Secrets of My Hollywood Life #5: Broadway Lights (11 page)

"I have to interrupt. There is someone I've been dying for Kaitlin to meet," Mom says and pulls forward a wafer-thin forty-something woman with a deep tan, toned arms, and white blond hair. She's wearing the most gorgeous white Gucci suit, what I'm sure are real diamond pendant earrings, and a chunky gold necklace. On her ring finger is a diamond bigger than anything Harry Winston has ever lent me. This woman could double for one of the moms from
The Real Housewives of New York City
. "This is Nancy Walsh, wife of Tom Walsh, the New York real estate mogul."

"Well, I wouldn't say
mogul
," Nancy drawls, and touches my mother's arm lightly. "Okay, maybe I would." She smiles at me. "Kaitlin, it is a pleasure. Your mother told me you're very eager to be part of the New York social circuit while you're in town."

I don't recall saying that. I look at Mom out of the corner of my eye, and she raises her eyebrows menacingly at me. A double eyebrow raise mean serious business, so I nod at Nancy and smile.

"It's going to be quite tricky, dear, with that theater schedule of yours, but there are events during the day and on Mondays that you can attend. You'll have to jitney out to the Hamptons, but it's worth the effort if you want to be seen in the right places."

"Which we do, Nancy," Mom tells her seriously. "We want to make an impact while we're on the East Coast. This may be a short trip, but my husband and I are enjoying it so much that we've talked about adding a second residence here. I had no idea charity work could be so rewarding."

Here we go again. Nadine and I look at each other. Mom I could see, but Dad would never want to live here. He needs sun, sand, and big green areas to golf. I'm enjoying my extended stay, but I'm not sure I'm up for dual residencies. I really miss our private pool in this heat. And I am craving greenery. There are all these sweet little trees dotting the streets, but it's not the same as the tall rows of palm trees you see all over Los Angeles, or the lush, fountained parks and yards.

"Sweetie, I...," Dad starts to say. Mom doesn't let him interrupt.

"Kaitlin is exploring many options outside theater and who knows? One may take her east before she knows it. A lot of shows are filming here these days. My son, Matthew, is doing
Scooby-Doo
in Los Angeles, but we just heard they're planning to shoot three episodes in New York."

Nancy takes a sip of her white wine and smiles knowingly. "It is the place to be, as they say." She looks at me. "And we'll make sure you're seen, Kaitlin. I've given your mother a list of important events that you must say yes to."

"And she will," my mom responds for me.

"Your mom is cochairing some events," Nancy adds, "so I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other this summer. My daughters Sabrina and Seraphina are huge fans and can't wait to see
Meeting of the Minds
."

"Kaitlin will be sure to bring them backstage," Mom tells Nancy. Nadine is standing behind Mom and she looks like she wants to scream.

"That would be lovely." Nancy beams. Wow, her veneers are blinding! "I must say hi to Margaret Beatrow--you should too, Meg. Join me?"

"Of course!" Mom air kisses me on both cheeks and gets glimmering pink gloss on my cheeks. "Katie-kins, I've got to dash, but I'll try to make it over to your booth if I can spare five minutes. Bye, girls!"

"I should keep an eye on her." Dad winks at me. "You never know what she'll sign me--or us--up for without asking." I grab his tie and straighten it before he walks off.

"Good idea, Mr. Burke," Nadine calls after him. "Keep us posted." Nadine turns to us. "
People
wants a few photos and a short interview about the play, but be prepared to answer questions about Lauren and Ava. Then you guys should eat before heading over to the booth. You only have twenty minutes."

"She means
us
, Liz. " Sky pokes Liz in the back, right above the new tattoo on her left shoulder. (It's the Japanese symbol for life. Liz is really proud of it, even if her dad was furious.) "Not you."

"Obviously," Liz snaps as she slides into a red leather banquette and dips a fork into the gooey mac and cheese already waiting. "I can't imagine having to defend myself to
People
. That's more your area of expertise, Sky. Kates, I'll make sure I save some bananas Foster for you. I hear it's killer here."

