Syncopated Rhythm (2 page)

Shit!  I'm sure all the blood left my face, I felt light headed. 
I'm going to get fired for my comments to Amber aren't I?
  I walked the steps like it was a medieval death march.  Why the hell was she smiling at me?

I hated that I was getting assigned a personal assistant.  I preferred my privacy.  I'd rather be singing than be ushered around by a glorified babysitter.  Maybe I can ditch them and sneak out to a Karaoke bar for some fun later.

Evan was certainly a charmer with his confident manner and warm smile.  I glanced back up at that funny woman near the top of the room. 
Huh.  She's looking a little green.  Where did that enchanting smile go?

Evan said to me, “This here is Derick, he will be your personal assistant during your stay in Seattle. Anything you need just ask him.  He will take care of your schedule and make sure you get to shooting locations on time.  I looked at the twenty something guy with his slicked back look.  He was grinning like an idiot and hadn't made eye contact, yet he was looking me up and down.  I felt like I was on display or something.

I shook my head and leaned into Evan and whispered, “I'm sorry Evan, I don't feel comfortable with a male assistant.  How about that hot woman up at the top there?”

He looked up, scanning the upper level, and said, “She's not really a personal assistant, she is one of our production assistant interns here.”  I shrugged and pointed up at her.   He nodded then told Derick that his services wouldn't be needed, and spoke into the mic to get the pixie's attention.  “Leanne, could you please come down here for a minute.”

Weird, she didn't look much like a Leanne to me.  Then I watched as a blonde stick figure Barbie type started making her way down the stairs. 
Huh?  What?
  I leaned back into Evan and whispered, “No, not her, the hot one.  The redhead there.”

He looked up at the young woman who looked ready to hurl now, then back at me.  I nodded and he looked at Derrick. “What's that one's name?  The weird plus sized one that always has so many notes and facts put together?   You know, she gets the coffee.”

Fut the wuck?
  I was appalled at his terminology, she was fucking hot!  Not like all the unhealthy anorexic looking women hanging around in this room, she had some real curves.

Derrick looked up and shrugged.  “The one that plays video games at lunch?  I think it's like Kylee or something like that.”  Yeah, she looked like a Kylee.  I smiled at that.

Evan nodded.  “Yeah, that's it.  She's the one that keeps relentlessly submitting production ideas.”  He looked at me.  “She's just a production assistant intern too.  She may not be equipped to handle this assignment.”

I glared at him. “I want...” I stabbed my finger toward Kylee again. “...
HER!
”

He smiled and nodded and said into the mic.  “Sorry, not you Leanne.  The redheaded intern...
Kylee, could you please come down here.”

She turned a little paler and started down the stairs with her head hanging low. 
Where did that awesome smile go?
  I smiled at her as I watched her approach.  Gawd, she looked like a beaten puppy dog.  She was so confident and funny just a minute ago.  Did she think I'd be like the divas she joked about and dreaded the assignment?  I'm so frigging insecure, she probably just doesn't think she is equipped like Evan said. 
But those blue eyes!  Settle down Amber Lee!  Be professional!

When she reached us her eyes were darting toward the exit, was I that bad of an assignment?  Evan said to her, “Kylee, Amber has requested that you be her personal assistant for the duration of her stay here.  Turn in your notes and get with Monica.  She can give you Amber's schedule and hotel room assignments.”

The imp seemed to release a huge sigh of relief over something and her smile was back. 
Oh gawd, dimples!  She needs to register those things as lethal weapons!
  I grinned back at her.  Then her smile faltered as she looked at Evan.  “Ummm... what do I do?”

He replied, “Monica can fill you in on the basics.  But simply put, you do whatever Miss LaLanie needs, and get her to each location on time.”

I replied, a small grin on my face spreading, “Like if I need my M&M's peeled and junk like that.”  She snorted and we shared a knowing chuckle that seemed to confuse Evan.  But if both of us were happy, he was happy.  Her startling ice blue eyes were sparkling in genuine mirth.

She shrugged and said, “Ok.  Umm... this way Miss LaLanie.”

