Page Six

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Just when I thought it couldn’t get juicier, dear readers, it does! As reported before, Kate Bosworth flew out to the spa retreat her boyfriend Orlando Bloom has been staying at. Apparently, the reports of things heating between Bloom and Michelle Schrade were too much to bare. While that bit is juicy, it just got juicer. Not long after the arrival of that cute blonde was the arrival of another one - one named Justin Timberlake (seen here arriving at the inn Schrade has been staying at). As far back as his Britney days, Justin has always been linked romantically to Michelle Schrade. Well, low and behold, the pop phenomenon minus his starlet girlfriend, Cameron Diaz, has been spotted all over the villa area with music’s ‘it’ girl Mike Schrade. Schrade’s publicist, whom is coincidentally also Timberlake’s, said the duo were "no more than just great friends and scheduling allowed for them to get some quality time". When Diaz’s reps were asked they only responded that “Cameron is a big fan of Mikes and knows the relationship between Schrade and Timberlake is close”. Just what does that mean? Not really sure, but things are certainly heating up according to eyewitnesses that have said Timberlake and Schrade have been seen everywhere together holding hands and getting cozy. 

Hanging up the phone Julie turned to Amy. 

Mike sounded like she was in her own personal hell. 

The boy she wanted, but knew she couldn’t have, was in her face with his perfect blonde Barbie of a girlfriend. If Mike’s call hadn’t already been too much, Dom's was enough to push any friend over the edge. This whole situation was becoming dyer.  And it was more than obvious that their girl was in extreme need of saving.

“She could always just come back home,” Amy said flipping through the latest US Weekly.  “It’s not like she has to stay and watch that crap.”  She paused her skimming for a moment.  “Do you think we could have Barbie whacked?” she pondered looking at her friend.

Julie raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, “Why her?  Why not him?”

Amy duplicated Julie’s expression, her own eyebrow raised incredulously. “Have you looked at that damn boy? He’s fine as hell!”

Julie nodded, then laughed.  “Why is it always the good looking ones that are the rotten ones? I mean, why couldn’t he be single?”  Biting her lip, she pondered the thought.  “Mike and him, totally cute! Plus – it would’ve possibly convinced her to buy a place in England.”   She sighed at the notion.  “England!  I could have tea any time I wanted it! Cute boys with even cuter accents...” Off in another world, Julie didn’t even care if Amy was listening anymore.

Amy waved her hand.  “Earth to Julianne, have you been listening to me?” 

Her friend blinked.

“No, of course not,” Amy continued, not waiting for a response.  “I understand your lust for England,” she acknowledged, “but right now we need a solution.”

“Well…” Julie tilted her head  thoughtfully.  “We could always send a reinforcement,” she mused.  “Dom told you that Orlando needed a wake up call, right?  It’s kind of a high school move, but it always works beautifully.”

An evil gleam entered Amy’s eyes at the proposition, and its possibilities.   “Very true, but who? I would imagine a guy like Orlando is pretty aware of how freaking’ fine he is.  We’d have to come up with someone big.”

“Well AJ owes Mike and me some favors,” Julie suggested, flipping through her address book. Being a PR rep for JIVE had amazing bonuses when it came to rescuing friends...

“Oh yeah, like that’s believable!”  Amy shook her head at the idea.   “Please, I know you love the boy, but he’s an initial! Orlando wouldn’t notice an initial, and if he did, he would be wondering what the hell was wrong with Mike,” Amy argued, already dismissing the idea of AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys coming to Mike’s rescue.

“Ok fine,” Julie conceded.   “But next time AJ asks after you, I’m going to tell him you called him an initial.”

Amy brushed the comment off.  “Still not caring,” she replied, turned her attention back to her magazine.  “Next.”   Cringing at its contents, she flipped a page.  “Hey- What about blonde boy Carter?” she said suddenly.   “He’s in love with you; he’d do anything if you asked.”

“He doesn’t love me.  I’m not even his type,” Julie instantly refuted.   “I’m not dumb, blonde, or an aspiring singer,” she argued.  “Plus Orlando would question Mike’s sanity once he opened his mouth.  Nick’s not exactly the smooth type,” Julie pointed out regrettably.  Nick's inability to stick his foot in his mouth was something she’d overlook since she always had a thing for boys with guitars, but Mike would want to smack Nick five minutes into a conversation.

“He does love you; you’re just too dumb to notice, and in denial,” Amy countered.  

Julie rolled her eyes.  

“Fine-” Amy ranted, exasperated.   “Who the hell else do we have in the barracks ready to do this and do it right?”

Rifling deeper through her planner, Julie searched thoroughly, before stopping instantly as a name caught her eyes. “Well, there is someone in the area,” she remarked, tapping her finger against the page.

“Who?”  Amy questioned curiously.  “ I didn’t think you allowed more than one client to go on vacation.”

“The same guy who Mike was there for during a bad break up.”  Julie grinned widely.  “The same guy who has always been linked to Mike.”  She clasped her hands together.   “One that every paparazzi foams at the mouth to get a picture of...” 

“Oh, he’s perfect!”  Amy conceeded, readily agreeing.   “But would he go for it?” she asked, tossing her magazine aside. 

“Are you kidding?”  Julie responded.  “You know he loves the faux scandal. I’m pretty positive the girlfriend will get a kick out of it too. Hell, remember the interview she did a few months back…” she pointed out.  

