Star Maker

by J. M. Nevins

  He moved to the edge of his seat and perched on his knees in anticipation. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  She shook her head. “No.” She handed him her glass of champagne. “Now you’re ready.” She stared into his eyes. “I got a job at Diamond Records.”

  His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “Wow! Congrats! That’s huge, Lex.” He got up, hugged her, and gave her a kiss on the cheek before taking his seat again.

  She giggled. “Thanks. I’m pretty excited about it.”

  Maxine strolled through the door around five, much earlier than expected. She glanced into the living room on her way to the bathroom. She stopped in her tracks, faced Sully and smiled. “And you, pray tell, must be the very charming Sully Foxx.”

  He smiled wide, eating it all up. He stood up, bent down to take her small hand in his, and kissed it. “And you must be the lovely Maxine Riley. I’ve heard all about you. You’re even more beautiful than they described you.”

  She giggled. Sully naturally seemed to have that affect on women. “You have, huh? Well, I’ve heard all about you too. I’ve been meaning to catch one of your shows and take pictures.”

  He cocked his head to the side. “Ah-ha, that’s right. You’re the photographer.”

  She nodded. “I am. I used to work at the L.A. Times, but I’m freelancing on my own right now with some local pubs. Suits me better. I’ve been doing a lot of work recently with Rock City News. Trying to get on staff there.”

  He flashed a charming grin. “Well, well, well, Maxine, that is impressive.” He shifted his attention to Kit. “You hang with some pretty cool chicks, Kit-Kat. Not too surprising, gotta say.”

  She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. “It’s my way, babe. Birds of a feather flock together.” She winked at Alexa and giggled.

  * * *

  Alexa stumbled into the Rainbow Bar and Grill on the arm of Jimmy. It had quickly become one of their favorite places to hang out on the Strip. She and Jimmy had become good friends since Kit had started managing the band. She found him fun to hang out with although she wasn’t interested in him in the least. He was a great party buddy. Jimmy noticed a friend and started chatting while Alexa made a beeline for the bar to keep her buzz going. She glanced down at her purse and fished for her wallet to buy the first round when a familiar voice jarred her to attention. “What can I get ya?”

  She looked up, her violet eyes wide as saucers, as she stared at Maxine whose once light brown hair had been teased and dyed to an attention grabbing platinum blond that made her hazel eyes and tanned skin stand out. She no longer looked like a Chicago transplant. She looked like a full-blown Hollywood goddess. “Max? What the hell? When did you start working here? And I love the hair. When did you do that?”

  Maxine flashed a large smile and started laughing. “This is my first night here. Got the hair done yesterday. I didn’t want to tell you or Kit. I wanted it to be a fun surprise and I figured you’d end up here at some point tonight. I needed some extra cash so it was either this or stripping and I certainly don’t have the rack for that.” She pushed her small breasts together exaggerating her assets in her small, tight, tank top that didn’t leave much to the imagination as it was.

  Alexa laughed loudly at Maxine’s impromptu performance. “This is crazy. I can’t believe you’re working at the Rainbow as a bartender! This is going to be a nice little feather in your cap.”

  Maxine nodded and winked. “I hope so. Hoping to make some good tips to buy more camera equipment and more importantly, some good connections. So, what can I get ya, sweetie? Your usual?”

  She gave her a horrified look. “Uh, no. Can’t imagine the house champagne is to my standards here. Do you have Stoli?”

  “Yep, we got it.”

  “Stoli on the rocks.”

  Maxine winked. “You got it vodka girl.”

  “Oh and a Jack and Coke for Jimmy. He’ll be here in a sec.”

  “Mr. Costa—otherwise known as Gypsy Tango Jimmy?”

  Alexa nodded and gave her a look of warning. “That’s the guy and don’t let your mind wander. We’re just friends. He’s my hang out buddy when you and Kit aren’t around.”

  She nodded, focusing on her pour. “I gotcha. Where is our Miss Kit?”

  “Flyering on the Strip with Sully and the rest of the band. This is Jimmy’s night off supposedly. Chances are they’ll end up here when they’re done.”

  Maxine frowned as she pushed Alexa’s drinks to her. “Flyering? What’s that?”

