Beware of Boys (20 page)

“When we what? You were saying something,” Charly reminded him.

He looked back at her. “When we see M
kel. You don't have to hunt him down. I know where he is. Rather, where he'll be. I start filming tomorrow, and he's meeting me on the set so we can chop it up. Ya know, talk. ”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

Faizon nodded. “Yeah, and you'll be there too. You do want to see ya boy in his glory, right? See how movies are made? So now you can relax, mama. Enjoy yourself, especially since it's only me, you, and Eden. My grandmother's out of town.”

Charly yawned, then nodded because she didn't know what else to do. She was super excited that she wouldn't have to hunt down M
kel, but didn't know if it would be appropriate for her to be alone in the house with Faizon. She wondered if she should go to a hotel, but then thought better of it. She needed Faizon. He was the only one out of the three who hadn't walked away from the project, which told her she had a chance of getting him to help her with M
kel, especially since M
kel was visiting him on the movie set. She also knew that Faizon knew the real reasons for the blow-up between M
kel and Lex, and those were critical for her to know if she planned on fixing the problem. “Okay, okay, and okay,” she said, acquiescing with hidden intention, and telling herself she'd be fine. Eden was with her, so they weren't really alone, and she wasn't attracted to Faizon personally. She was just infatuated with what he did. She was intrigued by his artistry, she told herself, as she gripped his hand and let him lead her to the beach. She yawned again, this time removing her hand from his, and stretching her fingertips to the sky.

“You're really tired,” he said after she'd finished stretching. He took her hand in his again, lacing his fingers through hers. “C'mon, mama. Let's get you inside. You can sleep in my bed.” He pulled her toward the house.

Charly's eyes stretched. “No, no, that's okay,” she protested. “And it wouldn't be right.”

Faizon laughed softly, leading her up a small hill that stretched to his house. “Nah, it wouldn't be right. It would fantastic,” he flirted. “But that's not what I'm suggesting, mama. You can have my bedroom—you and Eden. She's already in there asleep. It's big and has its own bathroom. I'll crash in the guest room.” He led her across the walk and onto his deck.

Charly followed him, then stopped next to the infinity pool, where he picked up her folder. “Are you sure? I don't want to put you out.”

Faizon leaned in, then planted a soft kiss on her cheek. “Charly, I guess you have selective vision. You see only what you want to see. You're not putting me out, you're reeling me in.” He kissed her face again, then backed up. “My room is up the stairs, the last door on the right. I have to go . . . before I say or do something stupid. I can't be who I am if I'm blowing my cool over a girl.” He winked and turned away. “I'll see you in the morning, mama.”

Charly stood there, questioning what she'd just heard. She'd reeled in Faizon and hadn't even tried. She only hoped it would work to her advantage.

T
he room was moving. An earthquake, she was sure. Her eyes popped open in panic, causing her immediate regret. Blinding bright sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, assaulting her pupils and making her wince. She blinked slowly, trying to adjust her vision. She had to see what was happening, had to figure out what to do. The floor was vibrating and the bed shook. She grabbed the sides of her head, which was hurting, and discovered that her temples throbbed too. She looked left, then right, searching for Eden, but she was nowhere to be found. All she saw was a huge painting on the wall, shaking from the movement. A loud crash, one louder than she'd ever heard, made her scramble to her feet.

“Eden!” she yelled, looking down at the floor that should've been still, but wasn't. “Eden! Faizon!” she screamed again when the floor started making noises too.
I have to be having a nightmare
, she thought when she heard the hardwood hum, then felt it vibrate. It felt like she was standing on top of a huge concert speaker, feeling the bass blow.

“Charly! Charly! What is it? You okay?” Eden said, bursting through the door with a frying pan in her hand, an oven mitt on her hand and a full apron over what appeared to be a tank top. A lot of noise followed her into the bedroom.

Charly tilted her head. “An earthquake—” she began, then jumped. Another loud crash sounded and her eyes widened in panic. “Oh my god, the windows are breaking. How big is the quake?”

Eden laughed, shaking her head. Faizon popped his head into the room, looking around. “What's so funny?” he asked. “Charly, did I hear you call my name? Were you just screaming, mama?”

Eden was almost doubled over in laughter. “Charly thinks we're having an earthquake.”

Faizon walked all the way into the room, looking like he'd been dipped in money. His clothes were top-of-the-line flashy. The wild long hair he'd had just hours before had been expertly fashioned into dreadlocks. “Pre-film party,” he announced, smiling. “I always have one before I begin taping. It gets my adrenaline flowing.”

Eden held the frying pan. “The caterers are downstairs, set up on the deck next to the pool, but Faizon prefers my pancakes. I make great waffles too though. Which do you prefer, pancakes or waffles?”

Charly looked around.
Caterers?
She held up her arm, glanced at her wrist for her watch, then remembered it wasn't there. “What time is it?”

“It's still early. It's barely nine. I don't have to be at the set until eleven because I have my own groomers, and the studio sends over my wardrobe. I'll see you downstairs,” Faizon said, backing out of the room.

Another loud crash sounded, making Charly jump. “What's that noise?”

Faizon smiled. “You don't wanna know, mama. C'mon, Eden, let's let Charly get dressed. See you downstairs on the deck.”

