by Anne Mercier
He's holding my hands, both of them, in both of his and I really, really don't want to let go.
"Thank you. And thanks for the autograph and photos."
He brings my hands to his lips and kisses them. My breath stalls in my chest. "Honestly, it was my pleasure."
He tilts his head to the side just a bit as if he's trying to figure something out.
"Have we--" He pauses then shakes his head. Then he smiles that panty-melting smile. He runs his knuckles gently down the side of my face and with that he's gone.
I feel like I'm going to cry. How stupid is that? I mean, he's Jesse Kingston and he was just being sweet to a fan. I get it. I know it, but the sting of tears won't stop.
Sera knows and she pulls me into a hug.
"God, Luce."
I nod and sniffle, blinking back ridiculous tears.
"Girls, we need to board," my mom calls.
"Dude, was that Jesse Kingston?" Joey asks.
I nod.
"I bet Lucy needs a change of panties."
Even though he's totally right, I reach over and punch him in the arm. "Pig."
"Joseph Anthony Russo you will watch your tongue."
Sera hands me the autograph and pen. I look at her.
"Did that really just happen?"
She nods. "And you have proof."
She hands me my phone and there's a picture of me and Jesse. My breath catches. We're staring into one another's eyes as he caresses my face.
"Oh my God, Sera." This time there's no holding back the tears.
"I know," she says and throws an arm over my shoulders as we board the plane, pulling me in for a half-hug. "The electricity was zapping around you two. I thought we were going to be electrocuted."
I sigh.
Sera looks around to see if she can spot Jesse.
"He's likely in first class."
"Yeah, probably," she says, taking her seat.
I sit next to her and look out the window. I can't believe this. In two days I audition for a major starring role in a movie that would make my career if I landed the part, I'm moving to Los Angeles and I met Jesse Kingston, touched him, and he kissed my hand--a hand that's still tingling from his lips.
"We should have let mom upgrade us. Do you think we can sneak up to first class?" Sera asks.
I smile softly. "As much as I'd love that, I'm not a stalker and I don't want him to think I am. I'm going to hold on to what he's given me today and keep it close." See? I'm not a stalker.
She nods. "I can see that."
"Maybe one day…"
"Maybe."
We sit in silence for a minute as the flight attendant tells us about the emergency exits, my mind blank as if it can't comprehend what just happened.
The jet engines fire up and we're lifted off the ground.
"You going to send me those pictures?"
Sera smiles. "Already done, darling. Already done."
"Perfect."
"I got an amazing picture of his ass."
"Only one?"
She gives me a look of exasperation. "Please. Try twelve."
"Twelve? Why twelve?"
She grins. "A dozen hot buns."
I laugh. My sister totally rocks.
Chapter One
Lucy
Six Years Later…
"Please Micah."
"You made your decision, Maggie, when you were snuggling up to your ex."
"It was just a hug goodbye."
"I know what I saw, Mags. That wasn't just a hug."
"It wasn't," she says with a lone tear sliding down her cheek, her head hanging in defeat.
"I hate that Maggie had to hurt Micah in the end," I say with a sigh as Sera and I reread some of the final lines from "Always You", a movie I just got done shooting.
As we head to downtown Los Angeles Sera shrugs. "She ended up with her happily ever after soulmate and Micah found his happy with Becca in the end. They were just using each other to get through the shit until they could get back to the place they each belonged."
"True. I really am glad that movie is done though and if I never have to work with Aiden Jensen again it'll be too soon."
"Don't even get yourself worked up."
I nod. "I won't. The cokehead."
Sera looks at me.
"That's all I'm going to say."
"Mhmm."
I never said I wouldn't steam on the inside. Let me tell you about Aiden Jensen. He's a phenomenal actor and when I got up there as Maggie and he got up there as Micah, we sizzled. But he was a nightmare. He ruined what started out to be one of the most fun and beautiful movies I've ever been a part of. See, Aiden's addicted to cocaine so he's twitchy, bitchy, constantly hot and sweaty, and an all around pain in the ass. He set us so far behind our deadline, I barely got any time off in between jobs. Jackhole.
