The Hollywood Effect (22 page)

I was taken aback a bit. “Um, thanks, Holly… so do you?” Was that the correct response when a girl told you you look nice, or they like your skirt or something?
Ugh
. I sucked at this.
 

“So are you and Liam together yet?”
 

Holly. Always direct, I’d give her that.
 

“No, Holly.” I sighed.
 
“We’re just friends. Just like always.” Be still my pounding heart. I grabbed a fresh glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
 

Holly bit her lip, looking relieved and nodded. “Maybe you can help me then?” Oh god, not again.
 

I waited silently.
 

“Is he… do you know if he’s seeing anyone else yet?”
 

I took a deep breath.
 

“Do you want to get back together with Liam?” I asked. I might as well be direct with her.
 

Holly blinked rapidly.
 

“I don’t know,” she said after a moment. “I miss him. We’ve met up a few times, did he tell you that? Anyway, I’ve really enjoyed it and I got the impression he did too. Has he said anything about me to you?”
 

“Um…” I floundered. What was I meant to say to her? I stared helplessly at her and then took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Holly. I can’t do this.”

Holly shook her head and it seemed like suddenly a different person was standing in front of me. Gone was the slightly vulnerable, sad woman. Back was the vivacious, confident movie star.
 

“Of course. I’m sorry I bothered you. Enjoy your stay in Los Angeles.”
 

I wanted to say she flounced off, but she was actually very graceful and poised. Why couldn’t I look like that?
 

I wove back through the crowded room to where Liam was.
 

“What did Holly want?” Liam asked me quietly, after the person he was talking to drifted off.
 

I looked at him. “Do you really want to know?”
 

He bit his lip and frowned. “Not really,” he said eventually. “She wasn’t mean to you, was she?”
 

I shook my head. “No, not at all.”
 

“‘Cause I know she can sometimes come across as a bit of a bitch even when she doesn’t mean it.”

“Don’t worry about it, she was fine. We can talk about it later,” I said as I spotted some more people headed our way. Liam smiled tightly at me and gave my arm a squeeze. My arm tingled where he’d touched it. I rubbed it self-consciously.
 

I blinked, my attention catching on a young woman who was floating through the party on the arm of a much older, and also familiar face.
 

It couldn’t be. I squinted, cursing my not so perfect vision.
 

“What are you glaring at?” Liam laughed into my ear. I jumped.
 

“I wasn’t glaring. I was just trying to get my damn eyes to focus. I think I know that girl. From uni.”
 

Liam looked in the direction I was staring.
 

“Which one?”
 

“The gorgeous brunette who kinda looks like a strange cross between Lindsay Lohan and Keira Knightley. In the black dress.”

Black dress didn’t really help narrow down the field, as half the women seemed to be in black, and most of the men. Liam seemed to realise who I meant though.
 

“The one with Nico Campana?”
 

“Yeah. Them. Him. I knew he looked familiar! What the hell are they doing together?!” I demanded in a whisper. Nico Campana had been in a bunch of movies when I’d been younger, and had been quite the looker, back in the day. I don’t know that I’d ever had a crush on him, but I’d liked him. I think he was on a tv show these days, but I wasn’t entirely sure - I didn’t watch a lot of tv anymore. Kat was just a girl in my teaching course. To say we were
friends
was a bit of a stretch. I’d been a bit intimidated by her, to be honest. She’d seemed so poised, and always well-dressed, and knew her Seixas from her Van Sledright by the second day of classes, and exuded a subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) sexuality that had half the guys in the course wrapped around her little finger, and a fair portion of the girls as well. Queen Bee. She’d always been nice enough though. I’d just never felt very comfortable around her. That probably said more about me than her, on reflection.
 

“They’ve been dating for a few months apparently. He and his wife split up, and next thing we know, he’s stepping out with her.”

“What a gossip you are,” I teased. “She’s only my age. Or younger. Campana’s got to be close to my dad’s age.”
 

“Mmm,” was all Liam said because they’d come closer. Kat must have noticed my stares, because her drifting gaze settled on mine when our eyes met. She did a double-take and then rushed over, leaving her older lover behind.
 

