by J. M. Nevins
She felt more relaxed now as Henri left to fetch champagne for both of them. Alexa approached and smiled. “Thought you were done with the whole society circuit.” She giggled.
Kit chuckled. “Thought I was too. I guess not. Henri talked me into coming. I had no idea you were going to be here. He didn’t tell me that part.”
Alexa shrugged her shoulders. “Probably because he didn’t know. This was a last minute decision.” She pointed across the room to a handsome, grey haired gentleman. “One of Wes’s best clients. That’s why we’re here.”
She nodded. “Henri seems to think he’s going to set me up with someone tonight. I dunno about that. I’m glad to be out, though. It’s kind of nice.”
Alexa smiled. “You need to do more of this, sweetie. Getting you back into circulation is a good thing. Did he mention the name of the guy he wants to set you up with?”
She glanced around the party, looking for Henri and wondering where her glass of champagne was. She returned her attention to Alexa. “He said his name was Simon Easton. Some Brit that has a production company.”
Alexa’s eyes widened and she almost choked on her champagne. “Are you kidding me? Thee Simon Easton? Uh, yeah, honey. He certainly does have a production company. He’s the founder and CEO of East End Pictures.”
Kit’s mouth dropped open in awe. “What? Please tell me you’re joking. East End is one of the biggest production houses in L.A.”
Alexa nodded. “They’re big here too, babe. If you’re meeting him, I want to meet him too. He would be a great connection for Platinum.”
She grinned. “I’ll get you that introduction after I get mine. Deal?”
Alexa smiled. “Deal.”
She let out a sigh. “Now, let’s hope the guy doesn’t look like a troll.”
Alexa burst out laughing as Henri returned with Kit’s champagne. Her laughter was infectious and caused him to burst into giggles. He smiled. “Oh chérie, you are looking rather fetching tonight. Where is your delectable hubby?”
Alexa grinned and leaned forward to give Henri a kiss on each cheek. “Wes is over there talking business.” She scanned him from head to toe. “Henri, you never disappoint. You look fabulous, darling.”
He giggled. “Bien sur, cherie!”
Kit chuckled. “I’m going to leave you two alone for a bit. I need to go mingle.”
Henri smiled and then wagged his finger at her. “Don’t wander too far, jolie. I have an introduction to do for you later.”
She nodded. “I know, I know. I’m going to say hi to Wes.” Kit made her way through the party, delighted that everyone was so kind and inviting. The music was even good. Since the host was relatively older in appearance, Kit expected selections to be conservative. They weren’t.
As she headed toward the baby grand piano a few feet from the floor to ceiling windows, she heard one of Gypsy Tango’s songs. She chuckled to herself and shook her head. She still loved hearing their songs, especially in situations where she didn’t think she would.
When she took a seat at the piano a few moments later she gazed at it lovingly as ‘Time,’ by Culture Club started. She was tempted to play along but she refrained. She had found her love affair with the piano again. After moving into the Valois penthouse, she had daily access to a beautiful baby grand and took full advantage everyday. Living in New York seemed to afford her more free time. She didn’t have the distractions of people tracking her down or pulling her into the studio at a moment’s notice. She was relishing her free time.
She gently ran her hand along the keys, making sure to keep them silent. A male voice with a charming English accent interrupted her budding relationship with the beautiful Fazioli in front of her. “Do you play?”
She looked up and grinned. The gentleman standing before her was so handsome she couldn’t help smiling. His sapphire blue eyes twinkled and were a nice combination with his rugged looks and spiky medium brown hair with a distinguished smattering of grey at the temples.
She realized she was getting lost in his eyes and snapped herself back into the present moment to answer the question hanging in the air. She nodded. “Yes, I do play. It’s a love of mine. How about you? Do you play any instruments?”
He nodded. “I do, in fact. Piano and guitar.”
She giggled and stood up. “Really, me too.”
He smiled and when he did, Kit felt herself become more attracted to him. He outstretched his hand. “I’m Simon and you are?”
