Strike a Pose (Blame It on Fame #1)

35. Riley

Chapter 35

Riley

U nknown Number: Hey it’s Heena Badahl

Me: Proof?

A photo of an all-business Heena holding today’s newspaper comes through. Damn, she’s intimidating.

“Hey, Ethan, look at this.” I tilt the phone toward him. Currently, the guys and I are getting drunk on a boat in the waterways surrounding Virginia Beach, where we’re playing a show tomorrow night.

“No fucking way,” Ethan says over my shoulder, jaw practically on the floor.

Heena: I see Willow taught you a thing or two.

Me: Haha. Yes. What’s up?

Heena: I noticed you’re playing in New York next week. What are the odds you could get me two tickets?

Me: Wow, Heena, I didn’t know you were such a fan. Want an autograph, too? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody that you’re a secret fangirl.

“Dude, she’s not going to like that,” Ethan warns.

Heena: ??

Heena: I was going to surprise Willow with them, jackass. But nevermind, I think I’ll surprise her with tickets to a Knicks game. I know Lance Davies has a huge crush on her, he’ll hook me up with floor seats.

“See, I told you.” Ethan laughs. “Fuck, Lance Davies? Good luck competing with him, dude. That guy drops panties like nobody’s business.”

“It’s true,” Nash adds from behind the boat’s comically large wheel. “He’s slept with Seraphine De Luca and Isolde Vega. That’s the type of power that guy has.”

“And he’s like seven feet tall, isn’t he?” Waylon adds, cracking open another beer.

“Y’all shut up, or I’ll push you overboard,” I growl, sending Heena two VIP tickets for my Brooklyn show next week as fast as humanly possible.

Luckily, there’s some wiggle room in ticket numbers for each show so that the guys and I are able to squeeze in a few guests of our own if need be.

Me: So you don’t want an autograph, then?

Heena: Nope. Thanks for the tickets, though. I’ll text you when we get to the venue.

Ethan claps me on the back before fishing another beer out of the cooler for me. “At least she said thank you.”

“Are we seriously going to ignore the fact that Willow’s best friend thinks that taking her to see you is a good surprise for her?” Waylon asks.

“I wasn’t going to think on it too hard. We’re friends, and we haven’t seen each other in a month. It makes sense. To be honest, I’m just relieved. I really wanted her to be there, but I didn’t ask because I didn’t want to pressure her to leave her family since both her mom and sister need her. In fact, I really haven’t even talked to her since she had to rush home for Aspen. ”

“Well, it seems Heena pressured her on your behalf,” Ethan says. “Maybe Heena deserves a surprise of her own for that, right?”

“Are you the surprise in question?” I narrow my brows.

“You certainly aren’t,” he scoffs. “Yes, me.”

Waylon smirks. “You know, I think I could be into her.”

“Don’t you dare, Waylon,” Ethan warns, his tone dangerous.

“I don’t know.” Waylon’s eyes glitter with mischief. “She looked amazing in that bikini she posted the other day.”

“Last warning, dude,” Ethan threatens.

Nash brings the boat to an idle, seemingly sensing what will happen next.

“I’m just saying, her tits looked great. Do you think those are real or—” Waylon grunts as Ethan body checks him hard enough that the two of them fly off the boat into the water.

“Ethan!” Waylon gasps. “I can’t—” He flails his arms as his head dips below the surface. “I can’t swim!”

“Really?” Ethan asks, shaking his wet hair out of his eyes as he treads water.

“Does it look like I’m joking?” Waylon cries, ineffectually splashing frantically.

“Fuck, man, why wouldn’t you mention that before you got on a boat?” Ethan rants as he swims over to Waylon and hooks his arm around his chest.

“That would make me a real idiot, wouldn’t it?” Waylon grins, turning swiftly in Ethan’s arm, pushing his head under the water.

“Guys,” Nash calls from the boat. “Stop that.”

I knew Waylon could swim—hell, we did swim team together as kids—but I was enjoying the show too much to warn Ethan. Even now, I’m not trying to stop it. I know neither of them would ever actually hurt the other .

“You dick! I was trying to save you,” Ethan shouts, popping back up and wasting no time in trying to push Waylon under.

My phone buzzes, dragging my gaze away from the two fools in the water.

Willow: hi

Me: What’s up?

Willow: sorry i haven’t had much time to talk recently. i’ve been busy with family stuff

Me: Don’t worry about it, you don’t have to explain yourself. How is everything, if you don’t mind me asking.

Willow: everyone’s doing much better than they were a week ago, lol

Willow: also, just to clarify, my mom begged me to go to that shoot. i didn’t want to leave them

Me: I never thought otherwise. Again, you don’t have to explain yourself to me, Willow. I know you :)

Willow: well, i’ve seen what the tabloids are saying and just wanted to make sure you know it wasn’t like that

Me: I know

Willow: but guess what

Me: What?

Willow: my mom is getting a nurse and my entire family practically begged me to get out of their hair and back to modeling. soooo i’m going to be in new york next week

Not wanting to give away the surprise, I don’t mention my show there at the same time.

Me: Oh, no way! That’ll be so fun. What are you modeling for?

Willow: a perfume ad. but that’s not the point lol. i saw you have a show in b rooklyn at the same time i’ll be in the city

Me: Does it align? Maybe we’ll have to meet up

I feel like an asshole typing that, but I really don’t want to give the surprise away. I text Heena, asking what I should do.

Me: Willow just texted me asking about my show in NYC next week, saying she’ll be there at the same time

Me: Should I spoil the surprise or be the ultimate dick and tell her it’s completely sold out?

Heena: Tell her it’s sold out. Her face will be worth it, I promise.

Heena: Tell her you could do dinner instead or something to soften the blow?

Me: ??

I swipe back to my chat with Willow.

Willow: yes it lines up perfectly! do you have any extra tickets?

Me: Ugh I wish. It’s sold out.

Technically, that’s not a lie. The show is sold out to the public. I just have access to a few extra tickets.

Me: You know if I did, they’d be all yours.

That’s also not necessarily a lie. The tickets I have are hers, she just doesn’t know it yet.

Me: I’ll be in the city the night before my show, too. Maybe we could get dinner or something?

Me: Also, I have another two-week break two weeks after the Brooklyn show. Maybe we could pencil in the “luxurious, fame-soaked weekend” you promised me?

Fuck, I’m over-texting now. Damn guilt.

Willow: it’s okay

Willow: dinner sounds good. i can order it to my family’s place and you can just meet me there. any requests ?

Willow: and yes, i am down to show you a bougie weekend. first weekend of may?

Me: Perfect, I’ll be there. And I eat anything lol you should know this by now.

Willow: joe’s pizza it is!

Me: I look forward to it :)