“Ladies!” Allie comes through the glass doors and joins us on the patio. We all hug and exchange greetings, complementing each other’s dresses.
“Where’s Dex?” I ask Allie.
She turns an interesting shade of crimson and answers me. “He got stuck with Ryker. There’s a pretty big group of Quantum Stranger fans here tonight. I guess it’s just us girls for now.”
“Is our surprise ready?” I ask Allie.
Leah whips her head around, “What surprise?”
Allie lifts an eyebrow and smirks. “You’ll see.”
“So, I have huge news,” Leah says while trying to suppress her frustration at being left out of the loop.
“You’re not knocked up are you?” Allie blurts out.
“No! I’m not, so don’t even go there! I’m selling the Coffee Bar to my cousin and my friend from culinary school.”
“What!” I say way too loud. “But you love the café, how could you sell it?” I’m stunned. Leah put everything she had into that shop. Every drop of sweat, every spare minute, it all went into turning it into a huge success.
“Yep. I’m tired of not having a day off for months at a time, getting up at 4am every day to bake. I just need a break. I’ve been contacted about selling the croissants in bakeries around the country. I can do that from my laptop.”
“Wow. They’re going to keep it open though, right? I can’t lose my morning fix! You know I need it!” I start to panic at the thought of not having my daily cup of coffee at Leah’s place. “In London, everything is tea. It was torture just to get them to brew a decent pot and bring it to my room.”
“Calm down Sydney! Of course they’re keeping it open. My cousin even hired a couple more people to staff the register so she never has to be there. She’s more like management, not on site like I was. Xavier, the pastry chef I went to school with, will be more hands on.”
“I may be leaving my job too,” Allie says sadly.
“Oh no Allie.” I hug her in sympathy.
“Yeah, well, it’s no big deal. I’ll probably volunteer with my mom at the different hospitals. Or maybe I’ll apply at another hospital, Boston has tons of them.” Allie tries to sound indifferent about it, but I know she loves her job. She’s just one more casualty in the long line of people destroyed by fame.
Before we can say anything profound to lift Allie’s spirits I hear a snarky voice float up behind us. “Sydney, so good to see you again.” Cringing, I turn to see Kiera Radcliff, done up to the nines in a blush colored evening gown. Unfortunately, she looks gorgeous as usual.
“I can’t say the same Kiera. Thanks for supporting Inpatient to Learn. I’m sure you can see yourself out, have a nice night.” I turn my back to her and attempt to restart my conversation with my friends.
“Oh no you don’t bitch,” Kiera snarls. She lunges forward and grabs my wrist in an attempt to spin me around to face her.
“Ma’am, I’ll have to ask you to remove your hand immediately.” Steve has appeared just a few inches from Kiera’s outstretched arm.
“Whatever.” Kiera attempts a casual tone, but I can tell that she’s pissed. Dropping her hand she continues her tirade against me. “You think you’re so much better than me? You’re not going to win this one. Adam dumped me so he could ask you out, then you turn up with my future co-star and boyfriend? You’re not taking both of them you whore. You’re trying to ruin me by dragging my name into your twisted attempt at gaining sympathy with the press, like anyone would tape record your boring ass!”
This chick is certifiably crazy. She flies across the country just to threaten me for stealing her boyfriend that I never dated and for stealing my boyfriend that she never dated? Talk about fucked up. There’s no way she didn’t know about the recordings and manipulation of the media.
What a bitch.
I’m about to go off on her when Leah steps in for me, unable to listen to Kiera’s lies any longer. “Listen up skank. I know Adam fairly well, and he told me that he dumped your ass after he caught you banging your last costar in your trailer. So save the bullshit story that he dumped you for Sydney. And as for Drew,” Leah gets right up in her face and speaks low and clear. “He fucking hates the sight of you. So why don’t you piss the fuck off!”
Kiera’s face falls and her previous confidence is gone. She thought she was getting Old Sydney, the easily intimidated one who fled at the first sign of controversy. Instead, New Sydney didn’t even have to move a muscle because my best friend took care of her for me.