A French Girl in New York ( The French Girl Series #1)

Chapter 11

Maude shook her head and clicked instead on Matt Love Doctor Video.

It was Matt's greatest hit with Glitter Records, but Maude found the clip hilarious, which clearly wasn't what it was aiming at. Every teenage girl had gone crazy over this video in which Matt's character tried unsuccessfully to woo a gorgeous ice queen played by supermodel Tiana Henderson. By the middle of the clip she was literally seen smashing his heart to pieces with a gigantic hammer, thus needing the intervention of the highly skilled, but also highly comical, Love Doctor.

Maude laughed as the music died out then continued her search, conveniently avoiding clicking on Matt Girlfriends.

Albums, songs, collaborations, fights with the paparazzi, sightings, charities and fundraisers, hair gel endorsement, Hugo Boss commercial, jet set parties. Maude browsed quickly through it all and realized there was little Matt hadn't done, and none of it improved Maude's opinion of him. He definitely was a wild child. Finally, her curiosity got the best of her, and she clicked on the suggestion Matt Girlfriends. A list of twenty out of over eighty million results appeared in less than a second. She scrolled rapidly down the page her eyes widening as she did so. "Matt and Tiana Henderson break up," "Matt having brunch with model Stella Madison two days after breakup with Tiana," "Matt and actress Toni Terrell in love," "Matt and Lindsey Linton."

Wait, Matt and Lindsey Linton?

Maude with an eagerness she felt half ashamed about, clicked on the title, but would never get to read the desired article because Ben chose that exact moment to pop his head in.

"Mauuuude, are you coming?" he asked impatiently. He'd been patient enough but when those ten minutes had become twenty his patience had worn out. There's just so long an eleven year old can wait.

With haste, Maude slammed her laptop shut and jumped off her bed. She felt she probably shouldn't want to read another article about Matt anyway. Especially if it involved Lindsey Linton.

"Sorry, Ben! I just got caught up. Let's go play video games. But you'll have to teach me how to play, okay?"

"Okay, but don't learn too fast because I really like winning against beginners," he admitted as they left the room.

***

"So, how was Vampire Love last night?" asked Maude the next morning at breakfast, trying hard to look as nonchalant as she possibly could.

"Oh God, so funny!" Jazmine giggled taking a glass of orange juice. "After being ambushed by a herd of crazy fans, we got in twenty minutes after the film had started. As if that wasn't awkward enough, Matt criticized Jason Taylor, the lead, from the beginning to the end of the movie. We almost got kicked out of the room. He's so silly! He did say he was looking forward to start working with you next week though."

"Where's Cynthia? Is she still sleeping?" asked Maude, ignoring Jazmine's last comment.

"Oh no, not Cynthia. She's in the middle of an intense yoga session, poor thing. She was so angry about what happened yesterday, about what Peter said to you. Didn't I tell you Peter was something?"

Maude nodded, thinking even Jazmine had underestimated the extent of Peter's character.

"Speaking about men. I absolutely need your advice."

"No, Brad is nothing like Peter. Yes, you have my blessing to date him," Maude said in a very serious tone although her lips twitched.

"This has nothing to do with Brad the Joker, like you called him."

"I said the "joke" not the "Joker," I'm not crazy, and neither is he. Give me some credit here."

"At any rate, it isn't about Brad. Do you remember Jonathan?"