She coyly grinned and couldn’t believe her luck. This had to be the Simon she was supposed to be introduced to. Simon had beat Henri to it. She shook his outstretched hand. “I’m Kit. It’s nice to meet you, Simon.”
He glanced at her nearly empty champagne glass that was sitting atop the piano on a coaster. “Looks like your drink could use some refreshing. Let me take care of that for you.”
She nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Simon.” As he departed for the bar, she noticed Henri across the room whose mouth was wide open. He then excitedly clapped his hands and blew her a kiss. She giggled, knowing that was his send off. She was on her own now.
Henri shook Kit gently the next morning. “Sleeping beauty, time to get up.”
She groaned and rolled over, pulling her pillow toward her and hugging it. She kept her eyes shut. “No. Five more minutes.”
He laughed. “But, cherie, you have a guest.”
Her eyes popped open. “A guest? What are you talking about? We weren’t expecting anyone were we?” She sat up, horrified. “Oh no! You didn’t give Simon our address, did you?”
Henri giggled. “Although that would have been entertaining, I did not, jolie. Maxine is here. She came in on the red eye. Alexa gave her our address.”
Kit let out a sigh of relief and smiled. “Max is here, huh? That’s great news!” She threw on her robe and followed Henri out to the large living room where Maxine stood with her back to them admiring the panoramic views of Central Park. “Ms. Riley, it’s an honor.”
Maxine turned around and smiled widely. “Kit!” She ran toward her and hugged her tightly. She pulled back and looked around. “This place is off the chain!” Henri leaned down and kissed her on each cheek before he started walking away. She reached for his hand. “Wait, Henri, don’t go.”
He grinned. “But I have to, cherie. I have a meeting. I’ll be back later.” He blew her another kiss.
Maxine frowned and looked at Kit. “He has a meeting? I thought he was independently wealthy.”
She giggled. “He is. His meeting is with his personal shopper at Bergdorf’s before the store opens.”
Maxine burst out laughing. “Oh, ok. That makes sense.”
She led her to the sofa. “Want some coffee?”
Maxine’s eyes widened. “Not if you’re making it. Let me. Show me where the kitchen is.”
She smiled. “Oh, you know me well. Our housekeeper, Adele, probably already made some. Let’s go. The kitchen is over here. Careful, you might get lost. This place is huge.”
Maxine looked around the kitchen and leaned on the counter, admiring the fixtures. “The Valois family certainly knows how to live it up. Damn, this place is insane. I love that view. Do you have a balcony here? I’d love to get some shots later.”
She nodded and folded her arms in front of her. “We have a terrace. You can have at it later. Sunset is beautiful here. So, Max, what gives? You don’t normally jet across the country. Do you have an assignment?”
Maxine sighed. “Yes, in two days. And I have some work to do with Lex for Platinum, but that’s not what drove me to get on a plane last night.”
She frowned. “Ok. Explain.”
Maxine groaned. “I’ll be right back. Take a seat.” Kit made her way to the kitchen table and sat down. Maxine returned moments later and slapped down The New York Post. She sighed again. “I want to preface this by saying I’m sorry out of the gate. He didn’t think this was a big deal, but I did.”
Kit raised her eyebr
ows and then looked concerned. “Care to clue me in? Why is the latest issue of The Post sitting on my table?”
Maxine got busy pouring their cups of coffee. “Take a look at Page Six.”
She frowned. “Do I have to? You know I hate that. The tabs have been particularly brutal with Sull and me lately.” Maxine nodded and repeated herself. Kit flipped to Page Six and looked at the spread. There in black and white was a photo of Maxine on Sully’s arm on the red carpet, posing reluctantly for the picture. The caption insinuated that she was Sully’s newest squeeze. Kit burst out laughing. “This is great! Why are you upset about this?”
Maxine stared at her in amazement as she handed her a cup of coffee. She took a seat across from her. “Kit, don’tcha think this is bad press?”
She giggled. “No, I think it’s fabulous. You look gorgeous! And bravo to Sull for taking you. Better that he took you than show up solo. This is a good angle, Max. Works well with fans.”