As we pull into the lot where we're going to be filming the music video, I breathe a sigh of relief that my mother is in Paris right now. She calls incessantly when she knows I have a new project starting and if she was here instead of in Paris, she'd continue to throw her objections at me over this project.
This will be the first time that Sera and I would be working together in nearly nine months. Sera gets on film, just not for movies or television. She mostly models but she gets on camera for music videos. If we decide to get involved in a video, we always do so together. It's our one way of connecting to music together like we used to in high school. Sure we still jam out in private but it isn't the same. We'd both give anything to be up on that stage singing and performing to tens of thousands of people, to hear them singing our lyrics back to us. Yeah, that's my goal and my mother knows it.
Regina Russo wanted what she wanted and expected everyone else to fall in line and I've done so all my life--until now. I'm twenty-three years old. I'm an adult. It's time for my mom to cut the freaking cord already and let me live my life. She can focus on Joey's career. He's a phenomenal actor and he loves it, all of it--the fame and fortune, the media attention--whereas I look at it as merely a job. Yeah, I'm successful but it isn't what I want to do for the rest of my life.
"Did you ever find out what band the video was for?"
"No. Irene was supposed to get back to me but she's been dealing with the Aiden fiasco." Irene is my agent and she's nothing less than sensational. I pity her having to deal with Aiden as a client right now.
She nods. "It doesn't really matter. Irene and Cage only let us do videos with big-name bands anyway."
"True that. I don't mind going in blind so long as we get to jam a little."
"I heard that."
We get out of the car and make our way inside the studio. There are multiple scenes set up for filming. Looks like this is going to be a really good video. It must be a massively popular band. I just hope it's rock and not rap. I love all kinds of music except for scream metal, techno/rave, and rap where every other word was fuck or bitch.
We're greeted by a familiar woman with a headset and clipboard dressed in a navy pencil skirt with a white short-sleeved straight-line sweater and an amazing pair of navy slingbacks.
"Miss Russo. Miss Manzini. I'm Marci Benson. It's a pleasure to see you again," she holds out a hand and both Sera and I shake it in greeting.
"Marci. Call us Lucy and Sera."
She nods at me. "The crew is here and setting up. The band won't be arriving until later. I'll take you back to the conference room where they'll let you know what their plan is for the day."
We trail behind as she continues to talk.
"There are no trailers for hair, makeup, or wardrobe. Since Mr. Nichols purchased the building, he added rooms in the back for all of that."
"Nice," Sera chimes in.
"There's coffee and some pastries available so feel free to help yourselves. If there is anything you need throughout the day, don't hesitate to ask someone to get in contact with me."
"Thanks."
I see movement out of the corner of my
eye but I'm too late to see who it is.
"Holy God, Lucy. Did you see who that was?"
"No. Who was it?"
"I can't be sure but it looked like Xander Mackenzie."
"From Falling Down?"
She nods.
"I don't think so. Kennedy is seeing that model. There's no way they'd need us if that were the case."
She tsks. "You of all people believing what they read in a gossip rag."
"It's not from a gossip rag. They were on Entertainment Tonight doing some red carpet thing. They even talked to the reporters together and confirmed they were on a date."
Sera shrugs. "Well okay then. It just looked like him, but then again there are a lot of rockers with tattooed arms and black hair with an amazing ass."
"True that." Jesse Kingston comes to mind. Yum.
We head into the conference room which is empty and I'm actually grateful. It's seven-thirty in the morning and I've only had one cup of coffee. This morning, all Sera and I managed was to get up, shower, and throw on comfortable clothes. I'm not a morning person and if I have to be up this early, I better be receiving a source of caffeine on a regular basis. I don't care what I look like before I get on set so no one better bag on my yoga pants and Deftones concert shirt either. That was one hell of a concert.
