I hope to have the novel finished, to the editor, and uploaded on Amazon Mid February. It will be hard to say goodbye to these crazy, wild characters.......but I have faith that another one of my upcoming series might spark your attention as well.
But.............until then.........here is the first chapter. Enjoy, tell your friends, and don't forget to check back in for updates on release date!
'Invisible Crown'
(T.A. Hardenbrook © 2014, Unedited and Subject To Change)
Chapter 1: Haven’t I
been in this hell before?
Pretty sure it was God’s way of saying that I had solidified
my place in hell, when the first thing I heard stepping into the store was the
fucking song ‘Endless Love.’ It’s like bringing back old memories, ones that I
really tried so freaking hard to erase from my simple, confused, and distracted
mind this last year or so.
“I’m going to need a drink,” Danielle muttered, grimacing at
the white fluffy frock that’s draped on a mannequin.
This place was way too nice for a girl like me. I wear old
band shirts, and black skinny jeans. The only time I had ever worn a pair of
heels was in Reid’s music video and some award shows I had been drug to. Now,
standing here in the lobby of this ritzy store, full of tulle and big ass shiny
bows, I’m beginning to doubt the sanity of my best friend Danielle’s mind.
“Are you sure this was the right place?”
“Molly, seriously? Don’t doubt my styling skills. Sure, it
might be a little overkill, and the ginormous chandelier is a little gaudy, but
they have an Arthur Risque trunk show going on right now. That, my friend,
totally cancels out any of the shitty decor in the building.”
Groaning, I fidgeted with the buckle on belt and shuffled my
feet awkwardly. Why I couldn’t just go to David’s Bridal was way beyond my
comprehension. All I remembered was Danielle muttering something about marrying
rock royalty, and I couldn’t be caught in any off the rack style dress.
I begged and pleaded with Reid to run off and just elope
somewhere. I was totally game for something tropical and sandy. But, for some
unknown reason, my ever so stubborn Fiancé seemed to think we needed this big
gigantic event. I’m pretty sure it was just his publicist trying to spin some
positivity in his favor after these rough last couple of months. But, what in
the hell do I know.
“Ah, you must be Molly McGlenister. I’m Veronica, the owner
of Belle,” a tall skinny older blonde with the perfect old lady haircut gushed
as her heels tapped loudly on the marble walkway.
“Yep,” I said quickly, forcing a fake smile across my face.
Remind me to kill Danielle later; this place is going to be the death of me.
“I am so excited you are here with us today. I’ve heard so
much about your upcoming nuptials, that I’m sure it’s going to be the wedding
of the year.” Veronica grabbed my hand and clamps down so hard I’m pretty sure
her bony fingers will leave bruises if she ever let go.
“I spoke with someone on the phone about a private viewing
of the Arthur Risqué showing?” Danielle interrupted, giving me time to yank my
hand out of crazy bridal ladies clutches.
“And you are?”
“Lead stylist for Political Drowning, and personal stylist
for Molly.” Danielle’s eyes narrowed at the lady, as they both took a moment to
determine who had a better pissing match stance.
After several long awkward seconds, a fake as sin smile came
across Veronica’s face. “Of course. We already have the large private room set
up in back with two of our best consultants ready and available for you.”
Veronica ushered us forward with her bony hands, and I follow behind her
closely, carefully avoiding any direct eye contact with the massive dresses
that want to devour me whole.
“This place scares me, Danielle.” I whispered.
“It will be fine once we get some booze in you.” An evil
smirk spread across her smug little face, and I instantly wanted to smack her. Running away had never sounded better then right now.
Six glasses of champagne and a gazillion dresses later, I
was official drunk and stuck in a disaster of beads and lace. The first twenty
dresses had been automatic no’s in Danielle’s book. Truthfully, I hadn’t found
a single thing yet that didn’t make me want to claw my eyes out and wear rags down
the aisle.
“I just don’t understand,” Danielle sighed, rolling her eyes
at the dresses lining the wall. She tipped back the remaining booze in her
flute, and then handed it off to some poor bitch girl who had been refilling
our glasses all afternoon.
“Did you really think this would be easy?” Grabbing my small
boobs, I squeezed them together in the dress and sighed. There was no way I’m
filling out the tops in these things without getting a boob job, and since the
wedding was only seven weeks away, getting the funbags inflated wasn’t in the
cards.
“Seriously, how fucking hard can this be. I have been
thinking of dressing you since you said yes on that stage, and for gosh sakes
it should be freaking easy!” Danielle snapped her fingers at the poor souls who
kept brining dress upon dress into our room. The two girls scattered like mice
and zipped out the door.
“You are an uber bitch today,” I grumbled, reaching for the
clasp in the back.
Danielle huffed and wobbled over to me. Swatting my hands
away, she undoes the clasp and helps the dress slide down my stick thin body.
“You really need some more curves.”
