Extremely Famous

by Heather Leigh

  Drew wants me to sell the loft, but I can’t just yet. It means leaving behind the last piece of my life that’s just mine. He says he understands, but I can tell he doesn’t like it.

  Drew just got home from the set and we’re having dinner when I decide that I can’t put off the Adam conversation any longer.

  “So, I’ve been getting a lot of emails from my office about my project.”

  I watch as Drew stills and his demeanor instantly changes from pleasantly relaxed to silently disturbed.

  “And?” he asks, letting his one word reply hang in the air, daring me to continue.

  I meet his angrily flashing eyes. “And I have to get back to work. I can’t damage the firm’s reputation or mine.”

  “Over my dead body will you be alone with that prick ever again,” he threatens.

  I sigh and put my fork down on my plate. “Drew, I’ve never been alone with Adam. One of the guys always goes with me,” I explain for the hundredth time.

  “Yeah, except for the time his disgusting lips landed on yours,” he taunts.

  “I’m not rehashing that again Drew. I really think you two should sit down and talk about…”

  “Fuck that!” he bellows, throwing his napkin on the table and leaping up to stand behind his chair.

  I wave my hand at him dismissively. “Fine, don’t talk to him. I’m letting him know that I’ll begin the demo immediately and that I fully intend to have the project completed by February.”

  Drew’s knuckles turn white from gripping the back of his chair, his neck is strained and red, and his eyes are cold and calculating. I can tell that he’s trying to come up with a reason to keep me from going back to work on Adam’s penthouse.

  “Then I have one request,” he says evenly, completely opposite in demeanor to his current physical appearance.

  “What’s that?” I ask, knowing I’m not going to like whatever he says.

  “I get to meet with the douchbag first,” he growls.

  “But you… you just said that you didn’t want to sit down with him.”

  “I don’t want to sit, Sydney. I’m going to let him know what will happen if he crosses that line with you again.”

  I can see the determination on Drew’s face. He isn’t going to let this go, and honestly, Drew deserves the chance to confront Adam over that kiss.

  “Fine, I’ll text Adam and set something up. How’s tomorrow?”

  “I’m off tomorrow,” he says through gritted teeth.

  “I’ll see if he’s available.”

  How do I keep ending up in these situations?

  Adam is not happy about Drew coming along with me today, but he agreed to it in order to move ahead with the remodel. He knows that he shouldn’t have kissed me and I think he truly regrets it, but I can’t change Drew’s mind about doing this.

  Steve stands behind us in the elevator up to Adam’s penthouse. The blistering anger vibrating off of Drew would register on a seismometer if I had one handy. He’s been working out with Damien a lot since we got back from Belize. Now, with a potential confrontation with Adam dangling in front of him like the gold ring at a merry-go-round, I’m afraid that he won’t be able to hold back. I’m grateful Steve is here, if only to keep Drew from killing Adam.

  I ring the doorbell with a trembling finger and wait.

  Holy shit, the stress is going to kill me. I feel like a girl bringing her Dad to meet her first date. The thought makes a nervous laugh bubble up and escape from my throat. As if I would have any clue what that was like.

  Drew glares over at my inappropriate noise just as the door opens.

  “Morning Sydney,” Adam says to me, smiling. “Hello,” he says coldly to Drew.

  “Hey Adam,” I respond as he steps aside to let us in.

  God, this is so awkward!

  “Reynolds,” Drew spits out venomously.

  I clutch at Drew’s arm and hold tight, hoping that the contact will keep him somewhat calm.

  “Drink?” Adam asks politely.

  I shake my head and Drew just glares at him in an ‘are you fucking kidding me’ way.

  “Alright, then. Say your piece, Forrester,” Adam says in an annoyed manner. “I’ve already apologized to Sydney multiple times, so what is it that you want?”

  Drew clenches and unclenches his fist, his bicep flexing under my hand. He’s like a race car revving its engine at the starting line, ready to shift into gear and take off.

