Absolutely Famous (Famous Series)

by Heather Leigh

  Sal, Evan, and Steve leave to go back to their rooms to catch up on sleep after Wilson takes off, and Drew continues speaking to Sam in the far corner of the room where we can’t hear them. After they’re done, Sam says good-bye and heads out for the airport to fly back to New York, eager to get back home.

  “Oh my God Syd,” Leah exclaims once everyone is gone.

  “I know, it’s crazy, right?”

  “Completely and totally nuts,” says Allie. Then she turns to me and her eyes get all big and sad, “Sydney, are you coming to the charity ball I asked you about?”

  Holy crap! She’s giving me a guilt trip now?

  I look at Drew for help. “Hey, I told her I’d only go if you went.”

  Traitor! “It’s your charity Drew, you have to go!”

  He just shrugs. “I don’t want to be there without you,” he tells me with his honest look. Damn. Just damn.

  “When is it?” I ask Allie, defeated.

  “The Fourth of July. We always hold the dinner at The Basin on the river so the guests can watch the fireworks afterwards.”

  “Well, I’ll definitely be done here,” I respond cautiously. “And it would be nice to visit Boston with you,” I say to Drew.

  Allie starts bouncing on the couch and clapping her hands. “So …” she squeals eagerly.

  “So, fine. I’ll go.”

  “We’ll go,” Drew corrects me, taking my hand.

  “Yay!” Allie screams, hugging me tightly.

  “Holy cow, you’re squeezing the life out of me.” I gasp under her iron grip.

  “I’m so happy,” she says, her eyes teary. She glances at Drew and they share some kind of moment, but by the time I turn to look at him it’s passed.

  Drew pulls me in close and tucks me under his arm. “I’m so happy too,” he whispers in my ear.

  With all this crazy shit behind us, so am I.

  Chapter 26

  The next two weeks are relatively easy, comparatively speaking. As long as I keep Drew and Oliver separate, I don’t really need to worry about anything. Drew has been using an office nearby to work on his part of the post-production for Downtrodden Masses. The studio evidently owns a building right here in London with equipment and computers and everything Drew needs.

  I give up the fight and accept that one of the SEALS will go with me everywhere. It makes my life much easier to just go with Drew’s plans. He finally got me to admit that some protection isn’t such a bad thing. I remember the argument we had before I had relented and allowed the bodyguard.

  “Why can’t you just let Evan go with you when you run, Sydney?” Drew asks as I get my running shoes on.

  Always the protector.

  “I’ve been running alone for weeks before you got here Drew and I’ve been fine. I don’t need a babysitter to exercise!” I finish tying my shoes and stand up to face him.

  Drew’s face looks very guilty all of a sudden. His gaze drops and his eyes look everywhere but at me. I notice his fingers clenching and unclenching nervously. “Drew? What’s going on?” I feel a sick rolling in my stomach, knowing that I’m not going to like what he tells me.

  He runs a hand through his thick hair, a lock falling over his forehead carelessly. “Don’t be mad, Syd.” He holds his hands up to keep me calm.

  “What did you do?”

  “You know I couldn’t let you come here by yourself. Not after what happened in L.A. I love you too much to allow someone to hurt you again,” he explains cautiously.

  “Say it Drew.” Yep, he did it. I already know what he’s going to say.

  “So I had Sal and Evan come to London and,” he swallows and looks up at me, wincing when he sees how pissed I am. “And one of them was watching out for you at all times.”

  That’s why I always felt like someone was watching me. Because someone was watching me. Fuck!

  I feel the red hot anger boiling up in my gut, urging me to yell and scream and beat my fists against his chest. Then I look at him, this huge, strong alpha male standing here, nervous as all fuck that I’m going to do exactly that. And why? Because even though I left him in Vancouver without a good-bye, without an explanation, he cared enough to make sure I was safe?

  “It’s fine,” I say, swiping my hair back out of my face and into a ponytail.

  Now I’ve done something that’s just about impossible to do. I’ve rendered Andrew Forrester, the king of verbal outbursts, speechless. He stands there gaping at me, unsure if I’m trying to trick him or if I mean what I said.