Maxine buried her head in her folded arms on the table and shook her head. She took a moment and then looked up at Kit. “Y’know, Sull said the exact same thing as you. He said it would be fine. I thought you’d hate me.”
She sipped her coffee and grinned. “Why would I? Because I would think you and Sully are hooking up while he and I are on the outs?” She laughed. “No way, Max. I know for a fact you wouldn’t do that to me and neither would Sully. You’ve both got way too much integrity for that.”
Maxine finally sat back in her chair and let out a long breath of relief. “Thank God. Ok, so if that’s the way you feel I guess you won’t mind that Sull and I are living together now.” She donned a grin while her hazel eyes danced with hope.
Kit raised her eyebrows again and joked. “Are you sleeping together too?”
Maxine laughed loudly. “Hell no! I took over the room that used to belong to Jimmy. Sull and I don’t even share a bathroom.”
She giggled. “That’s what I figured. I don’t care, Max. I trust you both. But, I don’t get it. Did something happen with Brad?”
Maxine nodded sadly. “Let’s just say that you and Sull aren’t the only ones nursing broken hearts. It’s way over. Sully was kind enough to take me in. I had nowhere else to go.”
She reached out and put her hand on top of Maxine’s. “Baby, you should have called me. I would have sent a key to my house. You could move back in. I can give you the key before you leave New York if you want.”
Maxine grinned. “Thanks. Sully said you’d be willing to do that. I’m cool where I’m at right now. Sully hates to live alone and so do I, so it’s a good mix. He’s been pretty miserable.” She grimaced. “Oops. I never said that. You weren’t supposed to know. Can we hit rewind and erase, please?” She gave Kit a hopeful look.
Kit nodded and felt the butterflies in her stomach doing a happy dance. She was secretly satisfied he was miserable. She felt relieved to know she wasn’t the only one mourning their relationship. “No worries, Max. So, you flew all the way out here to show me this?”
She smiled. “Yes. I didn’t want you to hate me.”
Kit grinned. “You’re the best, Max. Now that you’re here, there’s no sense in your going back to L.A. with work to do in a few days. Stay here with Henri and me.”
She nodded. “I’d love that. I’ll stay tonight, then check in at the Hotel Chelsea tomorrow as I originally scheduled. I found out about a great party tonight, actually. I called my answering service when I landed. Want to come with me?”
Kit was curious. “Sure. Whose party?”
She chuckled. “Some guy from Templeton Records. I figured it was a good move for you. Y’know, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Should be a cool mix of people.”
Kit grinned evilly. “Ooh, Maxine, I like your style. I’ll be there with bells on.”
CHAPTER 5
Sully slowly walked around the backyard, his bare feet sinking into the freshly cut, green grass on a beautiful, warm California day. He was wrestling with his thoughts again. He wandered over to the pool and stared at it with his arms folded in front of him.
He shifted his gaze to the terrace above, closer to the house, and sighed. The main house and grounds were filled with a plethora of memories of he and Kit. He shook his head and found it increasingly difficult to work there in her absence. He glanced over at the studio and felt his stomach turn.
“Hey! What are you doin’? Aren’t you and Fred putting the finishing touches on the mix?” Jimmy’s voice rang out as he made his way across the backyard.
Sully turned around to face him. “Oh, hey. What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be doing wedding stuff or something? I thought you were leaving for Houston.”
Jimmy grinned. “Not yet. I don’t leave for Houston until after the bachelor party which is after our guest VJ gig at MTV in New York. Diana left last night. I’m solo today, man. Thought I would head over and see what you’re up to. Why do you look so stressed?”
He shook his head. “We have problems with the mix and we’re supposed to get this thing to mastering. I have to call Kit. Fred and I have a possible solution, but I don’t feel comfortable signing off on it without her input. She’s one of the producers on this record. Damn, wish she still lived here.”
Jimmy chuckled. “Uh huh. Sull, grab the damn tape and take it to her, personally. A face to face meeting would do you two some good.”
Sully hung his head and looked defeated. “I don’t even have her home phone number or address in New York, Jim.”
