Extremely Famous (28 page)

“I guess I’ll just email everything to you
.”

“Perfect,” Adam responds, smiling for the first time since we got here.

“Great, then I guess we’ll go and I’ll talk to you later?”

“Right,” is all Adam says.

“Satisfied?” I ask a stunned Drew.

“F
or now,” he says.

I roll my eyes and hustle Drew out the front door and back down to the waiting SUV.

“Are you going to tell him?” Drew asks, reaching across the seat for my hand.

“
Tell him what?” I ask wearily. So fucking tired of the subject of Adam Reynolds.

“That we’re married
.”

“Drew, we’re keeping that to ourselves. We haven’t even told our parents.”

Not this again.

“Hmph,” he grunts
, then his eyes light up and a wicked grin appears on his face. “You know that there’s been talk that
A Soldier’s Burden
might be up for an Academy Award.” Once again, he changes the subject so quickly that my head spins.

“What? Your film might win an Oscar?”

He shrugs modestly. “It might not, no one really knows. It’s only October, there’s still a lot of films that haven’t been released yet.”

I pat his arm gently.
“I think it’s great babe. I’m so proud of you, that movie is excellent and so were you. It deserves to win awards.”

He leans back and smiles.

Me? I’m too exhausted from all of the testosterone flying around to think about anything but getting back home.

The rest of the year flies by fast. Drew and Ryker complete their movie, I finally give in and reluctantly sell my loft, my dad visits us in New York and even stays at Drew’s brownstone for a couple of nights. Life is going perfectly for once.

T
he holidays come and go without any scandals or stress. Drew planned a small surprise party for my twenty-fifth birthday in early December, inviting our close friends and family including both of my parents. I hadn’t seen them in a room together in over a decade so it was an emotional day. He even got Allie and Declan there along with his parents. Everyone important to us showed up.

Sam Jennings, Drew’s lawyer, called
just before Christmas to tell us that Peter Stubbins, the man who attacked me back in March has agreed to plead guilty so there won’t be a trial. I was so grateful that I wouldn’t have to testify in what would certainly be a media circus, that I spent an hour crying in relief.

Kiera Radcliff was charged with aggravated stalking and given probation and paid a fine. I didn’t expect her to serve jail time, so I’m
happy with the outcome. Public humiliation was good enough for me.

More ironic than anything else that happened all year was that B
arbara Walters wanted me and Drew to be part of her “Most Interesting People of the Year” special. The very special that helped me to cope with my past and my dad’s absence. Drew refused, of course, and I had no desire to do the interview either. I just thought it was a fateful coincidence.

“Drew,” I call out from the kitchen. “It’s almost done.”

My sexy man comes bounding down the stairs, wearing his worn jeans and a tight long-sleeved Henley. I flick my eyes approvingly up and down his lean body.
God he’s always so gorgeous!

“I’m so excited for this.
” I hear his bare feet on the hardwood floor behind me and jerk in surprise when he wraps his hands around my waist, pressing his front to my back.

“Stop! I don’t want to mess this up!” I playfully
nudge him away.

“Alright, I wouldn’t want your first time cooking for me to get ruined because I
can’t keep my hands off of you.” Drew laughs, but he thankfully backs off.

I’m about to find out if two months of private cooking lessons have paid off. Drew is on a strict diet for a movie he’ll be starting next week
, so I wasn’t able to make any of the more complicated meals that I learned.

Listening
to all of the grumbling Drew has done since starting his diet has made me feel bad for him. There are a lot of shirtless scenes and he’s supposed to be on the thin side of fit to play his character, a world famous rocker with a controversial past.
How’s that for irony?
I told him he could ask Adam for tips. He didn’t think that was in any way humorous.

I slide a filet of pan grilled salmon onto a spinach salad that I put on each plate and add the red pepper salsa on top. Not the most interesting meal, but my choices are li
mited and for my first attempt I think it looks pretty good. And, most important, nothing burned.

“Okay,” I tell Drew as I place his plate in front of him. “Be nice.”

I nervously watch him take his first bite and relax some when a huge smile, his dimple flashing, spreads across his gorgeous face.

“This is really good Syd
.”

