Holly Hearts Hollywood (18 page)

Grayson and Lacey actually color-coordinated their outfits. Lacey was wearing a shimmery gold gown, and Grayson’s tie was gold to match. It was so freaking adorable it made me sick. Not only because they were matching, but also because the guilt hit like a tidal wave. They were separated early on because Miranda wanted to introduce Lacey to a bunch of people. So, Grayson was standing around, looking lonely in his gold tie.

For whatever reason, probably because we bonded over the guitar this afternoon and there was residual guilt from a few days ago, we ended up chatting by the punch bowl for a long time. Was it out of an attempt to seem like casual friends? Or was this still part of his “make you trust me” plan? Maybe the punch was spiked or something. I’d never had alcohol before, so I had no idea how it’d feel. But right in the middle of Grayson telling a story of something that happened in seventh grade (I was actually there when it happened, but he seemed to have forgotten), Keller called me.

“Excuse me,” I said to Grayson, interrupting him mid-sentence. I put my hand up against my other ear and answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Holly?” I could barely hear Keller over the sound of Brad Paisley shouting at that girl from
Father of the Bride
across the room. “Where are you?” he asked.

“I’m at Miranda and Blake’s party.”

There was a long pause, and I thought he’d hung up. “Why are
you
there?” he finally asked.

“Lacey invited me,” I said as I stepped out of Kelly Clarkson’s path. That took a lot of self-control. Honestly—I kind of wanted to stand in the doorway and make her be friends with me, which is an elementary-school dream of mine.

“I can’t believe you hang out with that girl,” Keller continued.

I blinked. “She’s my friend,” I said feebly.

“She’s awful,” Keller said firmly.

My chest tightened, and I suddenly felt strangely defensive, as if he were talking about my mom or me. “You don’t even know her.”

“And I don’t want to.”

I sighed. “What do you want, Keller?” I was upset. He’s supposed to be my friend. He should text me encouraging things and ask me about my day when he calls. Even
Grayson
does that and I don’t even like him! Instead, I felt like I was fighting passive-aggressively with my grandma.

“Nothing,” he sighed. “You’re hanging out with your
friends
. I’ll call you later.”

And then he
HUNG UP
. I actually stared open-mouthed at my phone for a minute, as if it would magically apologize on Keller’s behalf. Grayson appeared beside me.

“Mad at your phone?”

“No, at my…
friend
,” I said cautiously.

Grayson was taken aback. “Your friend? That didn’t sound like a fight between friends. Are you sure he isn’t your
boyfriend
?” He said it teasingly, but his eyes actually looked a little sad. My guilt went from a tidal wave to a tsunami. I never thought I’d actually break a guy’s heart. I didn’t think Grayson was being serious when he said he liked me, but the look he gave me when he said “boyfriend” made me second-guess that.

“Oh, no, he’s just my friend,” I said quickly—probably too quickly, now that I think about it. I probably sounded suspicious. The last thing I need Grayson to know is that I don’t want to hurt his feelings.

Grayson sipped his punch. His lips were stained pink from the drink.

“Do I know the guy?”

I stammered. “Maybe, he’s an intern.”

Grayson raised an eyebrow.

“Intern? Is it Keller?” he asked.

“How’d you know?” Is this guy psychic?

“I’ve seen him…around,” Grayson said ambiguously.

I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but Mr. Salazar was at my side, out of nowhere, with a pained expression on his face.

“Holly, could I have a word with you?” He barely moved his lips when he spoke; he looked like a ventriloquist dummy.

I looked over at Grayson, as if I needed his permission or encouragement, and he raised his eyebrows, watching Mr. Salazar strangely.

“Is everything okay, Manuel?” he asked. I was a little stunned when Grayson called him by his first name, but I remembered Grayson is a Grammy-Award-winning artist. He can probably do whatever he wants.

“Yes, everything’s fine,” Mr. Salazar said quickly. He gestured for me to come with him, and I reluctantly followed. I was terrified he was going to fire me and put me on the first plane back to Iowa. It was a little cool outside on the patio, and I shivered. Mr. Salazar closed the doors behind us, and the noise of the party became a dull roar.

Mr. Salazar turned to me and sighed. My heart completely stopped.