  I step over to him and put my arms around his neck, pulling him down to face me. “It’s fine, really.” I stand on my toes and kiss him while he stands there watching me warily. “Really, babe. I’m not mad.”

  Slowly, he snakes his arms around my waist and hugs me closer. “You’re not mad?” He’s confused by my bizarre response.

  “No. I know you sent them because I’m important to you, and after I left Vancouver without a word or thought for your feelings it means a lot to me that you cared enough to want me protected.”

  He leans down and kisses me again, participating this time. Breathless, we break apart. “I couldn’t possibly love you more right now.”

  “I don’t know, the way I feel about you I think I’d probably give you a run for your money, Forrester.”

  I snap back to the present and look around the half-finished nightclub. The bar is being constructed and most of the light fixtures have been installed. Painting and flooring are done and about a quarter of the furniture has arrived already. Outside, massive concrete planters that double as seats are being poured and shaped and the bar is already complete. The bathrooms are a complete disaster, still stripped bare as we wait for a shipment of Italian marble tile.

  I smile as I think about how shocked Drew was that I forgave him so easily. Maybe New Sydney knows that she needs the security he provides. Who knows? I just don’t want to fight him on every single thing anymore. After losing him, even for just a few short weeks, I’ve come to appreciate just how much he does for me. If making him happy in return means letting him think he’s controlling everything around him then that’s what I’ll let him do.

  “Sydney,” Oliver says as he comes through the large glass patio doors and joins me by the bar. I see his eyes focus behind me where Evan is standing, then quickly back. While Drew is ecstatic that I allow one of the huge bodyguards to follow me everywhere, Oliver is never pleased to see a large, intimidating man show up with me every day. “We need to work out the exact placement of the tables on the terrace and there are a few builders and the cement renderers that require some figures from you.” He spreads out a few papers on the fold-out table for me to look at.

  Things with Oliver have been tense since Drew arrived. We never had a chance to discuss the incident on the patio that day, not that I wanted to discuss anything. It’s obvious the way Oliver acts that he thinks I’m an idiot for being with Drew. He clearly can’t stand him, stiffening up whenever his name is mentioned.

  “Okay Oliver, no problem.” I reach out to scoop up the papers and his hand brushes mine as he tries to help. I yank my hand back quickly and thank him for his help.

  “Sydney, let me show you something on the patio that needs your attention,” Oliver says tightly, glancing at Evan again as he speaks.

  I nod and follow him outside and around the corner between the drying concrete planters and the full outdoor bar. He stops suddenly and whips around to face me, almost crashing into me as I scramble to keep my footing.

  “Oliver, what are you doing?” I’m annoyed by his sudden halt.

  He runs his hand across his almost military-short dark hair and scowls in frustration. “You … I thought … buggar, I’m such an idiot,” he says, mumbling under his breath and turning away from me.

  “What on earth are you talking about?” He says nothing, just keeps staring at the city with his hands behind his head. “Oliver?” His shirt has ridden up and I catch a glimpse of the ‘v’
shaped muscles on his waist.

  Damn!

  He finally turns around and walks purposefully toward me, stopping inches from my face. “I guess I thought that something was happening here, with us. Then your American hotshot comes back and you take him back as if everything is fine!” he says bitterly.

  I guess we are having this conversation. “I don’t know what to say. There was no ‘us’ Oliver.” The wind whips my long hair around, brushing it across his face. I reach up and gather it all together, twisting it around to contain it. He takes a piece and pulls it through his fingers, letting it slip through until it’s free again. Oliver leans forward and I hold up a hand. “Don’t.” My tone is sharp, halting him before he can do something stupid.

  He scowls and steps back. “So it doesn’t matter to you that he’s off with every dodgy scrubber that throws herself in his path? Christ Sydney, I thought you were better than that!”

  I get in his face and yell right back at him. “And I thought you were better than Jeff Talley, reading those stupid rags and believing everything you see! I guess we were both wrong, Oliver.”

