A French Star in New York (The French Girl Series Book 2)

by Anna Adams

  The three-story mansion illuminated luxury. Perhaps it came from her French side, but Maude preferred Parisian simple elegance to Beverly Hills gigantism. Marble floors, marble columns, and antique mirrors, the French-château-style mansion was packed with guests. Jason Taylor seemed nowhere in sight, much to Maude’s chagrin. She had a soft spot for centuries-old vampires with vegan diets.

  While their friends were dancing, Maude and Jazmine headed outside to one of the pools, talking a mile a minute. After a small lull in their conversation, Jazmine turned to Maude.

  “He asked me about you.” Jazmine peered at Maude to catch a glimpse of her reaction. Knowing how much Maude disliked talking about her romantic entanglements, Jazmine felt nevertheless compelled to intervene in favor of her closest friend. To think she’d once warned Matt not to break Maude’s heart. Talk about irony.

  “I know you mean well, Jaz, but_—” Maude stopped short. Standing on the tips of her toes, Maude craned her neck, her eyes unsure of what they were seeing. She squinted and scrunched her face until she was certain.

  What was Thomas Bradfield doing here?

  Sure enough, she recognized the disheveled black hair framing Thomas’ long, sun-tanned face, his serious, azure eyes matching the clear waters of the pool he circled to greet Maude. He walked in their direction with the coolness of an evening breeze, his upper lip tugged into a half-smile he reserved for girls who found his semibrooding air full of charm. He halted several times on his way to greet Maude, saying hi and joking with several girls in bikinis, promising them to come back later after he’d said hi to a “friend.”

  Before Jazmine could stop her, Maude stomped toward him, her leather sandals slapping the marble floor with each furious step and pushed him into the pool. A few surprised “ohs” floated around the pool from bystanders.

  “How could you?” Maude demanded, while an astonished Thomas splashed in the water like a child learning to swim. “How dare you spread rumors about us being together when you know not a word of it is true!”

  Trying to steady his strokes, Thomas spluttered a few cursory words and lamented his ruined Armani shirt before addressing an angry Maude.

  “I’m sorry, Maude! Really, I am. I have nothing to do with this!”

  “You’re being quoted in the press. How’s that for having nothing to do with it?” Jazmine scoffed.

  Maude letting her temper get the best of her always surprised Jazmine. Maude, as passionate in her love as in her hate, deemed betrayal as one of the worst sins. Having forgiven Thomas one betrayal, she was presently incapable of trusting anything he would say to justify his latest actions.

  Thomas hoisted himself out of the pool, dripping from head to toe. He removed his wet shirt displaying a regular set of abdominal muscles, thinking the aforementioned would soothe an angry Maude, but his action only succeeded in angering her further, though Jazmine seemed impressed.

  “My publicist and Glitter, they gave me orders and—”

  “—and you just follow orders like a mindless marine?” Maude cried out.

  “I don’t have a choice, and soon neither will you,” Thomas explained gloomily.

  “I don’t have a choice thanks to you,” Maude retorted.

  “That’s not what I meant. I don’t know how or when exactly, but it appears Soulville will be going through some major changes.”

  “What are you talking about?” Maude asked, crossing her arms.

  “I shouldn’t even be telling you this.”

  “You haven’t said anything interesting yet.”

  “There have been whispers in Glitter about Soulville. About Alan.”

  Alan. A brick of dread dropped in her stomach.

  “What about Alan?” Maude asked.

  “He’s planning something, but I don’t know what.”

  Maude and Jazmine glanced at each other, worried. Alan had always made it clear money came above everything else in his world. How far would he go?

  “I’ve got to call, Dad.” Jazmine hurried back inside, worry hastening her steps.

  “Don’t you have any other detail?” Maude asked.

  To be desperate enough to ask Thomas for help was to be desperate indeed. Desperation was the mother of all follies.

  “I don’t want to worry you. I know you’ve been through a lot lately. But you’re strong. I saw you onstage tonight, and I thought you were awesome.” Thomas grinned just like the Thomas she’d known a couple of months back. Before he’d stolen her song and told lies about her.

