Weekend Wife (Sassy in the City 1)

Fortunately, Gigi seemed to lose interest when she got a text on her phone. “Oh, I need to answer this.”

I bolted for my bedroom and found my own phone. I felt cut off from the world. I had a missed call from my agent, Laura. I called her back.

“Hey, what’s up?” Maybe she had an audition opportunity for me.

“Listen, I got a phone call from Ricky Preston.”

For a second I was so caught off guard I couldn’t process what she’d said. “Ricky Preston, the director?” What the hell did that have to do with me?

“Yes. He wanted your bio and headshot. Apparently, his godmother put your name in his ear. Since when do you know Van Buren Caldwell?”

“Who is Van Buren Caldwell?” I asked, bewildered. “I mean, I’m at the Caldwells’ house in the Hamptons right now because I’m dating Grant, but I don’t know who Van Buren is.” I wasn’t sure if that was a man or a woman or a restaurant on the Upper East Side.

“She’s Grant’s grandmother. Renowned socialite and Broadway enthusiast. She’s financed major productions over the years.”

“Gigi is Van Buren?” I had no idea. I paced the room. I went over to the window and pulled the drapes back. The view was the driveway. I dropped the drapes again. “I’m so confused.”

“She’s very influential and so is Ricky Preston, as you know. He wants you to audition to play a young Cher.”

“What?”

“Yes. I’ll send you the details. This is a breakout role. But I guess if you’re calling Van Buren Caldwell ‘Gigi,’ you’ve got a serious advantage. This is great, Leah.”

It was. It was everything I’d ever wanted. Why did it feel so weird? “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’re ready. This could be it, kiddo.”

This could be it.

And I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe and my clothes were three sizes too tight.

Chapter 14

The house was filling up with people. I’d clapped my hand on men’s shoulders and hugged female relatives who had poured in from all over the East Coast. Caterers were already gliding around, though they’d moved their center of operation from the kitchen to a room off the living room designed for that purpose.

I’d been to a million parties growing up. I’d been to a million more as a businessman. As a child, it had been a brilliant opportunity to run around unattended because the watchful Rose wasn’t allowed downstairs during events. I had crammed hors d’oeuvres in my mouth by the fistful and stolen sips of champagne, wrinkling my nose at the fizz. Later, I’d gone for the hard stuff, and kisses in dark hallways with girls older than me. As an adult, parties were business opportunities, not social events for me, filled with potential deals and duties to relatives.

This was the first party in years that could bring back the excitement of being thirteen and impressing my friends by slamming back whiskey.

Because of Leah.

I had every intention of stealing kisses in a dark hallway with Leah, the woman I was in love with. The woman I could not stop thinking about. My grandfather had whacked me upside the back of my head on the golf course, irritated with my level of distraction.

“Get your dick out of the dirt,” he’d told me. “Fucking focus. I’m not here to wait around while you jerk off.”

He’d been right. I didn’t have my head in the game.

Now I had Leah by my side and I felt like I’d scored the biggest deal of my entire life. A woman who could make me laugh and loved me for me. I smiled at her as she accepted yet another hug from a stranger. She stuck her tongue out at me over Aunt Judith’s shoulder. I shook my head at her, amused.

When Aunt Judith wandered away in search of a chardonnay, Leah tilted her head and gave me a manic smile as we finally had a minute alone. “Hi, hello, yes, it’s so nice to meet you. Pleasure. Charmed. Lovely, isn’t it? Oh my, what a fabulous dress. No, I wasn’t on the hospital board in Greenwich, but I have that kind of face. Really? That’s astonishing. I know, aren’t hurricanes ridiculous?”

I grinned. “You do ‘the pretty’ very well. Even if you’re being sarcastic.” I flicked my finger over the necklace she was wearing, wishing I could dip lower into the cleavage of the dress. I wanted to pull the fabric forward and drink in the sight of her tits, but I restrained myself. For now. “Have I told you how beautiful you are?”

“Only six times. I’m aiming for an even ten.”

She was beautiful. The red Valentino hugged her in all the right places and complemented her dark hair. I’d heard her explain to a few people why she was wearing sneakers with it, but most didn’t ask. They assumed it was intentional, a middle finger to conventional heels, given that Leah was young. She did look cool, and in command of herself. No one seemed to intimidate her.

Part of me knew she was playing a part. For me.