Absolutely Famous (Famous Series)

by Heather Leigh

  I splash some water on my face, brush my teeth and throw on my running clothes. Grabbing my phone I shoot Allie a text letting her know that I’m going for a run. She’s most likely still wasted so I don’t want to wake her up. I was just thankful that I got her to come back to the hotel with me and not go God knows where with Declan Foster. Drew would have been furious.

  Putting in my ear buds, I leave the suite thinking about where I plan to run and feel better already. I hit the pavement, pulling my baseball cap down low and laugh to myself, thinking about how Drew used to do the same thing with his hat when we were dating and I never put two and two together. I honestly thought he just had a weird obsession with his repellant Red Sox hat. Which, it turns out, he does.

  I head a few blocks over to St. James Park to put in some miles and do some much needed thinking. Passing the different government buildings, I hit a good pace and enjoy the cool spring weather and the early morning sunlight on my face. Much like New York, tons of people walk to work in London. I have to be careful to keep my head down so no one will recognize me. I’m lucky I got past the paparazzi that stake out our building because of Ryker without any problems.

  I figure if I circle both St. James and Green Park and double back I can get about five miles in without having to run on any busy streets. I jog over the bridge that spans the lake in the middle of St. James Park and let my thoughts wander to Drew. A huge smile spreads across my face when I think of him. I can’t help it; he just does that to me. He does that to most women I would guess, being so sexy and irresistible and so unbelievably Drew.

  I’m grateful that Allie is just as stubborn and determined as her brother. With one phone call she fixed a lot of the problems that we had been having. Drew and I will still have our challenges, I’m sure. Living the lives that we do, everything being so public, plus all of my personal baggage that I’m struggling with will certainly keep our relationship a work in progress.

  I appreciate that I’ve come a long way since leaving Vancouver, hell, since finding out Drew was a celebrity. Things I never thought I would do, like reveal my identity on the top-rated late night talk show, change my last name back to Tannen, walk a red carpet with a movie star, go to London alone for work, kick a guy in the balls for grabbing me. I’ve done and lived through them all, coming out a different person on the other side. All of this change is good. New Sydney doesn’t take crap and shrink back when challenged and I love her. Old Sydney was a shell of a human, surviving, not living.

  Even though going back in the public eye caused my old stalker to attack me, I wouldn’t take it back for anything. Looking back, I can see how unhappy and anxious I was all of the time in New York. I was so consumed with keeping people at an arm’s length and preventing the world from finding me that I never found myself.

  Even the trauma of the miscarriage brought me further toward healing than I would have thought. It made me realize that life and love can be fleeting, and to embrace each moment that you get with someone because they may be gone too soon.

  I stop in front of Buckingham Palace for a minute to catch my breath, watching the guards in their fancy dress uniforms standing like statues in front of the gates. I find myself wishing Drew were here to share this moment with me. I miss him terribly, like every moment spent apart causes a tiny piece of me to shatter.

  Wistful, I turn to run back through the park towards the hotel when a familiar cold shiver spreads from the base of my spine to the spot where my hair meets my neck.

  Someone is watching me.

  I pretend to stretch, glancing around from behind my sunglasses so I won’t seem obvious. Unfortunately, there are a lot of tourists and people hustling to work through the plaza in front of the palace so it’s impossible to pick out anyone specific. I don’t see anybody with a professional sized camera either, so I know there’s not any paparazzi following me. Creeped out, I make my way back to the Warren.

  “Allie!” I call out, letting the door to the suite slam behind me.

  “Ugh! Be quiet.” I hear her moan from her bedroom.

  Giggling, I walk over to her bed and see her curled up under the covers, just her tangled mahogany hair visible on the pillow. “Did you have a little too much to drink?” I ask, trying to hide my amusement. She was completely bombed last night, downing shots like they were water. She deserves to feel like this.

  “Stop, don’t talk so loud.”

