'Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was to shoot? I begged the director for a closed set, yet people managed to sneak in anyway.'

'That's the way it goes.'

'At one point there were men actually hanging off the rafters. It was most disconcerting.'

'And I bet you handled it like you handle everything - with your usual style.'

'I try,' she said modestly.

After the tour they sat down in his cluttered office, where he offered her a bottle of Evian, picked up the script and began going over the stunts he thought she might be up to attempting. 'The car stunt's a breeze,' he assured her. 'You can handle it, no problem.'

'I can?' she asked unsurely.

'You bet,' he said, nodding vigorously. 'I already spoke to Cat about it.'

'You did?'

'Yeah, it's important, Shelby, 'cause sometimes the audience spots it when a stunt double takes over.'

'Not in your movies they don't.'

'I appreciate that.'

'Have you ever doubled for Linc?'

'Sure did. There was no way you could tell us apart on the screen.'

'You're not as tall as him.'

'We faked it with shoes, hairpieces, whatever.'

'Show me the movie and I'll guess who's who.'

'I have a DVD of it,' he said. 'Hey, wanna come by my place later an' take a look?'

'No, Pete,' she said quickly. 'I don't think that's a good idea.'

'Why?' he said, challenging her. 'We're friends, aren't we?'

'I wouldn't feel comfortable.'

He gave her a long look. 'Is there a reason for that?'

'Well...' she began, wishing he hadn't asked. 'I... uh... haven't mentioned to Linc that we bumped into each other.'

'You haven't? How come?'

'I'm sure you remember that Linc can be quite jealous.'

'Oh, yeah, I remember.' A long, silent beat. 'Y'know, Shelby, I thought by this time he would've got you pregnant. I always imagined you with a couple of kids.

You'd be a sensational mother.'

'We, uh... we've discussed having children,' she said. Then she stopped abruptly.

'You know what, Pete?' she said, brushing back her long hair. 'Talking about this is too personal.'

'Sorry,' he said quickly. 'I shouldn't've gone there. It's none of my business, right?'

She nodded, suddenly feeling disloyal to her husband. 'I've got to go,' she said, getting up. 'Thanks for the tour.'

'Any time,' he said, throwing her a quizzical look. 'Don't forget, I'm always here for you.'

Lola did not return to her hotel until Sunday evening, having spent the most glorious weekend with Tony. In her heart she could not imagine why she had ever left him. Tony Alvarez understood her better than any man ever had. They were soulmates, destined to be together.

Big Jay escorted her up to her suite, where there was a ton of messages waiting for her. She had not bothered to turn on her cellphone all weekend, therefore she'd been unreachable.

Naturally she'd seen the papers. TONY AND LOLA -TOGETHER AGAIN! With huge front-page pictures in the Post and the Daily News.

She was thrilled to see how fantastic they looked together. The story inside was not such a thrill: Lola and Tony Alvarez a couple again? Where does that leave Lola's husband, Matt Seel? Sitting in California by himself? Or maybe Lola and Tony are just friends...

Damn! There was no doubt that Matt would see this and be hurt. She hadn't wanted to hurt him. It was just that he was so damn boring, she'd had to get away or go crazy. Besides, she'd known Tony much longer than she'd known Matt, so her soon-to-be-ex shouldn't feel dissed that she'd decided to go back to her original love.

She sat on the edge of the bed and clicked on the TV while listening to her voicemail.

Faye was first, naturally. 'What the hell do you think you're up to?' her bossy publicist rasped. 'And why didn't you tell me first, so that I could maintain some degree of control? I'll be back on Monday, we'll have to deal with it then.'

Oh, good, she couldn't wait.

The second call was from her highly expensive attorney, Otto Landstrom. 'Not a smart move, Lola,' Otto said, in his disapproving father voice. 'We should talk as soon as possible. You're putting ammunition into the hands of the enemy.'

What did that mean?

The third message was from Selma. 'Mama's about to have a heart-attack,' her sister wailed. 'You'd better call me back immediately.'

And so on and so on, with many other messages from friends and relatives, all putting in their ten cents' worth.

Why couldn't they leave her alone? Didn't anyone understand? No bad publicity was about to frighten her off. Tony Alvarez was her man, and this time she was staying with him come what may.

She loved Tony. She loved him passionately. And no bad publicity would ever split them up again.

Freddy Krane's idea of a good time was staying up all night. Since Freddy was also into doing coke, Linc decided it wasn't such a bad idea.

Freddy's latest supermodel girlfriend, Allegra, joined in the fun too. She was a six-foot beauty who hailed from Australia, with a strong accent that could cut glass. She talked a lot, assuring them that when she finally broke into movies, she would make Nicole Kidman look like a Girl Scout.

