Beautiful Liar (The Reed Rivers Trilogy Book 2)

by Lauren Rowe

  Of course, none of this surprises me. Indeed, everything Kat just said sounds exactly like something Reed would do. Like Reed told me that day in the gym, he won’t compromise his professional judgment, but he’ll do just about anything else for the people on his short list. And since Josh Faraday is one of the people on that list, all he had to do was give Reed a call to send him into action.

  “And that’s Reed for you,” Kat says, her blue eyes twinkling. “And Josh, too. Both of those guys are so generous.”

  “Why don’t they want Keane to know they helped him? Wouldn’t Keane want to know, so he could thank both of them for helping him out? If someone helped me with my career behind the scenes, I’d want to know about it, so I could thank them profusely.”

  “Josh and Reed don’t want to take anything away from Keane. Especially Reed. He never wants the spotlight for himself. He loves pulling strings behind the scenes.”

  Ping.

  That soft cotton ball from earlier poofs softly against the back of my head again. A fuzzy idea is once again trying to sharpen and take root inside my brain. But before the amorphous thought crystallizes, Kat speaks again.

  “And Keane is just another example on a long list of them. When Hannah first moved from Seattle to LA to be closer to her then-boyfriend, Henn, do you know what Reed did for her, simply because she was Henn’s girlfriend?”

  “He helped her get a job?” I throw out.

  Kat looks surprised. “Actually... yes. I was going to say Reed gave Hannah a smoking good deal on an apartment in one of his buildings. But, yes, Reed also helped Hannah get her current job, too. I guess he knew someone who knew someone, and that got her in the door for an interview. Oh! He also got Zander an interview with Big Barry, when Zander first moved to LA, too. That’s how Zander became Aloha’s personal bodyguard.” Kat grabs her club soda off the ledge and takes a long sip. “Seriously, if you’ve got Reed Rivers vouching for you, you can’t lose.”

  “The Man with the Midas Touch,” I say.

  “Exactly. But, see, most people don’t realize Reed’s golden touch extends to far more things than music. Oh! Maddy is another example. Reed brokered the distribution deal for one of her documentaries—the one she did with Aloha—and he also introduced her to one of his producing partners for her next project. And, boom, Maddy’s very next film, she wound up getting nominated for an Oscar!”

  “Wow.”

  “The same kind of thing happened with Isabel Randolph. Josh told me Reed brought Isabel to one of Josh’s parties, way before she was famous. Josh said Reed introduced her as a ‘rising star’ and ‘one to watch’... and, well, you know how that turned out. I’m telling you, Reed is never wrong about spotting talent. He can spot it better than anyone.”

  I force a smile, but my stomach is tight.

  “Oh, crap,” Kat says. “I did it again, didn’t I? Put my foot in my mouth. Georgina, Reed and Isabel are ancient news. You have nothing to worry about there. I don’t know if this is public knowledge yet, so don’t post about this, but she’s getting married. In fact, Josh said she’s bringing her fiancé to the party. And, regardless, Reed has no interest in her. Josh says Isabel is the one who’s always carried a torch for Reed. Not the other way around. So, now that she’s getting married, I guess that’s that, right?”

  Jesus Christ. Does everyone at this little pre-party know I’m having sex with Reed? Do the three guys of 22 Goats, who I’ll be interviewing, know? Do they think I got this job, thanks to Reed pulling strings for me behind the scenes, the same way he did for Keane and Zander and Hannah?

  Ping.

  That cotton ball knocks me in the back of the head again... Only this time, it’s a tiny pebble. But before another pebble hits, and the thought takes shape, a hurtling body cannonballs into the pool, immediately to my left, dousing Kat and me with a virtual tsunami that makes us squeal.

  I didn’t see the cannonballer, but I’m instantly assuming it had to be Keane Morgan, or maybe his best friend, Zander, since those two have been goofing around like kids in the pool for the past twenty minutes. But, to my shock, it’s Reed who suddenly breaks the surface of the water next to me, like a great white shark breaching the ocean’s surface to nab a frightened seal in its gaping mouth. Laughing at my shocked reaction, Reed swoops me into his arms and plants an enthusiastic kiss on my mouth, right in front of his entire group of friends.

