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CHAPTERTHREE
“Audrey! Audrey! Wake up!”
It’s Victoria’s commanding voice ringing through my ears as she slightly shakes me. I groan, my head still dizzying from my initial fall. Last time I fainted was when I was fourteen. I had been lining up all day with one of my friends from school, just so we were first in line for a concert we went to see. We were both desperate to be near Maroon 5 once they came on stage. Trouble was, I had hardly eaten or drunk anything, resulting in me passing out. Suffice it to say, I missed Maroon 5 completely, so the effort was wasted. I thought I had learned my lesson from then on, but obviously not.
“Do you think we should call an ambulance? She might be having one of those preliminary nepotisms!”
“Trent, what the hell are you talking about?” Victoria grumbles. “She only fainted.”
“But I heard they can make you faint.”
“I’m okay, guys. Seriously,” I reply, moaning as I open my eyes. Victoria, Trent, and Jason are hovering over me, all with worried frowns on their faces. “I think I just became overwhelmed a little. That’s all.” I start to push myself up and everyone lends a hand to help me. “Thanks,” I say, a little woozily.
Victoria blows an imaginary piece of hair away from her face. “You scared the crap out of me.”
I offer her an apologetic look. “Sorry.” I then turn to Trent, who has his hands tightly wound together. “Preliminary nepotism?” I ask, trying to raise a smile.
Putting his hands down, he shrugs. “That’s what they’re called, aren’t they?”
Laughter bubbles from my chest. “Not quite, but I did at least know what you meant.” Just as I say this another customer walks up to the counter. I go to move, but Victoria halts me.
“I got this,” she says before turning to Jason. “Go get Audrey a glass of water and instruct her to sit down for five minutes. She has been on the go all day.” She then looks back at me again. “And I bet you haven’t eaten anything yet, have you?” Feeling ashamed, my eyes downcast. “God, Audrey, no wonder you fainted. Trent, go get her a pastry, will you? I’ll deal with the customers until she feels better.”
I smile at the situation. I’m the boss, yet I’m the one being bossed—a point made even more by both Jason and Trent practically dragging me to the back of the shop and forcing me to sit down. One by one, they fetch a glass of water and a strawberry Danish, instructing me not to move for a while. I do as they ask as quite frankly, I’m still feeling beat. I take my time watching them all as they deal with the few late-morning customers and minute by minute my head starts to clear.
An hour later the lunchtime rush hour hits, and I don’t manage to leave the shop until after seven. I have just enough time to pick up a frame for my autograph before heading home, showering, and then rushing back out to my birthday party.
I’m fashionably late to the restaurant, my hair all tousled from rushing, and my black figure-hugging dress riding up from running all the way here. The song “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” by The Police is playing through the speakers and all the stress quickly disappears when I spot Victoria shouting my name with a glass of champagne held high in the air for me. I smile, making my way towards Victoria, Trent, Jason, and my mom, all waiting patiently at the table.
“Here’s the birthday girl!” Trent sings as I approach the table.
My mom quickly gets up and kisses me on the cheek. “Happy birthday, darling. I got you this,” she says, handing me a smallish rectangular box with a smile.
I take it from her hand, smiling gently, noting her tired eyes. Although my mom looks healthy enough, there isn’t a day that goes by that she doesn’t miss my father. It’s both beautiful and tragic. I would love nothing more than to have a love so potent that I still grieve the loss nine years later as if it were yesterday. But then to live with that loss after… I’m not sure I would want that. She once admitted to living only for me. The knowledge of this hurts my heart.
“Thank you, Mom.”
I make a move to open the present when Victoria’s voice halts me. “Guess who’s going to the premiere of the most famous Hollywood heartthrob’s new movie tomorrow night?”
I glance up, noting that Victoria is addressing my mom. My mother looks to me, then back at Victoria. Her eyes light up once she realizes, her gaze now back on me. “Really?”
With a huge grin, I nod my head. “Really.”
Her delicate hand wraps around my arm, giving it a small squeeze. “Oh, Audrey, that’s fantastic. I know how much you love him.” She turns her gaze to Victoria. “What a lovely birthday present.”
Victoria waves her hand. “Ah, it was a group effort. Me, Trent, and Jason chipped in.”
“Are you bringing someone with you?” my mom asks, her eyes questioning me.
Before I can answer, Victoria says, “One ticket was all that was left, unfortunately. We sat by the laptop counting down the timer until the tickets were on sale and then poof, by the time we ordered there was only that one ticket left.” Her disappointment at that quickly disappears as she waggles her eyebrow. “But there’s more.”
My mom glances around the table, eager to know the answer. “What is it?” she screeches, excitement in her voice. The tone of it is infectious, causing everyone to laugh. In that moment, my mom looks so carefree. Not often do I get a glimpse of happiness that once shone constantly in my mom’s eyes, so when it does come, I cherish every sweet moment of it.
“Eli Prescott came into the coffee shop today and had quite the conversation with Audrey.”
My mom turns to me, her eyebrow raised in question. “You did?”
I open my mouth to answer, but in usual Victoria fashion, she interrupts me. I don’t mind so much. I thought I was excited over meeting him, but obviously Victoria seems to be living vicariously through me.
