Cruel Summer

by Lisa Cardwell

  My mind kept flashing back to that look on Dad’s face as the reporter dismissed him and wanted me and JT to come over.

  Me.

  Little old me, whose only claim to fame was being Dad’s daughter and having my face on some highly popular billboards around the city.

  Sor must have sensed my thoughts. “Come on. Let’s go get some good seats before they’re all taken.”

  Somehow, we made it past the crowd through to the theatre and found Milo already holding four seats halfway down near the aisle. I waved Sor ahead of me and slid into the aisle seat so I could keep an eye out for Dad and JT.

  No luck on the first one, but my date for the night came strolling down a few minutes later, a smile on his face as he spotted us.

  JT slid into the seat beside me. “Relax a little.”

  “Easy for you to say,” I mumbled.

  He handed me a chocolate bar from his jacket pocket. “What could you do? Ignore them? Rico’s paying you to make nice. You gotta take the good with the bad, Chey.”

  “Right.” I toyed with the wrapper. “I should just get over it?”

  “Yes. You should.” He grinned. “C’mon. Let’s enjoy the movie.”

  I leaned on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around me. The lights overhead began to dim, and within moments, the opening started.

  Somehow, I managed to spend the next ninety-eight minutes staring blankly at the screen, barely concentrating on anything. Had anyone asked, I probably couldn’t have even answered a single question about the movie, including who had been in it, even though two of the stars sat mere feet away in the aisle across from us.

  28

  The club was packed as I stuck as close to JT as possible, my hand securely in his as we weaved through the crowd and off the dance floor where we’d spent who knew how long dancing to what was supposed to be the hottest DJ in Los Angeles.

  I had to agree—he was playing the best mix we’d heard yet, and I’d hit enough places lately. While JT had been out of town for a few days, Sorche and I had made a good dent in the invitations Rico had procured for me. I hadn’t been home a single night this week, which was a blessing, since Dad was still a little off after that movie premiere.

  “Drink?”

  “You’re a mind reader.” I smiled, leaning in close so he could hear me over the music. “I’ll meet you back here in a sec, okay? I’m just gonna cool down and touch up my make-up.”

  I was so warm, I was sure my make-up was slowly melting away no matter that I’d used that setting spray Sor had had me pick up the other day.

  He nodded and headed to the left and the short few stairs up to the table area, and I pressed my way through the crowds towards the bathroom. I could definitely go for splashing some cold water on my face. With so many people on the dance floor, it had started to feel like a sauna.

  Thankfully, there wasn’t a line going into the ladies’ room. I made my way to the half empty row of sinks. I grabbed a couple pieces of paper towel and ran them under the cool water before pressing them against the back of my neck.

  I glanced in the mirror. The bathroom was done in black and silver, and it was actually pretty nice, with a couple of chairs to the far corner.

  I opened my clutch, checked my cell phone to see a text from Sor that her auditions had run late but were over; she was going to try to stop by, but Milo had wanted to meet up. I had a feeling she’d be skipping me for Milo.

  I texted a smiling emoji back and put the phone in my bag, taking out my lip gloss and reapplying to my dry lips. I’d be so happy to sit with JT for a while and have a drink. If Sor wasn’t going to show up, maybe we’d bail early. We could all meet up for a pizza or something. I’d have to run that idea by him.

  I turned to go and paused, seeing who was sitting with her back to me.

  Fiona.

  I’d recognize that hair anywhere. I faintly heard my name mentioned. What was it with them talking about me in bathrooms?

  I almost stepped forward, but then shook my head. She hadn’t seen me; I didn’t want to ruin my night, and I had JT waiting for me.

  I made my up the short few stairs up into the seating area. The big, muscular bouncer gave me a big smile as he stepped aside to let me through. I found JT easily, commandeering a small table and two tall silver chairs just by the railing and smiled, relieved he was alone with no Adriana brigade in sight.

  With any luck, they’d be more in a dancing mood, and I wouldn’t have to see my least favorite person at all.

  “You found a table,” I said over the music.

  “I did. Managed to grab it before anyone else could.” He waved for me to take a seat.

  I sank into the chair and took a long sip of my drink. My favorite soda. I sank back against the chair, taking another long sip. It was so nice to cool down a little.

  Maybe I could talk him into leaving soon. I didn’t want to risk another run-in with Adriana like I’d had at Dad’s birthday, not when there were so many people and press swarming the place outside. It just reminded me how big Rico was planning on making the store opening.

  Why couldn’t he have just done a couple small pop-ups somewhere?

  Before I could bring it up, JT’s cell went off.

  “I gotta take this,” he said, looking at the little screen. “I’ll be a couple minutes, tops.”

  “Don’t worry about me.”

