Secrets of My Hollywood Life #2: On Location (10 page)

"I'm fine," I squeak. I'm the one who should feel uncom fortable tonight! Mrs. Meyers had to keep the pot roast warm after I got stuck on set. I was supposed to be off today, but Hutch rewrote another scene and I had to work. Then I forgot the tiramisu Nadine ordered from Sweet Tooth and she had to
deliver it
in the middle of dinner. I'm still embar rassed. I'm sure I'm going to fail the girlfriend litmus test.

"This tiramisu is delicious, Kaitlin!" Mrs. Meyers says, tak ing another serving. Mrs. Meyers told me she eats what she wants, stays slim, and never works out. Mom would be su per jealous. "You'll have to give me directions to that bakery," she adds.

"Of course." I shove a spoonful of the rich dessert into my mouth, happy to be talking about something other than my self. "Austin and I went there a few weeks ago and he liked it so much I had to get it for tonight." I reach for Austin's hand under the table. He rubs my hand softly and I get woozy.

"Isn't it good, Jack?" Mrs. Meyers prods her husband.

Mr. Meyers looks up from his
LA. Times
and removes his black wire-rimmed glasses. Austin had warned me that his dad reads the paper during dessert. Hey, at least he sits at the table.

"What? Yes, great," he responds absentmindedly Hayley looks just like him. They both have dark brown hair and are giants. The only trait Hayley shares with Austin are those magnetic turquoise eyes. God, do I love those eyes.

"Austin, remember those Neiman Marcus cookies Lori used to bring?" Mr. Meyers asks, referring to Austins ex who hated me. "Did you ever get the secret recipe? I loved those."

Now it's my turn to blush. Lori could cook? I knew she was popular, beautiful, and sporty, like Austins own family (Austins dad rushes from his day shift with the LA. police department to Hayley's school, where he coaches her soccer team!), but she could cook too?

"DAD!" Hayley scolds.

Mrs. Meyers purses her lips. "Really, Jack," she whispers.

"What?" Mr. Meyers looks at Austin and me with such a confused look that I want to laugh. "What did I say?"

"Um, no, Dad, never got the recipe." Austin coughs. "They weren't
that
good."

"Maybe you're right," he says innocently. "It was the blondies she made that I loved." Now I can't help but giggle.

"So where are you going tonight, Kaitlin?" Hayley asks quickly. She leans her bare elbows on the table and puts her hands under her chin, ready for a full explanation. She could listen to Hollywood fodder all night.

"It's a premiere for
Antarctica,
the new movie with Murray Scott," I explain to everyone as Mr. Meyers returns to the business section. "I wish I could stay but this movie was made by the studio putting out my Hutch Adams film, so I have to support it." I look at Austin apologetically. We had originally talked about starting our long overdue
Star Wars
marathon tonight.

"Why aren't you going, Austin?" Hayley asks.

"They only gave Kaitlin one ticket," he explains noncha lantly. "No biggie. Who wants to stare at Murray Scott's mug for two hours?" I think Austin was disappointed, but how was I going to explain why Drew was meeting me there?

"Murray Scott is so hot." Hayley counters. While the two of them argue, I peek at my watch: 7:15. I have to get changed before Rodney picks me up. I quickly excuse myself from the table and run up to Austin's room, where my dress is hanging in the garment bag Nadine brought along with the tiramisu. I unzip it and look inside. She's sent my new black LAMB slip dress. Black sequins cover the peek-a-boo bodice, which cuts off at my knees and is replaced by an inch of black feathers. Very 20s. After I dress and give my face a quick swipe of lipstick and mascara--I refused Laney's of fer for Paul and Shelly to help me get ready at Austin's--I begin to walk down the stairs gingerly in my strappy stilet tos. I'm on the second step when I hear the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it!" Hayley yells as she races from the dining room to the front door. She whips the screen door open. "Drew Thomas!" she practically chokes.

DREW???

"Hey, cutie," Drew steps into the doorway wearing a black suit, black shirt, and no tie. His dark hair looks wind blown.

"You're not Rodney!" I say accusingly. It was the first thing that came to mind.

Drew's smile turns to confusion as Austin appears. "No, he's meeting us there." Drew stares at his competition. "Carol told me to pick you up here."

"Carol? How did Carol know where I was?" I can hear myself growing hysterical.

Drew looks at me oddly. "Madison told her."