Sky's lip curls into a snarl and I pull her over to the reporter. Just as Nadine suspected, they ask our opinions about Ava and Lauren's latest video (Sky blasts the girls while I stand meekly in the background, afraid to say anything that might set the Paparazzi Twins off even more) and they ask us to give some tidbits about our upcoming turn on
SNL
. I talk a little bit about my play and the reporter tells me they're planning to review my turn in it in a few weeks. I'm not sure if that makes me excited or more nervous. Then talk turns to Sky's show.

"I'm just honored to be a part of such an amazing cast and I can't wait to get to work on such an important, highly life-changing program," Sky says, sounding as if she's accepting a Nobel Peace Prize rather than talking about her role as a ski bunny/sorority girl.

"So there is no truth to talk that your show's creator, Grady Travis, has battled the network over budget concerns?" the reporter asks.

Sky looks momentarily flustered and picks at one of the small crystals on her manicured thumb. "No. No, we're ready to roll in a few weeks. Up to Vancouver. I still have to find some chic cold-weather ensembles. They do have clubs up there, don't they?"

The reporter frowns. "I thought the production was moving to Los Angeles now. At least that was announced earlier today on the network website." She sticks her tape recorder closer to Sky's open mouth.

"I... I'm not sure what you're talking about," Sky says and starts tossing her hair all about like she always does when she's nervous. The reporter sneezes when Sky's hair brushes her face.

"Bless you! Los Angeles? For a show about Alaska?" I ask.

The reporter sneezes again as Sky's hair whacks her face another time. "Grady was peeved too. Rumor is he's going to pull the show altogether if they don't reconsider Vancouver."

Sky stops swinging. "What? That's impossible!"

Uh-oh. I've got to get her out of here before she says something she regrets. "Look at the time," I tell the reporter. "We really should use ChapStick before our lips get action at the booth. Will you excuse us?" I pull Sky through the crowded room back out to the covered garden. Her body is limp and easy to drag.

"She's got to be wrong, right, K?" Sky sticks a powder-pink thumbnail in her mouth, biting down, which is something I've never seen her do before. "I mean, yeah, I'd rather be in Los Angeles, which is where I
thought
we were shooting originally, but now I'm kind of psyched for Vancouver and the show may not fly at all? We just had a cast round table at the upfronts! Grady was thrilled about the show. He can't pull it."

"Calm down," I tell Sky and sit her down in a chair near the booth. I hand her a ChapStick from a large fish bowl.

The kissing prep table is covered with lip-quenching products, mirrors, and perfumes. All things to help a star be more kissable if they choose not to use wax lips. Not that some of us need help in that area. There's a line for Zac Efron's table that wraps around the restaurant. To take Sky's mind off the show, I wave Vanessa over and we talk about upcoming L.A. parties. Then Sky and I apologize about a zillion times for the poseurs that tried to liplock Zac at MyHouse the other night. She knew it wasn't us, of course, but it still makes me mad that Lauren and Ava tried to make her think otherwise.

Sky looks fornlornly at the mirror in front of her. "I
need
to be on a show, K. I have to have a show to go back to. What would I do? I have to work. I have to. I love working! I love TV! I can't imagine the new season starting and not being a part of it. Not having a cast to be part of or a soundstage to show up to every day. Can you?"

"Um, I sort of have to," I joke, but I look down and pull a little at the hem of my dress. It still hurts to think about.

"That's right!" Sky's jaw drops. "You don't have a TV contract. Just this little summer thingie."

"The summer thingie happens to be Broadway," I say indignantly. "Now stop worrying. You can call your agent tomorrow. Right now we have some kissing to do."

Sky takes a deep breath and reapplies her gloss in the mirror for the zillionth time. She makes a few practice fish kisses at the mirror. "You're right. I have to be professional. I'm sure there are tons of people waiting to pucker up to me."

"Exactly." We head over to the booth, or should I say table. There is a large sign behind it that says "Read My Lips." Clever when you remember this is for a reading organization.

Liz meets us at the table, and I see Sky scowl.

"Thank God you're here, Lizzie," I say quickly. "Sky is going to have a huge line, so you can help us do crowd control."

Liz practically chokes on the French fry she's eating. "I doubt that. I'm here to take pictures of you being naughty." Liz side-eyes Sky. "If you ever tick me off, Kates, I can use the photos for collateral." I have a feeling that's a thinly veiled threat toward Sky, but I don't say anything. Liz pulls me aside. "Did you tell Austin you were doing this?"

