“Molly McGlenister, and thank you for having me,” I replied, quickly wiping my hand on the side of my black pants before placing it into his. His large hands wrapped around mine firmly, as he brought my knuckles to his lips. Gently letting my hand go, I folded them behind me to prevent my nerves from making me fidget.
“I’m sure the guys have brought you up to speed on your roll today?”
“Sorry, Sir, but I really have no clue as to what my job is,” I said meekly, offering an apologetic smile.
“I thought management already talked with you? We already have your measurements and apparel lined out.”
“Measurement? Apparel?” What in the world was going on?
“You are prepared to be the staring lead in the shoot today? Am I not right?” James gave me a puzzled look as he sat back down the leather sofa.
“I’m sorry, but I honestly have no clue what you are talking about.”
“Does anyone know anything on this damn shoot today?” James barked, leaping off the sofa and tossing the trailer door open. “Someone fucking find me Parker, damn it!”
The look of question was evident as James placed his hands on either side of my face. “You, my dear, are the heartless bitch in the video today.”
“Heartless bitch?” I mumbled. Wasn’t that just a punch to the vagina?
“I swear to god if you fucking knew about this, I am going to toss you out in the damn ocean and you’re going to have to use those damn silicone breasts of yours as floatation devices,” I threatened, storming into the wardrobe trailer.
“Wow, I really hope you know this woman,” a short redhead standing next to Danielle remarked.
“Yeah, this is the ‘Heartless Bitch’ of the video shoot. It’s basically her way of saying hi.” Danielle laughed, throwing air quotation marks around the heartless bitch part.
“You have got to be kidding me, Danielle! Why didn’t you say something?”
“For starters, I didn’t know until I came and looked at the screening boards. All I was given was a size and a vision to how they wanted everyone to look. Don’t get all menstrual on me because the man you want to drop your panties for labeled you a heartless bitch.”
“I’m not doing it,” I stammered, crossing my arms tightly across my chest and flopping down on a chair. Being called a heartless bitch is one thing, having a song written about you is another, and starring in the damn video takes the whole thing to a fucking new level.
“Well, actually, yes you are. Suck it up, Buttercup, the day has only started,” Danielle said with a cheer to her voice. What I would have given to smack that stupid grin right off her face at that moment.
“This is ludicrous,” I whined.
“Well, wait till you see the dress. You might need to take a Xanax.” She laughed while pulling a little black number off of a rack.
“Did someone request a stripper, or is that my dress?”
Chapter 12
Lap Dances for World Peace
“We need to come up with a code word for getting me out of awkward situations today,” I rambled while getting my makeup plastered on.
“Balls,” Danielle replied quickly, slipping the dress off its hanger.
“Balls?”
“Yep, balls. I highly doubt that word will be used today amongst the group of dirty rockers. So that would leave fuck, shit, bitch, slut, hooker, skank, cunt, and dick out of the running.”
“How about something simple like help?” Yelling out the word balls in the middle of something really didn’t seem like a smart thing to do. With my luck, Brody would drop his pants and put on a show for the stupid comment.
“Where is the fun in that? I really just want you to scream balls across the room at some point today.” Danielle smirked, holding the dress up to her body while dry humping the air.
Scoffing at my idiot of a friend, I closed my eyes while letting out a small sigh. Today might just be the end of my sanity. Well technically that was lost a long time ago, but the little I try to carry around in my purse was about to go missing.
“I don’t know what your fuss is. I would give anything to be in this video. Those guys are so fucking hot,” the makeup artist blabbed while grabbing my eyebrow and raking it up to the ceiling.
“Well, if you had your heart crushed by one of them, I doubt you would want to be here either,” I said with an eerie bitterness to my voice.
“Actually, you stepped on his heart. Remember, Molly, you are the heartless bitch in this story.” Danielle laughed.
“You seriously had something going on with one of them? Please tell me which one? Oh my gosh, I would give my left breast to get another shot with Brody!”