“I can buy those later, thanks.” Stepping out of the dress,
I flopped down on a plush chair in just my undies and corset. With all the shit
that has happened Reid’s and that tramp,
the band falling apart, the band getting back together, and Reid’s publicist
hiring the wedding planner from hell to help spin a positive note on Reid’s
latest mishaps, had made me want to shoot myself.
Most girls would run from this kind of insanity. However,
since I grew up with the world’s most dysfunctional family, I somehow survive
in all the chaos and commotion.
“How hard is it to find that dress. I have the damn thing
pictured in my freaking head, and it just needs to magically appear on a
fucking hanger.” Danielle huffed, grabbing a full glass from the fancy silver
tray.
A knock came from the other side of the door, and the poor
stylist appeared, scampering in like scolded child. Holding a long sleek dress
up, the short blonde one cleared her throat to gain Danielle’s attention.”
“Brilliant,” Danielle shrieked, leaping from chaise lounge
and spilling her drink all over the pristine white carpet.
My eyes grew wide as I watch the dark red color spread over
the floor. Danielle was gushing over the recent frock being held up and I’m
worried about the gigantic spill that will never come out of the floor, and how
much it’s going to cost me. Just because I have money and am marrying into even
more money doesn’t mean I’m okay with spending it.
“Finally! I was starting to wonder if you guys had any sort
of taste in those fake bleach blonde heads of yours.”
“Danielle!” I gasped. Normally, I had no filter on what came
out of my mouth either, but I always tried to refrain from belittling people.
“I apologize for my friend who obviously lost her damn mind.” Pushing up the
corset that kept sliding down my rail straight body, I bite my lip cautiously
and continued to stare at the stain that no one in the room seemed to even
notice or care about.
“Don’t apologize for me, Molly. Just trot your happy little
wedding ass back into the dressing area and slip this magical number on this
instant.”
Taking my eyes away from the spill, I shook my head at the
insane look Danielle was sporting, clutching the hanger like a Pteranodon
snatching its last meal during the meteor shower that killed them all. Her look
is priceless, almost making me want to dig out my phone and snap a picture,
thus being able to immortalize this side of crazy for the rest of her life.
But, it was the dress that caught my eye. The smooth creamy
fabric that draped over the hanger so elegantly, the way it shined in the
dimmed lightening, the delicate details that made a person want to reach out
and simply touch the patterns adorning the frock. If I ever had a dream dress while growing up,
this had to be the one I had envisioned.
“Why are you still standing there? That corset isn’t going
to work with this dress. Either get into the dressing room, or drop it right
here.” Danielle’s eyebrows narrowed while using her free hand to point to the
dressing room. I knew she was serious about getting naked out in public,
considering most of the wardrobe changes done during the tour are backstage,
out in the open. Modesty wasn’t a stylist’s strong suit.
Breaking away from the magnificent dress, my eyes
immediately darted back to the dreaded stain. “Is anyone going to clean that
up?”
Danielle gives me a disgusted look while the two blondes
glance at the stain and shake their head. If my mother was here should would
have had a bitch fit, and had a cleaning company on speed dial. Thankfully, that
bridge burned and had no hope for government bailout or repair anytime soon.
“You are all insane,” I muttered while heading back for the
dressing area. I bet the cost of that dress could carpet the entire store ten
times over, and maybe even redo the concrete outside the front of the building
too. Taking a deep breath, I unhooked the corset and turned
around to face the short blonde haired girl, beaming with the dress off the
plush white hanger.
“Are you ready to cry?” she asked.
“I’m not the type of girl who cries over things like that.
Maybe if I broke my leg, or had my heart ripped out and smashed into a million
pieces, I’d cry. But, putting on a dress wasn’t something that would be getting
tears to shed from my eyes.” Turning around, I faced the mirror and observed as
the associate started to take care of the back.
Holding my breath, I watched as a single tear started to
trickle down my flushed cheek. I
couldn’t believe this was really me. Who
in the hell had I become?
“I can’t believe I spent that much money on a dress.”
“Why are you being such a Sally about it, Molly? You have
the money, not to mention the man you agreed to marry is far from being poor.”
Danielle’s sunglasses were halfway down her nose, letting me see the enormous
eye roll of frustration for my panic over swiping my card for that large of a
figure.
Pushing her glasses back up on her face, she tossed her feet
up on the dash, wiggling her perfectly manicured toes in the sky high black
pumps.
“Get your grimy ass shoes off her dashboard,” I shrieked,
instantly smacking the side of Danielle’s shoulder.
“You really need to get some medication or something. This
infatuation you have with this car is starting to scare me.”
“I don’t need medication, Danielle. There is nothing wrong
with the love I have for this beautiful piece of metal and leather.”
“You do realize I think it’s illegal in the state of
Washington to have relations with inanimate objects, right?” Danielle’s
laughter tore through the small cab of the car. She knew exactly how much this
car means to me, and getting her back in my life was almost better then sex.
