Fame

by Susan X Meagher

  The crew stood on the shore, all clapping and hollering for each of them to step on it. Haley made the turn around the orange buoy, then a wave caught her and dumped her out of her boat, letting Piper make up some of the gap. But Haley righted herself, scrambled back onto the kayak and started to paddle like a banshee, easily making up half of the time she’d lost. They glided onto the shore and fell out of their boats, with the next members of their teams jumping in and taking off again. Piper gasped for air as she lay on her belly like a beached whale. From the corner of her eye, she watched Haley rise, then walk over and poke her with her foot, gloating. “Somebody needs to hit the gym.”

  Those were fighting words. Without giving herself time to think, Piper grabbed her leg and yanked hard, sending Haley flying. She landed half on Piper’s body, but was agile enough to catch most of her weight with her hands and knees. “Sore loser,” Haley grinned, looking down at Piper from her superior position. Except for the smile, she looked just like she had the last time they’d been together in Piper’s apartment. Etched into her mind was an image of Haley on her hands and knees, leaning over to allow Piper to greedily latch onto her breast and suckle it lustily. She couldn’t have gotten up on her own if she’d been being chased by snakes. Thankfully, a few of the other team members gave her a hand, completely unaware that she was struggling not because of exhaustion, but arousal.

  ***

  After a ferocious bout of tug-of-war, Piper shuffled back to her chair, her legs too spent to pick up her feet. Haley was already sitting, drinking from a red plastic cup. “You look like you could use a drink. Just fall face first onto this chair,” she said, patting the surface, “and I’ll fetch you something.”

  Piper managed to turn and start to lower herself normally, but her thighs gave way when she was still a few inches from the seat, making her butt hit the cushion hard. “Is this supposed to be fun?” she asked, sprawled out along the chair. “’Cause I feel like I’m at boot camp.”

  “You’d feel better if your team had won even a single event,” Haley said, reaching over to tug on a hank of her hair. “I feel great!” She easily got to her feet, then walked away, her step as bouncy as usual.

  “You’re all on steroids or something,” Piper called after her, drawing a laugh from some of the other crew members nearby. “I’m calling for an investigation.”

  “Losers weepers,” Haley called back, making her hands into fists and rubbing them against her eyes. “A beer will cheer you up.”

  Piper almost called her off. But it was after noon, and every muscle in her body hurt. Alcohol was a good analgesic. Given how many people were already bellied up to the bar, she wasn’t alone in that belief.

  ***

  Someone from catering walked along the beach ringing an old-style school bell, announcing lunch. It was pretty much their usual, but it tasted even better on the beach, with the crystalline blue ocean glimmering right in front of them. The scent of something delicious caught Piper’s attention, and she got up to wander down the sand, seeing some of the guys from catering standing around the pit they’d dug, poking at big pieces of charcoal, glowing red hot.

  “What are you guys making?”

  “Pig roast—Hawaiian style,” one burly guy said, stopping to wipe the sweat from his eyes. “Have you been to a luau before?”

  “No, but I went to a barbecue on a ranch once. They roasted something…maybe it was a pig.”

  “You’ll like it,” he said, very confident. “Everyone does.”

  She wandered back, stopping at their chairs on her way to the bar. “Going for another,” she said, jiggling her cup toward Haley. “Want one?”

  “I’m going to play volleyball.” Haley got to her feet like she’d been lying around all day and had tons of energy to burn. “I’ll grab one when I’m done. Wish me luck,” she said as she ran down the beach. Piper found herself stuck to the spot, her gaze locked on Haley’s butt. Watching her cheeks jiggle as she ran, with the bottom of her suit rising up to expose a muscled, yet still fleshy ass, made Piper’s mouth water. Shaking her head rapidly to dispel the image, she continued to walk to the bar. There had to be a way to painlessly spend time with a woman she liked on so many levels. But aching to touch her did not aid in that quest.