“You mean the one where she said if she were a lesbian she would be in love with Mike? I’ll never forget Mike asking if flowers were an appropriate thank you.” Amy laughed at the memory.

“He’s perfect,” Julie proclaimed, her mind already a buzz with all the free publicity both artists would get with such a story to go on.  The friendship that Mike had developed with this male pop star had set every entertainment reporter on their toes. Every time they went out in public together there were more than a few handful of stories depicting an illicit romance between the two. They were practically begging for the two of them to get together.  Mike had always laughed it off, and he had always loved the attention the two of them could cause just by being.  Their pairing was a guaranteed front page goldmine. 

“It’s scary how evil you look right now,” Amy observed at her friend’s excitement.   “I’m glad you don’t let the clients see you like this,” she commented, brandishing a phone,  “So, call Mr. Timbo up and let’s get this plan in motion.”

And so it went. 

Friends didn’t let friends drown in misery. Nope, friends sent disgustingly good-looking reinforcements to spice the playing field up.
 

~*~*~*

She let her fingers run over the keys.  Before she even let the words come out the mood was set in her mind. It was sad, sexy, and soulful. The beat playing in her head was heady, like a room full of cigarette smoke. That was the destiny of the song she was writing in her head. 

So much for the sophomore slump…

She was on a roll. 

She wondered if she should share with the rest of the music world all they needed was a handsome man with a girlfriend, one stolen kiss, a handful of glimpses of what could be, and the ache of something unfulfilled were all they needed to write hits.

She hadn’t missed the covert glances he’d given her after Kate had arrived. She had hoped maybe she wouldn’t like Kate, but she did. Kate was Miss America defined - gorgeous, blonde, perky and just a happy girl. A happy girl in love with a beautiful man… 

Too bad Mike’s life was a nightmare. 

Three nights of watching Orlando all over Kate was enough to completely break a heart she didn’t think was involved. She spent her days with Elijah, Billy and Dom, knowing full well Orlando was in bed, loving his lover. She was disgusted with herself for wanting him still.  She was haunted by the stolen kiss. Over and over in her dreams she relived the moment of his hands on her and his lips devouringly taking hers.

She opted out of going out that evening. Kate had been nothing but kind and even begged Mike to join them at the club across town. Mike wondered why Kate couldn’t have been one of those girls who deserved your dislike. Finally she just admitted to herself that she was jealous as hell of Kate and of what she had. 

She was just another fool. 

She let the music take over. She let the music speak the words she was afraid to say aloud. She let the music take her as far away from the ache within her. She didn’t notice how loud the keys were, how soulful her voice was carrying through. She didn’t notice the audience. She didn’t care at that point. She didn’t get to see the faces of awe as she perfectly conveyed her inner emotions.

She continued to play even as words failed her. The room was crowded with her emotions. If she wasn’t in such a trance, she would have noticed that it was becoming hard to breathe as she let herself be smothered by the tale her heart was letting her finally release.

Orlando stood by the door next to Billy, Dom and Lij. He knew without question she was singing about him. He was blown away. He found himself holding himself back, the urge to go to her so strong it humbled him. 

Kate was upstairs finishing getting ready. By chance he’d said he would wait downstairs. He hadn’t known why any of the lads were standing at the door to the inn’s main ballroom until he heard the music. It was when he heard her voice that he was so instantly caught in its lure.

At Kate’s arrival, he would have liked all thoughts of Mike leaving him, but that didn’t happen. He would have liked if he could figure out what the hell was going on with him, but that didn’t happen. No, what happened was more confusion than he could handle. It was amazing to see Kate again, but there was an empty space in his heart knowing how things left off with Mike. He felt incomplete. He’d watched her with the lads, watched her watching him. He knew she struggled to be friendly with Kate. Then struggling with the realization that Kate was such a nice girl. 

The saying ‘caught between a rock and hard place’ had the exact meaning of the situation he had gotten himself into. When Kate first arrived, he’d been excited. It didn’t take long for the excitement to leave him. No, it took one mere glance at Mike and any emotion he may have felt was out the door. 

He’d left her room that night with her lips burned onto his own. He’d stayed awake the whole night his dreams so hot he couldn’t bare to fall asleep. The look in her eyes was haunting. Everything she said made sense, and that’s what hurt the most. If he tried to explain how he was feeling to her, she would only be reminded of Kate. If he chose to pursue Mike there would always be the memory that he’d left another for her, why wouldn’t he do it again? He didn’t think she could possibly understand how he felt when he was with her.

He almost felt like damning fate for putting Mike in his life just when he thought he had everything. Life had been going so smoothly and the speed bump the higher powers just put through his way was more than a stumbling block.

Hands crept around his back and he felt Kate’s familiar touch. He was a man to be damned. A beautiful and special woman was in love with him, and yet he ached for the woman who he probably could never have.

“Hey baby,” Kate whispered directly next to his ear. “She’s amazing.” 

Before Orlando could say anything, Dom did. “She sure is. How’s it going cupcake?”

A playful hug to Dom and Kate’s hand slipped through Orlando’s. It took a strength he didn’t know he had to turn away from Mike. When he did Kate’s smiling eyes met his. He pulled Kate closer and dropped a soft kiss on her forehead.

What the hell was he doing?
 

Chapter 10
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