Chapter 23
23
RYAN
I can’t help but smile, looking up and letting the sun warm my face.
What a gorgeous day.
“Excuse me.”
I quickly move, stepping aside on the sidewalk so I’m not blocking anyone’s path. “Sorry,” I reply politely to the group of young girls already moving past me.
I can’t help but notice the number of people moving around. Everyone warned me about the summer tourist season, but for some reason, it seems to have doubled overnight. There are people everywhere, vehicles lining the streets and filling every parking spot imaginable.
My instincts have me lowering my head, blocking my face, thanks to the ball cap I’m wearing. I’ve become accustomed to wearing it, the hat part of my normal attire when I’m in public. I try not to make too much eye contact, because I’m afraid that’s when I’ll be recognized. If some of the locals have figured out who I am, they haven’t said a word, at least to me.
I just left the small boutique, picking up a cute pair of shorts and some adorable jewelry made by a local resident, and my next stop is the bakery. Jillian is supposed to make apple turnovers, and I don’t want to miss it. She said by the afternoon they’d be sold out, so I definitely want to stop before it gets too late. Though, with all the extra out-of-towners running around, I might be out of luck.
I slip inside the bakery, noting the extra-long line. I almost turn around and walk out, not wanting to wait for my sweet treat. Just as I turn to exit, Jillian looks up and spots me. Her eyes go wide, and she waves me toward her. People start turning, so I lower my head, and head in her direction. I can hear grumbles about me bypassing the line, but I ignore them as I reach the side of the counter.
Jillian reaches out and takes my hand, giving it a firm tug. “I’ll be right back,” she hollers to her employee, Lisa.
I’m practically dragged down the hallway to a small office. “Where in the hell have you been?” she asks before the door is even closed.
“What?” I ask, surprised by her insistent tone.
She faces me, her eyes wide with worry. “We’ve been trying to call you all morning.”
I shrug, reaching for my crossbody bag where my phone is. “It’s on silent, like always.”
“Ryan!” she whisper-yells. “We have a big problem.”
“What? Is it Hallie? Blair? One of the babies?—”
“No, Ryan, it’s you! They found out you’re here,” she practically cries out.
Her words hit me with the force of a sledgehammer to the chest. “What?” I ask through a gasp.
“I’m so sorry, honey. All those people? They’re looking for you.”
My head starts to spin. “I don’t…how?” I fall into the chair she has positioned in front of her desk along the wall, my bags drop to the floor.
She leans against the desk. “You posted a picture on Sunday morning,” she says, as if that’s enough explanation.
“I made sure there were no identifying landmarks in the picture, Jillian,” I insist, recalling how I scanned that picture several times before hitting publish.
“Umm,” she says, nibbling on her bottom lip. “You had the location setting on.”
Realization hits me hard. “Oh God,” I whisper.
“Yeah. It posted that you were at Bluff Preserves National Park.”
“No,” I cry out, tears filling my eyes.
“I’m so sorry, honey,” she says in a soothing voice.
A knock sounds at the door, and it’s quickly followed by a familiar voice. “Jillian? It’s Hallie!”
Jillian runs over to the door and rips it open, pulling Hallie inside the small room. “Did you tell her?” Hallie asks, her wild eyes frantic.
Jillian nods as Hallie walks over and drops to her knees in front of me. “Are you okay?”
“I just…I can’t believe it. I really left the location setting on?”
Hallie nods. “I guess they started pouring into town late yesterday. I heard they’re flooding in, without having a place to stay. Every cabin, camping spot, hotel room, Airbnb, everything…they’re all rented, not that there was a lot available during the busy season.”
I feel a tear slide down my cheek. “Why are they here?” Even though I ask the question, I already know the answer. They’re here because I brought them. If I hadn’t left my location setting on, if I wouldn’t have posted on social media, this wouldn’t have happened.
“Don’t do that,” Hallie insists.
“Do what?”
“Blame yourself for this,” she replies.
I snort and shake my head. “Well, who’s fault is it? If I wouldn’t have posted, no one would know where I am. They wouldn’t be pouring into this quiet little town, searching for me like vultures over roadkill.”
