Free Absolutely Famous by Heather C. Leigh Page B

older man immensely and I’m flattered that he wants me to redesign another one of their nightclubs. Maybe work is what I need to keep my mind busy. I could sketch and come up with ideas while I’m in Vancouver, then work on it once D rew’s done filming. Maybe Drew could come with me to whatever city the hotel is in.
    “Sydney?” Jeff interrupts my errant daydreaming.
    “What? I’m sorry. Jeff, that’s wonderful to hear. I’m thrilled that Mr. Walton was impressed with my work. I can’t believe he would want to do another nightclub so soon after the first. And to think he wants me to redesign the next one as well, I just don’t know what to say.” I’m babbling, my thoughts coming faster than I can speak. Even though the party was a bust for me, working on the nightclub was a dream come true. Doing another one would be unbelievable.
    “Yes, well,” Jeff clears his throat, obviously hesitant to continue. “Would you be up for the job? You know, I mean, what with everything that’s happened since we last saw you?”
    I tense up. Jeff is referencing the incident at Drew’s premiere. The incident that will come up in just about every conversation I have for the rest of my life. I close my eyes and breathe in deep. Ben Walton is probably just worried about me. He sent flowers to the hospital and called to check on me. I never returned anyone’s phone calls, too depressed about the miscarriage to speak to anyone if I didn’t have to.
    “Ummm, yes I’m fine Jeff. I’d be up for the job,” I answer as calmly as I can.
    Don’t cry Sydney, and definitely don’t yell. You want this job. You need something to do so you don’t go crazy.
    “You know Sydney, after the party, I saw you on Late Night Report and found out who your parents are. Then I heard from my wife that you were dating Hollywood big shot Andrew Forrester. When she told me that, everything made sense. I finally knew why you weren’t impressed with the different celebrities or interested in dating Adam Reynolds,” he laughs.
    The fucker actually laughs!
    Jeff is one of those people who loves celebrity. He loves being around it, associated with it, the name dropping, the schmoozing, all of it. I hate it. The way Jeff gets when he’s talking about someone famous that he encountered, like it makes him special or better, makes me want to slap his smug smile into next week.
    He’s probably been dying to ask me about Drew. Honestly, he’s probably pissed that I never introduced them, not that I knew at the time that Drew was a celebrity. Even if I did, I still wouldn’t have told Jeff anything.
    “Yeah, well, like I said before, I don’t like Hollywood and I don’t care about celebrities. That still stands Jeff, whether people know who I am or not .” It’s easy for Jeff to think being famous is so great when he hasn’t had to live with the pain it brings.
    “I still think it’s crazy Sydney, to come from such a famous Hollywood family and not want to live the life. I’d be screaming it from the trees if I were you .”
    Yes, I know you would. Ass!
    “Anyway, I’ll email you the details and then you can arrange everything with my secretary Donna. She’ll get you set up with travel arrangements and a suite at the hotel so you can be on site as often as you need to.”
    “Jef f, which hotel did Ben choose?”
    “Oh, Ben did n’t choose, he let me,” he says with a hint of contempt in his voice. “I chose Vertigo, at the Warren Hotel in London, of course.”
    Of course he did.
    An hour later my laptop pings, letting me know I have a new email. After pacing around the suite since talking to Jeff, I race over to the desk in the living area to see if it’s from Donna. Finally! I sit down and click the envelope.

 
    From: Donna Ferrero
    To: Sydney Allen
     
    Sydney,
    Here’s your itinerary and ticket info for Vertigo, London. I hope you’re doing