Текст книги "Love Unscripted"

Автор книги: Tina Reber

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Текущая страница: 30 (всего у книги 40 страниц)

“There are too many honeys in this room!” I breathed out in jest, answering Ryan’s glance. That term of endearment must have been engrained

in all of them. It was also apparent that all the Christensen males were now incapable of independent thought and action.

“Every time someone yells ‘Honey’ I turn around!”

I asked for it. I was bombarded with repeated “Honeys” from all three of them.

Ryan started our first Thanksgiving dinner playfully kicking me under the table. We were both smirking when he slipped his leg under mine so

our legs were resting together.

“Did you guys have fun last night?” Bill asked, passing the bowl of stuffing to me.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Nick was quicker.

“It was all right, up until Ryan’s fans showed up in the suite,” Nick interjected curtly, poking his butter knife at Ryan. “Superstar had to sign his

autograph and pose for pictures and everything with his little girlfriends.” His snide tone was evident. “Ooh, I want a picture. No, pose with me!” Nick

teased in a forced high-pitch voice.

Ryan slapped some mashed potatoes on his plate. The serving spoon clanged loudly when it made contact with the china; the noise made me

flinch. The scowl on Ryan’s face was evident. Instead of Nick being thankful that Ryan provided an entire evening of first class entertainment – free

of charge to him and his wife – he saw the opportunity to give Ryan a cheap shot and took it.

“How the heck did that happen?” Bill questioned. He looked over at Ryan. “I thought you had a private suite?”

Ryan shrugged. “It was a private suite Dad, but there were still eight other ticket holders. One of the girl’s fathers was some senior VP at the

bank that has it rented for the season. She brought friends.”

Bill’s face pulled down in a frown.

“It’s humbling, you know. I mean most actors would kill to have my problems. This is what all actors strive for. A-list movies, A-list parts… not

having to go to audition after audition only to be turned down or passed over. I should count my blessings, after all it is Thanksgiving.” Ryan took a

moment to eat some food.

“Besides, I’m getting used to all of the unwanted attention.” He looked right over at Nick when he said it. “It used to really bother me but I’m

finding that I can just tune it out and ignore it.”

I picked up on his little dig back to his own brother. Sibling rivalry was alive and well right here at this dinner table.

“Fleury made some incredible saves last night and Crosby scored two of the three goals,” I said to their father, hoping to break the tension that

was starting to build between the two brothers. Ryan’s left hand slipped over my shoulder and he smiled at me.

“I’ve been a Pens fan all my life and that was the first time I got to see them play live on home ice. I had so much fun! Thank you again for taking

me,” I gushed, hoping Nick would get the message to appreciate his brother.

“Mom, this turkey is really delicious,” Nick complimented. “Everything is really tasty this year.”

“Don’t thank me, thank your brother,” Ellen stated between bites. She paused to chew.

Nick quickly tossed his next jab. “Why? Did Ryan open his fat wallet and hire a professional chef to cook for us this year?”

I noticed Janelle smacked him in the leg under the table. I was wondering if this was Nick’s normal behavior or if he was going above and

beyond to be an asshole.

“No, Nicholas.” Ellen broke out her corrective mother tone. “But your brother did bring Taryn home with him. She’s the one who cooked most of

this delicious food, including the turkey you’re enjoying.”

Ryan set the gravy boat down. “Who knows, Nick. Maybe next year we could have Thanksgiving at my multi-million dollar completely pretentious

house,” Ryan snarled. “I’m sure Taryn will be gracious enough to spend an entire day cooking for my family again. And, by the way, the next time you

feel inclined to dry-hump your ‘Charles’ pillow, imagine ten percent of all the royalties going into your daughter’s trust fund before you get yourself

off. By the time she’s two, she’ll be worth ten times more than you.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Bill reprimanded, trying to tell his sons to knock it off.

“I’m just teasing him, Dad. I don’t know why the superstar is getting all sensitive,” Nick defended.

Ryan set his dinner fork down and pushed his chair back, audibly noting his departure from the table. His fingers touched my chin. “Honey, I

need some air. I’ll be back.”

“Son, sit back down,” Bill somberly requested, but Ryan didn’t listen. He grabbed his coat and keys and stormed out the kitchen door.

I folded my hands on my lap when I heard the Shelby squeal out of the garage.

“Taryn, I’m sorry,” Nick uttered, trying to sound sincere.

I stared at him for a moment. “Thank you, Nick. But I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

“I can’t help it if he can’t take a joke!” Nick laughed uncomfortably, stuffing more food in his mouth like his insults were no big deal.

I sat there in shock. I couldn’t believe how a member of Ryan’s own immediate family, his only brother that he looked up to, could be so callous

and cruel. After all the crap that Ryan has to put up with being an actor, coming home to his family should be a relief for him, not another source of

pain. I looked at their parents before I turned my attention back to Nick. I couldn’t hold my thoughts any longer.

