Star Maker (12 page)

He
nodded and forced a grin, not wanting her to see how deeply that kiss had
affected him. He played if off and joked. “It’s ok, just a little Christmas
Eve kiss. That’s all. No big, babe. We’re cool.”

He
extended his arm out to her and she cuddled up to him again, staring at the TV,
afraid of her feelings for him that had suddenly hit her like a wrecking ball.
He stared straight ahead too, feeling like a complete idiot for attempting to
kiss not only his best friend and manager, but one of the hardest women on the
Strip to attain. She was still out of his league and he knew it. He had to
find a way to let it go.

Sully
was surprised to find that he was the first one awake on Christmas morning. He
decided to make breakfast for Kit. He was happy to see she had finally slept
in. She was one of the hardest working women he had ever met aside from his
own mother and he knew her reserves were almost depleted. She needed rest.

She
sleepily padded into the kitchen ten minutes later. He looked over at her and
smiled. “Good morning, sunshine. Merry Christmas.” He handed her a cup of
coffee and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

She
smiled, took it from him and then set it aside, wrapping her arms around him
from behind. “Good morning. Merry Christmas. Thank you for making me
breakfast.”

He
chuckled. “Don’t thank me until you taste it.”

She
giggled and took a sip of her coffee. “I know you’re a good cook. Did you get
a good night’s sleep in Lex’s bed last night?”

He
nodded. “It was nice to sleep in a bed for a change. Sofa city gets old after
a while.”

She
nodded. “No doubt. Have you talked to any of the guys yet? What time are we
all getting together?”

He
shook his head and chuckled. “Are you kidding? They’re not even up yet. They
all went out partying last night. I can bet money you and I are the only ones
in that group that don’t have hangovers this morning.”

“Good
point. Thank God for that. Hey, can we get some guitar time in this morning
after breakfast?”

“Yep.
After you open your present.” He smiled devilishly.

She
frowned. “Sully, we said no presents. Why did you get me one? I feel bad. I
don’t have anything for you.”

He
smiled. “I don’t need anything. I have everything I could possibly want right
now. Actually, I’m a pretty wealthy guy. I have more than a lot of people
right now. Just your company is more than enough, Kit-Kat.”

She
grinned. “Stop that, Sull. Your immense gratitude for life is overwhelmingly
attractive. I don’t need the extra temptation.” She winked at him as she left
the kitchen.

They
laughed their way through Christmas breakfast later that morning, enjoying each
other’s company, finding their natural companionship again, both grateful that
the previous evening’s kiss was dead and buried.

She
felt comfortable and relaxed as they headed into the living room so he could
give her the Christmas present he had mentioned earlier. After joking around
with him at breakfast, she wondered if it was a gag gift of some sort. Sully
was a practical joker. It was one of the things she loved about him. He was
always making her laugh somehow. She wouldn’t put it past him to make a big
deal about a Christmas gift that had its origins in a prank.

As she
unwrapped it, she half expected spring induced stuffed snakes to pop out of the
box at her when she pulled off the top. That didn’t happen. She stared at the
package in the center of the box that was wrapped elegantly in tissue paper,
sealed with a beautiful gold sticker. She giggled and ripped it open, then
gasped in amazement seeing the red, Chanel handbag that looked like the one she
had given up.

She
looked up at Sully, her eyes wide. She felt the soft leather and briefly
glanced inside realizing it wasn’t a knock off, it was the real deal. She
stared at him again and swallowed hard. “Sull, how did you get this? This is
a very expensive bag.”

He
smiled. “Do you like it?”

She
nodded her head, amazed, and smiled. “I love it. It looks just like the one I
hawked yesterday, except that one has my grandmother’s initials on the inside.
My grandfather bought it for her in Paris ages ago when I was a tot.”

He
nodded. “Look inside, closely.”

She
seized the bag and opened it hastily. When she saw the initials, her eyes
welled up with tears. She looked up at him, smiling as tears streamed down
her face. “How did you do this?”

He
grinned. “I found the consignment store you mentioned and I bought it back.
Do you like it?” His eyes twinkled with hopefulness.

She
leaned forward and hugged him tightly, overcome with emotion, gently weeping on
his shoulder. “I love it. It’s the best present I’ve ever received.”

He
smiled and hugged her tighter. “I’m glad you like it.”

She
finally pulled back and wiped her tears hastily. “I probably look like a big
cry baby. Sorry.”

He
chuckled and wiped another tear off of her cheek. “You look beautiful. You’re
not a crybaby. You’re just feeling it, that’s all. Nothing wrong with that.”

