Absolutely Famous(18)

“I have three huge bodyguards, Drew! I can’t even go out anywhere while you’re working! I’ve done everything reasonable that you’ve asked. I’m not changing what I wear, it’s ridiculous!” I shout back.

He shoots back the last of the scotch in his glass and thumps it down loudly on the coffee table, putting a big gouge in the polished wood. “It’s ridiculous to keep grimy losahs from pawing all over your fuckin’ body? Am I supposed to stand theah and watch, Sydney? That guy was aimin’ for the exposed skin above your ass! If you were wearin’ somethin’ else, he wouldn’t have bothahd!” Drew roars, standing up to face me, dripping ice water from his bruised hand all over the floor.

I jump off of the couch and get in his face, well, as close as I can get being seven inches shorter than him. “You can’t know that! Stop being irrational!” I shout back. “I go with you to the studio every day, I only go out when you’re with me, we have three scary-ass bodyguards.What else can I do? Tell me!” I feel hot tears coursing down my cheek and I angrily wipe them away.

“That’s the problem, Sydney! I have no fuckin’ clue how to stop all this bullshit!” he yells as he sits down heavily and drops his hand back into the icy water.

The pieces click into place. Drew has no way to control all of this crap that’s swirling around us and it’s making him lose it. He was helpless to stop the attack on me at his own movie premiere, and he knows he can’t stop anyone determined enough to attack again. He’s scared and doesn’t want to admit it.

I squirm my way back onto his lap and wrap my arms around him, pressing tiny kisses up and down his neck. I inhale the scent of him and feel like I’m home. “Drew, I love you,” I whisper in his ear, continuing to kiss his neck while I wait for a response.

After what seems like an eternity, he hugs me to him and speaks. “I love you too, Syd.”

Is this how we’re going to be?





Chapter 8



Back on the set the next day, I settle into my chair to watch today’s filming. I’ve gotten to know a few of the crew members fairly well over the last few weeks, and am chatting with one of the costume designers about our design school experiences when I feel someone staring at me. I glance up and see Kiera standing a few feet away, a conniving look on her face, as she waits for me to acknowledge her. I turn away and continue talking until my companion notices Kiera and becomes uncomfortable.

“Ummm, I’ll catch you later, Sydney,” she says, eyeballing Kiera nervously as she gets up and hurries away.

“Sure thing, Melissa.” Now I’m more than irritated with Kiera and her ridiculous attempts to piss me off. After last night, I don’t have the patience for her crap today.

I let out a loud breath and turn to Kiera, pasting my giant fake smile back on my face. “Can I help you with something, Kiera?” I ask in a sickly sweet voice.

She grins like the Chesire Cat. “Are you going to be here tomorrow, Sydney? You know that we’re filming our hot love scene, don’t you?”

This chick is never going to stop, is she?

I smile back and decide to give this bitch a verbal slap. “I haven’t decided yet, Kiera. I may have to be here to inspire Drew. You know, so he can pretend you’re me, just to make his performance convincing enough.” She blanches and her mouth falls open.

That’s right, bitch!

Kiera composes herself and rethinks her approach. “You know, the studio execs want Drew and I to pretend to be a couple so we can create more buzz around the film.” She lazily twirls her finger around a lock of her perfect blonde hair. “I figure tomorrow will be good practice for us, in fact, I’m sure it will be so convincing that we’ll become a real couple. That’s what the studio wants anyway.”

I stand up and go toe to toe with this irritating woman. “Fat chance, Kiera. He’ll never want you, he can’t stand you. He would never cave to the studio pressuring him to be with you.”

“Just like you and Adam, right Sydney? All pretend? If you can step out with Adam for your boss, why wouldn’t he step out with me for his boss? It seems fair if you ask me,”

She’s got me. I’m speechless. I did go on a fake date for my boss, feeling like I had no choice. Would Drew do that? My mind goes back to the first day here, when the director tried to tell me something about being shocked that Drew and I were a couple because the studio wanted something else, but Drew interrupted and hurried me out of the room. Maybe he did say yes and doesn’t want me to know. Kiera’s annoying voice interrupts my thoughts.