Fame

by Jillian Dodd

  “See you—Bitch, get out of my way!—oh, sorry, old woman in the road. See you in a few.”

  Heads turn when Keatyn walks into the store.

  Which makes me smile.

  As the owner of the boutique public relations firm that handles her publicity, I know that it’s mostly my doing. Sure, she has talent for days, but I help keep her on the front pages of magazines and in the spotlight. And since I’ve taken over a teeny chunk of Captive Film’s PR, Riley and Keatyn are being touted on the latest Majority magazine, where Riley is looking completely delicious. If it weren’t for the fact that I’ve been trying to get him to outsource their movie publicity for years, I’d have already slept with him.

  But in the last two years, I’ve sworn off men.

  A very good looking man, who I know on a very personal level, says, “Vanessa, darling. It’s been too long.”

  I let him air kiss my cheeks but quickly leave to go greet Keatyn.

  “I’m not buying anything from him,” I tell her. “He was awkward and annoying in bed. He also didn’t understand the concept of no strings.”

  Okay, so I haven’t sworn off men completely. I just use them for sex and never allow my heart to get involved.

  Keatyn giggles when she looks behind me. “Ohmigawd, is that the guy who fucked like a rabbit?”

  “Shush. Yes. When did he start working here?”

  “He doesn’t work here, silly. He’s shopping, see?”

  I turn around and see him looking at engagement rings. Poor girl.

  Keatyn continues. “So, I called Tristan on the way here. We’ll be having a private showing. He’s been loaning me jewels since my first walk on the red carpet.”

  Tristan introduces himself, kisses Keatyn, and whisks us off the showroom floor.

  “What do you have in mind, Ms. Flanning?”

  “Call me Vanessa, please,” I coo, not sure why Keatyn never introduced us before. Probably because I pictured him as a little old French man, not the handsome, sophisticated one kissing my hand.

  “Absolutely, Vanessa,” he says, his French accent making me crave both a glass of Bordeaux and him in my bed.

  “We’re celebrating her divorce being final,” Keatyn tells him. “She needs something obnoxiously large—nothing red, her ex was into red. Red cars, red rubies . . .”

  “Don’t forget redheads,” I add sarcastically.

  “I see,” Tristan says. “I will be back with some baubles for you to peruse.”

  The minute he walks out the door, I say, “Why didn’t you tell me Tristan is hot?”

  “You were married, maybe? Then you swore off men. He’s cute, right?”

  “Yeah, he’s cute. And just his accent has my panties wet.”

  Keatyn laughs out loud. “You crack me up. Are you sure you’re doing okay today?”

  “I’m fine. Glad it’s finally over. I mean, Bam and I haven’t been together for almost two years. Who knew a divorce could take so long? All I know is I’m damn glad we were married and lived in California. God bless California’s community property laws.”

  “I have a quick favor to ask you. I invited Ariela to lunch with us. She’s in California. Do you remember her from the summer when we filmed A Day at the Lake 2?”

  “She was Riley’s girlfriend, right? They were adorable together. What ever happened to her?”

  “Her dad forbade her to follow Riley here for college. Threatened to cut her off. Riley told her that they’d figure something out, even asked her to marry him, but she chose not to go. I don’t think he’s ever gotten over it.”

  “Is that why he always dates blonde bimbos?”

  “I think so. She’s getting a divorce.”

  “As in she hasn’t gotten one yet?”

  “She hasn’t even filed.”

  “Sounds like trouble.”

  “Something else I need to tell you,” she says, lowering her voice. “Aiden and I are getting married in three weeks. I was hoping you would stand up with me.”

  “You want me, your friend who hates the institution of marriage, to stand up for you at your wedding?”

  She gives me her blazing smile. The one that sells all those magazines. “Yes.”

  I hug her, trying not to cry. “I’d be honored.”

  “I’m also pregnant,” she whispers in my ear. “You’re the only person who knows, besides Aiden. And, well, Doctor K. That was my appointment today. I don’t want the press to know. And I don’t want the press to know about the wedding.”

