Absolutely Famous (10 page)

“Wow,” says Ryker. “I wish that I had seen that. That’s freakin’ awesome!” He holds his fist out to me.

Embarassed, I lightly tap my fist to his then we all burst out laughing.

“Don’t mess with Syd, she’ll eff you up!” says Leah.

“Yeah, well I’m tired of having to be protected all of the time. I’m taking care of myself.” I feel awesome, like a new person, New Sydney.

Adam raises his pint of beer and the others do the same with their drinks. Reluctantly, I raise my cranb
erry juice. “To Sydney, molest her and she’ll put you on your arse while you’re knees up at the hippest club in London!”

We all laugh and clink glasses, turning a serious situation into the funniest part of the evening.

I have to admit, it feels good to not be helpless for once.

Chapter
15

Waiting around in the conference room of the Warren Hotel seems to be a common occurrence for their nightclub remodels. I’ve already toured the space upstairs, an outdated club named Risk. The layout is decent but the furniture and color palette are too new to be retro and too old to be modern. Management has decided to go with a “V” theme for all of their nightclub names, so Vertigo will be the second club in the rebranding of their new
, trendsetting style.

The conference room looks out on the Thames River, its muddy color not detracting from the beauty of the old buildings that crowd along its edge. I don’t feel any anxiety, but I still stand and face the window and press my forehead to the cool glass. It seems like a lifetime ago that I stood like this nearly every day in an attempt to calm my fraying nerves. If nothing else, the ups and downs of being Sydney Tannen over the last few months have at least healed that part of me.

I spin around when the door opens and three people enter. Two I don’t recognize, but the arrogant and handsome face of Jeff Talley is not one I had anticipated seeing here.

“Hello Sydney,” Jeff says politely, extending his hand to me as he walks around the table.

“Hello Jeff. Thank you for bringing me on for another project.” I stuff down the urge to throw up on his perfect suit.

“Sydney,” Jeff continues, “This is Violet Thompson, Vice-President of Operations in Europe.”

I shake hands with a pleasant older woman with a graying bob and a matching gray power suit. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Thompson.”.

“Pleasure, Sydney. Please, call me Violet,” she
says in her clipped London accent.

Jeff continues, gesturing to the incredibly attractive, thirty-something year-old man with close-cr
opped hair and designer stubble. “And this is Oliver Clarke, he’s the project manager here at this location and will be your point person for the Vertigo remodel.”

I gratefully shake Oliver’s hand. At least Jeff isn’t my project manager here like he was in New York. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Clarke.”

“The pleasure is certainly all mine, Ms. Tannen,” he says in a more northern British inflection, clasping his left hand over our joined ones as we shake. It doesn’t escape me that he didn’t ask me to call him Oliver.

Interesting.

We take our seats and they tell me what they would like to see in the design, what they like and don’t like, and which ideas that I used in New York that they want to have duplicated for continuity between the two locations. Violet, despite the fact that she’s probably a few years past sixty, has very strong opinions on what young Europeans expect in a nightclub.

She must notice my astonished expression, because she winks and says, “I do love a crowded club dear. Partied with the Beatles and the Stones in my day.”

Fascinated, I’m about to ask her about the Beatles when Jeff interrupts, “Oh Violet, Sydney here doesn’t like celebrities, you know. She wouldn’t care if your husband was Paul McCartney or Mick Jagger was your brother.”

That smug bastard is sitting back smirking while I
must be turning about a hundred different shades of red.

“In fact, Sydney parties with all kinds of fa
mous people. Don’t you Sydney?”

Violet turns to look at me in interest, but I notice that Oliver rolls his eyes and scratches his head uncomfortably. I hope he’s rolling his eyes at Jeff and not me. I have to work with this guy on a daily basis.

“I’ve told you Jeff…”

“I know Sydney, you don’t know any famous people,” he finishes for me.

Anger starts to bubble up in me. New Sydney doesn’t press her head to the glass. Nope, she kicks assholes in the balls and elbows them in the stomach. I clench my hands under the table so I won’t slap Jeff in front of the other executives. God, I’m turning into Drew.

“I never said I don’t know any famous people,” I explain to Oliver and Violet. “I said I don’t follow celebrity stuff like gossip or movies.”