I shake my head, and Liz's smoky eyes drop. "Should I have?" I squeak.

Liz groans. "Kates, you're doing a kissing booth! You know, kissing other people. Austin would want to know."

"I'm kissing people for charity!" I insist. "That's different." I bite my lip. "Right?"

Liz stuffs another fry in her mouth. She mumbles, but I watch her mouth and can make out everything she's saying. "I'm not saying you shouldn't be doing this, I'm just saying your boyfriend, who is thousands of miles away, might want to know before he sees the photos in
People
. If I were you, I would call him ASAP. "

Liz is right. I'm such an idiot! This is something I should have told Austin about. Not the cute little Rebecca Taylor tank I scored half off at a sale. But in my defense, it's not like I've kept tonight from him. We haven't talked in three long days. We keep missing each other's calls, and then with the time change we never get to talk at night. We text, but I'm starting to see it's really not the same thing.

We didn't talk today either. It's almost as if... no, I couldn't have... forgotten to call him. I'm getting frustrated. Already. And we've got a
long
time apart to go.

"I'll call him as soon as we're done," I promise Liz.

"Do you have your wax lips, girls?" Olivia walks over and holds out a few extra pairs. I hold up mine, and Sky grabs a pair from Olivia this time. ("Just in case," she tells me.)

I'm still feeling a little anxious about this Austin snafu, but the
People
photographer is waiting, so I push the thoughts aside. The photographer takes photos of Sky and me hamming it up. I hold my wax lips by my butt and Sky kisses them. Then we pretend to hold our wax lips up and let them kiss. Sky even has her wax lips kiss a photo of Ava and Lauren that a fan brought.

"I'll start the clock NOW, " Olivia tells us when we're finished with pictures. She clicks a little electronic timer. "If you have a longer line, we can always add time, okay? Have fun!"

We do! We kiss a bunch of cute, chubby babies, some nervous teen boys, and some stuffy society types. Some of our celeb friends pop over too, like Channing Tatum, Jimmy Fallon, and Chace Crawford (who I don't think either of us minded kissing). As I hand a baby back to his mother, I look up and see Dylan. He's wearing a crisp white button-down shirt that is unbuttoned at his neck, a black vest, and dark denim pants. He smiles and my palms start to sweat, which is so weird.

"Not shabby, Burke," Dylan says, and before I can say hi, I realize what he's said and freeze.

"What did you call me?" I ask, momentarily stunned.

Dylan's smile fades. "Burke. Isn't that your last name?"

I nod slowly and then try to compose myself. "Yeah. It's just. Nothing." I laugh it off, but I start playing with my bracelets anyway. "My boyfriend calls me Burke."

Dylan nods. "I guess that's why you look like you've seen a ghost! Sorry about that. I bet you're itching to get back to L.A. next week and see him."

"I am," I admit. "What are you doing off tonight?"

"Understudies are getting their due," Dylan tells me. "Since our lovely leading lady doesn't start for a few more weeks, Forest is rotating in the second players and giving us blokes a few nights off. Did you get my message on your mobile?"

I nod. "About dinner at the Monkey Bar on Monday night? Yes."

"Can you go?" he asks. "I want to check out some of these scene-y haunts, and I thought you might too."

My heart beats a little faster, and I blush. "I do," I can't help saying. And it would be totally fun with Dylan. Then I think of Austin again. "But I have to check my schedule."

Dylan nods. "Sure. We can run lines beforehand too, if you're free. I know you're a bit worried about the second act. I made some notes on a script for you. I would have brought it tonight if I'd known you'd be here."

Dylan is really sweet. "Thanks. That's so nice."

"No problem," Dylan says and fingers a button on his vest. "I'm here with Riley tonight, but I lost her by the mob at Zac Efron's table."

I start to frown. I can't help myself. Dylan laughs.

"You're not a fan of Riley's, I know. She's giving you a rough go, huh?" Dylan asks.

"No, not really," I lie. But she is. If I have to hear, "Maybe you do it in the movies that way, but, Kaitlin, in theater we stand like
this
, so our voices carry. I thought you would have known that" one more time, I may cry.

"She's tough, but I promise she's a cub once you get to know her," Dylan says. "She and Meg were fierce mates. She just misses her."