Her Turn
Page 17
Owen opens the door, and George walks in along with the hair and makeup girls. “How you doin’,” Owen asks, wiggling his eyebrows and doing his best Joey Tribbiani imitation. They grin at him. He offers his arms to escort them to the bedroom so they can get set up where I will be “fluffed.”
“Excited?” George scans my ratty robe, and a small “tsk” escapes his lips.
I roll my eyes. “No, not really.”
“He hasn’t called, has he?” George knows that Jameson has ghosted me. Poor guy has been my sounding board for man troubles all week between Jameson’s behavior and the disaster date with Grayson. My picker is clearly off, and my abandonment issues are glaringly obvious. Thanks, Mom and Dad!
“Nope. Not a peep. Harrison sent me the itinerary. I suppose I will see Jameson tonight. I mean, he wouldn’t skip this, would he? I need chocolate. The limo is picking us up at seven.”
“Oh, honey, of course, he will be there. Let’s get to work. You are going to knock him out with the dress I brought.” He’s practically giddy. I pop a chocolate, hoping I can relax.
An hour later, I emerge. My short hair is styled with soft wisps framing my face while the fitted fire-engine-red dress makes a dramatic statement with its exposed back. It makes me feel sexy, and that, my friends, is a huge accomplishment. George stands back, giving himself a standing ovation.
“Damn, girl! I am a genius.” I worry about his lack of confidence.
“Don’t hurt yourself patting yourself on the back,” I smirk.
“Ha! I’ll find myself a good man to do that for me…along with some other things.” He laughs and winks at me.
“Please, no sex talk. I’m nervous enough about seeing Jameson. Sex just makes it worse.” I head toward the living room, where Owen is waiting for me.
“’Bout time. Geez, girls take forever to get ready.” At least some things never change.
“Alright, Romeo. Let’s go. By the way, you look handsome.” I grin at him.
“You look pretty, too. Now let’s go. I’m hungry, and Jameson said he would be my wingman.” He laughs. George nudges me in a silent I-told-you-so.
“When did you talk to him?” I try to act unaffected.
“Today. I texted him.” Color me confused.
“And he responded?” I inquire.
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t he? He’s my friend.” He looks at me like I’m a complete dumb-ass.
“Oh, well, okay. The limo is here, so let’s get going.” At least Owen isn’t getting ghosted, and for that I am grateful. Owen has had way too much disappointment recently.
I hug George and thank the girls for their magical powers, then head to the limo. The driver opens the door for us. I try to remember to breathe, but the man in the limo is not Jameson. It’s Harrison. Disappointment sends my heart plummeting. Harrison is great, but I have become dependent on his counterpart; he grounds me. I turn to Harrison and smile.
“You look beautiful,” he says almost apologetically. He’s trying to make me feel better. I get it, but my stomach is in knots, and I want to vomit.
“Thank you. I’m glad Owen is my date. So, um, where is Jameson? I thought he would be riding with us.” I glance at my brother, who’s busy appreciating his reflection in the window. Typical. A lack of self-confidence has never been his problem. Harrison looks at me with a great deal of compassion.
“He’s meeting us there. There was another client that he needed to attend to.”
“Oh, okay. Good to know,” I whisper.
I turn my head to look out the window. I can cry when I get home. Tonight is about me. I just need to remember to breathe.
Addie
My book launch is being held at the Waldorf Astoria. I know, swanky for a girl who would rather eat chocolate and wear yoga pants. Sometimes I can’t believe this is my life. Writing this book was a personal journey for me. It was a way to finally do something that wasn’t centered around anyone else. I look over at Owen. He’s grinning from ear to ear. He is my world, and I won’t allow my father or anyone else to destroy that.
We pull up to the hotel. “Are you ready for this?” He smiles at me, and I nod. “Stay calm and mingle. You know how it works; you’re used to this by now.” Harrison’s confidence is misplaced; I’m just as uncomfortable and uncertain as I was at the L.A. launch party. Jameson would have known that.
