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第24部分（第1页）

Vanessa　squeezed　Hollis’s　hand　tightly。　She　expected　him　to　roll　his　stormy　gray　eyes　and　tell　them　to　fuck　themselves。　But　instead；　he　was　nodding　as　if　he　was　agreeing。　What　the　fuck？　Vanessa　yanked　her　hand　away；　aware　that　her　palms　were　clammy。

“Here’s　my　pitch；”　Hollis　said；　his　deep　voice　manding　the　room。　“Love　the　Maori　boy；　love　Iceland。　So　what　if　we　double　the　fun　and　add　some　twins？　That　way；　we　can　really　explore　identity　and　selfhood　and　what　makes　a　family。”　Hollis　nodded；　leaning　forward　on　his　elbows　as　if　he　couldn’t　wait　to　see　what　else　Stacy　would　add　to　the　idea。　Vanessa　felt　like　she　was　going　to　throw　up。　He　was　agreeing　with　them？

“What　makes　a　family；”　Geoff　piped　up；　his　voice　going　up　an　octave　in　excitement。　“That　could　be　a　great　title。”

“Only　if　we’re　a　fucking　television　network　for　women。”　Stacy　rolled　her　eyes　in　his　direction。　“Remember；　we　need　to　get　the　guys。　Are　you　having　trouble　in　that　department？”　she　asked　sarcastically。　“No；　what　if　it’s　something　like　The　Tribe　Goes　Down？　See；　that’s　sexy。”

Vanessa　couldn’t　take　this　anymore。　If　Hollis　wasn’t　going　to　say　anything　because　he　was　afraid　of　offending　Stacy；　well　then；　she　was。　She　knew　you　had　to　make　some　promises　to　get　financing；　but　this　was　absurd。　“No；”　Vanessa　said　loudly；　her　voice　seeming　to　ricochet　off　the　glass　walls。

“Alyssa？”　Stacy　asked　curiously。

“It’s　Vanessa；”　Vanessa　snapped。　“I’m　sorry；　but　the　pitch　was　about　a　teenage　girl　who　moves　to　Brooklyn。　I’m　not　making　a　movie　about　twin　Maori　boys　who　move　to　Iceland；”　she　said　firmly；　hoping　Stacy　would　understand。　“I　don’t　know　anything　about　Iceland。　Or　Maoris。”

“Right。”　Stacy　nodded。　“But　this　is　a　Hollis　Lyons　film。　If　Streetscape　is　producing　it；　Hollis　is　directing　it；”　she　said；　as　if　she　were　a　kindergarten　teacher　explaining　to　a　five…year…old　why　she　couldn’t　have　two　snacks。　“It’ll　really　be　great；　Hollis。”　Stacy　smiled。　“Now；　let’s　keep　going。　So；　we　get　them　to　Reykjavík；　and　then…”　She　trailed　off；　glancing　around　the　room　for　the　next　pitch。

“Then　I　guess　I’m　not　needed　here。”　Vanessa　stood　up。　Tears　were　dangerously　close　to　flowing；　and　she　would　not　cry　in　front　of　them。　She　walked　toward　the　door。　Hollis　was　still　sitting　on　the　edge　of　his　chair；　leaning　his　elbows　on　the　table　as　if　he　couldn’t　wait　to　hear　Stacy’s　latest　absurd　idea。

“Hollis？”　Vanessa　asked；　her　voice　shaking。

“See　you　later；”　Hollis　called　distractedly。　He　turned　back　to　the　table。　“I　think　it　might　be　cool　if　one　of　them　got　involved　with　a　Dutch　girl　from　Amsterdam；”　he　mused。

At　this；　Vanessa　froze。　Her　hand　was　on　the　doorknob；　but　she　felt　paralyzed。　What　was　Hollis　doing？　How　could　he　betray　her　like　that？

“Zach；　can　you　walk　Alyssa　out；　while　we　hash　out　the　Amsterdam　plot　twist；”　Stacy　asked；　mistaking　Vanessa’s　pent…up　rage　for　confusion　over　where　the　exit　was　located。

Vanessa　swallowed　her　anger。　She　was　going　to　head　back　to　the　apartment；　pack　her　stuff；　and　then　go　straight　to　Ruby’s。　If　Hollis　thought　she　would　continue　to　live　with　him；　he　was　dead　wrong。　“Hollis　is　great　at　plot　twists；”　Vanessa　managed　icily　before　she　closed　the　door。

The　best　endings　are　the　ones　you　don’t　see　ing。

the　marriage　of　two　minds　works　better　over　beers

Dan　lit　up　a　Camel　as　he　stood　outside　Doma；　the　busy　café　on　Perry　Street。　It　was　already　almost　dark；　even　though　it　was　just　four　in　the　afternoon。　The　café　looked　warm　and　inviting；　with　people　reading　tattered　paperbacks　and　couples　leaning　over　their　lattes。　But　Dan　didn’t　go　in。　He　never　knew　the　protocol　for　meeting　someone　for　coffee。　Did　he　go　in　and　scout　out　a　table　and　order？　Did　he　wait　outside？

Someone’s　really　taking　this　seriously。

He　pulled　out　his　phone。　Four…oh…eight。　She　probably　wouldn’t　even　show。　This　was　the　last　time　he　was　meeting　up　with　a　model…slash…actress　or　whatever　Serena　was。　He　stuffed　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　corduroys；　ready　to　walk　off。

“Dan！”　He　whirled　around　and　saw　Serena。　Dan　sucked　in　his　breath。　She　was　even　more　stunning　than　he　remembered。　She　was　wearing　a　long　gray　coat；　her　cheeks　flushed　from　the　cold　and　her　long　hair　loose　and　golden　around　her　shoulders。　She　looked　beautiful；　otherworldly；　like　a　Hans　Christian　Andersen　princess　who’d　taken　a　wrong　turn　and　wound　up　in　the　city　instead　of　a　forest　in　Norway。

“Oh　my　God！”　Serena　exclaimed；　hugging　Dan。　She　kissed　him　on　the　cheek；　leaving　a　sticky　lip　gloss　mark　and　a　tingling　sensation。

“Hey；”　Dan　said　casually；　trying　not　to　squeak。

“So　sorry　to　keep　you　waiting！”　Serena　shook　her　head　apologetically。　“Should　we　go　in？”

“It’s　sort　of　crowded；”　Dan　pointed　out。　Suddenly；　he　didn’t　want　to　share　Serena　with　the　nosy　coffee　drinkers　inside。