After the grueling shoot of Goodfellas wrapped, Alex returned to Los Angeles. Following months of chaos in New York, the quiet of the Hollywood Hills was a welcome relief.
The March sun felt warm, helping him shake off the lingering cold. The air didn't smell of city exhaust or cigarettes anymore; instead, the breeze coming through the open doors carried the scent of jasmine and the swimming pool. And the only "heavy lifting" Alex had to do was stand perfectly still.
He stood on a low pedestal in the living room of his Hollywood Hills estate, arms slightly raised. Elena Russo, a forty-five-year-old master tailor from the Armani boutique on Rodeo Drive, moved around him with the quiet efficiency of a surgeon. She had worked with Alex for the past four years, becoming his go-to tailor for these major occasions.
As the Global Ambassador for the brand, Alex wearing their tuxedo to the Oscars was a headline event, and everything had to be flawless.
But the peace of the fitting was being systematically dismantled by Janet Jones.
At twenty-one, Janet—the daughter of Alex's aunt Nancy—had blossomed into a vibrant young woman. She had just completed her fashion design course and landed a coveted internship at GUESS, a brand currently exploding in popularity.
"Come on, Alex, please?" Janet pleaded, sitting on the edge of the sofa, swinging her legs. "I promised her."
Alex didn't move his head, keeping his gaze forward so Elena could measure his inseam. "Janet, no. It's not happening."
"Why not?"
"Because I've never even met her. That's reason enough," Alex said.
"Please, please, please!" she begged, clasping her hands together, her voice taking on that adorable, persuasive tone she had perfected since childhood. "Just listen. She's one of the new models for the campaign. She's my friend, and she's new in town. She just needs a little profile boost. Walking the carpet with Alex Hayes? That's instant stardom."
"I am going to say the same thing again: I never take a woman I don't know to the red carpet," Alex said flatly. "It sends the wrong message."
"She's not in a relationship, and neither are you," Janet countered, standing up. "Just look at it as a date. A very fancy, very public date."
Alex scoffed, finally looking down at her, earning a light tap on the ankle from Elena. "A first date at the Oscars? You are mad. Do you know how much pressure that is?"
"Please, please, please," Janet said, widening her eyes. "For your favorite little cousin? I gave her my word. Don't make me a liar, Alex."
Alex sighed, the sound loud in the quiet room. He looked down at Elena, who was currently pinning the hem of his trousers.
"Elena," Alex said. "What's your opinion on this?"
The tailor paused, looking up with a slight, amused smile.
"What is the smile for?" Alex asked.
"It is just funny," Elena said in her thick Italian accent, standing up to adjust his shoulder pads. "Alex Hayes is asking me for dating advice."
"I'm asking for sanity," Alex corrected. "Tell her she's crazy."
"Who is the girl, anyway?" Elena asked, looking at Janet.
Janet's face lit up. She scrambled to her oversized bag and pulled out a magazine—the October 1988 issue of Elle. "Her name is Claudia Schiffer. I met her at the GUESS campaign shoot. She's... well, just look."
She handed the magazine to Alex.
Alex took it. On the cover was a girl who looked like she had walked straight out of a 1960s French film. She had a cascade of blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a pouty, sultry expression that felt instantly iconic.
"She is beautiful," Elena commented, glancing at the cover over Alex's arm.
"Do you know her?" Alex asked the tailor.
"I know the face," Elena nodded. "She is a rising model. Very popular in Europe right now."
Alex looked back at the photo. There was something undeniably magnetic about her. She didn't look like the typical American "girl next door"; she had a retro, bombshell quality.
"She looks like Brigitte Bardot," Alex observed.
"Yes!" Janet exclaimed. "Everyone says that. She's the next big thing, Alex. Imagine. You in this tux, her in something gorgeous... you'd be the couple of the night."
Alex looked at the magazine, then at Janet's hopeful face, and finally at Elena, who just shrugged with a 'why not?' expression.