“Hurry up, Addie! Hot chicks are waiting for me.” Owen bounces in his seat.
We get out of the car, and I take Owen’s arm on our walk up the stairs. As we enter the ballroom, Owen quickly disengages. “No cramping my style tonight, Addie.” Owen narrows his eyes at me.
I put up my hands in surrender. “I won’t do anything to cramp your style, but please stay with Walter.” Yes, we still have security, although Walter has become more of a friend, making Owen extremely happy.
“I’m not a baby. I’m a man.” Cue my exaggerated sigh. This is our dialogue. Every. Single. Day.
“Yes, you are, but I need support tonight, so just stay close by, okay?” I ask, trying to stay patient despite my increasing stress.
“You’re the star. You don’t need me, Addie.” He smiles, and with that statement—honest from his perspective, but untrue from mine—he strolls with Harrison and Walter to the bar. I suppose the pretty little bartender attracted him.
I see Nina approach. Thank God! Every guy in the room is fixated on her. Her beauty is effortless. She is dressed in a long, silk, golden dress in a mermaid cut, her back is completely exposed; her jet-black hair is gathered in a loose bun at the nape of her neck. Harrison looks like he might have a stroke. Interesting. I still don’t know what the deal is with those two, but I am fascinated by their dance. She holds two cocktails, and she hands one to me.
“You are the best person on the planet.” I close my eyes as I take a long drink.
“Only because I brought you a cocktail… but I do have an ulterior motive.” She smirks.
“What’s happening now? Can I just have one event that isn’t marred by the shitshow that is currently my life?” At this point, I’m simply begging for a reprieve.
“Addie, your life is amazing. You’re just surrounded by interesting individuals that may or may not need psychiatric help. Anyway, it isn’t anything bad. The publisher wants to meet with you regarding another book.” She takes a sip of her martini, waiting for my reaction.
Another book? Ugh. Okay, I know this is supposed to be wonderful news, but I have so many moving pieces in my life, I can’t even begin to think about another project. But maybe what I need is a distraction.
“Can I have a few weeks before I start? My life resembles the inside of a mental ward. I need some time to decompress.” I would give anything to have some creative mojo. An escape sounds lovely. My laptop called and asked if it still has a job. Seriously, I haven’t written in what feels like an eternity, but I don’t even know if I can focus with this much stress pressing down on me.
“Absolutely. By the way, you look stunning. How was the limo ride?”
“If you’re referring to the limo ride where Harrison was standing in for Jameson, it was uneventful.” I feel my eyes starting to fill with tears, but I refuse to give them any attention. Instead, I take a large drink from my wine, hoping that the alcohol will relax me.
“Harrison’s here?” Her eyes dart around the room. She finally finds Harrison, and a slight smile tugs on my face. His eyes bore into hers. This is fascinating. Jesus, is it hot in here?
“What exactly is the deal with you and him? Inquiring minds want to know.” I am so grateful that the subject has moved on to something else.
“Nothing to tell. We were together once a very long time ago. That ship has sailed.” Sadness shadows her face.
“I don’t know. When he saw you, he looked like he was about to have a stroke.” I smile at her, and she glares back.
Jameson
I spend all day reading through the information Grady gave me again and again. My eyes sting. My backaches. I had asked Harrison to take my place tonight. It has been seven days since I’ve seen or contacted Addie. Yes, I’m an asshole. Yes, I might be considered a coward, too. But finding out the answer to this mystery surrounding Addie’s father may help me make some sort of amends for my actions.
Just when I think it’s a lost cause, the pieces start coming together. It was hard to see before because it appears as though there’s a fourth party involved—Addie’s deceased mother. And holy shit, this information is going to blow Addie’s mind. I need to get to her before the other players in this game do. I shut down my computer, throw on my tux, and text my driver.
I arrive in record time, which is amazing since it’s New York, and the traffic usually sucks. Maybe the universe is smiling on me. I enter the ballroom and notice Addie immediately. She looks stunning and relaxed as she chats with Nina. I don’t move. I simply watch her, knowing that she has infiltrated my emotional barriers. With her quirky, sarcastic, sassy presence, she is the someone that made me feel again.