  “Thanks, but I’m going to search for Jaz. I want to know if a single word you’ve said is true.”

  “I’m not sure James knows anything about what’s going on at Soulville.”

  “James is CEO of Soulville. If anything were happening, he’d know.”

  And with that Maude turned her heels and headed back inside.

  Watching her leave, Thomas thought how foolish he’d been to let her go. She, a rare combination of effortless grace, strength, and fire, made him ponder whether he’d made the right choice in choosing fame over his friendship with Maude. He twisted his gold Rolex and pushed his mild guilt aside.

  With Jazmine nowhere in sight, Maude headed to the front of the mansion where several expensive cars were parked. She stopped. A young man, just a few years older than her, was trying to open the door to his car. Staggering, he nevertheless attempted to get behind the wheel of his Jaguar. Maude hurried to him, and grabbed his key.

  “I don’t think you should be driving,” she said. “I’m sure you don’t want to inflate the statistics on drunk driving.” Eyes closed, the drunken young man mumbled a few words, drool rolling out of his mouth onto his caramel skin.

  “Gimme ma key. Can’t stay here. Gotta get outta ‘ere.”

  “I’m not giving you that key. Come inside. You should lie down awhile,” Maude said with a firm tone.

  He stretched out his arms, and Maude heaved him up.

  “You’re a lot stronger than you look.”

  “I’ve had practice,” Maude answered with simple truthfulness.

  “She’s in there. Don’t wanna see her.”

  Her. Of course a girl hid behind this drunken state of affairs. Had not women inspired countless blues ballads?

  “I don’t know who’s ‘her,’ but I’m sure she doesn’t deserve you,” Maude cooed, wanting to reassure, but not certain she attained her aim. Or maybe he didn’t deserve “her” if he often got into this state.

  She pitied the miserable fellow, but drinking and driving wouldn’t get him to any destination worth heading to.

  Dragging the staggering drunkard to one of the mansion’s many empty rooms, Maude recalled the heavy lifting she’d had to do in Carvin. On countless occasions she’d had to carry one of the twins asleep to his room. Or help a very stiff Mrs. Ruchet up when she’d spent countless hours on her sofa and, in a streak of madness, wanted to sleep in her own bed.

  Maude laid the mumbling young man on the king-size bed.

  “Women are evil. But Jennifer’s the worst.”

  Maude wondered whether it was flattering or not for a woman to break a man’s heart to the point that he drank himself to oblivion. She tried to call Jazmine in vain. The call went to voicemail.

  *****

  Jazmine, standing in an entire different part of the house, cursed her bad luck. Her battery couldn’t have died at the worst possible time. Sure, it was her fault. Knowing she had one bar left, she should have recharged her battery. But Jazmine Baldwin never thought in terms of should. She usually waited for her phone to bip mercilessly, on the edge of extinction before she recharged it.

  If peril awaited Soulville, her father needed to know right away. Hurrying back to the pool, hoping to find Maude, she was only met with disappointment. Where could she be?

  Jazmine swirled and bumped into one of the guests. Fumbling a distracted apology, she lifted her head and realized she hadn’t run into a guest.

  Jason Taylor, host of the pa
rty, stood in front of her.

  The last time she’d seen him, his face was captured on a wide theater screen with fangs sticking out of his mouth while he slayed vampires and what-nots to save his chosen one.

  Presently, he stood tall and lean, without fangs, which she deemed an improvement, smooth dark skin and a small stylish afro framing his face. His eyes peered down on Jazmine with genuine concern when he asked in a deep rumble if she was okay.

  “I am not okay,” Jazmine answered, pointing to her dead phone with exasperation. “Twenty-first century technology is one fickle friend.”

  “Your battery’s dead. How is that being fickle?” Jason asked, bemused.

  “I need to call my Dad like yesterday. I can’t find my cousin and__—”

  “—Whoa, okay, slow down a minute,” Jason said. Girls wouldn’t stop talking once they were given a chance. He dug out his phone from his back pocket and handed it to Jazmine. “Here, you can use mine. See, fully charged, dependable twenty-first-century technology.”