  ***

  After getting trounced at volleyball, Haley stopped by the bar to grab a beer, then walked back to their chairs. Piper was sitting near the foot of her chaise, with a bronzed god sitting on the sand in front of her. Piper had a wide-toothed comb in one hand, and was holding the guy’s long, black hair up away from his head with the other. She caught sight of Haley and asked, “What do you like? Full man bun or pony bun?”

  “Pony bun?”

  “Uh-huh.” She grasped the hair near his scalp and put a hand around it, then pulled the hair up into a knot and let it dangle. “Pony bun.”

  The guy reached up and felt it. “I like it. Does it look good?”

  Haley moved in front of him, recognizing him as one of the local guys working as a driver. “It looks fantastic,” she said.

  “I started growing it out a few months ago.” He reached up and tugged at it tentatively. “I haven’t had it this long since I was a kid, but I think I’ll keep it.” He got up and brushed the sand from his shorts. “Thanks, Piper.” Then he ran away, jogging down the beach, his pony bun waggling.

  “That was my fifth man bun tutorial of the afternoon. I guess I don’t mind doing friends’ hair on my day off.”

  “I think you’re having a good time,” Haley said, settling herself on her chaise. “I sure am.”

  “You’re a real social butterfly.” Piper lay on her side, facing Haley, bearing a cute grin. “I don’t think I would have guessed that.” She looked away, with a cloud of some unpleasant emotion passing over her features. “You didn’t want to come to my birthday party alone.”

  “Yeah,” she said, the thought of that night sobering. “I can be shy.”

  They shared an emotion-filled look, then Piper dipped her head and turned onto her stomach, putting her folded arms under her head. “I think I’ll take a quick nap.”

  “Okay,” Haley said, trying to make sure her voice didn’t betray the longing she felt. “I’ll cover you up if it looks like you’re getting too much sun.”

  She turned and looked at her shoulder, which had gotten slightly pink. “Mmm. I should put more sunblock on before I sleep.”

  Haley got up and perched on the edge of Piper’s chair. “You could just ask.” Squirting a stripe of lotion down the center of her back, Haley started to rub it in, focusing on the care-taking utility of the act rather than allowing herself to gaze at the defined muscles she was so attracted to.

  “That’s nice,” Piper said, her voice also a little strained. “Thanks for taking care of me.”

  “It’s my pleasure,” she said softly, gently rubbing the lotion in. Then Piper jerked roughly, startling Haley who had no idea she’d nod off so quickly.

  “Was I asleep?”

  “Uh-huh.” The sunblock was gone, but she kept rubbing Piper’s back, keeping her touch soft and slow. In just a few minutes she was out again, yet Haley stayed right where she was, trailing her fingers across the small of her back with a whisper-soft touch. She knew she should stop. Anyone watching would find it strange to see her rubbing lotion in for such a long time. But she didn’t care a bit. This might be the only time she got to intimately touch Piper again, and she was going to take full advantage of the opportunity.

  Haley looked up when she spied Kolohe and Alejandra walking by, holding hands. Alejandra had the sense to act like she hadn’t seen her, but Kolohe looked right at Haley, with his bottom lip sticking out in a sad pout.

  Jesus!

  If her attraction to Piper was so obvious that Kolohe not only noticed, but was giving her a sympathetic look, that probably meant Piper knew too. Great. Just great. That’s probably why she continued to keep her distance, despite claiming she wanted to be friends.

>   How in the hell were you supposed to stay on that tightrope between friend and lover? Haley clearly did not know the answer to that loaded question.

  ***

  Late that afternoon, they moved to the other side of the island, where the waves broke with enough force to let a few intrepid crew members show their skills on surfboards. Piper sat on the hard-packed sand, carefully spooning bits of shaved ice into her mouth. With a thoughtful look on her face she said, “The coconut rum with a touch of coconut syrup’s my favorite so far.”

  “You’ve been eating those all afternoon. You’d better stay out of the water for the rest of the day. Charlie would kill me if I let you swim drunk.”

  She put the cup to her lips and used the tiny spoon like a shovel. Munching happily on the ice, she said, “Only a few have had alcohol.” Her brow knit as she thought. “I had the cantaloupe liqueur and the pineapple liqueur and…” She held up her cup. “This one.”

