Star Maker (6 page)

Maxine
resurfaced after ten minutes. She tucked her long, wavy, light brown,
sun-kissed hair behind her ears and aimed her camera down at Kit. “Okay, smile
pretty.”

Kit
frowned and chuckled as Maxine snapped the shot. “Really, Max? I’m sitting here
buried in books researching the brief from hell and I look like absolute crap.
I haven’t even had a chance to take a shower yet today.”

Maxine
giggled and her hazel eyes danced. “So? It’s not like I’m going to publish it
in a magazine or anything. One day when you’re done with law school, you can
look back on this picture with great nostalgia. After all, this is one of the
first briefs you’ve worked on, right?”

Kit was
not amused. “Yes,” she responded flatly.

Maxine
chuckled. “Then this is a big deal. You can show this picture to your kids one
day when you’re a big music mogul and tell them the story of your humble
beginnings.”

“Kids?
I didn’t know I was having any.” She chuckled.

Maxine
laughed. “Okay, alright. I get it. I’m going to leave you to your own
devices. Happy researching.” She made her way into the living room to watch
MTV.

She
smiled and winked. “Thanks, Max.”

Maxine
shared a long history with Kit, Alexa, and Joe. They went to private school
together and had been a fairly tight clique for many years. She had a
girl-next-door type of beauty with a firecracker personality, much like Kit.
She wanted to break in as a photojournalist for the entertainment circuit. She
was extremely talented with a camera and a brilliant writer with a deadly hook
that could capture the attention of any reader who glanced at one of her
articles for even a second.

After
high school graduation, she headed out to Los Angeles and legally dropped her
given last name in favor of one she wanted, deeming herself Maxine Riley. She
rationalized that if she was going to make a name for herself, it was going to
be with a last name of her own choosing.

An hour
later, the two girls headed out to Ben Frank’s on Sunset Boulevard and sat
across from each other, eating lunch and catching up. Maxine was eager to find
out what Kit had been up to. “Ok, so tell me the latest? Anything exciting?”

Kit
shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t think of anything really, Maxine Riley.”

She
rolled her eyes and bit into a French fry. “Why can’t you call me Max like a
normal person? You called me that earlier.”

Kit
giggled and took a sip of soda through her straw. “I like your new name. I’m
still getting used to it after all these years. It’s really cool!”

Maxine
was not amused. “Ok. I’m changing the subject. What time are you off at the
café tonight?”

“Eleven,
I think, which really means midnight.”

Maxine
frowned. “Oh. Ok, nevermind.”

Kit was
curious. “Why? What’s going on?”

She
donned a buccaneer grin. “Any desire to take on another band?”

Kit’s
ears suddenly perked up. She was immediately intrigued. “Who? I’m thinking
of dropping one of my bands. It would be great to pick up a better one. Who?
Who?”

Maxine
giggled. “Stop. You sound like an anxious, overly eager, hooty owl.”

Kit
glared. “C’mon tell me. The suspense is killing me.”

“Ok.
Gypsy Tango.”

She
frowned. “Who?”

Maxine
rolled her eyes. “Ms. Owl, please pay attention. I swear that law school has
already fried your brain. The name of the band is Gypsy Tango. Joe knows
them. Haven’t you heard of them?”

She
shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Oh them.” She sighed and bit into her
grilled cheese sandwich. “Are they playing the Strip?” She asked with her
mouth partially full.

Maxine
chuckled. “Nice manners, Kit-Kat. Uh-huh, all the time. They’re playing
Gazzarri’s tonight at nine. I wanted you to see them, but you’re working.”

She
cringed and wiped her hands on her napkin. “Gazzarri’s on a Wednesday at nine?
Ugh. They’re obviously still pay to play.”

Maxine
gazed at her and tried to be convincing. “They are, but they always pack the
house. They’re building a decent following. I like ‘em.”

Kit’s
eyes narrowed, carefully evaluating what she had just heard and reconsidering
what Joe had said weeks ago. “Wait a minute, here. You’re the least bit
rocker. You’re a total waver and into pop and
you
like ‘em? Are they cute?”

Maxine
laughed. “They are cute, but that’s not why I like ‘em. Believe me, I don’t
care for most of the hard rock bands on the Strip right now, even the cute
ones. Give me my Tears For Fears, New Order, or Smiths records any day. I’m a
waver by nature, but these guys are catchy. I happened to see them when I was
there a few weeks ago doing some live shots for a band called Poison.”

Kit
nodded and sipped her soda. “Poison is good. Now there’s a band. The lead
singer’s great. His name is Bret. They’re from Pennsylvania, you know. I saw
them play back there when I lived in Philly, but they were called Paris. Changed
their name when they got out here.”

