Chapter 6
Brooke was working late. Fashion Week was right on the corner and she was loaded with things to do. She looked at her calendar. September 15. It had been exactly a month after Patrick's book launching party.
During that month she kept in touch with Patrick. They both had been busy, but still exchanged e-mails and phone calls. She never asked him about his friend Jack, who of course never called. A few days after the party, when she realized he wasn't going to call, she felt upset and disappointed. But as days went by, she totally forgot about it. Now, with the Spring-Summer Season arriving, she barely had time to think of anything but work, work, work.
The phone rang and she literally jumped from her chair. It was Ilana.
– Why are you still there?
– I can't get all these done. I'm so tired…
– Go home and get in the tub. You've done enough for today.
– I have not. I need to leave this ready before going to LA.
– You can't change that schedule?
– I don't' think so, unless you can find a way to move LA's Fashion Week further.
– You should move to my division. Everything's happiness here…
– Right, well, when I get to migrate to Happiness Land, you can make me waste more time, honey. But now I've got to go.
– Ok, see you.
When Brooke got promoted to fashion editor at the journal, she never thought it would be such hard work. Bosses are supposed to do nothing, right? But she was always invited to review runways, new collections' launchings, new designers' introductions. Her work was respected since she managed the section from her point of view. She did her best to portrait the fashion industry in a more realistic and less superficial way. Therefore, the pages of her section were always full of interesting articles that went beyond the fancy stuff of fashion.
Her piece about how modeling should be considered just a job and not an ideal of life or appearance, earned her a lot of respect in journalism and in the fashion industry as well. It also gave her a Pulitzer Prize. And that Pulitzer earned her the promotion and an awful break up too.
The next week, Ilana drove Brooke to the airport. She was going to LA for 16 days, to cover pre-Fashion Week and Fashion Week per se.
– You're going to see Patrick? –Ilana asked.
– He doesn't even know I'm going. I didn't have time to call him.
– You can call him from there.
– I think you're not getting the picture, hon. I'm going to work. Hell of work.
– You're getting there a week in advance, I think you can make yourself some time.
– And why you care if I see him or not?
– Well, I just thought… maybe… –Ilana divagated.
– Oh, just say it already.
– Say what? You have no idea what I'm talking about.
– Really? I do, missy.
– You do? Then tell me.
– You want me to see Patrick so I can ask him about his doctor friend.
– Now you're talking nonsense.
– Oh please Ilana! –Brooke raised her voice, losing her patience.
– Ok, ok. Well, yeah, why it's such a big deal to ask him about Dr. Spine? I mean, you're a smart girl, you can be casual. He doesn't have to know you're interested…
– Okay, number one, I'm not interested. Number 2, since I'm not interested, why should I bother to ask about him?
– You're not interested? –Ilana shot back, disbelief in her voice.
– I'm not. Why should I care for a guy who never even called?
– Well, let me see… Because you were drooling for him at the party, because you told me after he left you wished he called you. Basically, because you so want him, bad.
– Ok, fine. I admit he impressed me. But he never called. Worthless, as you said. He might be married anyway…
– Well, I guess we'll never know since you're such a chicken and won't find out…
– And since when you encourage me to go chase men? As far as I can remember, you're the one who reveals to me all my dates' flaws…
Ilana got ambushed by that statement. True, she always warned Brooke about potential date dangers. True, she had something else in mind… – Okay then. You've got me. The thing is you told me Dr. Spine was in that famous plane crash, right?
– So?
– And you said he's like best friends with Patrick, correct?
– Correct, and you're not making a point.
– Ok, the point is Patrick is like your best male friend, and I was thinking maybe you could ask him to convince the doctor to write down his plane crash memoirs for me.
– Oh-my-God! You're disgusting…
– Why? –Ilana replied, high pitched and surprised. – It would be a huge best-seller!
– You just want book material and pretend to use me to get it? I don't believe you.
– Oh, come on! I'm not using anybody. But would you do that for me?
– Of course not! Who the hell you think I am? Jesus!
– Someone's a little too sensitive today…
– And someone's being a real ass today…
– Ouch! Okay, okay, easy… I'll ask Patrick myself. But for the record, I really think you should ask him about the doctor, for personal purposes, you know.
– There you go again…
– I mean it Brooke. I think you sparked. God, you even got nervous! You never get nervous around guys. And I think he's a good man.
– Now you're a clairvoyant! How could you know that?
– I saw it in his eyes. It's a gift…– Ilana replied raising an eye brow, serious this time.
– Okay gipsy, we're here.
– Call me when you get to LA, okay?