“Holly, I’ve noticed that you’ve become close with Lacey and Grayson,” he said. His voice sounded extra-low and slightly menacing.

“Yeah, they’re my friends,” I said. I couldn’t believe I called Grayson my friend. After everything. I’d been trying hard to keep him at arm’s length; but apparently, it was useless.

Mr. Salazar crossed his arms.

“You might want to reconsider how close you are with Grayson.”

“What do you mean?”

“Grayson and Lacey are a powerhouse couple. The potential they could reach as a couple is unimaginable. They’re going on tour together, for heaven’s sake,” he said aggressively.

The punch in my stomach turned to acid.

“They’re going on
tour?
” I said feebly.

Mr. Salazar smirked.

“Your friends don’t seem like they confide in you, Holly.”

I’d made it a goal to not let anyone hurt me anymore, but that goal felt hopeless after he said that.

“They’ll tell me when they want to, not because they have to.”

“Look, Holly, you need to leave Grayson alone,” Mr. Salazar said flatly. “It’s in Shell Shocked’s best interest for Lacey and Grayson to be together, and I don’t want some…
intern
to get in the way of that.”

I steeled myself, the bile in my stomach settling a bit.

“What makes you think I could get in the way?”

Mr. Salazar rolled his eyes.

“Spare me, Holly. I see the way he looks at you. But the truth is, Grayson cares way too much about his career to jeopardize it by leaving Lacey.”

I ignored the jab. Does that mean I’m becoming more mature? I’d usually internalize something like that and dwell on it for ages. “I’m not going to start ignoring Grayson because you want me to.”

Mr. Salazar’s prominent brows furrowed, and his eyes darkened.

“I think that you’ve forgotten that
you’re
the one contracted to
me
. I could make your life very hard. I could make your friends’ lives very hard.”

I straightened my spine and looked Mr. Salazar in the eye. It was a verbal duel with an
ADULT.
I thought adults were supposed to be…mature and not get in bitter arguments with seventeen-year-old girls. I took a deep breath. “I’d like to see you try.”

WHAT ON EARTH WAS I THINKING
?? Mr. Salazar is a rich man and the president of a major record company. Worst of all, he could tell the world about what I do for Lacey. Although, that wouldn’t benefit him in anyway, so I doubt he’d do that.

Mr. Salazar looked at me without blinking for a few seconds.

“Fine,” he said. “If you want it that way, then you’ll get it.” He reached into his suit jacket pocket and took out his iPhone. “I’ll see you around, Holly.” He frantically tapped the screen of his phone as he left.

As the door closed behind him, I started to hyperventilate. I couldn’t believe that had happened to me. It was the kind of thing that happens in mobster movies—I was half-expecting someone to put a cap in my head.

The door opened behind me, and the noise of the party washed over me. I suddenly felt exhausted, and I didn’t want to deal with the party, much less anyone else.

“Holly?” Grayson said behind me. The patio door clicked shut. “Are you okay? You look very upset.”

I didn’t turn to look at him. To be honest, I’d never felt more confused. I thought I didn’t care about Grayson, so why did I let Mr. Salazar’s threats bother me? I could’ve said,
Fine
,
you can have the loser
.
I don’t care.

“I’m fine,” I said. “We needed to talk about my internship,” I mumbled. That lie belongs on my list of worst lies ever.

Grayson walked toward me, his eyebrows bunched in concern. “Why would the president of the company talk to you about your internship?”

I was trying to think of a better lie when Lacey burst through the patio doors. She swayed over to us with a scary amount of determination and interrupted us.

“Grayson,” she said sharply. “We’re out of here.” I almost threw up. Did Mr. Salazar talk to her?

Grayson’s eyes widened.

“What? Why? Hunter is going to be here in a little while.” He sounded like a child being told to leave the playground early. I also realized he was talking about Hunter Hayes, not some random dude named Hunter like I’d originally assumed.

Lacey took his arm with what seemed like a surprising amount of strength.

“Grayson.” She said his name with a razor-like edge. “We’re leaving right now.” The weird thing was, Lacey looked more scared than she did mad. She looked over at me; her eyes were wide and pleading. “Holly, please? Let’s go.” That was when I knew something else was up.

