Fame

by Susan X Meagher

  Two people were blathering away, talking about the designer and how Charlie had worn his creations several times. Then the guy who’d gotten out with Charlie, and a kind of frumpy-looking woman appeared, sidling up to either side of the star to lead her further down the red carpet. The announcers were super excited about Aaron Evert’s imminent arrival, but the camera stayed on Charlie for another few seconds.

  “Where’s Piper?” Haley asked. She dropped to the floor and scooted across on her knees until her face was two inches from the screen. “There’s no way she’d miss this. Someone who manages only one client would definitely tag along to a premiere.”

  “I sure didn’t see her. Maybe you could call her and find out…” She let her voice trail off, probably tired of repeating her advice.

  “The thought might have crossed my mind,” Haley said drolly, getting to her feet to deliver the food she no longer had the slightest interest in.

  ***

  Late on Saturday afternoon, Piper cleaned off her chair, leaned close to the mirror to brush away any stray hairs that clung to her shirt, then headed for the tiny reception area. It was already after six, but someone had talked one of the girls at the appointment desk into scheduling a bang trim. It wouldn’t take long, but it still irked Piper to have to comply. It was one thing to squeeze in a regular customer, but having to trim a stranger’s bangs when she’d been on her feet since seven in the morning sucked.

  For just a second, Piper stared at the only client in the room, a blonde facing away from her, with very short hair, almost shaved near her hairline. As the woman turned, Piper’s knees nearly gave way. “Haley,” she whispered.

  “I lied about the bang trim,” she said, smiling so warmly that it was like the sun had just parted the clouds. “I got my hair cut this morning, but I wanted to see you and…” She took a look around the small, cordoned off space. “Your shop.”

  “Um. Well, here it is,” Piper said, tongue-tied.

  Haley moved closer, looking so good Piper had to force herself not to pull her in and kiss her senseless.

  “Do you have time for a drink? I’d like to catch up if you can squeeze me in.”

  “A drink?” She wasn’t processing this very well, but having a drink seemed weird. “How about a Frappuccino? I could use the calories. I missed lunch.”

  “Sounds great. My car’s right in front. Want me to drive?”

  “Okay.” She was so off her game she just followed along, walking right out the front door without her tote bag. When she was buckling her seatbelt, she said, “I don’t have any money.” Then she robotically reached into her pocket and found the cash her last customer had pressed into her hand. “Oh. I’m good. I can even buy.”

  Haley started up her small car, saying, “It’s right on Ventura, isn’t it?”

  “Uh-huh. The one we went to the night after my birthday. They’ve remodeled,” she added, close to tears as she thought of that night, their first time making love. Clearing her throat, she said, “They’ve got a nice patio now. We can sit outside.”

  It was only a couple of blocks away, and Piper snuck furtive glances at Haley as she concentrated on finding a place to park. She still looked awesome. Maybe even prettier than before. But being so close while there was such an emotional chasm between them was seriously screwing with her mind.

  Once a spot was secured, Piper leapt from the car and said, “I’ll run ahead and get the drinks. Grab us a table, okay?”

  “Sure. I’ll be waiting.”

  It took a couple of minutes to have two drinks made, giving Piper some time to get her heart to stop racing. Actually, the last thing she needed right now was caffeine, but holding the big cup would give her something to do with her hands.

  She could just see Haley’s shoulder through the window, and she smiled at the sight of her brightly colored print blouse. The vibrant shades of blue and green looked great with her tanned skin, making her hair look even blonder than normal. Then the drinks came up on the bar and her name was called. Swallowing nervously, Piper picked them up and carried them outside, setting one in front of Haley.

  After taking a sip, Haley said, “Thanks. I’ve had some great espresso over the past couple of months, but I was never near a Starbucks. I missed my Frappuccinos.”

  “Yeah,” she said, unable to think of a single sentence.

  Then Haley’s expression turned sober and her voice dropped in pitch. “Why are you here, Piper?”

  “Here?”

  “Cutting hair. Why are you back at the salon?”

