Seeing Stars (The Celebrity 1)

“I finished looking over all the contracts and everything looks good. The addresses are correct and so are the dollar amounts.” I gripped the printed papers tightly in my hand.

“Great. Send them over to the legal department and cc me on the e-mail. Did you get ahold of Paige yet? I need to see her today. Ten minutes ago, actually.” He raised his head to stare at me and gave me an all-too-familiar look of disapproval.

Jayson constantly acted as if I were some inept idiot who couldn’t handle the simplest of tasks, when I knew damn well that I was the best assistant he’d ever had. Everyone in the office used to tell me that. Hell, they still did.

“I’ll call her right now.” I forced a small smile before turning away and rolling my eyes. It was hard for me to put up with crap like this from my boss when I knew I didn’t deserve it. But I figured I was still paying my dues, and one day I wouldn’t be working for him anymore, I’d be working with him. And then he couldn’t treat me like shit because he wouldn’t be my boss.

Sitting at my desk, I forwarded the approved e-mails to Legal before scrolling through my contacts for Paige Lockwood’s cell phone number and giving her a call. Thankfully her schedule was open for the day, and she planned on making it in before lunch. At least that would make Jayson happy and maybe he’d be in a better mood.

But as for me, I now needed to reschedule his appointments to make room for Paige’s impromptu visit. You’d never hear me complaining that life in the office was dull.

• • •

Paige arrived right on time and I was thankful for her considerate behavior. So many of the talent we represented didn’t care about anyone else’s time but their own. When they said they would be at the office before lunch, that didn’t hold any weight. Talent lived by their own rules, their own schedules, and they rarely apologized to anyone. But Paige was different. She was kinder than most and never treated me as if I were beneath her.

“Hi, Madison.” Her voice was pleasant and even with no makeup on, she looked beautiful. Paige was one of those naturally pretty girls. I guess you had to be in this business.

“Hi, Paige. He’s waiting for you.”

“What’s he all wound up about? Do you know?”

I shook my head and smiled. “I have no idea. Good luck.”

She took two steps away from me before stopping and turning back. “I almost forgot.” A wide grin spread across her face. “Walker called me this morning. He asked me about you.”

My eyes got big. “How did he know that we knew each other?”

“Well, he didn’t. He called me at first to ask if I saw the part of the show last night where he brought you onstage.” She angled closer to me before looking around for prying ears, and lowered her voice. “That was really hot, by the way. You two were electric up there.”

My cheeks heated at the mention of our interaction. “And?” I asked, pushing her to continue.

“I told him that I saw it and asked him how he could embarrass you like that in front of all those people. He freaked out when he realized that I knew you. He wouldn’t get off the phone with me until I gave him your number.”

“Is that how he got it?” I asked as my jaw fell open.

“I only gave him your office number. That was okay, wasn’t it? I’m sure he’ll be calling you.” She tightened her lips and scrunched her shoulders in an apology. “Honestly, I didn’t think you’d mind.”

I sighed audibly. “He’s already called.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised. He was really determined to find you. What’d you do to him anyway?” Her face softened as she let out a sweet laugh.

“I have no idea. But you can tell him I’m not interested.”

She opened her mouth to respond when Jayson yelled, interrupting our hushed whispers. “Paige? Get in here! Leave her alone, Madison, we have business to discuss. And shut the door!”

I should be used to getting blamed for everything, but it still rubbed me the wrong way. Paige mouthed “I’m sorry” as she turned away and closed the office door behind her.

• • •

I managed to leave the office before seven p.m., but not before Paige informed me that she wasn’t the only person Walker had called trying to find me. By now a lot of people knew that he was looking for me, and it was only a matter of time before he showed up at the office if I kept ignoring him.

Unsure of what to do with that information, I begged Paige to tell him I wasn’t interested. She tried to tell me that Walker was a good guy, but I had actually laughed in her face upon hearing those words. Paige swore it was true, but I just shook my head. With all the accounts and photos in the tabloids and on the gossip websites, there was just too much smoke for there to be no fire.

By the time I arrived home that evening, Keri was just getting out of the shower. With her long hair wrapped up in a towel, she shouted at me, “I’m dying to talk to you. Don’t you dare leave the living room until I come back.”

Chuckling to myself, I walked into our kitchen and grabbed a diet soda from the fridge before plopping down on our black leather couch. My stomach rumbled as I waited for Keri to come back and hound me with a million questions about Walker that I wouldn’t have the answers to. But I was anxious to hear her thoughts.

“Okay, I’m here.” She panted, out of breath as she sat next to me. “Ooh, give me a sip of that,” she said, reaching for my soda as I reluctantly handed her the can, knowing from experience that telling her to get her own never worked. “I only want a sip, not the whole thing,” she would say every time.