Someone Else's Fairytale

Chapter Five: Dinner and a Movie

I wasn't sure if we should just walk in or what, but once we got close to the door, Jason stepped out and waved us in. He was wearing a t-shirt and cargo shorts and sandals. “Hey!” he called out. “How was your drive?”

“Good,” I said. “This is my roommate, Lori.”

“Yeah, hi. Come on in.”

The entryway to his house did not have a giant, marble staircase. In fact, it was pretty normal looking, even a little narrow. There was a staircase that led up to an expansive kitchen and living area, where several other people were milling around. The smell of grilled meat and vegetables was in the air. One wall was open and beyond it was a pool deck. The pool was built like ones I'd seen in Las Vegas, with water spilling over the far end so that it looked like it went on forever, and the view was spectacular. Tree covered hills as far as the eye could see, dotted with mansions and not too much grungy haze in the air.

Lori seized my arm and clamped down tight. “It's Donovan Reilly,” she whispered. “Ohmigosh. Okay, sorry, sorry.” She took a deep breath.

Jason, who'd followed us on the stairs, slipped past and said, “Okay, so let's see. Don, this is Chloe and Lori.”

Donovan Reilly stood over by the counter, all bleached blond hair and surfer tan. He turned and looked me up and down. I knew who he was, of course. He'd been in the New Light movies with Jason. I'd seen plenty of promo posters of the two of them in gladiator gear. He was at least ten years older than Jason.

“And I am the younger, better looking brother,” said a guy approaching from the pool.

“That's Steve,” said Jason.

Steve was much stockier than his brother, but he had a nice smile and a hand extended, which I shook. His eyes were blue, but not as blue, and his skin was pale. I suspected Jason's was the same color under that spray on tan.

His other hand, which grasped a glass of lemonade, sported a wedding ring.

“Nice to meet you,” I said.

“So you're from the Q?” he said.

“The Q?” said Donovan.

“Albuquerque,” said Jason. I could tell from the angle of his voice that he was going outside.

I nodded.

“You're at UNM?” Steve asked.

“Yeah.”

“Me too. The law school. It's the family trade to sell our souls for money.”

“He's always been so supportive of my career,” hollered Jason.

“And I didn't want to come to Hollywood and overshadow my big bro. You know, he's so enthusiastic about his acting, and that's great and all.”

A few more people had filed in from the pool deck and one was a woman who patted Steve's shoulder on the way past. She had a baby balanced on her hip.

“Did you see that? My own wife patronizing me. What?” He held out his hands and followed her.

Someone tugged at my shorts and I looked down to see a little girl, wearing a sun dress, who stared up at me with wide, blue, Vanderholt eyes.

“That's Maddy,” said Steve. “Honey, come over here.”

Jason strolled back in. “Shan,” he said to Steve's wife. “We can cover the pool if you want.”

“Actually, I was thinking of putting their swimsuits back on and letting them play some more. Is that all right?”

“Yeah, sure.” Jason went into the kitchen and came to lean on the counter. “You thirsty?” he asked me. “We've got lemonade, soda.”