38. Griffin
GRIFFIN
“ D ude, you look like crap.”
I groan, and Roxy shifts next to me.
Roxy’s sleeping with me? When did that happen?
I peer over my bedside, keeping one eye closed, and squint. Luke stands next to my bed, holding a steaming cup of coffee.
“Ever heard of knocking?”
“I did. You didn’t answer.”
“So, you just decided to barge in?”
“Yup. But at least I brought you a present.” He thrusts the cup of coffee to me.
The aroma awakens my senses. Barely. I shift in bed, accepting the mug.
“Thanks. I feel like I was run over by a truck.”
“You look it.”
He crosses his arms and stands over me like he’s a mom waiting to make sure I’ve taken my medicine.
“And the compliments just keep coming.”
“What’s your game plan today?”
I slurp the coffee, and Roxy snuggles closer to my side, resting her head on my stomach. Warmth fills my entire body. Finally, I’ve won her trust—only to lose Ashton’s when she needed me the most.
“You see this?” I nod to Roxy.
It’s been over a month since I got her. Back then, I would’ve been happy if she just sat next to me. Look how far we’ve come. I made such progress with getting Ashton to open up, too. Only to flush everything down the toilet last night.
“Yeah, man. It’s great. But I’m going to need you to wake up a little faster. All your socials are a mess. The media has gotten out of control. How are we going to tackle this?”
I scratch around Roxy’s collar, and her tongue lolls out.
“Griffin,” he claps. “Wake up. The media! Things have turned nasty. You also fired your agent, remember? What do you want to do?”
Despite knowing the crapshoot I put myself in, his reminder that I finally freed myself from my father tips my lips upward.
“Glad you’re happy about all this, because everyone is not only trash-talking you, but also Ashton.”
“What do you mean?” I set my mug on the bedside table. My heart palpitates harder at hearing her name.
He strides toward my door. “Take a shower, change your clothes, then we’ll talk.”
I peer down. I’m still wearing my tux from last night. I must’ve fallen asleep in it while staring at the phone, hoping Ashton would call me.
“Come on, Roxy, let’s go outside.” At Luke’s command, Roxy jolts and leaps off the bed. Luke pops his head back around the doorframe. “Whatever you do, don’t look at social media.”
I holler after him, “Why?”
He disappears, calling from the living room. “Just trust me.”
His comment is like opening a package of cookies and telling a kid he can’t have any. Now I have to. I tap open Instagram. My feed floods with tags, memes, videos, and images of me chasing after Ashton at the gala. Along with pictures from outside the venue.
Everyone is saying Ashton broke Scarlet and me apart. The comments are harsh. My blood boils, my fingers itching to respond and negate every single comment. This is exactly what Ashton wanted to avoid. If I can’t make this go away, she’ll never want to be with me.
“I don’t hear the shower running,” Luke shouts from the living room.
I throw my phone across the bed and race to the bathroom.
As I shower, I formulate a new plan.
Three hours later, half of a talk-show studio is set up on my back porch.
Luke called Gwen’s studio manager and arranged an exclusive interview. Given the hype around my relationship with Scarlet, and the subsequent public frenzy over its possible fallout, Gwen couldn’t turn down such an interview despite it being a Sunday.
One of the makeup artists continues their final touches on my face. Luke stands in front of me, arms crossed, legs apart—his standard military pose. His back is to the open patio where the camera and lighting crew are set up.
“You sure about this? It could be career suicide. Now’s your last chance to back out.”
“I’m sure.” We discussed at length how I wanted to approach this personal attack on my integrity and Ashton’s.
Before making the phone call to Gwen’s assistant, I called Scarlet.
Surprisingly, she answered. I told her what I wanted to say, and she approved it.
Per the terms of our contract, there’ll be no financial penalty if both parties agreed to its termination.
I’m not exactly sure why she’s being so accommodating, but I don’t question it.
The doorbell rings.
“Looks like time’s up.”
Luke greets Gwen at the front door and ushers her to the kitchen to stand in front of me.
“Well, hello handsome.”
“Good to see you, Gwen.” I try not to move too much while they put some basic color on my lips. “Thank you for coming.”
“Are you kidding? Thank you. This exclusive will be watched by millions.”
I suspected as much.
“You’re doing me the favor.”
“Luke has some notecards with some guided questions on how I’d like to proceed with the interview.”
“He does, does he?” She arches an eyebrow at me but accepts the cards Luke holds out for her. Given that I’m doing this exclusive for free, I plan to run the show this time.
“Trust me, you’ll like where our discussion goes.”
“If you say so.” She glances through the cards.
One of the other makeup artists with a septum piercing and platinum-blonde hair with purple streaks steps up. “Gwen, if you’ll take a seat, we’ll finish getting you ready.”
