Star Maker (9 page)

She
looked up, her violet eyes wide as saucers, as she stared at Maxine whose once
light brown hair had been teased and dyed to an attention grabbing platinum
blond that made her hazel eyes and tanned skin stand out. She no longer looked
like a Chicago transplant. She looked like a full-blown Hollywood goddess.
“Max? What the hell? When did you start working here? And I love the hair.
When did you do that?”

Maxine
flashed a large smile and started laughing. “This is my first night here. Got
the hair done yesterday. I didn’t want to tell you or Kit. I wanted it to be
a fun surprise and I figured you’d end up here at some point tonight. I needed
some extra cash so it was either this or stripping and I certainly don’t have
the rack for that.” She pushed her small breasts together exaggerating her
assets in her small, tight, tank top that didn’t leave much to the imagination
as it was.

Alexa
laughed loudly at Maxine’s impromptu performance. “This is crazy. I can’t
believe you’re working at the Rainbow as a bartender! This is going to be a
nice little feather in your cap.”

Maxine nodded
and winked. “I hope so. Hoping to make some good tips to buy more camera
equipment and more importantly, some good connections. So, what can I get ya,
sweetie? Your usual?”

She
gave her a horrified look. “Uh, no. Can’t imagine the house champagne is to
my standards here. Do you have Stoli?”

“Yep,
we got it.”

“Stoli
on the rocks.”

Maxine
winked. “You got it vodka girl.”

“Oh and
a Jack and Coke for Jimmy. He’ll be here in a sec.”

“Mr.
Costa—otherwise known as Gypsy Tango Jimmy?”

Alexa
nodded and gave her a look of warning. “That’s the guy and don’t let your mind
wander. We’re just friends. He’s my hang out buddy when you and Kit aren’t
around.”

She
nodded, focusing on her pour. “I gotcha. Where is our Miss Kit?”

“Flyering
on the Strip with Sully and the rest of the band. This is Jimmy’s night off
supposedly. Chances are they’ll end up here when they’re done.”

Maxine
frowned as she pushed Alexa’s drinks to her. “Flyering? What’s that?”

Her
head bobbed in confirmation. “Y’know, passing out flyers for Gypsy Tango’s
upcoming shows.”

“Oh,
yeah yeah. Got it. Here comes Jimmy now.”

He took
a seat next to Alexa at the bar and smiled at Maxine. “Max! When did you
start working here?”

She
chuckled. “That’s the question of the evening. Just tonight, sweet cheeks.
Lex got your drink. Make sure to get a few rounds for her tonight and big tips
for me.” She winked.

He nodded. “You got it, gorgeous.”

Kit
smiled as she finished talking to a group of longhaired guys in front of the
Whisky-a-Go-Go that had formed in a circle around her. She gave them a flirty
wave as they walked away.

Sully
approached her and stared in astonishment at her empty hands. “Did you already
finish?” His eyes met hers.

She
nodded and smiled. “Yep. I’m out of flyers. You?”

He
stared at her and rolled his eyes. “Almost. Just a few more. Figures.” He
slowly ogled her up and down and then chuckled. “I mean look at what you’re
wearing. Guaranteed to get any guy’s attention. I’m surprised you can even
walk in those heels. Shit, you’re almost as tall as me in those. They
certainly don’t look comfortable. You’re a trooper.”

She
giggled and smoothed her dress. “What? This old getup?” She was wearing a
black, leather, halter mini-dress with black, fishnet stockings, and tall,
black, suede boots that donned four-inch heels. Her red tresses were teased up
bigger than normal.

He
shook his head and laughed. “Yeah, that old getup. Remo, Bryan, and Tony are
having a harder time than us. I say we ditch ‘em and go to the Rainbow. They
can meet us there.”

She
nodded. “Deal. Let’s leave the car and walk. I’ll get it in the morning.”

