Absolutely Famous (Famous Series)

by Heather Leigh

  Drew returns to the living area and slams the bug detector down on the table. “I need you to give me the number for that ex-spy,” he growls at Leah.

  She turns and looks at him in amazement. “Forrester, I let you act like a giant douche when all that shit went down in New York and L.A. because I felt like you had the right to lash out. But I’m not taking that attitude from you right now,” she snaps at him. “Ask me nicely and you can have it.”

  Once again, my tiny blonde powerhouse of a friend is completely unintimidated by Angry Drew. Most people would cower under his glare. Leah? She stands there with her arms crossed over her chest.

  Allie and I turn our gazes from Leah over to Drew to see his reaction. To our surprise, a huge smile spreads across his face. In a perfect southern accent he drawls, “Beautiful Miss Leah, princess of New York and the wisest woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, may I please have the honor of retrieving the agent’s phone number from your lovely self?”

  She laughs at his over the top performance and pulls out her phone. “I’ll call him for you. You’re good.”

  Agent Wilson can’t come over until later tonight so Drew decides to catch a few hours of sleep since he barely got any on the flight over. Allie is tired too, for other reasons, so she takes a nap as well. Leah went shopping with Brittany and then the two of them are heading over to watch the night shoot with the guys.

  Not wanting to be separated from Drew by leaving the suite to shop with Leah, I get my laptop out and check some emails from the New York office. Since my mom is back at work making a movie, she’s letting me manage this remodel completely on my own. That means no running decisions by anyone. It’s a great feeling to be able to make this project mine in every way.

  As I type an email my phone chirps to let me know I have a text message.

  Oliver

  Crap. I can’t discuss anything with him. Especially not with Drew here in London. I quickly text back.

  Me

  There, hopefully it’s vague enough for him to realize that I’m not mad or weirded out, but that I also don’t want to discuss anything. Ever. The phone chirps again.

  Oliver

  Sighing, I realize he may not be so easy to shake.

  Me

  Another chirp.

  Oliver

  Wonderful. As if I don’t have enough pushy, testosterone-filled, alpha men in my life right now. I toss the phone onto the couch next to me and finish up my emails. Done with work for now, I sit back and close my eyes. Drew is here with me in London, and we’re okay.

  All of that time apart only made me stronger as a person. It was difficult, but ultimately it seems as if it was worth it to bring me out of my protective shell.

  Itching to think some more about us, I long to go for a nice long run. I know Drew would have a fit if he knew I was running by myself so I decide it’s better to just stay put. The thought of how he would react if he woke up and I was gone is enough to make me feel sick to my stomach.

  Bored, I decide to do a little online browsing. I shouldn’t look her up, I know this. Things like this never lead to anything good but I’m having a weak moment and there’s nothing else to do. I bring up the browser and click Google. Typing out her name I hit enter, ignoring the warning bells going off in my head.

  Kiera Radcliff

  Tons of stuff comes up, but it’s the recent news events that catch my eye immediately.

  News for Kiera Radcliff

  Co-stars Andrew Forrester and Kiera Radcliff Heat up Vancouver

  Entertainmentnews- 3 days ago

  While filming in Vancouver, Kiera Radcliff seems to have moved on from sexy rocker Adam Reynolds with her co-star, Andrew Forrester. Seen out at several Vancouver hot spots…

  Kiera Radcliff and Andrew Forrester Get Cozy On and Off the Set in Vancouver

  TMZ- 4 days ago

  Co-stars turned lovers Andrew Forrester and Kiera Radcliff have been seen together all over Vancouver while in town filming the Depression-Era drama Downtrodden Masses…

  Kiera Radcliff Remains Mum on Rumored Beau Andrew Forrester

  E!News- 6 days ago

  Actress Kiera Radcliff was suspiciously tight-lipped when asked about her rumored relationship with co-star Andrew Forrester. Radcliff, in L.A. to promote her latest movie, Under the Atlas…

  There are at least twenty more articles describing the so-called relationship between Drew and Kiera along with tons of photos of them together that I can tell are from the film set. I feel nauseous. Maybe waffles weren’t such a great idea. I had no idea that so many news outlets were linking Drew to that psycho. I’ve been so busy monitoring CelebCast that I didn’t pay attention to anything else. That’s probably a good thing, but this is an awful lot of information dedicated to a false rumor.