  This was not how she’d imagined it would be when they spoke again. But she had to answer, even though she wasn’t prepared. “Um, well, I gave a lot of thought to what you said.” She took a breath, but Haley interrupted her.

  “About…?”

  “About how managing Charlie might change me.” She nodded, starting to be more confident about her message. “I didn’t want that to happen, so on the off chance you were right, I decided to let Charlie fly on her own.”

  “Charlie’s on her own?”

  “Well, she’s got Zandra, which helps, but eventually I brow-beat her into hiring a young up-and-comer who works for a big firm.”

  “She’s happy with him?”

  “No,” Piper admitted, taking a sip. “But if she’d give him half a chance I think she would be. We’ll see.”

  “But…” Haley stared at her, clearly puzzled. “Why give up? You were so excited about your new job.”

  “I was. But I re-thought everything after Hawaii.” She took in a breath, stopping herself from adding, When you screwed me up so badly I started to question every decision I’ve ever made. “If I have kids, I want to be there for them. To give them the kind of childhood neither Charlie nor I had.”

  “You want kids?” Haley asked, her mouth dropping open.

  “A lot of women do,” she said, evading the question. “If I meet someone who does—I’ll give it some serious thought.” She gave her a sad smile. “I’m trying to stay open to every possibility. Having a traditional job would mean I could pick my kids up after school, not send the nanny because I’m in Finland with Charlie.” She tried to move on, hoping her explanation had made some amount of sense. “So…you’re happy?”

  Haley just shrugged noncommittally. “Sicily was good. I don’t have my next gig lined up yet, but I earned enough to let me take some time off. I guess I’m re-thinking everything too. It just took me a little longer than it did you.”

  “You won’t have any trouble finding work. You’re a great trainer.”

  “I’m in no rush. I…” She gazed at Piper critically. “You really think you want to have a baby?”

  “No,” she said, letting out a frustrated breath as she scrubbed at her face with her hands, a gesture she’d made so often in the past weeks it was becoming a habit. “I don’t see myself giving birth.” Why couldn’t Haley just let it go? Why did those big, empathetic brown eyes have to bore right into her soul?

  “But you’re happy to be back at the salon, right?”

  Piper gave her a long, hard look, spitting out the truth she’d been running from. “I’m not. I hate to admit how right you were, but once you do a job where you’re making decisions…having a regular job is awful.”

  “Then why…?”

  Piper stared right into her eyes. “Because I thought there was a ghost of a chance you’d agree to try again if I made it crystal clear that I didn’t want that life.” She let her head drop, unwilling to see the look on Haley’s face. “But I do. I thought I knew myself well enough to transition right back to my old life. I was wrong,” she said, ashamed at her hubris. “I’m jealous of Charlie’s new manager, and I’m irritable with my clients.” She closed her eyes so tightly they ached. “I am fucking miserable.”

  Haley put her hand on her shoulder, tentatively rubbing it. “Did you just say you wanted to try again? Do you still care for me?”

  Piper sat up. “Of course I do! I’ve never stopped.
Not for one minute.”

  Haley closed her eyes and sat there, utterly still, with the seconds ticking away as Piper’s heart raced.

  “Forgive me,” Haley whispered. “Forgive me for not trusting you. For giving into my fears instead of acknowledging who you are.” Their eyes met for a few long seconds, with Piper’s heart racing so hard her fingers tingled.

  “I screwed up so badly. You’re a wonderful woman, Pi—”

  Without censoring herself, Piper leaned across the small table to press her lips into Haley’s. Her warmth, the softness of her skin, the scent of her body combined to overwhelm Piper with the most fantastic sensation she’d ever experienced. “You want to give this another try?” she whispered as she fell back into her chair, every single part of her pulsing with sensation.

  “God, I’d love that. Every minute in Sicily was…kind of awful. Nothing was right without you there.” She grasped Piper’s hand, with that simple touch connecting with her heart in a way she hadn’t experienced since Hawaii. “I missed you so much I thought I’d go crazy.”

  “But you didn’t call…”

  “I didn’t think you wanted me to. When I left, you acted like you were done.”

