The Hollywood Effect, page 12
“I have no idea. She doesn’t either. I’ve only really talked to her about him properly, once. It was pretty fucked up. He totally isolated her from her friends, and she thought all she had was him. Mum and Dad couldn’t stand him, but they were afraid that if they were too hard on him, she’d cut contact with them as well. He was always trying to start fights between Steph and us.”
“Why’d she leave in the end?”
“He hit her. That was the last straw. It didn’t matter how many times he screamed at her, or threatened to kill himself, or called Mum a big fat bitch to her face… she always ended up forgiving that. And expecting us to as well. But then one night he punched her in the face. Thank god she left after that. Mum and Dad were at their wits ends. They were seriously contemplating kidnapping her and camping in the bush for a few months!”
Liam shook his head. “Nuts. I thought Steph had better sense than to get involved with a guy like that.”
“We all did, Steph included. But he was her first boyfriend, and she seemed to think it was normal. Anyway. The new guy is great, it’s just a pity he’s Canadian. She’ll never come home at this rate.”
“More excuses for you to come over to this side of the Pacific,” Liam said and shot his award winning grin at me.
“Can’t you move to the south of France? I’ve always wanted to go back there.”
“Why don’t you?”
“I will, one day. I fantasise about renting out a villa for a few months and just relaxing and reading and maybe some writing. Finally learn how to play the guitar.”
“You need to go to France to learn the guitar?” Liam laughed. “Make time for it now. If you really want to do something, just do it.”
“You make it sound easier than it is.”
“Seriously. Buy a guitar. Set aside fifteen or twenty minutes and practise every day. You can’t always push off stuff until tomorrow.”
“I know. I know. There’s no guarantee of tomorrow. You’re right. I will. When I get back.”
“Or you could do it today. It’s not like I have a shortage of guitars,” Liam said.
“Oh, all right. You win. You’re right.”
Liam nodded in satisfaction.
“So what are you learning right now? Do you take your own advice?”
“I do, actually,” he said, looking rather proud of himself.
“Oh?”
“I’m learning Japanese. I’ve got this app on my phone.”
“An app?” I asked, skeptical. I’d had to go all the way to France to get my French past the basic standard. How could you possibly learn to speak a language fluently from an app?
“Yeah. I’m learning the basics. It’s fun.”
“If you say so.”
“It is.”
“So what’s on for the rest of the day?” I asked. I actually had no idea what the time was. Thanks to the time difference, I’d left Melbourne on Wednesday morning and arrived in the US on Wednesday morning. Such is the wonder of the International Date Line.
“I thought you might want to take it easy today, so we’ll just hang out here. If that’s okay?”
“Sure,” I said. “Not like you live in a scummy house anymore. I’m sure I can cope hanging out here for a day.”
“Good. I invited a few people over for dinner tomorrow night. And I asked my neighbour to come over at some point to meet you.”
Almost on cue, a strange voice called out Liam’s name.
“Out here on the deck!” he yelled back.
A tall, willowy woman in tight blue jeans and an even tighter white shirt came bounding up the stairs to where we were sitting. Her long, dark brown hair bounced behind her. I was momentarily captivated. She was stunningly beautiful.
“Mike let me in, I hope you don’t mind,” the beautiful woman said as she approached us. Liam stood up with a smile on his face and gave her a hug, and then turned to me with one arm still casually over the woman’s shoulder. Did he have a new girlfriend already? If he did, what on earth was I doing here? I forced my eyes to move from where Liam’s arm was resting to look them both in the face. Liam was smiling at me.
“Jen, this is my friend Raquel. Raquel, this is Jen. She’s my oldest friend.”
“Oldest because I’ve known him since we were toddlers, not because I’m ancient. I’m only a year older than him,” I started to waffle. Raquel laughed warmly, and leant over and gave me a hug.
“It’s lovely to finally meet you. Liam’s told me a lot about you.”
“Oh, really? I hope it was only good things.”
“Naturally.”