  I click the browser shut and close my MacBook. Sighing, I walk over to the window and look out. I have to fight the urge to press against the glass and calm my nerves. You don’t need this anymore Sydney. Checking the clock to make sure it’s not too early in Atlanta; I pick up my phone and call my mom.

  Please pick up.

  “Sydney how’s the U.K?” my mom says, her soothing voice floating across the phone lines like a soothing balm.

  “Mom, it’s great. I really love it here. How’s the movie going?”

  “It’s so wonderful Syd. I can’t believe I’ve been gone from the business for so long. It feels like I never left.” I’m so happy for my mom. After giving up the career that she loved so she could try to raise me normally, she deserves to enjoy herself.

  “Time does seem to become irrelevant at times. I wish I could have visited you on the set, mom. It would have been great to watch you working again.”

  She makes a dismissive sound. “No big deal Syd, you have a career too, and now that I’m not going to be as involved in the company, your role is even more important. So, how’s the nightclub coming along?”

  I tell her about the design I came up with, what’s been done so far, and my description of the atmosphere I hope to communicate with the different elements. She listens intently, commenting on ideas that I’ve brought in, giving me a much needed ego boost.

  “It sounds perfect dear. Vertigo will be the perfect complement to Verve. The subtle European touches you’ve added will merge effortlessly with the modern feel.”

  “Hey Mom, how did you and Dad deal with, you know, rumors about your relationship?” God, this is so awkward. I don’t want to hear about my parents’ romantic lives, but I need to talk to someone with experience in this area, and my mom has plenty of that.

  “You mean all of the tabloids printing that we were either cheating on each other, breaking up or getting divorced?”

  “Yeah, stuff like that.”

  “Is something specific going on Sydney?” I can’t get anything past her, ever. She knows me way too well to pretend it’s just a generic question.

  “Kiera Radcliff, do you know who she is?”

  “Hmmm, yes. I do. What about her?” she asks cautiously. It doesn’t sound like my mom is a big fan of hers either. Interesting.

  “She’s Drew’s co-star in the movie they just finished filming. She made it no secret to me that she wanted him and wouldn’t let me stand in the way.”

  “Honey, after everything you two have been through, do you really think he would do that?”

  “No, I know he wouldn’t. He actually can’t stand her,” I let a small laugh escape. “But there are articles, dozens of them that make it sound like they’re actually together. They paint me as a whore that jumps from guy to guy and they make her sound like a freaking saint for healing his broken heart!”

  “Why do you care what they say? Do you love him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Does he love you?”

  “Yes, but that’
s not the point,” I whine.

  “That’s exactly the point, Sydney,” she says sternly. “You shouldn’t even read that junk. It just poisons your mind and makes you distrust the ones you love. The only ones you should trust.”

  “I know, Mom. I wouldn’t read those things normally.” I take a deep breath and tell my mom about the spying and the listening devices and all of the articles that have been coming out with private details. “Mom, sometimes it’s just me and Leah or me and Drew in the room. Neither of them would leak anything. It has to be someone eavesdropping.”

  “The press is getting much too pushy and invasive,” she agrees. “Unbelievable. Do you need me to send someone to do some digging? I know people, Sydney.”

  Tears threaten to spill from my eyes at my mom’s offer. She’s so good to me, she always has been. “No, it’s okay Mom. Drew is here now and he’s meeting with the guy that Ry’s lawyer sent over with the bug detectors. We’ve got it covered for now.”

  “Okay honey; just let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

  “I will mom, thanks for listening.”

  “Syd, have you thought any more about calling your dad?” she asks, catching me completely off guard.