  For a split-second, I’m aggravated. I’ve been adamant with Reed that I don’t want anyone knowing we’re sleeping together. But then, I remember Kat almost certainly already knows about us, which means Josh and everyone else probably does, too.

  And just that fast, I realize I’m feeling electrified, not upset, that Reed wants the people closest to him to know about us. In fact, I couldn’t be happier about it. With a swooning sigh, I wrap my legs around Reed’s waist and my arms around his neck and kiss the hell out of my gorgeous man, so everyone he cares about can plainly see I’m every bit as attracted to him, as he is to me.

  Chapter 28

  Georgina

  Reed’s party has been like a dream. A perfect fantasy. Everything Reed promised it would be, and so much more. The people-watching has been insanity. The impromptu performances and jam sessions have been mind-blowing. And, best of all, at least from a personal standpoint, I’ve felt like an actual guest tonight, as opposed to an awkward bystander or voyeur. And that’s thanks to Reed’s friends—the ones who so enthusiastically welcomed Alessandra and me at the pool earlier. They’ve made me feel like I truly belong here tonight. Not as a reporter for Rock ‘n’ Roll, but as Reed’s girlfriend.

  Kat, especially, has been the president of my fan club tonight—hell-bent on making me feel like the little sister she never had. At one point, when I said something that made Kat hoot with laughter, she threw her arms around me and said to Hannah, “See, Banana? I told you: Georgie’s me, if I were seven years younger and a hot as fuck brunette!”

  And I’m not the only one feeling comfortable here tonight. I can tell Alessandra feels relaxed and happy, too, thanks to her amazing connection with Fish. He’s been a dream to her. Introducing her around. Pulling her into conversations and games of ping pong and HORSE. Thereby drawing her out of her shell in record time.

  And I can’t forget the smashing success of the “business” side of this amazing party, as well. Reed said I’d be able to bond with his artists at this party, in a way that would elevate the content of the special issue. And he was exactly right. I’ve played ping pong with Savage from Fugitive Summer. Corn hole with members of Danger Doctor Jones. For God’s sake, Laila Fitzgerald and I now have our own secret handshake—an intricate maneuver we concocted while teaming up to beat Aloha and Zander in beer pong.

  And through it all, Reed has been perfect. As requested, he’s treated me with nothing but professionalism tonight. Well, to the naked eye, anyway. Covertly, we’ve flirted like crazy with each other across the crowded party all night long, the same way we secretly flirted with each other throughout the entire panel discussion a lifetime ago.

  The panel discussion.

  Wow.

  It really does feel like a lifetime ago, even though it’s only been a few weeks. Since then, I’ve graduated college. Met my idol. Snagged my dream job. I’ve moved into Reed’s mansion, and befriended famous, glamorous people like it was a totally normal thing to do. I’ve breathed a sigh of relief to have my father’s medicine and condo paid for, and worn a ruby necklace worth eighty thousand dollars around my neck. I’ve experienced a kind of pleasure I didn’t know existed, and found a powerful new kind of confidence in the process...

  And, of course, last but not least, I’ve fallen head over heels for an incredible, generous man with a huge heart. A man who makes me feel safe and adored in a way I needed so badly, but didn’t even realize. Yes, I’ve fallen head over heels for Reed. I can’t deny it any longer. I belong to him—mind, body, and soul.

  Will everything turn into a pumpkin at the s
troke of midnight? My brain is telling me the odds are high. But my heart doesn’t give a crap. My heart is barreling ahead, with zero ability to swerve. At this point, I’m Reed’s yellow Ferrari. And if Reed is the tree that’s going to leap out into the middle of the road, then so be it.

  The crowd at the party cheers wildly, jerking me from my thoughts. I’m standing at the foot of the stage with some of my new friends, while the current “super-group” of musicians onstage—a group that includes Fish, Aloha, 2Real, Dax, and more—finishes their performance.

  The musicians pile offstage to back slaps and high-fives, and the minute Fish sees Alessandra standing next to me, alongside Hannah, Maddy, and Kat, he heads straight for her.