  Taking pity on the woman who single-handedly saved my relationship, I go into the living area and call the front desk. “Can I get a bottle of ibuprofen, three bottles of sparkling water and a large orange juice?” I also order some fruit and coffee for myself and take a quick shower, throwing on a gold and white striped Proenza Schouler T-shirt and my dark skinny jeans just before room service arrives.

  Allie wanders out of her bedroom as I pour a cup of coffee and sit at the table. “Here, I got you some juice and ibuprofen.” I grab the bottle of pills off of the room service cart and hand them to her as she slumps dramatically into the chair across from me.

  “Ugh, I feel awful. My mouth tastes like dirt!”

  A flair for the dramatic must run in the family, I think to myself. I hide my smile behind my coffee cup and take another sip. “Was it worth it?”

  “Actually, yeah,” she says, surprising me. Noticing my expression she explains further. “I haven’t had a night out like that in a while, Syd. Especially not with a hot guy like Dex.” She blushes when she says his name.

  How cute, she has a crush!

  “Why not? You’re young, you’re hot, you live in Boston which has a great nightlife, you should be living it up!” I’m confused as to why someone as beautiful and friendly as Allie Forrester doesn’t have a busy social life.

  “Syd, I’m not all that different from you. I don’t tell anyone that I’m Drew’s sister. I’m never sure who is using me to get close to him.”

  My mouth falls open in shock. “I never thought about it before. God, Allie, I’m so selfish! I feel like such an ass.” I bury my face in my hands, ashamed to look at her.

  “Sydney,” Allie snaps. I look up and meet her vivid green eyes, so much like Drew’s. “No one has ever stalked me or tried to kill me. It’s similar for me, but it’s not the same. I’ve never needed a bodyguard or had someone arrested for stalking me. That’s probably all you’ve ever known.”

  “Yeah, it is.”

  “Well don’t feel bad for me. I don’t feel bad for you. You have parents who love you, a great career, a great best friend you can trust, and don’t forget,” she waggles her eyebrows, “the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’,” she laughs.

  I can’t help but laugh with her. “I’m going upstairs to do a little work; will you be up for some exploring later?”

  “Hell yes! I didn’t fly 3000 miles to sit in my hotel room hung over.”

  “I’ll see if Leah wants to do some sightseeing and shopping. Although, she may be at the studio with Ryker today.”

  Allie’s eyes brighten when I mention the movie set. “We could always stop by the set and visit.” She has a wicked grin on her face.

  “Visit Leah, or visit Declan?”

  “Both of course!” Allie responds, then has a fit of giggles so long I thought she was going to suffocate.

  Rolling my eyes I get up and head for the door. “I’ll see you in a few hours, Giggles.”

  Chapter 21

  “I did not fall down on the dance floor!” Allie yells, the giant smile on her face contradicting the anger in her voice.

  “You totally did,” Dex says from next to her on the couch.

  After an afternoon of sightseeing and shopping, Allie and I met up with Leah on the Quantum Stranger set. The guys just finished their scenes for the day, so we’re hanging out in Declan’s trailer while Ryker showers and changes his clothes.

  “So, where are we eating?” Leah asks as she bangs through the trailer door and sits on the arm of the sofa.

  “Don’t care, I’m starving,” Decl
an answers.

  “Me either,” I tell her.

  “No British food,” Allie says, crinkling her nose up in disgust. “Not a huge fan, sorry.”

  “I’ll text Brittany.” Leah whips out her phone and types a message. “Just because she can’t come with us tonight doesn’t mean she won’t help us out, right?” Leah’s phone beeps a second later and she reads the text out loud. “Birdie’s Pub & Ale, off Leicester Square.”

  “Sorry, Allie, sounds like British pub food tonight.” I apologize.

  “Great. Well, I’ll live. I’m sure they’ll have fries. I mean chips.” She rolls her eyes at the British word for French fries.

  The trailer door opens again and Ryker comes in, his unruly hair still damp from cleaning up. Leah bounds over to him and they kiss like they haven’t seen each other in a week. “Ewwww, calm down guys,” I say, shielding my eyes with my hand.