“Jen!”

“Kat,” I replied. She gripped my arms and went in for a kiss on both cheeks. I tried to reciprocate without being too awkward.
 

“What are you doing here? I didn’t expect to see you here! How have you been?” she said in a breathless rush.
 

“Yeah, I’m good. I’m just here with a friend,” I said, nodding towards Liam, who’d taken a step back to grab some delectable looking appetiser from a passing tray.
 

“How on earth…” A slightly ugly look flittered across her face, but then she smiled again, in Liam’s direction. I glanced behind me. He looked slightly startled, mouth full of whatever it was he’d just shoved in there. At least some things never changed. He’d always eaten like a pig. I half-snorted and then turned back to Kat. She was still eying Liam, a speculative look on her face that I wasn’t sure I liked.
 

“How did you get in with Liam freakin’ Burns?” Kat leaned in close and whispered to me.
 

I shrugged, stepping back slightly. “Luck of the draw?”
 

Kat looked at me quizzically.
 

“We grew up together,” I explained. “Next door neighbours. We’ve been friends since before we could talk.”
 

“Oh!” Kat exclaimed. She leaned in close again. “So you’re not… you know? Together?”
 

I shook my head. “Nope. Just friends.” I repressed the sigh that bubbled up. How many times was I going to have to say that tonight? Dan wouldn’t have this problem if he’d come instead. Of course, Dan wasn’t secretly in love with Liam. Well, at least not as far as I knew…
 

“Well, that explains it,” Kat laughed.
 

“Explains what?” I asked, before I could stop myself.
 

“Oh. Well.” Kat looked slightly flustered, as if her brain had just caught up with her mouth. “You know. Holly Monroe’s a pretty tough act to follow. I just assumed he’d be.. umm… never mind, it’s nothing.” Kat shook her head, her long blonde hair bouncing off her shoulders.
 

“You’re with Nico Campana? I hadn’t realised,” I said after a moment of awkward silence where we both just looked at each other. I resisted the urge to say something about Nico Campana’s wife being a tough act to follow. Well, ex-wife now, I supposed. Obviously I didn’t Facebook stalk my acquaintances often enough.
 

“Yes,” Kat nodded firmly, throwing a quick glance over her shoulder at where she’d left Nico. “We’ve been together for about six months now. It’s great. We’re so happy together.”
 

“Not teaching?” I asked. We had met while we were both studying to become teachers, after all.
 

“Oh. No, not really. I worked a bit last year, but I’ve taken this year off. Nico splits his time between the States and Melbourne, and he likes me to come with him. Who am I to complain?” Kat laughed airily again.
 

I smiled tightly. Nico came over to us and put an arm possessively around Kat, drawing her close to him.
 

“Nico, this is my friend, Jen. We were at uni together a few years ago.”
 

Nico nodded at me and stared intently at me for a moment, obviously trying to recall if he should know me. I could almost see the dismissal in his eyes. They soon drifted away.
 

“Pleasure to meet you,” he said, not even looking at me. His eyes were roving over the crowd. “If you two ladies will excuse me,” he said. “I’ve just spotted someone I wanted to have a word with.” He pecked Kat on the cheek and left us. I looked back at Kat, slightly bemused, but she didn’t seem phased in the slightest.

“Can you introduce me to your friend?” Kat whispered, throwing a meaningful look in Liam’s direction. He was leaning on the bar, nursing what looked like a scotch and chatting to Billy. I couldn’t see Lily anywhere.
 

“Sure,” I shrugged. What could it hurt? I didn’t think Kat was really Liam’s type. We manoeuvred ourselves over to the two men. The broke off their conversation when we joined them.
 

“Hey guys, um,” I started. “This is Kat. We studied teaching together at uni.” The men both nodded at her, Billy not quite able to keep his gaze away from Kat’s plunging cleavage.
 

“I’m Liam,” Liam said and held his hand out for her to shake.
 

“Yes, I know,” Kat tittered and seemed to stroke rather than shake Liam’s hand. He shot me a bemused look. I just rolled my eyes.
 

