But today?
Today, I think I need a pep talk.
12
Waverly
“Are you sure you’re okay?”Aspen punctuates the question with a cool hand on my forehead and a wrinkled nose. “You still look pale.”
We’ve been all over Denver today, recording interviews for morning shows that will air later this week, making celebrity appearances at museums and zoos, recording sessions for my webcast, and now we’re in the green room at a nightclub where Aspen’s about to perform three songs off her upcoming album.
I’m not going on with her, but I’m still backstage for moral support. “I’m fine.”
She squeezes my hand. “You should go back to the hotel and rest. I’ve got this, and you’ve gone above and beyond. You really have.”
“Hmm, go back to the hotel all alone and watch TV and take texts from Aunt Zinnia, or watch one of my favorite artists on the entire planet charm a full nightclub of people while I get to listen to her perform?” I squeeze back. “No-brainer. I’m staying. And I’d stay even if Ididn’thave to deal with Aunt Zinnia’s texts.”
“Why’s she in such a mood?”
“Because she’s Aunt Zinnia and she has resting cranky mood?” Because someone on my team told her Cooper Rock was in my hotel room last night.
Of all the things I didn’t want to deal with today, having her flip out over me being an adult and capable of making decisions about my life and my career for myself is pretty much top of the list.
Aspen squints at me.
“What?” I reach for my compact mirror. “Oh, god, do I have something on my face?”
“Yeah. It’s calleda big fat whopper. I’m still new to using big speakers and I really like those ear thingies that protect my drums. No hearing damage yet. And I love tea. And when you’re likeshe’s in a moodwhen I overheard a nameless someone on your team whispering about being pissed that they didn’t get an autograph from Cooper Rock when he came to visit you last night before your digestive system turned you into an audition for the nextExorcistmovie, my overactive imagination gets the better of me.”
I jerk my head around to make sure we’re still alone, then pull her to the couch and force her to sit before leaning in close to whisper. “Who?Who was whispering?” I demand.
“I didn’t get a good look.”
“Aspen.”
“I didn’t! It was right before we went live at the zoo and I didn’t tell you this before, but I’m terrified of giraffes, so I was faking it the whole time, but like three hours later, I remembered. I googled the guy andholy hells bells, Waverly. Sportsers are a dime a dozen for someone like you, but thatsmileand thoseeyes. Either the man doesn’t live up to the promise in those dimples, or you have the worst timing in the world for getting sick.”
I gape at her. “Focus, Aspen.Who was talking?”
“They were in a group, and I don’t know all your people yet. But as far as rebound relationships go, this is a good one. I mean, assuming he can do in private what his face promises. And then I googled some more, and he is very popular with the ladies, so I think you’ve got a really good chance of being satisfied if you go the hot athlete route there. And I don’t care that the average athlete isn’t as famous as like, Iron Man. Athletes areripped. Ripped beats rich in the game of vengeance boyfriends. And I meanrippedin thehas staminaway. I didn’t go googling shirtless pictures or anything. I have boundaries.”
This is not the time to glare at her. It’s not.
Not if I want more information.
But my face can’t help it.
“So is that why Zinnia’s in a mood?” Aspen whispers. “Because she hates it when you date people that she thinks are beneath you?”
I have on sixteen layers of fake eyelashes and enough glitter on my lids that I cannot even press my palms into my eyeballs in frustration right now without causing major damage, never mind the fake nails. I have older friends that I could talk to, most of them either stars themselves or kids of stars who get how valuable privacy is.
But I’m freaking tired of the secrets and pretending I’m some kind of perfect superhuman.
And after what Cooper did for me last night, there’s no way I’d call him beneath me.
Not even close.
I’ve been actively avoiding thinking about it all day, but I can’t anymore. I don’twantto not think about it.
