The Complete Groupie Trilogy (29 page)

But there were other things to consider – like that strange woman who hung out with the bassist’s girlfriend at the first M&G in NYC. Such a weird little fat cow that looked at my Giovanni like she could eat him whole.

And
she probably wanted to.

But there was nothing even remotely attractive about her, and my Giovanni would never want to sleep with the likes of her. Especially when he could have me.

She must have felt threatened because she showed up the next night with weird purple colored hair. She looked like a fat hooker vampire. It was really quite pathetic. I almost went over to rescue Giovanni from her but he had enough sense to leave fairly quickly after he acknowledged her.

She never came back after that.

The next night Tawnie tried to get him alone after she heard him tell that ugly little dancer girl there was an unused room upstairs when they thought no one was listening. At least that was what she told me happened. I think she was just trying to find any reason at all he’d refuse going up to her room. I couldn’t see my Giovanni sleeping with that white trash that was so painted up she looked wall of human graffiti.

She looked like a tiny witch, she probably bewitched him. That was the only way I could explain the quick but passionate kiss I caught them sharing when I waited for him to leave the building that night. That kiss should have bee
n mine but that tramp stole it.

I guessed I’l
l have to take care of her too.

I staked my claim that following night when he had us girls get up on the stage and dance with him. She wasn’t the only one who had moves. The only difference is the pole I wanted to work was Giovanni’s, not some stripper pole I bet she
had tons of experience riding.

Afterwards, at the M&G, when I could have him mostly to myself, I let him know that I was going to take care of it. I didn’t say it in so many words, but he didn’t need to hear them spoken out loud anyway. He patted me on the back and kissed my cheek. I accidentally-on-purpose brushed my hand against his crotch as I pulled away and let him know – not in so many words – t
hat it would be worth the wait.

He couldn’t respond then, but I didn’t expect him to.

He knew our time would come.

At the moment I had more pressing matters. Tawnie had abandoned me that last night so she could leave with some of the members of the band – Giovanni included. She didn’t come back to the room all night long, and when she did I knew that she had crossed our line of friendship. I knew this because for the first time ever she would not take me into her confidence to brag about what she had done with “our” man.

She had made the mistake of making an enemy out of me, but a worse mistake trying to claim what was rightfully mine.

I hope she enjoyed her night with Giovanni.

Because it would be her last.

~Andy~

I had no idea what to expect when the plane landed in sunny Southern California that Friday in June. It was true that Alana had kept me up to speed on how things had changed almost overnight for the band after my drunken confession to an undercover reporter, but I hadn’t talked to Vanni at all since
that day he left my hotel room.

So while I knew the band, especially Iain and Felix, were beside themselves with joy that they were finally out from under the Carrington contract, I had no idea how Vanni felt about it – or about me
– and I was too afraid to ask.

The minute Athena got wind of Jasper’s indiscretion she pounced all over his weaknesses like a shark that smelled blood in the water. He could have his freedom, his lover and lovechild, but he had to release her from her contract to keep most of his money. Not only that but she made sure she negotiated DIB’s release from their contract, because she knew t
hey would pay for the betrayal.

Both Athena and DIB went westward to Graham Baxter’s record label in Los Angeles. Going to his biggest competitor was her final way of snubbing her
ex, especially in the industry.

But from what I heard from Jacob, who was mercifully still speaking to me, Jasper found it worthwhile to no longer have the albatross around his neck. He moved Lourdes and their new son back to New York City, and quickly became the toast of the town thanks once more to
Iris’s public relations magic.

And, of course, Jasper’s willingness to throw tons of money at the problem until it went away didn’t hurt. They threw parties, organized fundraisers (for children’s charities no less) and supported local politicians to the point that by June, most pe
ople had forgotten the scandal.

In fact, it seemed like everything was happening as it should be happening. After Alana and Iain had made the news of their impending parenthood public knowledge, they received tons of gifts from well-wishers. Alana moved to the west coast branch of her PR firm and they already had a house close to the beach i
n a funky, quirky neighborhood.

Now that they had some free time, Felix was able to go back to surfing. Even Yael was getting some sun and had lost his undead guitarist look.

Graham had kept the boys more balanced, which made everyone in the band happier.

It also gave them time for a personal life, which for Vanni meant moving in with Kat in Hollywood.

That, Alana said, was still kept under wraps, although they showed up at major Hollywood events together. His status, on the record, was still single. Even Graham knew that he had to keep his biggest rock star available for all the female fans who loved him.

It didn’t mean anyone would be able to get close to him though, especially some of us who still really did love him.

It was that itty bitty fact that made me think twice when Alana invited me to their June wedding on the beach. She wanted me to stand up with her and share her special day because we had become fast friends since the whole hullaballoo back in New York. Unlike Vanni, who took it as a betrayal, I had unknowingly facilitated her happy ending where she, Iain and their baby could actually be a family. DIB was no longer the anchor keeping Jasper afloat with a heavy workload and uncertain future.