I nodded and headed toward the doors.

“Okay, Lacey.”

I was starting to wonder if someone had said something mean to her, or maybe someone had found out about me and my actual job. My palms started to sweat. I was developing second-hand anxiousness.

Grayson sighed. “Fine, we’ll go,” he said, but he didn’t do a very good job at hiding his distaste. Lacey was too distressed to roll her eyes. She called Karl on her cellphone, and I was unceremoniously dropped off at home in twenty short minutes.

I’ve been on pins and needles for the past half hour. What’s wrong with Lacey? Did Mr. Salazar talk to her? If he didn’t talk to her, what could’ve upset her that much? The only other time I’ve seen her that rattled was when we went to that charity event. Ugh. Today has been weird.

March 7
^th
, 9:00am—Home

Keller hasn’t called, Lacey hasn’t called, but two pictures of me at the party are in
USA Today
. I’m creeping in the background of both of them, but whatever—I’m in a magazine, it counts. I’ve decided to not let the one with John Mayer and Katy Perry in the foreground bother me. Who cares if I was spilling fruit punch on my shoes in the photo? I was in the picture, and I’m going to look on the bright side. However, I’ll never be able to wear those shoes again. They’re ridiculously sticky. Apparently, you can’t put satin shoes in the washing machine.

Lacey is in all of the best-dressed features in the news, and she was only attending, not performing. I’m worried about her though; it’s unlike her to not call me to celebrate over this kind of news.

Even Meredith and Amanda called to squeal over the photos. They now know I’m friends with Lacey, and it’s getting hard to explain how a lowly intern has managed to make friends in high places. Worst of all, I couldn’t even talk to them about my sort-of fight with Mr. Salazar. It feels like pretty much everything that’s going on in my life is some big secret. It’s starting to kill me.

“But if Lacey’s dating Grayson, does that mean you see him all the time?” Amanda asked me.

“I know, but he’s…he isn’t the same.” That was the easiest way to explain Grayson without telling them everything. I don’t like keeping things from my friends, but this isn’t something I can tell everyone.

Meredith made a rather un-ladylike noise. “Please. Guys like him never change.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” I said feebly. Why was it harder for me to argue with my friends than it was for me to sass Mr. Salazar?

“Meredith makes a good point, Holly,” Amanda said. “Why would a guy who was mean all that time change in a couple of years? I thought money changed people for the worse, not for the better.”

I paused. I was trying to talk on the phone and unpack my collections at the same time. It didn’t work out very well; I only managed to pull a couple of Precious Moments figurines from the depths of the packing peanuts.

“I don’t have all of the answers, guys. I’m being cautious, of course,” I said, obviously leaving the guitar lessons and the kissing unmentioned. “And it’s hard to avoid him; he’s always around. So, I need to live with it.”

I could tell Meredith and Amanda didn’t approve. My personal life is the only topic they both agree on. Other than that, they can’t even decide if they should watch
Parks and Recreation
or
Arrested Development
without needing relationship counseling. The Chipotle staff has witnessed their disagreements over chicken and beef burritos on more than one occasion, and, one time, they almost banned them for life.

“I don’t suppose your plane will have a layover in Iowa,” Meredith asked when I brought up my upcoming trip to New York for Lacey’s appearance on
Saturday Night Live
. Which until recently, I’d completely forgotten about. I didn’t even know I was
going
on the trip until Lacey’s assistant emailed me the flight information the other day.

“I wish! We don’t have any layovers at all.”

“I can’t believe you’re only an intern, and you get to go to New York,” Amanda said. She may go on and on about how much she hates celebrities and country music, but she was obviously jealous. I felt bad. Of all the people I’d want to go to New York with, it’d be her.

They wanted to keep talking for what felt like hours. Apparently, the star quarterback of the Cedar Junction Beavers was caught making out with his boyfriend under the bleachers during a pep rally, and it’s become a huge scandal. Amanda and Meredith are rather upset they’re not going to be Cedar Junction’s premiere gay residents anymore.

I had to make up some excuse to hang up, even though I technically have nothing to do. But I didn’t want to tell them I had to go so I could clean up the house for my sleepover with Serena tonight.