“That’s the plan,” I said, tugging my hat down lower as my eyes darted around. There weren’t many people in the bar, but I knew that I might still be spotted. “But I got restless in my room and wanted a drink.”
“Already bored with your fancy penthouse suite?” she teased with a smile.
I shrugged. “It’s big, and the balcony facing the ocean is nice. But I guess I just miss being able to blend in among people and feeling like I’m a part of society.”
“What do you mean?”
I sighed. “This is probably going to sound like a ‘poor little famous man’ story, but there is something about being recognized and swarmed by people all the time that makes you feel like you aren’t apersonanymore, but rather, a hot commodity.”
I didn’t usually talk about this kind of thing, but I found it easy to open up to Marlee, even though I barely knew her. The way that she talked to me like I was a normal person made me feel comfortable with her. No one except my mom did that these days, not even people I’d known for a long time, like my manager. He was always kissing my ass, and it was exhausting to deal with.
“I never really thought of it like that,” she said, a small frown on her brows. “It sounds lonely.”
I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, not sure what to say. She’d hit a little too close to home, and I wasn’t planning to have a pity party tonight. Luckily, I was spared having to come up with a response because the waitress came back with our drinks right then. I twisted the cap off my beer while she sipped her cocktail.
“So, what were you doing lingering in the lobby?” I asked when the waitress left us alone again.
“I was at a party in the banquet hall, but I stepped out to take a phone call.”
“A party? Am I keeping you from something?”
“Not really,” she assured me with a shake of her head. “It’s just the first of many events planned for this week. I’m here to attend a friend’s wedding.”
“So, you’ll be here all week too?” I asked, liking the sound of that. If I could, I wanted to get to know this woman a little better over the next few days. She intrigued me.
“Yeah, I’m here until Sunday,” she replied, skimming her fingers along the condensation on her glass. “Just like you, it’s a much-needed escape.”
“And what is it that you do in the real world?” I asked, feeling completely at ease with her.
“I’m a secretary at a realtor’s office.”
There was something in her eyes as she said those words that piqued my curiosity. She seemed almost sad. I was about to ask her about it when movement out of the corner of my eye distracted me. A woman from a nearby table had gotten out of her seat and taken a few steps toward us. When I turned to glance at her, I saw her eyes go wide and an excited smile break out over her face.
Knowing what was coming, I suppressed a groan.
“I knew it!” she practically shouted. “Itisyou.”
She turned back to her friend that was still waiting at her table, but watching us intently.
“It’s Bowen O’Neal!”
She was still shouting and I knew that my cover was blown. It was bound to happen, but I hoped it would take longer. This was what I got for going down to the hotel bar.
Then again, I’d also been able to see and talk to Marlee again, so it was worth it.
I felt my polite dealing-with-fans smile slip into place nearly effortlessly as the woman moved closer to me, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket. Her friend was now close behind, and I picked up on more movement in my peripheral vision. The others in the bar were going to come ask for pictures and autographs.
My easy conversation with Marlee was clearly over. It was a shame. She didn’t even get to finish her drink.
I turned back to her to apologize for the interruption, but she was already pushing her chair back and starting to stand. She ducked her head, and even lifted a hand to obscure her face as she stepped away from the table just as a cell phone camera’s flash went off in my eyes.
“I have to go,” she mumbled uncomfortably.
I watched helplessly as she turned away and sped from the table. She wasn’t running, but it was obvious that she couldn’t get away fast enough. I’d caught a glimpse of her eyes, and she looked completely freaked out.
Fans were crowded around, pressing in on both sides of me as I kept my eyes glued to her, wondering what in the world that was about. Once she was out of sight, I resigned myself to posing in front of cell phone cameras and scrawling my own name on everything from bar napkins to T-shirts. I’d even signed a woman’s chest one time.
Whatever made the fans happy, that was what I would do, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that my time with Marlee had been cut so short.