I shook my head and rolled my eyes in fun at her and lilted out,  “Just Amber is fine as long as I can call you Kylee.”

She nodded. “Deal.”  Then we were off in search of this mysterious Monica person.  Kylee looked back at me sheepishly.  “Sorry, I didn't know that was you up there.  I was too intent on taking notes.”

Ohhhh... now I think I know why she looked so frightened earlier.
  I shrugged.  “I figured the best way to punish you was to ask for you to be my keeper.  And this is where I insert my evil laugh.  I'm working with a vocal coach, strengthening the ahhhha.”

She snorted.  “OMG, quoting Dr. Horrible?”

Ok, I'm positive that I could get along with this woman now.  Recognition of obscure geek references.  Check.  Sense of humor.  Check.  Killer smile.  Check.  I shrugged with a sly grin.  Then we reached a smartly dressed middle aged woman by the door who looked a bit frazzled.

Skylar, Kimi, and their keeper had just received their paperwork from the woman and Skylar had a giant beaming smile for me.  Kim's face was expressionless as usual like it was carved from stone.  I remembered thinking how weird that was when I met them back in the first Karaoke Queen competition ten years ago.  But now I see it as just part of what makes Kim such an awesome person.

Skylar pulled me into a hug and said in her awesome British accent, “You're still a right fit bird Amber!  Sammie missed you at Christmas last year.”

I grinned at her.  “I had promised the Raleigh Children's Hospital I would do a benefit for them.  You know me and kids.” 
No child should ever feel forgotten.

Skylar squeezed my shoulder gently.  Then I looked at Kim.  Any second now... wait for it... wait for it...  then her calm mask broke into a huge smile only this gorgeous Native American could give.  “Hi Pinky!  Glad you're doing this too.  Nice to see some artists more our age here.”  She towered over all of us and grabbed me in a hug that left my feet dangling off the ground.

I squeaked then laughed as she set me back down.  “You make us sound like old ladies!”

“
You can't tell me that Conrad Chase over there doesn't look like he's twelve.”  She winked then her expression turned to stone again.

I looked over at Conrad and I grinned, she did have a point.

I turned to the hyperventilating redhead beside me.  “And this, ladies, is my lovely babysitter while I'm here.   Kylee...”  I left it as a prompt.

She straightened up realizing I was talking about her.  “Umm...  Nelson, Kylee Nelson.”  They each shook her hand.

Skylar whispered loudly at the back off her hand pretending to be stealthy.  “Well, maybe you can ditch her during your stay and visit with us at Bobbie's lodge.  Were thinking about finally getting a bloody place of our own now that we live in Seattle permanently.”  Then she added, “Or bring her along.  The more the merrier.”

I nodded at them and we exchanged smiles as they were ushered away by their keeper, he seemed to be constantly looking at his watch. 
Passive aggressive much?  Tool alert!
  We got a packet from Monica and Kylee asked her, “So Mon, like, what am I supposed to do?  Evan told me you could fill me in.”

The woman smiled  at the redhead.  “Just make sure she keeps the schedule.  Besides that, make sure that her every need is tended to.”

Kylee snorted again and smiled.  She seemed to be a happy sort.  “Gee thanks Mon, I kinda had that much figured out.”

The older woman waggled her eyebrows.  “That's what I'm here for hon.”

We wandered out to the corridor and Kylee looked into the packet.  “Hmmm... OK, you're staying at the Seattle Royal.  Oh... umm apparently I am too, adjoining room.  I guess so I'm in proper 'babysitting' position.”  She grinned like a pixie again so I stuck my tongue out at her.  We shared a laugh.  Then she squinted.  “Umm... so, did they like, give you a car to use while you were here or are we using mine?”

I replied, “Nope, no car so yours it is.”  She paused and looked nervous as she started leading the
way down to the parking level as she fished her keys out of her purse.  She squinted one eye cutely again. “Ummm... maybe we should take a cab and I'll get the studio to rent a car for you in the morning.  Mine probably isn't what you are used to.”

I shook my head with a reproving look like a mother chastising a child.  “I'm sure whatever you drive will be just fine.”

