Idolized (Hollywood Stardust Book 3) (9 page)

ROXY

(Sighs)

Back in the day when we were out here trying to become actors, who would have ever thought you would have ended up a rock star?  Strange how things work out.

WILLIAM

It wouldn’t have happened without you. You were always there in the sidelines waiting for me.

(He rubs her shoulder and kisses the top of her head.)

ROXY looks up at him and WILLIAM gives her a deeper kiss.

WILLIAM

(Pulls back and presses his hand to her cheek.)

Tell me that you’ll always wait for me.

ROXY

Would you wait for me?

WILLIAM

I did and always will.

(He kisses her.)

FADE

Chapter Four

“I SAY WE TAKE ADVANTAGE of this good fortune.” Heather Lewis, Chargge’s Director of Corporate Communications, typed away on her laptop. “We have momentum now.”

Cora wasn’t sure if she would call the Ryder situation good fortune, but her team certainly seemed excited about it, and she and Ryder did have momentum, though she didn’t think that needed to be discussed in their meeting. She also wasn’t sure why they were having a meeting. The only meeting she needed was with one Ryder Scott to keep…well, to keep the momentum. Where was he anyway? He should be in the waiting room by now.

Giving into a moment of self indulgence, she opened up a new window on her browser and checked one of her on-line auctions. One of her favorite auction sites just opened up a whole lot of memorabilia from her favorite musical,
Kiss Me Slowly
, a little fairy tale of a story, not much plot, some comedy, memorable tunes and an unlikely love story. She was still the high bidder on all the items, not that she doubted it for a second, but she did wonder what Ryder Scott items were worth. Maybe she could sell him, since he was proving to be useless.

The door to her office shot open and her secretary, Rodger, burst in. “I have your cold brewed coffee. I’m checking the auctions, don’t worry.” He held up her cup. “Also the Caine-Scott story is still trending on all media, and two of the network stations are covering it tonight on their entertainment shows, and the
National Reporter
just put up a picture of Ryder Scott leaving your place this morning. I called over to Chargge for them to pick it up.”

Rather than focusing on momentum, she focused on the missing man who left her apartment, and she stared at the clock with her mouth half open. The world seemed to be flying by her in weird streaks of color.  Viktor said Ryder would be here, then where the hell was he? With a sigh, she set her sights on her coffee, resisting snatching it out of her secretary’s hand.

“The key here is that there are about three people on the radar to take over the CEO position of Ultracom.” Viktor said and stood up to pace around the table. “First, we have Franklin Kryson, the typical choice, Ultracom’s CFO, a lifer with the company. Done good things, in fact he was instrumental in having Ultracom buy Chargge. He got married later in life, no kids, has a parrot.”

Though she knew this by heart, Cora nodded.

Viktor hit the remote and the screen changed to a plain looking man next to his plain looking wife in a smart pants suit. “Then we have Albert Feiss, CEO of another purchase of Ultracom, News Now. While this man didn’t create News Now, he was the one who put the company in the black, is known for being conservative. He has 2.5 kids, a dog, a cat, a wife, and his belt holds up his pot belly.”

Cora glanced between the pictures of the two men. There was no reason either one of them wouldn’t make a sound choice to lead a multi-billion dollar conglomerate. Honestly, this should be more than a popularity contest.

“Then we have the wild card.” Viktor stopped and motioned toward her. “The young woman who redefined how we receive entertainment news. The person who transformed the Internet. The girl whose roots lie in technology.”

With Viktor’s description, she sat up a little taller. That was right, she changed how people received information, and she deserved to head up such an enterprise. It didn’t matter that she didn’t have a husband and kids and a resume ten pages long. Actually, it also didn’t matter that she started a company in a garage and built it into something grand. Right now all that mattered was the fact she slept with a star. A star she hired. Technically, what she did was completely unethical. How could she live with herself?

“Up until last night, the only thing we had in our way was the lack of connection to the elusive woman,” Viktor said. “Her reputation as a straight-laced hard boss preceded her, made it difficult for the world to relate to her. However, now that she has proven she has a life, is like the rest of us, she will be the woman who changes how we view corporate America.” Viktor made his way behind her and put his hands on the back of her chair. “Here we have the makings of a superstar CEO.”

A shudder went through her and she shot out of her chair. “I had sex with someone who I’m not sure is technically an employee of mine and suddenly the world had opened up for me.” She spun on her heel to face Viktor. “I started my business from a blog about Hollywood movies and musicals and earned three degrees to create my company, but because I took Ryder Scott home with me last night and it somehow got documented all on a system that I help put into place, I’m worthy of a job that people would wait a lifetime for?”