  “Sounds like you’ll be able to skip dessert. You’ve had enough sugar for a week.”

  “I’m skipping nothing.” She carefully stretched her towel out, then lay on her side, with Haley catching a look at the delightful curve of her hip. “I’m so hungry, I’m planning on eating every single thing they have—then going back for seconds.”

  Her focus went back to the surfers, but Haley’s didn’t move. It was locked on Piper. Did they still have anything between them? Every once in a while she caught Piper looking at her with what seemed like longing. But did she want to encourage that? Damned if she knew. She truly didn’t want to date a talent manager, but Piper was more than just a job title. Maybe if she did the job for…what? A year? Two years? When would Hollywood start to claim her? When would she and Charlie start to think they deserved to be treated like princesses? When would they stop noticing they were treating everyone else like servants? It had to happen. It always did.

  A guy came rolling down the beach on a four-wheeler, ringing the bell, startling her so much she almost screamed. “Dinner!” he yelled as he passed.

  Piper was on her feet in seconds, offering Haley a hand up. “Best news I’ve heard all day. I’d run, but I don’t want to spill my drink.”

  Haley smiled at the silly expression on her face. “I’m sure many competitive runners have given up the sport for that very reason.”

  They cut across the center of the island, passing the backlot and the crew tents, coming out of the lush part of the island right behind where the cooks were pulling something huge from the pit.

  Piper stopped dead in her tracks, staring. “Is that the pig? That whole thing?”

  Six guys were straining while trying to get good sized logs onto their shoulders to carry the carcass to a sturdy table. Banana leaves were mounded up all around, making the animal look even bigger than it was. “I guess so. Let’s take a look.”

  Some of the guys wore heavy leather gloves, and they quickly pulled the steaming hot leaves away, revealing a copper colored pig, its skin burnished and glistening. Most of the crew members gathered around now, clapping for a job well done.

  But Piper wasn’t clapping. She put her cup down by her feet, and as she stood Haley saw that much of the color had left her cheeks. “It’s the whole pig,” she said, almost to herself. “Legs. Feet.” She swallowed like she had a knot in her throat. “Head.”

  Haley put a hand on her arm, feeling clammy skin. “Did you think they were cooking a ham or a couple of pounds of bacon?”

  “No. No.” She turned and made herself smile, but it was a long way from genuine. “I guess I didn’t think much about it. I heard ‘pig,’ but I thought ‘pork.’“

  “Not to put too fine a point on it, but I think those terms are the same. Especially to the pig,” Haley added, trying to joke.

  Piper kept staring like she was witnessing a gruesome accident. Traumatized but unable to turn away. “They’re gonna cut that up for us, aren’t they?” she asked, her voice very quiet.

  “Of course. Uhm, they’ve got side dishes. You don’t have to eat it, Piper.”

  “I can,” she allowed, staring as the guys lifted the pig from the mesh it had been lying on and arranged it atop a bed of fresh banana leaves. “I think I’ll go get us some water.”

  Haley watched her go, a little puzzled by her reaction. Up to this point, she seemed fine with eating anything put in front of her. But the sight of an entire cooked animal, looking very much like it could have been running in a field, had clearly given her pause.

  Breaking the animal down was pretty straightforward. One guy whacked at the joints with a cleaver, separating the legs, while two others took the now manageable parts and sliced meat off them. Everyone was hungry, and the scent of the roasting meat had been tempting people for hours. A few guys started snatching bits as the cooks tossed it onto platters, then they’d step back to gobble it down and get back in line for more. Piper returned, her cheeks once again pink and healthy looking. Haley had a piece of skin in her hand, maple colored and crispy, flecked with fat. “Want a bite?”

  Piper’s eyes went to the skin, then they closed. She opened her mouth and Haley put it up to her lips. It was so crispy that it broke like a thin piece of peanut brittle, loud enough that you could hear the crack. Her eyes opened as she chewed. “Delicious,” she said, a surprised look on her face. “I thought it would be—different. Gamey. But it tastes like regular ham or something like that.”

