Part 12 (2/2)

Jane also hoped that Scar wasn't going to be weird about Caleb. Her only comment since the two of them started dating again had been, ”If he hurts you again, so help me G.o.d, I will personally inflict him with severe bodily pain.” Typical Scar. Jane had rea.s.sured her that she and Caleb were taking things slowly, and that she wasn't going to set herself up for that kind of heartbreak again.

Jane knew Scar wasn't exactly happy about the latest voice-overs Jane had recorded for the show, recapping previous episodes for viewers and hinting at what was to come next. Jane wasn't thrilled about them, either. She didn't like having to say stuff like I didn't think I was ready to start dating again after Jesse and I broke up. But now I can't stop thinking about Caleb. Or: It looks like MY best friend and Caleb's best friend can't stop thinking about each other, either. I wonder if they're going to hook up? She had argued with Trevor about these lines, especially the ones about Scar and Naveen, but in the end, he had managed to persuade her to record them with no changes. ”They're not supposed to be the truth, Jane,” he had explained in his annoyingly calm voice. ”They're supposed to make viewers want to watch the episode.” Whatever.

Jane saw Dana signaling to her and Scar from the red carpet area. ”Hey, we'd better get out front,” she suggested.

”Sure. Let's get this over with,” Scarlett agreed.

As they threaded their way through the room, Jane saw that the place was already starting to fill with guests (including D-she made a mental note to say hi to him later). The DJ was playing Lady Gaga . . . the barely clothed waitresses were beginning to seat people and serve drinks . . . and a small group was already checking out the video game, which looked pretty intense up there on the big screens. Good. Except for the gift bag snafu, which was now under control, everything was going perfectly and according to plan.

She and Scarlett neared the red carpet area, where people were waiting to walk the press line of photographers and reporters. Then Jane's gaze wandered to the end of the line, to a girl in a skintight black minidress on the arm of a really cute guy. Jane recognized the guy; he was Topher Gant, the super-hot young actor from a super-hot TV show called My Town. She didn't remember his name being on the guest list, although it was a huge coup having him here. And she felt like she'd met the girl before . . .

Jane grabbed Scarlett's arm. ”Wait. Is that Gaby?” she whispered.

”OhmiG.o.d!” Scarlett whispered back. ”I think that's her? Except, um, when did she get double Ds?”

”Padded bra?” Jane guessed, not taking her eyes off Gaby.

Scarlett looked doubtful. ”Or maybe she wasn't actually 'on vacation' these last few weeks. Maybe she was recovering. I've gotta say, the most I've ever come back from Mexico with was a tan. Oh, and a henna tattoo, once.”

”No way!” Jane couldn't believe Gaby thought she needed plastic surgery. Gaby fussed over her appearance, sure, but she had always been kind of understated, even conservative, preferring her blouses b.u.t.toned almost to the top and her skirts just above the knees.

Gaby spotted the two girls and pranced up to them. ”What an awesome party! Topher, these are my friends Jane and Scarlett.”

”Hey,” Topher said. His gorgeous blue eyes fixed briefly on Jane and Scarlett before cutting away, no doubt to see if there were more attractive/interesting/important people for him to talk to.

”Topher's an actor,” Gaby explained. ”He's on that new show This Town.”

”My Town,” Topher corrected her, sounding annoyed. ”Where's the bar?”

”Over there,” Jane said, pointing. ”Gaby, I . . . uh . . . like your dress.”

”Thanks! It's a Mario Nunez.”

Jane couldn't get over Gaby's transformation. It was clear from her bulging cleavage that she had had a procedure done. Combined with her heavy makeup, plumped lips, spray tan, slight weight loss, and obvious hair extensions, she looked like an oversize Barbie doll. It was more cartoonish than cute.

So this was what Dana had meant when she asked them not to say anything to Gaby. Jane knew there would be no explanation on the show as to why Gaby looked totally different. L.A. Candy was about the real lives of regular girls, and regular girls like Gaby didn't get b.o.o.b jobs and lip injections. Or if they did, they didn't talk about it.

”So I just got back from vacation,” Gaby spoke up, plucking an icy shot gla.s.s from a pa.s.sing waitress's tray. ”What'd I miss while I was gone?”

”Not much. Deb's got me doing a new Pilates routine at the gym. It's awesome,” Scarlett replied.

”And I've been super-busy with work,” Jane added.

Gaby blinked at Jane. ”Oh, yeah. Speaking of . . . you should stop being so mean to Madison at the office! She said she comes up with all these amazing ideas, and you just blow them off! You should give her a chance.”

Jane gaped at Gaby. Where had that come from? ”Yeah, well, Fiona makes the final decisions about everything, anyway,” she said as casually as she could manage. ”Soooo. How was Mexico?” she said, hoping to change the subject.

”Madison's really upset, Jane. You should take her out to lunch and make up,” Gaby persisted. ”It's the least you could do. I mean, after everything you put her through.”

”Everything I put her through?” Jane demanded.

Scar shot Jane a not now look. Jane took a deep breath and made herself mentally count to ten. She had no idea what sort of game Gaby was playing, or who was making her say these idiotic things (Trevor? Dana?). But Scar was right; Jane couldn't continue with this she-said, she-said drama without the risk of appearing as dysfunctional as Madison. She would have to have a private conversation with Gaby later, off camera.

Gaby blinked at Scarlett. ”You should apologize to Madison, too. She was soooo depressed after you told Jane all those rumors about her and Jane moved out of her apartment.”

”What? Gaby, are you on something?” Scarlett blurted out.

”Scar!” Jane hissed. Now it was her turn to shut Scar up. ”Hey, why don't we all get a drink before I have to start working? I think-”

”O-M-G! Is this a reunion or what?”

Uh-oh, Jane thought.

Madison sauntered up to the three girls, dressed in a tangerine minidress and black patent leather heels. ”I hope you weren't talking about me,” she trilled.

”Actually, we were,” Gaby replied, air-kissing Madison. ”Wow, you look hot!”

Jane started to mentally count to ten again, but only got up to three. ”Madison, where have you been? You forgot about the gift bags!”

”Jane, you always stress about the details. It's no biggie-I'll send one of the intern boys over for them. Anyway, that's so not important right now. I want you guys to meet someone.”

Jane noticed a girl standing directly behind Madison. She couldn't place her, although there was something eerily familiar about her. She was eighteen-ish, blond, and stunning. Jane was surprised that Madison would hang out with a friend-especially on camera-who so clearly outs.h.i.+ned her in the looks department.

”Oooh, are you a model?” Gaby asked the girl.

The girl smiled and shrugged.

”Guys, this is my baby sister, Sophia,” Madison announced.

Madison's . . . sister? Jane had no idea Madison even had a sister. Trevor had gone out and hired a friend for Jane; was it possible he'd cast a ”sister” for Madison? She knew his definition of ”reality” was sketchy at best, but the possibility seemed a little extreme, even for him.

”She's gonna be staying with me for a while,” Madison went on.

”Oooh, fun!” Gaby said eagerly.

”Good thing you have a big apartment,” was all Scarlett said.

Jane glanced curiously at Madison, then at Sophia, then at Madison again. Madison had a big, fake smile plastered on her face, as usual, but the expression in her eyes was troubled, almost pained. Jane had never seen Madison look like that before.

Something weird was going on. Was Madison unhappy about her (way prettier) sister sharing airtime with her? Or was it something else altogether?

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