Viktor held his hand out, and Rodger handed him her beverage. “Drink,” Viktor ordered.

She took a sip of her cold pressed coffee. “I really don’t think this was steeped for over twenty-four hours.”

“Drink again.” Viktor held the straw.

Fine, she took another sip.

“Cora. Listen to me.” Victor gave her the cup. “The world wants to have sex. The world wants to have sex with Ryder Scott. You lived the fantasy. Women want to be you, and men want to have sex with the woman who had sex with Ryder Scott. And if in the process that helps the world relate to you and get you the job you deserve, then just like everything else in business, we take advantage of it.”

She pursed her lips around the straw and drew up more of the liquid. At most the barista steeped the drink for twenty-two hours, definitely not twenty-four. “Well, we may have to go with some of my other attributes. Ryder is late.”

From behind her, Heather gasped.

If the man didn’t show, she would personally make his filming experience a waking nightmare, and that thought was exactly why she shouldn’t be sleeping with her sort of employees. “What else can I do besides have sex?” She stomped her foot.

The room took on an eerie silence.

Rodger took the drink from her hand. “I’m going to go downstairs and get you a fresh cup and ask Bruno to show me the timer on the coffee.”

She stared Viktor down.

“Golf,” Heather whispered.

Both she and Viktor faced her communications expert.

Heather swallowed and turned her laptop around.

On the screen was an image of George McAllister, current CEO of Ultracom, in golf clothes on a golf course with golf clubs. Not miniature golf either.

“It is known that Mr. McAllister is going to help choose his predecessor,” Heather said. “You know those others are going to get him on the golf course. I think you need to do the same. Play in his sand box, so to speak.” Heather pushed her computer closer but backed away.

“I’m more likely to end up in a sand trap.” Over the years she tried to learn the game, until the last time she ended up having to pay to have the green repaired after she got a little…competitive.

Without a word, Viktor went to the back of her office and opened the door to the closet, pulling out her clubs and her practice putting green.

After one more glance at the time she stomped over to Viktor and took the putter out of the golf bag.

He smiled and dropped a couple of golf balls at her feet.

“Get out of here and go find a tux. You’re my date for tonight.” She lined up her shot.

“I don’t do charity events.” Viktor chuckled.

“I’m done with stars.” She slammed her club into the ball. It careened forward and hit the far wall, leaving a mark. “Also call building maintenance.”

Viktor leaned down to her ear. “He operates on movie star time. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried.” She hit the second ball and created a second mark on the wall. Maybe she needed to envision something other than Ryder’s head when making her shot. “Go worry about how to keep up the momentum.”

* * * *

IF THE SKYSCRAPER IN CENTURY CITY that housed CC Enterprises could be the perfect stock photo of a high-rise in late afternoon, Cora’s office could easily be a movie set. A perfect representation of the successful young CEO, it was complete with a huge door to get inside, ultra-modern furniture in the waiting room, and a petite cute receptionist at the oversized desk.

The little spinner looked up the moment the door shut behind him, and she bit her lip.

It wasn’t every day Ryder Scott walked into any old office building, this much he knew. He struck a bit of a pose and did his best to catch his breath without making it appear as if he ran though the building to get here.

At last he sauntered forward to the long marble counter, the great separator from us and them, leaned over and peered at the girl over his sunglasses.

“May I help you?” Her voice shook and she let out a giggle.

Under different circumstances, he could get this girl back to one of his discreet hideaways and spin away the hours. However, this little one would net him nothing except a great orgasm. Considering he could have that and then some with the woman whose name was on the door, he took his smolder down to mere charming. He needed to save the heat for the woman who would most likely take him down for being two hours late. “The presence of my company has been requested by one Cora Caine.”

“Of-of-of course.” With her hand trembling, the girl lifted her phone. “We have a visitor for Ms. Caine.”

Not used to waiting, he strummed his fingers on the counter.

The girl glanced at him and her cheeks turned an even deeper red. “Yes, it is.” She nodded. “All right.”

Perhaps he should ask the gatekeepers if they knew how Cora actually meowed when she came, because he did, then maybe they would let him back into the inner sanctum.

Finally the woman hung up the phone and pointed. “Go straight back through the doors, Viktor will take you to Ms. Caine’ office.”

Really? No request for an autograph? No acknowledgement besides a blush and a giggle? He pushed his sunglasses up and opened his own door only to be met by a man who, if he wasn’t in the industry, should definitely consider a life as a character actor. The character: the guy that would quite literally beat the holy shit out of anything that got in his way. In fact, he might be perfect for the action adventure sequence in
Working Title
.