“Leslie, stop. If he was going to call or text, I would think he would’ve by now. It’s been several hours and you keep jumping like a cattle prod is poking you in the butt repeatedly. You are making me nervous, girl,” she teased and threw a pillow at Leslie, who sat opposite of her on the couch.
“I know. I can’t help it.” Leslie admitted. “But you have to confess, you are excited, too. I saw your face the first time that thing beeped,” she said, gesturing at the phone in Katherine’s hand. “You know you are curious as well. I mean, how many times in your life has a hottie asked for your phone number?”
Katherine said not a word and put her phone on the small coffee table in front of her pointedly. “I’m good. Now, let me see your pics on your phone.” At that, she scrolled through the photos slowly as to not give away anything. She wanted to see the photos and hoped Leslie had snuck one or two before security made her put it away. They could take photos anywhere else at the convention, but not while in photo op lines. You had to buy the pictures and they weren’t processed as of yet online. They would be available in the morning and she could not wait.
Thumbing through the photos, she saw tons of pictures of smiling people in costume. “How many pictures did you take?” she teased somewhat, trying not to allude to her frustration. Giving up, she clicked on album and scrolled to the bottom instead of going through frame by frame…and there it was. God bless Leslie for that! There was a rogue tucked inside of her friend that had snuck out apparently.
The photo Katherine had been wanting to see was there, complete with the edge of Leslie’s finger in the corner of it. Smiling at the finger, she pinched the screen to zoom in and practically groaned at the expression on her face.
“I look like a lovesick moron,” Katherine said dejectedly.
Leslie yanked the phone from Katherine in a hurry. “Don’t you dare delete it! I know you! Every time you don’t like a photo of yourself and you have the chance to delete it, the damned thing disappears.” It had happened over and over again that Katherine had deleted photos that made her look bad. She wasn’t vain, but more self-conscious of how she looked.
She glanced at the phone and whistled appreciatively. “Wow! I didn’t realize how good a photo that actually was. I thought it was just for show, but girl? His lips actually touched your darn neck, you dog!” she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. “He actually kissed you! And you aren’t excited?” she squealed and bounced in her seat, disrupting the blanket off her lap and revealing pajama pants.
Katherine grinned in response to Leslie’s enthusiasm. “Of course, I am. However, I am a realist and I am certain that it was just for the cameras. Now, are we going to watch the show or talk about imaginary circumstances all night long?” she said, in her best authoritative voice.
Frowning, Leslie texted the photo to Katherine and stuck her tongue out to her friend. “You’re freakin’ welcome,” she said with a huff and picked the throw blanket back off of the floor where it had fallen.
“Start up the TV and let’s watch it,” she started and hesitated, “…but Kat? If he does actually call or text you, will you tell me?” she asked suddenly, a bit unsure that her friend would share the juicy tidbit. They told each other everything, but Katherine still had her secrets when it came to personal things, such as her family or feelings.
Seeing Leslie’s expression, Katherine softened. “Of course,” she replied. Leslie just wanted to be included and to share with her. Both had no one else currently in their lives and relied heavily on each other’s company. She would certainly tell her if there was any notification at all… or if there was none. Seeing her nod, Katherine knew it was important to her and pressed the play button on the remote, settling in and getting comfortable.
7
Alex returned to his hotel later that evening after the autographs ended and thought about the day’s events. Especially about his brief interlude with the princess, who he knew as Katherine now. Being a complete stranger in someone’s eyes, instead of the Hollywood actor, had been such a refreshing change. He felt almost jaded thinking such a thing, but experience had proven different.
* * *
Alex could no longer run to the grocery store himself, sit at a coffee shop or hang out with “the guys”. The “guys” had long since disappeared or he had distanced himself from the ones that had stayed around after finding out they were there for money, fame or to meet women. All of which he was thrown into in abundance. Women had begun putting themselves in his pathway after his character appeared on a few episodes of the famous show. He had started receiving party invitations as well.
The few people he had around him now were there because he paid them. The loyal ones that did not sell to tabloids and kept him from the paparazzi’s eye, he paid very well for their services. Alex was lonely and wanted companionship that was genuine…like what he saw this afternoon or so he hoped.
* * *
This afternoon’s meet and greet proved to be almost like most others. The posing for photos, the pulling at his arm or body, the scantily clad photos with a number scribbled on the back, as well as “gifts” (which turned out to be more of the same). Women clamored towards him in public and assumed the character he played was the same personality he had in real life.
Everyone save one lone female.
* * *
The character, Giovanni, on the show was bold and outgoing, a jet-set, millionaire playboy that used people to get where he wanted. Alex, instead, was a loner now, forced by his career. A homebody who preferred spending time relaxing by fishing or swimming. Once, he’d wanted to travel. Now, there was nothing like coming home and sleeping in his own bed. That is why it was called “acting” right? Alex mused. He acted the part for his character, even though it was so far from his true nature.
