Hollywood Remake (A Celebrity Love Story)

Chapter 2: Sex And The City

“I thought you were nipping this thing in the bud.”

Kate took a sip of her green apple martini and eyed her friend over the rim of the glass. Marcy had taken the train into the city this evening to meet her for drinks at a trendy new lounge near Times Square. It was Kate’s first chance to fill her best friend in on all the details since Aidan's return to LA. “I tried,” Kate replied.

“And?”

Kate shrugged and set down her martini glass on top of the bar. “He didn’t take no for an answer.”

Marcy rolled her eyes.

“Oh, come on,” Kate protested. “You saw what he tweeted. That playlist? You can’t tell me that wasn’t the most romantic thing ever—“

“Right, so his story is that all those songs on the playlist were about you?”

“They were about me.”

Marcy laughed and took another sip of her pink cosmo. “Seriously? And you believe that?”

“I swear to God, Marcy, you are the most cynical person I’ve ever met.”

“You do know that he’s dated, like, every actress in Hollywood, right? Not to mention the swimsuit models.”

Kate shook her head. “He’s not making it up.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because there are things in the songs – in the lyrics – that I recognize. I mean, I always felt that way. All these years, I always felt like they were about me, but I just thought I was being narcissistic.”

Marcy studied her for a moment before replying. “Recognize, like what?”

“Little girl?”

“Oh, sure,” Marcy replied, raising her martini glass at Kate in a salute. “You mean his marginally degrading nickname for you.”

“It’s not degrading,” Kate said, pursing her lips. “I'm petite. It’s a term of endearment.”

“Uh huh. Whatever gets you off, Kate.”

Marcy had finished the last of her cocktail and was signaling to the bartender for another round. Kate felt the slight buzz from the first drink going to her head already, but she allowed her friend to order for her.

“Whatever,” Kate said when the drinks arrived. “That’s what he always used to call me when we were together. And it’s in songs from all of his albums over the years. Not just the first one.”

Marcy narrowed her eyes and squinted into her martini glass for a moment before replying. “So maybe – and I’m just floating this out here now, you know, just as an alternate interpretation – but just possibly he did not reserve the misogyny for you alone? Maybe there were a few other ‘little girls’ somewhere along the line?”

“No.” Kate shook her head. “That’s what I always thought too, but I know it’s not that.”

“Oh OK.” Marcy took a long gulp of her cocktail.

“I know, Marcy. You weren’t there."

“No, I was not.”

Kate could feel the skepticism dripping from her friend’s words. “You didn’t see the way he looked at me,” she argued. “The things he said.”

“I’m sure he can be very persuasive.”

Kate looked away in annoyance. “You know if anyone’s degrading me here, it’s you. You’re the one who seems to think I’m a total idiot.”