*James*

It's been three days since I've seen Julia. The last time we talked was when I told her about the 4th floor.

Yet every night Nate Fucking Hollan somehow manages to visit her room. 

It's over between us, which sucks, because I didn't do anything wrong. But I also can't compare to Hollan. There's no way. I'm not famous. I'm not a millionaire.  Most of my meals come from the free continental breakfast through the Marriot. My bills get paid, but always late.  My son's funeral payments wiped out all my savings a while ago and most of my money goes to my mom's medical bills.  

I think about Griffith Park often, though. There's no denying there was something between me and Julia. She felt it too. I know she did. 

*****

*Trisha*

After Julia's room got ransacked, I decided to help her out a little. The poor thing seems so frazzled over the situation. We went shopping, thanks to Nate and his credit card and spent the day replacing all her broken makeup, bathroom supplies, and she even found her exact brand of vanilla scented perfume.

She really is a nice lady and was so appreciative for the help which made me feel good. But there's something about Julia. I can't pinpoint it. When I bring up Nate, she blushes and becomes quieter. Which I should be used to, because all women except me do that when you talk about the famous Nate Hollan.  To me, he's just Nate. 

He's just Nate until I get a fucking reminder. Like today. A photo was taken of Nate kissing me in the studio parking lot. The day he was drunk. Well, lately, there have been many drunk days for Nate. This isn't the first time this has happened, but still. I would rather keep myself out of the tabloids if I can help it, and Nate doesn't make that easy.

"Nate, she's at it again." I break into his bedroom early in the morning to wake him up, clearly pissed off at him.

"Good morning to you too. Don't you have yoga or a hair appointment? Anything to keep you from waking me up?" Nate groans and pulls the covers over his head. He acts like a little child sometimes. I pull the covers off and grab his phone, chucking it at him to look and see what the hell I'm mad about.

"Nate. Check your phone!" 

"Ok, ok. Relax. Christ, what do you want me to look at?" He sits up and scratches the back of his head while looking through his phone.

"You're a fucking asshole, you know that?!" I'm fuming and pacing around his bedroom now. 

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me. This is all Susan. I don't even remember this."  Nate glances at the new photo of him kissing me that's all over the internet.

"Because you were drunk, that's why!!!! You are not dragging me into your drama. Not this time." 

"Refresh my memory, doll." He yawns obnoxiously just to get under my skin. Asshole. 

"You seriously don't remember? Nate, you called me instead of your driver to pick your drunk ass from Sullivan's two weeks ago. It was when Cara first got admitted, so I get it. I do. But you thought it would be funny to lay one on me while walking into the studio. God, Nate. You were fucking plastered." I hiss, jogging his memory.

"Oh, right. That. Did you enjoy it?" 

"What do YOU think??" I stop pacing and glare at my boss slash best friend.

"Alright, Alright. I'll call Elliott and have him put out the fire. No big deal. It's not like this hasn't happened before..." He winks. He fucking winks. I'm gonna tear his eyelid right off.

"Don't remind me. Just clear my name. You owe me. AGAIN. And don't forget you have that extra session with Julia at noon. You better not show up to THAT drunk too." I throw a pillow at his sorry ass and leave his apartment.

*****

*James*

I swear to fucking God. Everyone I meet lately is kissing Nate Hollan. I look at my phone once more before heading into Sullivan's Tap for a beer. The photo all over the internet is Trisha The Receptionist kissing that bastard. Whatever. 

I walk into the bar and wave to my uncle Mac. He owns this place, so I get to drink for free. Though I don't drink much at all. A beer here and there maybe but I am always on high alert in case I see Joe. Last thing I need is my asshole father coming near me when I'm compromised by alcohol. No way. It's not worth it. Plus, I don't like the feeling of getting plastered. I don't know how my father did, but he turned into an evil human being because of it and I refuse to do the same.

My cousin Natalie is working today. Well, all my cousins are working today. Mac puts the girls to work now that he's getting older. I wave to Nat and find a seat to watch a soccer game on TV. She slides me over a beer and gives me a wink.

"How's Auntie Carol doing?"  Natalie asks and sits down with me for a second, watching me take a sip of my beer.

"Not great. Going downhill fast. She fucking thinks I'm Joe." I watch my cousin's eyes widen.

"JOE Joe, as is...crazy uncle Joe? Why would she think you're that douchba..." She stops mid-sentence. "The eyes. Jesus Christ James. It's your blue eyes."

"Yeah, don't remind me Nat." I slouch in my seat and take a breath.

"Shit. I'm sorry Jamie. That's awful.  If there's anything I can do to help...seriously."  Natalie gets up as the bar get busier and gives me a quick pat on the shoulder before needing to tend to costumer.

I watch Julia come into the ball with her bodyguard, my boss, Paul.  She doesn't notice me.   She heads to Hollan's booth in the back. Everyone knows that's Hollan's booth. He's a fixture in this place. I pay no attention to him when I see him walk in ten minutes later, mainly because I'm jealous of him and that he is with Julia. I keep my back turned and pay attention to the soccer game on tv and the free beer and popcorn at my table.

Once in a while I glance over to see Julia drinking whiskey. A LOT of whiskey. I wouldn't have pegged her for a drinker. Maybe she's pissed at Hollan after seeing him and his assistant kiss on the internet.

 I notice Nate sits in his booth with Julia. She's upset. Crying upset. My heart drops for her. She's not used to this L.A. lifestyle and all that comes along with it. Especially when you're someone like Nate who is known to have a different celebrity in his bed every other night.

I turn around one last time before I'm ready to head out of the place when I see Julia walking straight to me. Right when I go to say hi to her, Julia grabs me by my shirt and kisses me. Passionately.  And she doesn't stop. Of course, I kiss her back because I'm an idiot who can't get enough of her.  Julia deepens the kiss and I wrap my arms around her waist, bringing her in closer.

What I first thought was something to get back at Nate Hollan suddenly turns into something more. Julia is kissing me like really kissing me. Like she feels what I am feeling. Like no one else is in the room and we are alone. We are literally in a room full of people, making out in a bar. Julia knows I won't be the one to pull away. I'm too addicted to her lips.

I can feel Natalie's eyes on me as she stops in her tracks for a minute with her mouth open.  I can also sense Nate is coming our way. Shit.

He walks over to us and swiftly pulls Julia away, breaking our kiss.

"Sorry, Mate. She's a little drunk." Nate says to me and glares down at Julia. She literally laughs in his face and walks back to her booth, which I find hysterical. "Again, sorry..." 

I shrug and say nothing back. I turn around and send Julia a quick text asking what that was all about and leave it be.

But a few minutes later I turn around to see Nate's mouth on Julia's, and she kisses him back. That woman needs to figure her shit out. I finish my beer and walk out of the pub.