Just as I am about to move toward her, our eyes meet. But as I approach, her father appears, and from the look on his face, he might be about to spill what I have just uncovered. Shit is about to hit the fan.
Dorothy
I survey the room. It’s elegant and full of important and influential people. Everyone is in place, and it’s almost showtime. Honestly, I am so pleased with how everything has fallen into place. It was almost effortless. Hopefully, Richard will keep his mouth shut. He’s been extra twitchy. Maybe it’s the drugs. I have noticed that he almost seems remorseful, which isn’t the ingredient needed for tonight’s big reveal.
Matthew comes back from the bar and hands me a drink. I sip as I watch the chess game that I orchestrated.
“You’d better have a way we can we afford this new tux and your designer dress. Addie isn’t helping us anymore, and I have better things to do than apply for jobs.”
“Oh, darling. Don’t worry about it. I have everything covered. My psychic business is taking off, and, well, I have other endeavors. Watch and learn.” I start to walk over to where Addie is standing with Nina. Matthew reluctantly trails behind. I have left him out of this little plan of mine because he is weak and pathetic. He might have run to Addie if he knew what I was doing, especially if he thought he could get a handout for it. I kept him in the dark for his own good; we’ll get a lot more money this way. Intentionally hurting Addie isn’t something Matthew would want to do, but that’s because he doesn’t understand how these kinds of deals work.
The moment we reach her, Richard begins to spill his guts, and her publicist rushes in like some sort of white knight as Addie’s life is about to implode. This was not how it was supposed to go.
Addie
Why does that man have to look so hot? Why can’t he have an ugly day? Jesus. Then I remember that I’m mad, but the rest of my body hasn’t gotten the memo, and there is a lot of celebrating with high fives. Traitors.
As he moves toward me, I hold my breath. Our eyes lock, and everyone else ceases to exist. And then my father appears. What the fuck have I done to the universe? Can I have one celebration where the circus shows up late?
“Addie, I need to talk to you,” says the man who has helped fund my therapist’s European vacations. He looks sad, scared, and almost regretful. Sweat glistens on his colorless face. His hands are shaking, and his breathing is labored.
“Can’t this wait?” I’m hoping he at least agrees to give me until tomorrow, but I hadn’t had any interaction with him yet when he didn’t step over the boundaries that I tried to establish.
“No, it can’t.” His eyes dart around the room, and then I see Dorothy approaching. Well, this can’t be good. I’m sure you’re wondering why she was invited. Well, apparently, one of my two publicists seemed to think that inviting them would prevent the shitshow. Seems like that decision will probably bite me in the ass. Matthew is slinking behind Dorothy, looking as if he would rather be somewhere else. Nina presents me with another cocktail. I love Nina.
I can’t help but marvel at Dorothy’s appearance. It looks like she just walked out of a fashion magazine. Her perfectly coiffed hair, manicured nails, and Michael Kors evening gown make me shake my head in disbelief. How in the hell can she afford to look like that? I mean, I hate to be petty, but I think it might be difficult to shoplift a designer dress… maybe she has improved her stealth skills. Whatever. I need to focus on the current episode of “How Can We Fuck Up Addie’s Life. In this episode, daddy dearest is either about to spill his guts or vomit.
“Addie! Oh my God, you look, well, so much better. It is so odd to see you in actual clothes that don’t have food on them.” She turns her attention to Richard. “Is this a family reunion? You must be Addie’s father. I’m Dorothy. I’m married to your nephew, Matthew.” She offers her hand while throwing him all kinds of looks that I don’t understand, but my father doesn’t respond. Instead, he stays focused on me, tears in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Addie. If I’d done the right thing from the beginning, none of this would have happened.” I feel a hand grab mine, and without even looking, I know it’s Jameson.