"WHAT?" Wait a minute. How did Madison get her hands on my schedule? I can only imagine how bad this must look to Austin's family. I'm being picked up at his house by
another guy.
Wait till I get my hands on Madison. And Sky. Sky is def initely behind this and I'm going to finally kill her.

"Can I have your autograph?" Hayley asks eagerly.

"Do you have a pen and paper, sweetie?" Drew asks.

"Nope. We're all out." Austin glares at Drew and just then Mr. and Mrs. Meyers appear in the doorway.

"Oh more company," Mrs. Meyers says in surprise.

"Have another date, Kaitlin?" Mr. Meyers asks with not a hint of jokiness in his voice. Gulp.

"I need ten minutes," I tell Drew, shoving him backwards out the door. "I'll meet you in the car."

"But we're going to be late," I hear him protest as I slam the front door shut behind me. I turn around and face the mob.

"Drew is not supposed to be here," I explain quickly. "Rodney, that's my driver," I tell the Meyers, "was supposed to pick me up."

"To meet Drew?" Austin interrupts. "I thought you were going solo."

"Uh, Hayley, let's give your brother a moment," Mrs. Mey ers says hurriedly and steers her daughter and Mr. Meyers away. Mr. Meyers looks back at me skeptically.

"No, they insisted the two of us go together since we're the stars of Hutch's new movie," I blurt out. "I didn't want you to get upset. It's not like I want to go with him. It's just work." Outside, I hear the horn honk. What the...? Rodney wouldn't honk at me. UGH! But Drew would.

"Your date is waiting." Austin opens the door.

Someone lays on the horn again and holds it. I have to go. Carol will freak if we're late for the red carpet. "I'll call you later," I whisper. "Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Meyers," I yell back into the house.

"You're welcome, Kaitlin," I hear her say. I'm not sure how to interpret her tone.

I lean over to give Austin a kiss goodbye and he offers me his cheek. I fight the urge to cry. I don't know what to say in thirty seconds that can change the awkward end to the evening. I turn carefully around in my three-inch heels and teeter down Austin's front steps.

nIne:
The Antarctica Premiere

When I reach the bottom of Austin's steps, I notice the car idling at the curb. It's an Escalade instead of a Lincoln. That's definitely not my ride! I open the back door and prepare for a fight.

"It wasn't me honking, Ms. Burke," the gray-haired driver says, nervously looking at Drew.

"What the hell is going on?" I ask the two of them angrily. "Where's Rodney?"

"Hi, Kaitlin." I hear a voice say. "This is Ashley, Carol's as sistant."

"Hi, Ash." Drew grins. He points to the car phone.

"Sorry for the change of plans, Kaitlin," Ashley says, though she doesn't sound apologetic. "Carol felt it would be better if you and Drew arrived together. Madison graciously told us where to find you."

"Did anyone alert my team?" I ask tartly. "My bodyguard Rodney was supposed to meet me here. He attends all my events."

"Someone will be meeting him at your pickup location shortly to let him know about the switch," Ashley reports. "He'll meet you at the premiere."

Carol tricked us! Laney is going to FLIP OUT I break out my Sidekick and begin to type as Ashley continues to talk.

"Make sure you pose for a lot of pictures and talk about what a great experience filming with Hutch has been," Ash ley is saying. "The premiere party will be at the club LAX. We'd like the two of you to go together and take photos with Hutch. Any questions?"

"Nope," Drew answers for us both. I bite my lip to keep from screaming.

"Great. Then I have some good news Carol wanted me to share," Ashley says as the driver cruises towards West Holly wood. "The two of you have been asked to cohost the Teen Titan Awards."

"Get out? Are you serious?" Drew hollers. "That's awe some!"

Even though I'm enraged, I stop pounding out a text mes sage to Laney and look up. I have to admit, that
is
pretty cool. I've never hosted an awards show before and the Teen Titan Awards are one of the most fun. Voting is done by real teens. I love their trophies: a beefy bronzed god or goddess hold ing a dumbbell.

Austin would have a blast at the Teen Titan Awards. But I guess he has to be speaking to me for me to ask him to be my date.

"Your publicists will fill you in tomorrow when they get details from Carol," Ashley says. "Have a good night." We hear a dial tone.

"Did I tell you we'd do great things together or what?" Drew says excitedly. He slides closer. "People love our chem istry! Why else would they ask us to cohost the Teen Titan Awards?" Before I can answer, my phone rings on cue.

