Star Power Read Free Page A

story suggested. She was also a nerd, having never received anything less than an A+.
    â€œYou ready, love? I know it’s going to be a difficult time for you because Marlow couldn’t come. It’s too bad they’re allergic to dogs,” Liam said, climbing into the car and sitting beside her. She and Liam and two cameramen, who were in a different town car, had flown in a day earlier than the rest of the cast so they could scout locations and goods and check out the businesses who’d offered their services. And the cameramen had another task; they were to act as guardians. That’s what Mr. Day had said. But Charly didn’t care, and she wasn’t too focused on the scouting; she was concerned with the hair salon and spa and, above all else, the department stores. Liam needed to meet with locals who’d help him and Sully, his co-host construction sidekick, fix Nia’s structure—a room they’d turn into a full-fledged library and technology room—while Charly met with Nia’s family and friends, namely Rory, the one who’d nominated her, to find out who Nia really was. She was sure that beneath all of Nia’s nesses—introvertedness, nerdiness, and drabness—there had to be a gem she could polish until it shone. If there wasn’t, that meant Charly would fail. Epically.
    Charly looked at him and nodded. She closed the folder. “I know. I’m going to miss my baby, Marlow. My sister and the rest of the crew too, but I’m going to stay as focused as I can on this show. That should help. And to answer your question, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I just hope the fake mission this town thinks we’re on really works. Do you think we can pull it off? I mean if the people in this town think we’re here to make over the mayor’s office . . .” she began, forgetting the lie the studio had come up with so she could get close to Nia, and make the makeover seem like an accident. She wasn’t happy about having to perform a sneak-makeover, but had been told it was the only way. The girl seemed to be resistant to standing out front. “I guess I just don’t understand why we’d be renovating the mayor’s office to get to this girl. I mean, I know she’s the mayor’s daughter, but overhauling a publicly funded space makes no sense. I’d be upset if my tax money went to rehabbing someone’s home.”
    Liam nodded. “The mayor’s private office that me and Sully are turning into space for Nia, remember? The community will know the truth soon, and they won’t be mad.” He filled her in on what she’d forgotten. “Remember, the mayor’s real office caught fire so, temporarily, he’s been working from home. It seems he’s a tightwad with his budget and doesn’t want to waste the community’s money, so that makes sense. He has to have somewhere to be mayor from, right?”
    Charly shrugged, then laughed. She was more tired than she thought. Now she remembered. Nia’s dad did have another office, which was currently being renovated, and he was working from home so he wouldn’t have to use tax dollars on a temporary office until the rehab was finished. It just hadn’t been announced yet. “Okay, that works. I get it now. You and Sully will be in there making over her dad’s personal office for Nia, and I’ll be waving my magic wand over Nia.”
    â€œYep. Now you got it.” Liam reached over and took the folder from Charly. He opened it and frowned at Nia’s picture. “I hope your wand is powerful, love. I really do, because what I’m looking at is not attractive. At all. She reminds me a lot of the girl we met at the frozen yogurt shop, but that girl had an excuse—she was a lot younger and, I bet, her dad isn’t the mayor of New York or anywhere else.” He shut the folder, then shuddered.
    Charly snatched back