  “Miss Tannen, is everything okay?” I turn to see Evan standing in the doorway, his tattooed biceps flexing as he crosses his arms over his chest.

  “Fine Evan. I was just finishing up for the day.” I glare at Oliver one last time. “I’m really disappointed that you feel that way Oliver.” Then I walk back inside and gather my things to leave. Evan calls the elevator for us even though it’s only two flights down to my floor. We step in and let the doors close. I turn and see that he’s eyeing me cautiously.

  “Evan…”

  “I won’t say anything to Mr. Forrester if that’s what you’re wondering. But, I’m not very happy with that guy speaking to you like that.” He frowns and the doors open to let us out on our floor.

  “Thanks, Evan.” I pat his giant arm.

  I reach the suite and let myself in, telling Evan he can head back to his room for the rest of the afternoon.

  “Drew?” I call out. Dropping my bag on the foyer table I walk through the suite and discover that he’s not here yet. I look at the clock and do some quick math in my head. Deciding that it’s not too early, I pull out my phone to call Allie.

  “Syd, what’s up?” she says sadly.

  “Allie, are you okay?”

  “Yeah, just missing London.”

  Crap, she sounds miserable.

  “You miss London or you miss Dex?”

  “Both. Plus work sucks, Sydney. One of the nurses on my floor read all of that stuff about me online and is apparently a huge fan of Drew’s. She told everyone she knows that he’s my brother and now I can’t stand going to the hospital every day.” I hear her sigh miserably and can completely relate.

  “Yeah, unfortunately, I know exactly how you feel.”

  “I know you do Syd. Hey, don’t tell Drew okay? I don’t want him worrying about me.” More secrets from Drew. This isn’t my day.

  “I won’t Allie. So, are you still talking to Dex?”

  “Yeah, every day. He said he’s going to try and make it to the ball. Wouldn’t that be so great Syd?”

  I think about Drew and Declan being in the same room all night and shudder. “Uh, yeah, that would be great.” I’m sure I don’t sound convincing.

  “Syd, Drew can just take his big brother shit and stuff it up his ass! I like Dex. A lot. I’m not letting his attitude get to me. Honestly, it wouldn’t matter if he was an actor or a heart surgeon, Drew would still hate his guts.”

  She’s right, but I’m sure having his sister date an up and coming actor like Declan Foster is much harder for him than if he actually was a doctor or something normal. “He just wants you to have a regular life, Allie. Not one like his where you can’t really trust anyone around you. Dating Dex isn’t going to be easy.”

  “I know Syd. But people always seem to find out who I am anyway. There is no normal for me. In high school, when Drew first made it big, it was easier because I knew who my friends were. Then in college, I made the mistake of telling my freshman year roommate. That was my first giant dose of reality as Andrew Forrester’s sister. She told so many people that for four years I had no idea who was genuinely my friend and who was just using me to try and meet him,” she says.

  “I’m sorry Allie.”

  “It’s okay Sydney; I know it was pretty much the same for you only worse. Anyway, when I got to pharmacy school, I kept my mouth shut. People joked about my last name and how cool it would be if we were related, but I always just brushed them off. But now, with everyone at work knowing …” she doesn’t bother finishing her thought. After a moment she continues. “Sometimes I think that I should have just taken him up on his offer to be his PA.”

  I laugh. “He asked you to work for him?”

  “Yeah, he wanted someone he could trust. But I wanted to go to school, not follow my big brother around doing everything he said.”

  “I would love to have a big brother or sister. I’m jealous that you have each other.”

  “He is pretty great, even though he’s a giant pain in the ass sometimes,” Allie jokes.

  “Yes, he is pretty great,” I agree.

  “Hey, I gotta go Syd. Thanks for calling me.”

  “I’ll talk to you later?”

  “Of course. Plus, we have to talk about dresses!”

  “Dresses?”

  “For the ball! Jeez, I swear Syd; you are the most forgetful person I know. Bye!”

  “Bye Allie.”

