was so much better. This was the unedited version.
One lens was focused on Sophia now, and one on her sister. Sophia let out a high-pitched squeal.
“Oh my God, sis!” Sophia cried, holding out her hands. “What are you doing here?”
Madison paled. The hand holding her pink drink trembled a little, and she quickly set the glass on the table. Kate saw her willing herself to smile. “Sophie . . . ah! I might ask you the same thing!” Madison stood up and gave her sister an air kiss on each perfect cheek. Then she stepped back. “You look good,” she said. “But what’s that in your glass?”
Sophia beamed. “Nothing but Pellegrino, sis. Scout’s honor.” She drew an X over the plunging neckline of her dress.
“Well, sit down with us,” Madison said, sinking to the couch.
From her vantage point, Kate could see how rattled Madison was. But she was a pro—she acted as if running into the fame-seeking sister who’d humiliated her in front of the whole world was no big deal at all.
“Don’t mind if I do.” Sophia sat next to Madison and crossed one lovely leg over the other. “I’m Sophia,” she said to Carmen.
Carmen introduced herself and everyone else, but Kate could see that Sophia didn’t care what their names were. Her blue eyes were bored, glassy. The only thing Sophia cared about was the cameras and whether or not they were turned toward her. When they were, her eyes came to life again.
“So—how’ve you been?” Sophia asked her sister.
“Amazing,” Madison said. “Totally amazing. But let’s talk about you. How was rehab? Did you get really good at Ping-Pong?”
Sophia leaned back, laughing, so the cameras could get a good view of her ample cleavage. “Only the mental patients play Ping-Pong. The addicts—we read magazines. Speaking of which, I kept looking for you, Mad, but I never saw you.” Sophia’s smile was sly now.
“Oh, I was in them, all right,” Madison said. “One of my fans must have cut out all the articles about me to put in her Madison Parker scrapbook. I’m told that happens a lot.”
Nice, thought Kate. Madison was well trained in the art of the rejoinder, that was for sure.
Sophia snorted. “Yes, I’m sure that’s exactly it. So—come on, tell me. What are you up to these days?”
“Loving life,” Madison said simply. She finished her drink and then stood. “Well, it’s been fun, you guys. Soph, so great to see you again! But I’m going to head home. I’ve got a big day tomorrow. Gaby, you want a ride?”
“Okay,” Gaby said, which was pretty much the first thing she’d said all evening. She’d been too busy scoping out the crowd for unaccompanied guys to flirt with.
Madison air-kissed Kate, gave Carmen a wave, and then she and Gaby exited, one of the cameras following them. And of course once all the cameras left (after they got a sad-looking reaction shot of Sophia), Sophia did, too. She didn’t even bother to say good-bye; she just evaporated into the crowd.
“Wow,” Kate said. “That was kind of uncomfortable.”
“Yeah . . .” Carmen agreed. “Couldn’t have happened to a nicer girl. Now, come on. Let’s get rid of the mikes and have some fun.” Both girls tugged off their microphones and spotted a PA to hand them off to. Then Carmen grabbed Kate’s hand and pulled her toward the bar. They hadn’t gotten more than ten feet before someone reached out and grabbed Carmen in a big bear hug.
“Jake!” Carmen squealed, hugging the tall, dark-haired guy back. “Long time no see! How are you?”
“Better now,” said Jake, winking. He was handsome in the way that so many Hollywood guys were: strong cheekbones, strong jaw, and strong arms. He was wearing a shirt that said Virginia Is for Lovers.
As the two of them tried to catch up, yelling over the noise of the crowd, Kate shifted restlessly from foot to foot. Carmen had introduced her to Jake, but Jake only had eyes for Carmen. And Carmen was lapping up the attention, Kate thought. Maybe she’d been wrong about her and Drew.
Jake bought them both drinks and they headed back to their table, where they were joined by another handsome, dark-haired guy named Drake (really), who could have been—but wasn’t—Jake’s brother. Drake kissed Carmen and shook Jake’s hand. “Bro,” he said, “haven’t seen you since that roast of whatshisname. How’s it going?”
Drake settled in and Carmen once again introduced Kate, who smiled mildly, not expecting him to give her the time of day.
“Kate’s my new friend,” Carmen said. “She’s an amazing singer. You guys have to see her.”
“Cool,” Drake said. “By the way, I finally saw The Long and Winding Road. You were awesome.”
And that was how it went for an hour: handsome but interchangeable guys rotating through their booth to greet Carmen and flirt with her, and Carmen happily flirting back. She kept trying to include Kate in the conversation, but she was the only one who seemed to care what Kate had to say. Eventually, bored of being the third (or fifth or sixth or whatever) wheel, Kate got up and went to find fresh air.
Toward the back of the bar was a patio area, which was uncrowded and quiet. White lights twinkled in the jacaranda trees, and she thought she heard the murmur of a fountain somewhere. She breathed deeply, enjoying the solitude. The bass from the club registered with a dull thump behind her. She finished her drink and set the glass down in a planter filled with succulents.
“They like it better when you give them a bit of the sauce,” said a voice behind her in a charming accent.
She whirled around, mortified at being caught hiding her empty in a plant. “Uh—well—” She cleared her throat. There was yet another handsome dark-haired guy standing there. Seriously, was there a special on them tonight? “I was just setting it there for a minute.”
He laughed and his white teeth flashed in the darkness. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell the manager. But it does look like you could use another drink,” he said.
She shrugged. “Yeah, maybe.”
“Don’t look so thrilled to be here,” he said, reaching out and giving her shoulder a friendly little poke.
She took a step back, unnerved to be poked by someone she’d never met. “Do I know you?” she asked.
He threw back his head and laughed for what seemed like a full minute. When he was done he said, “Maybe you don’t need another drink.”
“Why?” she asked, puzzled.
“I met you ten minutes ago. We were sitting at a table together? You know, with Carmen?”
Kate flushed a deep red and was glad it would be too dark for this guy, whoever he was, to see that. “Oh my God, I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t realize—”
“I’m Luke,” he interrupted, holding out a hand for her to shake.
“Oh, right, sure,” Kate said. “I’m—”
“You’re