Maxine
shook her head. “See, I don’t get it. I’m not into them. They’re ok. Their
lead singer is a hottie, but I don’t see the draw. I’m happier at my new wave
clubs, you know that.”

Kit
nodded. “I guess I’ll have to make a point to check these guys out then. Both
you and Joe are singing their praises. Must be worth something.”

“Do it.
They’re good, but they definitely need to be polished.”

She
chuckled. “Funny, Joe said exactly the same thing.”

Maxine
smiled wide. “If there’s anyone that knows how to turn a piece of coal into a
diamond with musicians it’s you, star maker.”

She
grinned and giggled, winking at Maxine. “Ooh Miss Max, flattery will get you
everywhere.”

Maxine laughed quietly and her small frame heaved as she struggled to
keep the soda she had just sipped from coming out of her nose. She covered her
mouth and shook her head. She finally was able to control it, laughing again.
“Oh Kit-Kat, you kill me sometimes, I swear.”

* * *

Jimmy
led the rest of the band by a few strides on his way into Café L.A. “Dude, where’s
the fire?” Remo joked.

As
Jimmy walked into the restaurant and told the hostess how many were in their
party, he glared at Remo. “I’m hungry.”

Sully
caught a glimpse of one of the new waitresses, a redhead, as she walked by with
a plate of hot food. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was a natural
beauty, her hair tied back in a simple ponytail, not a trace of makeup on her
face. She reminded him of the girls back home—simple, understated, down
to earth.

He
smiled as he gazed at her dreamily. “I’m in love.” He leaned forward and
tugged at the hostess’s sleeve as she started to lead them in the opposite
direction to be seated. He turned on the charm by flashing a wide-toothed
grin, knowing the hostess wouldn’t be able to resist him. “Hey, can we sit in
her section?” He motioned to the beautiful waitress he had been ogling.

The
hostess laughed. “Sure. Lucky for you, she’s got a table open, a rarity these
days. She’s really popular with you rocker types. Her station is always
packed.”

Sully
looked at Jimmy and raised his eyebrows while slugging him in the shoulder.
“We got her table again, man.”

Jimmy
responded with a blank stare. “Are you actually gonna invite her to the show
tonight or are you going to choke again?”

Sully
shrugged his shoulders. “Dunno. Maybe.”

They
were seated and the waitress took their order quickly. The restaurant was
hopping with activity, so she couldn’t be as attentive with them as he would have
liked. A few groupies recognized them immediately and squeezed themselves into
the booth. Sully was sandwiched in between two decent looking groupies who
were feeding him food and doting on him. Talking to that waitress now was the
furthest thing from his mind. He’d just have to wait.

CHAPTER 5

Joe
flung open the front door of his posh, Laurel Canyon home and stared at the
uniformed driver blankly. The man shifted uncomfortably noticing his intensity
and forced a grin. “I’m here to pick up Mr. Joe Arden.”

He
nodded. “That’s me. Hang on.” He walked back into his palatial master
bedroom to collect his suitcase and glared at Janine. She threw on her
fringed, leather jacket and pushed past him angrily. “Fuck off, Joe. You’re
an asshole.”

He
shook his head and snorted. “Right. You were the one I found with another guy
in my bed when I came home an hour ago.”

She
glared at him. “I knew you were out partying all night and were wasted. You
were probably with someone else too. I’m sure you’re still high right now.
Besides, you’re going back on the road and you’re not taking me. That was a
pretty messed up decision on your part. You just wanna play with groupies,
don’t you?”

His
caramel brown eyes narrowed. He was tired, hungover, and volatile. “Yeah, I
do.” He let a sarcastic chuckle slip out. “Actually, sweetie, isn’t that how
I met you?”

She
leaned fully into her body weight and threw a punch, nailing him in the
stomach. “Go to hell, Joe!” She stormed out.

He took
a moment to catch his breath and get composed. He stared at his empty, unmade
bed and seized his suitcase. He didn’t want to deal with it. He stormed into
the living room moments later and handed off his luggage to the patiently
waiting driver. He nodded. “Let’s get the fuck outta here.”

He
slammed the door behind him and ran down the walkway leading to his long
driveway. He sauntered up to the black stretch limousine where the driver had
opened the door for him and stood in anticipation. Joe forced a grin. “Can we
make one stop before we head to the airport?”

The
driver nodded. “Of course, Mr. Arden. Whatever you need. Let me know where
you’d like to go.”

Thirty
minutes later, Joe climbed the steps of the private jet apprehensively. He was
dreading going back on tour. He didn’t understand the inner conflict that
brewed inside of him. No matter what he did these days, he couldn’t find
happy. He wasn’t happy on the road, yet he wasn’t happy on a break. The last
thing he wanted to do was figure it out. He preferred to stay numb to the
entire process.

The
moment he set foot on the plane and noticed his fellow band members he threw
his hands up in the air and yelled joyfully. “Where’s the party?”

