“You did look a little green,” Audrey agrees, smothering a smile.
“I feel better now, so it was worth the pain and suffering.” I smile at the waitress as she drops our salads and smoothies on the table. “Thank you.”
“Have you heard from Reeve yet?” Audrey asks, picking up her silverware.
I shake my head. “Nope, but he never calls early. Besides, I should probably call him first. I shouldn’t have hung up on him.”
“Are you sure you want to deal with all this shit, Viv? It’s already gotten complicated and the movie hasn’t even released yet. It’s going to get nuts next year, and, honestly, I’m concerned about you. I’ve seen the comments online, and you don’t deserve that shit. I’m pissed Reeve isn’t doing more to protect you.”
“I’m going to talk to him about it this summer. Arguing over the phone is getting us nowhere.”
“What will you do if he gets offered the other two movies?” she tentatively inquires in between mouthfuls of chicken.
“Cry, most likely,” I admit, carefully cutting up my chicken. “But ultimately adapt. Attending UCLA with Reeve has been my dream for years, but if I have to go it alone, I’ll survive.” I reach across the table, patting her hand. “At least, we can be UCLA widows together.” Alex wasn’t offered a place to play ball at UCLA, like he had hoped. Competition is fierce, and it was close, but they passed on him. So, he’s moving to Boston College to play for the Eagles.
“Isn’t it coincidental that our boyfriends may both end up in Boston while we’re still in L.A.”
“They couldn’t have planned it better, even if they’ll have little time to catch up with their busy schedules.”
“I have something to tell you.” Audrey wipes the corner of her mouth with her napkin.
I take a sip of my green smoothie while I wait for her to tell me her news.
“Alex and I have decided to break up at the end of the summer.”
She could’ve told me she murdered someone in cold blood, and I wouldn’t be any more surprised. “Why?” Those two are rock solid and so good together.
“Neither of us wants to spend our four years at college pining for one another. We have seen how hard it’s been on you and Reeve, and we don’t think we can cope with the long-distance thing.”
My mouth opens and closes as I grapple for the right words. “I don’t know what to say, except I hope our situation hasn’t forced you both into making this decision.”
“We were already discussing it. What you’ve gone through just reinforced our thought process.”
“I don’t know how you can be so…blasé about it.”
She sets her silverware down, gulping. “Trust me, I’m not. I’m trying to put a brave face on and accept it. Every time I think about him not being there, I tear up, and every time I think about him being with other girls, I want to throw up. But I don’t want to spend my time at college worrying about my boyfriend. I trust Alex. I really do, but he’s going to play for the Eagles, and women will be throwing themselves at him. I don’t know how you deal with the girls already fawning over Reeve. I couldn’t do it, and while I know Alex isn’t going to be dealing with it at the same level, I worry it’ll end up breaking us up anyway. At least this way, we can part as friends, enjoy college, and when it’s over, if we are meant to be, we’ll find our way back to one another.”
“It feels like the end of an era,” I truthfully admit. “It’s always been the four of us, and now we’re all separated.”
“I know, but I prefer to look at it like the start of a new era.” She stabs a piece of chicken with her fork, popping it in her mouth.
“Do you think Reeve and I should break up if he gets offered the other two movies?”
Audrey almost chokes on her food, and I pour her a glass of water from the jug on our table, handing it to her. She gulps back a few mouthfuls and composes herself. “Jesus, Viv. Don’t do that to me while I’m eating!”
“Sorry.”
“I can’t answer that. Only you and Reeve can decide what to do about your relationship, and we don’t want to influence you guys. Your relationship is different. You’ve been in each other’s lives forever, and you have this unshakeable bond. If anyone can weather a few stormy years, it’s you two.”
I squeeze her hand. “Thank you for saying that, but it really doesn’t feel like that right now. To be honest, I’m upset at how quickly we seem to be drifting apart.”
“No one said love was easy, and I bet everything will be okay the minute he gets home.”
I’m mulling over Audrey’s words when she goes to the bathroom, so I don’t see the woman with the pink-tipped hair approaching until she’s slid into the booth, occupying my best friend’s seat.
I jerk my head up, shock splaying across my face. “Bianca! What are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood and thought we could have a little chat.”
Bullshit. She obviously tracked me down. I purse my lips and fold my arms across my chest, already knowing I’m not going to like this little chat. “Say what you came here to say.”
She offers me a tight grin, and her skin is stretched so taut it’s a wonder her face doesn’t split in two. Gossip sites put her at mid-forties, but I’m betting she’s older. It’s hard to tell under all the cosmetic surgery and thick makeup. Not that it’s uncommon in L.A. My mom is the anomaly, while someone like Bianca Remington is more the norm. In a city full of fake women, my mom truly stands out. Lauren Mills has chosen to grow old gracefully, and the surgeon’s knife has never touched her flawless porcelain skin. It’s just another reason to admire Mom.
Reeve’s hard-ass agent is wearing one of her signature power suits in black with a rich red silk blouse. A string of pearls rests around her smooth neck, and I briefly imagine choking her with them. If she gives me shit, I might very well be tempted.
“You’re a smart girl, Vivien. You’ve grown up in the industry, and I’ve no doubt your mother has told you how things work. To put it bluntly, you’re holding Reeve back. He’s spending too much time worrying about upsetting you and not enough time focusing on his career. If you truly love him, you will let him go.”
“Loving Reeve means I will be there to support and encourage him every step of the way. I will ensure he isn’t manipulated by people who profess to have his best interests at heart, when all they care about is lining their own pockets on the back of his success.” Take that and shove it up your bleached asshole.
Her haughty smile aggravates the hell out of me, and I’m having a hard time containing my anger. “I don’t care what you think of me. You’re insignificant.” She flicks a piece of lint off the sleeve of her jacket before standing. “I came here as a courtesy, but I couldn’t care less if you get your little lovesick heart broken.” She leans down, and the overpowering scent of Chanel almost knocks me out. “Reeve is going to be a huge star, and he has no room for a girlfriend.” Her gaze rakes over my bare face, my tight ponytail, colorful workout clothes, and sneakers. “At least, not one like you.” She straightens up before delivering her closing shot. “Act like a stage-five clinger if you want, but mark my words, by this time next year, you will be nothing but a distant memory.”