  “That’s exactly what it is, and we’d better get some before these vultures pick the carcass clean.”

  ***

  Twenty minutes later, Piper was on her knees in the verdant foliage, retching, while Haley held her hair back. Convincing all of your senses to ignore something happening right at your feet was something Haley needed a lot more practice at. If she let herself watch, or smell or hear Piper vomiting she was sure she’d have to join her—and then where would they be?

  Piper rose so she was back on her haunches, then sat up taller, kneeling for a minute before she dumped herself onto her seat. Then she stretched her legs out and took in some deep breaths while Haley hurriedly covered her mess with as much of the sandy soil as she could scoop up with a coconut shell.

  “It was the face,” Piper said, her eyes closed tightly. “Couldn’t they have served it differently? Maybe cut the head off first?”

  Haley didn’t mention the fact that people were currently passing the head around, everyone seemingly fascinated rather than repelled. “Spike has barbecues on his ranch where they cook a whole animal, so I’m used to it, but it does lift the scales from your eyes, doesn’t it?”

  “I didn’t know I had scales, but I felt like my eyeballs were going to pop out of my head when I was hurling. Damn, I hate to throw up.”

  Haley put her hands out and helped Piper to her feet. She was still obviously shaky, and they walked well away from the food area. It was twilight, and a thin golden stripe sat atop the ocean, casting a gorgeous glow upon the calm, darkening water. “Just look at the peaceful sea and breathe in the salt air,” Haley said. She had her arm around Piper’s waist, more to support her than as a show of affection. But she did feel affectionate toward her. Seeing her so weak and vulnerable was surprisingly endearing, letting Haley’s tender feelings rise to the surface.

  “Do they still have the shaved ice machine set up?”

  “I think so. What can I get for you?”

  Piper went to a chaise and sat heavily. “A little Coke? Just a splash. Sometimes that settles my stomach.”

  “Coming right up.” The guys were starting to pack up the massive number of things they’d had to bring out to the beach, but the ice machine was still there, with the generator running. She got a cup with lots of ice and very little Coke, then walked back to Piper, who was lying on the chair, her hands laced over her belly, staring up at the sky. Haley sat on the edge of the chair and filled the little spoon with ice. “Open up.”

  Piper’s head turned and she bestowed a lovely smile upon Haley, filled with apprecia
tion and gentleness, the very qualities that had made her so attractive when they’d met. “Thanks. I hate to ask you to run errands for me, but if I got anywhere near that food—”

  “Forget about it. Sometimes denial is your friend.” She tipped another bite into Piper’s mouth, watching her chest rise as she breathed in the warm, humid, night air. Her color was much better now, almost back to normal.

  “Thanks again,” Piper said, patting Haley’s back. “Except for that last part, I had an awesome day.”

  “I’m glad. I knew you’d enjoy yourself.”

  She turned her head and squinted into the distance. “Do I smell marshmallows?”

  Haley followed Piper’s gaze. “I believe you do. Looks like we’re getting dessert.”

  “I can’t go over there, but I bet a couple of toasted marshmallows would be just the thing for an upset stomach.” A sly grin was growing as Haley looked back at her. She was so darned cute when she was manipulating the heck out of her.

  “No chocolate?”

  “Don’t think so. I’m all about the marshmallows.”

  “Wait right here.” She gave her a pat as she stood. “Your nurse will return in a jiffy.”

  A bit later, Haley licked the melted chocolate from her fingers. “You’re missing something here,” she teased, holding her index finger over her mouth and sucking it inside. “Hot marshmallows and melting chocolate are a combination guaranteed to please.”

  “Maybe tomorrow.” She seemed back to her old self, sitting up and showing no ill effects from her sugar consumption. “I think I’ll be happy with…” She tilted her head, clearly thinking. “Two more marshmallows. Then I’ll be set.”

  Haley called after her as she jogged down the beach, hurrying to do her bidding. “If your stomach doesn’t agree, you’re on your own!”