 

There were naked girls in the pool. Nude. Completely minus clothes and self-respect, Charly thought as she stuck her cell phone in her pocket and walked through the house, looking at the groupies through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The house had transformed from Faizon's home into a makeshift daytime club. Music blasted, food and drinks were being served, and at least a hundred people were everywhere she looked. Some were dancing, others were mingling, and in the far corner of the room, a group of guys was betting on a video game match. She scratched her head, trying to make sense of it all. How could Faizon prepare to film with so much ruckus around him?

The sound of breaking glass vibrated throughout the room, making her jump and pulling her attention. It was the same sound that had scared her when she'd awoken from her slumber. Charly watched the group of video gamers and gamblers. Two were holding controls, while the others were huddled in front of the huge flat screen, kneeling and throwing money down on the floor. The crash whooshed through the hidden surround-sound speakers again, and they jumped in the air, pumping their fists and screaming as a virtual screen shattered, apparently announcing a winner.

“Are you kidding me?” she said with a hand on her hip. “Seriously? Video game heads and naked girls right before going to the set? Irresponsible.”

“You're telling me. They've been at it all morning too,” Eden said, walking up to her with a plate stacked with pancakes. She turned her face away from the food and yawned. “Sorry. Here, take this and eat something before we leave. Faizon will be ready soon. He's talking to M
kel.”

Charly perked up. “M
kel? Where are they?”

Eden shook her head. “He's not here. Faizon's in the back room on the phone. Well, at least he was, but I guess not anymore,” she said, motioning toward the patio doors, where Faizon was entering.

“There you are, sleepy head. Welcome to Party Central!” Faizon greeted her as if he hadn't just seen her minutes before. “You ready to go? You should grab your things and put on some shoes. We have to leave like right now.” He looked at his watch, then shook his head. He turned to the crowd. “ 'Ey yo! It's time!” he yelled. “I gotta get to the set!”

Charly watched everyone ignore him and held her breath. She was sure that at any moment he was going to snap. The video gamers told him their game wasn't done yet, and they weren't leaving until it was, and the people who were dancing continued to dance. “I can help you,” she offered, heading toward the deck. She didn't have time to wait for Faizon's party crew. She had to get to the set so she could see M
kel. “Okay, ladies. It's time to get moving. We have work to do.”

One of the nude girls lying next to the pool on a patio chaise longue, turned to Charly. She lifted the one item she wore—her sunglasses, and looked at Charly through bright blue contacts. “We're not leaving until the caterers finish our omelets. Why don't you take off your clothes and jump in the pool with the others. You're no more special than the rest of us. Especially me. I have seniority. That means I've been here the longest, so Faizon lets me do whatever I want.” She eased her sunglasses back down, then turned her head as if Charly hadn't spoken.

Before Charly knew it, her feet had carried her to the side of the pool. “I know what seniority means!” Her hands were on the side of the chaise longue, and her body weight was against it. With one hard football player's charge, she'd rolled Blue Contacts into the pool with the patio lounge following her. “You may've been here the longest, but I have the upper hand. I said get out!” Charly yelled, grabbing a nearby bottle of beer that she couldn't believe they were drinking. “Or I'm going to start busting heads.” A few girls got up without protest, and a couple others sat there with their chins dropped toward their chests in disbelief.

“That's Charly! Did you see the video of her attacking M
kel? She's crazy,” Charly overhead one of the girls unsuccessfully attempt to whisper to another. Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket.

“Oh yeah. I'm crazy. And I'm going to show you crazy too, as soon as I get back.” After she threw the empty threat, she went back inside to answer her phone, hoping they'd think she was coming back with something more threatening than a beer bottle. She bounded the stairs two by two, headed to Faizon's bedroom. She'd just closed the door behind her, when the vibration stopped, indicating she'd missed a call. She slipped into her shoes and grabbed her purse, then reached inside her pocket and retrieved the phone. She shook her head. She'd missed Liam's call, but didn't feel like talking to him or answering his handful of questions that were laced with insecurity or jealousy or, worse, his thinking she had to answer to him. She huffed. As much as she wanted to ignore him, she couldn't. He was supposed to be appealing to Lex to make the project happen, and she was supposed to be finding M
kel. They both had a new show on the line that was dependent on the guys' retreat for girls being a major success, so, there was no getting around communicating with Liam. They were in this together.

“Yes, Liam?” she greeted him when he answered.

“He's gone. Lex is gone!” Liam was out of breath.

Charly tilted her head. “What do you mean ‘he's gone'? Try the hills—that's where he runs. If he's not there, he has to be in the gym. He can't leave the training camp. His Showtime event is, like, tomorrow or the next day or something,” she said, exaggerating. Lex wasn't scheduled to fight so soon, but it seemed like it was right around the corner.

“No, Charly. He's gone. Like out-there-in-Cali gone. It seems he went back to his old stomping ground—a different training camp—because he couldn't focus here.”

Charly nodded.

Faizon burst into the room. “I can't get them to leave, and we gotta go,” he muttered.

Charly put a hand on her hip and rolled her eyes. She covered the cell mic, then whispered to Faizon, “Where's your fuse box?” He shrugged. She waved her hand at him. “Just go. I'll get with you in a minute,” she said, disgusted, then turned her attention back to Liam. “Text me the address here, and I'll go get him.”