Lies and Weddings(90)
Luis Felipe turned to Eden, Freddy, and Daniela. “Coming?”
The three of them hesitated, unsure what to do.
“You’re missing out on a great dinner…,” Luis Felipe said as he disappeared through the door.
“What the hell,” Freddy said as he followed after Luis Felipe.
“Freddy!” Eden called out after him in dismay, before turning to Daniela. “I’m not having dinner with that sadist! Can you believe what he did to the poor man?”
Daniela sighed. “Hate to say it, but this is nothing. I went to Beverly High. You have no idea what kind of vicious shit I saw. Personally, I’d like to see what this crazy ’roid monster gets up to at the Chef’s Table, wouldn’t you?”
“Not really. At this point, I’m happy never to see him again.”
“Come on. Freddy’s trapped with them, we can’t ditch him now. Plus, you can check on the guy who got his balls kicked in.”
“Yes, I suppose.”
Daniela grinned. “One thing’s for certain—we’re not going to have to wait at the bar anymore.”
Skip Notes
*1 Some people call South Beverly Grill the “Chili’s of Beverly Hills,” because it’s the kind of joint where you’d see groups of local teenagers scarfing down $27 French dip sandwiches and $15 hot-fudge sundaes.
*2 An exclusive neighborhood where the streets are all named after birds, this celebrity enclave is also, in the words of a noted property guru, “filled with the type of houses where one guy who gets rich on crypto will buy the place, four of his buddies will move in, and they’ll party five nights a week and spend a hundred K a month and within two years the guy will go bankrupt and be forced to sell the house at a loss.”
V
The Chef’s Table
PRIVATE DINING ROOM AT DADDY MUSTANG ? EVENING
Conversation between Daniela Farman-Farmihian, Jenna, and Lexi…
“That’s the most incredible ring I’ve ever seen. Is it a sapphire?”
“No, it’s a Paraíba.”
“A para-yee-what?”
“A Paraíba. They’re found in Brazil. Here, try it on…”
“OMG…it feels amazing. I can feel it throbbing!”
“Jenna, don’t hog the ring!”
“Wait your turn, Lexi. I’m still feeling the stone.”
“It’s my engagement ring.”
“You didn’t want a diamond?”
“This is much rarer than any diamond. They don’t exist anymore, they’ve been completely mined out.”
“I’m not even going to ask what it costs. It’ll probably cover our rent.”
“Yeah, Jenna, like for a whole year!”
“You two live together?”
“Yeah. Lexi and I have a cute place on Harper, off Fountain, you know, in one of those old Spanish courtyard buildings?”
“It’s totally like Melrose Place. Everyone’s fucking everyone and our landlord runs it like it’s his private club. He only rents to actors, and they have to be super hot to qualify. Julia Roberts once lived there, when she was just starting out, and that Aussie dude who’s always shirtless in True Blood.”
“We totally lucked out. My friend Selena booked a series that shoots in Vancouver, so she sublets to us.”
“Daniela, where do you live?”
“Trousdale.”[*]
“Is that in the Valley?”
“No. So both of you act?”
“Yeah. Did you see The White Lotus?”
“Yes! I loved it! You were in that?”
“I was up for the role of the bitchy daughter’s best friend.”
“And I’m doing an indie horror film in Croatia this summer.”
“And I’ve starred in a few things for streamers that almost got series orders.”
“What about you?”
“I’m in the garment business.”
“What’s that?”
“I design and manufacture athleisure.”
“OMG, you’re in fashion?”
“I wouldn’t call it that. I basically make joggers and yoga pants for the mass-market retailers, like Ross and Target.”
“Did you go to fashion school?”
“For a couple of years, but I left the program. I was running my company while going to design school, but I realized that everything I was learning was actually tanking my business. Every time I tried to release something chic, it wouldn’t sell. But the uglier I made the clothes, the more they would sell like crazy.”
“People just want ugly clothes. I walk down the street and I just see everyone dressed like sluts or slobs.”
“All the girls have their butts hanging out, and the guys are in gray sweatpants jiggling their junk for the whole world to see.”
“No one cares about glamour anymore. I mean, except us, of course. Your dress is amazing. Gucci, right?”
“Simone Rocha.”
“Don’t know him. I thought it was Gucci or maybe Louie Vetton.”
“Speaking of Louie, how do you both know our host?”