Saved by the Celebutante (30 page)

THIRTY-EIGHT

“I need your help,” are the first words out of my mouth when Penny gets home.

She laughs. “Straight to the point. What’s up?”

“Gia’s ex-publicist took advantage of her while I was away and she ended up making a sex tape. I’m going to try and get it back.”

“Oh God. What was she thinking?”

“She wasn’t. But we all do silly things. Remember when you flashed your boobs at that Killers concert last year?”

She laughs. “Yeah, but I didn’t do it on camera.”

“You could have easily ended up on the big screen, which is almost the same. Anyway, this is what I propose…”

***

I knew I could rely on my sister and her powers of persuasion. Her organization skills are amazing thanks to her job, and her friends are very loyal.

Later that evening, I meet up with Penny, Michelle and the girls out the front of Will’s bar. I called Brad under the guise of booking in a catch-up soon, but I really wanted to find out if Will was working. I was assured that yes, he was.

Anna looks me up and down. “Wow, I barely recognize you!”

“Good. That’s what I was hoping for.” I’m kind of in disguise, with a peroxide blond wig that I had left over from a fancy dress party a few years back, and I’m wearing one of Penny’s most low key outfits – a long hippie skirt with a red lace top and combat boots. I’m not taking any chances that Will might spot one of my dresses or coats and make the connection. This plan requires me to be incognito.

I am so glad Rochelle agreed to help out. She’s gone above and beyond, wearing a tight leather mini-skirt, knee-high boots and a sheer top with a plunging neckline. Her eyes are smoky and her lips are painted a glossy blood red. She could quite possibly be the most seductive person I have ever met.

She winks at me. “Ready to do this?”

“Yep. After you.”

We all traipse in. I hang back so Rochelle can capture everyone’s attention.

“Jeez, this place makes my skin crawl,” Penny whispers in my ear.

“Tell me about it,” I whisper back.

The bar makes me fearful to be back on the singles market. If these are the kinds of guys I get to choose from, I’ll happily live alone for the rest of my life. The place is full of middle aged men, most of them overweight, and either drooling over Rochelle, or with their eyes glued to the game on the TV behind the bar.

Matt’s face flashes across my mind again, but I quickly push it away. There’s no use wasting any more time on some guy who obviously only wanted a one-night stand.

“Chrissie!” Rochelle whispers.

“Sorry.” I shake my head and focus on the task at hand.

“Which one’s Will? I’m betting him.” She correctly points to one of three bartenders behind the counter. Yuck. He looks even slimier here.

“Yep.”

“All right. Well, let’s do this for Gia. Have you told her yet?”

“No. I thought I’d wait and see if we could pull it off before I got her hopes up.”

“We are totally going to pull it off,” Rochelle says confidently. She approaches the bar and switches on the charm.

She’s right. Will doesn’t stand a chance, and practically trips over himself in his effort to serve her.

“Hi,” Rochelle purrs. “I’m after something that will go down easy.”

I position myself close by, but facing away so Will can’t recognize me. I want to hear everything.

His face lights up. “How about a Screaming Orgasm?”

“That sounds exactly up my alley.”

I really want to turn around, but I can’t blow my cover. The other girls are chatting together, trying to work out if they should order something to drink as well, or if we should leave the second Rochelle has Will on the hook.

“I need to be sober,” I tell Penny. “If I drink, I won’t be alert enough to manage my end of the plan.”

“I’ll grab a couple of beers,” Anna says. “That way we won’t look suspicious just hanging about. We’re already causing enough of a scene.” She indicates the dozen men gawking at our group.

Penny nudges me. I sneak a peek and watch as Will hands Rochelle her drink. She proceeds to lick the edge of the glass, all the while keeping her gaze fixed on Will. I cough into my shoulder to stifle a laugh.

“When do you get off?” she says suggestively.

Will looks like he can’t believe his luck. And
I
can’t believe how Rochelle can say something like that without cracking up.

“It’s pretty quiet. I can get the guys to cover for me.” He practically jumps over the counter. “Where do you want to go?”

“How about your place?” she murmurs.

“Sure thing, doll. Let’s go.”

“Hang on, let me just say goodbye to my friends first.”

“Cool. I’ll see you outside.”

Will disappears out the back, presumably to get his wallet or whatever it is that guys need to do before a hot date.

Rochelle hurries back over to us. “Done. Now you better freaking follow me. I’ll need back-up as soon as this is over.”

“We’ll be right behind you, we promise,” Penny assures her.

“You owe me,” Rochelle says, running a finger down my face.

I shiver. I don’t know what she has in mind, but she does deserve a medal for her part in this crazy charade.

“I’ll phone your number when I’m in the car and leave the call open,” Rochelle says. “That way, you can listen for any clues and get the tape right away if he says anything.”

“Great. Thanks, Rochelle. I really appreciate this.”

She lightly kisses me on the cheek. “I know you do. But I’m also doing this for all the chicks out there. We need to stick together.”

Will reappears, so I quickly turn away while Rochelle allows him to usher her out.

I suddenly have an attack of nerves. “Do you think this is going to work?” I ask Penny.

“If anyone can do it, Rochelle can.”

“That’s true.”

We all squeeze into Penny’s car. Anna also brought hers, but we decide to leave it at the bar to avoid looking suspicious.

A minute after we’ve driven off, my phone rings. I click the answer key and mute it at my end. It’s a bit fuzzy, but we can just make out what’s being said over the car noise.

“So, what do you do?” Will asks Rochelle.

“I’m a model,” she says in a breathy voice.

“Really?”