“Before you chastise your brother, Nick, you should know how much he envies you.”

“Envies me?” Nick scoffed.

“Yes, you,” I stated calmly. “You have things in your life that you take for granted every day – freedom, anonymity, privacy, security. Things your

brother no longer has. His success that you tease him about comes at a very steep price, but I thought you knew that already.” I glared at him.

“You also have things he desires – a home, a wife, a child – normalcy. You know what your brother has?” I tilted my head, making sure to hold his

eye contact.

“He has acute paranoia from deranged stalkers and fans coming after him, public humiliation on a global scale when they print lies about him in

forty different languages, negative criticism about everything he tries to do, and constant scrutiny by everyone – even from his big brother that he

adores.” I counted them off on my fingers. “But surely you must know that already. So if you feel inclined to let him know how remorseful you are,

perhaps you should think of that before you apologize.”

Nick looked completely dumbfounded. He was sitting there with his mouth hanging open.

“Would you excuse me, please,” I whispered at Ryan’s mother before rising from the dinner table. “I’m going to make sure he’s all right.” I

grabbed my coat from the closet and called Ryan’s cell.

“Honey, come back for me. I want to go for a ride too. I’ll be waiting outside.”

Chapter 26 – Tests

“Call me once you’re in the limo, okay?” Ryan sighed. “Just so I know you made it home safely.”

I could see the sadness clearly in his expression. It matched my own. We both knew it would be almost three weeks until we saw each other

again, and the last minutes we had together were flying by. He turned his Shelby onto the main road that led into the airport.

“I will.” I sniffed, trying not to cry. I didn’t want to leave but I had to get back to running my pub. Ryan was planning to spend some well-earned

time away with his friends, Matt and Scott, and his brother before leaving for Scotland. The four men were going hunting. He and his brother also

had some making-up to do.

“You know you really didn’t need to do this… Marie or Pete could have picked me up,” I muttered.

“Taryn,” he groaned, looking over at me. “You know why. I don’t like that you’re flying home alone either.”

I stared out my window, thinking that he worried too much. Our stalker was incarcerated and most of the Seaside fans left town once the filming

wrapped. The reasons to be frightened and paranoid were gone.

“I’ll be all right. You should stop worrying,” I whispered.

He shook his head at me; his lips frowned at my words.

All too soon we were parked in front of the doors for departing flights.

I leaned across the center console and kissed him. I had to turn my Mitchell’s Pub baseball hat on his head so the visor would be out of my way.

“I love you,” I uttered, missing him already.

“I love you too. I’ll see you in L.A. on the sixteenth.” He took my face in his hands and kissed me again. “It’s going to feel like forever,” he

whispered, resting his forehead on mine.

I turned to look at him one last time before walking into the airport… alone. No security, no police escort, no one taking my picture, no one

shouting my name or his. No one really even looked at me. I stood in line to go through baggage screening and security completely unnoticed. The

airport was busy with holiday travelers, but none of those travelers even looked twice at me.

I sat in the waiting area right outside my gate, not hidden away in some VIP lounge. There was no reason to hide. It dawned on me that my heart

rate was… normal. My heart wasn’t pounding in my chest like it was when we first started this trip. Fear was pleasantly absent from my blood. A

young woman approached me. She gently smiled before asking if the seat next to me was taken. I smiled slightly to myself; I didn’t even make a

blip on her radar.

The only difference between this flight home and any other flight I’d ever taken was that I was flying first class instead of sitting in the economy

seats in the back of the plane. Flying first class definitely had its perks but the actual flights were so short that it didn’t really matter what seat I had to

sit in to get home. I said a little prayer of thanks when my plane finally landed in Providence. I was not a fan of flying either.

I pulled the handle out on my little suitcase, adjusted my backpack on my shoulder, and followed the other passengers towards the exit. I looked

around at the people waiting for family and loved ones to arrive, wishing I would have been able to come home to familiar faces waiting for me.

Instead, some stranger would be taking me home. That thought made me feel even lonelier. I fought the impulse to call Marie so many times to ask

her to pick me up, only because I knew Ryan was paying for this ride home personally out of his pocket. Besides, he insisted on a security escort.

Which one of these strangers is my driver?

I noticed his face first before I read the little sign that he held in front of his body which had “Mitchell” written on it. I squeezed my eyes shut for a

moment; fate certainly had a wicked sense of humor.

He smiled at me, but it wasn’t one of those “I’m smiling because I have to be nice to you” smiles; it was more of a smirk – like he was

committing a crime by standing there holding my name on a card. I stopped in front of him and took a deep breath before I found the guts to say

hello.

“Welcome home!” Kyle said smugly. “Can I take your luggage for you, Ms. Mitchell?”

