Virtuous(79)

“The only thing is,” he says tentatively, “we can’t really get out of the car. I don’t go out in public very often anymore without security. That’s why we snuck into ‘Wicked’ after the lights went down and left before they came back up. After what happened in London last year—”

“What happened?”

He sighs deeply. “I was working a rope line at the UK premier of Camouflage when a guy pulled a knife on me. He managed to slice me in the ribs before security swooped in and took him down. It all happened so fast. Scared the shit out of me, though.”

“How did I not hear about this?”

“We kept it hush-hush. The guy is mentally ill, and I didn’t see any reason to make his life more of a living hell than it already is. Luckily, he just broke the skin, so they were able to bandage me up, get me a new shirt and send me on my way to the premier. But my hands shook all night.”

“Jesus. You could’ve been killed.”

“It really scared me, and I’m not easily scared. Ever since then, big crowds freak me out, and I don’t go very many places without security except for in a car. It’s the one time I get to be totally free, you know?”

“And I’m teasing you about your car obsession. It all makes sense now.”

“It’s okay to tease me. My obsession is totally over the top, and I know it.”

We drive through Beverly Hills, where he shows me the stately home where he grew up. It’s two stories, white sandstone with black shutters and a black iron gate.

“My folks have lunch plans today, or we’d stop by to see them. We’ll see them tonight.”

“I’m not exactly dressed to meet Max Godfrey and Estelle Flynn.”

He laughs at that. “They don’t stand on pretense, so you don’t need to worry about what you’re wearing when you meet them.”

“Right. Whatever you say. You’re their son. Of course it matters what I wear to meet them.”

“I’m telling you, they aren’t hung up on superficial crap. You don’t have a thing to worry about where they’re concerned. They’ll love you.”

“I like them already from the way you’ve described them.”

“I like them, too. I enjoy every minute I get to spend with them and my sisters, even if the girls drive me nuts.”

“They keep you humble.”

“That they do.”

We zip past his famous high school before taking a slow ride down Rodeo Drive, where all the top designers have storefront boutiques. The street is all about high style, from the buildings to the cars to the women on the sidewalk, and I’m mesmerized.

“Sorry we can’t get out and walk around.”

He sounds genuinely regretful, and I feel for him. “It’s okay. I’m happy just to see it all.”

We head out to the Pacific Coast Highway and check out Santa Monica and the famous Ferris wheel on the pier, before driving north to Malibu. I gaze longingly at the beach, which I can see is crowded on this particularly warm day. The Pacific stretches out before me, huge and blue and sparkling in the sunshine.

“What do you think of your first look at the Pacific?”

“It’s beautiful.”

“I grew up on these beaches, surfing and partying and generally loving life.”

“Can you believe I’ve never stepped foot on a beach?”

“Seriously?”

“Believe it or not, there aren’t a lot of beaches in Nebraska.”

“Well, we have to fix that. Immediately.” Reaching for his cell, he makes a call. “Are you decent?” he asks. “I’m going to stop by, and I’m bringing a friend who’s never been to the beach before.” After a pause, he says, “I know, right? I told her we have to fix that immediately. See you in a few, Mo.”

I’m practically bouncing in my seat with excitement at the thought of going to the beach. A short time later, we pull into a driveway, and Flynn punches in a code to open the gates.

“Who’s house is this?”

“Marlowe Sloane,” he says casually, as if he’s not speaking of one of the biggest female movie stars in the world.

“The Marlowe Sloane?”

“The one and only. She’s one of my best friends.” He shuts off the car in front of a dark wood bungalow that’s much smaller than what I’d expect for a star of Marlowe’s caliber. But then again, what do I know about movie stars and where they live? “Come on. Let’s go check out Marlowe’s slice of paradise.”