  I watched him walk away and head down a small side hallway I knew led out to the parking lot.

  I finished off my drink while I checked my text messages and waited for him to come back. Nothing back yet from Sorche. I was about to text her to ask about my pizza idea when I was interrupted by one of the waitresses.

  “Can I get you anything?”

  “Two refills would be great,” I said, and the waitress grabbed both our empty glasses and walked off.

  I picked my phone up again, deciding to text a quick message to Sor and check the time when JT’s chair suddenly slid back.

  “That didn’t take…” I trailed off as I lifted my head from my phone to see who sat there.

  “Well, well, well…an A-list club opening. How did you ever manage that?”

  I sighed, drumming my copper nails on the table top as I put my phone down. “Same way you did, Adriana. I was invited.”

  “I know why I was invited. It’s you I can’t figure out.”

  “Having the hottest billboard in town gets me in a lot of places.”

  “Really? Hmm…” She took a long sip of her drink, stopping a moment to study me. “You still haven’t figured it out, have you?”

  “Figured out what?”

  The waitress was a few tables over and caught my eye before nodding at me. Hopefully, this wouldn’t take much longer. ’Course, I could just walk away now. There was always that option.

  There was also the option of throwing my drink in her face.

  That was one was awfully tempting.

  Adriana smiled a pure sugary smile. I almost felt nauseated seeing it.

  “You’re really that clueless, aren’t you? That Rico just saw you and suddenly everything came together? That billboards just happened to be available in the best spots in town? Didn’t it all seem a little rushed? Like maybe, it had all been meant for someone else?” Her eyes sparkled darkly. “You weren’t the first choice, Wyoming….so enjoy your little fifteen minutes, because when it’s over, so are you. So is Rico. And I’ll still be here. And so will JT.”

  She took a sip of her drink then, the corner of her mouth lifting up into a smirk as she set it back down on the glossy table. “Maybe when you’re old enough, you can come back and try it again. Sorta like your dad.”

  I knew what response she wanted—my eyes to fill with tears, maybe a trembling lower lip, and me to go running out of the club. But I’d toughened up a little in the last while, and I wasn’t about to give her what she wanted most. She’d have to do a hell of a lot more to intimidate me now.

  I set my hand on the table and
rose out of my chair just a little and leaned towards her.

  “Funny you talk about my dad like that when I haven’t even seen your parents’ names in the trades at all.” I tilted my head and looked at her. “And if you were Rico’s first choice, evidently, you didn’t measure up. But thanks for filling in ’til I got here, because it all just went so smoothly.”

  My smile was pure innocence as I stood up and headed towards where I last saw JT, my head held high as I knew Adriana would be watching me go. I needed something to keep me going; I honestly couldn’t believe the performance I’d just put in. Adriana had wanted to hurt me, and maybe she had when she’d pointed out how naïve I’d been when I first signed on with Rico. But weeks had passed since then, and I’d been quickly schooled in things I never would have imagined.

  I walked down the hallway but he wasn’t there. There was a bouncer at the end of it, and I stopped outside the restroom doors.

  Maybe he’d gone outside?

  I pulled my phone out and checked. Nothing from him. I texted a quick ‘where are you’ and leaned against the wall, where I could see the hallway and most of the club. He’d have to pass by me either way.

  For a moment, I found myself wondering if that oddly timed phone call had been from Adriana. I hadn’t seen whose name had been on the screen, but it seemed like just the thing she’d do. Lure my boyfriend somewhere to talk trash about me. Or have her minions do it while she trash-talked me herself.

  I clicked my phone on, but the reception was terrible. I took a few steps towards the bouncer.

  “Can I just step outside for a moment?” I asked him. “My cell reception isn’t working in here.”

  He looked at me. “Chey Morrow, right?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Sure, no problem. Just give me a double knock when you’re ready to come in.”

  “Thanks,” I said, though I wondered how he’d hear a knock over the loud music within. But whatever. I stepped out into the warm Los Angeles night and found a couple more people talking away on their phones. I scanned the area, but no sign of JT.

  Where could he have gone?

  Taking a few steps away, I hit JT’s name in my contacts. It went straight to voicemail. Totally not a surprise if he was talking to someone. I kicked at a nearby pebble as I waited for his message to end. “Hey, it’s me. I can’t find you. I’m outside right now, Adriana’s in the club, so if you find me, can we get out of here?”

  I clicked the phone off and headed back to the door.

  I tucked my phone in the back pocket of my jeans as I made my way back inside. The bouncer let me pass easily, and I walked back towards VIP. I could see the back of JT at our table, talking away with Adriana...

  I squared my shoulders and headed over. “Hey...”

  JT smiled as I approached. “There you are. Adriana said you took off...”

  “Went looking for you.”

