Page 88 of Anyone But the Superstar

22

FELIX

A loud trilling invades my dream.

It trills twice, just long enough for my brain to start functioning. In the following silence, a low murmured conversation starts lulling me back to sleep.

‘Felix.’

Someone nudges my shoulder.

‘Wake up.’

Another nudge and my head falls to the side, jarring me.

‘Hmmm…?’ Blinking, I wake to Amanda, one knee resting on the sofa cushion next to me, leaning in.

‘Jack’s looking for you.’

‘What—’ I clear my throat, wincing as I look around for my manager. I’m still in Amanda’s suite, sitting on the sofa, just as I was when we started watching the movie. ‘What time is it?’

‘Eight.’

I pause in stretching my stiff neck. ‘In the morning?’ I mean, it must be considering we didn’t get to the hotel until midnight. But still, I slept here all night?

My mind goes to Anne. I never texted or called like I said I would.

Amanda grimaces. ‘You fell asleep at the start of the movie, and I hadn’t wanted to wake you what with you having a headache and all.’

‘Fuck.’ I struggle to my feet, reaching for my phone. Dead.

‘So sorry.’ Amanda’s chin sinks between her shoulders.

Shaking off my exhaustion, I take a deep breath. ‘Not your fault.’ I stare at my blank phone screen. ‘But where’s Jack? And how do you know he’s looking for me?’

‘I guess when you didn’t answer your phone, he called around.’ She points to the suite’s phone on the nearby desk. ‘He’s waiting in the suite the studio booked for you at the start of filming.’

The one I left to escape paparazzi and fans. Jack must’ve assumed keeping the room in my name would trick people into thinking I’m still staying here.

‘All right.’ I pocket my phone and pull out my wallet, thankful I never threw out the room key. ‘Thanks for the ibuprofen and letting me crash here last night, Amanda. I appreciate it.’

She cuts her eyes to the side with a weak smile. ‘No problem.’

‘Whythe fuckwere you in Amanda Willis’ room?’

The heavy suite door clunks to a close. ‘I fell asleep.’

At Jack’s incredulous look, I raise both hands, one still holding the hotel room’s card key. ‘Honest.’ Turning to the door, I latch the inside lock. ‘I was waiting for you to arrive, and I fell asleep on the couch. Nothing happened.’

‘Fine.’ Jack sinks back into the chair I found him in when I entered the room. ‘That’s the least of our problems anyway.’

I toss my key card on the suite’s entry table. ‘What do you mean?’

He points to his bags on the bed. ‘Grab the file in the front pocket of my briefcase.’

Exhaustion drags my feet as I walk across the room. Despite almost eight hours of sleep, I feel groggy. I guess no one feels well rested after spending the night sleeping upright.

‘First—’ Jack pinches the bridge of his nose as I pull out the file ‘—I want to apologize.’