Sully
walked into the Rainbow with Kit on his arm. This was becoming a common
occurrence for them. Kit found that Sully was fun to spend time with. He was
a perfect substitution for Joe as her regular sidekick. Sully was quickly
becoming one of her best friends and often acted as her protector on the Strip.

Aside
from their closely formed friendship, Sully loved having her on his arm because
it made him look good. Kit had plenty of male admirers in this town and was
considered a hot commodity on the Sunset Strip. It was a win-win situation for
both of them.

Sully
was the first to notice Maxine as they headed into the overcrowded bar area.
“Holy shit! Kit, look!” He pointed at Maxine who was doing her job and
oblivious to the fact that they had walked in.

Kit’s
eyes widened. “Oh my God!” She freed her arm from Sully’s, seized his hand,
and pulled him along with her as she sprinted up to the bar, shoving her way
through aggressively. She pressed herself against the bar and yelled over the
loud music in order to be heard. “Maxine!”

She
turned around when she heard her name. She noticed Kit, nodded, and smiled.
She leaned over the bar and gave her a hug. “Yes, you don’t even have to say
it. I totally scored with this job.”

Kit
smiled, her eyes alive with excitement. “No shit! This is super cool! When
did you start?”

“Tonight’s
my first night.”

Kit
leaned over to Sully. “Help me out here. Help me get onto this barstool.”

He
laughed. “What?”

“I’m
going to kneel. My heels will puncture the seat if I stand on it. C’mon, help
me!”

He
continued to laugh and did as she said. Once she was evenly balanced on the
barstool she managed to command the attention of everyone in the small space
and over the music, she yelled. “Shots on me as long as you give the bartender
Maxine a huge tip!”

All at
once, the crowd charged the bar. Kit laughed and Maxine winked at her as she
and the other bartender struggled to keep up with the demand. Alexa met up
with Kit as she was paying the tab in cash. They chatted while Sully and Jimmy
talked about a successful round of self-promotion, passing out flyers on the
Strip earlier in the night.

Alexa
giggled. “This is going to be awesome having Max working here all the time.”

“Yeah
Lex, it totally is. She looks like a badass back there. I don’t think I’ve
ever seen her dressed like that before.”

Alexa
chuckled. “Me neither.”

Maxine
interrupted them by pushing two drinks toward them. “On the house, sisters.
Thanks, Kit-Kat.” She winked.

Kit
giggled. “Watch out, Miss Max. I’m going to do it again…and soon.”

By the
time last call came around, Kit and Alexa were very buzzed. Maxine yelled last
call and Kit pulled her stunt again, oblivious to how the crowd had multiplied
and high profile rock stars now dwelled in the area. Alexa was chatting with
Kit again when her eyes widened and she stopped talking. She watched in awe as
a familiar face approached, coming up behind Kit.

He
looked at Kit. “Sorry to interrupt you two gorgeous ladies. Just wanted to
say thanks for the shots.”

Alexa’s
mouth dropped open. Kit handled the whole situation coolly and grinned.
“You’re welcome. You see, it’s my friend’s first night bartending here at the
Rainbow. She’s right over there. That’s Maxine.”

He
raised his drink and yelled over the music. “To Maxine, the best bartender
ever.” He got the whole crowd engaged to follow suit in saluting her. Tips
started flying through the air at her. She laughed and got her hands of one of
them as it floated in the air toward her—a one hundred dollar bill.
Maxine exchanged a glance with Kit and mouthed “Oh my God!”

Kit
smiled at him. “Thanks for doing that.” She paused so he could officially
introduce himself to her, though she knew full well who he was.

“Tommy
Lee.” He extended his hand. “And you are?”

“Kit
McKenna.”

“Nice
to meet you, Kit. You’re beautiful.”

She
smiled. “Thanks, Tommy.”

“I
gotta jump, but maybe I’ll see you around here again and we can get more
acquainted next time.”

She
smiled. “Maybe so.”

Tommy
Lee gave her a flirty wave as he walked away, trying to fend off adoring fans
at the same time. Sully walked up to Kit. His eyes were wide and he donned the
same expression of pure astonishment as Alexa.

