The Love Machine by Jacqueline Susann

product. But as Jerry had said, they had to settle on one girl and stick with her. It was quite a problem.
Dan smiled. For months he had been closeted with Christie Lane, the “gofors,” Sig and Howie, and Artie Rylander. And Jerry had an office stacked with beautiful models. He shook his head. He should have such problems.
But Jerry did have a problem. Amanda. Amanda with her cool Nordic features, her high cheekbones, the heavy blond hair, was perfect for the product; she had also done the Alwayso magazine layouts last year. Jerry wanted her for the show—but how would Robin take it if he hired her?
Would he say, “What the hell are you doing? Trying to suck up to me?” or, “That was damn nice of you Jerry. I sure appreciate it.”
Suddenly he hated himself. Dammit, the issue should be who was best for the job and not how Robin would feel! He sat and stared at the picture on his desk of Mary and the kids. Was he abnormal in his feelings about Robin? That was ridiculous! He had no sexual desire for Robin Stone! He just liked him, liked to be with him. But why did he like to be with him? Sometimes Robin treated him with the same offhand conviviality he tossed at Carmen, the bartender at the Lancer Bar. Then there were days when Robin hardly spoke to Jerry at all. Or then again, Robin could be gregarious, almost glad to see him: “Your drink is waiting, Jerr.” Yet secretly, he had the suspicion that if he suddenly stopped calling Robin, stopped dropping in at the Lancer Bar at five, he would never be missed.
He pressed the buzzer and told his secretary to send Amandain. A few seconds later she strolled through the door. God, she even walked like her damn cat. She was wearing a leopard coat, her blond hair streaming to her shoulders. Leopard! She also had a mink. All his wife had was an otter.
She sat down in the chair across from him, undaunted by the daylight that shot at her face. He had noticed that some of the older models always cautiously turned away from it. But Amanda’s face was flawless and she knew it.
“You really want the job?” Jerry asked.
“Very much.”
He stared at her. Jesus, she was even getting to talk like Robin. Short and to the point.
He saw her steal a glance at her watch. Sure, her time was valuable. Then he noticed the watch. Holy Christ—it was the Vacheron job, the tiniest watch he had ever seen. Mary had admired it in the window at Cartier’s. But it cost over two thousand with the tax.
“That’s a beautiful watch,” he said.
She smiled. “Thank you… . Robin gave it to me for Christmas.”
He was silent. He had sent Robin a case of a hundred-proof vodka. Robin hadn’t even sent him a Christmas card.
Suddenly she leaned across the desk. Her eyes were urgent. “I want this job, Jerry. I want Robin to be proud of me.” She gave him an imploring look. “Oh, Jerry, I love him. I can’t live without him. You’re his best friend. What do you think my chances are with Robin? It’s been almost a year that we’ve been going together. And sometimes I think I’m no closer to him now than the first day we met. He’s so unpredictable—what do you think, Jerry? Men confide in one another.”
His entire mood changed. Suddenly he felt an odd sense of empathy with her. God, it must be hell for a girl to be in love with a man like Robin. He was glad he was a man. Glad he was just a friend to Robin.
“Jerry, I want to marry him,” she said. “I want to have his children.” Her face went tense. “You know what I’ve done with my evenings during the weeks he’s away? I’ve taken a reading course at the New School. I’ve finished Pickwick Papers , and I’vestarted on Chaucer. And when I tried to discuss them with Robin, he laughed and said he had no desire to be Professor Higgins. But I’ll keep at it. Oh, Jerry—sometimes I wish I didn’t love him this much. Even after he’s spent the night with me, when he leaves the following morning, I snuggle against the towel he’s