Shuddering at the thought of the STI bag Brody bagging this chick that was all up in my face made me want to have her stop right there. I still didn’t understand how any self-respecting woman could listen to that man’s bullshit lines, drop their panties, and then let his dick that had been god only knows where enter them. Gross.
“Oh, Sweetheart, he tried to make it right with her. But this dumb chick has shit for brains and decided to not talk with him ever again.” My eyes popped opened just long enough to launch the water bottle I was holding at Danielle’s head.
“Snatch,” Danielle glared after ducking. “If you wore underwear, I would tell you to dig them out of your vag. Today is going to be hard, but there is nothing you can do about it. So get off your damn stick pony and show everyone here that you are the top bitch in this place.”
“I need a plan,” I said as the makeup artist stepped back to admire her work.
“You already have one, remember; balls?” Danielle teased.
“For serious, Danielle. I need to know how to get through today and have Reid not hate me plan.”
Danielle walked over and laid the dress in my lap. “Plan one, is for you to slip on this little number. Plan two, is for you to plaster a smile and get your lips painted. Plan three, is to get over the whole Reid not liking you issue and be the professional I know you can be.”
Pursing my lips tightly together, I nodded my head and stood. All I needed was a friendship with Reid today, and hopefully that bridge had yet to be burned. If the damn song had any inclination on how he felt about me, there was a snowball’s chance in hell he was going to take the friendship card and run with it. But I could manage. I made it twenty-five years with my family; I could deal with a little heartbreak in the workplace.
“Why in the world did I agree to this, Danielle?” I asked, tugging on the short black dress that barely skimmed the top of my thighs.
“Because you think with your vagina and not your head.” She shrugged, still rummaging through the insane amount of heels on the floor.
Wearing this dress was punishment enough for my shitty behavior. And now, strutting around in a music video, in heels no less, was going to be the end of me. There was no way I could fake being sexy on screen when I looked like a newborn giraffe on rollerblades. This had to be up there as one of the worst ideas in my “get Reid to tolerate me again” plans ever.
“I’m thinking the red ones, and then makeup can paint your lips to match,” Danielle exclaimed, holding up a cherry red stiletto heel.
Groaning, I squeezed my eyes shut and hung my head. There was no way I would be able to pull this shin-dig off. Why in the world was I torturing myself, knowing the outcome of today’s events would never be the result I had been hoping for? A knock on the door came suddenly, snapping me out of my ‘poor is me’ routine.
“I’ll grab it. I bet it’s……….” Danielle rambled, standing from the floor and reaching for the door.
“Is Molly Anne in there?” a dark smooth voice came from out in the hallway.
My body seized when his words reached my ears; no matter how long we had been apart, he still held the key to all of my emotions. My mind raced and my pulse quickened, instantly sending dampness between my legs. Danielle quickly shot me a questioning look, raising her perfectly sculpted eyebrows
at me.
“Its fine,” I managed to pipe out, instantly taking my bottom lip between my teeth. I was going to have to face him sooner or later today, might as well get it over with.
“Hey,” I said meekly as he stepped into the room.
“I’m going to go check on the guys,” Danielle exclaimed, using that excuse to slip out. The tension in the room shot to a whole new level once I heard the door click. I swore my heart was beating loud enough for Reid to hear, as my hands turned ice cold. It’s amazing the things this man still did to my body. Sure, I might never be able to get over him, but I really hoped eventually with time my body would start to keep things under control. An evil betrayal from my body.
“You look amazing, Molly Anne.” Yep, pretty sure I stopped breathing.
“Thanks,” I managed to mumble, reaching for the hem of my dress and yanking it down. There was no give to this dress, and the sucker was firmly attached to my thighs, right below my ass.