Almost.
I thought I had lost her; gone forever when my father sold
her off when I ran away to Seattle. She was the last piece of hope I had in
saving the relationship with my family once my father died. I wanted nothing
from the estate, the practice, hell, even talking with my mother and sister
didn’t matter to me. I only wanted the hot piece of road metal, the freedom I
felt when turning on her ignition and tossing it into drive.
Gritting my teeth, I can feel my hands tighten around the
heavy steering wheel.
“Calm down there, Killer. Remember, I was there when we had
to peel you off the loading dock in complete hysterics when Reid surprised you
with it.”
“I love you, Danielle. But keep your nasty shoes off the
dashboard,” I threaten again, still keeping my eyes firmly locked on the
streets ahead of us.
“Have I taught you nothing in this last year? These are not
nasty shoes, Molly. These are Louis Vuitton, and further more they are from his
upcoming spring collection. You can’t even get these in stores yet.”
I knew Danielle was staring at her shoes, proudly gloating
at her accomplishment on scoring those heels before being available to the
public. Since PD has become such a huge hit, Danielle’s career has flourished
right alongside of the band. Everyone that is anyone is calling her to style
them. From award shoes, to music videos, and even full costume tour wardrobe,
this woman’s tastes are all the rage right now.
“I let the shop know we need to schedule two separate
fittings in the next month. I want to make sure this thing fits perfectly
before the big day.” Danielle grabs her phone from her purse on the floorboard
and instantly starts tapping away at the screen.
“It’s not like I’m pregnant or anything,” I muttered softly.
“Well, thank god for that. After that whole massive
freak-out last time, I do hope you did something to prevent that from happening
again.” Without even looking up from her phone, Danielle lets out a snort and
continues to sink further into that evil mechanical device attached firmly to
her hands.
“Yes, Danielle. I had
that little plastic t shaped thing shoved up my vagina to prevent something
like that from ever happening.”
“You do realize its only good for like, what…..five year?
After that we can have a bunch of little Molly and Reid’s running around
Hollywood. Can you even imagine how fucking cute that would be?”
“Maybe I should look into getting him neutered?” Putting my car into park, I shut off the
engine and glance over Danielle, who is in a fits of hysterics in the seat next
to me.
“He isn’t a dog, Molly. You can’t just legally chop off his
balls.”
“Eh, semantics.” Shrugging my shoulders, I open the car door
and climb out. With my family history, there is no way I want to bring any
children into this world. Not to mention, when I thought I was pregnant with
Reid’s kid earlier, I believed my entire world had ended with that stupid false
positive on the pregnancy test. I should
have known that with my luck, I would end up being the three percent that is
written on the box to receive a false reading.
“Your mother would make a fantastic grandmother,” Danielle’s
cackle is heard throughout the almost empty parking garage.
“Shut your face before I throat punch you,” I glare black at
my friend. Walking over to the elevator, I slam my hand into the up bottom,
then firmly cross my hands against my chest.
“You really should think about getting those done. I know a
fantastic doctor that can probably get you in this week. Then you still have
like six weeks of heeling before the big day, and boom, your dress fits even
better.”
“You never stop, do you?”
“And your are just now questioning this? Seriously, Molly,
where has your head been these last few weeks?”
Stepping into the elevator, I let out a small sigh, letting
my shoulders drop a little as the large doors close in front of us. Besides
saying yes to one of the biggest rock stars in the world, I also said yes to
all the drama that comes along with it. Getting married to Reid and becoming
Mrs Chambers will be the easiest thing on our plate right now. Dealing with a
certain someone is the larger issue that I’m just not sure I how to handle just
yet.
“Stop causing more stress in that pretty blonde head of yours,
Molly. We still have to finalize the invitation this afternoon before I get on
a plane for Los Angeles.”
“I know.” Nodding my head, I shuffle out the elevator and
dig for the apartment key on the keychain.
Six more weeks of living in this little two bedroom that I share with
Megan. Only six more weeks of the simplicity of living in a world known as
Molly McGlenister. Then, no longer will I be able to slip around town
undetected. I’ll share the same last name with Reid Chambers, and forever be
subjected to lies, cheaters, and scandalous women, that take shame and world
domination to a whole new level.
“Just six more weeks till you become the beautiful Molly
Anne Chambers,” Danielle gushed as we walking into my small place. “Isn’t that
going to be fucking fantastic?”
“It’s going to be something, alright.” Tossing my keys on to
the small kitchen bar top, I glance at the dining table that’s filled with
different styles of invites. My life has never been one of simplicity. I grew
up with money, and the glitz and glamour. That was the biggest reason for
running away from Georgia, and now, I’m walking right back into the world of
sparkle all over again.
Is this a case of some alien body snatchers? Or am I really
starting to turn into my mother and sister willingly?
No comments:
Post a Comment