  “I could use some fresh air,” Fish says to Alessandra. “You want to go outside with me?”

  “Absolutely,” Alessandra says, looking as happy as I’ve ever seen her.

  He puts his hand out. She grabs it like it’s the most natural thing in the world. And off they go.

  “Well, that was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Hannah says.

  Maddy, Kat, and I agree.

  “They’re like Bambi and that female doe, when they first meet as babies,” Kat says.

  “Faline,” Hannah supplies.

  “Yes!” Kat says, laughing. “They’re like Bambi and Faline. Both of them are so sweet and awkward and bashful together.”

  “I can’t believe how quickly Fish has already drawn Ally out of her shell tonight,” I say. “She went to an all-girls’ high school, where she had literally zero experience with boys. And now, in college, she says half the guys are gay, and the other half have friend-zoned her, so she’s still a big-time newbie when it comes to boys.”

  “Hey, just like you,” Hannah jokes to Kat, and Kat pats her big belly and laughs.

  “Well, if Alessandra is a newbie, then Fish is a perfect starter kit for her,” Maddy pipes in to say. “Just the other night, he and the Goats were over, and Fish said he’s sick to death of the kinds of girls he meets on tour. ‘Star-fuckers,’ is what the Goats call them. Fish said he’s done with girls who like him just because he’s in 22 Goats.”

  My heart is fluttering with excitement for Alessandra. “Well, Fish is barking up the right tree with my stepsister. She’s—”

  “Excuse me,” Reed says, appearing at Kat’s side. “Sorry to interrupt. Georgina, I want to introduce you to a couple friends of mine.” He steps aside and gestures to the two figures to his right. “This is Isabel Randolph and her fiancé, Howard Devlin.”

  Chapter 29

  Georgina

  Inwardly, I feel like I’m going to hyperventilate at the sight of Isabel Randolph standing before me. But, outwardly, I manage to keep it together and smile like a normal person.

  Reed gestures to me and says, “This is Georgina Ricci, a brilliant writer whom CeeCee has personally tasked with coming up with content for Dig a Little Deeper, in addition to the River Records special edition of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

  “Hello!” I say, a bit too enthusiastically, shaking the pair’s offered hands, and they laugh and say hello.

  “Hey, I work for you!” Hannah blurts next to me. She’s speaking to Howard. “I work in your PR department, Mr. Devlin.”

  Howard chuckles at Hannah’s enthusiasm. “What’s your name?”

  “Hannah Hennessy, sir.”

  He smiles graciously, but it’s clear he’s never heard of Hannah in his life. “Come get a drink with me, Hannah Hennessy. While Isabel chats with Georgina, you can tell me all about what it’s like to work for me.”

  Panic flashes across Hannah’s adorable face. She grabs Kat’s hand and says, “Sounds great. My friend Kat has always wanted to meet you, too.” And off the trio goes, as Isabel and I move to a quiet corner to talk.

  Of course, I tell Isabel I’m a fan, right off the bat, and she thanks me and tells me a couple behind-the-scenes anecdotes about my two favorite movies of hers that thrill me and make me laugh—and, also, make me feel genuinely comfortable and relaxed in her presence. Or, heck, maybe it’s the massive rock on Isabel’s left ring finger that’s relaxing me and calming my green-eyed monster. Either way, I quickly decide I genuinely like her. And that I’m elated at the prospect of interviewing her. Indeed, as she’s been telling me those anecdotes, I’ve hardly imagined her sucking Reed’s dick at all.

  “So, Reed tells me CeeCee is contemplating a ‘Women in Hollywood’ issue of Dig a Little Deeper,” Isabel says.

  Ah, sneaky Reed. He set us both up, did he? He told Isabel that CeeCee is contemplating such an issue while telling me I should pitch the idea to CeeCee. But rather than being upset with Reed for his maneuverings, I’m only grateful to him. If this idea could ultimately impress CeeCee, and lure Isabel into giving an in-depth interview to me, all of which might lead to me getting onto the permanent writing staff of Dig a Little Deeper, then I don’t care who might have concocted the idea first.

