Star Power (6 page)

T
here was a problem. A pressing issue that had nothing to do with making over Nia or her domain had changed the game when Charly walked into the hotel. As soon as she checked in and retrieved her room key, she spotted Liam sitting in one of the lounge chairs in the lobby. His face bore a confused look of glee and uncertainty. One hand was on the arm of the high-back chair, the other rested on top of a large suitcase. Charly raised her brows in question, then she flared her nostrils. He'd been demoted from her list of favorite people since their conversation hours ago, and she didn't really feel like having a long drawn-out discussion with him about why she'd refused all of his calls after she'd hung up on him. She just wasn't up for it. Her feet hurt, her back ached, and her temples were lightly throbbing. Her day with Nia had finally come to a close, and she couldn't have been happier. Nia had been a task, refusing to give in. She'd turned down everything but the sunglasses, which she seemed to covet, and that was probably because she could hide behind them. After that, Charly had tried just about everything she could to get Nia to see things her way. But other than scouting for design ideas for her dad's office, she wasn't up for trying anything new. Clothes. Purses. Makeup.
Nothing,
Charly thought. She'd thrown Nia every bone she thought a teen girl would chase, and Nia had slapped them away, one by one, insisting she was happy the way she was.

Liam waved and pressed his lips together as Charly walked off the marble floor and onto the carpeted area. She padded toward him. “How goes it, love?” he asked.

“
Now
it goes better, I hope,” she said, releasing her weight into a chair across from his. She put up her feet on the circular table that separated them, and released her frustration in a loud exhale. “Everything I have hurts, and I can't wait to take it in,” she said, referring to going to bed.

Liam flipped over his wrist and looked at the face of his watch. He shook his head in the negative. “Too early, love.” He sat taller, then looked around. “Where's the camera crew? I've been waiting for them.”

Charly shrugged. “Who knows? I lost them back at the mall. They said they got all the footage they needed, then they bounced.”

“What?” he asked, startled. “They can't do that.”

Charly rubbed her temples. “Why not, Liam?”

“Because.”

Charly looked at him. He was so much smarter than answering a question with because. “That's not an answer, and you know it. Because what? Why can't they?”

He exhaled. “Because you're supposed to have a guardian. They're the only adults here. They can't just leave us alone,” he answered in clipped, frustrated sentences.

Charly laughed. “Calm down, pretty boy. I said they bounced, not that they up and left the country. I'm sure they just went to grab a bite or something. Besides, when did we ever have twenty-four/seven coverage? Everyone gets time off. We need to eat, sleep, go to the bathroom,” she said, gesturing with her hands as she spoke. “What are you afraid of? Being alone? Sounds to me like
you
need a guardian. Don't put that on me. I've been watching myself since I was seven,” she said, then thought of how her mother used to leave her alone. She shook her head.

Liam reared back his head. “Afraid of being alone? Me, Mr. Travel the Globe
Alone?
I'm not scared of anything, love. You can't be serious!”

Charly nodded, enjoying getting him riled up. He'd caused her blood pressure to rise with his “I'm single” earlier, and she was happy to return the unwanted favor. “We all have weaknesses and idiosyncrasies.”

“Well, if that's the case, my weakness is figuring out where to sleep tonight. Some pipe burst or something, and they've shut down every floor but this one and the second one, so there's no room for me.” He patted his suitcase. “And someone's losing their job behind this one. I can guarantee you that.”

Charly drew her brows together. “Either I'm tired or I'm just slow. Explain again.”

Liam sat up. “They messed up on the rooms. The studio. Your room and the camera crew's room are booked here, but who knows where I'm booked? The hotel and I called the other local hotels, and no one has a reservation for me. No one. And I called the studio and Mr. Day, and wouldn't you friggin' know it—he's in the sky somewhere, so, of course, his phone is powered down.”

Charly's eyes almost crossed, and not because she was tired. She couldn't believe Liam was making such a big deal out of not having a place to sleep. It was still pretty early, so there was plenty of time for him to arrange accommodations. “Don't worry about it,” she said, getting up. “Us sitting here talking about it isn't going to fix it.” She got up and stood in front of him, her hand on her hip. “C'mon. Let's go to my room.”

