Read Online Dying to Have Her by Heather Graham - Free Book Online
Authors: Heather Graham
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different things in a fellow, remember?”
Serena slipped her arm through Doug’s. “We’ll have lunch this weekend because I love you to death and we haven’t had lunch together in a while, how’s that?”
“Maybe I’ll come, and bring the baby,” Jennifer suggested.
“I would love to have you, but we’re going on a hunt!” Doug told her. “A man-hunt. Men don’t coo-coo over babies the way that women do.”
“We’re not going on a man hunt. Jen, you’re coming to lunch,” Serena said.
Doug sniffed. “We’ll attract nothing but women with Serena’s own nesting instinct,” he said with a sigh. “But if that’s the way you want it …”
“Doug, you cannot pick up good men by watching people go by on Sunset,” Serena said.
“Speak for yourself, my poor dear sweet!” Doug told her.
Doug caught her arm, hurrying her along again until they reached his car. It was a brand-new sporty Mercedes in metallic silver. Once in the driver’s seat, he revved the engine, and a smile lit his face, as if he were in heaven, just listening. “God, I love that sound. Just hearing it … I almost feel as if I just had some great sex.”
“Luxuriate in the afterglow later, Doug,” Jennifer commanded dryly. “We’re at a funeral. Going to a grave-site. Remember?”
Doug cast Jennifer a hurt look. Serena patted his knee. He revved the car again and drove off.
They arrived at the burial ground to another crowd. The famed old Hollywood cemetery was as mobbed as the church had been. The fabled graves of the stars of yesteryear were rudely trampled as the attendees crushed forward for close spots around the new grave. Serena would have hung back, but Jennifer caught her arm. “Look. The guys have saved us places.”
They wedged forward. Cameras were flashing. News trucks, reporters, broadcasters, cameramen were everywhere. NBC, ABC, CBS, and cable.
“She would have loved this! Loved it, adored the attention!” Andy raved, whispering as Serena, Jennifer, and Doug found their places.
“Just spectacular!” Joe Penny said. He pinched Serena suddenly. “Can you cry?” She stared at him indignantly. “Then look remorseful, please. The cameras are right on us now.”
The priest began the grave-side service. Serena noted vaguely that even he was a good-looking man, tall, handsomely tanned, with a fine speaking voice. It was Hollywood. Maybe he had come out here to be a movie star—and decided on the cloth instead. She winced, ready to kick herself. When had she gotten so jaded?
She wasn’t aware when the service came to an end. Close to the coffin, she was handed a rose to toss down upon it. She did so and walked away, feeling Doug’s escorting hand upon her elbow. They were followed by the others in their party.
“Miss McCormack!”
As her name was called, she turned around. At first she thought it was the man from the funeral home. Then she realized that it was just someone who looked similar to him.
“Yes?”
He handed her a flower. A beautiful red rose in full bloom.
“I … I set a flower upon the grave,” she said.
Something almost like a smile touched his face. “No, this one is for you. From a fan. It would be a kindness if you would take it.”
“A fan?”
“Someone shy, I think. But someone who very much wants you to know that … you’re watched. Please … as I said, it’s from a fan.”
She nodded. “Yes, of course. Thank you very much.”
She took the rose and turned away with Doug once again.
An odd chill suddenly seeped through her.
“See? You are adored, my lovely diva of the daytime!” Doug teased.
But Serena wasn’t really listening. Being in the cemetery had made her uneasy, as if she were being watched.
She turned back, looking through the crowd for the nondescript man who had given her the rose.
She curled her fingers more tightly around the stem of the flower she carried.
“Hey, careful!” Doug warned her.
She looked down. She hadn’t felt the thorn
Serena slipped her arm through Doug’s. “We’ll have lunch this weekend because I love you to death and we haven’t had lunch together in a while, how’s that?”
“Maybe I’ll come, and bring the baby,” Jennifer suggested.
“I would love to have you, but we’re going on a hunt!” Doug told her. “A man-hunt. Men don’t coo-coo over babies the way that women do.”
“We’re not going on a man hunt. Jen, you’re coming to lunch,” Serena said.
Doug sniffed. “We’ll attract nothing but women with Serena’s own nesting instinct,” he said with a sigh. “But if that’s the way you want it …”
“Doug, you cannot pick up good men by watching people go by on Sunset,” Serena said.
“Speak for yourself, my poor dear sweet!” Doug told her.
Doug caught her arm, hurrying her along again until they reached his car. It was a brand-new sporty Mercedes in metallic silver. Once in the driver’s seat, he revved the engine, and a smile lit his face, as if he were in heaven, just listening. “God, I love that sound. Just hearing it … I almost feel as if I just had some great sex.”
“Luxuriate in the afterglow later, Doug,” Jennifer commanded dryly. “We’re at a funeral. Going to a grave-site. Remember?”
Doug cast Jennifer a hurt look. Serena patted his knee. He revved the car again and drove off.
They arrived at the burial ground to another crowd. The famed old Hollywood cemetery was as mobbed as the church had been. The fabled graves of the stars of yesteryear were rudely trampled as the attendees crushed forward for close spots around the new grave. Serena would have hung back, but Jennifer caught her arm. “Look. The guys have saved us places.”
They wedged forward. Cameras were flashing. News trucks, reporters, broadcasters, cameramen were everywhere. NBC, ABC, CBS, and cable.
“She would have loved this! Loved it, adored the attention!” Andy raved, whispering as Serena, Jennifer, and Doug found their places.
“Just spectacular!” Joe Penny said. He pinched Serena suddenly. “Can you cry?” She stared at him indignantly. “Then look remorseful, please. The cameras are right on us now.”
The priest began the grave-side service. Serena noted vaguely that even he was a good-looking man, tall, handsomely tanned, with a fine speaking voice. It was Hollywood. Maybe he had come out here to be a movie star—and decided on the cloth instead. She winced, ready to kick herself. When had she gotten so jaded?
She wasn’t aware when the service came to an end. Close to the coffin, she was handed a rose to toss down upon it. She did so and walked away, feeling Doug’s escorting hand upon her elbow. They were followed by the others in their party.
“Miss McCormack!”
As her name was called, she turned around. At first she thought it was the man from the funeral home. Then she realized that it was just someone who looked similar to him.
“Yes?”
He handed her a flower. A beautiful red rose in full bloom.
“I … I set a flower upon the grave,” she said.
Something almost like a smile touched his face. “No, this one is for you. From a fan. It would be a kindness if you would take it.”
“A fan?”
“Someone shy, I think. But someone who very much wants you to know that … you’re watched. Please … as I said, it’s from a fan.”
She nodded. “Yes, of course. Thank you very much.”
She took the rose and turned away with Doug once again.
An odd chill suddenly seeped through her.
“See? You are adored, my lovely diva of the daytime!” Doug teased.
But Serena wasn’t really listening. Being in the cemetery had made her uneasy, as if she were being watched.
She turned back, looking through the crowd for the nondescript man who had given her the rose.
She curled her fingers more tightly around the stem of the flower she carried.
“Hey, careful!” Doug warned her.
She looked down. She hadn’t felt the thorn
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