Relatively Famous (9 page)

“I saw your interview last night,” Kayla said. “Was that your first one?”

“Was it that obvious?”

“I think you did really well.” Nathan said.

“I could barely watch the segment on television. I hope it was my first and last interview. It was probably awful.”

“I swear to you it wasn’t bad at all,” Kayla said, as she studied Dani’s face. “You have very good bone structure for television. I should know. Have you seen me on the soap
Shorelines
? I have a recurring guest spot as the barista at the coffee shop. I’m perfectly symmetrical, you know.” Kayla lifted herself up so she could admire herself in the rear view mirror. “That’s why I part my hair in the middle. To accentuate the even alignment of my features. You could fold my face in half and everything would match up exactly. It’s very rare.”

“Oh,” Dani said not knowing how to respond to an announcement of facial symmetry. “Very remarkable.”

“Yeah, there’s a lot of remarkable things about my sister,” Nathan added.

“Most people have minor flaws, but our mother used to be a supermodel
,
so Ava and I have an advantage over the rest of the population. Poor Nathan, as you can see, somehow missed out.”

Dani thought he was pretty cute no matter what dominated his genetic make up. He had kind of a younger Joshua Jackson look that she liked.

“Oops, here we go, kids. Paparazzi at three o’clock.” Pete glanced out of the passenger’s seat window. “Our guest today is attracting attention.”

Dani’s stomach dropped as she looked to the right. “Where did they come from?” A silver Acura had pulled up next to the Land Rover and was matching their speed. The back window rolled down
,
and a photographer stuck his upper body out while he aimed a camera at Pete’s vehicle.

“Is that Sanchez?” Kayla asked. “Ava, wave hello!” Ava dutifully waved
,
and both the driver and photographer waved back.

“You got Dani McKinley with you today?” the driver hollered.

Ava looked back at Dani questioningly, but she was unsure what to say.

Before she could make a decision, Kayla had whipped out her phone and was texting. A moment later, she had an incoming message. “Okay, we can make a deal with them. They can get shots of us as we arrive at the club
,
and then they’ll back off.”

“You just texted the paparazzi?” Dani asked. “I thought we were supposed to ignore them and keep our heads down.”

“Good luck with that,” Pete said sarcastically.

“Dani, I have about ten seconds to text him back,” Kayla explained. “Take the deal or else they’ll get into the club and haunt you for the rest of the day.”

Dani wasn’t sure what to do, but Kayla obviously had experience with the paparazzi. “Okay, whatever you say.”

Kayla sent out a message
,
and the photographer started snapping photos as they approached the beach club gates.

“Watch it, Pete, or you’ll miss the valet!” Ava shrieked.

“I’m not going to miss the valet, babe. You think I’d make a delicate creature like yourself walk?” Pete teased his girlfriend.

For a moment, Dani wasn’t sure they were at a beach club at all. Had they made another stop? The sprawling club was unlike any
place she’d been to in Michigan. Dani’s jaw dropped as she hopped out of the car and followed Kayla to the cobbled path that led to the main entrance. While Pete handed the car over to a valet, Kayla looped her arm through Dani’s.

“Look pretty for the camera,” Kayla instructed. “I promise you it’s worth giving them a few shots.” Kayla flipped her red hair to the side and gave a practiced look.

Dani flashed back to the day in front of her high school when she and Sam had been barraged. But Kayla knew how to handle these lunatics. Ava hung back with Pete, and Nathan had already disappeared ahead of them into the club. Dani smiled weakly back at Kayla and swung her purse over her shoulder, trying to imitate the pose.

“Sanchez, this is Dani McKinley.” Kayla flirted with the photographer. “And you better play nice with her. Don’t be a dick, got it?”

The photographer emerged from behind his camera. “You think I’d do anything to piss you off, beautiful?”

Sanchez kept clicking away as Kayla changed her poses with Dani until he nodded, indicating that he had what he wanted. “You’re gorgeous, Dani. Great shots.”