  I can barely form a response. “Uh, yeah, I have. I mean I will, call that is. Just not now. I mean, I’ll call him when I get back to the states.” I need to get my life a little more together before I can take any more life changing events, but I don’t say that to my mom. She has enough to worry about without me dumping even more problems in her lap.

  “Alright, I have to go. They’re calling for me on the set.”

  “Bye mom.”

  “Bye Sydney.” And just like that she’s gone.

  I put my feet up on the other end of the couch, weary from the emotional morning. Drew’s surprise visit this morning was amazing, but the crap with Kiera and the internet tabloids has quashed my high. I need to run, really badly. The endorphins always make me feel better and get rid of my worries pretty much instantly.

  I’m contemplating just exactly how angry Drew would be if he woke up and I was out for a run, alone. I shiver at the thought. Furious isn’t a descriptive enough word for it. He would probably go thermo-nuclear if I did that. He doesn’t know that I’ve been running by myself almost every day since I’ve been in London, and I don’t plan on telling him anytime soon.

  One crisis at a time, Sydney.

  I laugh even though there’s nothing funny about this situation. The more I laugh, the harder it is to stop until I’m hysterical with laughter. My stomach and abs ache from laughing so hard. I try to wipe the tears off my face but as soon as I compose myself I burst out in another fit of the giggles.

  “Sydney? What the heck are you doing?” Allie asks, coming out of her room with a towel wrapped around her hair like a turban.

  Seeing her confused face makes me laugh even harder than I ever thought possible. I collapse on the couch, gripping my middle to hold my burning muscles.

  “Are you losing it? Do I need to slap you or something?” Allie bends down in front of me.

  “No … Don’t … I can’t stop …” I take deep breaths to calm down. “Oh my God,” I say breathlessly, wiping my eyes.

  “What on earth was that? Are you having a nervous breakdown?” Allie’s face looks so concerned that I almost start laughing again at the absurdity of it.

  “I just started thinking about everything that’s going on, with the tabloids, Kiera, spying, I can’t even go out running alone …. It’s just all so stupid! It seemed ridiculously funny, you know, the big picture.” I speak in a mocking voice, “Oooh, poor me. I’m rich and famous and tabloids are telling lies about me and spying on me, boo-hoo.” I start giggling again.

  Standing there, staring at me in a ball on the couch, clutching my stomach and red-faced, Allie’s eyes go wide. Then she lets out a chuckle and we both breakdown into five minutes of uncontrolled laughing, rolling around on the couch.

  “Are you two on drugs or something?”

  We both look up and see Drew standing over us, his face exactly how Allie’s had been a few moments ago when she found me and we start another round of fits at his bewilderment.

  beep beep beep beep

  beep beep beep beep

  beep beep beep beep

  All three of our phones chirp at the same time, breaking our levity. This can’t be good. I glance up at Drew with a sinking feeling in my gut. Slowly we all reach for our phones and scroll through the alert.

  Google Alert – Sydney Tannen

  Google Alert – Andrew Forrester

  “Do you have an alert set on one of us Allie?” I ask her.

  “No,” she whispers, “It’s Declan. I set one for him out of curiosity.”

  “So whatever it says is about all three of us?” I’m completely lost.

  I look up and see Drew’s face. He’s turned a deep shade of red, almost a purple if I look closer. His free hand is clenched so tight that his knuckles are completely white. I know that look, he wants to hit something. Hard. This is not good.

  I push the link to my name and click on the article, CelebCast, of course.

  Andrew Forrester Has Confrontation with Declan Foster Over Dating His Sister

  Sexy Hollywood bad boy Andrew Forrester is reportedly not too happy to find out that his little sister, Allie Forrester, has been seeing up-and-coming actor Declan Foster. Foster, known so far for his role in the first Quantum Stranger movie, is currently in London filming the second installment of the trilogy with certified hottie Ryker Bancroft.