“Richard, don’t do this. You will ruin everything!” Dorothy spits. Her eyes narrow, and her face oozes rage. Matthew’s eyes dart around the room. People’s conversations screech to a halt as they unexpectedly find themselves with front-row seats to the show. I hope everyone has a drink. Shit seems to be getting real.
“Wait, you all know each other? Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on?” I realize that I’m yelling and drawing even more attention to myself, but at this point, I don’t give a shit. Cameras are flashing. People are holding up their phones, recording the scene. It is the least of my worries at this point.
“Addie, I’m not your father, and I’m not Owen’s either.” He spits the words as if they were choking him. My mind spins like a roulette wheel as I try to comprehend them. A voice jolts me back into reality.
“Who is my dad?” The voice belongs to Owen. “I just got you back, and now…”
“I’m sorry, Owen. I’m not your father.”
Before I can reach for him, Owen turns and runs out of the room. Jameson is hot on his heels. People are yelling. Dorothy looks like she’s going to explode. Richard collapses right in front of me. I hear someone scream, “Call 911!” Chaos ensues, and I stand stunned for a moment, my brain unable to comprehend what just happened.
Coming to my senses, I race out of the room in a desperate attempt to find Owen, leaving Dorothy and Richard behind. The elevators are too slow, so I dash down the steps, almost falling on my ass in my insanely high heels. Making it to the entrance, I see Jameson try to grab Owen, but Owen is too fast. I hear tires screech and metal crunching as Owen darts into the intersection. A car rams into him, despite its brakes, squealing to stop, and his body flies back, landing in the street. He doesn’t move.
Have you ever had an out of body experience? Apparently, I am having one. I feel like I’m watching a movie. Everything is moving slowly. People are gathering to help. Sirens are blaring. Jameson is doing CPR. Someone is holding me. Faces run together.
People talk about how, when you are about to die, there is a running reel of your life. While I’m not physically dying, I’m having that experience emotionally. Owen as a baby. Owen’s first steps. Owen’s snarky comebacks. His laughter. His love. I can’t lose him. He’s all I have. He’s everything. Why does everyone leave me? Why am I not enough?
I am guided into a limo. Voic
es continue to echo. I’m not sure if they’re talking to me. Am I in shock? I shake uncontrollably. A blanket is wrapped around me, but it doesn’t take away the chill. I hear someone ask, “Is he alive?” I realize that the voice belongs to me.
Nina envelops me in a hug while Harrison holds my hand. She looks at me. Tears run down her face. “Yes, he’s alive.”
I nod, and then I crumble.
Addie
My body quakes. Loud sobs fill the car. Time passes without my knowledge, and suddenly I’m being guided into the hospital. The smell of antiseptic and death permeates the air. I hear a voice—I think it might be Harrison—barking at the nurse outside of the emergency room.
I’m not sure how much time passes. Someone offers me coffee. I don’t answer. I’m lost in my own thoughts, thinking about my life without Owen. Thinking about how this book has changed the course of my own life, and not in a good way. Thinking about how this book has now changed Owen’s life irrevocably. I hear someone saying my name over and over. I look up and meet the eyes of a man who I assume to be the doctor.
“Is he alive?” I ask, terrified to hear the answer.
“He is, but we are taking him to surgery. He has some internal injuries, as well as a broken leg. Someone will let you know once he’s in recovery. I won’t sugarcoat this, Ms. Snyder. He’s in critical condition. I hate to add more bad news, but your father had a heart attack. He is currently in the ICU. There is a cardiologist assigned to his case who will be out to speak with you soon. If you want to see him, I can get one of the nurses to take you.” He waits for me to answer. Nina speaks up, indicating that it won’t be necessary. He turns to leave.
“Thank you.” Always polite. I didn’t feel the need to explain that Richard isn’t my father. At this point, I have no idea what is going on, but I do know that I need to get my shit together if I’m going to be there to support Owen.
“Nina, can you go and get me a change of clothes and Owen’s blanket? He’s going to want that when he wakes up.” She meets my eyes and squeezes my hand.