“Raquel is the one responsible for the nose job and mullet,” Liam said and gestured for us both to sit down.
“Ah, I see. So… you’re a make-up artist then?”
Raquel nodded. “And I live next door.”
Great. Lucky you.
Liam gave me a speculative look. I tried to look casual and attentive and to shove the green-eyed monster back in her hole. He turned to Raquel and offered her a drink.
“How’s Fi?” he asked. My eyes swivelled to Raquel, who took an elegant sip of the beer Liam had just handed her.
“She’s good,” Raquel said, a small smile playing around her lips. “She’s getting ready for her show tomorrow night.”
“Fi is Raquel’s partner. She’s a fashion designer,” Liam said for my benefit.
“Ah,” was all I managed. I swiped the imaginary hair that was suddenly in my eyes. “Cool,” I said after an awkward minute.
Liam shot me a bemused look before turning back to Raquel. “You’ll have to give our apologies to Fi, I’ve organised that gathering tonight to welcome Jen to my neck of the woods, remember?”
“Right! Sorry, it totally slipped my mind.”
“All good, mate. Are you still good for tomorrow?”
Raquel glanced at me and nodded. “Sure are! It’s gonna be fun.”
“What’s tomorrow?” I asked when they both turned to grin at me.
“You’re going shopping,” Liam said with a smirk.
“Huh? I’m what?” I hated shopping.
“I’m one hundred and ten per cent sure that you did not bring an appropriate dress for the premiere with you.”
“What? I brought a dress,” I protested.
“I know you, Jennifer Margaret Pike.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Is it the red and blue dress you wore to graduation and almost every wedding you’ve been to since then?”
I narrowed my eyes back. “Maybe…” Damn it. I liked that dress. It was very flattering. And it had been expensive. I needed to get my money’s worth out of it. Screw that stupid habit a lot of my friends seem to have of only wearing a dress once.
“I knew it!” Liam crowed at me. “I knew it,” he repeated to Raquel who just smiled. “Anyway, Raquel and Fi are gonna take you shopping in Beverley Hills and get you some stuff. Stop scowling, it’ll be fun.”
I pulled a face. Raquel looked a bit hurt.
“Oh, sorry. I don’t mean anything against you Raquel. I just… well, shopping’s not really my thing,” I finished off somewhat lamely.
“It’s okay, honey. We’ll make sure you have fun.” Raquel shot me a wicked grin. I half believed her.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
She’s back?
Well, dear readers! We didn’t see that one coming! Mystery Girl aka Aussie Jennifer Pike is back in the picture! We thought she was safely tucked away in Australia, but guess who Liam was spotted out and about with! None other than the Aussie teacher. A source close to the couple maintains that they’re just friends, and Jen is just here to support Liam and for a holiday. What this means for a possible Holly and Liam reunion, we can’t be sure!
I ended up falling asleep on the couch not long after Raquel left. Liam put on a movie (not one of his, and definitely not one of Holly’s) and I don’t think I even made it past the opening credits. The couch was just so comfortable.
I didn’t remember getting up and going to bed, but that was where I woke up at 4am, according to the little clock on my bed side table. I stretched out under the covers. The sheets were luxuriously soft, and the feeling of my bare leg rubbing against them made me move my legs around a few more times. I was sorely tempted to ask Liam to ship me out this bed. It was ridiculously cozy, and about a thousand times more comfortable than my bed back home. Although, if I had this bed back home, I’d probably never be able to get up for work. A double period of Year 10 english? Or stay in this bed? Hmm, it would be a hard choice some mornings.
I lay awake, I don’t know how long for. I kept telling myself to stop looking at the clock.
I eventually realised I wasn’t going to be able to get back to sleep, so I threw the covers off me and got up. I ventured into the ensuite. The shower was unnecessarily complicated. Really, all you needed was a hot tap, a cold tap, and a shower head. This shower had a ridiculous amount of settings. I didn’t even know where to start. I cautiously turned one of the taps on and experimented until I had a decent temperature and stream. I didn’t want to think about how much water I’d been wasting.
