Page 26 of My Grape Crush
Out of the corner of my eye, Evelyn emerges from the house with whom I assume is Yvette. A skinny, angular diva with blonde hair perfectly styled and three pounds of makeup on tight, unwrinkled skin. She clearly works like hell at maintenance.
“This is Yvette Van Ness,” Evelyn cheerily announces. “Hostess with the mostest.”
I raise a hand in hello. “Thanks for offering up your place.”
Yvette weaves slightly in her stilettos. A cigarette hangs out the side of her mouth, one eye squinting in the smoke.Already toasted at nine in the morning.
“You must be Rhys,” she purrs. “Enchanté.”
After a beat, I realize she expects me to kiss and not shake her outstretched hand. She certainly takes a page out of the Anna Wintour book, although I doubt Anna attends photo shoots in capri yoga pants and Canucks hockey jerseys.
“What are you drinking?” she asks me.
“Ah, nothing, yet.”
Yvette drops the still-smoldering cigarette onto the patio, pulverizing it under the ball of her studded Valentino. “We start in on the wine early at Chateau Van Ness. Evie, darling,” she coos, draping a hand onto her BFF’s shoulder. “What is your famous saying?”
Evelyn flashes a grin and sweeps her hand theatrically from left to right. “I’d rather die drunk and defiled than sober and safe.”
“Quintessential Evie,” Yvette pronounces, her voice honey and smoke. “You should make that into a bumper sticker. But for now, can you check on Martha? We need refreshments pronto. With such an eventful morning ahead…” She lets the silence stretch, eyeing me with a not-so-subtle once-over.“We need all the fortification we can get.”
While Vigo goes wild with Dani, Luca and I sift through my various wardrobe selects. With only so many variations of a toga with sandals, I’m dressed and ready to go in a flash, lounging poolside with Yvette and Evelyn when Vigo drags Dani out of his tent.
My brain deconstructs into a million tiny shattered pieces.
Fucking hell.
Even Luca, who’s seen the hottest women on the planet half-naked, catches flies, mouth hanging open.
The safe way to describe it is that the bikini is wearing her.
Dani squirms under our collective gazes and says what we’re all thinking, “It’s way too small.”
“What are you talking about?” Evelyn chides. “You look incredible. Doesn’t she, Yvette?”
Lighting up her third cigarette, Yvette blows a stream of smoke into the endless sky. “Very vixen.Cleopatra, X-rated version.”
Evelyn turns to me. “Do you approve? It is your shoot.”
Dani flicks a nervous look in my direction. At this point, I’m not sure my heart can beat any faster and not qualify as a medical event. She is a mythical goddess, eyes huge and haunted, ringed with winged eyeliner.
And all that skin?
“I’m good if Luca is,” I manage.
Luca circles Dani, humming small sounds of approval.“Drape her with that sheer toga,” he instructs Vigo. “The one with the golden tassels. Add the cuffs to either arm and muss her hair. Bigger. Wilder. Sexier!" He gestures wildly, spinning around to address us in the viewing gallery. “How is everyone’s wine doing?”
“I need a refill,” Dani pipes up. And then, under her breath so that only I can hear: “Or an entire case.”
The concept of two young, lusty Romans bonding over Pink Pearl probably sounded great in her air-conditioned office. Half-naked in the unforgiving sunlight of a morning tapped to be the hottest day of the year?
It feels like more than our acting skills are about to be tested.
A European and a stickler for authenticity, Luca insists we keep drinking wine as he shoots. After two hours, Dani and I are sheened with sweat. Tipsy and touching. Her nearly transparent dress clings to her curves, and maybe it’s that or the wine or the exhaustion from the jet lag, but so many feelings come out in this moment.
The heat amplifies everything.
Evelyn claps enthusiastically from the pool deck. “Bravo, you two. Love, love, love!” She unfolds herself from her sunbed and swans over to confer with Luca. “I just had a crazy idea. The invites for our gala haven’t gone out yet. How do you feel about capturing something a little wilder to grace the front of them? A scandalous affair playing out amongst the grapes?”