She
clutched it to her heart and smiled wide through tear filled eyes. “This bag
means so much to me, Sull. You have no idea. I’m very close to my
grandmother. I try to get back to Illinois to see her once a year. I haven’t
been out there yet. The last time I saw her was at my college graduation in
June. She’s the only one in my family that gets me, except for my brother,
Spencer. I’m definitely the black sheep, but she doesn’t make me feel that
way. She’s always made me feel normal.”

Sully
smiled. “I’m glad I was able to get it back before someone else snatched it
up. You’re supposed to have that bag, Kit-Kat. Don’t sell it again, ok? If
you need money or the band needs money to do the show, then tell me. We’ll
come up with a plan together. Joe has offered tons of times to front us. I
think he’s made you the same offer. You shouldn’t have to shoulder this burden
solely. That’s not your job.”

She
nodded. “Ok. Sull, how did you get the money for this?”

He
stared at her, straight faced, and decided to play with her. “I sold my body.”

She
burst out laughing and shoved him. He fell to the floor laughing. “So now
you’re a gigolo? No more Christmas tree selling?”

He sat
up and smiled. “Christmas tree season is over. I had to find another gig.
Why not entertain some ladies that need that special kinda love and attention.”

She
laughed. “Stop. Seriously, how did you get the money?”

He
shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, Kit. It was nothing illegal or bad. I
got it in a legitimate way. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it.”
He tousled her hair.

She
stared at him, not convinced. “I’m not going to have to bail your ass out
because a loan shark is going to come calling in a week or two, am I?”

He
chuckled and shook his head. “No, Kit. Like I said, it’s not a concern. Enjoy
your gift. I wanted to do something special for you because you’ve done so
much for me and the band too.”

She
smiled and hugged him again. “Thank you.” She kissed him on the cheek.
“You’re the best.”

CHAPTER 11

Blake
Templeton sat down in his cubicle and stared out the window again. He was in
the midst of daydreaming when Evan, one of his representatives, walked in. He
boldly pitched a new band to him named Scorcher that was ripping up the scene
like crazy. Blake’s ears perked up. Getting another successful artist on his
docket was much needed.

His
father Paul, the CEO and founder of Templeton Records, had been adding a
tremendous amount of pressure lately. He had high expectations and Blake
wasn’t meeting them. He was getting to the point of desperation, but wanted to
make sure to sign someone credible that could put him on the map. This could
be the ticket to make him look legitimate.

Evan
handed over a cassette of Scorcher’s demo and urged Blake to listen to it. He
was all for it. He threw on his headphones and hit play while Evan remained in
his cubicle awaiting his decision. He only heard one song. That was enough to
pique his interest. When Evan mentioned they were playing the Roxy that night,
he cleared his schedule.

Blake
followed Evan into the Roxy that night and took a seat at the table reserved
for them. The band was setting up. The club was packed with people all
waiting with great anticipation to see Scorcher play. Blake was amazed when
the crowd started chanting the band’s name. He looked at Evan as the band took
to the stage. “Who’s their manager again?”

Evan
smiled. “Kit McKenna. She’s one of the best managers on the Strip right now.
She’s got a knack for spotting raw talent and is stellar at artist development.
She takes these bands that are mediocre and turns them into powerhouses and
fan magnets. She gets in there and fucking cleans house, man. She’s got a
killer publicist promoting the shit out of her bands and I hear she’s got an in
at
Rock City News
.

Blake
stopped Evan for a moment. He wasn’t sure he heard him right. He raised his
voice over the music. “Their manager is a chick?”

Evan
laughed. “Yeah, don’t look so surprised.”

Blake
stared at the band and swallowed hard. He had never heard of a successful
female manager before. He always viewed the music industry as an exclusive
boy’s club with unlimited access to the best women, the best booze, and the
best drugs. Having a woman in the business mix would screw up everything.

He
folded his arms in front of his chest, angrily. He wondered how she got into
the industry and who she slept with to get where she was. He shook his head
thinking about it. His mind reeled and his negative thoughts ran rampant. He
rationalized there was no other way she could have gotten to this point on her
own merit. He was eager to meet her so he could promptly discredit her and put
her back in her place.

When
the set was over, the band approached. Evan introduced Aaron, the lead singer
and Gary, the bass guitarist to Blake. They took care of business when Kit
wasn’t available. Blake frowned at Evan and pulled him aside. “She’s not
here? We can’t have a preliminary talk with these bozos. Musicians don’t know
shit. We need to talk to her.”