They entered the clubhouse
,
and Dani marveled at the expansive reception area. She silently trailed behind Kayla as they walked through the airy room to reach a marble front desk. “This is where you check in,” Kayla said.

“Welcome, Ms. McKinley. Here is the key to your suite. Mr. Ocean has given you full-access status, so please charge whatever you’d like to the account. Is there anything we can do for you right now?”

“I don’t think so,” Dani answered numbly. A suite?

Kayla directed Dani outside to a long section of the building. “You’re suite two-fourteen? Good, you’re only a few doors down from us. Since we have our suits on, we can go straight down to the cabana. They should have our towels and chairs ready. Don’t worry, my monstrous sister and her boyfriend will sequester themselves far away from us.”

“Why do I have a suite?” Dani asked.

“You can shower and change there. Order lunch or dinner inside, if you want. You can schedule a massage in your room or have one in the cabana. And if you get lucky with one of the hottie lifeguards, you can hole up there for a little afternoon delight.” Kayla raised her eyebrows suggestively. “This is an incestuous little group here, so you’re sure to fall prey to one our local boys soon enough. Oooh, Chelsea and Violet are here already!” Kayla waved happily at two girls lazing in cushioned lounge chairs next to a large white tent. “I can’t wait for you to meet them. Come on!”

Chapter 20

“I kid you not,” Kayla’s friend Chelsea insisted as she sipped a papaya spritzer. Chelsea had just finished filling Dani in on the perks of having a mother who owned the country’s most-watched home shopping network. “Believe me, my mother could spend hours telling you how any one of her contraptions would change your life. If you ever need a gold lamé purse, an outfit designed by Beyonce’s mother, or an automatic stainless
-
steel vacuum-sealer, I’m your girl. Don’t be shy.”

“I’ve always had a deep interest in vacuum-sealing
,
so I may take you up on that.” Dani smiled, adjusted her bikini bottom, and stretched her arms above her head, relaxing in the sun.

“So, Dani, what do you think of California so far? Is this your first time out here?” Violet looked around, trying to signal a waiter for more drinks.

Violet had the quintessential California
-b
londe look. Her golden hair ran down her back, nearly reaching her waist, and was streaked with perfect white highlights. She’d told Dani that she was also fifteen, but Dani found it nearly impossible to reconcile her age with her very shapely figure. Dani’s first impulse had been to hate this beautiful girl, but she was so friendly—and seemingly oblivious to her beauty—that it made it impossible not to be drawn to her. Her father was apparently a highly paid motivational speaker who traveled the country lifting the spirits of the depressed wealthy.

“This is my first trip to L.A.
,
and so far it’s been great. The circumstances are a bit unusual, but I’m loving it,” Dani said.

“Do you have some fun plans with your new father?” Kayla asked.

“I’m going to Mark’s premiere for
The Clone Faction
in a few days, so that should be cool.”

“Fantastic! I don’t suppose you’ve hit the red carpet before, huh? Do you have a dress yet?”

“Mark said he is arranging for one. I have no idea what it looks like.”

“Do you know who the designer is?” Violet asked. “That’s all that matters.”

“Um, I have no idea. He did say Carrie Underwood had worn one like it…”

“Oh, God. This could go either way,” Chelsea said with alarm. “If the dress blows, call us and we’ll help you out.”

“Absolutely.” Kayla said with excitement. “And don’t worry. We won’t let Chelsea do your hair.”

“Shut up,” said Chelsea. Her black hair was streaked with strips of electric pink. “This hair makes my mother so insane that I can’t stop dyeing it. I think I have an addiction. Last winter, these pink strips were blue. It drives her crazy. Same deal with my clothes and makeup. You’ll never catch me wearing some perfectly tasteful Diane Von Furstenberg dress.”

Violet’s eyes widened. “Yeah, you should have seen her mother when she saw what Chelsea was wearing to the fall formal at school. Black army boots with a sheer, shredded, Courtney Love-inspired masterpiece of a design. And the leather arm cuffs didn’t help your poor mom, either!”