* * *
Concerned he was reading too much into the chance meeting between him and Katherine, Alex put the small card and his cell phone on the hotel nightstand and stepped back from it. He did not want to rush into anything, nor give out personal information. He had been burned too many times in the past and it got old changing phone numbers all the time. His number was now unlisted and not even his team of employees had his number. Well, security did, but that was for good reason. He would think on it and maybe text later.
* * *
Wishing he was home instead of cooped up in a hotel room, he was pacing like a caged tiger from boredom. His chartered flight wouldn’t be until late tomorrow and he was practically trapped. There would be no going to the pool, gym or bar for him unless he wanted to do more photos and autographs. Frustrated and bored, he decided against waiting and picked up his phone, texting Katherine.
* * *
It was nice to meet you today.
* * *
It was a short, simple, to the point message that left so much room for an opening- or a decision to be made. Alex waited and stared at his phone like it was a snake waiting to bite him. Awaiting a response and dreading the repercussions. Would his number be posted online only to have hundreds of voicemails and calls? Would she even respond? If she responded, was she going to be as genuine as she seemed today or was it an act, covering an avid fan’s hysteria?
* * *
Alex had that happen once before to him, when he offered to call someone for help in a genuine moment of panic, after finding a woman on the ground holding her ankle crying desperately. Turns out her “husband’s” phone number was actually her very own and she had tricked him into calling her personal phone. She had harassed him for well over a day until he could get the number changed.
* * *
After several minutes of pacing, he opted to lie down on the bed and watch television, groaning when Bloodbath came on and changed the channel. He could not watch the show without thinking of how many times he had to do a certain scene. The fun was just not in it for him without thinking of how much work it was some days. If he remembered his lines and could depend on the other actors and actress
es to remember theirs, it might be a great, easy day. Most times, he ended up doing a scene somewhere between ten and twenty times before it was finally right.
* * *
Frustrated by the lack of response to his text, Alex turned off the television and resigned himself to yet another evening alone with nothing to do. He grabbed his iPad and read for a bit as a distraction. He considered calling to see if he could get the charter moved up and decided against it. Even if he was bored with nothing to do, other people did have lives and things to occupy their time. He could not demand that they leave their families at a whim because he was bored. Shaking his head, he settled on just going to bed. Alex hoped that he could get home early enough to be able to take the canoe out onto the small pond he had on his property for a bit of fishing in order to unwind.
* * *
The next morning was much of the same for Alex: waiting for his flight and stuck in his hotel room. The boredom was broken by a single phone call from his agent. When Alex first heard the phone ring, his heart pounded with the unknown until he saw the caller id. Then it just sank. It was Tom and he was certain he knew the context of the call already.
Sure enough, Alex had to hold the phone away from his ear as the boisterous voice came through loud and clear. “Alex baby! Tell me about your girl and how we are going to spin this. The media loves it!” roared the voice from the earpiece. He patiently listened to Tom rant and rave about the mysterious woman and what it could do for his career if he let it blossom and then “squash it” publicly.
Alex sighed and told Tom that his car was here to take him to the airport. He didn’t want to hear anything more about how to use a relationship to advance yourself in “the scene” as he liked to call it. It would still be some time before he left, but he would spend it in silence alone.
* * *
Katherine awoke the next morning on the couch with Leslie not far from her. That was part of the reason she had purchased the large settee, so each had an arm of it to sleep on. Katherine was sprawled out on the “L”, while Leslie took over the other half. They had fallen asleep after watching several episodes together and nodding off. Stretching, she gingerly moved and tiptoed away as to not shake the couch and disturb her friend. Picking up her phone, she checked it and saw the battery had died at some point. Carefully, she shut her bedroom door and put it on the charger moving to get a quick shower to begin her day.
* * *
She was certain that Leslie would want to grab brunch out since she was off today and she refused to eat a Katherine’s egg white omelets. As a compromise, their weekly brunch typically consisted of heading down the street to a café that specialized in healthy meals as well as hearty ones. Stepping out and drying off, Katherine threw on some casual clothes and French braided her wet hair to keep it out of her face. Hearing Leslie stir, Katherine yelled out to her and ordered her to go get ready so they could go eat soon. She was hungry and had no intention of staying at home. It would either be out with Leslie or moping alone.
* * *
Opening the door, she saw Leslie had brushed her hair back and put it in a ponytail. She still had on the same T-shirt and pajama pants she had arrived at the condo with. Katherine shooed her out the door and told her she would meet her in twenty minutes.
“You better not be wearing that, either,” she called out, knowing that Leslie loved those stretchy pajama pants and had worn them to the mall before, claiming that if teenagers could do it, she could, too. Teenagers, unfortunately for Leslie, did not have her figure. Nor did she have the heart to tell her best friend that pajama pants were not age appropriate. She sounded like an old fart saying stuff like that. However, they were both turning thirty soon and Katherine’s level of modesty was rising proportionately to her age, apparently.