  “Like you wouldn’t do the same if Drew walked in right now!” Leah jokes back.

  “Yeah, you’re right. I totally would.”

  “Gross! That’s my brother!” Allie screams, covering her ears.

  “Oh, is he?” I say innocently. “I forgot.”

  Allie chucks a pillow at my head and laughs. “You suck!” The five of us laugh and carry on like young adults should, and I love every minute of it.

  Birdie’s Pub is exactly what you would imagine a London pub would be like. Dark, small, and old, the five of us cram into a booth in a back corner away from prying eyes. Not that you’d find a person in this place who would recognize a single one of us. The patrons are just as old as the pub, hunched over their pints with their eyes fixed on the soccer game playing on the televisions hanging in the bar.

  “So, how’s the nightclub coming along?” Ryker asks me as he takes a giant bite of his sandwich.

  Ryker Bancroft is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. He grew up in L.A. like me, but unlike me, his parents did not have money. He appreciates every single thing he has in his life and works hard to earn all of it. He’s gorgeous of course, and he knows it, but it actually makes him uncomfortable when anyone talks about it in front of him. He’s also super-protective of his friends and family and fiercely loyal which is important when it comes to Leah. Loyalty might as well be her middle name, I would know since she’s there for me whenever I need her no matter what.

  “It’s going great, thanks Ry. They’re installing the flooring and the furniture is all being made. I love the location and the view is to die for. It’s perfect.” He smiles at me as I finish talking. “What?” I ask.

  “Nothing, you just obviously love your job. It’s cool. I know just how you feel.” Ryker shifts uncomfortably. “Do you mind if I ask you what it was like growing up with famous parents?”

  I still for a moment, my hand hesitating on my half-empty pint glass.

  “You don’t have to, Sydney. I’m just wondering what it will be like for my kids someday, that’s all,” he says with a regretful expression on his face. “I don’t mean to pry or make you uncomfortable.”

  Exhaling, I take a big sip of my beer. “It’s okay Ry, I don’t mind telling you. It was … difficult. And lonely. I was always surrounded by people, but not people I knew or who cared about me. Agents, directors, bodyguards, nannies, even other celebrities.” I look away from his eyes and across the bar, watching the bartender chat with a patron. “My parents were gone a lot. I know they loved me, but it’s hard when you’re a kid.” I shrug like it doesn’t matter.

  “That sounds depressing, Sydney.”

  “It wasn’t all bad. I saw the world, traveled in private jets, went to the best schools, but the worst was the loneliness. My advice to you would be to have more than one child.” I look back at his concerned face. “It would have been nice to have someone else who knew what it was like that I could confide in.”

  He pats my hand and gives me a small smile.

  beep beep beep beep

  The sound of the Google Alert is barely audible from my purse with the noise of the crowded bar surrounding us. Whatever soccer team the old men in the pub are rooting for must have scored, because the place erupts in cheers.

  I decide to ignore the alert. New Sydney doesn’t care, right? I’ll check it later tonight or tomorrow. It’s not going anywhere and neither is whatever article it’s referring to.

  beep beep beep beep

  Frowning, I realize that those sounds aren’t coming from my purse. I look around the table and see Leah whip out her iPhone. She pales as she reads the screen and my heart drops into my feet.

  “What? Leah, what is it?” I ask her, anxiety coursing through me.

  She takes in my expression and hurries to speak. “Syd, it’s not anything bad like that. I have Ry set to Google Alert on my phone.” Leah looks at him. “I figured if they’re bugging Syd they might be bugging us too and I wanted to know about it right away if they were.”

  Ryker and I nod in agreement. Allie and Declan have stopped flirting for two seconds, thank God, and are listening to our conversation.

  “So what is it?” Allie asks.

  Leah scowls as she taps on her phone. “It’s that stupid CelebSpot app. Someone posted Ryker’s location on it. That means the fans know that we’re here.”

  If it weren’t so disturbing to find out there’s an app that lets a total stranger put your current location up on the internet, our reactions would be downright comical. All four of our mouths drop open when Leah tells us about the alert. I glance around the bar, but don’t notice anyone who could have recognized Ryker.