He carried my suitcase and ushered me out to the car, which again, was another surprise. I had expected the typical black sedan or an SUV;

even a stretch limo wouldn’t have been as shocking. Instead he had his own personal car waiting… a nice little two door silver Audi.

“Did you have a nice holiday?” Kyle asked. I sensed he was just trying to make polite small-talk.

“Yes, I did. Thank you for asking.” I chuckled lightly to myself, trying to ignore how cute he looked. “But the bigger question is why are you the

one who is taking me home?” I was already in trouble just being in this car.

He smirked, knowing I wanted him to explain. He hit the gas pedal to get us out of the airport faster.

“I saw the pick-up request on the assignment log and I volunteered,” he confessed. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.” He looked over at

me and shrugged. “Why, is your boyfriend going to be mad?”

The way he said it, I could tell that he didn’t care either way if Ryan was going to be angry or not. He almost sounded like he welcomed the

challenge.

I stared out the car window, watching familiar road signs flash by. “Probably,” I whispered. “When I tell him.”

Kyle glanced over quickly. “Then save yourself the argument and don’t tell him.”

“I have to tell him,” I admitted. “Just in case someone took our picture. His PR team will have to be informed.”

“Wow,” he sounded astonished. “You really have gone Hollywood, haven’t you?”

His comment raised my pulse slightly. “Why do you say that? Because I happen to be involved with someone whose life is constantly under

public scrutiny? Because I don’t want to give him one more reason to be hurt – that makes me Hollywood?”

“Hey look Taryn, I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that you don’t seem like the type of woman who would put herself out there to be scrutinized

like that. But who am I to judge? Maybe you like having your picture plastered all over those magazines in the grocery store. What do I know?” he

muttered, looking over his shoulder to change lanes on the highway.

I huffed. “I could definitely do without the lies that they print.”

He laughed lightly. “I can’t be sure, but I’m willing to bet those were all things you never had to worry about with other guys before him.”

I thought about his statement, backtracking through my history of failed relationships. “Lies have followed every relationship I’ve ever been in.”

My admission made me frown. “Even the fabricated ones.”

“I don’t know. I thought the stories about our alleged love affair were rather amusing and eloquently written!” Kyle said comically. “I suppose

that’s why he got rid of me so quickly.”

“You’d be correct in your assumption,” I whispered.

“So are you tired of all the lies yet?” he asked, shifting his car to accelerate past a few tractor-trailers.

I stared at him. “What kind of question is that?”

His eyes flashed over to look at me before turning his attention back to the road and driving.

“I think you can do better. I think you deserve better.” The tendons in his hand flexed when he tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

“Better than what?” I questioned. If he was going to pass judgement, he’d have to defend his opinion.

“Better than being put in harms way. Better than subjecting yourself to public ridicule. Better than allowing the media to use you like a punching

bag.” He glared over at me. “Do you want me to go on because I can make a long list!”

I focused on the landscape outside my window while trying to subdue the burning feeling in my chest.

“No,” I muttered coldly. “I get your point.” My cell phone started to play in my purse. It was Ryan’s ringtone.

“Hi,” I answered, happy to hear from him, but annoyed that he couldn’t wait for me to call him.

“Where are you?” Ryan demanded.

“I’m in the car. We just left the airport,” I lied. Kyle looked at me and smirked, indicating that he caught my fib to Ryan.

“Oh, why didn’t you call me? I’ve been worried!” he continued.

“Honey, I just got in the car. I was going to call you but you beat me to it.” I tried to be quiet, but Kyle was sitting less than ten inches away from

me. There was no way to keep this conversation private. I rubbed my face with my free hand. I was getting a sinus headache from this entire

experience.

“Well, I just wanted to make sure you landed safely and that there was a car waiting for you to take you home, that’s all.”

I knew Ryan cared, but he was also getting a bit controlling.

“Yeah, there was a driver waiting,” I whispered. I heard Kyle chuckle. “Everything is fine.”

“You don’t sound fine!” he pressed. “What’s wrong?”

My love knew me well enough to call me out on a lie. “Nothing. My sinuses hurt – must be from the flight. How about I call you when I get dropped

off at home? Is that okay? Then we can talk.”

Kyle started laughing out loud when I snapped my cell phone shut. “Mr. Christensen checking up on you?” he teased.

I gave him a dirty look. “He’s concerned, that’s all. Besides, he cares enough to make sure I’m taken care of.”

“Sounds to me like he’s getting a little possessive!”

“Maybe he feels that I’m worth possessing!” I fired back.

Kyle fidgeted in his seat. “Yeah, he’s right. I can’t fault him for that one.”

He drove down the alley, stopping by the back doors of my building. For the first time in a long time there were no paparazzi, no fans, no one

near my doors. The relief I felt was refreshing. Kyle carried my suitcase into the hallway; there was no way I’d allow him in the apartment.

