The Destiny of Nathalie X Read Online Free PDF

quite disappointed that he still hadn’t shot the end. This girl Delphine, with this crazy blond fringe over her eyes, there was definitely something wild about her. I mean, who knows, once she got loaded, what she might have done. Maybe Aurélien wasn’t a wacko, but she definitely was.
    You know, I have a theory about this town, this place. I’ve been working here for twenty-five years and I’ve seen them all. In this town you have very, very clever people and very, very wacko people, and the problem is, and that’s what makes this place different, our special problem is the very clever people
have
to work with the very wacko people. They have to, they can’t help it, it’s the nature of the job. That doesn’t happen other places for one simple reason—clever and wacko don’t mix.
    Aurélien stood by the pool with Nancy enjoying the subdued play of morning light on the water. Today Nancy’s hair waswhite blond and she wore a tutu over her leotard and cowboy boots with spurs. She handed him a pair of car keys and an envelope with a thousand dollars in it.
    “That’s the new rental car. Celica OK? And there’s your per diem. And you’ve got dinner with Lanier Cross at 6:30.”
    “6:30 p.m.?”
    “Ah, yeah … She can make it 6:00 if you prefer. She asked me to tell you it will be vegetarian.”
    “What are all those men doing? Is it some kind of military exercise?”
    “Those are the gardeners. Shall I make them go away?”
    “No, it’s fine.”
    “And Tim Pascal called.”
    “Who’s he?”
    “He’s an English film director. He has several projects in development at Alcazar. He wanted to know if you wanted to lunch or drink or whatever.”
    The doorbell rang. Aurélien strode across the several levels of his cool white living room to answer it, and as he did so the bell rang twice again. It was Delphine.
    K AISER P REVOST . I have a theory about this town; it doesn’t represent the fulfillment of the American dream, it represents the fulfillment of an American reality. It rewards relentless persistence, massive stamina, ruthlessness and the ability to live with grotesque failure. Look at me: I am a smallish guy, 138 pounds, with pretty severe myopia, and near average academic qualifications. But I have a personable manner and an excellent memory and a good head of hair. I will work hard and I will take hard decisions and I have developed the thickest of thick skins. With these attributes in this town nothing can stop me. Or those like me. We are legion. We know what they call us but we don’t care. We don’t need contacts, we don’t need influence, we don’t need talent, we don’tneed cosmetic surgery. That’s why I love this place. It allows us to thrive. That’s why when I heard Aurélien had never showed for dinner with Lanier Cross, I didn’t panic. People like me take that kind of awful crisis in their stride.
    Aurélien turned over and gently kissed Delphine’s right breast. She stubbed out her cigarette and hunched into him.
    “This house is incredible, Aurélien. I like it here.”
    “Where’s Holbish?”
    “You promised me you wouldn’t mention him again. I’m sorry, Aurélien, I don’t know what made me do it.”
    “No, I’m just curious.”
    “He’s gone to Seattle.”
    “Well, we can manage without him. Are you ready?”
    “Of course, it’s the least I can do. What about the pizzeria?”
    “I was given a thousand dollars’ cash today. I knew it would come in useful.”
    M ATT F RIEDRICH . I have to admit I was hoping for the
Seeing Through Nathalie
rewrite. When Bob Berger fired me and said that Naomi Tashourian was the new writer, it hurt for a while. It always does, no matter how successful you are. But in my case I was due a break and I thought Nathalie was it. I’ve missed out on my last three Guild arbitrations and a Lanier Cross film would have helped, however half-baked, however art-house. Berger said they would honor the fee for the synopsis I did