  “Are you telling me that anyone could put my exact minute by minute whereabouts on the internet and everyone who wants to can read it?” Panic fills my body, and its presence is unwelcome. I’ve enjoyed living without the sweaty palms, the erratic heartbeat, the numbness in my hands and feet, not to mention the feeling like I can’t breathe.

  “Yes, that’s what I’m saying,” Leah says with her teeth bared. “No privacy! I’m so pissed off.”

  I’m about to freak the hell out when Allie’s phone lights up from its place on the table. It’s so loud in here right now, we didn’t even hear it ring.

  I vaguely register parts of her conversation.

  “Yeah.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  “Because it’s loud as fuck in here, that’s why!”

  “No, don’t you yell at me!”

  “What!”

  Allie shoots out of her seat to a standing position, her face drained of color. Her eyes dart from Declan to me then down at the floor.

  “It’s not like that asshole!”

  “Shit, I can’t believe it.”

  She sinks back into her chair and holds the phone out to me. I’m sure I look shocked as hell because she quietly says, “Drew wants to talk to you.” I notice her eyes are glassy, like she’s either trying not to cry or she’s so angry that tears are forming.

  I take the phone from Allie and bring it to my ear.

  New Sydney can do this. She’s not a weak chicken-shit.

  “Sydney!” Drew says anxiously. “What the hell is going on?”

  “What are you talking about Drew? We’re at dinner.”

  “Jane just showed me another one of those damn CelebCast articles.” My blood runs cold when he mentions that website. “It’s about you and Allie and … Declan Foster,” he growls.

  “What did it say?” I’m surprised that I can keep my cool, but I am. I refuse to let this shitty tabloid ruin my life.

  “It’s about you and Allie not being able to trust anyone because of your famous relatives.” Drew spits out the word famous like it’s poison. “How my sister and you can’t have real friends because of people using you to get to me or your parents.”

  “What?” Okay, now I’m not calm. How in the hell are these people doing it? They’re recording my private conversations and I can’t seem to find the listening device.

  “It also mentioned that you were all partying in Ryker’s suite l
ast night and Allie was hung over this morning from partying all night and getting drunk with him. What the fuck is going on over there?” Drew’s voice has risen and he’s now yelling through the phone.

  Jesus, she’s twenty-five years old. Chill out!

  I’m ready to respond with exactly that when the loud bar gets even louder and I hear a commotion over by the door.

  “We have to leave, now,” Ryker whispers in my ear as he throws a bunch of money on the table.

  I turn around and see a few, no not a few, a couple dozen or so young women coming into the pub and eagerly combing the crowd with their eyes.

  “Shit!” I say, forgetting that Drew is still on the other line.

  “What’s going on Sydney?” I can already picture him pacing his room and tugging his hand through his hair in frustration.

  “I gotta go, there’s a bunch of girls here. They found Ryker. We have to leave, I’ll call you later babe.” I grab my purse and stand up with everyone else.

  I hear Drew swear and yell out my name as I hang up and hand the phone back to Allie.

  “What the fuck, dude,” Dex says when he sees the mass of shrieking females pushing through the narrow aisles toward the bar.

  “Stay here, they haven’t seen us yet,” Leah hisses. She stalks over to our waitress, a fifty-something year-old with bright orange hair, and has a quick conversation with her. They both return to our table. “Come on, guys. Beatrice is going to take us out the back.”

  Beatrice smiles brightly, making her lack of dental care quite obvious. But teeth or no teeth, this lady is going to get us out of here and we won’t have to swim through the sea of hysterical piranha waiting on the other side of the room to take a bite out of Ryker.

  “Right,” says Ryker. “Let’s go, I prefer my skin to be unscratched by their claws and my clothing intact.”

  Ten minutes later, we’re back on the street next to the Warren, having avoided the nightmare of Ryker’s fans.

  “Damn, I thought Drew’s fans were bad,” I say to no one in particular.