Violet nods her head in understanding. “Yes, they’re just regular chaps like us, aren’t they?”

Jeff produces a tabloid website printout from somewhere and pushes it across the table so I can see it.

“I’ve told you, I don’t read gossip.” I firmly shove the paper back toward him.

“Oh, then I’ll read it for you,” he says.

Holy crap! I’m actually going to have to kick him in the nutsack!

“The gorgeous Sydney Tannen was spotted out last night at Low Rent, an exclusive nightclub in London that caters to many stars, accompanied by music sensation and
Sphere of Irony
front man Adam Reynolds. Insiders spotted them getting cozy in a booth in the VIP section along with heartthrob, actor Ryker Bancroft, who is in town filming the second installment in the
Quantum Stranger
trilogy, and another female friend.

“
Several clubgoers witnessed an altercation between two other male patrons and the feisty Tannen, in which she knocked down the two men on the dance floor. The men were then escorted out by security for harassing her.

“There are no reports as to why Tannen is in London, or whether she’s still seeing rumored beau, actor Andrew Forrester. Forrester is currently still in Vancouver filming
Downtrodden Masses
with actress Kiera Radcliff. Video taken a few days ago outside a Vancouver eatery showed Forrester assaulting a fan that tried to fondle Tannen as they left the restaurant.

“Are Forrester and Tannen done? Have they swapped partners for hunky Reynolds and sexy Radcliff? After the standoff at Verve nightclub in March, there’s no doubt that Forrester will not be happy to see Tannen hooking up with the very eligible Reynolds while he’s on the other side of the globe. Maybe we’ll get to see these two hunks face off again soon. It seems Tannen has something that these men find irresistible.”

Jeff finishes and tosses the sheet back across the table.

“There are pictures too,” he says gleefully.

Unable to stop myself, I reach for the glossy page and pull it closer. Under the huge headline
“Sydney Tannen Plays Rivals Andrew Forrester and Adam Reynolds Against Each Other”,
are four giant color photos from last night.

One of the four of us in our booth, huddled together and laughing. One is of Adam and me sitting and staring at each other, obviously having a conversation but cropped to make it look intimate. One is of all of us dancing in a huge crowd of people. And the last one, of course, is a picture of Adam and me leaving the club, his hand on my lower back as he guides me through a throng of people on the sidewalk that were only there because someone Tweeted Ryker’s location.

“But, that’s not… it didn’t.”
Crap, I can’t gather my thoughts
. “You know what?” I say belligerently. “I don’t care. They can put what they want in there. I know that it’s not true. I can’t control what they print so who really cares?” I thrust the page back at Jeff and cross my arms defiantly.

Wow, New Sydney is really coming along. Punching guys in clubs and telling off my boss!

Violet smiles at me from her seat and nods along in agreement with my outburst. Jeff just sits there openmouthed, being an ass as usual. Oliver, I can’t get a read on. He sits quietly and strokes his handsome chin while staring at me, as if I’m a rare species that he’s trying to figure out.

“And before you can suggest it, Jeff, I’m telling you now that I’m not going as anyone’s fake date to the launch party for Vertigo. So don’t bother asking. I will see if Adam or Ryker want
s to go if they’re in town, but that’s where my involvement with the party ends. I’m not asking Drew or my parents to show up.”

“I wasn’t going…” he sputters. “And who’s Drew?”

“
Andrew
Forrester, or whatever you want to call him. I don’t see what this article has to do with remodeling a nightclub. Did you hire me for my ability as a designer or for my associations with tabloid fodder?” I ask calmly.

It’s game time. I’m not letting him use me for my connections.

“Obviously dear, we want your ability,” Violet says from the end of the table, a genuine smile on her lovely face.

“Jeff?” I
direct my gaze at the flustered executive.

“Of course, Sydney. Verve turned out great, beyond expectations actually. Ben Walton requested you personally, I told you that.”

I finally move to Oliver and meet his steely gray eyes. I don’t know him from Adam’s house cat, so I pretty much don’t care what he says, but I don’t want to leave him out of the discussion.

“I cou
ld care less about your friends.” He shrugs, then resumes rubbing his hand across his chin.

Good.