* * *
Leslie left the condo and Katherine began to pick up a bit around the place, straightening here and there while she waited on her friend to get ready. Opening her mail from the other night, she dug out the bills and trashed the rest. Then she cleaned up the remnants of popcorn kernels, Pocky wrappers and loaded the bowls into the dishwasher. Hearing a notification go off in the other room, Katherine assumed it was Leslie. Opening the screen, she, instead, saw that it was an emailed pay statement from the hospital and then she saw the indicator that she had received a text.
Opening it, her heart beat quickly at the foreign phone number that appeared on her screen. It was no area code she recognized and assumed it was Alexander Weber from the short comment that he had sent. It was either him or the big security guard – and that thought gave her chills. Surely not?! The text was sent at 7:49 PM yesterday and simply said that it was nice to meet her.
Katherine hesitated for a moment, unsure of what exactly to say. “You, too” seemed very short and casual. But then again, this was a perfect stranger that asked for her number! Shouldn’t you keep it casual and impersonal? “Hey! I’m lonely, 29, a virgin, and my baby maker is humming for ya” just felt soooo inappropriate.
* * *
It was very nice to meet you as well. Take care and keep in touch.
* * *
Katherine hesitated before hitting “send” on her phone. Was it too cold? Too aloof? Biting her lip, she went ahead and sent the text with a small squeal of excitement. “Oh my gosh” kept floating through her mind. He was on TV and probably lived in California or New York. She was a surgeon in the Midwest. She worked fifty-five hours or more a week whereas he probably worked two hours a day... Maybe three, giving him the benefit of the doubt and shying away from stereotypes. This would never work.
Ever.
* * *
Rushing out the door, giddy with excitement, Katherine raced down the stairs to meet Leslie. It was still early in the morning and she couldn’t wait to show her that Alexander actually texted her! Or at least she hoped it was him.
Mental note: after a few texts-ask for a selfie, Katherine thought with a grin as she knocked on Leslie’s door. She had a key but hated to let herself in. Leslie might not have any qualms but Katherine did. Knocking again, Katherine smiled widely as her friend opened the door to walk out and stopped.
* * *
“No!” Leslie said stunned. “Yes?” she squealed loudly and jumped up and down. “Oh my gosh girl, gimme your phone and let me see!” as she practically attacked Katherine’s purse to dig out the cell and take a look.
* * *
Katherine laughed at her excitement, which matched her own! “Relax, it’s not going to disappear. I need some coffee. Let’s go and I will let you see that he said ‘hello’ and that was it,” she said wryly with a grin, grabbing her friend by the arm and pulling her behind. The two walked arm in arm to the café and ordered. As they talked and ate, Katherine realized, with the time difference, that there was no way he would answer this early in the morning. It was barely ten in the morning here, which meant it was eight there- or maybe seven? Unless he was actually in New York. Then it was after lunch and he was probably just busy. Katherine hesitated to think about him avoiding her and pushed that thought aside.
* * *
Leslie was ecstatic that Alexander Weber had texted Kat back and secretly hoped it would lead to more. She hoped friendship, prayed for a boyfriend and crossed her fingers (and toes!) that it would not lead to heartbreak for her. Kat was entirely too absorbed in working at the hospital and it was hard on her. She was exhausted a lot of the time when she got home, simply falling asleep at the drop of a pin. Her weight had dropped over the last year and Kat had never been overweight to begin with. Leslie worried about her and thought that maybe hanging out more together or some romance in her life might drag her away from the ER and let her focus on herself.
* * *
Both women heard the chime of the phone and made a scramble for it. It was comical to see them dive for the device in order to be the first to check the text message. Leslie won the grab, but only slightly. Katherine had almost spilled coffee on herself and had hesitated at t
he last second to catch the coffee mug.
* * *
Alex had managed to dart to the car almost undetected as he pulled the baseball cap down far over his head and ducked inside. The screaming started seconds later and he hurried to lock the doors as the driver honked repeatedly and gingerly pulled from the curb as to not run over any person’s feet. A limo was a dead giveaway sometimes, but a regular car was typically a lot easier to escape inside of.
A quiet ride and an equally quiet loading onto the tiny plane at the private airport was nice. He had stopped flying commercial almost right away after landing the part of Giovanni. It was too much. The first time he saw a photo of himself sleeping on a plane with his mouth wide open was the deal breaker. He was shocked people took that moment to take a photo of him looking like that but, then again, he had seen much worse on the tabloids of others. Thankfully, it hadn’t led to memes of him with objects in his mouth for long. Alex did not want to put himself in that predicament ever again.
Once they hit altitude with the plane, he was informed that it would be approximately three to four hours before they landed. Alex dug out his iPad to check his schedule and read to pass the time. Flipping back on his phone, he grinned. She had finally responded to his text!
Romancing the Fangirl Page 4