I head straight for the coffee, mix in some French vanilla creamer and sugar. Ah, thank God for Cage. He knows what I like. I pull back one of the plush black chairs at the table and take a seat. Then, only then do I savor the first sip of coffee. Oh my God. It's so good. It's strong, just the way I like it.
I must moan aloud because Sera starts laughing.
"Good?"
"Oh yeah." We're both sitting at the table, nibbling on pastries and drinking coffee. It's when I start to drink my third cup that Cage Nichols walks in with three people trailing behind. I elbow Sera who wiggles her eyebrows.
Cage Nichols is one of the most amazing video directors ever. He's also so super hot that women pant when he walks in the room. Take Sera for instance. Panting, right now.
His hair is cut short and he's semi-casual today in dress pants and a dress shirt. His body is to die for. I've been lucky enough to see him shirtless and the man is ripped. His dark brown eyes are twinkling as he walks over. I get up from the chair.
"Oh my God!"
He chuckles and gives me a hug. "No, darlin', just Cage."
I snort and Sera mumbles, "God works."
Pine. He smells like pine and soap and man. It's a comforting scent.
He smiles and I swear I can hear Sera's heartbeat speed up. "Sera, my love."
He pulls her into a hug and she jumps up, wrapping her legs around his waist. I burst out laughing.
"If I was your love, Cage, I wouldn't be single," she says with a pout, then lays a loud smacking kiss on his lips.
We've worked with Cage at least half a dozen times on different videos with different bands and he's always made it fun for everyone and the videos were phenomenal.
Sera protests lightly when he sets her down and takes a seat at the head of the table.
"You remember Amanda, Dave, and Gina."
Sera and I nod. "Great to see you all again."
"Likewise," Dave says. Cage has amazing assistants who are loyal, professional, and I would love to steal them from him.
"So, ladies. We've got a special video we're going to start shooting today."
We both nod.
"I gave you a half hour to fuel up on your caffeine, Luce," he says with a wink. He looks at his watch. "The crew's already setting up and the band should be here in a little over an hour. I figured you both could go get all prettified before they get here so they don't have to wait."
"Temperamental artists?"
"Nah. There's just no reason for them to sit around here."
"You're awesome like that," Sera says with a purr. Cage winks at her.
"Get a room already. Sheesh." I'm not sure why they haven't already hooked up for as hot as they are for each other
They both look at me blankly. Yeah, uh-huh. We all know. As if they're fooling anyone.
"It's eight-fifteen in the damn morning. How the hell you two can be up for flirting, I have no clue."
Gina gets up and gets me more coffee.
"Bless you."
She smiles. "You're welcome."
"Dave, pass me that jelly filled doughnut."
Sera laughs.
"What?"
"You're going to hate yourself later when you've got to run extra to burn off those calories."
"Hell no. We're going to be shaking our asses out there for the video, right Cage?"
He nods. "Oh yeah."
"Well, there you go. Exercise. Calories and doughnuts burned off." I take a big bite then lick the raspberry filling.
"Pig," Sera says with a laugh.
I take another bite.
"Alright, ladies. We start filming at ten. Head on over to makeup and get yourselves made up for our rock stars."
"Whose video is it?"
Cage smiles. "All I'm going to say is they're a big name and I know you definitely like them. I'll let you be surprised."
"Hmmm."
With a wink, he and his assistants leave the room.
"Well, let's get started."
Chapter Two
Lucy
We're waiting in robes for hair and makeup to arrive. Sera's in the room next door looking through the clothes on the rack, clothes they're likely going to have us squeezing into and hanging out of. I took a quick peek at them. Skimpy.
"We're going to look seriously hot," Sera says.
"Like seriously hot hookers."
"Oh come on, Luce. When have we ever looked like hookers in any of Cage's videos?"
"True. It's just there's barely any material to those outfits. I'm afraid my hoohah is going to be showing."
