location - was like becoming part of an extended family - the family she didn't have. The nice thing was that everyone looked out for her - from the hair and make-up people to the teamsters and grips. She was a special favourite with film crews, because even though she was an enormous star, she wasn't a prima donna, and knew how to treat everyone with fairness and respect. Most of the male members of the crew usually fell in love with her. And why not? She was exquisitely beautiful with a gorgeous body, and as if that wasn't enough, she was smart, friendly, and a good sport.
Nikki had organized a lavish wrap party to take place at the rented villa. There were huge tables of food set up in the garden, and plenty of beer, wine and spirits to accommodate the mosdy English crew. The tennis court had been transformed into a flashy disco complete with a dreadlocked disc jockey who was into sixties soul.
"Everything looks wonderful,"
Lara exclaimed, emerging from her room, dressed in a filmy white sleeveless dress and flat sandals, sfcin glowing, her shoulder-length hair freshly washed.
"Enough with the wonderful shit,"
Nikki responded, hands on black leather clad hips.
"I worked my butt off to make damn sure rt s the wrap of the year. I want everyone to know that when they w°rk on a Richard Barry movie, they know they're appreciated."
27 "I hope Richard appreciates youj Lara remarked.
"He'd better,"
Nikki said with a grin.
"You've been so good for him,"
Lara continued.
"He's a much nicer person."
"Want him back?"
Nikki asked jokingly.
Lara laughed.
"No, thank you."
"That's good,"
Nikki said, with another wide grin.
"
"Cause he's totally unavailable."
As if he sensed he was the subject of discussion, Richard appeared, strolling out to the garden wearing beige linen pants and a casual silk shirt.
"Hmm . . ."
Lara remarked.
"He even dresses better now."
"Of course,"
Nikki said.
"I drag him to Neiman's twice a year and make him spend all his money!"
"Are you two talking about me again?"
he asked, as usual pretending not to enjoy the attention.
"You know, Richard,"
Lara said, lightly touching his arm,
"you're incredibly lucky to have found a woman who cares so much about you."
"Hey"
Richard objected.
"What about her? She got me!"
"Ah . . . the ego gets bigger and bigger,"
Lara murmured.
"And that's not all,"
Nikki said with a lewd wink, flinging her arms around Richard's waist and hugging him.
"Seriously, though,"
Lara said.
"I couldn't be happier for the two of you."
"Now all we have to do is find the right guy for you,"
Nikki said, ever the matchmaker.
"I keep on telling you,"
Lara said patiently,
"I'm perfectly content by myself."
"Bulb/«>!"
snorted Nikki.
"Everyone needs somebody."
"I'm sure Lara is quite capable of finding him on her own,"
Richard said, aggravated that Nikki was so intent on setting Lara up.
Lara wished they'd both leave her in peace. She was happy by herself-most of the time.
"I'm going to miss you guys,"
she said wistfully.
"It won't be the same without you."
"You'll be slaving so hard on The Dreamer you won't even
28
notice we're missing,"
Nikki said, referring to Lara's next movie, which started principal photography in the Hamptons in a week.
"I want to work with you two again,"
Lara said.
"This was a memorable experience."
"Tell your agent,"
Nikki said crisply.
"According to him, you're booked for the next three years."
"Nonsense!"
"Richard,"
Nikki nudged her husband, excitement lighting her face,
"shall I tell Lara about the book I took an option on?"
"What book?"
Lara asked curiously.
"And why are you mentioning it now when I'm practically out of here?"
"It's called Revenue,"
Nikki said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
"A true story about a schoolteacher who gets gang-raped nearly dies - then recovers and
Nikki had organized a lavish wrap party to take place at the rented villa. There were huge tables of food set up in the garden, and plenty of beer, wine and spirits to accommodate the mosdy English crew. The tennis court had been transformed into a flashy disco complete with a dreadlocked disc jockey who was into sixties soul.
"Everything looks wonderful,"
Lara exclaimed, emerging from her room, dressed in a filmy white sleeveless dress and flat sandals, sfcin glowing, her shoulder-length hair freshly washed.
"Enough with the wonderful shit,"
Nikki responded, hands on black leather clad hips.
"I worked my butt off to make damn sure rt s the wrap of the year. I want everyone to know that when they w°rk on a Richard Barry movie, they know they're appreciated."
27 "I hope Richard appreciates youj Lara remarked.
"He'd better,"
Nikki said with a grin.
"You've been so good for him,"
Lara continued.
"He's a much nicer person."
"Want him back?"
Nikki asked jokingly.
Lara laughed.
"No, thank you."
"That's good,"
Nikki said, with another wide grin.
"
"Cause he's totally unavailable."
As if he sensed he was the subject of discussion, Richard appeared, strolling out to the garden wearing beige linen pants and a casual silk shirt.
"Hmm . . ."
Lara remarked.
"He even dresses better now."
"Of course,"
Nikki said.
"I drag him to Neiman's twice a year and make him spend all his money!"
"Are you two talking about me again?"
he asked, as usual pretending not to enjoy the attention.
"You know, Richard,"
Lara said, lightly touching his arm,
"you're incredibly lucky to have found a woman who cares so much about you."
"Hey"
Richard objected.
"What about her? She got me!"
"Ah . . . the ego gets bigger and bigger,"
Lara murmured.
"And that's not all,"
Nikki said with a lewd wink, flinging her arms around Richard's waist and hugging him.
"Seriously, though,"
Lara said.
"I couldn't be happier for the two of you."
"Now all we have to do is find the right guy for you,"
Nikki said, ever the matchmaker.
"I keep on telling you,"
Lara said patiently,
"I'm perfectly content by myself."
"Bulb/«>!"
snorted Nikki.
"Everyone needs somebody."
"I'm sure Lara is quite capable of finding him on her own,"
Richard said, aggravated that Nikki was so intent on setting Lara up.
Lara wished they'd both leave her in peace. She was happy by herself-most of the time.
"I'm going to miss you guys,"
she said wistfully.
"It won't be the same without you."
"You'll be slaving so hard on The Dreamer you won't even
28
notice we're missing,"
Nikki said, referring to Lara's next movie, which started principal photography in the Hamptons in a week.
"I want to work with you two again,"
Lara said.
"This was a memorable experience."
"Tell your agent,"
Nikki said crisply.
"According to him, you're booked for the next three years."
"Nonsense!"
"Richard,"
Nikki nudged her husband, excitement lighting her face,
"shall I tell Lara about the book I took an option on?"
"What book?"
Lara asked curiously.
"And why are you mentioning it now when I'm practically out of here?"
"It's called Revenue,"
Nikki said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
"A true story about a schoolteacher who gets gang-raped nearly dies - then recovers and
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