Liam's head shook adamantly. “No, love. No way. I'm not going to impose on you. Girls need space and, besides, it won't look good for us to be bunked together.”

Charly's eyes bore into his and she frowned. “Please, Liam. Stop it. It's not an invitation to sleep over, it's an invitation to get you out of this lobby.” She shrugged. “But if you wanna stay here and wait on the camera crew, be my guest. I'm out,” she said, then walked away, beelining to the elevator and jumping on. She pressed the second floor button, then mashed another to close the doors. She needed them to shut quickly. Charly wanted to make it to her room and lock herself in before he could change his mind about the offer. She didn't want Liam to be stuck in the lobby looking like a squatter, but, on the other hand, she didn't want him in her space either. It would end up being uncomfortable, she convinced herself. Their being so close without adult supervision or distraction wasn't smart, not after the way he'd been affecting her feelings lately.

The elevator shot up for a second, then halted smoothly. The doors parted. Charly stepped off and read the sign that displayed the room numbers, then followed the arrow to the left where hers was located. Rotating her neck, she tried to work out the kinks, and begged her feet to stop hurting. “I can't wait to get out of these shoes,” she said aloud, louder than she planned.

“Well, you should let me help you,” Liam's voice said from behind, making her jump.

“What the . . . ?” Charly said, turning. “How did you . . . ?”

Liam was walking toward her, rolling suitcases behind him. He made a face. “The stairs, love. I told you only the lobby and the second floor aren't shut down.” He looked down at his legs. “With all the working out and running I do, a flight of steps is easy. I brought your bags,” he informed, catching up to her. “You forgot to get them, and since I was coming up anyway, I didn't see the need of making the staff work.”

Charly crinkled her eyebrows together, then turned. Her room was only a few doors down, and she couldn't wait to get there. She didn't know how the chemistry thing between her and Liam would work out, but she could handle it. All she had to do was keep her emotions in check, she told herself. It wasn't as if she'd shared her feelings with him. Really, she wasn't even sure if they existed at all or if he just seemed more appealing, and alluring didn't necessary equate to real attraction.
Right?
she questioned herself, making it to the hotel room door, and sliding the card key in the slot until she heard the lock release.

Liam was behind her, reaching around and turning the door handle before she knew it. He pushed it open so Charly could enter. “Hurry up, love. I'll wait my turn.” He walked in, rolling the stacked luggage behind him, then made his way to the desk area in the corner of the midsized room.

“What?” Charly asked. “Hurry up and do what?” She followed in his footsteps, but stopped at the bed. She climbed on the mattress, then crawled her way toward the headboard, then released her weight onto the plush pillows. “Ahh,” she moaned, enjoying the cushioning. “Please don't say anything stupid, Liam. I just wanna lie right here. I'm
so
tired.” She stared at the ceiling, then shut her eyes, more exhausted than she'd realized.

“Me, too,” Liam said, his voice growing closer.

Charly felt the bed sink under Liam's weight as he climbed onto the mattress, but she didn't care. He could lie there for as long as he wanted, as long as he didn't interrupt her sleep. She felt an almost comatose state pulling her into slumber, and her head was getting heavier, becoming one with the pillow. It took all of her might to open her lids and glance at him beside her. Liam was on his side with his body turned in the opposite direction of hers. She watched as his shoulder rose and fell in millimeters, in tune with his breathing. She rolled over, facing away from him, then let her eyes rest. All she needed was an hour, she told her internal clock. In sixty minutes, she'd be up and ready for the world. “Three thousand and six hundred seconds . . .” she whispered.

 

Charly's eyes shot open, and she froze. She was surrounded by pitch blackness, and someone was shaking her. Her heart raced and adrenaline pushed heat through her veins. There was no way this was happening. She'd heard of lucid dreams, but this was ridiculous. She knew she could control herself if it were indeed a lucid dream, but could she also feel in one? “Stop it!” she said, covering her ears and kicking with all her might.

“Ouch!” the owner of the hand tapping her hip said in a much-too-familiar voice.

She sat up. “Liam?”

He started laughing. “Talk about a rough sleeper!”

Charly looked around, trying to make him out in the dark. Then she panicked. How long had they been asleep?