He laughed. “Hold that thought, amigo.” He sprinted to the studio and disappeared behind the double doors.
Sully figured he would see Kit in New York soon enough. They had an upcoming MTV gig at the end of the week, but the mix problem needed to be resolved now. He thought Jimmy had a valid point, but he felt extreme apprehension. He knew seeing her would open a new wound.
Jimmy returned smiling from ear to ear. He handed Sully a piece of paper with information scribbled on it. “There is her home number and her address and you are booked on the three o’clock flight out to JFK, first class. Take your guitar with you.”
His eyes widened. “What? How did you pull this off? I can’t just show up on her doorstep and crash at her place. And why do I need to bring my guitar? Where am I going to stay?”
Jimmy smiled. “With Alexa and Wes. Where do you think I got all that information? Lex said it was no problem. I dunno about the guitar. She said to bring your acoustic. I didn’t question. She’s looking forward to your arrival. She said something about sending a car for you, so Linda is calling her with your flight info. You may want to get more deets from Linda and Lex before you head out. We’ll meet up with you there later in the week.” He winked. “This will be a good thing, Sull.” He clapped him on the shoulder.
He was about to walk away when he spun around. “Oh, and Linda said that since you’ll be in New York, you should attend the Diamond party there. Actually Giselle called and asked us all to be there, so I may be flying out for it. Not sure yet. It’s happening two nights from now. They’re putting all of us on the list. I’m gonna head into the studio and lay down some tracks for fun. You better get home and pack, man. You’ve got two hours to get to the airport. Don’t miss that flight!”
He chuckled and nodded. “Ok. Thanks, Jim.”
As Sully descended on the escalator at baggage claim hours later, he noticed a uniformed driver holding a sign that read, “Mr. O’Sullivan.” He chuckled knowing that was Alexa’s subtle way of not drawing attention to him. He had already signed several autographs on the plane and walking through the airport to get to baggage claim.
He approached the driver and smiled. “I’m Mr. O’Sullivan.”
Hobbs grinned. “Welcome to New York, sir. I’ll retrieve your bags for you.”
Sully stood back and felt awkward. He headed over and grinned. “C’mon man, let me help you out there. I appreciate it, but you don’t have to wait on me hand and foot.”
Hobbs flashed a smile. “Ok. Thanks, Mr. O’Sullivan.”
Sully grinned. “Call me Sully. I’ve got all my stuff. Let’s head out.”
Hobbs nodded to him. “This way, Sully.”
He whistled when he noticed the silver Maybach awaiting them curbside. He smiled at Hobbs. “Are you serious, man? I’ve never seen a car like this.”
Hobbs grinned. “This is Mr. Matthews’ personal transport, Sully.”
He chuckled. “Damn! Not too surprising for Wes. That guy is a class act.”
Hobbs opened the passenger door for him. “That he is, sir. We should be at the Matthews’ residence within the hour. Is there anything you need?”
Sully got comfortable in the back of the car. He shook his head. “Nope. I’m good. Thanks, man.”
Once the door was closed, he examined the interior in awe. He reclined in his seat and grinned. He noticed a phone within reach and chuckled. He picked it up and dialed Alexa’s number. She answered and he smiled. “I’m sitting in the back of your husband’s badass ride. Is he still awake? Let me talk to him.”
Alexa giggled. “Hold on. He was getting ready for bed. He’s got an early day tomorrow, but let me see if I can grab him.”
Sully remained on the line with Wes for fifteen minutes, catching up on life. He was happy to talk to him. They had managed to maintain a close friendship despite being in two totally separate lines of business on opposite coasts. When he concluded the call, he grinned. He would have never met Alexa, or Wes for that matter, if it weren’t for Kit. He sighed, got more comfortable in his seat and slowly drifted into a light sleep.
The sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains in the guest room, gently nudging Sully awake. He grinned and rolled over onto his side in the comfortable king sized bed. He liked staying at Alexa’s more than any hotel. He sat up and stretched. He glanced at the clock and did a double take. It was noon. His body was clearly on West Coast time.
