Love Unscripted
Page 83
“Sure! No problem!” he said cheerfully while sliding his hand across my rear.
I’m sure the sourpuss twins saw that gesture; I heard one of them scoff. I placed the first round of steaks in the hot iron pot and covered them with the lid. I had just set the second layer of steaks on the grill when Marie came through the door.
“Ryan, the guys are playing darts and they want you to even out the teams,” Marie stated. Her face was twisted in confusion as she looked at the two sitting at the table.
“Nah, I’m staying with Taryn,” he quickly replied.
I saw his eyes flicker over to Suzanne. I supposed he thought I needed his protection.
I touched his cheek. “It’s okay. I have this.” I smiled. “Go have fun with the boys. Marie will keep me company.” I gave him my devilish grin to let him know I wouldn’t be taking any of their crap.
“Are you sure?” he whispered. I knew he would stay if I asked him to.
“It’s okay,” I reassured him.
He leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Don’t take any of their shit.”
I smiled. He and I were on the same wavelength.
“I didn’t intend to.”
Marie was with me now; I had reason to just ignore them.
“That a girl! I’ll see you in a bit.” He gave me a quick kiss and a pat on the butt.
Ryan gave Marie a squeeze on her shoulder in passing. “Play nice ladies,” he said, looking back at the table.
“What’s up with those two?” Marie whispered to me. She sat down on one of the counter stools.
I rolled my eyes.
“Did you meet Kelly and Kat?” I asked her.
“Yep.” She nodded. “They are so cool! Tammy is down there with them now. Kat is really funny!”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to introduce you to everyone. I’ve been distracted.”
“No kidding!” Marie giggled.
Suzanne started talking to Francesca; even though she was talking quietly, she apparently wanted me to hear what she was saying. She wasn’t that quiet.
“You know the studio will be upset once they discover he’s dating someone. It’s all about how he’s packaged. And as long as he’s publicly single, his fan base will be higher and his movies will make more money. You don’t think that they will allow him to be seen with her, I mean she’s not even famous. Won’t take them long to put an end to it.”
Even though she was appearing to be a mean and vindictive person, I wondered if there was any truth to her comment. Would the studio tell him who he could and could not date? Did he have to sign a contract or something which governed his personal life? I didn’t know anything about the rules that came along with being famous.
“So Taryn…” Suzanne chimed up, interrupting my private thoughts. “How did you and Ryan meet?”
I smiled briefly before turning around.
“I’m so surprised Ryan didn’t tell you that story himself, Suzanne! Perhaps you should ask him how we met. He tells the story much better than I do.”
“No, he didn’t mention you at all,” she retorted. “He’s such a good actor and a good liar that I wouldn’t believe anything he tells me anyway.”
Marie’s eyes shot up to look at me. She was instantly aware that this was a confrontation and not a casual conversation.
“I wouldn’t know about his acting abilities. I’ve never seen any of his movies,” I replied over my shoulder. “But when he looks at me I can tell he’s being honest. He has no reason to pretend with me.” I laughed quietly; only Marie could see me.
“Yes, well, enjoy it while it lasts. In a few more weeks he’ll be leaving. Then what will you do?”
The smile on my lips quickly faded. The bitch found my weak spot.
She noted my pause and used it to her advantage.
“You honestly didn’t think he would stay here, did you?” she said condescendingly in her annoying accent.
When I didn’t respond, she threw her next dagger.
“You did! How pathetic! You probably think what you have with him is special; like you are the first girl in this town that he has tried to sleep with.
I hate to be the one to inform you but you aren’t the first. My dear Ryan is such a talented actor. It’s all the same, from town to town, how easy they all fall for him. He tells them what they want to hear so he can get laid. Pity how he leaves them all broken-hearted.”
I had a sharp knife in one hand and a long tined fork in the other. The thought of stabbing her in her heart crossed my mind.
I’m sure the sourpuss twins saw that gesture; I heard one of them scoff. I placed the first round of steaks in the hot iron pot and covered them with the lid. I had just set the second layer of steaks on the grill when Marie came through the door.
“Ryan, the guys are playing darts and they want you to even out the teams,” Marie stated. Her face was twisted in confusion as she looked at the two sitting at the table.
“Nah, I’m staying with Taryn,” he quickly replied.
I saw his eyes flicker over to Suzanne. I supposed he thought I needed his protection.
I touched his cheek. “It’s okay. I have this.” I smiled. “Go have fun with the boys. Marie will keep me company.” I gave him my devilish grin to let him know I wouldn’t be taking any of their crap.
“Are you sure?” he whispered. I knew he would stay if I asked him to.
“It’s okay,” I reassured him.
He leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Don’t take any of their shit.”
I smiled. He and I were on the same wavelength.
“I didn’t intend to.”
Marie was with me now; I had reason to just ignore them.
“That a girl! I’ll see you in a bit.” He gave me a quick kiss and a pat on the butt.
Ryan gave Marie a squeeze on her shoulder in passing. “Play nice ladies,” he said, looking back at the table.
“What’s up with those two?” Marie whispered to me. She sat down on one of the counter stools.
I rolled my eyes.
“Did you meet Kelly and Kat?” I asked her.
“Yep.” She nodded. “They are so cool! Tammy is down there with them now. Kat is really funny!”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to introduce you to everyone. I’ve been distracted.”
“No kidding!” Marie giggled.
Suzanne started talking to Francesca; even though she was talking quietly, she apparently wanted me to hear what she was saying. She wasn’t that quiet.
“You know the studio will be upset once they discover he’s dating someone. It’s all about how he’s packaged. And as long as he’s publicly single, his fan base will be higher and his movies will make more money. You don’t think that they will allow him to be seen with her, I mean she’s not even famous. Won’t take them long to put an end to it.”
Even though she was appearing to be a mean and vindictive person, I wondered if there was any truth to her comment. Would the studio tell him who he could and could not date? Did he have to sign a contract or something which governed his personal life? I didn’t know anything about the rules that came along with being famous.
“So Taryn…” Suzanne chimed up, interrupting my private thoughts. “How did you and Ryan meet?”
I smiled briefly before turning around.
“I’m so surprised Ryan didn’t tell you that story himself, Suzanne! Perhaps you should ask him how we met. He tells the story much better than I do.”
“No, he didn’t mention you at all,” she retorted. “He’s such a good actor and a good liar that I wouldn’t believe anything he tells me anyway.”
Marie’s eyes shot up to look at me. She was instantly aware that this was a confrontation and not a casual conversation.
“I wouldn’t know about his acting abilities. I’ve never seen any of his movies,” I replied over my shoulder. “But when he looks at me I can tell he’s being honest. He has no reason to pretend with me.” I laughed quietly; only Marie could see me.
“Yes, well, enjoy it while it lasts. In a few more weeks he’ll be leaving. Then what will you do?”
The smile on my lips quickly faded. The bitch found my weak spot.
She noted my pause and used it to her advantage.
“You honestly didn’t think he would stay here, did you?” she said condescendingly in her annoying accent.
When I didn’t respond, she threw her next dagger.
“You did! How pathetic! You probably think what you have with him is special; like you are the first girl in this town that he has tried to sleep with.
I hate to be the one to inform you but you aren’t the first. My dear Ryan is such a talented actor. It’s all the same, from town to town, how easy they all fall for him. He tells them what they want to hear so he can get laid. Pity how he leaves them all broken-hearted.”
I had a sharp knife in one hand and a long tined fork in the other. The thought of stabbing her in her heart crossed my mind.