“Get up, love. It's almost daylight,” he said, answering her unspoken question. The lamp turned on, blinding her. Liam moved the clock on the nightstand to where he could see it, then groaned. He turned toward her and propped himself up on his elbow, then looked in her eyes. His expression was uncertain. “Well, I guess we spent the night together . . .” he said, his exclamation cutting through them both.

Charly's head dropped. They had spent the night together, but all they'd done was sleep, and she didn't even remember doing that. But if the studio heads found out—if anyone returned his calls and knew that Liam didn't have a room, and if the camera crew didn't see him in the lobby—that could be the end of the show, and they both knew it.

“It'll be okay, love. No one knows, and no one has to,” he said, getting off the bed. “I'm going to hop in the shower and get dressed. You can finish sleeping. I got some things to take care of, then I'll swing by and get you.” He opened one of his suitcases, grabbed some of his things, then headed toward the bathroom. “Oh, no.” His voice held a trace of woe. “Charly, love? There's a problem.” He made his way back to her, then held out a bright wrapper to her. “I guess someone slipped this under the door while we were sleeping.”

Charly yawned and stretched. “Liam, make sure you come swoop me as soon as you finish. I got a lot to do, starting with Nia,” she said, then took the wrapper from him, noticing it was ripped in half. Her eyes stretched in curiosity and panic. Someone knew she and Liam had spent the night together, and there was no denying it. The empty Skittles package with black marker written on both sides of it told her so, and she and Liam weren't the only thing it addressed.

C
harly drummed on the counter, then rang the bell. She'd been at the hotel reception desk for what seemed like forever, and saw no movement. She looked around, then made a full pivot in search of someone she could flag down. Surely, there had to be someone working. Though the town was small, the lodging was upscale, which should've equated to top-tier hospitality. But how could they provide that if no one was there to help her? she thought. With her body turned sideways, she reached back over and pounded the little button on the dome until the bell sang.

“How can I help you?” a dry familiar voice said. “I'm sorry if you were waiting. Have you been here long?”

She jumped a little because she didn't hear anyone approach. Charly turned, covering her heart to slow the racing, ready to turn on false charm, but then stopped. Heaven's emotionless face greeted her. Her makeup still looked like she was from an eighties rock and roll group, and her hair said her surname should've been Marley. Her gap-toothed sneer was cold. “Oh, hi, Heaven. I was just getting ready to walk around there to see what could've possibly been taking someone forever, which is exactly how long I've been here.” She swooped her hair from out of her eye. “Question?” she said.

“Answer,” Heaven replied, her face still stone. She mimicked Charly, and pretended to push hair out of her eyes.

Charly didn't care what Liam said the day before, she wasn't going to bite her tongue or keep herself in check. This Heaven girl clearly had something stuck up her rear end and was taking it out on the world, which would've been fine if Charly were from somewhere else, but she wasn't. She was down on earth and was more than ready to snatch Heaven back down to it. She shook her head and smirked. “Listen, Heaven, it's clear you don't like your job, but that's not my fault. And that's cool, you don't have to, but what you do have to do—what you're gonna do—is respect me,” she said, waving her finger in the air. “Or . . .” She stopped herself from threatening her, imagining how the headlines would read.
DIVA CHARLY FROM THE
extreme dream team
BEATS DOWN INNOCENT HOTEL WORKER.
“Or, I'll make sure you lose your job,” she said, then leaned on the counter and stared at an unmoved Heaven.

Another hotel employee walked behind the counter, giving Charly a pleasant nod. From his polished appearance and fine suit, Charly could tell he was the manager.

“What's your question?” Heaven asked, her tone barely different, despite her boss being present.

Charly squared her shoulders, then asked Heaven if she'd seen anyone or anything strange, inquired if any of the other hotel workers had, then relayed the story of something being slipped under her door. Heaven shook her head, then burst out laughing in Charly's face. “I've been here all night, and what do you think I've seen? Look around, and you tell me. Look at the people. Do
you
see anyone strange? There is a Sci-Fi conference going on.”

