Alex said, flashing the smile that apparently had sold millions of movie tickets. He sat on the edge of Cammie’s chaise.
“We know,” Susan said. “I loved your movie.”
“Thanks.” Noah’s gaze went to Anna. “And thanks for the drinks.”
“You’re welcome,” Anna replied. And couldn’t think of another word to say.
“Do you have a name?” Alex added playfully, squatting down next to Anna’s chaise.
“Yes. Right. Sorry.” Anna sat up. “I’m Anna Percy.” She extended her hand to shake his.
He seemed amused by her formality. “Did you like our movie, too, Anna Percy?”
“To tell you the truth, I didn’t see it,” Anna confessed.
Alex cracked up. “Trust you to find the one girl in America who didn’t see it,” Noah teased.
“So, how do you guys know each other?” Susan asked Cammie.
“My dad’s their agent,” Cammie said nonchalantly, stretching out on a chaise on the other side of Susan. “They were at our place for a barbecue the day after Christmas.”
“Where was I?” Susan mock moaned.
“If you’re around next time, I’ll invite you,” Cammie promised.
Susan beamed. “Great.”
Noah put his fist to his heart, as if Anna had just wounded him. “You know how to hurt a guy.”
“If I’d known I was going to meet you, I would have seen it,” Anna explained.
She seemed to amuse him. “About a hundred million people saw it because they
wanted
to see it.”
Anna reddened. “I don’t go to the movies all that much.”
“Gee, why not?” Dee asked.
“Most of them aren’t very good,” Anna said.
“Oh yeah, dig yourself in even deeper,” Cammie hooted.
“Well, clearly I have to do something about this,” Noah decided. He picked up the courtesy phone on the small table between the chaise longues. “Hi, this is Noah Monahan. … No, everything is fine, thanks. Listen, can you arrange to have
Piper’s Dream
set up in my bungalow? Now would be great. Thanks. Ciao.” He hung up and turned to Anna, wiggling his eyebrows in a Groucho Marx imitation while pretending to hold a cigar. “Come along, my dear. I’ve arranged a private screening.”
Anna was momentarily flustered. “Um, I—”
He dropped the Groucho thing. “Hey, you’re not really going to turn down a private screening of my movie, are you?”
Was she? And if she was, then why had she sent him drinks? It wasn’t like she was in any danger. She was at the Beverly Hills Hotel, for God’s sake. But what about Adam?
What about him?
Anna thought.
I like him. A lot. But it’s not like we’re engaged
.
“Of course not,” Anna agreed.
“Get down, sis,” Susan exclaimed, egging her on.
Noah held out a hand and hoisted Anna to her feet. Standing, she was just slightly taller than he was. He had open blue eyes, tousled blond hair, and a toothy, boyish grin. She slipped her cover-up on over her bathing suit. Noah looked down at Anna’s feet, clad in casual Chanel leather sandals. “Great sandals,” he said.
Which was odd. Because they were actually rather ordinary, albeit extremely well made. She’d had them forever. But maybe he just wanted to find a unique way to compliment her, Anna figured.
“Thanks,” she said.
“Okay, so let’s go.” He reached for her hand again.
Anna held back. “But how can they possibly find the movie and get it ready this quickly?”
He grinned at her. “Anna Percy, that’s what they do here: make us happy.”
“And now you’re going to make each other happy,” Cammie chimed, dripping insinuation.
Anna felt like making a public disclaimer: “No. I am not going to Noah Monahan’s bungalow to have sex.” But she forced herself to keep her mouth shut.
“Susan, I’ll meet you back here in—” Anna looked over at Noah. “How long is it?
“An hour fifty-two. Unless they got the director’s cut, which runs thirty minutes longer.”
The notion of leaving Susan alone with Cammie did not fill Anna with confidence. But she couldn’t
“We know,” Susan said. “I loved your movie.”
“Thanks.” Noah’s gaze went to Anna. “And thanks for the drinks.”
“You’re welcome,” Anna replied. And couldn’t think of another word to say.
“Do you have a name?” Alex added playfully, squatting down next to Anna’s chaise.
“Yes. Right. Sorry.” Anna sat up. “I’m Anna Percy.” She extended her hand to shake his.
He seemed amused by her formality. “Did you like our movie, too, Anna Percy?”
“To tell you the truth, I didn’t see it,” Anna confessed.
Alex cracked up. “Trust you to find the one girl in America who didn’t see it,” Noah teased.
“So, how do you guys know each other?” Susan asked Cammie.
“My dad’s their agent,” Cammie said nonchalantly, stretching out on a chaise on the other side of Susan. “They were at our place for a barbecue the day after Christmas.”
“Where was I?” Susan mock moaned.
“If you’re around next time, I’ll invite you,” Cammie promised.
Susan beamed. “Great.”
Noah put his fist to his heart, as if Anna had just wounded him. “You know how to hurt a guy.”
“If I’d known I was going to meet you, I would have seen it,” Anna explained.
She seemed to amuse him. “About a hundred million people saw it because they
wanted
to see it.”
Anna reddened. “I don’t go to the movies all that much.”
“Gee, why not?” Dee asked.
“Most of them aren’t very good,” Anna said.
“Oh yeah, dig yourself in even deeper,” Cammie hooted.
“Well, clearly I have to do something about this,” Noah decided. He picked up the courtesy phone on the small table between the chaise longues. “Hi, this is Noah Monahan. … No, everything is fine, thanks. Listen, can you arrange to have
Piper’s Dream
set up in my bungalow? Now would be great. Thanks. Ciao.” He hung up and turned to Anna, wiggling his eyebrows in a Groucho Marx imitation while pretending to hold a cigar. “Come along, my dear. I’ve arranged a private screening.”
Anna was momentarily flustered. “Um, I—”
He dropped the Groucho thing. “Hey, you’re not really going to turn down a private screening of my movie, are you?”
Was she? And if she was, then why had she sent him drinks? It wasn’t like she was in any danger. She was at the Beverly Hills Hotel, for God’s sake. But what about Adam?
What about him?
Anna thought.
I like him. A lot. But it’s not like we’re engaged
.
“Of course not,” Anna agreed.
“Get down, sis,” Susan exclaimed, egging her on.
Noah held out a hand and hoisted Anna to her feet. Standing, she was just slightly taller than he was. He had open blue eyes, tousled blond hair, and a toothy, boyish grin. She slipped her cover-up on over her bathing suit. Noah looked down at Anna’s feet, clad in casual Chanel leather sandals. “Great sandals,” he said.
Which was odd. Because they were actually rather ordinary, albeit extremely well made. She’d had them forever. But maybe he just wanted to find a unique way to compliment her, Anna figured.
“Thanks,” she said.
“Okay, so let’s go.” He reached for her hand again.
Anna held back. “But how can they possibly find the movie and get it ready this quickly?”
He grinned at her. “Anna Percy, that’s what they do here: make us happy.”
“And now you’re going to make each other happy,” Cammie chimed, dripping insinuation.
Anna felt like making a public disclaimer: “No. I am not going to Noah Monahan’s bungalow to have sex.” But she forced herself to keep her mouth shut.
“Susan, I’ll meet you back here in—” Anna looked over at Noah. “How long is it?
“An hour fifty-two. Unless they got the director’s cut, which runs thirty minutes longer.”
The notion of leaving Susan alone with Cammie did not fill Anna with confidence. But she couldn’t
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