  I head into the bedroom and change my clothes, throwing on a pair of distressed jeans and a turquoise tank top. I flip through a takeout menu for a nearby Indian place, my stomach growling in hunger. Before I can decide what to get there’s a furious pounding on my door.

  “Syd? Are you home?” It’s Leah.

  I open the door and see a disheveled Leah standing on my doorstep. She flings herself at me and hugs me tight.

  “What the heck Leah? Have you finally just gone and completely lost it?” I stare at my best friend, her blonde hair twisted into a messy topknot with pieces falling out around her face in a frizzy mess.

  “You didn’t see it,” she says flatly, watching my face for a reaction.

  “See what? You’re kind of freaking me out here.” Leah grabs my hand and tows me to the couch.

  “Is Drew here?”

  “No, not yet. He’ll probably be back soon though. What’s going on?”

  She hands me a bag and I peek in. It contains several magazines and a folded up newspaper. I glance at her worried face then back at the bag. “What is this?” I ask her in a low voice. From the look on her face I know exactly what’s in there. “I don’t read crap about me anymore, Leah. I deleted the Google alerts and everything.” I try to push the bag back at her but she won’t allow it.

  “It’s about the eavesdropping, Syd. The story is out and it’s freaking huge!” Her eyes are bugging out and she’s bouncing around nervously on the couch. I swear, sometimes I think she’s hyperactive.

  “It’s out? I thought that it was being kept under wraps by the authorities until they could catch everyone involved? They said it could take months considering it spans three countries and two continents. No one called to tell me.”

  “No, they figured it out already. And you’re not going to believe who was involved,” .”

  I pull out the stack and glance at the headlines. My heart begins to race so fast that I feel like it might explode out of my chest, and my hands are so shaky that as I read each cover I can barely keep a hold on them. Leah puts her hand over mine and tries to calm me down. I need to swallow but my mouth is so dry that I can’t seem to be able to move my tongue.

  “Syd? You’re freaking me out girl.”

  “I … it was … all this time? On purpose …” I can’t make the words come out right.

  We hear the lock deactivate and Drew bursts through the front door, calling my name in a panicked voice. “Syd? Syd!” I hear hi
m scramble into the bedroom looking for me.

  “Drew! We’re in here,” Leah calls to him.

  He comes into the living area and sees my face and the stack of magazines in my lap. Leah jumps up and gets in front of him, her tiny body blocking him from me. “Drew, calm down and let her process this.”

  His face darkens. “Move, Leah.”

  “I’m warning you Forrester, let her figure this out before you fuck it up!” She get right up on him, a scowl on her pretty face.

  He exhales, clenching his jaw to rein in his hair-trigger temper. Spinning on his heel he stalks over to the windows and stares out.

  Leah sits back down next to me. “I’m going to leave so you guys can discuss this, okay? But call me if you need me to come back here. I’ll just be down the hall in my room.” I nod and she hugs me while I sit there, on the verge of becoming catatonic.

  I hear the door click shut. Drew is still standing in front of the wall of windows, his hands fisted in his hair. I stand up, put the magazines on the couch and walk over to stand behind him.

  He flinches when I put my arms around his waist, then turns and sags into me, pulling me close. “Syd, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

  “I know. You’re just as much a victim as me.”. He stiffens at my words and releases me, walking over to the couch and grabbing the magazine on top.

  “This? This is completely my fault Sydney!”

  Drew holds up the cover so I can see it. On it is a picture of Kiera Radcliff on one side and me and Drew together on the other side. The giant yellow headline reads “Studio PR Machine Tries to Break Apart Couple to Market Film”. He grabs another one and holds it up, “Studio Exec Records Tannen and Forrester to Promote Movie”. Then another, “Radcliff in on Attempt by Studio to Tear Apart Forrester and Tannen”, and another, “Media Manipulates Hollywood Couple to Sell Film”. He throws the rest of the stack on the floor in disgust.

  “How is it your fault that a marketing executive at the studio hired CelebCast to do stories painting you and Kiera Radcliff as a couple?” I ask him.