Sera laughs. "That's what panties are for."
I'm ready to tell her that I don't want the world to see my panties when the hair and makeup team walk in.
"Ready for primping, ladies?" Spenser asks, perky as ever.
"Spenser! It's been too long!"
"Don't I know it. I've missed your gorgeous faces." He air kisses both cheeks then does the same to Sera.
Spenser Clarity is the best makeup artist I've ever encountered. Spenser is the best because he's worked long and hard to get there and he has natural talent. No one takes care of my skin and hair like Spenser. No one.
I note he has two new people working with him and wonder how he likes that. Spenser hates incompetence and is a perfectionist.
"New girls?" I ask with a raised brow.
"Yes and they're amazing. I got so lucky with these two. They were interning. Interning! If you can believe that. I saw what they could do and immediately snatched them up. Come here, girls."
The two gorgeous redheads walk up smiling.
"You've got to meet Lucy and Sera. We've got it made today. These two don't require much work at all, they're so naturally beautiful."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Simone and this is Carmen."
I smile, "A pleasure."
Sera mumbles incoherently around her pastry.
"So, what's on the agenda today? Looks like skimpy and slutty?"
"Oh, no. No. Definitely skimpy but never slutty. Not for you two. We always keep it classy."
"Thank God."
"Do you know who we're working with?" Sera asks.
Spenser grins then closes his lips and pretends to turn a lock and throw away the key.
"Secrets. I promised."
"You know me, Spense. I'm going to go crazy not knowing."
"We'll just have to distract you. Let's get started."
***~~~***
An hour later we're made up and my hair is primped and curled and slightly sprayed. That's what I love most about Spenser, he doesn't spray an entire can of lacquer hairspray onto whatever style he gives us, and what he does spray is unscented for which I'm v
ery grateful. The scented stuff makes me sneeze.
"Ah, here's Gina. Wardrobe time!" Spenser claps. "I can't wait to see what they've chosen."
"Let's go, ladies," Gina says with a smile. She leads us over to the wardrobe area and immediately heads for the racks of clothes.
Turns out we aren't going to be rockstar hookers after all. They dress me in a red corset top that ends with red ruffles just above my belly button. The straps are a bit wider than spaghetti straps. Laces thread through on the side and behind the laces is a lacy, see-through fabric. What I love about it the most is the bustline. It's white with red polka dots which contrasts nicely with the red straps and bottom as well as the red ruffles that line the top bustline. All in all it's pretty conservative. My boobs are, of course, pushed up to within an inch of their life giving me some pretty rocking cleavage for someone who only wears a C-cup. The ruffles seem to enhance the boobage which I think is pretty awesome. They pair the top with a pair of super tight white crop pants that stop just below the knee. With the pants being white, it brings forth one of my worst enemies.
I hold the pants up to Spenser and he raises a brow.
"You know what this means, don't you?"
"Luce, if the worst of your wardrobe is the white thong that you'll be wearing underneath your other clothing, don't bitch about it. They could have you out there in a bikini that is the equivalent to three triangles and a few pieces of thread."
"Valid." What can I say to that? He's right. I suck it up and head behind the dressing screen with Gina.
"Can I keep these shoes?" I ask Gina. They're a pair of three-inch criss-cross, strappy, ankle-wrap sandals that are amazingly comfortable and easy to walk in.
"You can keep anything you want. You know Cage's policy."
Yay! Shoes!
She finishes accessorizing me and Spenser runs up and spritzes me with my favorite perfume.
"Why the perfume?"
"Trust me. You'll be glad I spritzed you when you see who's here," he sing-songs.
"We're here for a video not a date, Spense."
He just tsks. Who the hell could it be? There are a handful of bands that would elicit that sort of reaction and I just can't imagine any of them wanting me and Sera for their video. We're conservative compared to a lot of the models and actresses who do videos which puts us on many of the bands short list.