"WHERE ARE YOU? RODNEY IS IN FRONT OF AUSTIN'S HOUSE WAITING FOR YOU AND YOUR BOYFRIEND SAID YOU LEFT ALREADY!" I fill Laney in.

"THAT LYING SON OF A..." Whoa. "I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN SHE WOULD PULL SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHEN I SAID YOU WERE ONLY GOING IF YOU AR RIVED SOLO!"

I feel nauseous.

"I bet they didn't even call Nadine!" Laney is saying. "What I want to know is how Sky's assistant got ahold of your schedule."

"You and me both," I wonder aloud.

"I've got to get to the bottom of this." I hear a dial tone.

"Did you know no one called my publicist and told her you were picking me up?" I ask Drew accusingly.

Drew shakes his head. He actually looks honest for a change, though he's so slippery it's hard to be sure. "You're with me now. They should be thrilled. The studio is."

"I don't care what the studio thinks," I snap, getting more agitated by the minute. Austin looked so upset and I can't even call him with Drew here.

"I get it. You're mad because I caused a fight with Arnold," he says. "What are you doing with that guy anyway? Sky told me he's in
high school.
" Drew shudders. "You need someone who understands our lives. Arnold can't." He moves a hand onto my bare knee.

"HIS NAME IS AUSTIN!" I yell so loud the driver slams on the brakes. Thankfully we're in front of the theater. "Let's get this over with," I say opening the door myself. The flash of lights is blinding, but I drag Drew away from the waiting paparazzi over to the press line. With a smile on my face the entire time, I answer every question they ask and try to keep Drew on track. ("Come on, Kates," Drew said in front of one reporter. "You can admit it. It's great to be together again." I quietly stepped on Drew's foot, digging my stiletto into his toes, and said, "It is onscreen.")

But once the press line is over and Drew and I are sitting in the packed-to-capacity theater's velvet-lined seats, I can't concentrate on anything but Austin. It's too risky to call him now and have a reporter overhear me sobbing my apologies into the phone, and I can't dis Hutch, who is sitting behind us, by getting up and leaving. So I sit there in silence, paying no attention to the heart-pounding thriller on screen--though the dramatic music does match my mood. I just want to go home.

"That movie was awesome," Drew says two hours later as we're dropped off at LAX, where
Antarctica
is having its pre miere party. "And it didn't have a tenth of the special effects we do. Our film is going to rock." Drew attempts to take my hand as we get out of the car, and I slap it away for about the nine hundredth time tonight.

"And wait till the sequel!" he adds, ignoring my foul mood. "We're going to pull in such big bucks they'll have to pay us triple to do the next one."

I don't have a clue what
Antarctica
was like, since I was thinking about Austin the entire time, but still, I wish I had his confidence. Constant rewrites, fighting on set, reports about the rising budget cost in
EW
...it's not looking good.

Drew flashes me the thousand-watt smile that makes fans faint. "Don't worry, Katie Bear. I wouldn't sign on with out you. I could always cool my heels on
Family Affair
till the next movie. You guys need some new blood on that show. You're getting stale."

"NAME," a beefy bouncer in a skintight black tee barks as we approach the doors to the club.

"Drew Thomas and Kaitlin Burke," Drew announces im portantly.

The bouncer scans the long list attached to his clipboard, then looks up at me and squints menacingly. "You're in. She's not," he says gruffly "Her name is not on here."

"That's impossible," Drew sputters as he waves over a nearby flack from Wagman. "Don't you know who she is? She's Kaitlin Burke! The star of
Family Affair.
My costar in Hutch Adams's new movie."

"Isn't Sky Mackenzie the star of
Family Affair?
" The bald bouncer asks with a slick smile, and that's when I notice his gold front tooth.

I forgot where we were! LAX is Sky's turf since her pal DJ Arachnid spins here. She must have had me banned. On any other night, I'd be pissed, but tonight Sky's doing me a favor. "No problem," I say happily, turning to leave. It's only 10:15. If I hurry, I can call Rodney (I stupidly told him to take the night off after the pickup mixup) and call Austin before he falls asleep.

A young woman from Wagman wearing a headset rushes to my side. "Kaitlin, we're SO sorry. She should be on the list. Let her in immediately," she snaps at the bouncer, flash ing her Wagman VIP pass. The guy sighs and holds open the door.

A flood of lights blinds us as we walk into the airport-themed dance space. There are mirrors shaped like airplane windows, an orb-shaped jellyfish tank behind the brightly lit bar, and a metal hangar door leading to an outdoor patio.