  Tristan comes back in with velvet trays full of jewelry, before I can reply. I reach down and give her hand a little squeeze.

  “I brought numerous jewels for you to look at, but I have one, which I think will cause you to look no further. It’s a statement piece that has a philosophical meaning.” He holds out a stunning ring. “The Diamond Lotus Ring. Platinum setting featuring twelve pair-shaped diamonds, two hundred and forty-eight round brilliant diamonds, and weighing 4.62 carats.”

  “Lotus means rebirth,” Keatyn offers.

  “Yes, exactly,” Tristan confirms.

  I hold up my left ring finger, so he can slide it on, but he says, “Oh, no, no. This goes here.”

  Then he slides it on my middle finger.

  “I love it on the middle finger,” Keatyn says, laughing. “It’s like a big fuck you to marriage.”

  “Says the girl who is finally engaged, I see,” Tristan says. “Aiden and I worked for months on your perfect ring.”

  “It is perfect,” she gushes. “He told you about our sunsets?”

  “And the green flash.”

  “Enough about engagements,” I interrupt. “We are here celebrating my rebirth. What do you think, Keatyn? Should I keep looking?” I hold my hand out in front of her.

  “You tell us,” she sasses back. “You were always the girl who knew exactly what she wanted.”

  Tears start to fill my eyes as I look sincerely into hers. “I lost that girl for a while, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah. You’ve had a rough couple of years, but now you are back. Your business is prospering. You look fantastic.” She squeezes my hand back and says sincerely, “And you have good friends who love you.”

  “You were the only client who didn’t leave me when I was going through everything. I never thanked you.”

  “That’s because you didn’t need to thank me. We’re friends. It’s what friends do. So what do you think?”

  I turn to Tristan, feeling stronger than I have in, well, a while. “I’ll take it.”

  As we’re leaving, Keatyn wraps her arm in the crook of my elbow. “That felt good, didn’t it?”

  “Yeah,” I say, holding up the ring so we can admire it some more. “I can’t believe it didn’t even need to be sized.”

  “It was made for you.”

  “You started to tell me about Ariela.”

  “Oh, yeah. She’s an event planner and has a blog of her weddings. They’re beautiful.”

  “And you’re thinking of having her do yours? Seriously, Keatyn, how are you going to pull off a wedding in three weeks? Is it going to be small?”

  She bends her head down and looks over her sunglasses at me.

  I laugh. “Sorry. Of course, you are not going to do anything small. Let me rephrase my question. How are you going to pull off a big wedding in three weeks?”

  “We’re going to have it at our house at the vineyard. Probably do the reception in the new barn. That solves the location aspect. I’ve got to talk to Kym about a dress.”

  “Did you get engaged because you’re pregnant?”

  “No, he didn’t know. I did the pregnancy test the morning he proposed. Crazy timing. But I want to be married before the baby is born and I don’t want to look pregnant in the pictures.”

  “Understandable.”

  “Oh, and don’t yell at me, but I’m changing my name to Keatyn Arrington.”

  “Well, of course, legally.”

  “No, for movies too.” />
  “Keatyn, I know you love Aiden, but don’t give up your name. Not professionally. What if it doesn’t work out? I know right now it’s all rainbows and roses, but it might not always be that way. Trust me, I know.”

  “Vanessa, did you think Bam was your true love?”

  “I loved him. He was charming and . . .”

  “That’s not what I asked. We can fall in love with different people throughout our lives but, sometimes, you find the one. That special one. The big deal. The dream.”

  “The moon wish?” I say teasingly.

  “Exactly.”

  “It’s easy to say now that he wasn’t but my dad had reservations about him. His family wasn’t exactly loving toward me. Maybe I was just too young to see past the way he impressed me with his lifestyle. Maybe it was my fault too. Maybe I loved the lifestyle more than I did him.”

  “Or maybe you had to go through it all to find the person you’re really supposed to be with. Maybe he’s not rich and famous and you needed the lesson?”

  “I know you’re talking from experience on all that. I know that’s how you feel about the whole stalker thing. That he pushed you to learn important lessons about life, love, and family.”

