Madison forced herself to take a deep breath and read the rest of the article. It mentioned how Jane and Jesse’s relationship was causing a major ratings spike. Everyone was tuning in to see America’s favorite new TV couple…. It was really nauseating. Madison kept thinking back to that conversation she had with Veronica Bliss. Jesse was not a one-woman man, as he had demonstrated in spades at his party last night. Jane wasn’t so innocent either. Madison saw the way Little Miss Every Girl kept glancing at her ex-crush Braden when she thought no one was looking. And Braden seemed more interested in staring at Jane than in entertaining his all-over-him girlfriend. He was practically craning his neck to see if Jane was okay when she caught Jesse with that other girl.
Madison sat up straighter. She might have just figured out the perfect way to dethrone Princess Jane. Because enough was enough. Jane had to go. And Madison had the perfect ally in Veronica, who was practically foaming at the mouth for a juicy scoop. Of course, Madison had those cell phone pictures from the party to share with the Gossip editor. But this could be even bigger…way bigger. And unlike the cell phone pictures, this would doubtless result in the sad, tragic downfall of poor Jane Roberts. Star today, slut tomorrow…
Gaby leaned forward, pouting. “Madison, what are you reading? You’re not paying attention to a word I’m saying!”
Frowning at the interruption, Madison slid the Talk issue across the table. Gaby scanned the article, then scoffed. “Huh? That’s annoying. Why do people keep calling her the star? Seriously, she’s not even that pretty.”
But Madison wasn’t listening. She was plotting.
Madison watched as Braden walked into the bar of the Beverly Hills Hotel, aka Nineteen 12, which was relatively uncrowded for a Friday night. She was sitting in a structured brown leather loveseat, BlackBerry in hand, a single champagne glass shimmering in front of her.
She stared at him appreciatively. He was definitely cute. No wonder Jane liked him. She pretended to be over him, to have had eyes only for Jesse, but Madison knew that was bullshit, a lie Jane wished was true.
Braden saw Madison and waved. “Hey,” he said, walking up to her table.
“Hey, Braden.” Madison set her phone aside. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” Braden replied, sliding into a smaller chair across from her.
There was a brief silence as he regarded her, his expression curious. Madison knew he must be wondering why she had called and asked him to meet with her, out of the blue.
“I know this is really random, but I wanted to talk to you about something, and I felt weird doing it over the phone,” Madison began.
“Sure. What’s up?”
“I’m just really worried about Jane right now. I’m not sure what to do. She’s upset about what happened last Saturday at Jesse’s birthday party, and I think they’re kinda not seeing each other anymore, but she won’t talk to any of us. I know you live with Jesse, and you and Jane had that little thing, so I just figured—”
“What little thing?” Braden cut her off.
“You know…I don’t know if anything ever happened. But before Jesse, you two liked each other.”
“Jane and I are just friends.”
“Well, maybe you were just friends with her, but Jane was really into you. In fact, I remember her telling me all about you the first time we hung out off camera. She told me you gave her a teddy bear or something.”
Braden frowned. “Wait, Jane liked me?” he murmured. He looked genuinely confused.
“Anyway, I just think she needs to talk to someone who she knows doesn’t hate Jesse. She knows we all do. No offense.”
“Um, yeah, okay. I’ll talk to her,” Braden agreed.
“Great!” Madison said with fake relief. “I think she’s home right now. I’ll text Scarlett and let her know you’re coming. Seriously, she really needs you right now.”
“Oh. Now? Okay,” Braden said, getting up from his seat. “I’ll head over now. Can you just text me her address?”
“Of course.” Madison smiled at him as he left the table. As soon as he was gone, she turned and typed Jane’s address into her phone, then she sent it…twice. The other person already had his instructions. Now with Braden on his way to Jane’s, everything was going exactly according to plan.
40
WHY ARE YOU HERE?
It was Friday night, late, and Jane was alone in her bedroom. She could hear Scarlett in the living room watching TV, but Jane didn’t want to talk to anyone, not even Scarlett. She wasn’t in the mood for an “I told you so” lecture about Jesse.