The
flight attendant took his guitar case from him and replaced it with a vodka on
the rocks. Wilson laughed. “Good to see you, man. The party starts now.
We’ve been waiting for you.” He waved him back.

Joe
took a seat across from Wilson and next to the bass guitarist, Snake, who
handed him a rolled up one hundred-dollar bill, grinning. “No better way to
start the party than taking a little ride on the white horse.”

He
seized the rolled up bill from Snake and stared at the small mound of cocaine
on the table in front of him. Several lines were cut on a mirror awaiting him.
He swallowed hard and knew he was headed down a dark road, but he didn’t seem
to care.

As the jet took off from the runway in Burbank and they were wheels
up, he glanced out the window and grinned, high as a kite. He was now
completely content leaving L.A. behind to run off to the circus with the clowns
again.

* * *

Kit
left her shift at Café L.A. early and headed home to change and put on some
makeup before heading over to one of the hottest and most legendary clubs on
the Sunset Strip, the Whisky-a-Go-Go.

She
found a padded envelope awaiting her on the welcome mat in front of the door to
her apartment. She opened it hastily as she ran through the apartment back to
her bedroom to get ready. Joe had left her a kind letter and the keys to his home
and his car. He told her he would be in touch soon. She sighed, hoping the
North American leg of the tour would be easier for him. She threw the envelope
on her bed and rummaged through her closet for the right look.

Kit
strolled into the club confidently wearing a distressed, cropped, brown,
leather jacket with a tight, black, lace camisole underneath that revealed just
enough cleavage to arouse any healthy heterosexual male’s curiosity. Her black,
leather miniskirt was tight and short, showing off her long legs encased in
sheer black stockings. The sexy, black, leather stilettos she wore made her appear
to be a few inches taller.

When
she walked into the club, a big haired, loud, hard rock band was on stage
starting their set—nothing out of the ordinary for a night at the Whisky.
She found herself surprised moments after she retrieved a drink from the bar.
She actually liked the band’s sound and was immediately drawn to the stage.

As she
got closer, she recognized the lead singer and the guitarist. They were
regulars at Café L.A., but there was more to it than that. The lead singer
intrigued her. Mesmerized, she was unable to take her eyes off of him. She
suddenly placed him. He was the guy from Madame Wong’s that gave her that
strange, familiar feeling the night she played the gig with Jeff’s band. All
the pieces of the puzzle started coming together. Something about his voice
tugged at her heartstrings. She felt every note he sang deeply. She certainly
found him attractive, but that wasn’t her sole motivation. His stage presence
got her attention and seized her interest along with his impressive vocal range
and showmanship.

After
the band finished their set, Sully noticed her and motioned for her to come
over to the bar where the band was hanging out. She approached them and used
her charm. Paired with her brilliant smile, she easily garnered their full
attention. It didn’t take much.

Sully
grinned and pointed at her. “I know you. You’re one of the waitresses at Café
L.A.”

Kit
smiled once again. “Yep, busted. That would be me.”

He
flashed a winning smile and extended his hand to shake hers. “I’m Sully Foxx
and you are?”

“Kit
McKenna.” She nodded and wanted to play it cool but failed miserably when she
was unable to wipe the smile off her face.

Sully
had an incredible amount of sex appeal and natural charisma. His long,
layered, brown hair fit in well on the Sunset Strip and complimented his
sparkling, steel blue eyes. He almost looked too pretty to be a rocker with
his exquisite bone structure and perfect nose. His favorable tall stature
paired nicely with his tight, fit, tanned body that easily put the Greek god
Adonis to shame. Kit wondered if he was an actor too or had modeled before and
decided that if he hadn’t, then he should. She could already see him on a
record sleeve or in a full-page spread of
Rolling
Stone Magazine
.

Despite
his pretty boy looks, he held true to the part of an up and coming frontman in
his torn up, black, sleeveless T-shirt and tight, faded, blue jeans. She instinctually
knew that a lead singer with his apparent vocal talent and his looks would go
far in this business if he were willing to put in the work. If he proved to be
a decent songwriter too, it would be like hitting the trifecta at the
racetrack. She wanted to get to the bottom of this and quickly. She had to
find out if he was her winning lottery ticket incarnate.

Jimmy
nudged Sully for an introduction. He snapped out of his attempts to reel Kit
into his web. “Oh, and this is Jimmy Costa, our lead guitarist.” Jimmy was
slightly taller than Sully, with long, straight, layered, dark brown hair,
certainly attractive by normal standards, but pale in comparison to Sully’s
presence that was already so magnetic, charismatic, and massive it seemed like
he was selling out arenas.