  “It certainly made me realize what’s important. It made me grow up. And that includes listening to Aiden even when I don’t agree with him.”

  “You don’t agree on something?”

  “Yes, he’s worried about Ariela being back in our life. Says we don’t know her and I shouldn’t be so quick to trust her. What if I ask her to plan my wedding and she tells everyone when it is? We figured we’d tell everyone, like the vendors, that it’s a fundraiser for Moon Wish . . .”

  “If the press finds out, it will be a nightmare with helicopters flying overhead and all that.”

  “Exactly what I don’t want.”

  “Let’s put out a statement about your engagement. Then I’ll spread word that you’re thinking of a spring wedding in Paris.”

  “That sounds good. And you’ll give me your opinion on Ariela after lunch?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Keatyn and I are the first to arrive at the restaurant. We’re in the process of being seated when RiAnne waddles her way through the tables, looking like if she coughed too hard she would burst. Ariela and Peyton follow closely behind her.

  Ariela looks exactly the way I remember her. Tall, pretty, great eyes, and a sincere smile. She walks right up to me and gives me a hug like I’m her long lost best friend. “Vanessa! It’s so good to see you. You look amazing!”

  “Thank you. I understand you’re getting a divorce?” I say, cutting to the chase as we sit down. I think we need to find out what this girl is up to.

  The waiter takes our drink orders and as soon as he’s stepped away from the table, she replies, “Have you ever had one of those moments where you knew you had to change your life?”

  I nod, because I know exactly what she means, but the rest of the girls are squinting their eyes.

  “I’m sure you all want to know why I’m here. I’d want to know too. I thought it was dumb luck I ran into Keatyn at the store the other day, but it feels more like it’s exactly what was supposed to happen. I came here to see Riley. I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have listened to my dad. I shouldn’t have gotten married. I knew it even before I found out he was cheating.”

  “I’m sorry you got cheated on,” I say to her. “I know how that feels. What triggered your decision? When you found out about his cheating?”

  “No, I had known that for a while. Two things made me snap, I guess you could say.”

  “What?” Peyton asks, as Keatyn pats her growing baby bump.

  “I told my mom he was having an affair and she told me that successful men often have liaisons, but they can still be wonderful, loving husbands and good fathers.”

  “Bullshit,” RiAnne coughs.

  Peyton, RiAnne, and Keatyn, who have relationships to envy, laugh.

  I don’t.

  I understand. Bam’s mother said something similar to me when I told her why we were getting a divorce.

  “Then, I went to a coffee shop and saw Riley—and you, Keatyn—on the cover of a magazine. I cancelled my appointments for the afternoon and went and saw the trilogy. I hadn’t seen any of the movies until then.”

  “The Keatyn Chronicles?” Keatyn asks. I watch as a lot of expressions cross her face, ending teary-eyed. “So, you saw how much he loved you? How crazy he was for you? How he was afraid to even text you?”

  “Did you really do it for him? Like in the movie?”

  Keatyn nods. “I did. I was shocked he included the picture of you from the wrap party.”

  “That’s what really did it. After the movie, I went home, packed a bag, and the shoebox full of memories I had hidden in the back of my closet, and hopped on a plane. I’m crashing on my friend’s couch. She’s married and has three young children. It’s a little chaotic. Hopefully, I’ll find a job out here soon. And somewhere to live.”

  “You can live with me,” I say, surprising myself. “I have a guest house and a hot cabana boy. He’s gay, but you’d never know from looking at him. He’s great for your ego and he’s training to be a masseuse.”

  “Are you sure?” both RiAnne and Ariela ask me.

  “Yes, I’m sure. I have more space than I know what to do with.” I decide to change the subject. “So, Peyton, how is our favorite rock star doing?”

  “Damian’s good. He’s on tour. We decided it was just too much to try and take the kids this time. Jagger just started kindergarten and Jett’s loving preschool. You know Damian was tutored most of his life. He wants our kids to have a more traditional upbringing.”

  “As traditional as you can get when your dad is Damian Moran,” I say.

