Page 72 of Andalusia Dogs
“Not the new owner, in any case. She loved it.”
Alex and Vicente frowned as Maria disappeared into the crowd, returning with a striking young woman on her arm. Alex and Vicente stared in silence, forgetting their manners until Maria coughed.
“Alejandro Vargas,” Alex said quickly, extending his hand. “And our stage manager and director’s assistant—”
“Vicente, I believe? Yes, I read your bios. Pleased to meet you.” She accepted his hand. “You should be proud of producing work like this so young. If you and your colleagues can keep it up, we should do very well indeed.”
“You’re… the new owner?” Vicente got out, unable to mask his confusion.
“Forgive me. Isobel.”
“Isobel?”
“Just Isobel.” She smiled sweetly through bright red lips. “I’m sorry I can’t stay for the festivities. I just wanted to congratulate you in person before I leave.”
“Well, thanks again,” said Alex. “Where are you going, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Istanbul at first, then I don’t know. Perhaps Australia?”
“Australia?”
She offered them another cryptic smile and shrugged before downing her wine. “Congratulations again, boys. I’m proud of you.”
Alex watched her pitch-black hair disappear through the crowd and out the theatre doors, into the night without escort. “Did she seem familiar to you?”
Vicente bit his bottom lip. “I can’t place her.”
“What she is, is extremely rich,” Maria added. “Came into quite some money when her husband passed away just shy of forty, poor thing. No children. She’s barely twenty-five, but says she’s no urge to marry again. Just charity and theatre, including a generous stipend to this theatre.” Maria clinked her glass against Alex’s. “Which doesn’t give you license to phone in a flop, mister director.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good, because we’ll need a new artistic director and programmer too. Something to think about.”
The pair of them beamed until at last, unable to summon words, Alex took Vicente in a big, wet, celebratory kiss.
“I thought so,” Maria said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll let you boys enjoy your big night.”
“Artistic director?” Vicente said.
“I…” Alex shook his head. “Oh my god, don’t tell Leo. Not until I’m there to see it, at least.”
“You’re evil.” Vicente grinned, kissing him again. “And I love you.”
Alex took Vicente’s hand, watching the crowd swarm their four-piece cast as they posed for photos.
“So, what do we do after this?”
“I don’t know. Something about vampires?”
“That sounds ghastly. Nobody’s going to go for that.”
“I know. I was joking.”
“Thank the gods. But I meant, what do you want to do tonight?”
Alex shrugged as flashes lit up the foyer. All eyes were on their squinting cast. “Disappear? Go home? Maria gave me a nice bottle of Valencia Bobal. I may have a few other ideas, if you’re interested in workshopping them.” He slid his thumb across the back of Vicente’s hand.
Vicente kissed Alex on the side of his forehead, squeezing his shoulders. “That, mister director, sounds like a magic act worth catching.”