  “Have dinner with me,” Piper said, with a new set of butterflies flitting around in her belly. This time, good ones. The kind that made her feel like she could float on air.

  “Have dinner…?”

  “Go home and get dressed up. I’m taking you on a date. A good one,” she promised.

  “Where…?”

  “Doesn’t matter. Just go home and dress for someplace special. I’ll be by to pick you up at 8:30.”

  “All right,” Haley said, getting to her feet. “But—”

  “I know what I’m doing,” Piper said. “For the first time in months, I know what I’m doing.”

  ***

  Haley had to rush to get ready, but she had a wardrobe assistant. Lolita had the iron out, quickly and efficiently pressing a few wrinkles from Haley’s dress. “I’ve never seen you wear this,” she commented. “Do you have shoes? Besides tennis shoes,” she added, raising an eyebrow.

  “Yes, I have shoes,” Haley said, chuckling. “You won’t like them, but I have shoes.”

  “You need heels,” Lolita pronounced. “High ones. The higher the better.”

  “Well, I don’t have time to go to the store, and I wear a full size bigger than you do, so that’s not going to happen.”

  “A single size?” Her brows rose even higher. “You’re going to complain about one size?”

  “Are you seriously—”

  “I’m completely serious. You need heels, Haley. Just to make it clear how much you need them, I’m willing to let you stretch a pair of mine out, and you know how I feel about my shoes.”

  Moving past her on the way to the bathroom, Haley kissed her roommate’s cheek. “That means a lot to me. I’m not going to wear them, but I’m touched that you’d let me.”

  Narrowing her gaze, Lolita said, “You’re not getting out of here without makeup. I will personally bar the door—”

  “Piper told me to dress up, so I’ll happily comply. I’ll even let you help me put it on.” As she closed the door to the bathroom, Haley tried to work out how she’d tactfully decline having swooping black eye liner that covered half of her upper lids. It wouldn’t be easy.

  ***

  At eight thirty, Haley stood in the hallway, turning slowly while Lolita assessed her like a judge at a beauty contest. Her left hand cupped her right elbow, right hand stroking her chin. “If you wore my shoes, you’d be perfect,” she finally decided. “When you put your mind to it, you’re actually stunning.”

  “Um, thanks,” Haley said, only mildly offended. In Lolita’s world, nice looking women who didn’t spend a good deal of time on their appearance were exactly akin to bright people who purposefully chose to remain illiterate. They were wasting a gift they should have put to good use. “I really hope Piper likes my dress.”

  “I hope Piper takes it off you within ten minutes.” Lolita took the stopper from her sexiest perfume and placed a dab right at the center of Haley’s cleavage.

  “You do? I thought the point was to withhold as much as possible.”

  Taking in a weary breath, Lolita explained her philosophy one more time. “That’s when you’re teasing them along. Once you’ve made them truly miserable, when they’re ready to jump off a bridge, you bring it! I’d whip out the one thing I hadn’t let her do yet and do it with gusto. Something sinful,” she murmured, her eyes narrowing.

  “I’ve done every—”

  “Of course you have,” she said, shaking her head. “Now you see why you should have saved something.” She patted Haley gently on the cheek. “If only you would have listened to me, you would have sewn this deal up months ago.”

  Nodding, Haley said, “You’re probably right on that one. But I had to figure this out on my own. I’m a slow learner, but I think I’ve got it now.” She gave Lolita a fervent hug, squeezing her for a long time. “I screwed this up once.” As she stood, she vowed, “Never again.”

  A firm knock on the door made Haley levitate. She patted her chest, took in a breath, and opened the door, where her gaze landed on the prettiest woman she’d ever seen.

  The porch light gave the marine blue suit Piper wore a luminescent quality that captured and held Haley’s interest. It had clearly been custom-fitted by someone who really knew their way around a tape measure.

  A bright white linen shirt, the collar open, shone in the golden light, looking like it had been pressed in the last two minutes. Letting her eyes travel down, Haley was impressed to find not Piper’s usual black sneakers, but simple leather flats, quite similar to her own.

