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“You called me a diva.”
“Youarea diva.”
She tilted her head and gave me a flirtatious smile. “But a really sweet diva, right?”
“Chloe, don’t you think you’ve had enough to drink?”
“It’s New Year’s Eve and I’m supposed to be a bit drunk.” She threw her arms out and made half a spin with a giggle. “Andrew is cute, don’t you think?”
I frowned. “No.”
“A guy can think another guy is cute without being a homosexual, you know,” she babbled.
“Look, if you want to discuss how cute Andrew is, go find Darren or your sister.”
“Aww, don’t get all grumpy about it. You’re cute too. I told you the first time I saw you, remember.”
“No, I don’t remember.”
“That’s because you were so cold to me that night in the bar. You’re always cold to me.” Her face fell and for a second her radiant magic died down. “Except when you heal me.”
Andrew came back in. “It’s chilly outside,” he said and reached out to Chloe. “Wanna see if they have any whiskey in this castle?”
The light in her eyes turned back on and she took his hand and followed him.
I stood back letting it sink in that I was one of the few who got to see her backstage where the real Chloe came out. All Andrew got was a performance.
They did have whiskey in the “castle.” And dozens of other bottles of booze.
Darren came to offer me a drink, but I politely refused.
“Hey, you’ve been staring at the wrong drama queen for the past hour,” he said and struck a pose next to me. “Why would you wantherwhen you can have someone as fabulous as me?”
I finally pulled my eyes away from Chloe and looked at him standing with one hand in the air and the other blowing me a kiss. “I’m not intoanysort of drama queen,” I said calmly.
“Ha, you could have fooled me. You look like a jealous husband watching his butterfly wife.”
“Chloe isn’t my wife and never will be.”
“That’s for sure. With that brooding expression you’ll scare her away.” He sighed. “But then again, maybeAdamis better off ditchingEveand going with the much more interestingsnake…” His eyes fell to his crotch as he said the last word. “Want me to show you a different kind ofparadise, Adam?”
“Don’t start again. I told you, I’m not into men.” My eyes darted around the room, looking for a way to get out of the situation, and it was the young blond woman with the green eyes who caught my eye. She looked straight back at me and must have read the distress on my face, because she got up and came over.
“Mind if I steal you away for a second?” she asked.
“Not at all.” I was out of my chair in a second.
“You know I love you, Cia, but you’re ruining a biblical moment here,” Darren told her.
She frowned. “A biblical moment?”
He shrugged, “Well, obviously a more alternative version, but as an artist you should be open-minded to new interpretations of the story of Adam and Eve. Personally I think Adam and Darren has a much better ring to it.”
She smiled at him and waved her hand at me. “Come on.”
“Thank you,” I whispered when we were out of earshot.
“Don’t worry. Darren can be a bit much but don’t be fooled; he’s the best friend you can have.”