  Jazmine grimaced as she took his phone.

  “In the meantime, I’ll find your cousin. What’s his name?”

  “He’s a ‘she,’” Jazmine corrected. “Maude Laurent is her name.”

  “Maude Laurent’s your cousin!” Jason exclaimed, impressed. “I love her music, and she seems like a cool chick.”

  Jazmine smiled, pleased to hear her dear cousin thus complimented.

  “I know for a fact she is a ‘cool chick.’”

  “I heard she might have a small role in Vampire Love 2,” Jason continued.

  Jazmine almost dropped her host’s phone in dismay.

  “Not possible,” Jazmine denied. “I never heard such a thing. Maude would never agree to play in a vampire movie. No offense. You were all right in it, but it’s no Spielberg or anything.”

  “No offense taken,” Jason answered, undisturbed by Jazmine’s quips. “Do you mean to tell me she plays only in Spielberg movies?” he mocked. He wouldn’t mind playing in one either, but no offers had been made for the present time, and it was doubtful whether any ever would.

  “Not yet, but one can never be too selective,” Jazmine retorted smoothly. “I have no use for bloodthirsty vampires who never drink blood, save humans instead of feeding off them, walk in broad daylight, and are centuries-old but in better shape than an aging, Botoxed Hollywood actress.”

  Jason laughed, won over by her well-darted wit. He loved acting, even in movies like Vampire Love, and knew criticism came with the territory. He could hardly resent an honest opinion.

  “Besides you look way better in person,” Jazmine mumbled as she dialed her father’s number. Jason accepted the compliment with a smile before re-entering the house.

  Maude had left the unknown boy in the room and returned near the pool where an agitated Jazmine talked to her father.

  “Yes, Dad, he said something was going to happen at Soulville. Some major change and then . . . oh good Maude is here. We’re going back to the hotel, we’ll talk about it when we get there.” Jazmine hung up and turned to Maude. “Where were you? I’ve been looking for you all over this freaking house!”

  “So have I!” Maude argued. “Let’s just go now. We’ll talk to Uncle James when we get back? What did he say?”

  “He told me not to worry, that he’d call Travis immediately,” Jazmine explained as they made their way to the front of the house. “Damn, I forgot to give Jason his phone back.”

  “Jason who? Jason Taylor?” Maude asked. But Jazmine had already gone back inside the house. She stayed waiting for her out in front, a gnawing pain building in her chest, hoping Jazmine would run up to her any minute now and tell her nothing Thomas had hinted held a sliver of truth.

  A few feet away from her she saw the drunken boy she thought she’d left sound asleep, accompanied by a vivacious redhead whose tongue wagged a mile a minute as did her hands. Headed toward the Jaguar, the boy’s step was full of spring, his arm lazily wrapped around his companion’s waist, letting out an occasional “hmm” whenever she expected him to respond to what she was saying. A puzzled Maude approached the couple.

  “Hey,” she called out. “You’re walking in a straight line. That must’ve been some nap. But I think your girlfriend should take the wheel.”

  The couple looked at her quizzically then the boy said, “Look, I know you’re Maude Laurent, your music’s awesome, it’s real nice to meet you and—”

  “Meet me? I know you were nearly passed out, but I just put you to bed, an hour or so ago,” Maude answered, puzzled.

  The ginger girl turned toward the boy. “I knew you were nothing but a cheating bastard!” she yelled. The hands that had animatedly joined her chatter just moments before, each slapped her dazed companion in turn. He rubbed his cheeks furiously and glared at Maude with a vengeance.

  Maude’s eyes widened as she realized the full extent of her words.

  “No, you’re mistaken. I can assure you. He’s very much in love with you. He got wasted because of you and kept mumbling your name, Jennifer, Jennifer over and over again.”

  “What? Who’s Jennifer?” She raised her fist this time, her eyes swinging madly back and forth between Maude and her ‘cheating bastard’ whose survival instincts were increasing with alarming rapidity.