The doorbell rang. Jane could hear Scarlett walk to the door and open it. There were quiet voices, then a light knock on her bedroom door.
“What?” Jane muttered under her breath.
“Jane? It’s Braden.” She heard Braden’s familiar voice call out from the other side of the door.
Braden? Jane sat up and pulled her blanket around her shoulders, over her oversized white cotton V-neck.
“Come in,” she said. He slowly opened the door, letting blue light from the television screen pour across her bedroom floor.
“So I guess you’ve finally come over to see my new apartment?” she said. The joke sounded completely lame to her. She smiled apologetically.
Braden gazed at her without speaking. His eyes lingered for a split second on her thin tee before taking her in with a concerned expression. The only makeup on her face was a light trace of mascara under her slightly swollen eyes. Her complexion was pale and her hair hadn’t been brushed. She knew she looked exhausted. Hannah had commented on it at work that day—not in a mean way, but in an “I’m concerned about you” way. Hannah had been the only person she felt she could really talk to all week. She’d missed a couple of days of work. Fortunately—if that was the right word?—Anna Payne had canceled the New Year’s Eve party because her husband, Noah Moody, had gone off the deep end and almost OD’d in the bathroom of Hyde. Another girl with relationship problems, Jane thought bitterly.
“Hey,” Braden said, standing in the doorway. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Jane glanced around her room. It was more of a mess than usual. There were clothes strewn across the floor.
Braden closed the door behind him and sunk onto the end of her bed. He sat there quietly for a moment.
“So how are you?” Jane asked, wondering what he was doing there. She didn’t want to hear “I told you so” from him, either.
“Me? I’m good.” He laughed kindly. “To be honest, I’m kinda worried about you.”
“Why? I’m fine,” Jane said, sounding a little defensive.
“No, you’re not. You haven’t returned any of my calls or texts since…since last weekend.”
“I haven’t returned anybody’s calls or texts since last weekend.”
Braden reached over and smoothed a lock of her hair away from her face. His touch felt so nice. All of the feelings she had for him came rushing back. Her throat burned as she tried not to cry. Her lip trembled, and she felt a warm tear roll down her cheek.
“Jane.” Braden reached over and wrapped her in his arms. She cried softly against his shoulder.
Jane shook her head and kept crying.
Braden hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry. This is just what he does.”
“It’s f-fine,” Jane stammered. “It’s not like we were that serious, anyway,” she lied.
“I tried to warn you about him, but I didn’t want you to think…”
“Think what?”
Braden was silent. She pulled away and stared at him. He was looking at her with an intense expression in his eyes.
“Think what, Braden?” Jane repeated a little more firmly.
“God, Jane,” Braden said, sounding frustrated with her. “You know what. You knew I liked you.”
What? “I did? So you’re saying it’s my fault that you didn’t warn me?” she said angrily.
“No, that’s not what—”
; “Braden. You’re dating Willow. Aren’t you?”
“I just…,” he started.
“You just what? Why are you here?”
She put her hand over her eyes. Why was he doing this? He’d had his chance to be with her. Instead, he’d chosen to lead her on while he was seeing someone else—even if it was an on-again, off-again relationship. He knew she cared about him. When she was available he didn’t want her. It took seeing her with his best friend for him to do something about it.
“I don’t know, Jane. What am I supposed to do?” Jane had never seen him like this. “I’ve known Willow for, like, three years. It’s complicated.”
“That doesn’t answer my question. Why are you here?” Jane snapped.
Before Jane knew what was happening, Braden leaned in and kissed her. She looked at him for a moment and said nothing. Then he kissed her again. She kissed him back. She wasn’t sure if it was loneliness or desperation or what—but whatever it was, neither of them was stopping. She felt his hands sliding over her body and slipping the cotton tee over her head.
