauce. It was Lennie’s favorite meal, and preparing it was her favorite therapy. Besides, she’d always encouraged her kids to bring their friends, so why was Max so intent on giving her a hard time?
“You should be here,” she said, throwing her daughter another long, steady look. “Everyone wants to see you.”
Max frowned. This Friday-night family deal was totally lame, she was so not into it, even though her friends couldn’t wait to come over for Friday dinner. “Damn, girl!” Cookie was always informing her. “You actually, like, have a family. All I’ve got is my dad, an’ all he has is a different bigboobed skank like every other second . An’ he gets to fuck ’em. I have to talk to them, so Friday night at your house rocks!”
It infuriated Max that both Cookie and Harry considered Lucky and Lennie the coolest parents ever.
“ You don’t have to live with them,” she would often point out. “They’re not that easy. My mom can be a total pain. When I got that tattoo on my thigh she went total ape shit.”
“I’d swap ’em for mine any day,” Harry would always reply. “At least they notice you’re alive.”
Max had to admit that on the very few occasions she’d seen them, Harry’s parents were quite scary. And as for Cookie’s dad, Gerald M., he was a major sex addict.
“Everyone will see me on Sunday at the big party,” Max said, flashing Lennie a pleading look. “Dad …”
“What’s the deal?” Lennie asked, finally putting down his script.
“One of Cookie’s friends is having a blowout birthday thing Saturday night,” Max said, words tripping over each other. “And Mom says I can’t go. But if I’m back in time for Grandpa’s party …” She trailed off, continuing to gaze pleadingly at Lennie, all intense green eyes and innocent expression.
Lennie got the message. “Hey, Lucky,” he said. “Whyn’t you let her go? What’s the big problem?”
“No problem,” Lucky responded, suddenly feeling like the uptight mother figure, a feeling she did not appreciate. “I guess as long as she’s back for Gino’s party it’s okay.”
“I, like, so will be,” Max dutifully promised, vainly
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