Page 12 of Hollywood Undercover
She looked up when Bryce shut off the sound and waved his hands to get her attention in the recording booth. He made a face, and Alexandra burst out laughing at his pointed ‘I told you so’ look. She stepped out of the booth to hear what he was trying to tellher.
“You see what I’m saying? This is like batting a thousand, Lex! Seriously, I think you might be getting too bogged down with perfection. So much that you miss perfection when it’s right in front ofyou.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she replied. “You’re probably right. Maybe I need to take a step backtoo.”
As she left the studio, she began to make plans. Before she could kick off her escape, she needed to tie up some loose ends. It included canceling some appearances, rescheduling a few interviews and photo shoots, and getting out from under so many other commitments. Doing that could easily take months to complete. There was a simpler way. She decided to bypass the red tape with her label, and have her manager meet with her briefly the next day. If anyone could help her disappear for a while, it was the gregarious RickLowenstein.
* * *
Rick showedup at Alexandra’s house around midmorning. He was dressed in his signature pinstriped, charcoal business suit, a white shirt, and a flamboyant, canary yellowtie.
“Lexxi, baby. How’s my favorite rock star!” He greeted her at the door with a tight hug, and strolledinside.
“Thanks for coming over, Rick. I can’t believe you had a free minute forme!”
It was so good to see him. She wondered why it was that all the people in her inner circle were the most difficult to seeregularly.
Oh yeah, our busy-assschedules.
She pulled back and got a good look at the man who was like an uncle to her. Rick and her father had gone to college together at some point in the early eighties. The middle-aged manager had handled Hollywood talent foryears.
When her father hired him to manage her music career, Alexandra had initially worried the soft-faced gentleman with thinning red hair would be too out of touch with her generation to make the magic happen. In the end, however, Rick surprised her with his invaluable savvy for networking and foresight when it came to changing trends. He was instrumental to her accelerated rock starsuccess.
Rick was outgoing and charismatic. He was something of a chameleon, in a way some may have found insincere. To Alexandra, he was trustworthy and loyal to those he considered family. And to Rick Lowenstein, she wasfamily.
“Aww, dear. You know how it is. I have a hundred meetings a day, trying to keep people doing what they’re supposed to do, and showing up where they’re supposed to be. You, my dear, I don’t have to worry about. You’re always on top of your game. You realize I’m curious now, don’t you? When you called me late last night telling me we needed to talk, I had to show up.” He laughed for a moment, and then got ghostly serious. “Am I in trouble orsomething?”
“What? Of course not!” she told him. “You’re a saint, Rick. I don’t know what I’d do withoutyou.”
She had to lay it on thick for what she knew would be a battle to get herway.
“Right.” A peal of melodious laughter erupted from him. He knew her too well, and saw right through heract.
“Let’s go up to my office, Rick. This shouldn’t take toolong.”
They made their way from the foyer, through the marble hallway, and up the winding white staircase to her home office on the second floor. Alexandra pushed open the heavy oak door to reveal an orderly room of walls lined with bookshelves of rare first edition books and elegant knickknacks. She got her taste for interior decorating from her mother. Two pistachio green suede armchairs were at the farthest end of the room, positioned beside a picture window that overlooked the backyard flowergarden.
They passed under the arches on one wall to a smaller room, and she sat in the white leather chair at her desk. Lilly had already placed a vibrant bouquet of pink roses beside the desk lamp. She did that almost daily, and more often whenever she felt Alexandra needed cheeringup.
Rick sat across from her in an armchair. “You know, I was so proud of the way you handled that Wilkes situation the other night. Kyle was completely out of line for playing that clipunannounced.”
“Thanks. Wilkes had me convinced he wasn’t an asshole or a player all that time. I can’t believe I fell for it, but goodbye and good riddance to him. I’m notthathard-up for aman.”
“Good. What can I do for you,cupcake?”
She pictured his reaction before making the move to tell him. There was plenty of work left in Los Angeles that required her presence. Before she could talk herself out of going, she shored up herresolve.
“I called you over here because I have a favor to ask,” she said, looking him in theeye.
“Anything, Lex. Anything at all, I’m at your service,” Rick answered, adjusting his suit coat and crossing his legs as he straightenedup.
She braced herself, positive he would change his tune when he heard what she wanted. Avoiding eye contact this time, she blurted out, “I need abreak.”
Rick leaned forward and shook his head. “Honey, you know people like us don’t take breaks. I’ve got you booked up for the next six months—interviews, guest appearances, endorsement events, all that jazz. What kind of break are you talking about? A weekend off? I think I can swing that.” He dug into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out his smartphone. “Let me see. Where’s that calendar? Yeah, we can do a weekend, I guess. You’re busting my balls, but I can work itout.”
“No, Rick. That won’t work. I really need about a month. Maybetwo.”
Rick’s handsome face fell stricken before her eyes. His sparse reddish eyebrows shot up and his mouth fell open. It was such a contrast, she started tolaugh.
