Chapter Seventeen
Bryna was glad that school was out for Christmas break. On Monday morning, she didn’t have to explain to anyone where she had gone on Saturday night or what had happened. She would rather leave it all up to speculation than face Avery’s and Tara’s questioning stares. They had already sent her enough texts, asking her about the guy she had disappeared with that night. She was glad she didn’t have to lie to their faces.
After getting good use out of the back room, she and Jude had returned to his apartment. She couldn’t get over their connection and the physical chemistry that ignited a room when they were together. She hadn’t gotten much sleep Saturday night, but the sex wasn’t the part that had her mind running a million miles a minute after he’d left the next morning to catch his flight. It was the fact that he would have a full week off for Christmas, and he wanted to spend every one of those days with her.
She had told him that she would have to check her schedule. Her dad was supposed to come home soon, so it would be a little harder to sneak around—though not by much. Also, she wasn’t sure how she would get away with leaving on Christmas Day. But she would make it work. This would be one of the few times that she would get this much of Jude’s undivided attention, and she was going to take it.
It was still a couple days away, so she had time to figure it all out.
She had to force herself to stop thinking about that as she headed to The Blvd, a restaurant at the Beverly Wilshire, to meet with the Pink Charity Benefit coordinator, Felicity Rose.
Bryna had done some research on her to prepare for this meeting. Felicity had graduated top of her class from Harmony over a decade ago and received a degree in anthropology from Stanford. Now, she chaired the Foundation for Children in Need, was President of the L.A. Society Committee, and volunteered at the Emma Allgood Institute for the homeless—all on top of heading the Pink Charity Benefit for Harmony.
This was just the kind of woman Bryna needed to emulate. She was a real role model, unlike the other women in her life. Thankfully, Bryna’s father would be home from filming soon, and she wouldn’t have to deal with her evil witch of a stepmother. Her father would handle that situation for her. Maybe then things could get back to normal.
Bryna valeted her Aston Martin and then entered the restaurant. “Reservation for Felicity Rose,” she told the hostess.
“Right this way.”
The hostess walked her over to a perfectly put-together woman. Felicity had dark blonde hair pulled back tight off of her face. She was in a square-cut dress with a Chanel blazer that Bryna had been coveting this season. At least the woman had taste even if she looked like a stuck-up bitch.
“Mrs. Rose,” Bryna said with a huge smile on her face. “So nice to finally meet you.”
“Please calm me Felicity. You must be Bryna.”
“That’s me.”
“Why don’t you take a seat?” Felicity offered.
“Thank you.” Bryna sat demurely in the seat across from Felicity.
Felicity took the time to carefully unfold her napkin and lay it across her lap. She then adjusted the silverware into order and took a small sip of her Pellegrino. “I reviewed your file. To be honest, I was a bit surprised Mrs. Mathison sent you over.”
Bryna bristled at the comment. Who the hell did she think could replace her? There was no one else at Harmony for this job. No one else could compare that was for sure. “Why is that?”
“I didn’t really expect a…cheerleader,” she said, the last word coming out as if she had just sucked on a lemon. “Then, there’s your affiliation with this Gates Hartman.”
Where the hell was this coming from? It shouldn’t matter that she was a cheerleader if she was smart, hard working, and motivated to succeed. That was what she had always told herself at least. And anyway, what the hell did Gates have to do with anything?
“And the unfortunate situation with your parents…” Felicity continued.
“Is all of that in my file?” Bryna asked dryly.
She couldn’t fucking believe Felicity was airing out everything in her life, all because of a charity benefit application. So, Bryna’s life wasn’t actually picture-perfect. Well, she already fucking knew that.
All she wanted to do was tell this woman to fuck off, but she was pretty sure she would lose her position. And she wasn’t going to lose her hard earned spot because a has-been was trying to knock her down a few notches.
“I did a little research of my own,” Felicity said cheekily.
“By all means, be sure to run a background check on a seventeen-year-old high school student.”