He
stared at her. “Were you just talking to Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe?”

Kit
took a sip of her drink casually, giggling. “Yep.”

Sully
and Alexa exchanged a glance of amazement. He continued. “You know him?”

She grinned.
“I didn’t before, but I do now.”

CHAPTER 8

Alexa
answered the phone as quietly as possible in the kitchen as Kit kept her nose
in a law book, frantically jotting notes. She was long past her self-imposed
deadline for a brief in one of her classes. She had been distracted lately and
let her studies slide. Now, she was on a mission to get back on track and
still juggle her other work, understanding full well that the momentum she had
built for her bands since she set foot in Hollywood was finally coming to
fruition. Things were looking up for her in a big way—and much faster
than she had anticipated.

After
the fun night at the Rainbow paying for everyone’s shots, Kit quickly became
the sweetheart of the Strip. A week later, she was still being thanked by
random rockers that she ran into on the boulevard as she passed out flyers or
shepherded one of her bands into the clubs for a show.

Buzz
had reached a fever pitch for Scorcher—one of her originals she managed
in Philadelphia and continued managing when she arrived in Los Angeles. Rumors
were swirling of forthcoming record deals. Scorcher’s following was massive
and national. They packed the local clubs with every show, selling out in
record times. They were no longer a pay to play band. They were a lucrative
money making band, much to Kit’s relief. She needed the money. She still got
great tips at Café L.A., but it wasn’t enough and the money she made on Joe’s
deal with Steel Pony was dwindling quickly, going to school expenses and up
front costs for her bands.

Gypsy
Tango’s demo needed to be re-recorded and completely reworked. She wanted to
find a way to get them a wardrobe and help them out in any way she could.
Maxine told her she was crazy to be dumping money into a rock band, but Alexa
supported her, offering to give her a personal loan if she ran into dire
straits putting her neck out for her latest venture.

Kit
recalled her father’s decision to purchase a racehorse when she was thirteen
years old. Everyone told him he was making a mistake. Honeydew Blur was the
horse’s name and he was not only considered a long shot, but a dud of a stud.
Kit’s father, James, reviewed all the data on the horse, made his assessment,
and followed his gut.

Despite
his lack of support for the decision, especially from Kit’s stepmother, he
purchased the horse anyway. The first year of training and upkeep was brutal
and he shelled out piles of money, never cursing it, always believing. When
Kit was sixteen, Honeydew Blur went on to take the triple crown and became a
top stud choice with a thoroughbred line that was still racing and making her
father boatloads of money. He knew how to pick a winner and so did she.

She saw
Gypsy Tango in the same light, thinking that they may even out sell Scorcher
one day. There was something about Gypsy Tango that had staying power. She
couldn’t put her finger on it—it was a gut feeling, one she had never
felt before for any band she managed. All her moves were motivated by pure
faith. There was nothing tangible yet to prove it to her, but she felt like
she was sitting on a goldmine.

She
knew that Sully could carry the entire band with his talent alone. Joe had
called it from the beginning and now she clearly saw the superstar potential in
him. He needed to be polished, along with the rest of the band. That
polishing would have to wait until 1985 poked its head in and the New Year
commenced. Thanksgiving was coming up that week, finals were on her heels
after that, and she had started dating Seth Gibbons, a record executive that
worked for Fisher Records. She had fallen hard for him and enjoyed spending as
much time with him as possible.

She
sighed, realizing her thoughts about Gypsy Tango had thrown her completely off
her schoolwork. She sat back and shook her head. She stood up and decided to
grab a snack. She walked into the kitchen and noticed Alexa on the phone. She
was leaning on the counter and looked concerned. She glanced at Kit and held
her hand over the mouthpiece. “It’s Joe. You need to talk to him. He’s not
good. Can you take a break?”

Kit
nodded. “I’ll take it in my room. Give me a sec.” She made her way to her
bedroom and sat on the bed. She picked up her phone and heard Alexa telling
Joe about her job. “Hey, it’s Kit.”