Jillian giggles. “That’s kinda gross. You’ve been hanging around Marcus too long,” she teases with a wink to lighten the mood.
“You know as well as I do, anyone could have recognized you at any point. You’re not exactly wearing a master disguise here, Ryan. Sure, the lack of makeup, ball cap, and regular clothes is helping, but I took one look at you and knew instantly who you were. It was only a matter of time before others started.”
“Ummm, I think some of the regulars know,” Jillian says with a shrug.
“They do?” I ask, still trying to wrap my head around everything.
She nods. “I’ve heard a few groups talking over the last handful of days. But no one was wondering who they should call or anything. They were keeping it to themselves, Ryan.”
“Why?” I ask, completely dumbfounded. In Los Angeles, someone would have made a call before they even finished their coffee or pastry. There’s nothing people like more than gossiping and being the keeper of the information.
“Why? Because in this town, we protect our own,” Hallie insists.
My mouth falls open as I gape up at her. “But…I’m not from here.”
She tsks. “What does that matter? You’re with Marcus and you’ve made friends. That counts for something here, Ryan.”
“I’m not with Marcus,” I insist, shaking my head.
“Semantics. But you do have friends here,” Jillian states with conviction. “This town is something special and they recognize that in you too. We know you came here for a reason, and they won’t be the ones who out you.”
“No, I did that all on my own,” I grumble, wishing I had a tall caramel iced latte right about now.
“It happens. What we need to do now is get you out of here and to the cabin. From what we’ve all gathered, no one knows where you’re staying, and the ones who do won’t say a word.”
I sigh and shake my head. “I hate this. I brought this on Pine Village.”
“We can handle a bunch of early-twenties girls,” Hallie says.
“Besides, I bet they don’t hang around for long without any place close to stay. The nearest hotel is probably in St. Paul,” Jillian adds, referring to the city thirty minutes away.
“Yeah,” I agree, but my heart tells me that’s probably not the case. Fans are resilient and determined. So are the photogs. “The paparazzi is probably already here, and they’re ruthless. They won’t leave until they find me.”
“Well, they won’t hear it from any of us. I’ll make sure of it,” Hallie says.
I sigh, realizing my time in Pine Village is probably up. I can’t stay, letting the paparazzi wreak havoc on this lovely small town. They’re used to an onslaught of people during tourist season, but they’re not ready for the rudeness of California paparazzi. The pushing, shoving, trespassing, do what it takes at all costs to get your shot. I can’t do that to this place.
“I’ll be right back,” Jillian says, slipping out the office door and closing it behind her.
“There’s more,” Hallie says the moment we’re alone.
My shoulders sag. “What? More?”
She nods. “It’s all over the news today. Your dad fired Vaughn.”
“What!” I holler, unable to stop that one word from flying from my mouth.
“Yep,” she says. “He released a statement that said the production company and Vaughn Cramer amicably parted ways. They’re actively searching for a replacement and don’t see the start of filming to be delayed by this turn of events.”
“I told him not to,” I say.
“Well, being fired is the least of what he deserves,” Hallie replies decisively.
I can’t help but smile. “You’re not the first person to tell me that.” I exhale deeply. “I wonder why he didn’t tell me he was going to do that,” I say, yet instantly knowing the reason. He probably did try calling me, but I had my phone off.
The door opens again, and Jillian slips back inside. “Here,” she says, handing me a large, iced drink. “Large caramel iced latte, with skim milk and sugar-free caramel.”
I take a sip and sigh in sweet relief. “Thank you so much,” I say, pulling some cash from my bag.
Jilian waves off the money. “Please,” she says, shaking her head. “After the morning you’ve had, I think you’ve earned a free coffee.”
“Well, thank you,” I say, taking another sip.
“Oh, and I called you a ride. This way, in case someone spots you, you’ll have security.”
My ears perk up. “Security?”
There’s another knock at the door, and when it opens, TD is standing there. “Hey, ladies.” He levels his gaze at me and adds, “I hear you’re causing all sorts of trouble.”