“Billy.” He held out his hand as well. Kat stared intently at him for a moment, and then gave him a much more traditional handshake. She turned quickly back to Liam and started gushing about how much she loved the film, and touching him far more often than seemed normal.
 

I excused myself, ignoring Liam’s pleading gaze.
 
I don’t think Kat even noticed.
 

Lily sidled up to me while I stood outside the ladies room.
 

“Having a good time?”
 

“Yeah, it’s great,” I said, mostly telling the truth.
 

“I saw Holly accost you before,” Lily all but whispered, glancing around us to make sure no one else was close enough to hear us.
 

“Yeah… that was kinda awkward.” I stopped. I wasn’t exactly sure what Holly and Lily’s relationship was. I didn’t have to wait long to find out, though.
 

“I was so happy when they broke up! She hated me and Liam being friends. Absolutely hated it. I don’t know why. She can be such a cow sometimes. Don’t tell anyone I said that!” She covered her mouth with her hands and I wondered how much Lily had had to drink.
 

“Of course, I was sad to see Liam so bummed, but, c’mon. He can do so much better than her.”
 

“Better than Holly Monroe?” I asked skeptically.
 

“Of course better than Holly. Just because she’s famous doesn’t mean shit. I should know. Listen, Jen. I like you. I know I’ve only known you for a couple of days, but I think I’m a pretty good judge of character. You’re real. I appreciate that. I’m around so many fucking suck asses and hangers on and people who just want to talk to you because they think you’re rich and ‘cause you are good at lying and make believe and have a pretty face. Which, incidentally has nothing to do with me. Thanks, parents.” Lily paused as a waitress walked by and yanked two glasses of bubbly. She handed one to me. I wasn’t entirely sure she needed another glass, but hey. Who was I to judge? I was loosing track of how many glasses I’d had. Probably too many.
 

“Anyway,” Lily continued. “You’re real. Liam needs a real girl, one who won’t let his head explode with his giant ego. Or get a giant ego.”
 

“Liam and I are just friends…” I said quickly, slightly shaking my head.
 

“Mmm. Yeah, you both keep saying that but, see, I’m not so sure about that.” Lily took a gulp of the champagne and a small burp came up. “Oops. Excuse me! I’ve seen the way you two look at each other,
 
when you think the other one isn’t looking.”

“What?” I knew I was guilty of doing that, but Liam? “Liam doesn’t look at me like that.”
 

Lily winked at me. “Uh, yah he does. Trust me.”

With that she giggled, drained her glass and bounced off. “You should go for it!” she yelled over her shoulder.
 

I shook my head, belatedly realising people were looking at me. Thankfully Liam wasn’t anywhere nearby.
 

I
 
went back to rescue Liam from Kat’s wily ways. He didn’t seem to mind the attention too much, but when he smiled at me, I realised that was his ‘real’ smile. The one he offered up to Kat was his polite, business smile. The realisation made me feel slightly fuzzy. Or perhaps that was just the champagne. I couldn’t be entirely sure.
 

Nico eventually came back to reclaim Kat. She insisted on getting a photo of the four of us, and roped Billy in to be the photographer. Liam put his arm casually around me, and Nico possessively clutched Kat to him. Poor Billy had to take four different photos before Kat was satisfied.
 

“Liam, you’re not looking!” Nico’s eyes narrowed slightly as Kat playfully slapped Liam’s arm. Once Kat was finally satisfied, she kissed me on the cheek again, and insisted we catch up again soon.
 

“Yeah, that would be great,” I lied.
 

An hour or so, and a few more flutes of champagne later, Liam stifled a yawn.
 

“How are you feeling?” he asked me. “Ready to go? Or do you want to stay a bit longer?”
 

The yawn was contagious. “I’m good to go if you want to. It’s your party,” I said with a slight shrug.
 

“You yawned,” he said.
 

“Only because you did.”
 

“Well, that settles it then.”
 

It took us twenty minutes to do the rounds, saying goodbye to everyone Liam needed to.