“Then we’re in agreement. I’ll start sketching and pulling colors and textures and we can meet back on Thursday?”

Everyone agrees and I stand, shake everyone’s hands and say goodbye, leaving Jeff Talley silent and stunned in conference room six of the Warren Hotel, London.

Chapter
16

“No way!” Leah exclaims as I recount the events of the meeting I just left. “I cannot believe you told him off! It’s about time.”

“I know,” I respond as I pop another sushi roll in my mouth.

Leah wanted to meet out for lunch at her favorite sushi bar near Kensington Gardens. I have to admit, it’s really good.

“So, what are you
going to do about the article?”

Okay, I’m confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, when Drew sees you out with Adam Reynolds, he’s going to go apeshit.”

“I … I guess I hadn’t thought about it.”
All of a sudden my stomach hurts too much to eat. I push my food away and start freaking out.
Shit!
I’m so freaking stupid. Me and my damn denial! Drew is going to think I left him and jumped into bed with Adam. A man he told me that he wants to beat to a pulp.

“Syd, you don’t look well.” Leah’s brows pinch
together in concern.

“What time is it in Vancouver?
” I ask, my voice cracking from stress.

Don’t cry. New
Sydney doesn’t cry over stupid shit like tabloids.

“Ummm, it’s 1pm here, so I think that makes it 3am? Why?”

I pull out my phone. “I need to text Jane. Do you think it’s too early? Or is this an emergency?”

Leah puts her hand on mine.
“Put that away. Let’s go back to the hotel, order up some margaritas, and figure this out. Okay?”

Shaking, I nod and throw my phone back into my bag. Leah slaps a
pile of British pounds down on the table and we hurry out of the restaurant. I flag down a black cab and tell the driver to take us to the Warren.

We decide to go to my suite instead of Leah’s so we can have privacy. Ryker is on set today, but there’s always a chance he’ll wrap early or God forbid, Adam might stop by.

Leah grabs the hotel phone and orders a pitcher of margaritas, a plate of cheese and fruit and
“to soak up the alcohol”
she mouths to me, a piece of chocolate lava cake. She slams down the phone and sits next to me on the couch.

“Okay, what’s the plan?” she asks me.

My eyes bug out in disbelief. “What? I thought you had an idea? You’re the one who made me put my phone away! My plan was to text Jane and ask her what her plan is!” I shriek at Leah, now in a complete panic.

“That’s your entire plan?”
She sounds as if she thinks I’m the dumbest person on earth.

“This is your fault!
” I jump up and point at her. “You ambushed me with Adam Reynolds! You know how much trouble he caused me and Drew! How the hell does he even know Ryker?”

“Sydney, it wasn’t an ambush! He’s a friend of yours, or he was a friend. I knew you were sad and going through a hard time. I thought you’d want to see another friendly face. I didn’t think it would end up in the tabloids
!”

“Everything I do
ends up in the tabloids. Hell, Leah, everything Ryker and Adam do probably ends up in the tabloids! We should have thought of this. It’s actually the one thing that we could have guaranteed would happen! So why was Adam there?”

“Adam knows Ryker from the movie. His band is doing the soundtrack so he’s been on set to get inspiration to write the songs
. He didn’t even know you were coming here. He was shocked just to see me at the studio since he had no idea I was dating Ryker. Damn, I’m sorry Syd.”

A sharp rap on the door lets us know that room service is here. I
stalk over to let them in, then remember how Drew yelled at me for not being careful enough. I step back and peer through the peephole to confirm who it is. Seeing the black and white hotel uniform, I open the door. See, I’m learning.

The young man pushes in a huge silver cart with a crisp white tablecloth draped over it. Our enormous pitcher of margaritas is in the center, with the food on either side.

“Jesus, Leah. That’s a huge fucking pitcher.”

She looks at me funny and we both burst out laughing. The hotel employee just stands
there, unsure what to do next. I hand him some money and let the poor guy leave.

“Let’s drink,” Leah says.

“To New Sydney,” I say, holding up my glass. “She doesn’t give a shit what the tabloids write.”

We clink glasse
s and I let the delicious salty-sweet lime flavor fill me up. The only problem is that I do care what the tabloids write… if Drew is going to see it.