Graham had been the total opposite of Jasper, allowing the guys to make up their own mind about marketing, music and touring. They knew what worked by now, and they knew what they were willing to give up to make things happen.

So when the guys put off a tour until the next year, to take time to get their first album under the new label just right, Graham was supportive. There were other things they could do to keep the brand fresh in the minds of their fans.

In truth I was kind of nervous about seeing Graham again too. Now that I knew Vanni was off limits, there was really nothing to stop me from pursuing a relationship with someone else. Not only had Graham expressed interest but he had certainly been one of the very few (if not the only one) who had ever piqued my interest in the past few years.

He was a good man, and I was painfully aware those kinds of guys were in short supply.

All these players, including Kat, would be at this shindig. And I was literally a bundle of nerves because of it.

Both Iain and Alana picked me up from the airport, and they looked tan and happy. She was already putting on some baby weight, which filled out her sharpened features and made her lovelier than I remember her ever being. I got big hugs, including one from Iain that nearly lifted me up off the floor. He couldn’t express how grateful he was to me, but he did try.

Had it not been for me spilling the beans, he didn’t even know if he would have stayed with the band. He had other priorities now. But thanks to me he could still make his music
and have his family.

I received similar sentiments from Yael and Felix, both of whom were tired of New York and ready for a change, both g
eographically and artistically.

Vanni remained the biggest variable, but I was too afraid to ask anyone.

By then everyone knew about our not-so-secret affair. I think the boys were more sympathetic than anything, as they knew just how much of a dog Vanni could be on the road. Since they already liked me beforehand, I think some, especially Yael, resented Vanni for playing around with my emotions when he had other options if he truly only wanted to get laid.

But, as per usual, nothing was ever said, although I did hear from Alana that some of the other boys were trying their hands at lyrics and the new song, “Let Her Go if You Can’t Treat Her Right” might have significant meaning.

Though Alana and Iain had insisted I stay with them for the trip I opted instead for a hotel suite. I hadn’t traveled since that horrible trip in New York, and while I was in Los Angeles mostly for fun I felt the pressing need to do a travel piece to make up for all the work I’d been missing.

This was especially true given Jasper had listed me persona non grata for his entertainment magazines, and couldn’t care less about what was going on with D
IB.

When I would fit everything into my schedule remained to be seen. I had overbooked myself to the point of lunacy, probably unconsciously so to keep from having free time to pine about Vanni.

The closer it came to the first event I’d have to see him the more nervous I got. I tried my best to smooth my shoulder-length hair, which was now more a normal shade of dark brown with no special colors. I was done with the rocker girl look, and just wanted to be Andy again… if I even remembered anymore who that was.

I went back to my five outfits, with a couple of semi-formal dresses included in my suitcase (checked by necessity) for the wedding events. I went back to my clunky
glasses and comfortable shoes.

I had rewound everything but my heart, which still had Vanni’s name branded all over it. I wasn’t really sure how to make that go back to normal. Maybe seeing him with Kat out in the open might do the trick.

If not I had all his fan emails, some of which went into graphic detail what they would do together, or what they had done together.

The latter were far more infrequent, mind you, but their
contents packed quite a punch.

I considered dropping out of the whole DIB scene just to get my head on straight, but I couldn’t do that to Alana. She had so much on her plate with the wedding and the baby; I didn’t feel it was right to leave her hanging with all the fan stuff. Sure she could have hired someone but that seemed like a waste of time when I had already been doing it and needed no training (or money) to conti
nue.

So Andy Foster remained synonymous with the band, although I’m not really sure how Vanni felt about it.

Alana told me that Graham was excited I had decided to stay on, and was willing to pay for my services. But that involved talking to him and I wasn’t ready to do that yet. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for the wedding, I wouldn’t be in Los Angeles at all – especially dressing in a semi-formal sun dress for our rehearsal dinner at the beach.

Felix vetoed a cab and offered instead to come and get me on his bike, but I didn’t really feel like risking my life in Los Angeles traffic on a motorcycle. Instead Graham sent a car to pick me up in front of the hotel, and I breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t in the back. Arriving at this party with Graham on my arm, especially after all the insults that Vanni had leveled at me, seemed antagonistic. I
wasn’t there to start a fight.

I wasn’t even there to get him back since I finally had come to terms I never had him in the first place.

Instead I got there alone and early, mostly to help with Alana’s preparation for the party, but mainly to avoid any awkward entrances. With my shaking hands and upset stomach I knew I would have marred this lovely event with projectile vomiting had I not found something to do with my time and attention aside from waiting for Vanni to show up with Kat.

Nothing prepared me for their entrance. She was wearing a similarly sunny yellow dress which looked almost sweet against the Technicolor landscape of her body. Gone were the skimpy dancing girl outfits, instead she looked like what s
he probably was – a girlfriend.

His long hair was loose around his shoulders, and he wore a light-colored flowing shirt with some loose-fitting jeans and sandals. They both wore sunglasses against the setting sun, and smiled wide for their hosts
as they greeted Iain and Alana.