“I hate all this black stuff,” Chelsea moaned. “Half the reason I come to the beach club is so I can wear a bathing suit and get out of that junk.”

“One day you’ll have tortured your mother enough.” Kayla turned to Dani. “So, what’s your beach club like at home?”

Dani sat up and surveyed the gorgeous ocean and even more gorgeous people around her. “We don’t exactly have a beach club. There is a lake nearby that I go to in the summer. My best friend Sam is working there this year at the canteen, but she’s hoping to get a lifeguard job when she’s old enough. Our lake doesn’t begin to compare with this. Or with the lifeguards…” Dani’s voice trailed off as she eyed a tan guard in low-rise orange trunks.

“It’s true. Our lifeguards are none too shabby,” Kayla agreed. “And speaking of none too shabby, check out who’s here today.” Chelsea and Violet immediately rolled their heads to check out a muscular, dark-haired
g
od who was coming out of the ocean. “Jason, Jason, Jason. Who knew anyone could look so hot at sixteen? God help me, but that boy gets me every time,” Kayla crooned.

Dani could see why. As Jason neared the group of four girls, Dani took in the wet hottie. Totally buff body, deep green eyes, and tremendous smile. None of the boys at her high school looked like this.

“Hello, ladies,” he said smoothly, interrupting the business of admiring him. “How is everyone today. Ah, a newcomer. Who is this lovely woman?”

Dani’s mouth got dry
,
and she couldn’t prevent the blush that crept over her face.

“This is Dani McKinley,” Kayla said. “Mark Ocean’s daughter. She is here from Michigan for a week. And Dani, this is Jason Young. His father plays for the Dodgers.”

Dani noticed that everyone here was introduced by what his or her parents did. She shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Jason.” Where had her awkwardly seductive voice suddenly come from?

“It’s beyond pleasurable to meet you.” Jason took her hand and raised it to his lips.

“God, Jason, do you ever stop?” Kayla laughed, but it was clear that Jason was undeniably charming.

“Aw, Kayla, don’t tell me you’re jealous?” Jason teased as he sat down on her lounge chair. “You’ll always be my favorite California girl!” Jason lay his wet body on top of hers, eliciting squeals from Kayla.

“Jason, you’re freezing! Get off me!”

“You love me, baby, cold and wet or hot and dry.” Jason kissed her affectionately on the cheek. “Where’s that loser brother of yours? Surfing with his loser friends as usual?” Jason sat up and reached for one of the neatly stacked beach towels.

“Yeah, I saw him out there a few minutes ago. But don’t start anything today, okay? Dani doesn’t need to witness a smack down.”

“For you, my dear, I’ll restrain myself from kicking your brother’s ass.” Jason turned to Dani as he toweled himself down. “So Miss Dani California, what’s on the agenda while you’re in town?”

She was sure she looked repulsive in her bikini next to Kayla, Chelsea, and Violet
,
but she couldn’t exactly throw a huge towel over herself now. “Not much. I was just telling them that I’m going to my father’s premiere on Saturday.”

“Oh, yeah.
The Clone Faction
, right? It looks good.”

“No, it doesn’t. It looks terrible,” Dani said.

“Okay, true. It does look terrible,” Jason admitted, “but you’ll have fun anyway. If you want, I could come by and give you a training session before you go. A lot of people around here do a last minute workout before they go in front of the cameras. Not that you need much enhancing, mind you,” Jason said softly. “But if you’re nervous, it might help you to work out and de-stress beforehand.”

“Jason wants to be a celebrity trainer,” Kayla explained. “He’s actually really good, Dani. You should take him up on it. My trainer is more interested in checking out my ass than sculpting it. Have Jason come by, Dani. He’ll have you jacked up in an hour
,
and you’ll great.”

“Okay, sure,” Dani agreed. It couldn’t hurt to work out before the premiere.

“Cool. I’ll get your address from Kayla later. How about I come by at noon on Saturday?” Jason asked.