“I just wanted to explain a couple things before everything got started.” Reid’s eyes drifted to the couches as I nodded. I paused for a second as I carefully lowered myself on to the couch. Sure, I finally had some dental floss up my crack this way I didn’t flash my girly bits to the whole crew this afternoon, but I didn’t need to be flashing Reid. Cold hearted bitch and a hussy, perfect label for the ex in the video shoot today.
“I guess by now you figured out the song is about you.”
“Yeah,” I replied weakly, biting the inside of my lips to prevent the tears from starting.
“Molly Anne, I wanted to ask you myself at the track to be in the video. But then you were with Brantley, and it all got weird and shit.”
“I’m not with Brantley, Reid. I respect myself too much to get involved in something like that again.”
“I really hoped that was the case, Molly Anne,” Reid said with a slight sigh.
A hitch started to develop in my throat as I continued to fight back the tears. Of course the situation at the track looked bad, considering I was riding powerful machines with someone that got with me. Obviously we were going to be together a lot because of the tour, but the track was down time, and I was once again with the man that dropped an atomic bomb on my reality.
“I needed you to be in the video Molly Anne. I didn’t want you to hear the song and realize it was about you without us being able to talk about it first.”
“I get it, Reid. I’m a musician, too, and we write about the life we experience. What we went through wasn’t a walk in the park, but I’m glad it gave you some material for the new album.” Sure, it sucked major balls that our relationship was going to be played out over the airwaves to mock me day in and out for the next year. But what did I expect? My journal was full of bits and pieces of songs written about this man, and some of those sung a chorus to ‘Reid is a dick head’ or my personal favorite ‘fucking male slut bags named Reid Chambers.’
“Molly Anne, I tried. I tried so hard,” Reid muttered, letting his head drop to stare at the floor.
“I know, and that was all we could do. I hope the woman in your life now makes you happy.” My voice broke as I admitted to the other woman. Yes, it had been all over the tabloids and gossip sights about his new love life, but it still sucked when I got a glimpse of a picture or read their names in a magazine.
“Seriously, Molly Anne; you really think there is someone else?” Reid questioned, quickly snapping his head back up and gazing directly into my eyes.
My insides turned to mush with that look. It was like I had my old Reid back once again. My confusing, loving, irritating, sweet, asshole, caring Reid Chambers.
“Reid, really it’s fine.”
“Seriously, Molly Anne? You honestly thought I just jumped into the next female’s bed that offered herself up to me? Sure, there were a lot of girls that I could have fucked to try and get over you, but I didn’t.”
My heart skipped a beat as my brain entertained the thought this man could still love me. After all the shit we went through, he really didn’t hate me. Sure, maybe love was a little farfetched for me to believe, but shit, at least it wasn’t an ‘I don’t ever want to see your face again’ type of scenario.
“Molly Anne, I told you months ago that you were it. You are the only person in this world that is truly meant for me. There will never be another, Molly Anne.” Reid’s jaw tightened as his chest puffed out a little. The man I fell in love with so many months ago was getting possessive over me, and it took everything in my mind to control my body from jumping into his lap and pressing our lips together.
“I loved you, Molly Anne, and I still do.”
Tears instantly spilled over my cheeks as I brought my hands up to my lips to try and stifle the sobs escaping my lips. After all this time, all the hateful words, and silence between the two of us, he still loved me. Reid reached out and grabbed my hand, yanking me off the small couch and into his lap.
“Don’t cry, my love; the makeup artist is going to get pissed,” Reid snickered, deepening the grasp he had around my body.
“Asshole,” I muttered into his shirt. Maybe I wouldn’t need the code word ‘balls’ after all.
I dried my eyes and pulled back from his grasp, offering him a sweet smile.
“Oh, Molly Anne, you’re going to have to fix your make up.” Reid smirked. Climbing out of his lap, I wiped under my eyes with the back of my hands and gently shook my head.
“I’m pretty sure you could cure world hunger in that dress, Molly Anne,” Reid said smoothly while standing to join me, slowly running his hand down the side of my dress.