  The waiter interrupts us, takes our orders, and refills our water.

  “Yeah, well the kids don’t really have a sense of that. They just know Daddy is on a work trip. And this tour is only four weeks. He wants to be home before the baby comes.”

  “Have you agreed on a name yet? Dallas and I are still fighting over this one,” RiAnne says, patting the top of her belly. “We decided five was enough. I’m going to have my tubes tied.”

  “I’m pretty sure we decided on Cash,” Peyton says.

  “That’s really cute. They all have little rocker names,” Ariela says. “Peyton, do you work outside the home?”

  “I have my own business. I design wallpaper and have a successful decorating blog. And I’ve always done interiors for my friends.”

  “Our Malibu beach house wouldn’t look nearly as beautiful as it does if it weren’t for Peyton,” Keatyn says, smiling.

  “And I have a lot of her wallpaper in my house,” I tell Ariela. “The main bedroom in the guest house has a feature wall done in one of her gorgeous metallics.”

  “The guest house has more than one bedroom?” Ariela asks me.

  “Vanessa married really, really well,” RiAnne tells Ariela then she turns to me. “Speaking of that, was today the day?”

  “Yes. After a long two years, my divorce is final. I’m a very free and very rich woman. And, certainly, my law degree came in handy.”

  “It’s come in handy for me, as well, when you have to threaten to sue the tabloids,” Keatyn says, looking tired all of a sudden.

  I smile at her, happy she’s finally going to have a baby with Aiden. And get married. As most of her friends would say, it’s about time for both. I also can’t help but feel a little smug that she’s told only me she’s pregnant. That she trusts me.

  And after what I’ve been through, she has no idea how much that means to me.

  When our food is served, Keatyn raises her glass of water in the air. “I think we should have a toast. To new beginnings, fresh starts, and rings from Harry Winston.”

  “Rings from Harry Winston?” RiAnne asks, her eyes big.

  “How can you not notice that new mass of diamonds on her hand?” Keatyn
laughs, pointing at my purchase.

  “That’s real? I thought it was costume jewelry.”

  “Nope, I decided to commemorate today with a gift for myself. Keatyn helped me pick it out.”

  “Vanessa just sat there and drooled,” Keatyn says.

  “Over Tristan or the diamonds?” Peyton asks.

  “The diamonds, but Tristan is a cutie. I can’t believe you all knew how hot he was and never introduced me.”

  My phone buzzes with a text from an unknown number.

  If you are ready for a new beginning, I’d love to take you to dinner- Tristan

  I laugh. “He just texted and asked me to dinner!”

  “You should go. Maybe he gets a discount,” RiAnne laughs. “Dallas would probably appreciate that. He usually buys me a piece of jewelry after every baby.”

  “That’s so romantic,” Peyton says. “Speaking of romantic, Keatyn, tell us what Aiden said at the top of the freaking Eiffel Tower.”

  “It’s all kind of a blur,” Keatyn says, but I know her. I know she memorized everything Aiden said to her and wrote it down. “Just about how he promised me a life better than anything I ever scripted. It was romantic. Sweet. Everything that boy does makes me swoon. I’m really lucky.”

  “Speaking of that, I think you should enlist Ariela to help with your wedding.” I say it out loud, knowing Keatyn’s been waiting for my assessment of her. “Have you ever had to plan a wedding really fast?” I ask Ariela.

  “Are you getting married really fast?” Ariela asks Keatyn.

  Keatyn keeps her voice low and says, “I’d love to talk to you about it. We’ve been thinking about a spring wedding in France.”

  “Oh, that’s not that fast.”

  “Why don’t you come up to the vineyard this weekend? We can discuss it.”

  “Will Riley be there?”

  “No, just Dallas and the kids, my grandparents, me and Aiden. Oh, and if you want, you could maybe see Maggie and Logan. Logan runs the day-to-day operations of Asher Vineyards and Maggie handles all the events there.”

  “That sounds fun. I’d love to. And I’d love to see them. I feel bad. Maggie was one of my best friends.”