  The younger Forrester is in town visiting her brother’s on-again off-again girlfriend Sydney Tannen and met Foster through mutual friends. Insiders tell us that the group that included Allie Forrester, Tannen, Foster, Bancroft and Tannen’s BFF Leah Quinn-Slade went clubbing at ClockTower two nights ago and were also spotted last night at Birdie’s Pub & Ale having a few pints over dinner.

  Andrew Forrester was seen landing at Heathrow Airport early this morning and went directly to Tannen’s hotel room where his sister is staying while in London. Foster was reportedly still in the suite with Allie Forrester when he arrived and he threatened to pound Foster’s face in for dating his sister. Insiders say that Tannen had to diffuse the situation and remove the elder Forrester from the room to prevent a fight between the two actors.

  It seems that Andrew Forrester’s temper has been getting the best of him lately. Maybe juggling two gorgeous ladies has something to do with it? He was seen leaving co-star Kiera Radcliff’s Vancouver hotel room right before catching his flight to London. Straight from one hotel room to the next on two different continents? We’re impressed Mr. Forrester.

  As for Allie Forrester and Declan Foster’s budding relationship, we’ll keep you updated. What’s happening between Andrew Forrester and Sydney Tannen? We’re getting whiplash with the amount of times these two bounce back and forth. Check CelebCast.com for updates.

  Holy mother effing crap! They listened to us earlier today! It’s already up on the internet only a few hours later! Those assholes are getting really bold, not even trying to hide the fact that they’re listening in. To top it off, at the end of the article there are pictures of Allie and Declan leaving the hotel together and a picture of everyone from ClockTower the other night. Declan is clearly wearing the same clothes in both pictures.

  Not good.

  I look up at Drew and see that he’s no longer in the room and Allie looks shell-shocked and pale on the couch next to me. There are no words for how fucked up this is.

  Drew’s voice travels from the bedroom to the living area, he’s yelling. Loudly. A knock on the door startles me. I get up and answer it. Could this day get any weirder?

  Yes. Yes it could.

  “Sal, Evan, Steve, what the heck are you doing here?” I ask the three hulking former Navy SEALS on my doorstep.

  “Good, you’re here,” Drew says from behind me, startling me again. I’m going to end up with gray ha
ir, Declan’s right. I move out of the way so the huge men can enter the suite. I feel like I’m right back where I was when I fled Vancouver, only it’s following me everywhere I go, even to another continent.

  My heart starts beating wildly and I’m having difficulty breathing. Silently, I slip into the bedroom and close the door. Shimmying out of my T-shirt and jeans, I put on my soft yoga pants and tank top, pull my mat out from the closet, unroll it on the floor and grab my iPod. I set the playlist to Relax, hit shuffle, and pop in the ear buds, beginning the first of ten poses that I do to rid my mind of stress. I haven’t needed to use yoga for anxiety in a few weeks, only doing it recently to loosen up after a run or for a workout when it’s raining. Old Sydney is just one incident away from returning full-force.

  I’m on the fourth pose when the bedroom door flies open and Drew bursts in with Evan right behind him. I remove the earphones and stare at his flustered face. “What?” I ask in confusion.

  He turns and whispers something to Evan who leaves the room and closes the door behind him. Drew drags his hands down his face and drops next to me on the floor. “I didn’t know where you went and you wouldn’t answer when I called your name.”

  “I was right here. I had my earphones in.” I place my hand on his knee to calm him down.

  “I thought you left the suite after reading the article. I was about to send Steve out to find you.” He grabs my waist and lifts me to face him settling me between his legs. Drew takes my face in his hands and presses his forehead to mine. “I will find out who’s doing this, Sydney. They will pay for it, even if I have to spend every cent I have suing them.” He places a tender kiss on my parted lips, then crushes me to his chest, his scent surrounding me as his arms pull me in.

  “I’m fine Drew. I’ve been here for weeks on my own and done okay. It’s just when I saw Steve and Evan and Sal it was like Vancouver all over again.” I sit back and look directly at him. “I won’t go back to living like that Drew. Spying or no spying, I refuse to live my life locked up in a hotel room.” I notice his face fall as I speak to him.