  “What is your real interest in Sydney? Huh Reynolds? Fabricating this bullshit project to keep her with you for months on end? Is it just to fucking piss me off, or do you have other reasons?” Drew hisses.

  A sneer that I never would have expected to see on Adam’s perpetually happy face curls up the corner of his mouth.

  “It’s not to fucking piss you off, but I must admit that it’s a lovely side effect of me hiring her,” he taunts.

  Adam’s eyes flick over to me and he sees me standing in shock, my mouth gaping at his hostility. Drew I expect this from, but from Adam it’s totally foreign.

  “Go fuck yourself Reynolds!” Drew yells as he takes a step forward. Steve jumps in front of him and holds his hands against Drew’s chest.

  “Don’t do it man,” Steve says quietly.

  “Adam,” I plead with the gorgeous man that I’ve come to know so well, at least I thought I knew him well. His hazel eyes meet mine and I see regret there.

  “Sorry Sydney.” He huffs out a breath in annoyance as he looks back at Drew. “Listen, I don’t give a fuck about you and you don’t give a fuck about me; but I’d never fucking use Sydney for anything! She’s my friend and that’s all. And she’s a bloody fucking brilliant designer. That’s why she’s here,” he says angrily.

  “And I’m just supposed to trust you?” Drew says mockingly.

  “I don’t give a bloody fucking shite if you trust me!” Adam replies with a smirk.

  And that’s all it takes. Drew leaps around Steve and lands a punch squarely on Adam’s jaw, sending him stumbling back a few steps. Adam’s eyes widen as he puts his hand on his chin and scowls.

  “I guess I deserved that,” Adam says calmly as he massages his jaw.

  “Stop!” I yell, unable to take this anymore. I stand between the two men, the cloud of testosterone practically choking me. “You two are acting like complete assholes! Get over your shit and move on!”

  All three men are shocked by my outburst. They should realize by now that I don’t fuck around anymore.

  “You!” I stab a finger at Adam. “You and I are friends and that’s it. You will not insult me by insulting Drew.”

  Adam stands there, speechless.

  “And you!” I yell, pointing at Drew, “will trust me because that’s the only thing that matters!”

  I throw my arms up in frustration, “If you two would just talk, you’d see that this entire bullshit rivalry is all built around a giant misunderstanding. Since you won’t act like adults, then neither of you gets a say here. I’m telling you what’s going to happen.” I’m on a roll so I keep on talking. “I’m finishing this project. I’m going to do the interview for Architectural Digest and bring the attention to my mom’s firm that it deserves. There will be no more ulterior motives or suspicions from either one of you idiots!” I turn to Drew, “And no more fighting!”

  Neither of the men says a word. The dressing down I just gave them is certainly a first for them both. Their egos are so massive that they probably needed someone to remind them that they’re just regular, stupid, moronic men just like every other idiot out there.

  “Adam,” I say politely, “the workers will be here Saturday. You will need to find somewhere else to live until the project is done.”

  He blinks a few times to clear his head and finally drops his hand from his face. “Right, well I’m headed back to the U.K. in a few days so that’s not a problem.”

  “Oh,” I reply.

  I notice Drew’s head snap up when he hears that
Adam is leaving the country.

  “When will you be back? I’ll need you to approve things here and there.”

  “It’ll be at least a month, maybe even after Christmas,” he says, seemingly embarrassed by this conversation. “We’re done with the Quantum Stranger album, so I’m going home to… to see some old friends before my solo drops and I have to go on tour.”

  “I guess I’ll just email everything to you.”

  “Perfect,” Adam responds, smiling for the first time since we got here.

  “Great, then I guess we’ll go and I’ll talk to you later?”

  “Right,” is all Adam says.

  “Satisfied?” I ask a stunned Drew.

  “For now,” he says.

  I roll my eyes and hustle Drew out the front door and back down to the waiting SUV.

  “Are you going to tell him?” Drew asks, reaching across the seat for my hand.

  “Tell him what?” I ask wearily. So fucking tired of the subject of Adam Reynolds.

  “That we’re married.”