  Her head bobbed in confirmation. “Y’know, passing out flyers for Gypsy Tango’s upcoming shows.”

  “Oh, yeah yeah. Got it. Here comes Jimmy now.”

  He took a seat next to Alexa at the bar and smiled at Maxine. “Max! When did you start working here?”

  She chuckled. “That’s the question of the evening. Just tonight, sweet cheeks. Lex got your drink. Make sure to get a few rounds for her tonight and big tips for me.” She winked.

  He nodded. “You got it, gorgeous.”

  Kit smiled as she finished talking to a group of longhaired guys in front of the Whisky-a-Go-Go that had formed in a circle around her. She gave them a flirty wave as they walked away.

  Sully approached her and stared in astonishment at her empty hands. “Did you already finish?” His eyes met hers.

  She nodded and smiled. “Yep. I’m out of flyers. You?”

  He stared at her and rolled his eyes. “Almost. Just a few more. Figures.” He slowly ogled her up and down and then chuckled. “I mean look at what you’re wearing. Guaranteed to get any guy’s attention. I’m surprised you can even walk in those heels. Shit, you’re almost as tall as me in those. They certainly don’t look comfortable. You’re a trooper.”

  She giggled and smoothed her dress. “What? This old getup?” She was wearing a black, leather, halter mini-dress with black, fishnet stockings, and tall, black, suede boots that donned four-inch heels. Her red tresses were teased up bigger than normal.

  He shook his head and laughed. “Yeah, that old getup. Remo, Bryan, and Tony are having a harder time than us. I say we ditch ‘em and go to the Rainbow. They can meet us there.”

  She nodded. “Deal. Let’s leave the car and walk. I’ll get it in the morning.”

  Sully walked into the Rainbow with Kit on his arm. This was becoming a common occurrence for them. Kit found that Sully was fun to spend time with. He was a perfect substitution for Joe as her regular sidekick. Sully was quickly becoming one of her best friends and often acted as her protector on the Strip.

  Aside from their closely formed friendship, Sully loved having her on his arm because it made him look good. Kit had plenty of male admirers in this town and was considered a hot commodity on the Sunset Strip. It was a win-win situation for both of them.

  Sully was the first to notice Maxine as they headed into the overcrowded bar area. “Holy shit! Kit, look!” He pointed at Maxine who was doing her job and oblivious to the fact that they had walked in.

  Kit’s eyes widened. “Oh my God!” She freed her arm from Sully’s, seized his hand, and pulled him along with her as she sprinted up to the bar, shoving her way through aggressively. She pressed herself against the bar and yelled over the loud music in order to be heard. “Maxine!”

  She turned around when she heard her name. She noticed Kit, nodded, and smiled. She leaned over the bar and gave her a hug. “Yes, you don’t even have to say it. I totally scored with this job.”

  Kit smiled, her eyes alive with excitement. “No shit! This is super cool! When did you start?”

  “Tonight’s my first night.”

  Kit leaned over to Sully. “Help me out here. Help me get onto this barstool.”

  He laughed. “What?”

  “I’m going to kneel. My heels will puncture the seat if I stand on it. C’mon, help me!”

  He continued to laugh and did as she said. Once she was evenly balanced on the barstool she managed to command the attention of everyone in the small s
pace and over the music, she yelled. “Shots on me as long as you give the bartender Maxine a huge tip!”

  All at once, the crowd charged the bar. Kit laughed and Maxine winked at her as she and the other bartender struggled to keep up with the demand. Alexa met up with Kit as she was paying the tab in cash. They chatted while Sully and Jimmy talked about a successful round of self-promotion, passing out flyers on the Strip earlier in the night.

  Alexa giggled. “This is going to be awesome having Max working here all the time.”

  “Yeah Lex, it totally is. She looks like a badass back there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her dressed like that before.”

  Alexa chuckled. “Me neither.”

  Maxine interrupted them by pushing two drinks toward them. “On the house, sisters. Thanks, Kit-Kat.” She winked.

  Kit giggled. “Watch out, Miss Max. I’m going to do it again…and soon.”