A small smile stretches across my lips. “Apparently.”
He nods. “Well, I’m parked in the alley. We’ll slip out the back entrance, and I’ll run you to your cabin. We can worry about getting your rental later, if that’s all right.”
What else can I do? “Sounds fine, TD. Thank you.”
“Of course,” he says, glancing around. “Ready?”
Standing up, I grab my shopping bags and coffee and turn to face my friends. Friends . That’s exactly what they’ve become in such a short amount of time. “Thank you,” I whisper, choking on tears once more.
Hallie is the first to step in and give me a hug. “I have to run and pick up Mak, but we can come out and hang with you this afternoon if you’d like. Now that I’m caught up on your show, I have nothing on my schedule but taking a nap when the baby does,” she says with a small grin.
“Let’s play it by ear,” I say, feeling the need to be alone for a while.
“Sounds good. You can call me anytime, and I’ll come over.”
Jillian nods. “The bakery closes at three, so I can be there anytime after that.”
Carefully, so I don’t spill my drink on them, I pull the two ladies into a hug. “I appreciate you both so much. All of you.”
“That’s what friends are for,” Hallie says sweetly, squeezing my hand. “Get back to the cabin and stay inside.”
I follow TD to the door. Jillian goes out first, making sure no one is in the hallway before we slip out and head to the back of the bakery. He pushes through the exit, making sure no one is nearby, and waves for me to follow. The moment I’m outside, he has the door open and I’m ushered inside the front seat of his police SUV.
Both Hallie and Jillian wave as we pull away, driving through the alley and toward my rental cabin. I keep my head down but can’t help but notice the increased amount of people in town. Guilt gnaws at me. I did this. I brought them to town.
TD’s phone goes off, playing a call about a traffic accident near where we just left. The road coordinates are a block down from the bakery, closer to where Marcus’s auto repair shop is located.
Marcus.
What am I going to tell him about this mess?
TD pulls into the lane, heading toward my rental. “Keep the doors locked, Ryan. I know it’s nice and you’ll want the doors open, but I don’t think that’s wise right now. If anyone shows up here, call me. If there’s any sort of emergency, call 911.”
I sigh, hating this. I can tell he’s on edge, needing to get back to deal with the car accident, but also worrying about me out here and needing to make sure I arrive safely.
“Thanks for the ride, TD. I promise to keep the doors locked.”
He stops in front of the cabin. “We’ll get your SUV back to you.”
I nod, not really caring about the vehicle right now. “Thank you.”
I climb out of the vehicle and move quickly to the cabin. I input the security code and step inside, resetting the alarm as soon as I close the door. I watch TD pull away, returning the way he came just a minute ago.
Sighing deeply, I lean against the wall and close my eyes.
How can this be happening?
What am I going to do?
I need to call my dad, but first, I want to finish this latte. It might be the last one I have in Pine Village, so I’m going to savor it as long as possible. I head to my favorite spot in the living room and get comfy in the chair. With my coffee drink in hand, I pretend like everything is fine, that my world isn’t closing in on me.
That my time in Pine Village isn’t coming to an end.
He answers on the first ring. “Ryan.”
“Hi, Dad.” Just greeting him has my emotions lodged in my throat and on the verge of tears.
“I tried calling you,” he replies gently.
“I know. I didn’t see it until…after.”
He sighs. “I wanted you to hear it from me, so for that, I apologize.”
“I don’t understand. Why now?”
He clears his throat. I can picture him sitting up tall at his home office desk, just as he would when discussing important issues while I was there. “I couldn’t work with him, Ryan. I know you told me not to let personal affect business, but…I had to. The moment he walked into the pre-production meeting, I wanted to hit him. And you know me, I’m a lover, not a fighter. But I wanted to do things to that man I’ve only seen in a Jason Statham movie.”
I can’t help but giggle.
“And I’ve seen my fair share of action movies, Ryan.”
It’s true. The man’s an action movie producer. He’s seen and worked with the best.
“What now? You broke his contract.”
