Never one to shy away from attention Leighanne�s breasts were practically jumping out of her dress. I guess when you invest so much in something you want to be able to show it off, her chest was apparently no exception. Leighanne and I didn�t have problems once we established a few ground rules. I had a private conversation with her and basically let her know I�d stay out of her way but she sure as hell better stay out of mine. For so long after she came into Brian�s life it was awkward. It was no longer ok for Brain and me to be friends. He was too old for me and I was too immature for them. To say it strained my friendship with Brian is an understatement. We didn�t hang out as much, not that I can totally blame that on her. Once you get into a relationship with someone you want (and have) to spend that quality time together. After our talk, that I�m pretty sure she never mentioned to Brian, things got better. It also didn�t hurt that I grew up and didn�t need to spend all my time with the guys.
�Brian, let�s go dance.� She pulled him away and left me with AJ. More and more I�ve noticed he and I seemed to spend more and more time together. It used to be Brian and me, AJ and Howie and Kevin as the lone man out. Now, it�s AJ and me, Brian and Leighanne and Howie and Kevin. You would think Kevin and Brian would spend the most time together. Not only were they cousins but they were the settled married men of the group.
A waiter walked by with a tray of beers and I grabbed one before thinking. As I held the glass to my lips I locked eyes with AJ and felt like the biggest jerk for being so insensitive.
�Oh damn man. I�m sorry. I wasn�t thinking.� He shook his head,
�Hey, drink the beer. I have to learn to be strong. Running from situations and people tip toeing around me isn�t going to give me strength. You can�t hide from your problems. You have to learn how to overcome them.� I love him but I don�t want to hear that Oprah mumbo jumbo.
�Ok, cool. This party is alright. I�ve definitely been to worse.� He laughed,
�It�s Vegas. Bad times are not allowed.� He punched me on the arm. When he was excited it was a bad habit he couldn�t help but do.
�There is your girl.� He laughed, �Actually, I mean my girl.� I turned and looked around straining. He could only be talking about Brehan. I didn�t see her but I felt it was the time to remind him of what I told him and the others earlier in the day,
�Remember what I said man. Don�t mention that she�s dating her manager. I don�t think its something a lot of people know.� He rolled his eyes at me and completely dismissed me with a wave of his hand,
�Yeah, yeah. We heard you the first five times you said it.� He frowned,
�Damn, I lost her in the crowd.� We began to walk around. The room was full of beautiful people. There were the famous faces and there were the faces that belonged simply because they were beautiful. The place was packed. If there was some kind of limit on the people that could be in this place it had to have been ignored. It was definitely a night where patience was required. From waiting to walk the red carpet to trying to get a drink, it was all about lines.
Before long he tapped me on the shoulder,
�There she is.� He pointed in some direction but there were too many people ,
�I don�t see her.� He took off and I struggled to keep up with him, bumping into people along the way. By the time I made it over to them he was already deep in conversation with her and her group.
She looked great. From her dress with the patterns and colors to her boots that reached to her knee. I walked up beside her and smiled at her once she looked in my direction. She gave me a hug and kissed me (on the lips) before officially greeting me,
�Hi kid.� She looked great and she seemed happy but I know what you look like on the outside has nothing to do with what you�re feeling on the inside.
�You look great.� She looked down then did a quick spin to give me the full effect.
�Thanks, I know.� She didn�t bother to introduce me to the people who stood by and waited patiently for her attention. They must be people who worked for her. I gained he nasty habit of acting as if they didn�t really matter. Sometimes I still do it. Forget that they are even there.
�How long are you going to be here?� She frowned,
�As long as I want. This is Vegas, there�s no schedule. Just leave when you�ve had enough.� I�m sure models could do that but I�m on a schedule always. You can take a damn picture anywhere.
�So your schedule is just free like that?� She rolled her eyes and frowned at me,
�No but if I want it to be it will. Kid, when you�re the star everyone steps to your beat. Remember that.� It doesn�t seem to work that way for me. I�m the money maker and the employee who has to jump when the boss says jump. That�s always pissed me off. Sure, we get perks but the record label still treats us like we�re their slaves when it was all said and done.
�Yeah, I�ll have to remember that. So how are? What have you been up to? I haven�t heard from you in a while.�
�I�ve been. Just in New York taking care of things.� I looked around almost out of habit waiting for her asshole to show up and dampen the mood like a wet blanket. Her hand grabbed my chin and turned my head back in her direction,
�Who are you looking for? That little girlfriend of yours?� She always seemed to think I had a girlfriend and I can�t imagine why. I�ve never said anything about a girlfriend,
�No, no.�
�So pay attention to me.� She smiled with the emphasis on the word me.
�Where�s your boyfriend?� If the smile faded then I�d know he did something to hurt her since last I saw her.
�He�s in Europe on business. He should be back in about a week.� I grunted and didn�t realize, until it was too late, that I was rolling my eyes.
�I picked out my wedding dress. It�s gorgeous. We�re thinking of a November wedding.� I can�t believe she�s going to marry that asshole. Yeah, I�ve had my share of dysfunctional relationships but I�ve never wanted to marry any of those fools. I�m not sure what she wanted me to say or if she even expected me to say anything. She knows I�m not the biggest fan of his. I grabbed her hand and saw that her ring finger was still the same, empty. No ring. She snatched her hand back and gave me a shove before she walked off fuming.
�What the hell just happened?� I turned to AJ and shrugged,
�The truth.�
�What about it?� I shook my head,
�It hurts.� I knew in my heart and I just hated that she couldn�t see it. He was never going to marry her.
�Why aren�t you with your girlfriend?� He frowned at me. �Brehan. Are you two over already?� He laughed.
�I can�t believe they are saying you two are an item. You can count the amount of times you been around her on one hand and you�ve never been alone with her.� He shrugged.
�That�s the life of a celebrity. Who am I to complain? It goes with the territory.� If that wasn�t a bunch of bullshit I don�t know what was.
�Oh, you are loving every minute of this. Don�t deny it.� He hadn�t been asked about it but things like this take a little time. I�m sure before the week is over. He will be rolling in the glow of the limelight.
Chapter 115
Stranger Than Fiction
Stories
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