  By the time last call came around, Kit and Alexa were very buzzed. Maxine yelled last call and Kit pulled her stunt again, oblivious to how the crowd had multiplied and high profile rock stars now dwelled in the area. Alexa was chatting with Kit again when her eyes widened and she stopped talking. She watched in awe as a familiar face approached, coming up behind Kit.

  He looked at Kit. “Sorry to interrupt you two gorgeous ladies. Just wanted to say thanks for the shots.”

  Alexa’s mouth dropped open. Kit handled the whole situation coolly and grinned. “You’re welcome. You see, it’s my friend’s first night bartending here at the Rainbow. She’s right over there. That’s Maxine.”

  He raised his drink and yelled over the music. “To Maxine, the best bartender ever.” He got the whole crowd engaged to follow suit in saluting her. Tips started flying through the air at her. She laughed and got her hands of one of them as it floated in the air toward her—a one hundred dollar bill. Maxine exchanged a glance with Kit and mouthed “Oh my God!”

  Kit smiled at him. “Thanks for doing that.” She paused so he could officially introduce himself to her, though she knew full well who he was.

  “Tommy Lee.” He extended his hand. “And you are?”

  “Kit McKenna.”

  “Nice to meet you, Kit. You’re beautiful.”

  She smiled. “Thanks, Tommy.”

  “I gotta jump, but maybe I’ll see you around here again and we can get more acquainted next time.”

  She smiled. “Maybe so.”

  Tommy Lee gave her a flirty wave as he walked away, trying to fend off adoring fans at the same time. Sully walked up to Kit. His eyes were wide and he donned the same expression of pure astonishment as Alexa.

  He stared at her. “Were you just talking to Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe?”

  Kit took a sip of her drink casually, giggling. “Yep.”

  Sully and Alexa exchanged a glance of amazement. He continued. “You know him?”

  She grinned. “I didn’t before, but I do now.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Alexa answered the phone as quietly as possible in the kitchen as Kit kept her nose in a law book, frantically jotting notes. She was long past her self-imposed deadline for a brief in one of her classes. She had been distracted lately and let her studies slide. Now, she was on a mission to get back on track and still juggle her other work, understanding full well that the momentum she had built for her bands since she set foot in Hollywood was finally coming to fruition. Things were looking up for her in a big way—and much faster than she had anticipated.

  After the fun night at the Rainbow paying for everyone’s shots, Kit quickly became the sweetheart of the Strip. A week later, she was still being thanked by random rockers that she ran into on the boulevard as she passed out flyers or shepherded one of her bands into the clubs for a show.

  Buzz had reached a fever pitch for Scorcher—one of her originals she managed in Philadelphia and continued managing when she arrived in Los Angeles. Rumors were swirling of forthcoming record deals. Scorcher’s following was massive and national. They packed the local clubs with every show, selling out in record times. They were no longer a pay to play band. They were a lucrative money making band, much to Kit’s relief. She needed the money. She still got great tips at Café L.A., but it wasn’t enough and the money she made on Joe’s deal with Steel Pony was dwindling quickly, going to school expenses and up front costs for her bands.

  Gypsy Tango’s demo needed to be re-recorded and completely reworked. She wanted to find a way to get them a wardrobe and help them out in any way she could. Maxine told her she was crazy to be dumping money into a rock band, but Alexa supported her, offering to give her a personal loan if she ran into dire straits putting her neck out for her latest venture.

  Kit recalled her father’s decision to purchase a racehorse when she was thirteen years old. Everyone told him he was making a mistake. Honeydew Blur was the horse’s name and he was not only considered a long shot, but a dud of a stud. Kit’s father, James, reviewed all the data on the horse, made his assessment, and followed his gut.

  Despite his lack of support for the decision, especially from Kit’s stepmother, he purchased the horse anyway. The first year of training and upkeep was brutal and he shelled out piles of money, never cursing it, always believing. When Kit was sixteen, Honeydew Blur went on to take the triple crown and became a top stud choice with a thoroughbred line that was still racing and making her father boatloads of money. He knew how to pick a winner and so did she.

  She saw Gypsy Tango in the same light, thinking that they may even out sell Scorcher one day. There was something about Gypsy Tango that had staying power. She couldn’t put her finger on it—it was a gut feeling, one she had never felt before for any band she managed. All her moves were motivated by pure faith. There was nothing tangible yet to prove it to her, but she felt like she was sitting on a goldmine.