"Bin a supermodel for five years,' she announced. "Bin on the cover of Sports Illustrated twice. I'm, like, huge in the modelling world.'

Linc and Freddy didn't care what she was as long as she joined them in their habit.

Linc had a feeling that he shouldn't be indulging in front of some strange model with a loud mouth, but then he thought, What the hell? He was in New York, far away from Shelby, and what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

The three of them started off having dinner at Coco Pazzo, where Linc bumped into several acquaintances. After dinner they stopped by a few clubs, all of which Allegra was extremely familiar with. She sailed past the door people with a disdainful flip of her hand, and headed straight to the VIP room where she downed apple martinis as if they were lemonade. 'I'm out every night,' she boasted. 'Staying up late never affects me. I'm what they call a natural beauty.'

Yes, and modest too, Linc thought.

'I'm gonna put her in my next movie,' Freddy announced, winking at Linc behind her back. 'Is it my fault if she ends up on the cuttin' room floor?'

At around three a.m. Linc decided he was tired and ready to go home. Freddy cornered him, informing him that Allegra would not be averse to a threesome.

'Sorry,' Linc said, remembering that he had an early call. 'Not my scene.'

Freddy jeered that he was getting old.

Maybe he was. He was forty-something, not exactly a kid any more. Besides, he was looking forward to seeing Shelby at the weekend.

There was nothing wrong with missing one's wife.

After a restless night's sleep, Lola reported for work accompanied by Big Jay and Jenny. They were shooting a scene on location at the Central Park Zoo and the paparazzi were in full evidence. She hid in her trailer until she was called. Then, with Big Jay by her side, protecting her, she headed for the set.

Linc Blackwood was already there. She'd been so caught up with Tony all weekend that she'd forgotten about Linc and her plan. The moment she saw him it all came rushing back. As she stared at him from a distance she realized that she could never have babies with Tony, the love of her life. She could never have a little girl that looked like her, or a little boy that looked like Tony, and it was all because of Linc Blackwood. He'd treated her like she was less than nothing, used her, got her pregnant, and dumped her all in one night. What a piece of shit he was.

Now she was more determined than ever to smash his dreams the way he'd smashed hers. She'd already decided that the only way to do that was to trap him in a sexually compromising position and break up his precious marriage.

So... what was she waiting for? Let the games begin.

Clad in a beige cashmere Valentino coat and a wide-brimmed hat, she waved casually at him.

'Hey,' he said, strolling toward her. 'You're all over the frontpages.'

'I know,' she answered demurely. 'I've been a very bad girl, haven't I?'

'Bad girl suits you,' he said, with a half-smile.

'You think?'

'You're glowing.'

'I am?'

'Oh, yes.'

They exchanged a long look, before Lola quickly changed the subject. 'Is your wife here yet?' she asked, as if she cared.

'Flying in this weekend.'

'I bet you're looking forward to seeing her.'

'Sure am.'

A wistful sigh. 'It must be nice to be happily married.'

'It certainly is.'

'Matt and I, we had so many plans...'

'What happened?'

She lowered her eyes. 'I can't talk about it, Linc. It's too upsetting.'

'Sorry.'

'Tony's an old friend,' she explained. 'He's helping me get through it.'

Yeah, Linc thought. I can see that.

'Y'know,' Lola said, 'I was hoping we could run some lines later.'

'Is there a particular scene you have in mind?'

'The dialogue in the party scene doesn't work for me.'

'It doesn't?'

'No. I was thinking we could go over it, make some changes.'

'When do you want to do this?'

'Well,' she said coyly, 'I realize we can't be seen out to dinner together, it would drive the paparazzi insane.'

'Wouldn't think you were free for dinner anyway, what with Tony consoling you and all.'

'As a matter of fact, I am free. Tony had to fly to New Orleans on a location scout. He won't be back until the weekend, which means I'm all alone in the big city.'

'That makes two of us.'

''Would it be a mistake for us to be seen out together?' she said, wide-eyed.

'After all, it's not as if there's anything going on between us.'

'The gossip rags would go nuts,' Linc said. 'And I'm sure Shelby wouldn't appreciate it.'

'Scared of wifey?' she asked, lightly mocking him.

'Me?' he said, raising a cynical eyebrow.

'Yes, you,' she said, flirting.

'Just trying to be smart, Lola. Let's remember we're making a movie, not having an affair.' Now it was his turn to mock her. 'Wouldn't want anyone thinking otherwise, would we?'