I took more care than usual in selecting my outfit, rejecting one combination after another. LA was already getting to me. I didn’t want to be visibly identifiable as their version of a hillbilly, which I guess I sort of was. Country girl, through and through. You could take the girl out of the country, but you couldn’t take the country out of the girl. Although the girl had gotten used to impeccable coffee within walking distance… something my hometown was still catching up on. Once I was presentable, I cautiously opened the door and peeked out. I couldn’t see or hear anyone. I glanced towards Liam’s bedroom door, but it was firmly shut.
I padded down the corridor towards the living areas. It was all still and quiet. No sign of Mike. I randomly opened cupboards until I found some tea bags, and made myself a nice warm cup. Blowing on the hot liquid, I drifted over towards the bookshelves in the lounge room. He had a bunch of framed photos scattered around. I stood there, studying them. Some of the people I recognised from movies or television shows. There was a nice one of Liam and his family at the beach that I had a feeling I might have taken. I stopped and picked up one with my spare hand. I smiled wistfully down at Liam, me, Dan and Grant. We all had our arms wrapped around each other, and the boys were wearing school dresses. I was laughing madly at something. Grant was staring out of the frame. Liam still looked slightly gawky. It was from our last day of school. Smiling, I put the frame down. Life had changed so much since then. My smile faded. Grant would be dead within six months of that photo being taken.
I moved on, scanning the other photos. There was a nice one of me and Dan that looked a bit more recent. I grinned when I spotted an old photo of me, Liam, my sister Steph, and Liam’s brother Charlie. We were all in our underwear, standing in a paddling pool in our backyard. Definitely in the pre school era. There was a nice one of Liam and his family at Charlie and Nina’s wedding. I could see myself hovering in the background, talking to Steph. And yep, I was in the red and blue dress.
I grabbed a book off the shelf and settled into the comfortable couch. I was so engrossed in the story that I didn’t even hear Liam come into the room and got a fright when he plopped down on the couch next to me.
“How long have you been up?”
I glanced at the book. “About 112 pages worth of time.”
Liam laughed. “How’s the jet lag?”
“Not too bad. I woke up pretty early, but I feel fine.”
“Well, I hope you’re able to stay up a bit later tonight - I’m having a few people over. You’re the star attraction. I can’t have you passed out on the couch again.”
I punched him softly on the arm. “You shouldn’t have such comfy couches if you don’t want people sleeping on them,” I said while he rubbed his arm. “How many people have you invited to this thing?”
“Oh, only half a dozen or so. We’ll save the big party until after the premiere.”
“Cool,” I said. “Maybe I should have a nap this afternoon to make sure I stay awake…”
“You and your naps…”
“What’s wrong with naps? Naps are great. I nap every day of the school holidays.”
“Of course you do, you old nanna.”
I punched him again, slightly harder. “So what’s on for today, apart from your little shindig tonight.”
“Nothing much. I thought we could go out for brunch, and then ummmm, then you’re going to go shopping.”
“Just me? What about you?”
“Raquel and Fi are going to take you dress shopping, remember?”
The conversation from the previous evening came rushing back.
“Oh yeah… I kind of put that out of my mind…”
“I know nothing at all about dresses, and neither do you - don’t protest, I know you don’t. Raquel and Fi will be able to help you.” He got up and grabbed his wallet from the bench and slipped me his credit card. “Don’t protest,” he repeated. “This one’s on me. The prices of clothes here are ridiculous, and let’s be honest, when would you ever buy a designer gown if you weren’t going a movie premiere?”
“Hey, the Year 12 graduation dinner is a pretty happening thing.” I paused, twisting his card around in my hands. “Can’t I just go to Target or something and get a dress? No one else will be wearing them.”
Liam laughed. “No.”
I pulled a face. “Well, thanks. You can sell it on eBay afterwards and get some of your money back. Like you said, I’ll never have a chance to wear it again.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean it like that.”