Felicity stared back at her, all prim and proper. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Wonderful. Can I be clear with you as to why I applied for this position in the first place?” Bryna didn’t wait for her to answer. She didn’t care what the bitch had to say. She had the wrong impression about her, and Bryna wouldn’t let it stand. “This is my senior year at Harmony. I’m currently ranked fifth in my class. I run the National Distinguished Students Association, all while acting as captain of the cheerleading squad. I work for the things in my life, something I think you can understand. The Pink Charity Benefit is the most extensive event for Harmony every year, and I want to be a part of something that contributes so much to the community. Please allow me to work just as hard to give back.”
“Hmm.”
Apparently, that was all the response Bryna was going to get. The waiter walked over, and Felicity glanced down at her menu.
“I’ll have the raspberry spinach salad. No dressing.”
As Bryna read the menu, her phone started ringing. She silently cursed its bad timing. She turned the ringer off and saw that her dad was calling. “I’m sorry. I have to take this.”
Felicity pursed her lips.
“It’s my dad calling from New Zealand. It must be important. I’ll have the same salad,” she said before hopping up and answering her phone.
“Dad!”
“Hey, sweetheart! How’s daddy’s little girl?”
“Not too little anymore. I’m at a meeting with this year’s Pink Charity coordinator. I’m heading the event.”
“Very grown-up indeed. Congratulations!”
“Thank you! How is New Zealand?” she gushed.
“New Zealand is beautiful. I wish you could come out here and visit,” he said thoughtfully.
“Well, I’d love to, but I won’t have to,” she told him cheerfully. “You’ll be coming home soon. I cannot wait to have you back in the house.”
There was a long pause on the line before her dad sighed. “That’s why I called, sweetheart. The film has been pushed back and delayed. We’ve just increased the budget by another twenty million dollars, and we’re shooting through Christmas.”
Bryna’s stomach dropped. No. No, he couldn’t do this. He couldn’t leave her alone with these people any longer. He was supposed to be back for Christmas. They were supposed to spend the holidays together. It was tradition. He couldn’t do this to her.
“Dad,” she whispered. Her voice sounded desperate. She was desperate. “Please.”
“Bryna, I know. I want to come home, but I have to work.”
“Work comes first,” she said bitterly.
“You know how the business is.” He sounded so blasé she felt sick.
“I do.” She sagged at the words. She did understand the business.
She had long lived with an absentee father and a distant mother. As much as she had wanted it to work with them, they hadn’t been around enough for either of them to try in their relationship. But that hadn’t made it okay for him to marry someone else and leave her with Celia and her disgusting spawn while he was away. Things had only gotten they were worse since Celia arrived.
“Once I’m finished with this film, we’ll fly out to Paris, and you can get lost in your favorite boutiques.”
“Just the two of us?” she pleaded.
“You and me, kiddo. Just like old times.”
Somehow, she just didn’t believe him.
“Okay, Dad, sounds good.” She knew it would never happen.
“Love you, baby girl. I’ll let you know when we’re wrapping up.”
“Bye,” she said wistfully.
She hung up the phone and tightly held it in her hand. The entire holiday, she was going to be trapped with Celia, Pace, and the twins. No father to intervene with the madness. No father to reconcile the huge gap that had divided the house in his absence. No father to be…a father. Just a faraway director. No father at all.
Bryna squared her shoulders and walked back to the table. “My apologies. My father had to inform me of his last-minute change in plans. He’ll be staying in New Zealand for the holiday season. Sorry about the interruption. It won’t happen again.”
“Good,” Felicity said. She didn’t even react to Bryna’s statement about her father. “So, let’s get started.”
“Just like that?” Bryna asked.
After the third degree Felicity had put her through, she was going to hand over the position?
“Do you no longer want to lead the committee?”
“Of course I do,” Bryna said emphatically.
“I thought so. You seem to work hard and clearly don’t back down from a challenge,” Felicity said with a quirked eyebrow. So, it had all been a test. “I think we can make this partnership succeed, if you’re up for it.”
“I’m up for anything.”