  She knew that Sully could carry the entire band with his talent alone. Joe had called it from the beginning and now she clearly saw the superstar potential in him. He needed to be polished, along with the rest of the band. That polishing would have to wait until 1985 poked its head in and the New Year commenced. Thanksgiving was coming up that week, finals were on her heels after that, and she had started dating Seth Gibbons, a record executive that worked for Fisher Records. She had fallen hard for him and enjoyed spending as much time with him as possible.

  She sighed, realizing her thoughts about Gypsy Tango had thrown her completely off her schoolwork. She sat back and shook her head. She stood up and decided to grab a snack. She walked into the kitchen and noticed Alexa on the phone. She was leaning on the counter and looked concerned. She glanced at Kit and held her hand over the mouthpiece. “It’s Joe. You need to talk to him. He’s not good. Can you take a break?”

  Kit nodded. “I’ll take it in my room. Give me a sec.” She made her way to her bedroom and sat on the bed. She picked up her phone and heard Alexa telling Joe about her job. “Hey, it’s Kit.”

  Joe’s voice strained. “Kitty-Kat. Hello.”

  Alexa spoke up. “I gotta go, guys. Great talking with ya, Joe. Hang in, sweetie.” She hung up.

  Kit had an uneasy feeling in her stomach. “How’s the road, Joe?”

  He groaned. “I dunno. This whole thing is I dunno, Kit.”

  She frowned. “Huh? You are making absolutely no sense. What do you mean?”

  “Too fast. Way too fast. It’s overwhelming. I can’t go anywhere without being recognized.”

  “I saw you on the cover of Shred Magazine.”

  He groaned. “Yeah, that bullshit didn’t help. I dunno why they think I’m some big guitar prophet. I’m not. I’m just a guy from Chicago who got lucky.”

  She chuckled. “Joe, c’mon. You always said you wanted to be a world-renowned guitarist. Now you are. The write up was favorable. So what are you going to do? Quit and hide in your house like a recluse?”

  He snickered. “Maybe. My parents came to my show last week in Chicago.”

  “And?”

&n
bsp; “They liked it. Supportive as usual. It was cool of them to come by.”

  Kit flopped back onto her bed. “Joe, I think you totally take them for granted. I would love it if I had parental support. I don’t think I ever have. Your parents adore you. You can do no wrong in their eyes.”

  “I was totally high when I was hanging out with them backstage. Vaguely remember it, but they were cool.”

  She shook her head. “Joe, you keep this up and you’re gonna land in rehab.”

  He sighed. “Kit, honestly, I’m completely sober right now. This is too big and I can’t stop it. I love what I do, don’t get me wrong, but this fame thing is a beast. It’s freaking me the fuck out. And the pressure from the band, shit, I underestimated that. Maybe I am better off quitting, moving to Manhattan, and being a millionaire playboy playing on private jets and yachts with gold-digging women like my cousins. We both know I’m skilled at that.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Joe. You were born with brilliant talent. You’ll find your way.”

  He was getting frustrated. “You’re not hearing me! It’s too big, Kit. I didn’t want it this big.”

  She was starting to lose her patience. “Bullshit. You did. You’ve been talking about playing arena stages since we were fourteen years old.”

  “I know and I said I wanted to build a good band and work the circuit. That’s a gradual slow growth, Kit. This is insanity. I went from a relatively unknown guitarist who dropped out of Berklee to some weird guitar phenomenon. I am expected to play at legend level. I mean Steel Pony is almost as big as The Stones, you know. You try being compared to Keith Richards on a daily basis by the press and see how you feel about it.” He groaned. “The expectations are too high. I think I bit off more than I can chew.”

  She closed her eyes and felt sadness wash over her. She swallowed hard. “Joe, you’re bigger than you’re giving yourself credit for. You can do this. Sull, Lex, and me are all here to support you. When does the tour wrap?”

  “December. I’ve got a few more weeks. Spending Turkey Day with the parents and then back on. Tour closes in L.A. You all coming to the show?”