Learning To Swim For Real

Chapter 26: Reality Bites

"Kelsey, what exactly is going on with you and your swim coach?" Raymond asked. He looked at her, eyebrow raised, before stabbing an asparagus spear and putting it in his mouth.

Kelsey shrugged an elegant shoulder in a dismissive way. "What do you mean?"

"Don't 'what do you mean' me, young lady," he said, leaning across the table.

They were sitting outside at a bistro on Melrose Avenue, having lunch. It was a day to see and be seen, and tourists and celebs alike were out and about.

"I saw pictures of you all over some frat boy's Instagram, not to mention some B-grade tabloid online. You were making out with Jack, and dancing with some huge guy with a beard? Looking very cozy with both, I might add," Ray continued, wiping his mouth with his napkin.

"Oh." Kelsey thought for a moment. "Well, you know, shit happens, doesn't mean anything." She shrugged again, looking carefully at her manager to see if he believed her.

"Okay. I've been getting messages from Don and his people about the Prince's gala next year, but you know how fussy Don is about gossip," Ray admonished. "Please keep your skirts clean, Kelsey. The kind of publicity you get from this gala, over in Europe, can't be bought at any price, you understand that, I hope. And Don is European aristocracy."

Kelsey sighed. "I know. I got it."

"I've actually arranged for you guys to attend the Turquoise opening if you could be together for an entire evening and not kill each other? Think you could manage it?" Ray asked.

Turquoise was a new nightclub opening in Hollywood, and everyone was trying to get on the list for the opening. Wow.

"This Friday. Just keep things civil, please, and keep your extra curricular activities with the hired help on the down low, all right?" Ray continued.

"No problem," Kelsey said. "Are we done here? I've got an appointment to get to."

"Yeah, go," Ray said, waving at her.

Kelsey put her sunglasses on, stopped to take a couple of selfies with some fans, then hopped in her car and drove home, wondering how to tell Jack about Turquoise and Don on Friday.

****************

"Why?" Jack followed her up the stairs.

"I told you, it's for work," Kelsey replied, trying to keep her voice calm.

"For what work? What exactly are you going to do there, with him, that will be for your work?" Jack asked, hoping he didn't sound too much like a little kid.

"It's just publicity," she said, turning to face him. "It's not for anything specific. Don's glamorous, he's a race car driver, he's Spanish and Danish and Andorran or whatever, and he's some kind of count or prince or duke or something on top of all that." She pulled her shirt off. "I have to take a shower and get ready, do you mind?"

Jack sat on the bed. "Yeah, I do mind. I think it really stinks that you waited until now to tell me this, because you knew how I'd react. It was really crummy of you."

"Oh god, Jack, listen to you," Kelsey said. "Stinks? Crummy? How old are you, ten? Use some swear words, Jack, it's okay, you know? It's fucking okay to say you think something's shitty." She was exasperated, at least in part because she knew he was right. She'd waited until now, Friday afternoon, to tell him about going out with Don, hoping to avert the fallout, namely this conversation right here.

"What?" Jack stood and followed her to the bathroom. "Just because I my mouth isn't foul and I don't treat you like you're a sewage receptacle, I'm a child, now?"