on　what　was　about　to　happen：　she　was　about　to　get　together　with　Thaddeus　Smith。

She　knocked　softly　on　his　door　and　he　pulled　it　open　almost　immediately；　a　startled　look　on　his

face。　His　very　baggy　cargo　shorts　had　slid　down　to　reveal　his　simple　gray　boxers。

？Serena；？　he　exclaimed。　？What？s　going　on？？

？Nothing；？　she　breathed；　brushing　past　him　and　into　the　room。　She　tossed　her　khaki…colored

Marc　Jacobs　drawstring　beach　bag　on　the　floor　and　plopped　onto　the　couch。

Thaddeus　closed　the　door　and　pulled　his　shorts　up；　blushing　slightly。　？So；？　he　said。　？What？s

happening？　Were　you　just　in　the　neighborhood？？

？Something　like　that。？　Serena　laughed。　It　was　cute　to　see　the　world…famous　actor　squirming。　God；

she　loved　flirting　with　him。

？So；？　Thaddeus　mumbled；　picking　up　his　discarded　T…shirt　from　the　floor　and　pulling　it　over　his

head。　He　sat　in　the　arm…chair　and　placed　his　feet　on　the　coffee　table。　？Have　you　been　rehearsing　on

your　own？？

？It？s　such　a　drag；？　Serena　sighed。　？But　Ken　acts　like　I？m　never　going　to　get　it　right。？

？I　always　say　it？s　harder　work　than　people　think；？Thaddeus　agreed。　？People　think　it？s　all

glamour；　all　parties　and　premieres；　but　I　fuckingearn　my　paychecks。　I　guess　I　don？t　need　to　tell

you　that。？

Making　three　million　per　movie　must　be　hard。

？I　wish　someone　had　warned　me。？　Serena　picked　her　bag　up　off　the　floor　and　dug　her　hand　inside。

She？d　gotten　so　worked　up　on　her　way　over；　she　needed　to　relax。　？Mind　if　I　smoke？？

？No；　of　course　not。？　Thaddeus　gestured　lamely　at　the　coffee　table；　which　was　already　set　with　an

ashtray　and　several　lighters。　？The　thing　is；　Serena；　this　isn？t　a　great　time。　My　friend　Serge　is