  “Isn’t that your name?” Maude asked with a sheepish grin. Too late. The irate, not-Jennifer redhead punched her former companion in the stomach and stomped away with a huff.

  “What is wrong with you!” he spluttered, bent in two. “Christ, I’m getting away from here. This party sucked big time,” he thundered as he crawled inside his car like a wounded worm and managed to shut the door after two failed attempts.

  He drove off in rage, the tires of his Jaguar screeching with vehemence, leaving a bewildered Maude speechless. Then she burst out laughing. So much for couple’s therapy. She’d stick to music in the future.

  Meanwhile, Jazmine found Jason waiting for her beside the pool.

  “Here’s your phone. And I found my cousin. I’m very grateful for your help,” Jazmine thanked.

  “No problem. Are you grateful enough to have dinner and a movie with me some time this week?” he asked.

  Jazmine smiled, flattered, but nevertheless declined the invitation. “I’m going back to New York this week.”

  “That isn’t a problem for me. I’ll be in New York soon for Vampire Love 2. Unless there’s another reason. We wouldn’t be seeing a movie I’m in if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  Jazmine let out a hearty laugh. That wouldn’t have been a bad idea.

  “I like your sense of humor, and you seem like a great guy, but I’m . . . ”

  Her voice trailed off. She had no clue how to end her sentence. Not available? Untrue. In a relationship? Untrue, too. Seeing someone? Not really.

  “I’m emotionally unavailable,” she murmured. “If that even makes any sense,” she added, flushed. Thrusting the cell into Jason’s hand, she hurried away to find her cousin.

  The drive back to the hotel was a silent one apart from the soft music playing from the radio. Jazmine tapped her fingers randomly against the steering wheel and glanced from time to time in Maude’s direction before turning her attention back on the road.

  “I’m sure everything will be fine.” She attempted to relax her fingers on the steering wheel, but finding it hard to do so, she resumed her initial activity and tapped on.

  When the girls found James in the hotel lobby, he met them with a grim face.

  “Girls, we’re going to have to cut this trip short. I know you wanted to stay a couple of days in LA now that your tour is over, but we have to leave tomorrow afternoon.”

  “What did Travis say?” Maude asked.

  “Not much, but that’s just it. Evasiveness is unlike him.”

  Jazmine nodded “It’s a good thing we’re going back tomorrow. You can straighten any crooked plan Alan has in mind.”

  “I don’t want you to worr
y,” James reassured. He kissed the girls goodnight and headed to his room.

  The next morning Maude woke up early and in a good mood. It might be her last day in the city, but she and James had established a ritual. Each morning after a concert, they’d walk around in the city, watch the sun rise before a breakfast consisting mainly of mountains of waffles.

  There were many things Maude loved about her new life in America and one of those things she’d first called “awffles” (she’d missed the ‘w’ the first time and had been corrected by a giggling Cynthia).

  Of course, she missed Mrs. Bonnin’s croissants, but waffles had a way of making her forget everything else.

  Maude tried to wake her cousin up, promising her waffles galore, but Jazmine grumbled something that sounded like “back off” and “beauty sleep.”

  So Maude joined James alone for their morning walk and breakfast. It wasn’t just the walk and food Maude enjoyed, but the millions of questions she asked that her uncle answered with unlimited patience and amusement. Ever since she’d learned she had a family, she aspired to know everything about them.

  “About that,” James started while he watched Maude pour maple syrup on her waffles. “Victoria and I have decided it’s time you met your father’s family.”

  While Maude’s heart stopped, the maple syrup didn’t. It kept running, running, running until a concerned James took the bottle away from his niece.

  “Am I ready?” she asked. “Do they know about me?”

  “Victoria told your uncle and aunts yesterday. They’ll talk to your cousins, but we asked them not to mention the fact that you’re ‘Maude Laurent.’ To them you’re just Maude. And we were thinking since your birthday is coming up we could have a family dinner. My mom will be there, too, as well as your cousins on your father’s side.”

  “I’m so happy. That’s a great idea, Uncle James! I want to meet everybody. Do you think they’ll like me?” Maude asked, flustered to excess.

  “About that . . . ”