Then she led me up to an old beat up, rusty green car with a white racing stripe down the hood and I started giggling as I blurted out, “Gremlin!  It's perfect!”

This caused a grin to replace the nervous look on her face.  She opened the passenger seat and grabbed a bunch of fast food wrappers and papers from the front seat and floor and threw them in the back seat. “Sorry, I do a lot of road trips to see my mother every weekend in Idaho.  I eat in my car more than my apartment.”

This woman was almost too cute.  I admit I was watching her nice full butt as she was leaned over cleaning out the front seat, you just want to reach out and... 
AMBER LEE!

Who gives a crap what her car was like as long as it gets us from point A to point B.  I hate the expectations of riding around in a town car or limo.  I'm just a girl from Iowa, people!  I put a hand on her shoulder as she was dusting the seat with her jacket.  “It's fine Ky.  Let's get to the hotel and then I'll try to ditch you when you aren't looking.”

She chuckled at me.  “Sounds like a plan Amber.  But I play twitch games online so I'll notice any ditching movements you attempt, then I'll just wave goodbye at you as you sneak away.”

I got into the car and she ran around to the driver's side and jumped in then pumped the gas pedal like ten times before she tried to turn the car over.  The engine cranked and groaned.  She patted the dash. “Come on Baltar.”  Then the engine roared to life.  OK fine, roared is too strong a word as it sputtered and choked its way to life.  It backfired and I saw a plume of blue smoke out of the back window.

I snorted at the pleased chipmunk look she got on her face as she put, umm, Baltar into gear.  I just had to ask.  “New BSG or old?”

She shot me smile that would have knocked me on my butt if I hadn't already been sitting.  “I'm a classic series girl.”  I nodded in approval then reached for the radio.  She shook her head.  “That's broke. Here...”  She handed me an iPod that was sitting on the dashboard.

I grinned and thumbed through her music.  My god, is there any music this girl doesn't like?  I grinned as I passed by a few of my titles.  I settled on a fun one, Unleashed, by Miranda Keys.  I was surprised when the music blasted from the back seat.  I looked back to see a huge wireless speaker.  I smiled at her embarrassed look as she squished her head down to her shoulders as she drove.  “A girl needs her music.”  She shrugged.

She was fun!  I started bouncing and singing with the music.  She got a silly smile on her face as her eyes went wide watching me.  I kept nudging her at the chorus.  Finally I got her to timidly join in.  She was so delightfully off key.  That coupled with that awesome smile had me encouraging her to go on.  She was simply having a blast!  That's what music is all about!  I let her mangle the last power note that got both of us laughing so hard my gut hurt.

I wanted more!  So I cued up another song.  4Ever by the Veronicas.  She sang the whole thing with me, us bouncing and rocking to the music and just belting out the words.  If there was a moment she wasn't smiling when we were singing, I didn't see it.  People like her are who I write my music for. People who just let the music wash over them and they can have a good time, free of inhibitions.  We were giggling as I looked over at the end of the song.  She turned away quickly to watch the road. 
Was she staring at my lips?

Then we pulled into the parking structure next to the hotel.  She turned the car off.  But amusingly it was still coughing and sputtering like it was hanging onto the last thread of life.  She got out and I followed.  I shot her a questioning look and then the car finally died.  She shrugged and I laughed.

Then she said,  “Let's get you checked in then I'll have to run home to get a few changes of clothes if I'm staying here too.  FYI... That's your chance to ditch me if ever there was one.”

I chuckled out my reply,  “Nah I'll wait for you to return, I want to give you a fair chance to contain me.”

She got a regal look on her face and said in a British accent, “Very sporting of you.”

I rolled my eyes and playfully bumped our hips.  I let her lead the way so I could watch her sway up to the desk. 
I'm such a pervert!
  She spoke with the man at the counter.  “You have two rooms for us.  One for...”  She checked the papers. “Oh come on...”  She looked back up at him sheepishly.  “Judy Jetson and the other for...” She rolled her eyes. “Cosmo Spacely.”  She looked over at me.  “The Jetson's really?  You'd think the studio could have been more generic.”