Joe’s
voice strained. “Kitty-Kat. Hello.”

Alexa
spoke up. “I gotta go, guys. Great talking with ya, Joe. Hang in, sweetie.”
She hung up.

Kit had
an uneasy feeling in her stomach. “How’s the road, Joe?”

He
groaned. “I dunno. This whole thing is I dunno, Kit.”

She
frowned. “Huh? You are making absolutely no sense. What do you mean?”

“Too
fast. Way too fast. It’s overwhelming. I can’t go anywhere without being
recognized.”

“I saw
you on the cover of
Shred Magazine
.”

He
groaned. “Yeah, that bullshit didn’t help. I dunno why they think I’m some
big guitar prophet. I’m not. I’m just a guy from Chicago who got lucky.”

She
chuckled. “Joe, c’mon. You always said you wanted to be a world-renowned
guitarist. Now you are. The write up was favorable. So what are you going to
do? Quit and hide in your house like a recluse?”

He
snickered. “Maybe. My parents came to my show last week in Chicago.”

“And?”

“They
liked it. Supportive as usual. It was cool of them to come by.”

Kit
flopped back onto her bed. “Joe, I think you totally take them for granted. I
would love it if I had parental support. I don’t think I ever have. Your
parents adore you. You can do no wrong in their eyes.”

“I was
totally high when I was hanging out with them backstage. Vaguely remember it,
but they were cool.”

She
shook her head. “Joe, you keep this up and you’re gonna land in rehab.”

He
sighed. “Kit, honestly, I’m completely sober right now. This is too big and I
can’t stop it. I love what I do, don’t get me wrong, but this fame thing is a
beast. It’s freaking me the fuck out. And the pressure from the band, shit, I
underestimated that. Maybe I am better off quitting, moving to Manhattan, and
being a millionaire playboy playing on private jets and yachts with
gold-digging women like my cousins. We both know I’m skilled at that.”

She
rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Joe. You were born with brilliant talent. You’ll
find your way.”

He was
getting frustrated. “You’re not hearing me! It’s too big, Kit. I didn’t want
it this big.”

She was
starting to lose her patience. “Bullshit. You did. You’ve been talking about
playing arena stages since we were fourteen years old.”

“I know
and I said I wanted to build a good band and work the circuit. That’s a
gradual slow growth, Kit. This is insanity. I went from a relatively unknown
guitarist who dropped out of Berklee to some weird guitar phenomenon. I am
expected to play at legend level. I mean Steel Pony is almost as big as The
Stones, you know. You try being compared to Keith Richards on a daily basis by
the press and see how you feel about it.” He groaned. “The expectations are too
high. I think I bit off more than I can chew.”

She
closed her eyes and felt sadness wash over her. She swallowed hard. “Joe,
you’re bigger than you’re giving yourself credit for. You can do this. Sull, Lex,
and me are all here to support you. When does the tour wrap?”

“December.
I’ve got a few more weeks. Spending Turkey Day with the parents and then back
on. Tour closes in L.A. You all coming to the show?”

She
chuckled. “I dunno, you tell me. Are we?”

He
laughed quietly. “I’ll make sure you guys all get the passes. Tell Max to
bring her camera. She’ll be all access like you guys so she can shoot from the
stage. I’ll have ‘em sent to you. Tell Sull I’ll call him this week. We’ll
hang out when I’m back in town before I go to Antigua for Christmas and New
Years.”

“Antigua?
Why?”

“Want
to spend time away with the new, high-fashion, model girlfriend. Rented out a
villa for us and my uncle is letting us borrow his sixty-foot sailboat. You
and Sull should join us. I can fly you both out. Think about it. I’ll talk
to him.”

She
shook her head. “I dunno, Joe. And would you stop trying to push Sully and I
together? We’re not a couple, nor will we be.”

He
mumbled. “Whatever.”

She
ignored him and continued. “He’s a great friend. And besides, I’ve got a new
boyfriend.”

