The Bill I knew from back home would. LA Bill might be a different story. It seemed like the rules were different here. The Bill back home would never have had sex with Penny, his teammate Ridge’s longtime girlfriend, but LA Bill sure had. Yes, Ridge had known, but I’m just saying.
“I would like to say he would, but I just don’t know. Bill’s a great guy, but living in LA can change a person. I have to admit that when I was here last year, I went a little wild.”
“I understand. Ai is old enough to know better,” Misaki said.
“I’m sure you’ll straighten her out.”
“I don’t think so. While I can give her advice, it will be up to Ai to decide what she wants to do.”
Dad called us to dinner, and I guided Misaki to grab a plate.
Bill and Ai showed up when everyone was finishing, and I made them plates of food. Bill pulled me aside before going to eat.
“David, I want to thank you for introducing us,” he said earnestly.
“I’m glad you two hit it off.”
“I, uhm … Do you have somewhere where we could have some alone time?” he asked.
“You know, I’m not really into that kind of stuff like you and Ridge,” I said with a straight face.
That got me flipped off for the second time in one day, after I purposely misunderstood what he was asking. I told him to take one of the guest rooms, but to make sure there was no one’s stuff in it. When they slipped off, I just shook my head.
I didn’t have long to contemplate them when strangers started to walk around the house to our backyard with drinks in their hands. It looked like all the neighbors had invited themselves over. There had to be at least thirty of them, which caused my Dad to suddenly appear at my side.
“Did you invite more people?”
“Nope,” I answered.
A couple in their thirties came up to us. They looked like Ken and Barbie, as in the dolls. She had to have had some work done to look that good at her age. Mother Nature and gravity take over at some point.
“Welcome to the neighborhood. We’d heard you were renting the Jensens’ place. I’m Carl, and this is Liza.”
“Rob, and this is my son David,” Dad said.
“The actor?” Liza asked.
“Yes. I take it I have you or the neighbors to thank for clearing out the paparazzi,” I said.
“Yes, we can’t have them running around,” Carl said.
“Why, exactly, are you here?” Dad asked.
They laughed like it was some kind of inside joke. Dad and I just looked at them, wondering what was so funny.
“Oh, sorry,” Liza said.
“We all seem to go where the action is each weekend. It looked like you all were having the party,” Carl said. “We also wanted to introduce ourselves. Liza and I are in the business.”
“That’s nice. Excuse me, I need to mingle,” I said, leaving my dad to deal with those two.
I walked around and introduced myself and found that the neighbors did precisely what Liza and Carl said: they would all get together at someone’s house on the weekends. When they heard we had a crowd, they were curious to meet us and used it as an excuse to come over. They all seemed to be in their mid-30s to late 40s. They clearly had money, and the wives looked like they spent plenty on cosmetic enhancements.
That was when I spotted a woman who took my breath away. If you’ve ever watched a Mexican drama or soap opera, you’ve seen the kind of woman I was enraptured with. They are drop-dead gorgeous, with curves that exude sexiness. Maybe I wouldn’t have to wait for my dotage to get a trophy wife. Dear Lord. I wanted to take her and commit unspeakable acts.
Fritz did that sneaky thing where he suddenly appeared at my side.
“Dude! Either you have to teach me how you sneak up on me, or I’m putting a bell on you.”
“That one is trouble,” he said, referring to the long-haired brown-eyed beauty I was lusting after.
I looked at him, and he smiled.
“She’s married,” Fritz pointed out.
NOOOO!!! For the love of God, say it wasn’t so. I looked lower than her chest and saw the rock on her finger. It was as if all the color had suddenly gone out of the world. How could my fantasy woman be married?
Fritz pointed behind me.
“That one isn’t,” he said.
I turned around, and there was the younger version.
“Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap … I am so screwed,” I mumbled.
“You have a girlfriend,” Fritz reminded me.
I closed my eyes, and visions of Brook came back to me. Somehow, I forced myself to go inside to my room. It didn’t help that Bill and Ai had picked Lexi’s bedroom to be alone in. My girlfriend had to get here soon, or I was going to do something stupid.
◊◊◊ Monday December 5
Yesterday, we resumed shooting the J-drama. They seemed to think we
Dad had invited Adrienne and Tyler to stay longer, and they’d accepted. Adrienne was originally from California, and she and her partner decided to reconnect with some old friends. Sarah had to get back to school.
