Under the Lights

“Oh, whatever. That boy’s as in love with you as Josh Chester is with himself.” I take another sip as I people-watch out the window. I love Ally and Liam and I’m happy for them, but it’s hard not to be jealous of what they have. The fact that she still has any insecurity about it boggles my freaking mind. Especially when I compare them to my current dead-end relationship with Zander Wilson, one of the five guys who make up Wonder Boys, a band so cheesy even I don’t listen to them.

She mumbles something I can’t hear, and then we drop it, listening to the radio instead. Of course, after a minute, we both join in, and by the time we pull up to Fred Segal, we’re both hoarse from singing along to the radio at the top of our lungs.

I swear, if my voice didn’t suck, I’d be the best pop star.

There are a couple of teens hanging out outside, and they giggle when they see me and Ally walking to the store. One boldly steps forward and asks for a picture. I smile for her phone, chat with them for a few seconds, and then follow Ally inside and upstairs.

A cute blond shop girl is admiring Josh almost as obviously as he’s admiring himself in the mirror, and immediately, I’m sorry I came. Josh doesn’t so much as turn around, even though he’d be able to see us easily if he weren’t so in love with his own reflection.

“Josh,” Ally barks, and he jumps.

“What the fuck, Duncan — oh.” Then his eyes flit over to me. “K-drama. What are you doing here?”

“I really missed being showered with racist nicknames,” I say sweetly, taking a seat. Obviously, there’ll be no mention of it in front of Ally, but we also have some party planning to do, stat.

He grunts, and we all turn to the shop girl, who’s just sort of watching us with interest. Immediately, I remind myself to play nice, because everyone in this town talks, and I’ve got a “nice girl” reputation I’m determined to keep; my publicist, Jade, would kill me if I ruined it.

Of course, Josh has no publicist, or filter, because Josh doesn’t do much of anything. But at least he’s mostly minimized his level of asshole-ness in front of Ally, because he knows he’ll get an earful if he doesn’t. My best friend does not take shit from anybody, even the spoiled actor keeping her in lattés.

“What do you think?” Josh asks her, straightening the cuffs of his jacket. “For that bullshit puppy charity thing.”

While they discuss his clothing choices — and what he should and shouldn’t say in front of strangers — I pull out my phone to text Liam, so he can distract Ally for long enough to let me and Josh get some planning done.

We’re here. Text Ally w/some sort of sexmergency so Josh and I can talk party, please!!

I scroll through my other texts while I wait for him to respond. Most of them are from Jade, who sends quick bursts of ideas and demands at all hours of the night. They’ve reduced some since she took on an intern, though. Now I get loads of e-mails from “Brianna,” who seems to think I’m an illiterate child.

A response pops up from Liam. I’m on it.

I grin at the screen, then glance over at Ally, who’s demonstrating something to the shop girl on Josh’s sleeve. After a few seconds, I hear her phone beep and then watch her pull it out of her pocket…and blush like a mofo.

“Excuse me,” she murmurs, stepping away while I hide a snort behind my hand.

I wait until she’s out of earshot, and then yank Josh off the pedestal in front of the mirror. “I don’t know how long Liam will keep her, so come on — let’s talk party.”

“Party?” the shop girl asks, and I’m not sure if she’s about to try to sell Josh another outfit or get herself an invite.

Of course, Josh wastes no time at all. “Party,” he confirms with a sleazy smile. “At my little place in Malibu. Right on the beach—”

“It’s a small, private party for a close friend,” I say with a trace of apology in my tone as I glare at Josh.

“Hey, if Prince Zander can come—”

“Zander’s my boyfriend,” I remind him impatiently. “Ally’s actually spent more than five minutes with him.”

“Zander Wilson, right?” the shop girl pipes up, sounding excited now. She’s starting to annoy me, though I obviously can’t show it. “You guys are so cute.”

Josh smothers his laughter with a cough, and I glare at him before smiling and nodding at the shop girl. Finally, he works his face into a normal expression and asks her to get him some cufflinks.

As soon as she’s gone, I whack him on the arm. “What the hell is wrong with you, Josh?”

“I’m sorry, but we both know your boyfriend is a total closet case, right? Why the hell are you dating a guy in a boy band again?”