Page 36 of Scripted for Love and Poison
She smiled as she grabbed his hand in hers and guided him through the most pedestrian-friendly—and photogenic—streets of Beverly Hills until they ended at the Urth Caffé on South Beverly Drive.
20
“Ican’t believewe’re not here to board our flight back to London,” Luke muttered through gritted teeth as he and Sol waited at the arrivals lobby of the international terminal at LAX.
“And I can’t believe they still haven’t found my luggage,” Sol added. “Or that we still have no hotel room.”
The lack of a room of their own had been aggravated by the fact that they had, indeed, finally found a perfectly nice place to stay that morning. Luke had even allowed himself to start anticipating everything he’d finally be able to do with Sol now that they were going to have a decently sized bathroom—not that a small shower room had ever been an impediment. But almost as quickly as they’d found the room, it was decided they would have to let it go. There was an excellent cause for it. But still.
A few minutes later, the reason for their trip to the airport—and for their loss of a much-needed hotel room—materialized in front of them. She was carrying two giant suitcases and wearing shorts, anI Heart LAT-shirt, slidesandals with socks, and rainbow-colored rimmed sunglasses. And she looked ecstatic.
She hugged Luke and Sol, holding one in each of her arms.
“I’m here, baby!” Divya declared.
“I can’t believe you’re so happy to be here,” Luke told her. “Also, you realize you’re wearing sunglasses indoors, right?”
“She’s already blending in better than you,” Sol teased him.
“Was it really necessary to bring two suitcases this huge!” Luke grumbled. “I hope we can fit them in the car.”
“Stop complaining! One of the suitcases is full of stuffyourequested!” Divya said.
“Did you have to bring stuff for the case?” Sol asked.
“The case? Signore Contadino here is morphing into the Maggie Smith character fromThe Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” Divya said. “He made me bring milk chocolate Digestives, Hobnobs, and tea bags. I had to check a second bag because of him!”
“No!” Sol couldn’t repress her laughter.
“Yes!” Divya joined in.
“Are we done making fun of me? Because I may not share my biscuits and tea with any of you,” Luke told them as he helped Divya with one of the suitcases and they headed to the parking.
“Yourbiscuits and tea? I paid for them and lugged them all the way here, mate!” Divya protested.
“She has a point, Luca,” Sol told him, and he laughed as well. It was so good to see Divya. She brought a little bit of home with her.
Fortunately, Marquee Media had understood that Luke was going to need some help if they wanted three casessolved in any reasonable amount of time and had agreed to pay for the other partner at the Bakshi & Contadino Agency to travel to Los Angeles.
Luke hoped that with Divya there, things would get sorted out soon. Especially considering the situation between him and Sol was stillnotideal. Even after the conversation they had the day before and even if he’d finally had the first good cup of tea since landing in Los Angeles, Luke was still sullen at what had happened with Sol—at his romantic partner hiding things from him. And yes, perhaps a part of him was also not happy at Sol for getting herself banned from leaving the country. But it was only atinypart. He really was trying to be selfless.
“A silver Nissan Versa, really?” Divya complained as Luke and Sol stopped in front of the rented car. “Luke, mate, this is my first time in LA. Could you really have not splurged a little and rented a convertible Ford Mustang? Preferably in yellow.”
“I don’t think the client would appreciate any splurging on our side. Things are tight as is. We barely have the budget for your flight, the car, and the hotel.”
“So where are we staying exactly?” Divya asked as they finished packing the car and made their way aboard, with Luke at the wheel.
“You’re staying at a perfectly nice three-star hotel not far from here,” Sol told Divya as Luke started driving. “I checked the reviews myself.”
“Oh, and the rest are enjoying some romantic, luxurious resort that Sol must be paying for,” Divya said.
“I wish,” muttered Luke, and Divya turned in his direction, puzzled.
“Luke and I have been enjoying the generosity of somefriends and the discomfort of their hideous inflatable mattress,” Sol explained.
“I don’t understand,” Divya said. “Why are you crashing at some friends’ as if you were both in your twenties? Which, no offense, you aren’t.”
“No offense taken, believe me,” Luke said morosely.