“Perfect. Lap dances for world peace then.” I laughed, finally letting go of the nerves I had been holding since arriving on location this morning. Life was going to be okay. I was going to be okay. The world was good at giving second chances………………..and well, maybe thirds and fourths, too.
Chapter 13
I don’t ‘drop it like it’s hot’………………it’s more of a squat and wiggle.
The set was massive, and I swore there had to be at least fifty people wandering around, acting like they knew what they were doing. Obviously, I realized how many people it took to put on a production, considering we had more crew for the tours, but the soundstage didn’t seem that big for this many people stuffed in it. Glancing over at the craft services table, I carefully took a few steps over to snag myself a doughnut. If I wasn’t careful, I would go down faster than the Titanic in these shoes, and having visible bruises would only mean more time in the makeup chair listening to the chick ramble on about wanting to be rammed by one of the band members.
I felt like a lion, stalking its prey. The plate of doughnuts was just begging to be eaten, letting the satisfying feeling wash over me after I was done devouring the tasty morsel, licking my fingers contently. Carefully, I leaned over the table; making sure my body did not smash the black dress into some salsa or cheese dip.
“Look at that ass. Please tell me you are here for me,” Brody’s voice pleaded from behind me. Rolling my eyes, I snatched another doughnut and stuffed the sucker into my mouth. Wiping my mouth gently with my fingertips, I turned around slowly and flashed a strained smile at the idiot.
“Oh shit, Molly! How in the hell did they get you into that dress? And more importantly, when can I take it off you?”
“Brody, I have missed you.” I cautiously walked over to the man, patting the side of his cheek probably harder than I should have.
“Damn, Woman, you are killing me with those shoes,” he whined, dropping his gaze to the floor, then slowly up my naked legs.
“My eyes are up here Buddy, and thank you,” I reminded him, grabbing him below the chin and forcing him to look at me directly.
“Shit, Molly. Does Reid know you’re here?”
“Maybe,” I played coy.
“Fuck. Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, it’s always good to see you, but fuck Molly.” Brody raked his hand through his short hair as
the creases between his brows deepened. A sheer look of terror crossed his face, and I did absolutely nothing to ease it for him. Watching that boy sweat it out was a little payback for everything he put me through on their tour.
“Uh……..um……..maybe we should go outside,” Brody rambled, nervously glancing around the room.
“Molly! We need you on set in five for some close ups,” Parker shouted from under a bright spot light.
“Got it,” I yelled back with a slight wave, letting my shit eating grin spread further on my face.
“Makeup wants to see you real quick,” Danielle butted in, gently grabbing my elbow and pulling me toward the dressing rooms.
“Makeup? Close ups? Am I missing something?” Brody questioned, releasing the tension on his face.
“Don’t worry about it Jerkface; it was great to see you again,” I said in a sweet voice, carefully stepping over some cords while making my way back to the room. Glancing backward one more time, I laughed as Brody continued to stand their puzzled with the whole encounter. It’s a good thing that man had talent and was somewhat hot, considering he lacked something fierce in the brains department.
“Alright, Molly, give me sexy,” James shouted from behind a monitor. I was trying my best to be sexy, but it had never been my forte. My world was full of clumsy, uncoordinated, oh shit kind of moments, not sexy ones. Shit, I’m betting the guy holding the boom mike to my left could be sexier then I had been.
“Molly, I said sexy, not constipated. Stop thinking and move!”
Sure, that’s easy for you, jackass. You get to sit on that comfy little chair, barking orders, and sipping on your Starbucks. I don’t see you wearing this small ass dress and red stripper shoes, trying to freely move without toppling over and splaying my legs out in uncomfortable angles.
“Can someone tussle her hair a little more? I need that just had hot sex kind of look,” James shouted, instantly making my stomach plummet right out my damn ass.
Cheap & Classy (Hide Your Crazy) Page 8