  “Must have just missed each other,” she said sweetly, glaring at me. She had taken his seat, and JT was in mine, so I was left standing.

  “Must have.” I looked at the table top, two empty glasses, one of Adriana’s and a Corona.

  I glanced at JT. I was sure he wasn’t drinking anymore.

  But with Adriana lurking about, I wasn’t about to say anything.

  He slid off his seat. “Here, Chey. I’ll grab another chair from a different table.”

  “Thanks.”

  I sat down, and she smiled sweetly, watching JT go to another table and steal a chair.

  “Your luck isn’t going to hold forever, Wyoming.” She smirked into her drink. “There’s a midnight for every Cinderella, you know.”

  JT pulled the chair up and sat beside me, both of us facing Adriana. She tried to be normal for about half a minute before it got too much for her, and she took off a few minutes later.

  JT moved his chair to face me, and I leaned forward, looking at him. The more I looked, the more dishevelled I realized he looked. His hair was mussed, like he’d spent time running his fingers through it. At least, that what how I wanted to think it happened, not that Adriana had done it.

  “Who ordered the beer?”

  “Adriana...she said she thought I needed something a little...stronger.”

  “Yeah, I bet she did.” I sulked back into my chair and eyed the bottle warily.

  “I took one sip...to get her off my back, but I’m not drinking, Chey...I’ve got enough headaches tonight without that.”

  “Good.” I pushed the bottle away. “What’s up?”

  “I didn’t get the part, or any part I’d auditioned for this week. So my trip was a bust.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah...” he trailed off, his gaze drifting to the beer bottle. He lifted his hand and waved over the waitress. “Can you take that away, and bring us a couple waters?”

  “Do you want to stay?” I asked him, hoping he’d say no.

  He glanced towards me, then back at his phone. “Actually...I need to stay for a bit. There’s some people from the auditions coming in later around midnight...”

  “You’re going to have a meeting in a club?”

  “Just hang out for a couple of hours. But they’re probably not your type of people, Chey...”

  Great. I had a feeling I knew what that meant. The type of guys JT used to be.

  “Okay, then. I’ll leave you here?”

  “Probably a good idea. I’m sorry our night’s messed up.” He reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “I’ll make it up to you this weekend, I promise. Maybe we’ll go to Malibu?”

  “Yeah, sure...”

  I stood up and walked around the table. He gave me a big hug and kissed my cheek. “Besides, you don’t want to stay here with Adriana around.”

  “That’s true.”

  Decision made, I was definitely ready to leave. I checked the time on my cell phone, gave him one last kiss goodbye, and made my way back to the back entrance us special people were allowed to use.

  The bouncer who guarded it smiled at me and murmured a “goodnight, Ms. Morrow”. I gave him a soft smile and headed for the back door, my keys in hand. Didn’t care who knew me anymore; I just wanted to get out of this place.

  It seemed like everything in my life was going crazy at once. Dad and his career, not to mention his un-relationship with Trish; Milo and Sorche’s new little romance, and JT’s sudden turn tonight…and I was still dealing with the oh-so-unstable Adriana.

  As I walked towards my car, I realized it suddenly looked a little different, probably just because I was coming to it at an angle instead of straight on. Besides, when we’d parked, I’d been with JT and hadn’t really been paying any attention to the car.

  I stopped ten feet away, just past the last street light, and froze. Of course it looked different. My car was suddenly a low rider. As in, my tires were flat. And not because I’d driven over something, like say, broken glass. Nope, a good slash to my tires was to blame.

  All four, I guess, since it wasn’t lopsided in any way.

  Dad wasn’t an option, either. He and Trish were busy… That left me with Milo—if I could tear him away from Sorche.

  I used my phone to take a few pictures of the car before dialing and heading back to the building. I mean, hey, whoever did this could still be lurking out there with a nice sharp blade. I’d snuck enough horror movies in my time to know that being alone in a parking lot with slashed tires and a crazed knife-wielder never boded well for the sassy blonde heroine, aka moi.

  Two rings that seemed to take an eternity, and Milo picked up right as I reached the door and did my now familiar double knocking

  “I’ve got trouble,” I said in a hushed voice, not wanting anyone to overhear.

  Milo made a sound that sounded like a muffled groan. “That should be your name, you know.”

  “Charming.” I waved at the bouncer as he let me back in the tiny hallway that was suddenly even more crowded. “Look, I sent some pictures. Someone sl
ashed my tires while JT and I were out.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “The slasher? How should I know? I didn’t see whoever did this.”

  “No, I meant the boyfriend.”

  My turn to get a little tee-d off as I sidestepped a couple of actresses I recognized from TV and tried to lean against the wall where I was still able to get a reception. “It’s complicated.”