Evan
nodded. “Relax, Blake. I’ll handle it. Let me get something set up for
tomorrow.” He walked away and resumed talking to the members of the band. He
handed off his business card and asked the guys to have their manager call him.

Blake
watched Evan as he approached. He gave him a questioning look. “Well?”

Evan
frowned. “Well, what? She’s not here tonight. We’ve already established
that.”

Blake
shook his head. “What’s she doing? Is she at home, in bed, servicing her
boyfriend? That’s where she should be, y’know.”

Evan
chuckled. “Now, now, she’s at the Whisky.” He glanced at his wristwatch.
“And the band she manages, Gypsy Tango, is about to go on any minute.” If you
want, we can head over and check it out. It’s a sold out show.”

Blake
huffed. “No. Let’s go. I’m done for the night. We can talk to little Miss
Manager tomorrow. Let’s hope she doesn’t bring an Easy Bake Oven to the
meeting and bake us all cakes. Ugh.”

Evan
laughed loudly. “Dude, she’s not like that at all. Be prepared. She’s a
feisty one.”

He rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I’m the record exec here. She won’t
rattle me. She’ll be kissing my ass or something else before the end of that
meeting if I can help it.” He grinned smugly.

Kit sat
at the table lost in a sea of law books, writing a brief. Sully strolled into
the room clad only in a towel, drying his hair. He looked at her. “Are you
still working on that damn thing?”

She
looked up at him and sighed. “Yes, and I’m running behind. Do not walk around
the apartment like that. Fully clothed only, please. I’ve told you that
before.”

He
giggled and took a step closer to her until he was standing right next to her
chair. He decided to tease her. “Why? A little too tempting, Kitty-Kat?” He
bent down until he was inches away from her face. He struggled not to laugh as
he made his voice sound as husky and sexy as he could manage. “I can make you
forget all about that boyfriend of yours.”

She
playfully glared and pushed him away, smiling. “Go to hell. No comment.” He
laughed, triggering her to do the same. She was still laughing when she looked
up at him and grinned. “What time is it?”

He
shrugged his shoulders. “I have no clue. Why? Wanna do a quickie in your
room?” She shook her head and gave him a look of warning. He dropped the
innuendos like a hot rock and composed himself. “I was gonna get ready and
head to rehearsal. I take it you’re opting out today.”

She
chuckled and looked up at him. “Oh c’mon, Sull. You’re a big boy now. You
don’t need me to watch over you. You know exactly what to do, rock star. And
besides, we don’t have another gig until tomorrow night, so if anything needs
to be tweaked I’ll hit ya tomorrow at soundcheck.” She grinned and winked.

He
groaned. “I knew I wouldn’t get off totally scot free. And I thought
I
was the perfectionist. You’re worse
than me.”

There
was a knock at the door. He frowned and looked at her. “Expecting someone?
It certainly can’t be anyone in GT or Joe. They never knock.”

She
gave him an awkward grin. “My appointment is here.” She hopped up and made a
beeline for the door. She opened it and greeted all the members of the band
Scorcher.

Aaron
approached and gave Sully a nod. “Hey, Sull.” He shook his hand and clapped
his shoulder like an old friend. “How’s it goin’?”

Sully
forced himself to be cordial and throw his competitive nature out the window.
“I’m good. I didn’t know you guys were hanging with Kit this afternoon.”

He
chuckled. “You guys aren’t the only ones that have her attention, y’know.
Man, we’re not hanging. She’s working on getting us signed. We have a
conference call with Templeton Records in like fifteen minutes. She told us if
we didn’t get here early she’d chop our dicks off.”

Sully
chuckled. “That sounds like something Kit would say. Best of luck to you,
man.” He nodded to the rest of the guys and disappeared to finish getting ready.
His blood boiled as he dressed. He wondered why Kit was pushing so hard to
get them signed and not Gypsy Tango. He was not pleased.

Kit got
the band assembled around the table and hooked up the speaker box to her phone.
She pulled out a legal pad and exchanged looks with all of them as they
waited. The phone rang and she smiled as she reached to answer it. “Showtime
boys. Behave yourself. I do the talking. No outbursts.”

The
band watched her in awe as she negotiated aggressively. Kit was never one to
be shy when it came to working a deal in her side’s favor. Her fellow law
school students hated going up against her in class. She was driven and
relentless.

Early
in the call, her determination went into overdrive sensing the male chauvinist,
senior A&R rep, Blake Templeton on the other end of the line speaking in a
condescending tone and adding ‘sweetie’ or ‘honey’ to each line he directed to
her. She normally didn’t mind that, but from him it was like nails on a
chalkboard.

