Chapter 41 Austin - Oscar Buzz
Chapter 41
Austin - Oscar Buzz
I t didn’t escape my attention that Sydney disappeared halfway through the after-party. Or that she didn’t come home last night. I knew she must be with Marcus. He was a good, decent guy, but it didn’t take away the knot in my stomach. I went through the motions, making a pot of coffee and scrambled eggs with overly buttered toast.
Sitting in the living room with my feast, I watched two birds in the tree in the front yard. It looked like they were a couple, the way they flitted back and forth together. No one was going in to work today on account of the party last night, so it surprised me when my phone started ringing and I saw it was Venus.
“Hey, Venus. Did I forget to come in to work today?” I laughed at my own joke because sometimes you just gotta.
“No,” she said. “I’ve been trying to call Sydney, but she isn’t answering, and that’s not like her. Is she with you? I’m a little concerned.” Her voice had a slight edge to it.
I coughed. “Um, you should probably call Marcus if you want to find Sydney. They left the party together.” I waited for her to digest this latest information .
“Oh,” she said. “She never said anything about them dating until yesterday. I didn’t realize it was this serious. Have they been dating long?”
“She told me about an hour before the limo arrived yesterday. Don’t feel like you’re the only one who got left out of the loop.”
“At least I know she’s not laying in a ditch like E.T. Once my brain goes to worst-case scenario, it’s difficult to quit.”
“Are you okay, Venus? You sound a little rattled.”
“Oh, right. I have the most excellent news, and I wanted to tell you and Sydney together. But I don’t think I can keep it to myself much longer. By the end of the day, it will be on TMZ.”
“Well then, you might as well tell me now. What’s such good news?” The buzz from the party still lingered in my head, and I couldn’t imagine what else could improve my mood.
“Your song is getting Oscar buzz! Eeeek! I rarely get this excited about awards, but this is the big enchilada, baby! We’re used to getting plenty of Grammy nominations, but an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song is huge for any record company.”
I jumped up off the couch. “Seriously? An Oscar?” I couldn’t believe my ears!
“I. Am. Serious . Isn’t that fantastic?” she gushed. “This is not professional of me. Excuse me.”
“I don’t care. I stopped listening when you said Oscar nomination.” I wished Sydney could hear the good news with me.
“If you see her first, please tell her. I’m going to have to harass her about keeping Marcus a secret. That little sneak!”
“I knew she was going out, but I didn’t know who she was seeing. I didn’t want to snoop, but I tried. I actually thought about following her, then I chickened out. Twice.”
I looked out the front window and saw Sydney getting out of an Uber. “She’s here. Gotta go!” I hung up on Venus and tried to decide where I should be when she came in the door. Picking up my plate and mug, I hustled to the kitchen and ran the water in the sink. I turned my back towards the front door as I heard her key in the lock.
The door closed and her heels clicked on the hardwood towards me. “I saw you in the window, but nice try.” She whistled for Samson and held open the sliding door for him. He bounded down the stairs and went out the door to do his business .
I peeked over my shoulder at her. She still wore her gorgeous dress, and it made my heart ache a little. I faced the sink, rinsing the skillet. “I’m glad you had a good time.” I almost choked on my own words.
She perched on a stool at the counter while she waited for Samson. “I will remember last night forever. I’ve never been to such a fancy party in my entire life. It beats the pants off prom, for sure.”
I nodded as I put the skillet in the dishwasher. “It was pretty amazing.” Even with her hair disheveled and her dress slightly askew, she radiated beauty. I tried to act normal as I faced her. “I talked to Tim and Faith last night. They gave me expert advice about being in this business.”
“I saw you chatting with them. How cool was that to be sitting next to Faith Hill?”
“What?” I tried to catch up to the bus.
“Danny told me how in love you were with her in middle school. She’s so pretty.”
“Oh right. I did. I didn’t see you leave the party, but I knew you were in excellent hands.”
“Yeah, we left early.” She traced her finger absently on the countertop. Finally, she seemed to remember I was there. It kind of pissed me off, actually.
“Well, you could’ve given me a heads up. So I’d know you weren’t in a ditch like ET.”