"You're done with the measurements?" Alex asked Elena, handing the magazine back to Janet.
"Yes," Elena said, removing the final pin and stepping back. "We will make the final adjustments. In two days, it will be delivered."
"Thank you, Elena," Alex said, stepping off the pedestal. "For both the work and the advice."
Elena smiled, packed her kit, and quietly left the room, leaving the two cousins alone.
"So?" Janet asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "What about it?"
Alex walked over to the sidebar and poured himself a glass of water. "Well, she is pretty on the eyes, anyway."
"So, are you agreeing?" Janet pressed, holding her breath.
Alex took one last look at the Elle cover lying on the coffee table. The resemblance to Bardot was striking—classic, elegant, and dangerous. It certainly wouldn't hurt his image to be seen with her.
"Okay," Alex said. "I'll take her."
"Yes!" Janet squealed, rushing over and hugging him tightly. "I knew it! You are the best, Alex. Seriously, the best."
"But," Alex warned, pointing a finger at her. "It's just a date. If it doesn't work out, don't blame me."
"I won't, I won't!" Janet promised, already backing away toward the door. "I have to go call Claudia. She is going to be over the moon!"
She ran out of the room, leaving Alex alone in the silence of his mansion. He laughed softly, shaking his head. He could say no to some of the most powerful men in Hollywood, but apparently, he still couldn't say no to family.
*********
March 29, 1989
The evening of the 61st Academy Awards arrived with the heavy, electric hum that only Los Angeles could produce. The air was cool, but the atmosphere was feverish.
Alex stood by the open door of the stretch limousine parked in Janet's driveway, adjusting the cuffs of his custom Armani tuxedo. He checked his watch. They were right on schedule.
The front door of the mansion opened, and Janet stepped out, grinning widely. But Alex's eyes immediately shifted to the figure stepping out behind her.
In that instant, Alex felt really glad that he hadn't rejected Janet's proposal.
Claudia Schiffer was a vision to behold.
She was wearing a gown that seemed to have been dipped in starlight—a form-fitting column of white sequins that shimmered like crushed diamonds under the porch lights. The dress featured delicate spaghetti straps and a square neckline that highlighted her collarbones, while a daring slit ran high up her right leg, revealing a flash of skin with every step.
To complete the look, she wore a matching white stole draped loosely around her elbows, and white opera-length gloves that added a touch of timeless, Old Hollywood glamour. With her blonde hair swept up into an elegant, messy chignon with loose tendrils framing her face, and diamond chandelier earrings catching the light, she didn't just look like a model; she looked like a dream brought to life.
"Oh, Alex," Janet whispered, stepping aside to reveal her friend fully. "How is she?"
Alex didn't answer Janet immediately. Instead, he stepped forward, closing the distance to the blonde beauty. He took her gloved hand gently in his, bowing his head slightly to press a kiss to her knuckles—a gesture that felt perfectly in sync with her vintage aesthetic.
"You are beautiful, Miss Schiffer," Alex said, his voice low and sincere.
Claudia smiled, a shy but dazzling expression that lit up her face, her dark red lipstick contrasting perfectly with the white gown. "Thank you, Mr. Hayes," she replied. Her voice carried a thick, charming German accent that somehow made the glamour of her appearance feel even more exotic.
"Shall we?" Alex asked, gesturing toward the open door of the limousine.
"We shall," she nodded, clutching a small, beaded drawstring bag as she gracefully slid into the vehicle.
Alex paused before following her, turning back to Janet, who was beaming with pride.
"You were right," Alex admitted, leaning in so Claudia wouldn't hear. "Thank you for not letting me say no."
Janet laughed, smoothing out her own dress. "I told you. I have good taste. Have a great night, Alex."
"I will try," Alex said with a smirk.
He climbed into the car, the heavy door thudding shut behind him. As the engine purred to life, the limousine glided out of the driveway, heading south toward the flashing lights and screaming fans at the Shrine Auditorium.