She had
initially gone in with a number in her head, one she had agreed upon with the
band. That all changed on the conference call. She pushed the envelope. The
band stared at her in horror hoping she wouldn’t push too hard. She was in a
pissing contest with her new nemesis, Blake Templeton, the record executive
with an ego larger than the state of California.

As he countered her and attempted to trivialize her negotiations, she
found other ways to rattle his cage. It was effective. She was getting closer
to the number she wanted and he was buckling. She grinned, feeling confident
she wouldn’t close this deal lying down, but was determined that he would. She
giggled to herself as they concluded the call. The band stared at her in
disbelief. She had managed to put them in a better position than they could
have possibly imagined. They were set to ink the deal officially at the
Beverly Hills corporate office of Templeton Records in two days.

* * *

Two
weeks later, the director of West Coast A&R for Templeton Records, Rick
Jacobs, walked into Blake’s cubicle with a smile on his face and dropped the
latest edition of
Rock City News
on
his desk. He looked up, puzzled. Rick smiled. “Congrats, man. Seems you and
Evan cornered one of the toughest deals on the scene right now. Great job.”

Blake
stared at the front cover of the publication that displayed a photo of the band
Scorcher with the headline: “T-Recs’ A&R Steals Scorcher From the Strip and
Welcomes Them Into the Fold of Top Billing Rockers.” An arrogant smile spread
across Blake’s face. “Yeah, I knew they were marked for success from the
beginning. I was the one who found them you know.” His statement was a
blatant lie, but giving Evan credit was the last thing he wanted to do at this
point. This was about survival and his reputation. He needed all the kudos he
could steal.

Rick
nodded. “I heard that their manager initially wanted seven fifty and you
talked her down to a cool half mil. That’s great, Blake, and also very
difficult to do. I’ve been in that position before, and luckily the odds came
out in my favor. This will be a nice, little feather in your cap. By the way,
I had your dad’s assistant leave a copy for him on his desk. Don’t be
surprised if you hear from him today.”

Blake
grinned. “Thanks, Rick.”

“You’re
welcome. Keep up the good work, kid.” He winked at Blake as he left the
cubicle.

Blake sat back in his chair and relished the moment. He knew his
father would be pleased with something he did, finally. He started plotting.
He had to find a way to steal a deal in the works away from Enigma Records and
sign Kit’s other band Mystique. This was due to be a legendary acquisition and
one that he definitely wanted his name attached to. This Kit McKenna girl was
now fully on his radar. He didn’t like her one bit. In fact, he despised her,
but he was all about exploitation. He smiled at his brilliant idea thinking
maybe it would serve him better to have her working deals on the inside for
him, exclusively with Templeton Records.

* * *

Sully
stormed in and dropped the latest issue of
Rock
City News
on the table in the middle of Kit’s pile of work. She glanced at
it and looked up at him, waiting for him to say something. His steel blue eyes
bore into her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She
shrugged her shoulders. “I knew you guys would find out soon enough. It’s no
big deal. I closed the deal two weeks ago. Sull, don’t look at me like that.
I’m not going to tell you you’re next ‘cuz we still have work to do. We need
to re-record the demo and we’re getting to that. I talked to Joe. He’s going
to help us but he’s not back in the country yet.”

He sat
down and folded his arms in front of him. “Is your other band Mystique up next
for a deal?”

She
stared into his eyes. “Honestly, Sull, I have no idea. Yes, they’re in
position, but it doesn’t mean they’ll get signed. You know that. This town is
tricky. They don’t have the local following you guys do. You could very well
get signed before them. Do you want to do this the right way or do you want to
rush it?” He sighed, annoyed with her answer. He got up and left the table.
Moments later, Kit heard the front door slam. She rolled her eyes.

Sully
walked through the door two hours later, slamming it behind him again. He
glared at Kit as he walked by her. She looked at him, annoyed. He was still
acting like a bratty five year old. “Hey, stop right there. Come here.”

He
stared at her. “What?”

The
expression on her face was blank. “Drop the attitude, Sully.”

He
threw his arms in the air and couldn’t hold back anymore. “This is fucking
ridiculous, Kit! I have people asking me every day ‘so when are you guys gonna
get signed?’ We look like a joke. We’re the only one of your bands besides
Mystique that hasn’t been signed yet. For God’s sake, Kit, your boyfriend is a
record exec at Fisher. We should have a deal by now!”