Chapter 22 #2
Her lips thinned. “I might be having a little trouble sleeping these last few nights.”
“Are you taking your medication?”
There was the smallest crease beside her eyes.
“You’re not?” he asked, when she took too long.
“My prescription ran out. But I got more today. I’ll sleep tonight.”
“Why’d you run out?”
She huffed and leaned toward him. “You don’t need to worry about me, Ryan.”
“I will always worry about you, Nor.”
“Worry? Or watch over? The way you watched Mom? Because you’re worried I’ll…”
He frowned. “You’ll what?”
She shook her head. “Never mind. I’m sorry I asked you to come, then ghosted you. I think I’m just going to head home and have an early night.”
“I’ll drive you.”
“No. Emi’s here. You should talk to her.”
At that exact moment, the room got loud. People started to stand from their seats, some already filtering out of the room.
“Go.” Nora gave him a little push. “I’ll get a ride with Polly.”
He didn’t like it. But then Emi passed him, head down, not looking happy in the least.
What the hell was in the air tonight?
He looked back at Nora. “Are you sure?”
She rolled her eyes, the old Nora slipping back. “Hurry, before you lose her.”
With a sigh, he turned, squeezing Nora’s arm before following Emily outside. She stood in the middle of the green beside the gazebo, phone to her ear.
He’d just reached her when she cursed.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Define okay.” She hit something on her phone and touched it to her ear again, then frowned. “Preston? Where are you? It’s loud.”
Ryan shoved his hands into his pockets, scanning the area, making sure they were alone.
Emily paused before she spoke again. “Is Faye with you?” Another pause. “Great. Thanks.”
By her tone, he wasn’t sure that was so great.
Emily hung up and started walking. He matched her step for step. “You gonna tell me where we’re going?”
“You know, for a second, she actually had me fooled. I feel so stupid.”
“Who?”
“Faye.” She crossed the street.
He followed. “Emi, you’re gonna have to give me a little more information.”
“I thought I’d actually found a friend in her. Not a best friend. I wasn’t delusional enough for that. But someone who could actually just hang out without wanting anything from me or stabbing me in the back? Yeah.”
“Did something happen?”
“You obviously haven’t seen the article.
I’m not surprised. I didn’t see it myself until my mother so kindly sent it to me.
And I don’t even care that Shaun wrote it.
He’s a reporter, that’s what they do. And I don’t care what America thinks of me, or if this taints my perfect image.
What I hate is that I trusted her. I considered her a friend.
And she goes and takes photos of us kissing and gives them to a reporter?
And the lies she told him. Why’d she do it?
To bring me down? To turn movie fans against me? ”
“I was in this article?” They crossed the road to Trap.
“Oh, you were front and center, Ryan. Maybe you can add that to your list of reasons to break up with me.” She pushed inside the bar, music blasting through the room.
Shit, it was busy.
He stayed close, shadowing her as they wove through the crowd.
“There she is.” Emily sped up her steps.
Just ahead, Ryan spotted Faye, Preston, and two other cast members sitting in a booth by the back wall.
“Maybe you should wait until…”
“I’m not so angry?” Emily shook her head. “No thanks.”
This wouldn’t go well.
When they reached the booth, Faye looked up first. “Emily, hey. You joining us?”
“Why’d you do it?”
Preston lifted his beer to his lips. “Uh-oh. She saw the article.”
Faye cringed before climbing out of the booth. She wobbled.
Great. Faye was drunk and Emily was angry. What could possibly go wrong?
“I’m so sorry, Em!” Faye lifted her hands, palms out. “He caught me on a bad day. I was feeling sorry for myself about the attack in the bathroom. I was scared this movie wouldn’t continue and jealous about where you are in your career and where I’m not.”
“Was it ever real?”
“What?”
“This friendship. Were you ever actually my friend?”
“Of course! I just…I’ve worked so hard and I never seem to get anywhere. While everything just falls into your lap!”
“You think this life just fell into my lap?”
Ryan scanned the crowd, noticing phones pointed their way. He slipped an arm around Emily’s waist. “We should go.”
Faye lifted her shoulders. “Kind of. Most of the time you act like you don’t even want it. While other people—people like me—would kill for it.”
“Well, maybe you’d have it if you weren’t such a backstabbing bitch.”
Faye gasped, and snickers sounded throughout the crowd.
Preston made a woof sound.
Idiot.
“Excuse me?” Faye whispered.
“You pretended to be my friend while spying on me in the forest and taking photos. Then you sold photos of me to a scummy reporter and told him lies. It was to hurt my reputation, right?”
Faye’s cheeks turned pink and she fiddled with a flame pendant on her wrist. She looked around like she was only just realizing how many people were filming.
Yeah, this woman would be getting some attention, but not the kind she was after.
“Come on, Emily,” she tried. “I—”
“Lied,” Emily interrupted. “Told Shaun I was cheating on Preston when you were fully aware he and I were never dating. All in an attempt to tank my career.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Preston rose from the booth, hands up. “Come on, Em. You’re being a bit rough on poor Faye.”
“And Preston, we’re not doing those ridiculous photos for fans anymore.”
He frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about. The ones where you put your arm around my shoulder and make it seem like we’re dating when we’ve never dated.
No more photos. No more kissing me on the cheek to perpetuate a lie that we’re anything more than coworkers just because you love the spotlight and notoriety. ”
His jaw dropped.
Ryan had to hold back the laugh. The guy probably wasn’t used to being spoken to like that. Ryan liked it.
Then Emily spun and stormed from the bar.