“Huh?” She looked puzzled, then shook her head. “I know we’re friends, Austin, but there are things that I feel I need to keep to myself, like my romantic life. Because we live together, we share even more than most friends do. The line gets a little blurry.”
I cut her off before she could make me feel worse. “I couldn’t agree more. We should keep our romantic lives separate. That makes the most sense.”
She let out a huge breath. “Whew! I’m glad you said that. I was nervous to talk to you.” Before I could react, she stepped toward me and enveloped me in an enormous hug. I wrapped my arms around her, but I didn’t want to. I was mad… but also, her warm, soft skin touching mine sent tingles up my spine. Then I remembered our news from Venus.
“Venus called me about ten minutes ago.” Samson bumped the glass with his paw, and Sydney let him back inside. “Apparently, you didn’t tell her about Marcus, and I didn’t know that. You’re in trouble. ”
She slapped her forehead with her palm. “I knew I forgot to tell someone! I’m going upstairs to take a shower, then I’ll call her.”
I couldn’t help myself. “You looked stunning last night. I mean it.”
“Awe, shucks! Thanks, sweetie, that means a lot. You looked pretty sharp yourself.”
I decided to let Venus tell her about the Oscar buzz. Her skirt swished back and forth as I watched her walk towards the stairs, and my heart ached. I took the stairs down to my room and grabbed my keys off my dresser. It was my turn to pick up beer for the poker game tonight, and I needed horsepower and speed to clear my head.
When I told the guys about our possible Oscar nomination, they all gave their congratulations.
“That’s amazing!” Derek shoved me good-naturedly. “Congrats!”
“I knew that song was going to be a smash,” Jason said.
Andy chimed in, “I heard my teenage daughter playing it in her room. Move over Taylor Swift.” He chuckled.
“Thanks guys. It’s not official or anything, but it’s still exciting to think about it. Tyler deal the cards so I can take your money.”
After the poker game, I stayed to help Derek clean up the mess. I felt tipsy and wanted to give myself a little time to sober up before I drove myself home. I collected beer bottles and put them in the recycling bin in the garage while he took the leftover dip and snacks upstairs to the kitchen. I couldn’t get my head in the game tonight, and my empty wallet reflected that.
Derek noticed my discontent. “Hey, Cowboy. You were off your game tonight. You usually walk away with cash in your pocket.”
I nodded. “It’s been a long couple of days. I have a lot on my mind.”
He stopped short. “Uh-oh. Girl trouble. Want to run it by me?”
I ran my fingers through my hair and let out a breath. “It’s Sydney.”
“Oh?”
“I’m an only child, and I don’t know what it’s like to share space with another person my age. Sydney and I have been living together since we came out here. I was fine with it at first. Someone to split the bills with while we got ourselves established. But something shifted. Now I feel awkward and nervous around her. She started dating someone I know. He’s a genuinely nice guy, but now all I want to do is punch him in the face. I can’t remember punching anyone. Ever.” I suddenly remembered Danny popping me in the nose, defending Sydney. She inspired high emotions.
Derek listened to my rant while he stacked folding chairs in a corner of the game room. “I’ve been married for almost a decade,” he finally said. “Married my high school sweetheart, and she makes me a better man.” He tipped the poker table on its side and folded the legs. “I will tell you what I think if you want me to. Or I’ll keep my mouth shut. Your call. Poker pun not intended.”
I shook my head. “I’ve been trying to figure it out on my own. I’m calling. Tell me what you think.”
“You’re in love with her.”
“That’s all you got? Please.”
“You don’t see it because you’re too close. She makes you nervous. You’re jealous of her boyfriend. It’s all there. You are one hundred percent in love with Sydney. Congratulations, Austin.” He slapped me on the back. “It happens to the best of us. It’s not a death sentence.”
I sank down on the edge of his recliner, resting my elbows on my knees. “That can’t be right. No. No. No.”
“Denial is not just a river in Egypt. Go home and think about it. Take a Cosmo quiz. You can’t stay in denial forever.” Derek walked me to the door. “She sounds like a lovely woman. Maybe it’s time to choose someone who makes you happy.”