Soft light from the moon dimly lit Jane’s bedroom. Her silk curtains rustled in the breeze that came in through her open window. She never closed the curtains because she was on the second floor, and there were no neighbors on that side of the property. She felt okay for the first time since last weekend. As she and Braden sank back onto her bed, she felt better than okay.
Jane was only half awake when she heard her phone. She reached over, eyes closed, and felt around for it. She heard a groan next to her and sat up immediately. She looked over to see Braden still asleep. Warm light filled her entire room. It was already morning? She didn’t even remember falling asleep. Her phone beeped. She glanced at it to see that she had another message from Jesse. It read: JANE. I NEED TO TALK TO YOU. YOU WONT PICK UP MY CALLS SO IM ON MY WAY OVER.
“Shit!” Jane said out loud. Jesse was on his way over and Braden was still in her bed. He lived only fifteen minutes away. She glanced at Braden again. What had she done? Jesse would freak out if he found Braden here.
Jane shook Braden. “Hey, wake up!” He didn’t move. She shook him again, harder. “Braden! I forgot I have to film this morning and the crew is almost here,” she lied, sounding a little frantic. She felt bad about lying to him, but she had to get him out of the house before Jesse showed up. If she told him the truth, he might insist on staying, to protect her from Jesse.
“What?” Braden blinked at her, dazed, then glanced around her room. “When did we fall asleep?”
“I don’t know, but the crew is on their way.” Jane wrapped a blanket around herself and stood up. “They can’t see you here.”
“Okay.” Braden sat up and reached for his jeans.
“I have to take a shower before they get here. Sorry.” Jane rushed into her bathroom and locked the door behind her. She quickly twisted the shower handle, the water hissing as it began to run, but she didn’t get in. Instead she slid down the wall and onto the floor with the blanket still wrapped around her, and pressed her ear against the door. She could hear Braden moving around in her room. “Leave,” she whispered. A moment later, she heard her front door open and close. She sat on the cold bathroom floor praying that Braden didn’t run into Jesse in the parking lot. Her heart was pounding. She shut off the shower and just sat against the wall, listening. She grabbed her bathrobe off the floor next to her and slipped it on.
About five minutes later, she heard a knock on the front door, then someone opening it. There were muffled, angry voices…Scar and Jesse. Was she trying to get rid of him? A moment later, she heard knocking on her bedroom door, and Jesse calling out her name. Jane prayed that he and Braden hadn’t crossed paths.
She opened her bathroom door and peered out. Jesse was standing in her doorway. He looked as awful as she did. He stepped in, shutting the door behind him. The room was silent. He just stared at her. Her heart melted a little. He looked so broken. Without a word, he walked toward her and hugged her.
“I’m so sorry, Jane,” he whispered.
“I know,” Jane said, hugging him back. She was so confused. She had just been with Braden. And now she was with Jesse. She had feelings for both of them. You’re a mess, Jane scolded herself.
Then Jane’s blood went cold. As she looked over his shoulder she saw a note, taped to her bedroom door. It said:
JANE, I DON’T KNOW WHAT LAST NIGHT MEANT, BUT I’M NOT SORRY. PLEASE CALL ME LATER.
BRADEN
Jane hugged Jesse tightly. What was she going to do? She couldn’t let him see that note. He would know what she had done.
Jesse started to pull away and she hugged him harder, trying to find a way to keep his back to the door. After a moment he slipped out of her arms and turned to sit on her bed, where her door was in plain sight. Jane panicked. She grabbed his face and kissed him. “You taste like cigarettes,” she improvised. It was the best she could do. “I didn’t know you smoked.”
“Oh, sorry,” Jesse apologized. “I quit before, but then I started again a few days ago.”
“I have mouthwash,” Jane said, pointing in the direction of her bathroom.
Jesse stood up quickly and headed toward the bathroom. The moment he was out of sight, Jane ripped the piece of paper off her door and quickly shoved it into her laundry hamper. What the hell am I doing?
There was another knock on her bedroom door. “Janie, you okay in there?”
“I’m fine, Scar,” Jane lied. “I’m totally fine.”
