“Everyone thinks being a musician is so glamorous,” she said, taking a deep drag. “But it’s all flying around, playing gigs, recording whenever you get a chance, and hoping you don’t fuck up somehow. So far, so good, I guess.” She sighed and looked out over the green, lush lawn, at the overgrown bushes and trees. A small fountain bubbled away, and the grass was a little too long.
“What is this place, anyway?” I asked.
“Recording studio,” she said. “Owned by this weird guy. But everything he touches comes out amazing, so I keep coming back. I don’t know why I bother, everyone in Italia doesn’t give a shit about any of this.”
“But you’re doing pretty well for yourself,” I said, trying to imagine what it would be like, living without a home. She seemed bitter and tired and strung out, and I guessed smoking cigarettes was one way to keep herself sane. No matter where she went, they were always the same.
“Well enough,” she said, then grinned at me. “You know, I’ve never met one of his assistants before.”
“I’m new,” I said, looking away. I hoped she wouldn’t realize I was full of shit. She’d known Rees for years, she said, and maybe it would be safe to tell her the truth—but no, not without his approval, I won’t take that risk.
“Of course you are. How’d you end up with him?”
“My cousin knows him.” I shifted toward her a little. “How do you know him?”
“Met at my first release party. He owned the club and showed up and we sort of just hit it off. Not like, sexually, but as friends, and I guess we kept in touch over the years.” She laughed and shook her head. “I never thought anyone would mistake us for being together.”
“Why’s that such a hard thing to imagine?” I asked. I could see Giana with Rees: they were both absurdly attractive, and Rees was rich as sin. He could easily give her the life she wanted and so much more, if she asked for it.
“I’ve never seen Rees with a woman for more than one night in all this time,” she said, smiling to herself, and taking another long drag. She let it out slowly. “He’s not the type to get tied down.”
“I figured that,” I said, tilting my head. “I mean, he’s a rich bachelor.”
“It’s more than that, I think,” she said, but didn’t elaborate. She seemed something heavy about her, like a weight pressed her into the chair. When she looked at me again, she forced a smile. “He’s charming though, isn’t he? In that sort of mean, snarly sort of way.”
I looked down at my fingernails. They were bitten short and chipped. “I guess, if you like that sort of thing.”
She laughed lightly and sighed. “So tell me, why are you two really here? I don’t think he actually cares if Linus is mad at him.”
“He wants to meet with Lady Fluke,” I said, glancing up again, and rubbing my nails against my shirt.
Giana seemed surprised. “I thought they were close,” she said thoughtfully.
“Lady Fluke is your husband’s second cousin,” I said, shifting nervously.
Giana groaned. “That’s right. And she’s such a tight ass. Let me guess, she’s angry about this affair rumor?”
“That’s it, yeah. We’re hoping Linus could talk to her and get us a meeting. It’s really important, otherwise we wouldn’t bother you.” I felt bad, doing this behind Rees’s back, but I thought Giana would listen, and she might actually help.
She took another slow drag then gestured at me with the cigarette. “You’re involved with him somehow, aren’t you? More than just an assistant.”
I leaned back, eyes wide a little. “Uh, no it’s not—“
She laughed and interrupted me. “It’s fine, I’m just teasing you. Don’t worry, I’ll talk to Linus after the boys straighten everything out and convince him to help.”
I let out a breath and stretched my legs out. For as much as I wanted to learn more about Rees before I met him, I wanted to get out of this conversation even more. Giana was too perceptive and her constant attention made my antsy, like she was going to find out about my deepest, darkest secret simply by sitting there and smoking. She had an aura about her, and it was beginning to freak me out. I could totally see why she was famous.
Rees rescued me ten minutes later, after more agonizing small talk and pointed questions about my life back home. She didn’t give much away, but I left with the impression that we were friends now—somehow, strangely, but friends.
“How’d that go?” I asked Rees as we walked through the front room. One of the girls was snoring softly, and the music had switched from thumping rock and roll to a quiet piano melody. It was almost haunting.