Page 51 of Anyone But the Superstar

Mike sneezes again and I fight the urge to pick him up and cuddle him. The less attention I bring my way, the better.

‘Um…’ Amanda’s manager stares at the door the crew member pointed to, fidgeting when his client fails to appear. ‘I’ll go get her.’

With a heavy sigh, Ron slides off his seat and walks toward Felix. ‘Let’s take this time to go over the scene.’

Felix nods, looking more apt student than devil-may-care leading man.

It’s annoyingly attractive.

‘In this scene, you’re being pushed to overcome your fears.’ Ron pauses, staring at Felix but as if seeing him as his character. ‘Fear that’s become a crutch after losing your father in a car accident.’ He lowers both hands onto Felix’s shoulders. ‘And now that fear is keeping you from what you really want. What youneed.’

A plethora of expressions flicker over Felix’s face in rapid succession as if he’s trying on and shedding various emotions, determining which ones fit his motivation.

It’s entrancing.

‘Jennifer is going to push you,’ Ron continues, speaking of Amanda’s character. ‘And you’ll want to fight it. But you love her. And love is what allows you to be fearless.’

A few crew members sigh.

While I hold back on sighing, I do find myself nodding. Without love, I’m pretty sure Chase would still be playing the spare to the heir card by speed dating and refusing to live up to his potential while my other brother Thomas would still be a workaholic with a soul as empty as my bank account after Stanley Moore got done with it.

But then again, love is also why my mother married Stanley Winston Moore. A decision I’m sure she regrets.

I guess that means that while love can make stupid people do smart things, it can also make smart people do really stupid things.

Things like accepting my professor’s invitation to stay and watch filming when I could be home, alone, and free to draw whatever my little heart and imagination desires.

Notthat Felix and I are in love. Or even a relationship. Afriendship, maybe. But definitely not love.

I shake my head as if to emphasize that fact, accidentally scribbling over my latest drawing. Curiosity. Yes. I’m simplycuriousover all the hubbub I’ve heard about Felix’s acting skills.

That’s all. That why I’m here.

‘You know electronics are forbidden on set, right?’ Coral Halter Top, aka Sylvie, who I also remember from the press junket, taps her foot in front of me. But instead of a coral halter top, today she’s wearing a white tube top sans bra, noticeable thanks to the puckered circles visible through the spandex.

‘It’s studio approved. I’m a storyboarder.’ I tilt the tablet toward my chest, not wanting her to see the obvious not-work-related drawing of Mike lovingly riding a rocket into space to hunt for mice-eating moon cheese.

‘Huh.’ She crosses her arms, a half-smirk on her glossy lips. ‘That’s right, you’re theintern.’ She saysinternlike it’s an insult.

‘Yep.’ My cheeks feel tight as I smile. ‘That’s me. Intern.’

She shakes her head, the rhinestone clip in her hair catching the overhead lights.

Mike lunges, but my hold on his leash keeps him from jumping.

Boobs jostling as she takes a step back, Sylvie points at Mike. ‘What’sthat?’ As usual, Mike’s presence startles the unsuspecting.

‘Oh, this?’ I slide my tablet in my bag then pick Mike up. ‘This is an emotional support sphinx.’

Mike’s eyes never leave the woman’s hair.

Giving me full-onMean Girlsvibes, Sylvie curls her lip. ‘Ew.’ She recoils further when Mike stretches a paw toward her. ‘Keep that rat away from me.’

Feeling very much like a protective older sibling, I steptoward her.Imay be able to call him all sorts of names, but that’s because I love him. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some big-boobed, try-hard slander my brother’s cunt. ‘He’snota rat.’

Her eyes widen in surprise. I guess she isn’t used to a lot of back-talk. Bullies never are. I learned that in boarding school.

‘And if you don’t want his attention, hide your hair clip.’ I smile when both her hands shoot to her head. ‘He loves clawing shiny things.’