“It’s not just because you’re starving
, right? You’d tell me if it was awful?”

“I’m not lying to you babe. I wouldn’t do that. It’s great.” He digs in and finishes before I’ve even eaten half of my meal.

Wow, this diet is killing him. He looks too thin in my opinion, but the character is supposed to have drug issues, so thin is exactly how the studio wants him.

“Now that I know you can cook, I can’t stop picturing you barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen,” Drew says with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

I feel the heated blush flood into my neck and face and finish eating my dinner without responding to his comment. A dinner that didn’t burn or explode. Life is good.

The shrill ring of Drew’s phone wakes us from a deep sleep the next morning.

“What’s going on Drew? It’s still dark out.” I glance at the clock and see that it’s already 7:45am. Oh, it’s later than I thought.

He grabs his phone and answers it.

“Yeah… Really?...”

“
Nah, not yet…”

“
I’ll get Jane on it…Thanks man.”

Drew disconnects his call and the phone immediately starts ringing again. He silences it and turns to
face me.

I poke his side.
“What? You’re freaking me out!”

“The film,” he says quietly, “
A Soldier’s Burden
. It has 12 Oscar nominations.”

“Twelve!” I shriek. “That’s unbelievable Drew!” I climb onto his lap and snuggle up against his bare ches
t. “Wait!” I sit up to face him. “What about you? Did you get one?”

Still stunned, he just nods.

“You deserve it babe, you are brilliant at what you do.” I reach down and strip off my tank top, shifting to straddle him. “Allow me to congratulate you,” I murmur.

Yep, life is good.

“Well? What do you think?” I ask Adam, waiting for a response to the tour I just gave him of his completed penthouse. His face is giving nothing away, does he hate it?

“It’s brilliant Sydney, just how I knew it would be if you designed it,” he says sincerely.

I let out the breath that I had been holding. “Thank God. I’m glad you like it.”

“L
ike it? I love it, it’s perfect.” Adam grins as he looks around the great room.

I haven’t seen Adam all that much over the last few months. He went back to the UK to rest, then had a tour to promote his new solo album. He only got back into town last week, just in time for the completion of his apartment, and for the photo shoot we have tomorrow for
Architectural Digest
. He seems happier than usual, less twitchy, with a peaceful, content look on his face.

“Want some tea?” he asks. “We can discuss the interview and photo shoot.”

“Sure.” I follow him into his brand new kitchen, sleek and clean in grays and whites.

I nod to Sal that it’s okay to stay by the door while we chat in the other room.

Adam hands me a steaming mug with his usual PG Tips tag hanging over the edge and sits across from me at the wide table.

“Are you nervous for
the interview tomorrow?” he asks.

“A little, I don’t like interviews or discussing myself,” I admit as I scoop out my teabag and place it on a dish.

His mouth twists into a wry expression. “So I’ve noticed. Considering how long I’ve known you, I still don’t really know all that much.”

I arch my eyebrows in surprise as I blow on the hot tea.
“Really? Because you know me better than most people, Adam.”

Adam frowns and switches subjects. “So, t
he Oscars? That’s pretty exciting.”

I put down my cup too forcefully and it clatters on the tabletop.
He’s bringing up Drew? Why would he do that, he knows it’s a sore subject.

“Not for me
. You know I hate all of that attention.” I sigh and fiddle with the tag on my tea bag. “I’ll have to go though, I don’t really have a choice.”

He scoffs rudely
and waves his hand at me. “Of course you do, just say you don’t want to go.”

I glare at Adam.
“It’s not always so simple.”

“Sometimes it
is
that simple Sydney. If it makes you uncomfortable, then he shouldn’t force you to go.”

Now I’m getting pissed. “Adam, he’s not forcing me to do anything.”

Why is he doing this?
I thought we were past all of this shit.

“Yes he is
, if you feel like you can’t say no. I wouldn’t parade my girlfriend around the red carpet if she didn’t want it.” Adam smirks and leans back in his chair with his hands laced behind his head, convinced he’s gotten the best of me.

I stare right into his
smug hazel eyes. “I’m not his girlfriend, Adam. I’m his wife.”

