'Yeah. For Tom Cruise it was Risky Business. Julia Roberts, Pretty Woman. For you it's Rapture. From here on out, every other movie you make, you'll have to live up to your performance in Rapture.'

'Wonderful,' she said drily. 'Why does that make me feel so depressed?'

'It's not a bad thing, Shelby,' he said, indulging in a short coughing fit.'Caught is the right kind of movie for you to do now. Halle Berry followed Monster Ball with a Bond movie. Now that was an excellent choice.'

'Are you saying that I can never live up to my performance in Rapture?'

'No, I'm sayin' that you gotta take advantage of this time. You're married to a famous man, you gotta make sure he doesn't try to hold you down.'

'Linc would never do that,' she said confidently. 'He encourages me.'

'You say that now. But I know what's likely to happen.'

'You do?'

'There's gonna be professional jealousy,' Merrill said, nodding to himself.

'It's only human nature.'

'Not between me and Linc'

'I've been in this business a long time, kiddo. When husband and wife are both actors an' one does better than the other it always gets tricky.'

'Linc's not at all jealous of me.'

'He's never had to deal with you being more successful than him.'

'I'm not,' she said, frowning.

'Wait until you get your nomination,' Merrill said, blowing a stream of acrid smoke into the cabin.

''What nomination?' Shelby asked, perplexed.

'You heard it from me first. You'll get nominated for Rapture.'

'It would certainly be a great honour. However, I'm not at all sure.'

'Wanna bet money on it?'

'I don't bet, Merrill.'

'Be smart - listen to what I'm telling you and watch out.'

'For what?'

'For Linc, goddamn it. He's your biggest enemy right now. One way or the other he'll try to sabotage you.'

She'd had enough. The last thing she needed to hear was Merrill Zandack's view of her husband's behaviour. 'Will you excuse me, Merrill?' she said, getting up from the table. 'I think I'll try and take a nap. Do you mind?'

'Unhappy with what I'm saying, huh?' he said, his double chins bobbing up and down. 'Can't say I blame you.'

'It's not that,' she said, making excuses. 'I'm tired. I've had an incredibly busy week.'

'Read your reviews. It'll make you feel better.'

'Thanks,' she said, moving to a seat as far away from him as possible.

After an early lunch at the Ivy at the Shore, Jonas seemed more like himself.

'You were very uptight last night,' Cat remarked, nibbling a chocolate chip cookie. 'Did you have a problem?'

'No problem.'

'Maybe you miss being Merrill's assistant,' she teased.

'That's, a given.'

'There's no way you can go back to your old assistant job. After we wrap you must insist to Merrill that he puts you on all his future movies.'

'You think he'd do that?' Jonas asked tentatively.

'Why not? After all, I'm sure he calls you twice a day to check up on me. Am I right?'

'Of course he does.'

'And what do you tell him?'

'That you're a genius.'

'Thanks,' she said, with a mischievous grin. 'Exactly what I wanted to hear.'

'Did you speak to Jump this morning?'

'Yeah. His latest threat is to throw all my stuff out on to the street.'

'What're you doing about that?'

'A few months ago my girlfriend, Luanne, was staying at our loft with her baby.

I'll call her, ask her to do me a favour and pack up my stuff.'

'Sounds like an idea.'

'I guarantee Jump'll claim all our CDs and books, which is a drag 'cause I bought most of them.'

'Perhaps you've heard of Tower Records and Book Soup?' he said offhandedly. 'Not to mention Amazon.'

'You're so practical, Jonas. That's what I like about you.'

'So now it's my practicality you like?'

'Nothing wrong with that,' she said, taking another cookie. 'Now, all we've got to do is find you a girlfriend, 'cause all work and no play-'

'You can talk,' he interrupted.

'I've no time for a guy.'

'That makes two of us.'

'What? You've no time for a guy either?'

'She's such a joker.'

'I try to keep it real,' she said, signalling for the check.

They left the restaurant and drove to the location early. Cat stood around conferring with some of her crew who were already there. Then she went into her trailer and continued working on the storyboards.

After a while there was a knock, and Nick put his head round the door. 'Hey,' he said, all tousled hair and cocky grin, cigarette glued to his bottom lip. 'Didja enjoy yourself last night?'

'You've got some interesting friends,' she offered.

'Yeah, I do, don't I? We all moved to L.A. at the same time. I was the one who got lucky, which means that right now I'm the one pickin' up everyone's tab. The second they make it, it'll be their turn.'

'Sounds fair.'

'What didja think of the girls?'

'Lovely,' she said, vaguely sarcastic. 'Which one got unlucky? Oops, sorry! I mean lucky.'

'Both of them,' he boasted.

'Did you have enough to go round?'

'Seems like you haven't heard about my reputation,' he said, with a knowing wink.

'Is it as big as you seem to think it is?' she retorted.

'Wanna find out?'

'No, thanks.'

He chain-lit another cigarette. 'How long you and your old man been split?'

'Not that long. Why?'

'You caught him with another girl, right?'

'I'm not sharing the details.'

'You gotta be feeling way horny.'

'Excuse me?'

'I said, you must be feeling horny.'

'Y'know what, Nick?' she said impatiently. 'I'm trying to work here.'

'Got it,' he said, with another jaunty wink. 'See you on the set.'

Somehow Shelby harboured a romantic fantasy that Linc would be at the airport to meet her. Unfortunately, her romantic fantasy was exactly that - a fantasy.

There was no Linc. Instead there was a car and driver who delivered her to the hotel.

Flying always made her anxious, and she was tired. She hoped that Linc had not made any plans for that evening.

The manager of the hotel was waiting in the lobby to greet her. 'We are delighted you will be staying with us this weekend, Ms. Cheney.'

'Please call me Mrs Blackwood,' she said, as he helped her with her hand luggage.

'Certainly, Mrs Blackwood. Your husband is enjoying his stay with us. I hope you will too. We do our best to please.'

'I'm sure you do.'

'If you're ready, I'll escort you up to Mr Blackwood's suite.'

It was large and luxurious. Linc wasn't there - he was probably still working.

Shelby didn't mind because she wanted to take a shower and freshen up before she saw him.

A knock on the door heralded a bell-boy with flowers and a huge basket of fruit.

For a moment she thought the flowers were from Linc, but the note accompanying them was a 'welcome to New York' gesture from the producer of Rapture.

She tipped the bell-boy and began to unpack. When she'd finished, she took a shower and put on a simple white dress, one of Linc's favourites.

For a moment she thought about calling his cellphone, then decided not to bug him.

He'd be there soon enough, and she'd be waiting.

'I'm coming right up,' Tony announced.

'I thought we were on our way out,' Lola responded. 'I'm all dressed and ready.'

'No, I wanna come up,' Tony said insistently.

She'd recently got off the phone to her mother, always a downer. Mama was so damn critical of her relationship with Tony. It almost made her want to marry him and really piss the family off. Not that he'd asked her since they'd got back together. But if she really wanted him to - he would.

Hmm... Mrs Tony Alvarez. Sounded good. Or how about Lola Sanchez Alvarez? Even better.