  Piper’s hair was, as usual, straight and unadorned. But she’d brushed it back, and had probably used some product to make it gleam.

  “My god, you’re a beautiful woman,” Haley murmured. Her cheeks began to turn pink when she realized she’d said that out loud. Not that she wanted to keep her opinion to herself. She just didn’t want to annoy Lolita, who had very clear notions about what was proper and improper. But when she turned, Lolita was gone, having disappeared without a word.

  Piper stepped inside, with a satisfied smile gracing her full lips. “I knew I’d get inside here one day.” Taking Haley’s hands in her own, she said, “This afternoon, I thought you were the prettiest woman I’d ever seen. But you’ve topped that bar in just a few hours.”

  “It’s the shoes,” Haley said, smirking.

  Piper’s fingers gently touched her chin, lifting it. “I wouldn’t know if you were barefoot.” Her thumb slid across Haley’s cheek, sending shivers down her spine. “Every time I look at you is like getting a little present.” She bent and placed a very soft kiss to the top of Haley’s head. “I’m the luckiest woman in Los Angeles.”

  “You’re close,” Haley said, feeling surprisingly giddy. “But you’re going to have to settle for second. I win that title.”

  “We can argue over top billing later. Right now we’ve got to get moving. I had to pull some strings to get a table, but I’m confident you’re going to enjoy our dinner.”

  “I wouldn’t complain if we go out for burgers,” Haley said, looking up into Piper’s devastatingly beautiful eyes.

  “We’re having a memorable evening,” Piper said, “and that starts with a memorable dinner.”

  ***

  It had only been a few months, and Piper had been busy cutting hair in the valley. So how had she transformed herself into such a decisive, debonair date? Not that Haley was complaining. You’d have to be insane to mind being shown to an elegantly set table on a spacious open deck overlooking Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. Haley hadn’t even known restaurants like this existed. It wasn’t just that it was an obviously expensive place. It was the drama of the whole scene; the lighting, the music, the beautiful people serving as extras in this little fantasy land. But Piper had spoken quietly t
o the painfully thin hostess, then merely smiled when the woman led them past the other guests lingering in the reception area, probably wondering who the hell they were.

  In moments, Piper had discussed the wine with the sommelier, then leaned back in her chair, fixing Haley with her gaze. “Even though I haven’t been getting paid, I’ve been escorting Charlie around since we’ve gotten back,” she said. “That’s going to continue, since she doesn’t want the public to know she’s been dating an unemployed bartender.”

  “A bartender who can’t find a job in LA?” Haley asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Exactly. But his loss is my gain. I’ve got some new clothes, and I’m eating in the best places in the city. It’s not a bad gig,” she admitted. “But it’s been kind of tough balancing my schedule and Charlie’s appearances.”

  The sommelier returned with the bottle Piper had ordered and poured a small amount for her to taste. “Perfect,” she said, wasting no time at all. As she walked away, Piper continued, “If I follow my heart, I’ll start working for Charlie.” She took a bigger sip of wine and nodded her satisfaction. “My life would be just about perfect if you were on board with that. Fully on board.”

  “I am,” Haley said, certain that Piper’s happiness was much more important than her own childish fears. “But first I want to make it clear that I was being—”

  “You don’t have to explain,” Piper said softly, her gaze full of what seemed like effortless forgiveness. “We were both going through a lot of changes, Haley, and we made some blunders.” She held up her glass, with the wine sparkling like liquid jewels in the perfect light. “Let’s just vow to learn from our mistakes.”

  Haley touched the rim of her glass to Piper’s and took a sip. The wine was as smooth as silk, slightly earthy, but with a floral brightness that surprised her. “How do we do that?” she asked, suddenly terrified about falling into unexpected pitfalls.

  “It’s not hard. We talk. All the time. We’re honest with each other.” She smiled gently. “All the time. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard,” she amended. “We tell each other when we’re hurt. When we’re disappointed. When we’re frightened.” She took another sip. “Like right now.” Her eyes met Haley’s again. “I’m afraid you’re going to think I’ve gotten too fancy. That you’re going to prefer me in shorts and a T-shirt.”