Teddy showed up at Peter Barrington’s wearing a tux and carrying a briefcase. Peter met him at the door. “Hey, Mark, come in. You’re just in time for a drink.”
“Good, I could use one.”
Teddy followed Peter into the living room where Ben, Tessa, and Hattie were having drinks. The girls looked stunning in their evening gowns—Tessa in red, and Hattie in gold.
Ben, like Teddy, was wearing a tux. “Hey, what’s with the briefcase?” he said. “Isn’t that a little out of place?”
“It’s not mine,” Teddy said. “At least, it’s not Mark Weldon’s. It’s Billy Barnett’s. It has a few items from my makeup kit Billy might need. You know Billy, always wants to look his very best.”
“You’re going to look funny with that on the red carpet,” Tessa said.
“Yeah,” Hattie said. “They might mistake you for one of the guys from Pricewaterhouse.”
“I was hoping one of you could bring it in for me. I don’t want to call attention to it. Surely a director or a studio head could have something with him without causing comment?”
“Maybe Dylan could bring it in,” Tessa said.
“Dylan?” Teddy said. “Why would Dylan be there?”
“Viveca asked Peter to get Dylan in as her assistant,” Tessa said. “I think she has a crush on the boy.”
“Don’t be catty,” Ben said. “You’re too nice a person and you’re no good at it.”
“Dylan won’t be with her,” Peter said. “She’ll be accompanied by her boyfriend.”
“Then why is he going?” Teddy said.
“Why, indeed?” Peter said. “Viveca asked for him. I was surprised because she’s never made any outrageous demands before.”
“I don’t think she was trying to be a diva,” Tessa said. “She didn’t want to be the bad guy who told him he couldn’t go.”
“Oh?”
“Dylan made a big pitch about really wanting to be there. Which was a ridiculous request, but she didn’t like being put in that position.”
“So she put me in that position,” Peter said. “In any case, he’ll be there and could bring your briefcase, if you wanted.”
Teddy frowned. “Actually, I don’t. The fewer people who know about the briefcase, the better. I particularly don’t want anyone to connect it to Mark Weldon or Billy Barnett.”
“I can bring it,” Ben said. “I’m not nominated for anything. I’m just the lowly studio head.”
“Thanks, Ben. Just check it in the coatroom.”
“And slip you the claim check?”
“I think you’d better redeem it, too. Otherwise, I’ll be redeeming it as one person, and checking it again as another. I think you better redeem it, wait for me to give it back to you, and check it again. If you can bear to miss part of the ceremony. Sorry about this. I never dreamed I’d have to be Billy Barnett and Mark Weldon at the same award ceremony.”
“Hell, missing part of the ceremony is a perk.” Ben grinned. “Okay, I’ll be your bagman.”