“Sure, honey.” She doesn’t look up from the cards as she follows the woman’s lead.
Within an hour, we’re both seated on my back patio.
She’s in a chair as I sit on the couch next to Roxy, her head resting on my lap.
Instead of tight slacks and a button-down shirt with one too many unbuttoned buttons, I’m wearing a casual fitted tee and comfortable jeans.
I’ve never felt more like myself in front of the camera than I do right now.
“Griffin, thank you for welcoming me into your home.”
“Thank you for coming, Gwen.”
“How about we get straight to the point.”
“I’d like that.” I sip my coffee, confident in knowing exactly where this conversation will go and prepared for how to respond.
“Scarlet and you broke up?”
I dip my chin. “Yes, in a manner of speaking.”
“You two were dating, weren’t you?”
I set my mug on the table next to the couch and shift my position, keeping Roxy’s head on my lap. “We were never really dating.”
She laughs. “But you came on my show a little over a month ago claiming to be in a relationship.”
“Yes, per what our mutual contract required of us.”
“Okay, I’m lost.”
“Scarlet and I were in what Hollywood calls a PR stunt—a fake relationship.”
“Why?”
I shrug. “It’s a common PR tactic to benefit the show and our popularity with the public.”
“But why reveal the secret now? Especially so close to airing your final season of Malibu Shores ?”
“I got tired of playing the game.”
“Game? What game?”
“The Hollywood puppet game, where you’re told what to do, when to do it, and for how long. I don’t want a career in this industry anymore if that’s how it has to be.”
Gwen leans back in her chair, rubbing her finger back and forth across her lips, silent for a moment.
She possesses a similar measure of fame. I’m sure she knows exactly what I’m referring to. It’s the same song and dance we all play in order to get where we are in our careers.
“Why the change of heart?”
“It came at too heavy a cost.”
“I assume you’re referring to Ashton Reid? Or should I say Ashton Blake, former reality TV star of Being the Blakes ?”
“Yes.”
“So, it’s true? You left Scarlet for her?”
I hold up a finger. “No, remember, a publicity stunt. There was never a legitimate relationship between Scarlet and me. We pretended to have a relationship for mutually beneficial reasons.”
She uncrosses and recrosses her legs. “Why have this meeting? Why broadcast this for the world?”
“Because I’m tired. I’m tired of working so hard to have my personal life separate from my career.
If people want to judge my work as an actor, then fine, that’s fair.
But as a person, I’m entitled to have my own private life.
Ashton deserves that, too. She’s nothing like the tabloids portray her as.
Social media has got it all wrong. She’s the most kind, caring, genuine woman I’ve ever met. ”
“You’re saying she never came between you and Scarlet?”
I lean forward, my elbows resting on my knees, and look directly into the camera.
“What I’m saying is, there never was a real relationship with Scarlet Rhodes.
Ashton Reid was never the other woman . She is the woman.
And I love her. And that means I’ll do anything to keep her protected.
That means making sure the public gets it right.
Even if you don’t believe me about my relationship with Scarlet—fine.
Make me the bad guy here, not her. Never her. ”
“My, you sound quite passionate about Ashton.” She looks down at her notecards. “Says here she hosted a gala last night to fund a rescue center called The Rescue Ranch. Is that correct?”
“It is. She’s wonderful with animals. She has a true gift of working with them. Might be hard to believe, but just a month ago, I could barely get this dog to stop hiding under my bed.” I scratch behind Roxy’s ears, and she leans into my touch.
“Aw,” Gwen coos. “Poor thing.”
I pet along her back. “This girl’s been through a lot, and we wouldn’t have been able to have the healthy relationship we do if it weren’t for Ashton’s training.
” I turn to Gwen. “It’s part of her mission at The Rescue Ranch—rehabilitating dogs with behavioral issues and making them fit for homes again. ”
“That’s amazing, and as a fellow dog owner, I can appreciate her skill set. I can’t seem to get my dog to stop chewing up all my shoes.” She chuckles.
“You should give Ashton a call. Her blog also has a tremendous amount of tips as well. It’s called The Furry Godmother .”
“Oh, I love that. I just might have to do that.” She smiles broadly, like the Cheshire cat. “I just have one more question before we conclude this brief interview.”
For the first time, I stiffen, unsure of what question she has left to ask. All my prompts have been discussed.
“Ashton left Being the Blakes years ago and changed her name. Can you tell us why?”
I clench my jaw to let Gwen know I don’t appreciate her not sticking to her notecards and give the most honest, least revealing answer I can. It’s not my story to tell.
“Because, just like me, she was tired of pretending in her own life.”