41
THE REAL STAR OF L.A. CANDY
Madison lay back on her leather couch, the one that had cost more than a year’s rent at her last apartment, and surveyed the photos. Despite the photographer’s constraints—he’d had to take them from a distance, in the dark, and from the top of a tree branch—they were good. Really good. Thankfully, Jane didn’t believe in closing her curtains. The guy had captured her and Braden making out, with her in nothing but her bra and panties, and him in his boxer briefs. Hmm, he’s definitely hot. As an extra bonus, Jane looked awful, even though she was probably just tired and stressed out over what happened at Jesse’s birthday party. That should make for a killer headline. HOLLYWOOD’S NEWEST IT GIRL HOOKS UP WITH BOYFRIEND’S BFF.
Oh, Jane, Madison thought. You are so history after these photos are published. And Jane deserved it. Didn’t she?
Madison picked up her glass of wine and took a long sip as she went through the rest of the photos. She was so tired of hearing about Jane. Miss It Girl. America’s Sweetheart. Rising Star. Gag. She, Madison Parker, was the real star of L.A. Candy. And after everyone saw these photos of their precious princess behaving like a total slut, they would elevate Madison to her proper status.
When Madison reached the last photo in the pile, she hesitated, then held it up to the light. In it, she could see Jane’s face clearly. She looked confused and lost. Like a little girl. For a moment, Madison felt a pang of something. Guilt? Regret?
She glanced at the photo again. She knew that if she went through with this, she’d be crossing a line she wasn’t sure she was ready to cross. She wanted to be number one. She deserved to be number one. But these photos would destroy Jane’s reputation, her career, her life. Did she really want to be responsible for that kind of devastation? Jane, sadly, thought of Madison as her friend. Did she want to be the kind of person who could betray her friends? It’s one thing to trade harmless gossip, like the item she’d given to Veronica Bliss about Gaby hooking up with that C-list actor at Goa. It’s another to ruin someone.
Sighing, she rose to her feet, accidentally knocking over her wineglass, barely hearing the crash as the fine crystal hit the floor and shattered. She scooped up the photos and stuffed them back into the brown manila envelope.
I can always save them for later, she thought. In case of an emergency.
In the meantime, she would just have to keep trying to persuade Veronica Bliss to write flattering pieces about her for Gossip in exchang
e for dishy little items about Jane, Gaby, Scarlett—or herself. Plus, she still had those cell phone pictures from Jesse’s party. Madison smiled serenely. She was on the right track. The more publicity about herself, the better. People would eventually begin to notice her incredible beauty, her charm, her style, her…star quality. And they would clamor to see more of her on L.A. Candy, and less of boring little Jane.
Patience, Madison, she told herself.
42
I NEED SOME TIME TO THINK
Jane lay in bed, her room dark except for images that flashed across her muted TV. No Braden, no Jesse. She had told them both, separately, that she wasn’t feeling well and needed to stay in tonight.
After Jesse had left that morning, she had taken a long shower, then spent the afternoon trying to figure out what to do. Should she be with Braden? Or Jesse? Or neither? What had she been thinking, hooking up with Jesse’s best friend last night? This wasn’t a game. This wasn’t television. This was life—her life, and the lives of two guys she really, really cared about.
She’d gone out for a walk around the neighborhood, to clear her head, and returned an hour later with her decision. She needed time off from both Braden and Jesse. She wanted to be alone for a while, to think things through. And in the meantime, she needed to have zero contact with either of them. It was the only way.
An image of a couple kissing filled her TV screen. Jane winced, then picked up the remote and started clicking. News. Good. Nothing romantic about that. Keeping the volume off, she watched a story about a California wild-fire, then another about a bank robbery, followed by the weather…and then she forced herself to turn her attention to her phone and do what had to be done. Her phone was on her nightstand next to B, the stuffed toy puppy Braden had given her on the night of the L.A. Candy premiere. She opened her nightstand drawer and placed B inside. She didn’t need reminders.
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