There, it’s out. I finally dropped the bomb on Adam.

The words hang in the air like a heavy, toxic cloud while Adam composes his thoughts.

He jerks upright in his seat and his eyes bug out.
“What? I haven’t heard anything like that!” Shock is clearly written all over his frustratingly perfect face.

“No one knows
, Adam. You can’t tell anyone either. My parents don’t even know.”

This is the test, to see if Adam really
is the good friend he claims to be.

“But why the secret?”
His brows are pulled together in confusion as he angles his body in my direction.

I give him my best
‘are you kidding me’
look. “I don’t like the shitstorm that seems to follow me everywhere I go. I don’t want the media to hound me about it.”

“I guess I understand that
. Married.” He gives me a weak smile. “Just wish it could have been a more deserving guy, Sydney.”

My forehead crumples as I study Adam. Did he really just say that?

“You know, you’re both being idiots,” I snap at him. “You’re both wrong about each other but you’re too stubborn to listen!”

“Alright Sydney.
I’m an easy guy to get along with. I’ll listen.” He leans back in his chair again, and crosses his arms, an annoying smirk on his face. He thinks he’s right and Drew is wrong, just like Drew thinks the opposite is true.

Fine, I’ll play his game.

I inhale deeply and begin, “Do you remember a night about ten years ago when Drew and his cast came to one of your performances way back? He was filming his first movie and your band was still playing tiny clubs in L.A.?”

Adam
takes a moment to consider his words before responding. “I’m not sure, there were a lot of performances and a lot of film crews.”

“You all went to a party afterwards at someone’s house
, a producer of his film.”

Hi
s face lights up in recognition, then saddens some. “I remember that. It was at some big movie producer’s house. I was so bloody nervous to be there because the producer could open a lot of doors for me.” Adam looks at me, slightly embarrassed. “I wanted him to help me get into acting. I loved music and the band, but I was tired of playing small clubs every night, never getting anywhere. I wanted more.”

Okay, so far he knows what I’m talking about.
“Yes, that’s the party. What else do you remember?”

“Not much, I was
very nearly having kittens knowing the film producer was there, so I went on an all-night bender, you know, liquid courage and all that.”

I happen to know a lot about liquid courage.

“That’s what I thought. Do you remember a girl?”

“Girl? What do you mean
?” He has a truly puzzled look on his face. “There are always girls, Syd. Be more specific.”

“A girl Adam. Do you remember hooking up with a girl at the party?”

I can tell that he’s wracking his brain trying to remember, but can’t, shaking his head. “No, just all the fucking alcohol I drank, and then waking up at my mate’s house with a blinding hangover.”

“Okay Adam. I’ll fill you in.
” He looks confused, wondering how could I know what happened when I wasn’t even there?

“You got drunk, went upstairs with an equally drunk college girl
, and most likely had sex with her. Drew came into the room as you were getting dressed and the girl was passed out naked on the bed.”

Adam’s eyes are wide as I tell Drew’s story. A story he lived but has no recollection of whatsoever.

I can’t bring myself to look at Adam as I tell him the worst part. Staring at my now cold cup of tea, I continue. “That was Drew’s girlfriend from home, Adam. He thinks that you took advantage of her while she was, you know, out of it.”

“That’s bloody well not true!” he yells
, my eyes flick up at him in shock at his loud voice. “I wouldn’t shag an unconscious girl!”

“I know that Adam, but Drew didn’t and he thinks that’s what happened.”

Adam stares at me open mouthed then drops his head into his hands. “So that’s why he fucked me up right good? Had every studio in town refuse to work with me? I thought he was just an egotistical prick,” Adam admits. “Fuck.”

I reach over and pat his arm
, knowing the gesture is trite and won’t make him feel any better. “I’m sorry Adam. I know you didn’t do anything on purpose. Even if you could remember, I don’t think you would have knowingly slept with someone’s girlfriend. Both of you were drunk.”

“Jesus, he thinks I’m a fucking rapist,” Adam says quietly.

I feel horrible that I had to be the one to tell Adam about this. For putting that lost look on his face.