  “Drew, we’re keeping that to ourselves. We haven’t even told our parents.”

  Not this again.

  “Hmph,” he grunts, then his eyes light up and a wicked grin appears on his face. “You know that there’s been talk that A Soldier’s Burden might be up for an Academy Award.” Once again, he changes the subject so quickly that my head spins.

  “What? Your film might win an Oscar?”

  He shrugs modestly. “It might not, no one really knows. It’s only October, there’s still a lot of films that haven’t been released yet.”

  I pat his arm gently. “I think it’s great babe. I’m so proud of you, that movie is excellent and so were you. It deserves to win awards.”

  He leans back and smiles.

  Me? I’m too exhausted from all of the testosterone flying around to think about anything but getting back home.

  CHAPTER 32

  The rest of the year flies by fast. Drew and Ryker complete their movie, I finally give in and reluctantly sell my loft, my dad visits us in New York and even stays at Drew’s brownstone for a couple of nights. Life is going perfectly for once.

  The holidays come and go without any scandals or stress. Drew planned a small surprise party for my twenty-fifth birthday in early December, inviting our close friends and family including both of my parents. I hadn’t seen them in a room together in over a decade so it was an emotional day. He even got Allie and Declan there along with his parents. Everyone important to us showed up.

  Sam Jennings, Drew’s lawyer, called just before Christmas to tell us that Peter Stubbins, the man who attacked me back in March has agreed to plead guilty so there won’t be a trial. I was so grateful that I wouldn’t have to testify in what would certainly be a media circus, that I spent an hour crying in relief.

  Kiera Radcliff was charged with aggravated stalking and given probation and paid a fine. I didn’t expect her to serve jail time, so I’m happy with the outcome. Public humiliation was good enough for me.

  More ironic than anything else that happened all year was that Barbara Walters wanted me and Drew to be part of her “Most Interesting People of the Year” special. The very special that helped me to cope with my past and my dad’s absence. Drew refused, of course, and I had no desire to do the interview either. I just thought it was a fateful coincidence.

  “Drew,” I call out from the kitchen. “It’s almost done.”

  My sexy man comes bounding down the stairs, wearing his worn jeans and a tight long-sleeved Henley. I flick my eyes approvingly up and down his lean body. God he’s always so gorgeous!

  “I’m so excited for this.” I hear his bare feet on the hardwood floor behind me and jerk in surprise when he wraps his hands around my waist, pressing his front to my back.

  “Stop! I don’t want to mess this up!” I playfully nudge him away.

  “Alright, I wouldn’t want your first time cooking for me to get ruined because I can’t keep my hands off of you.” Drew laughs, but he thankfully backs off.

  I’m about to find out if two months of private cooking lessons have paid off. Drew is on a strict diet for a movie he’ll be starting next week, so I wasn’t able to make any of the more complicated meals that I learned.

  Listening to all of the grumbling Drew has done since starting his diet has made me feel bad for him. There are a lot of shirtless scenes and he’s supposed to be on the thin side of fit to play his character, a world famous rocker with a controversial past. How’s that for irony? I told him he could ask Adam for tips. He didn’t think that was in any way humorous.

  I slide a filet of pan grilled salmon onto a spinach salad that I put on each plate and add the red pepper salsa on top. Not the most interesting meal, but my choices are limited and for my first attempt I think it looks pretty good. And, most important, nothing burned.

  “Okay,” I tell Drew as I place his plate in front of him. “Be nice.”

  I nervously watch him take his first bite and relax some when a huge smile, his dimple flashing, spreads across his gorgeous face.

  “This is really good Syd.”

  “It’s not just because you’re starving, right? You’d tell me if it was awful?”

  “I’m not lying to you babe. I wouldn’t do that. It’s great.” He digs in and finishes before I’ve even eaten half of my meal.

  Wow, this diet is killing him. He looks too thin in my opinion, but the character is supposed to have drug issues, so thin is exactly how the studio wants him.

  “Now that I know you can cook, I can’t stop picturing you barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen,” Drew says with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

  I feel the heated blush flood into my neck and face and finish eating my dinner without responding to his comment. A dinner that didn’t burn or explode. Life is good.