I reach into my purse and pull out my iPhone. There’s a text from Jane.
Shit!
I had my phone on silent for my meeting this morning. I check the time, it was sent at 1:30pm our time, 3:30am in Vancouver. My heart does a slow, tumbling dive into my stomach. That can only mean that Drew saw the tabloid.

I slide my finger across the notification and read the text.

Jane

“Leah, Jane texted me at 3:30am Vancouver time. I think he knows. Leah, he saw the article!” I start panicking. I jump up and
hurry over to the window, flinging open the curtains and pressing my forehead to the cool glass. Okay, maybe New Sydney does still need this.

Breathe, Sydney. Breathe.

“Sydney, call Jane. For all you know you could be overreacting. Anyway, you left him to come here, remember? And none of this should matter, he knows damn well that the tabloids exaggerate everything.” The tone of her voice defies her rational words. She knows that it’s indisputable evidence.

“There are photos of me with Adam, Leah. You can say that I wasn’t ‘getting cozy’ or whatever crap they wrote but I can’t deny that I was out at that club with him last night
.” Leah doesn’t know how much Drew despises Adam.

“I was there too! He’ll see that. Just make the fucking call Sydney!”
She’s assuming Drew is reasonable, and when it comes to me and Adam Reynolds, he’s the exact opposite of reasonable.

I steel myself and pull up Jane’s contact info and press call.

“Sydney!” Jane answers on the first ring.

“Jane,” my voice wavers on the verge
of tears yet again. “Did he see it?”

“Not yet.” T
he breath I had been holding comes out in a huge rush.

“Thank God
.” Leah is looking more hopeful than before.

“But he will. I have you as a Google Alert in my phone, and Drew too. It went nuts in the middle of the night. What the heck is going on? I thought I was supposed to be helping you Sydney? Bu
t you have to help yourself too.” Shame washes over me as Jane scolds me.

Great, now I feel even worse, as if that were possible.

“I know it looks bad, Jane. But all I did was go out with Leah and her boyfriend Ryker Bancroft. Adam Reynolds is friends with Ryker because he’s writing the soundtrack for the movie that’s being filmed here. I didn’t even know he was going to be there.” I shoot Leah an ugly look and she wilts from my hostility.

I hear Jane sigh on the other end. “I hate to ask this Sydney, but did you hook up with him?”

“No! Never. I would never do that.”

“I know you wouldn’t, but you know I have to ask. He’s going to ask me. Now, what about these men you supposedly knocked out?” she
asks, humor in her voice.

“Uhhh, that’s actually true
.”

“Get the heck out of here!
You took down two men on the dance floor of a London nightclub?”

“Yes
.” I proceed to tell her what happened and how I took them down with my brutal moves.

Laughing,
she finally catches her breath. “That’s unreal Sydney. You’ve come a long way from the timid little thing I met in New York three months ago.”

“I know
. Will Drew still want the new me though?”

“Sydney, he’ll take any you that he can get. But I’d bet he’ll be proud of you standing up for yourself like that.”

“How is he, Jane?”

“He’s been better. He misses you, Syd. He flipped out when he realized you were gone
. And you didn’t take Evan or Sal with you.”

“I miss him too. And I don’t want him to worry, Jane. Plus, bringing bodyguards defeats the purpose of learning to live on my own.”

“I know Sydney. I better go. I have to get all of my ducks in a row to talk to him before he gets on set and someone else tells him. Like that horrible Kiera Radcliff.”

Ha! If Jane doesn’t like her, she must be acting horrendous because Jane likes everyone.

“Okay Jane. Keep me updated please. I’ll do whatever I can. I’ve just had my first meeting with the people at the Warren this morning so I have a little more free time now than I will once the renovation starts.”

We say good bye and hang up. I flop dramatically back onto the soft couch cushions, beyond exhausted.

“She’s going to tell him when he gets up. She only knew because she has Drew and me on Google Alerts and her phone blew up when the article hit. In fact, I’m going to set that up on my phone too, so I don’t get any more surprises in business meetings.” I fumble with my phone until I get the alerts in place.

“That makes sense,”
Leah says. “Now, let’s have some of this awesome chocolate cake and drink ourselves silly.”

“I’ll toast that.
” We clink glasses and I throw back the rest of my margarita.