“Adam, you’re not a rapist. Drew put the blame on you alone, when really
, some of it belonged to his girlfriend. He shouldn’t have done what he did to you, but I can see why he did. If only you both had discussed it, none of this would have had to happen.”

He blows out a huge breath and rakes his hand through his short hair.
“Thanks for telling me, Sydney. And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

I feel bad. I knew he wasn’t the kind of guy Drew made him out to be. He’s actually sensitive and caring and I’ve made him feel like shit. What the hell was he ever doing with that bitch Kiera Radcliff?

“I’m sorry Adam. I didn’t tell you to hurt you.”

“I know Sydney. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Adam
pushes back from the table, puts the cups in the sink, and exits the room without another word.

I leave Adam’s penthouse with mixed emotions. I’m glad to have been right about Adam, but angry
with myself for putting that desolate look in his usually feisty eyes. He had been so happy today and I fucked it all up.

At least I had three whole months up until now without drama.

Drew has Rhys accompany me to Adam’s penthouse for the photo shoot and interview the next day. He says you should never sit down with anyone from the press unless you have someone on your side to help control what goes to print. He would know more than me about those things, I guess.

When we arrive, Adam has his PR guy and his assistant here with him, so Drew was right about
me needing to bring Rhys.

“Hi Adam,” I say, waiting to see if he’s still the depressed guy I kicked and left while he was down yesterday, or if my playful Adam is back.

“Sydney!” he exclaims loudly. “Come in, come in! They’re just setting up the equipment for the photos.”

I guess my Adam is back. I grin at him and give him a big hug.

“I hope you’re not mad at me,” I whisper in his ear.

“Never
. I’m the prick that can’t remember anything.” He pulls back and grimaces, but it’s so quick I would have missed it if I hadn’t been looking at him.

We introduce everyone to each other and Rhys
immediately gets together with Adam’s PR manager, Will, to discuss their action plan for the interview.

A few minutes later, the team from
Architectural Digest
arrives. The man who will interview us is Charles Cook, a writer who has been with the magazine for over thirty years. He’s somewhat intimidating, even in his casual sweater and khakis. His gray hair is brushed away from his weathered face, a face that looks like it has seen and done more things in his life than everyone else in the room put together.

Will
greets Charles and they discuss the parameters for the interview. Once satisfied, they direct Adam and me to sit on one of the couches in the great room with Charles opposite us. Will and Rhys both take seats on nearby chairs.

Charles sets out a small digital recorder and turns it on.
Smiling, he meets each of our eyes to set us at ease. “Okay, let’s start shall we?”

The interview is fun and Charles is a polite and engaging journalist. His questions are strictly professional, which surprises me. It’s a rare thing for me to not be asked about Drew or any of the scandals that have followed me.

The photo shoot is more nerve wracking than the interview. After a lifetime of being followed by cameras, I hate having my picture taken. They take what feels like a million shots and want us in each room so they can decide later which ones to use for the article. Thankfully, they don’t try to make us pose together in a familiar or romantic way. I can’t wait to see the finished magazine.

Right
as the crew is packing up their final equipment, the doorbell rings.

Will
answers it and I hear Drew’s voice from across the room.
Why is he here?

“Drew?” I make my way to the front door
to see him.

“Hey.” H
e enters the penthouse, looking around with cautious eyes. “I was done early and wanted to see how it was going. Your first big interview and everything.”

I introduce Drew to everyone from the magazine,
and watch as the mouths of the females in the room hang open at the sight of him. Between Adam and Drew their panties have probably caught fire and combusted.

Adam comes in from the kitchen and spots Drew talking animatedly to Charles in the great room. I see him freeze in place, unsure of what to do
next. I never told Drew about my conversation with Adam. He gets so angry that I find it’s better not to bring up Adam’s name unnecessarily.

With a determined look on his face, Adam strides across the room and speaks to Drew
in a low voice. I’m too far away to hear what they’re saying. Fear chills me as I watch the two of them leave the room together, Drew scowling as he storms out behind Adam.

Holy shit! Please don’t let them fight
.

A few minutes later they return to the great room. They both appear to be intact and unharmed.

Adam walks over to me and gives me a small hug. “Sydney, I’ll catch you later.”