I held my hands up. “I was kidding. Chillax.”
“Chillax?” Liam raised an exquisitely plucked eyebrow.
I shrugged. “I hang around with teenagers all day.”
Liam rolled his eyes.
“Don’t you roll your eyes at me, young man.” I waved my finger in his face. He reached out and grabbed it. The smile slowly faded from my face as he held on and stared into my eyes.
“Morning, y’all.” Liam dropped my finger as Mike shambled into the room and collapsed on the other end of the couch.
“Morning,” I said faintly.
“Any auditions today?” Liam asked casually.
Mike nodded. “Yeah. Got one for a tv pilot.”
“Nice. What’s the role?”
“A space detective who is haunted by his lost family.”
“… Cool?”
Mike shrugged. “Probably won’t get it, but hey. You gotta be in it to win it, right?”
“Too bloody right,” said Liam.
“Well, good luck,” I said. Liam nodded and then got up. He held a hand out to me. I gazed up at him and then placed my hand in his. I was pretty sure I was the only one who felt the tingles. He yanked me up, slightly more gently than he used to when we were kids. He’d dislocated my elbow once, when he’d pulled a bit too enthusiastically. I think I’d been about eight at the time.
“I’m gonna take Jen out for brunch. Kick ass with the audition, bro.”
“Will do.”
Liam took me out to a cafe where the waitress flirted with him outrageously and basically ignored me.
“Am I invisible?” I asked eventually, torn between amusement and exasperation.
“Sorry, usually they’re pretty good in here,” he said, looking slightly uncomfortable.
I shrugged. “You can’t help it that you’re stunningly gorgeous and no female can resist your many charms.”
“Oh shut up.”
I smirked and glanced around the cafe. A few people were staring at us. I frowned at one teenager who was pointing her phone in our direction.
“You manage to resist these so-called charms pretty well,” he said while looking down at his plate. I blinked. Before I could even figure out what to say, the waitress was back again, making small talk at Liam and all but thrusting her cleavage in his face. I rolled my eyes behind her back, which he caught and almost laughed.
“Well despite the terrible service, the food was pretty tasty,” I said after we’d walked out. The waitress had begged for a photograph when Liam went up to pay. I could see the manager scowling at her from behind the counter. Liam had obliged, as usual, although his smile was a bit tighter than I was used to.
“Are you excited for your shopping trip?” Liam asked with a laugh once we were back in his car, safely behind the tinted windows.
“Totally,” I said dryly. “Do I have -“
“Yes, you have to,” Liam cut me off. “Don’t stress about it, Jen. It’ll be fun.”
“Uh huh. Sure it will be.”
“Well, not if you go in with an attitude like that it won’t. Chin up, girl.”
“Yeah… sorry. I promise I shall try to have fun.”
“Swear?”
“I swear.”
“Pinkie swear?” Liam held out his hand. I looked at it for a moment and then wrapped my little finger around his.
“I solemnly do pinky swear that I will try to enjoy myself.”
Liam grinned at me. “Good.”
There was a knock at the door. Liam glanced at the security screen and asked me to get it. Raquel and a pretty little red-headed woman who I assumed was Fi were at the door. They greeted me with kisses and hugs.
“Honey, this is my girl, Fi. Fi, this is Liam’s friend Jen.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, slightly taken aback by the warm greeting.
“Oh, darling,” Fi gushed. “I’ve been hearing so much about you. This is so exciting!”
“Oh. Um. Okay then.” I had no idea how to respond to that. I stared pleadingly at Liam. He just blinked at me. I cursed him silently, hoping he’d pick up on my telepathic abuse. He didn’t seem to. He cheerily waved us off from the front door. Fi and Raquel bundled me into their car.
I looked around, slightly apprehensive. The car smelt new. I felt awkward all of a sudden and didn’t know where to put my hands.
“So, how are you liking L.A so far?” Fi asked, swivelling around so she could face me briefly.