“I don’t give two shits about his contract. What he did was far worse. Besides, we always have a clause for stuff like this.”
“You have a clause in case the actor uses the producer’s daughter for career clout?” I ask curiously.
“Well, not in so many words, but I can terminate with rightful reason. This was rightful reason, Ryan. And because it was televised, his attorney won’t touch it. He’ll advise him to cut his losses and move on to the next movie. Unfortunately, his name is shit right now. I can’t see him getting work anywhere in this town outside of daytime television or a reoccurring role as Taxi Driver number two.”
I shake my head, feeling slightly freer than before.
He did this—fired his main actor—for me. Because he loves me. Because someone wanted to get in with him, and in doing so, hurt me. Dad didn’t care how perfect Vaughn was for the role. What he did was inexcusable, and he refused to let him keep the coveted role he was aiming for in his duplicity.
“Tell me how you’re doing. Mom saw your post. She tried to call you,” Dad says, clearly done talking about Vaughn and the movie.
I sigh and close my eyes. “I posted a photo of a sunrise and accidentally left the location notification on, so it posted where I am.”
He exhales. “And?”
“And the town is full of people, all looking for me.”
“Ryan,” he says, a hint of a warning. “I think you need security.”
“It’s fine, Dad. No one knows where I am, and I’ll just stay hidden at my cabin until this blows over.” However, even saying the words with conviction, I don’t feel so sure. If one person discovers where I’m staying, I’ll have people descending on my private haven in the woods faster than I’d be able to get away. I’d be stuck, and if anyone knows how relentless the media and fans can be, it’s me.
“Why don’t you let me send someone out there,” he suggests.
“No. The local police chief is aware of what’s going on. He can handle it.” But again, I don’t exactly believe that to be true. From what I’ve been told, TD is the only full-time police officer in town, and anyone else is just as needed to assist. I don’t want to be the reason he has to call in help, because the crowds are out of control with reality TV show fans and the press. “It’ll blow over,” I add cheerfully.
He exhales. “I don’t believe you, but I will respect your decision. For now. If so much as one person steps foot onto the property you’re renting, I want to know. I will send a team of security personnel to ensure your vacation isn’t disrupted.”
The problem is, if it gets to that point, it’s already disrupted. There’s no way I could enjoy the quiet, the solitude, the peace that comes from Pine Village. Not with security escorts. The private bubble would be broken.
If it’s not already.
“Okay,” I appease.
“I’m sorry this is happening, Ryan. I admit, when you said you were going to Wisconsin for a month, I was worried. Not because you can’t take care of yourself, but simply for fear of the unknown. I wouldn’t be a parent if I didn’t worry.”
“I know.”
“Good. Now, tell me about this young man.”
My throat goes dry as I try to swallow. “Young man?”
“Mom and I agree. You seem…happier, and we don’t think it’s entirely because of you recharging your battery on a little vacation. You’ve met someone.”
Tears burn my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. “It’s nothing, really. Just a…” I can’t tell him it’s a fling. Who wants to tell their dad that? “It’s just a friend I’ve made.”
“And you like him.”
I think about the grumpy, borderline rude man I first met and the one I know now. They’re the same man, but he’s let me see his layers. The ones he hides from most people.
“Yeah, I like him.”
“Well, I’d love to meet him.”
I snort a laugh. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not? If he’s a friend of yours, he’s a friend of mine.”
“Okay,” I reply, shaking my head, because I know there’s not a snowball’s chance in Hell he’ll ever meet Marcus. Why would he? Unless my parents show up here, there’s no way. Marcus isn’t accompanying me to Los Angeles when I return at the end of my time here.
“Good,” he says happily, as if believing he’ll be meeting Marcus someday.
A wave of sadness washes over me.
“I’ll let you go, Dad.”
“Keep me posted, Ryan. I want to know if you’re having security issues.”
“Understood,” I confirm.
“Love you, sweetheart.”
“Love you too, Dad.”
I hang up, my head feeling heavier despite having talked to my father. Something tells me things here will get worse before they get better.
I just pray I’m wrong.