  Obviously, I have no way of knowing if CeeCee would run with the idea of a “Women in Hollywood” issue. Or, if so, if she’d put Isabel on its cover. But CeeCee did say she’ll consider “anything” I might submit to her for Dig a Little Deeper... So, fuck it. I decide to run with the idea with Isabel and ask for her forgiveness later, as needed.

  “CeeCee was very clear she wanted me to submit interviews for Dig a Little Deeper that will blow her away,” I say carefully. Yes, I’m letting Isabel assume that conversation was in the context of a special issue, but oh well. “And I genuinely think we could come up with something amazing together. Something that shows a new side to you.” As an example, I tell her what I’m doing with Dean Masterson and 22 Goats for Rock ‘n’ Roll. “But for Dig a Little Deeper, we have to go deeper, obviously.”

  “Maybe I could give you a tour of my house?” she suggests.

  But I’ve already seen her do that exact thing in one of the articles I read about her last night. “I think we should do something that’s never been done before,” I say. “With you getting married, maybe I could tag along on a day of wedding planning. We could talk about love, and marriage. Generally and specifically. We could talk about your childhood, and what you saw of marriage growing up . . .?”

  Isabel is stone-faced, and I know I’m losing her.

  “Or, maybe... is there something you’ve never done before, but always wanted to do? A hip hop dance class? Knitting? Archery? Or, maybe, is there something that scares the crap out of you, but you could conquer it for the article?” I gasp. “Yes! Isabel! You’re about to play a superhero! That could be our angle. ‘Isabel Randolph. A Superhero Onscreen. All Too Human in Real Life.’”

  She’s visibly elated with that last pitch. And suddenly, we’re caught up in enthusiastic brainstorming that concludes with our decision to go skydiving together, even though she’s terrified of heights and they’re most definitely not my favorite thing.

  “Oh, Isabel,” I say. “I bet the conversation we’re going to have after you’ve faced down a gigantic fear will be the best interview of your life.”

  “Wow, Georgina. Reed told me you’re CeeCee’s favorite, and I can see why.”

  “Thank you. That’s so nice.”

  “How did you meet Reed, exactly?” she asks. And, instantly, I can tell she’s wondering if there’s something going on between Reed and me.

  “Through CeeCee,” I say smoothly. “CeeCee assigned me to write for the River Records issue, as well as for Dig a Little Deeper, so, I met Reed backstage at the Red Card Riot concert. Actually, my boyfriend was super jealous about me hanging out with RCR. He was worried I was going to run off with C-Bomb—their drummer.”

  Isabel visibly relaxes when she hears the words “my boyfriend” come out of my mouth. Which pisses me off, actually, even though that was my intended effect. She’s engaged, for fuck’s sake! And isn’t Reed nothing but a brother to her now? Why should she be relieved to find out the reporter hanging around River Records for the summer has a jealous boyfrien
d?

  “Well, C-Bomb is hot as hell,” Isabel says. “I can see why your boyfriend was a bit worried there. I’d certainly do him.”

  How about you stick to your fiancé, hon? “Naw, my boyfriend is even hotter than C-Bomb. He doesn’t have anything to worry about. Not regarding C-Bomb or anyone else.”

  Isabel looks pleased. Very, very pleased. Which, again, pisses me off.

  “How did you meet Reed?” I ask. “You know, way back when, for the first time?”

  She sips her drink. “Through a mutual friend.”

  And that’s it.

  She says nothing more.

  The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. That’s strange. If the mutual friend who introduced Reed and Isabel was CeeCee, as I’m thinking she means, then why not name CeeCee to me, seeing as how I just now said I met Reed through CeeCee? Wouldn’t it be a natural thing, given the circumstances, for Isabel to say, “What a coincidence! I also met Reed through CeeCee, the same as you!”?

  Hmm.

  The investigative reporter inside me is suddenly awake and very alert.

  “Who was the mutual friend?” I ask casually, trying not to sound like I feel—like a hungry shark smelling blood.

  Isabel pauses. Ever so briefly. “Josh Faraday. Have you met him? He’s around here somewhere. He’s one of Reed’s best friends.”