  The shrill ring of Drew’s phone wakes us from a deep sleep the next morning.

  “What’s going on Drew? It’s still dark out.” I glance at the clock and see that it’s already 7:45am. Oh, it’s later than I thought.

  He grabs his phone and answers it.

  “Yeah… Really?...”

  “Nah, not yet…”

  “I’ll get Jane on it…Thanks man.”

  Drew disconnects his call and the phone immediately starts ringing again. He silences it and turns to face me.

  I poke his side. “What? You’re freaking me out!”

  “The film,” he says quietly, “A Soldier’s Burden. It has 12 Oscar nominations.”

  “Twelve!” I shriek. “That’s unbelievable Drew!” I climb onto his lap and snuggle up against his bare chest. “Wait!” I sit up to face him. “What about you? Did you get one?”

  Still stunned, he just nods.

  “You deserve it babe, you are brilliant at what you do.” I reach down and strip off my tank top, shifting to straddle him. “Allow me to congratulate you,” I murmur.

  Yep, life is good.

  CHAPTER 33

  “Well? What do you think?” I ask Adam, waiting for a response to the tour I just gave him of his completed penthouse. His face is giving nothing away, does he hate it?

  “It’s brilliant Sydney, just how I knew it would be if you designed it,” he says sincerely.

  I let out the breath that I had been holding. “Thank God. I’m glad you like it.”

  “Like it? I love it, it’s perfect.” Adam grins as he looks around the great room.

  I haven’t seen Adam all that much over the last few months. He went back to the UK to rest, then had a tour to promote his new solo album. He only got back into town last week, just in time for the completion of his apartment, and for the photo shoot we have tomorrow for Architectural Digest. He seems happier than usual, less twitchy, with a peaceful, content look on his face.

  “Want some tea?” he asks. “We can discuss the interview and photo shoot.”

  “Sure.” I follow him into his brand new kitchen, sleek and clean in grays and whites. />
  I nod to Sal that it’s okay to stay by the door while we chat in the other room.

  Adam hands me a steaming mug with his usual PG Tips tag hanging over the edge and sits across from me at the wide table.

  “Are you nervous for the interview tomorrow?” he asks.

  “A little, I don’t like interviews or discussing myself,” I admit as I scoop out my teabag and place it on a dish.

  His mouth twists into a wry expression. “So I’ve noticed. Considering how long I’ve known you, I still don’t really know all that much.”

  I arch my eyebrows in surprise as I blow on the hot tea. “Really? Because you know me better than most people, Adam.”

  Adam frowns and switches subjects. “So, the Oscars? That’s pretty exciting.”

  I put down my cup too forcefully and it clatters on the tabletop. He’s bringing up Drew? Why would he do that, he knows it’s a sore subject.

  “Not for me. You know I hate all of that attention.” I sigh and fiddle with the tag on my tea bag. “I’ll have to go though, I don’t really have a choice.”

  He scoffs rudely and waves his hand at me. “Of course you do, just say you don’t want to go.”

  I glare at Adam. “It’s not always so simple.”

  “Sometimes it is that simple Sydney. If it makes you uncomfortable, then he shouldn’t force you to go.”

  Now I’m getting pissed. “Adam, he’s not forcing me to do anything.”

  Why is he doing this? I thought we were past all of this shit.

  “Yes he is, if you feel like you can’t say no. I wouldn’t parade my girlfriend around the red carpet if she didn’t want it.” Adam smirks and leans back in his chair with his hands laced behind his head, convinced he’s gotten the best of me.

  I stare right into his smug hazel eyes. “I’m not his girlfriend, Adam. I’m his wife.”

  There, it’s out. I finally dropped the bomb on Adam.

  The words hang in the air like a heavy, toxic cloud while Adam composes his thoughts.

  He jerks upright in his seat and his eyes bug out. “What? I haven’t heard anything like that!” Shock is clearly written all over his frustratingly perfect face.