He
interjected. “Not another yuppie suit, I hope.”

She
giggled. “No comment. Speaking of which, I need to cut this short. I have a
brief to finish and then I have to get ready for my date.”

“Ok.
I’ll get that package out to you. Call you again soon.”

“Hang
in there, Joe. I’m sure things will settle down once the tour is over.”

“Yeah,
ok. Bye, Kitty.”

She
hung up the phone and frowned. That nagging, uneasy feeling wouldn’t leave
her. She wanted to dismiss Joe’s qualms about his newfound stardom, but knew
she couldn’t. She forced herself to push it down and get her work done.

Later
that evening when Kit was returning from another wonderful date with Seth, she
noticed Sully at the top of the stairs, propped up against her front door, his
head hung low. She frowned.

Seth
looked ahead. “Is that Sully?”

She
nodded slowly. “Yep. This doesn’t look good.” She let go of Seth’s hand and
approached Sully. She crouched down in front of him. “Sull, honey, what’s wrong?”

He
looked up at her, his steel blue eyes sad and flat. “Can we talk?” He then
noticed Seth and stood up, feeling awkward. “Oh sorry, I didn’t know you were,
uh, not alone.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and forced a
smirk. “Hey, Seth.”

He
nodded. “Hey, Sull. If you need to talk to Kit, it’s cool.” He looked at her
and grinned. “Call you tomorrow?”

She
nodded and smiled, leaning forward to give him a kiss. “Yes. Thank you,
baby.” She waved and watched him head down the stairs as she unlocked the
front door and stepped in. Sully walked over to the sofa, sat down, and
sighed. Kit sat down next to him and patted him on the knee. “What’s up with
you, mopey? What’s going on?”

He
looked at her briefly and then looked away, sighing again. “She dumped me.”

Kit
stared at him. “Crystal?”

He kept
his eyes cast down and nodded. “Yes. She dumped me and kicked me out. Threw
all my shit in the street.”

Kit’s
eyes widened. “What did you do to piss her off?”

He
looked at her and glared. “I didn’t do anything. She flipped out. Said she
couldn’t handle me flirting with other women or how women were all over me
after a show. We were out on the Strip and I got the attention I normally get,
nothing out of the ordinary. She told me she wanted to leave. When we got
back to the apartment, we got into a huge argument. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean
to ruin your night. All the guys are out, I didn’t know where else to go. I
didn’t want to go back to the Strip.”

She
grinned. “Let me get you a drink. What do you want? Your usual?”

He shook
his head. “No rocks, neat.”

“Ok.
I’ll be right back.”

She
returned moments later and handed him his drink. She took her seat again next
to him and held her glass up. “To your freedom.”

He
reluctantly clicked her glass and then took a sip of his drink. “I really
liked her, Kit.”

She
chuckled. “Did you really like her or did you really like the sex? Sull, she’s
a stripper. What kind of decent conversation could you really have with her?
I’ve talked to her, you know. She’s not all that smart and she was always
kinda mean to you. I didn’t like that. I didn’t think that was cool.”

He
sighed. “I guess. I dunno. Just thrown off by the whole thing. I don’t like
change.”

Kit
chuckled. “Who does? The important thing is that you can handle change.
Change will always happen—that’s life. It’s inevitable, especially in
this business.”

He
stared at his drink. “I need a girlfriend.”

Kit
laughed. “What? Is this Sully Foxx I’m talking to? What the hell? Look at
me.” He shifted his eyes up to meet hers. She stared into his eyes. “You are
one of the most desirable frontmen on the Strip right now. You don’t need a
girlfriend, honey.”

He
chuckled and took a sip of his drink. “Ok, maybe you’re right. Kit, how am I
going to pull this off? I haven’t had a job in months. She was kind enough to
pay my way with everything. She took care of me. Let me tell ya, my track
record for holding down a job isn’t all that good in this town.”

She
smiled. “What are you talking about? How long have you been the frontman for
Gypsy Tango?”