I want to gag. Will is so desperate. I’d be surprised if he ever managed to get laid.

“Yeah. Today I did a shoot for Victoria’s Secret.”

I giggle. “That’s perfect!”

“Oh, this is nothing,” Penny says. “You should see when she’s seriously determined to hook up with a woman. It’s scary.”

“I can imagine.”

When we reach the house I shared with Will and Brad, I feel a pang of nostalgia. It’s so strange being back here.

Will drives his beat up old pickup truck into the driveway before racing around to open the door for Rochelle. She feigns appreciation, but I can see her anxiously scanning the street to see if we’re nearby.

The house is on a hill, so the first level is easy to get into if you go around the side.

“The living room is over there,” I tell the girls, pointing to the right. “Will’s room is beside it.”

I tiptoe through the yard, seeking cover in a hedge. I can see Will turning on the lights inside and offering Rochelle a drink. I want to stay out of sight as much as possible, so I position myself under the window. I’ll only peek if necessary.

I wave the other girls over to a corner of the yard, just close enough so they can come to the rescue if needed. The phone is still open, but I turn down the volume slightly so Will won’t hear the call echoing if he should come over this way.

“It’s hot in here,” Rochelle says. “Do you mind if I open the window?”

“Go ahead. I’ll make us a couple of cocktails.”

“That sounds divine.”

A few seconds later, she slides the window open. She sees us lurking in the dark and gives us the OK symbol.

“I’ve told you what I do. What is that
you
do?’ Rochelle asks Will.

“Oh, I’m actually in PR. I was a publicist actually, but I quit because my celebrity client was a nightmare. I’m just working at the bar to help out a friend, but my real job is at a place called Whitaker and Jones. You might have heard of them.”

Liar! I mouth. Whitaker and Jones is one of the most exclusive PR firms in the city and it happens to be run by two very vocal feminists. There’s no way they would have employed Will.

“Ooh. I’m not very good with those kinds of things. I spend so much time traveling overseas, I don’t really get a chance to keep up with pop culture here.”

“Is that right? Well, aren’t you a breath of fresh air?”

“But I do like to watch a movie to unwind every now and again,” she adds silkily.

“What do you like to watch? Wait, let me guess. Romantic comedies.”

“Oh, God no! I’m not talking about your PG-13 kids’ stuff. I mean something a little more…adult.”

“I like your style. I have a whole selection for you to choose from.
Shaving Ryan’s Privates
…
Ocean’s Eleven Inches
…”

“I’ve seen those.” It’s quiet for a moment. “I’ve seen all of these,” she says, sounding pouty. “Do you have anything fresh?”

He doesn’t say anything for a second. “Actually, I do have something new…” he begins hesitantly. “Have you ever heard of Gia King?”

“Who?”

“That chick who used to be married to Jack Dean. Went by the name of Kahlua for a while?”

“Oh, kinda. My friend Tracey might have mentioned her one time.”

“I have a brand new tape of hers. It hasn’t even been made public yet.”

“So how do you have it?”

“I’m good friends with her. She asked me to distribute it.”

“So no one else has a copy?”

“Nope!” he crows. “Just me.”

“What about the people who shot the film? Wouldn’t they have a copy?”

“I’m not stupid. I’m not going to let a bunch of strangers keep it so they can leak the film for their own profit. I have the only copy here on this memory stick. And also backed up online.”

Hmm. I guess I can focus on the memory stick first and worry about the back-up later.

“Can I see it?” Rochelle asks.

“Sure thing. I just need you to swear you won’t tell anyone about it until it’s made public.”

“I don’t even really know who this Gia is. Would anyone care?”

“Damn right they would. Do you want to see it or not?”

“Go on then.”

I sneak a look, and watch as he goes to the TV and plugs a small memory stick into the media player underneath.

After a moment, the screen lights up with a grainy scene of Gia and some seedy Ron Jeremy look-alike lying naked on a bed. I have to avert my eyes. It doesn’t feel right watching something like that.

“Ooh, you’re right. I haven’t seen this before. Who’s the guy?”

“I don’t know. Just some dude.”

They watch it for a few moments while I try to ignore the fake sex noises coming from the TV. Then I notice Rochelle pretending to fan herself.

“You know, this is really getting me in the mood. Do you think we should move this to the bedroom?”

“You read my mind.”

“I might just freshen up first. I’ll meet you in there in a second.”

He races off to his bedroom. I can just imagine him quickly stripping down naked and throwing himself on the bed. Gross.

Rochelle whispers into the phone. “I’m going to grab the memory stick and throw it out the window. Are you ready for it?”

I unmute the call temporarily. “Yes! I’m still just outside the living room window.”

I wait while I listen to her shuffling around.

“I’m ready!” calls Will.

“Just a second!” she squeaks in reply.

There’s a bit more shuffling. “Hurry up!” I whisper.

“Shit! It’s stuck!” she hisses.

“What do you mean, it’s stuck?”

“I don’t know. I’m trying to open the TV cabinet, but the door won’t budge.”

Oh! The cabinet has a sliding door and it sometimes comes off the runners. That must be what she means.

“Go and stall him. I’ll sort it out,” I instruct her.

“Hurry!” she says urgently.

I sneak around to the front door and use my spare key to get in. I’m glad now that Brad let me keep it. I press myself up against the walls as I peer around the corner to check whether the coast is clear. I feel a bit like James Bond.

Rochelle totters prettily towards Will’s room, staying in character the whole time. I know I have to act quickly so she doesn’t have to actually go through with anything. Poor girl. I
will
owe her big time.