She
then recalled Joe’s recommendation. This was
thee
Sully, the one he told her was larger than life. The one he
told her was marked for stardom. She chuckled to herself remembering that when
it came to music, Joe knew more than anyone and he was definitely right about
Sully.

Jimmy
continued. “And these guys are Remo Sanchez, drums, Tony Miller on bass, and
Bryan Donald on keyboard.”

They
all shook hands with Kit. Jimmy maneuvered himself in front of Sully in a
classic cock-blocking maneuver that completely cut him off from continuing his
conversation with Kit. He looked at her and smiled. “We’re Gypsy Tango. So
what did you think?”

She
stared at him for a moment. “Wait, you’re Gypsy Tango?”

He
chuckled. “Heard of us?”

She ignored
him and thought it an interesting coincidence that these were the very guys
Maxine and Joe had told her about. She had forgotten that Sully was associated
with them. It all made sense now. She grinned. “You guys were great up
there, but you need a new sound man. The guy up there doesn’t know shit about
running the boards.”

Jimmy’s
dark brown eyes widened. She had caught him off guard. “Huh?”

She
chuckled at his expression. She was used to this. When she played out with
bands and managed them in Philadelphia and Chicago, the sound and acoustics
were something her trained ear always picked up on. She had a gift for it, no
matter the band or the venue. It was second nature to her. She continued.
“Your sound guy? He needs to bring up the bass level. It was totally
unbalanced, and it messed with the entire rhythm section during your set.”

Sully
raised his eyebrows and laughed as he smiled. He looked at Jimmy and slapped
him on the back. “Y’know man, she’s right. That’s what I was trying to tell you
but you wouldn’t listen to me.” He poked him in the shoulder with his finger
and returned his attention to Kit. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Before
she could answer, Jimmy interjected and looked at her, desperate to connect.
“No, I’ll get it for you. Kit, what can I get ya?”

She
giggled at their newfound rivalry. “I’ll have a scotch on the rocks, Jimmy.
Thank you.”

He
ordered the drink and Sully pulled him close, giving him a stern look. “Jim,
buddy, what are you doing? Why are you messing with me? This is the chick I
like. I’ve had my eye on her for a while.”

Jimmy
gave him an irritated look and brushed him off like a gnat. “Whatever. She’s
getting this drink from me. If she wants to talk to me, then that’s what she
wants.”

His
steel blue eyes glowed angrily as he spoke in a hushed tone through clenched
teeth into Jimmy’s ear, quietly enough to be inaudible to Kit. “The only
reason she’s talking to you is because you interrupted my conversation with
her.”

The
bartender pushed the drink toward Jimmy. “It’s on the house, Jim.”

He
nodded. “Thanks, man.” He focused his attention back to Sully and they continued
to bicker in hushed tones.

Kit
tapped Jimmy on the shoulder. He handed her the drink. She smiled. “Thanks
for the drink, Jimmy. See ya.” She walked away. The last thing she wanted to
do was cause dissent among the ranks. She opted to steal away and let them
mend their fences.

Sully
looked at Jimmy. His eyes widened. “See? See what you did? She doesn’t want
any part of this shit. We probably look like stupid, amateur teenagers to her.
Great. That’s just fucking great.” He shook his head.

Jimmy
shrugged. “Whatever.”

He
faced him, staring him down. “Let’s set aside the fact that we both like her,
ok, man? The bottom line is that she was right on the money when she was
talking about our set tonight and that alone needs to be discussed. Maybe with
her help we can get tight enough to book a paying gig in this town.”

Jimmy
listlessly focused his attention back to his cocktail. “Yeah, ok. I guess.”

Sully
abandoned Jimmy instantly and muscled his way through the crowd until he found
her. He yelled over the band. “Kit!”

She
turned around and grinned. “Yeah, Sully?”

He
smiled, secretly relieved she even chose to acknowledge him after how they had
been acting. “We’re having a party at Remo’s place later. Why don’t you stop
by?”

She
shrugged her shoulders. “Sure. Gimme directions. I’ll bring some friends with
me.”

Sully
gave her directions to the party. He invited her to come back to the bar and
talk with the band. She ended up chatting with them again and providing
valuable suggestions.

By the
time the band was leaving the Whisky, they begged her to attend their party and
their rehearsals so she could give another honest critique. She agreed without
hesitation, entertained by their openness to her suggestions—a rarity so
far in this town.

She had
waited until the Whisky closed down in hopes of running into Alexa. Seemed she
didn’t make it down to the club after all. She opted to go Sully’s event solo.

The
party was already crazy and wilder than anything Kit had ever witnessed back in
Philadelphia or Chicago. She strolled in apprehensively and easily commanded
attention when she entered the center of the room. The guys couldn’t stop staring
and smiling, the girls glared and scowled. She searched the large crowd for
any members of the band or any friends she might recognize. She immediately noticed
Sully and waved to him.