Philautia || Amour Éternel Series BOOK ONE ||

Twenty - CALLIE

August 2015

Callie's heart thudded in her chest as she sat in her empty hotel room, looking out at the Los Angeles skyline. She was savoring the small quiet moment she'd been given since the day had started. It seemed like there was a revolving door full of people coming and going and it had taken her shutting herself in the bedroom of the suite to get a few moments of peace. She closed her eyes and focused on the familiar whoosh, whoosh of her heartbeat, taking deep breaths to try to slow it down.

A knock came at the door and she opened her eyes, feeling her heart rate pick up again. "Callie, hair and makeup are here," Bridget Conrad said, sticking her head into the door.

Bridget was Callie's newest acquisition, at her agent's insistence. She was a publicist and eager to prove herself. Callie's agent had brought her on to help with the press during the lead-up to the Emmys and the premieres for Lullaby. So far, she had been indispensable, but Callie was starting to hate having very little time to herself. Bridget would appear at her house several times a week and it was beginning to get really old, really fast.

She nodded and shifted on the bed. "Why couldn't we just do all of this at my house?" she asked, standing.

"Because your house wasn't nearly big enough for everyone," Bridget explained. "This is better. Plus, its closer to the venue. Come on. We're going to be late."

Callie sighed and followed the other woman out into the living area of the suite. She was greeted by several people, cases of makeup and hair products open on the coffee table, and an open garment bag hanging from a clothing rack in the corner. Garnet colored fabric spilled out and dangled toward the carpeted floor.

"There she is!" the makeup artist said cheerfully. "We're gonna make you look gorgeous, don't worry."

The makeup artist had lime green hair and a very harsh black winged liner over her muddy brown eyes; it wasn't inspiring confidence in Callie of the woman's ability to make her look like anything beyond a glam version of Oscar the Grouch. She allowed herself to be sat in a chair near the large window and there was a flurry of hands as the hair and makeup girls got started.

Her wet hair was combed and blow dried. The hairdresser pulled the comb through Callie's hair so roughly that her body was pulled back against the chair. The makeup artist spread primer across her face, rubbing it in vigorously. Callie felt like a puppet, being pulled and prodded. She heard her phone ring over the hum of the blow drier.

"It's a Shannon?" Bridget called, holding the ringing device up.

A picture of Shannon with his tongue stuck out, giving her the middle finger lit up the screen. She had taken it when they were on vacation in Greece earlier in the year and the sun reflected off of his bare chest.

"Yeah - uh, answer it. Put it on speaker," Callie said as the hairdresser turned off the blow drier.

"Callie?" Shannon asked.

"Yeah. You're on speaker," she replied, blinking rapidly as the makeup artist put a mascara wand away. "Behave."

"Why? Aren't you alone?" he asked. His voice sounded distant and tinny coming from the small device.

"No. I'm getting ready," she said.

"For?"

"The premiere. Remember?" she answered. "Fol Lullaby?"

"Oh shit! Right!" he exclaimed. "Are you...going alone?"

"Yes," she said with a sigh. "I don't have anyone to bring." The hair stylist started to pull her hair off to one side, separating her curls along the top of her head. "Can I just text you later?" she asked, getting annoyed.