He tried to run through the list of assholes who would have given Nikki drugs again. She had been clean for a few weeks and he’d thought she was through the worst of the withdrawals. She’ll have to start again, he thought bitterly.
James sat up on the edge of the bed and rubbed his face. He’d spent most of the night cleaning the contents of Nikki’s stomach off various surfaces, and then holding her while she wept as she came down. The first week was always the worst.
He’d put her to bed only a couple of hours ago, and watched her constantly to make sure she didn’t vomit again and choke in her sleep. He knew what to do. He’d been doing it forever.
Nikki’s breathing was finally peaceful and regular, so James pulled on an old T-shirt and jeans and quietly ducked outside for some air.
He flicked his phone on and checked his messages. Seven missed calls from his manager Pete.
James called him back as he lit a cigarette. ‘Hey man, what’s happening?’ he said when Pete picked up on the first ring. He tried to sound upbeat and casual, hoping that last night’s news hadn’t reached Pete yet.
No such luck. Pete’s voice came down the line like a machine gun. ‘What’s this I’m hearing about Nikki assaulting some chick at Skyhigh last night? What the hell went down, Hawthorn?’
James walked outside and lowered his voice. ‘I was just talking to this girl and Nikki went schizoid and kicked her into the pool. She was hammered. You know what she’s like when she’s high.’
‘Jesus Christ, Jamie.’
‘I know,’ James said. ‘I really liked her, too.’
‘Who?’
‘The girl who ended up in the pool,’ said James.
Pete laughed. ‘Ah well. No doubt she’s sold her story to TMZ by now.’
‘Yeah. Shame, she was cute,’ said James. He could hear real regret in his voice.
Pete paused. James braced himself for what was coming. Pete knew him better than nearly anyone. ‘You know,’ Pete said, ‘you ain’t ever gonna move on while Nikki is in your bed.’
James sighed. ‘I know. But I can’t just abandon her when she’s like this. She’s just getting used to the break-up. She’ll come round.’
‘Dude, it’s been a year,’ Pete said. ‘Both of you are in denial, big time. You gotta sort this shit out. I’ve had your publicist on the line all morning, freaking out about last night. How you wanna play it?’
James stubbed out the cigarette. He would do what he always did for Nikki. Protect her until she could take care of herself. Somehow this time felt harder than it ever had before, though.
‘Say a fan approached Nikki and me,’ he sighed. ‘We were just out for a quiet night with friends. The fan pushed herself onto me. She was outta control so Nikki stepped between us and the crazed fan accidentally ended up in the pool.’
Pete laughed. ‘I like your style, man. Don’t forget you got a meeting with Barry Rosen at Frontier on Thursday and after that you got the photo shoot for publicity posters.’
‘No problemo,’ said James. ‘See ya.’
He hung up the phone and lay down in a hammock strung between two palm trees.
Dammit, what did he have to do to make Nikki understand they were over? He had done everything to make it easy for her. He’d covered for her countless times, allowed her to abuse him and make a fool of him. He’d even taken the blame when she’d had the car accident, and now he was going to court for her. He could end up in jail for her, for Christ’s sake, although he had the best lawyer in LA, so he doubted it.
Every time he thought he was free, she came back into his life, drunk and drugged. She was so fragile that sometimes he thought she wouldn’t make it. That she’d end up just like his mum.
James swallowed as a lump formed in his throat. He shook his head angrily. He couldn’t think about his mum right now.
As he watched the clouds float lazily above him, James wondered if he had any integrity left. The story about the girl last
James sat up on the edge of the bed and rubbed his face. He’d spent most of the night cleaning the contents of Nikki’s stomach off various surfaces, and then holding her while she wept as she came down. The first week was always the worst.
He’d put her to bed only a couple of hours ago, and watched her constantly to make sure she didn’t vomit again and choke in her sleep. He knew what to do. He’d been doing it forever.
Nikki’s breathing was finally peaceful and regular, so James pulled on an old T-shirt and jeans and quietly ducked outside for some air.
He flicked his phone on and checked his messages. Seven missed calls from his manager Pete.
James called him back as he lit a cigarette. ‘Hey man, what’s happening?’ he said when Pete picked up on the first ring. He tried to sound upbeat and casual, hoping that last night’s news hadn’t reached Pete yet.
No such luck. Pete’s voice came down the line like a machine gun. ‘What’s this I’m hearing about Nikki assaulting some chick at Skyhigh last night? What the hell went down, Hawthorn?’
James walked outside and lowered his voice. ‘I was just talking to this girl and Nikki went schizoid and kicked her into the pool. She was hammered. You know what she’s like when she’s high.’
‘Jesus Christ, Jamie.’
‘I know,’ James said. ‘I really liked her, too.’
‘Who?’
‘The girl who ended up in the pool,’ said James.
Pete laughed. ‘Ah well. No doubt she’s sold her story to TMZ by now.’
‘Yeah. Shame, she was cute,’ said James. He could hear real regret in his voice.
Pete paused. James braced himself for what was coming. Pete knew him better than nearly anyone. ‘You know,’ Pete said, ‘you ain’t ever gonna move on while Nikki is in your bed.’
James sighed. ‘I know. But I can’t just abandon her when she’s like this. She’s just getting used to the break-up. She’ll come round.’
‘Dude, it’s been a year,’ Pete said. ‘Both of you are in denial, big time. You gotta sort this shit out. I’ve had your publicist on the line all morning, freaking out about last night. How you wanna play it?’
James stubbed out the cigarette. He would do what he always did for Nikki. Protect her until she could take care of herself. Somehow this time felt harder than it ever had before, though.
‘Say a fan approached Nikki and me,’ he sighed. ‘We were just out for a quiet night with friends. The fan pushed herself onto me. She was outta control so Nikki stepped between us and the crazed fan accidentally ended up in the pool.’
Pete laughed. ‘I like your style, man. Don’t forget you got a meeting with Barry Rosen at Frontier on Thursday and after that you got the photo shoot for publicity posters.’
‘No problemo,’ said James. ‘See ya.’
He hung up the phone and lay down in a hammock strung between two palm trees.
Dammit, what did he have to do to make Nikki understand they were over? He had done everything to make it easy for her. He’d covered for her countless times, allowed her to abuse him and make a fool of him. He’d even taken the blame when she’d had the car accident, and now he was going to court for her. He could end up in jail for her, for Christ’s sake, although he had the best lawyer in LA, so he doubted it.
Every time he thought he was free, she came back into his life, drunk and drugged. She was so fragile that sometimes he thought she wouldn’t make it. That she’d end up just like his mum.
James swallowed as a lump formed in his throat. He shook his head angrily. He couldn’t think about his mum right now.
As he watched the clouds float lazily above him, James wondered if he had any integrity left. The story about the girl last
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