Hollywood Hills by Aimee Friedman

Author:Aimee Friedman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Grin and Bear It

“I can’t believe you dumped Jonah Eklundstrom,” Holly declared the next morning as she and Alexa sprawled across lounge chairs on the guesthouse sundeck, watching the ocean’s turquoise surface glimmer through the ficus trees. Lingering jet lag had awoken both girls early, but they’d been too wiped out from their respective nights out to do more than pull on bikinis and collapse in the sunshine. Birds were twittering brightly and El Sueño’s friendly gardener, Miguel, was humming as he trimmed the nearby hedges, clearly listening in on the girls’ juicy conversation.

“I didn’t dump him,” Alexa argued as she adjusted her sunglasses on her face. “It’s not like we were ever officially together.”

She sighed and glanced across the estate’s sprawling grounds. According to Miguel, Jonah had left for Paramount at dawn, and Alexa was grateful that she didn’t have to see him that morning. She was sure that the eternally laid-back Jonah wouldn’t make things awkward between them, but Alexa herself felt a little uneasy about what she’d done. She knew she needed to hash out her decision with Holly before she could feel one hundred percent about it.

“Still, you blew him off,” Holly argued, but she grinned as she said it. After her eventful night, she’d slept fitfully, imagining herself going bankrupt because of her new dress, and remembering the somewhat strained conversation she’d had with Tyler outside the Cabana Club (“Maybe you should just call me back when it works for you,” Tyler had said, his voice distant). But Alexa’s riveting Jonah story had taken Holly’s mind off her fatigue. “Only you, Alexa St. Laurent. Only you would decide that a gorgeous, millionaire Oscar-winner isn’t, you know, good enough.”

“Oh, shut up.” Alexa laughed in spite of herself, and swung her foot out to poke Holly’s bare leg. “So sue me. I have high standards.”

“That’s why I love you,” Holly replied, resting her head back on the chair and smiling fondly at Alexa. As surprised as Holly was, she was also secretly impressed; the Alexa she’d always known would never have turned down a guy like Jonah, no matter the circumstances. What was it Kenya had said last night? It’s this city. It changes everyone.

Remembering Kenya, Holly sat up straight, checking her watch. “Could I take the Hybrid this morning?” she asked Alexa. Driving home last night along the dark Pacific Coast Highway, listening to the ocean, and singing along to pop songs on KIIS FM, had been strangely freeing—and Holly was eager to get back on the road. Wait until she told Tyler that LA was turning her into a driver.

“Sure, but where are you rushing off to?” Alexa asked, straightening her Noir gold anchor necklace against her collarbone.

Holly swung her legs off her chair. “Well, I’m going to stop at Fred Segal and return my dress before I meet Kenya at UCLA, and then guess who called me—”

“Whoa, whoa,” Alexa cut in, whipping off her sunglasses. “Why on earth are you—”

“Because I have to,” Holly interrupted, her shoulders slumping.

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