 

The small downtown area was crowded. Sci-Fi conference goers, she reminded herself, making her way onto the walk and looking toward the street for a taxi. She'd called Liam five times in two minutes and kept being sent straight to voice mail. She was growing irritated. It was still breakfast time, and already people were bumping into her, and not getting through to Liam wasn't good, not to mention being haunted by a candy company's product. The Skittles wrapper was burned into her memory and haunting her. She was still peeved from Heaven having the gall to laugh in her face. She looked around at the people costumed like they'd been featured in science fiction movies and television shows, and her irritation melted. She knew why Heaven had been so tickled. Just about everyone around them could've been classified as questionable if their outfits were taken into consideration. Still, feeling less aggravated or not, she wasn't comfortable. If whoever had slipped the candy wrapper under her room door knew that Liam stayed all night in her room, she was certain the studio could find out too, which would more than likely mean the demise of she and Liam being on the same show. But that was only the tip of her worry. Now she didn't feel safe in the hotel, and had to find a reason to be relocated. She couldn't just tell Mr. Day what happened because he might investigate, and then she and Liam's innocent night would be discovered and, probably, blown out of proportion.

“Over here, Charly,” one of the hotel employees called, waving his arm in the air to get her attention. “Can I help you with something? You look lost,” he said from by the curb.

Charly looked past two people dressed as aliens and waved back, then made her way to the hotel employee, hoping he could flag her a cab. She smiled, but still couldn't shake the thought of the candy wrapper and the message. Who was playing her? she wondered, walking and not paying attention. She had to get to Nia today, but she needed to hunt down Rory first. Rory was her key to everything, or so she'd said. Charly hoped Rory was right, and wasn't just fighting for the attention of whom she considered to be a television star, instead of just being there to help her friend.

“Whoa,” the guy said, his arm crossing her waist and pushing back. She was so lost in thoughts she'd almost stepped into the street. “I apologize, miss, but you almost stepped in the street.”

“Thank you,” Charly said, looking side to side. “I need a cab,” she said.

“Oh.” He pressed his lips together in thought, then ran his hand through his hair. His eyebrows crinkled and so did his nose. “Well . . . miss, we don't get that much traffic around here. We're not that busy and, honestly, we don't have a car service in
town
anymore. We don't normally have many visitors—this is even our first Sci-Fi conference, and that's 'cause of some book that used our name.” He nodded, clearly impressed. “But I can call a car for you, but he's coming from the town next door, so it'll take him a little bit to get here.”

Charly looked at her watch. She did need to get to Nia, but she had some time. “Okay. Please do that for me,” she said, then crossed her arms, waiting.

In seconds, he'd whipped out his phone and was talking to someone named Jake. His expression twisted again as he moved the phone to his side. “Sorry, Jake said he can't come today. The alternator died on his car, and Revy—the mechanic—she can't fix it until tomorrow. Jake said he can be here before noon though.” He extended the phone to Charly. “Wanna speak to him?”

It took everything Charly had not to roll her eyes. “No, thank you. Tell Jake I hope his car gets fixed soon,” she said, walking away, thinking the hotel worker had to be wrong. The street was filled with people; surely someone had to be providing car service. Besides that, there had to be public transportation, she thought, making her way to the corner in search of a bus stop sign. None was there, so she about-faced, speed walking toward the hotel.

“Anything else, miss?” the hotel worker asked, as Charly made her way back over to him.

She paused before she spoke, reminding herself it wasn't his fault that his town was on pause. “You guys do have a bus around here, right? I mean everyone has a bus, some form of public transportation.”

He nodded. “Of course, if you tell me where you're going, I can tell you how to get there.”

Relief coursed through Charly's veins. She whipped out her phone, found Rory's address, then handed it to him.

This time his face twisted like it was in a vise. “I can tell you how to catch the bus just about everywhere else but there. You can only get there by car. I'm sorry.” He gave back her phone.

Charly raked her fingers through her hair. This was going to be harder than she thought. “It's not your fault,” she reminded him and herself. She scrolled through her numbers, found one of the cameramen's numbers, then dialed. “No! Not straight to voice mail. I need to switch phone carriers,” she whined. “Is there no reception in this town?”

“Uh-um. Uh-um.” The hotel guy was clearing his throat. “I think I have a plan for how you can get a ride to where you want to go,” he said, pointing behind Charly. “My girl over there. She just got off and lives out that way. Maybe she'll take you.”

Charly turned around. “Oh, gawd,” she said. The guy was pointing to Heaven.