“Thanks, but I can carry it. Please just set it down.” I rubbed my cheek again. My face was starting to hurt for some reason. “Thank you for the

ride home.”

“Yeah, sure – no problem. Ahh, so, are you going to be open tonight?” Kyle asked.

“Yes. That’s why I came home. I still have a business to run.” I looked at my watch, noting that I had three hours to rest before starting another

long night behind the bar.

I walked him out into the alley, hoping to send him on his way quicker. Kyle pushed the trunk of his car closed and smiled.

He held his arms open, silently asking for a hug goodbye. My body responded without me even thinking about it, dragging me unconsciously

into the danger zone.

“It was nice seeing you again.” He grinned, locking his eyes on mine. “I’ll see you soon.”

I towed my suitcase into the bedroom and dropped everything, including my coat, on the floor. Our bed looked so soft and inviting and the desire

to lay down for a few minutes was overwhelming. I snuggled up on my pillow and pulled Ryan’s pillow to my chest, catching his familiar scent and

wishing he was lying next to me. I’ll just close my eyes for a minute…

My head sprang off the pillow when I heard my cell phone.

“Taryn! What’s going on?” Ryan shouted. “Where are you?”

“Shit! What time is it?” I looked over at my clock. It was quarter of four. I sat up quickly; my head felt like it weighed forty pounds and my throat

burned. “I fell asleep on our bed,” I murmured. “I’m sorry I didn’t call.”

He was irritated. “You couldn’t call me quick before you laid down?”

“I said I’m sorry,” I repeated forcefully through my sore throat. “I think I’m getting a cold. My nose is all blocked up. I feel awful.”

“You sound sick, Honey. I’m sorry. I was just worried.”

“I have fifteen minutes to pull myself together before I have to open,” I groaned. That’s when my sneezing fit started.

Marie was already behind the bar when I went downstairs. Cory came in a few moments later. Both of them would be working Friday night; I had

a band scheduled to play. Marie’s grin twisted to a concerned stare when she spotted the wad of tissues in my hand. I wasn’t in the bar for more

than a few minutes before she turned me by the shoulders and sent me packing for my apartment.

“I’ll wait to hear about your trip when you’re not contagious. We got this,” she insisted. “Cory and I will be all right. Go, and take your germs with

you!”

I curled up on my couch with a box of tissues and my quilt and drifted back to sleep.

I woke up when the band started playing down in the pub. The reverb from the sound system made my pictures vibrate on the wall.

“How are things going?” I asked Marie. It hurt to swallow. I looked around at the crowd in the pub. Pete waved to me from his stool by the front

door.

Her eyes stealthily slid back and forth. “Kyle is in the poolroom shooting pool,” she informed. “What the heck is he doing here? He already

asked for you once!”

I rubbed my face with both of my hands. “He drove me home from the airport.”

“What?” she yelled. “How the hell did that happen?”

“He saw the pick-up assignment and volunteered. I’m in so much trouble.”

She looked at me, trying to ascertain why I thought I was in trouble.

“I didn’t tell Ryan… yet. He’s going to be so pissed.”

“Did something happen between you two? I mean, you and Kyle?” she corrected.

“No, there’s nothing going on.” I looked over my shoulder to see if I could spot him in the poolroom. Our eyes accidentally made contact and I

watched him set his pool stick up against the wall and head in my direction.

“Hey Taryn! What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Kyle asked.

I shook my head. “No, I have a cold.”

Other thoughts ran through my head, like how much I wished Ryan was here so I didn’t have to try and explain all of this over a cell phone. The

crowd in the bar was definitely manageable but I started washing dirty drink glasses anyway. Cory looked at me like I was crazy – little did he know I

was using it as an excuse to get away from gorgeous Kyle.

“Boss, what are you doing?” Cory grumbled, dropping the bottle of house whiskey back in the tray.

Marie grabbed my arm and hauled me away from the sink. “Go back upstairs. This is all under control. You’re sick. You need to go rest!” she

ordered, loud enough for Kyle to hear.

Kyle waved his fingers in the air to say goodbye but I ignored him and kept on walking. The way I felt was odd. Kyle was a professional

bodyguard; his presence should have made me feel safe and secure but instead I felt the complete opposite of that. His presence around me was

surprisingly dangerous.

It was almost noon on Saturday when my doorbell rang, rousing me from my comfortable resting spot on the couch. I pulled my hair back in a

hair tie and grabbed a few tissues along my way.

Kyle was standing in my alley with a large, brown paper bag in his arms. “Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked.

Oh, God, why are you torturing me?

“Worse, actually,” I squeaked.

He held out the grocery bag. “I got you some supplies,” he said happily. “Thought you might need some of this stuff.”

He followed me up to my apartment and set the bag on my coffee table.

“Tissues, nighttime cold medicine, daytime cold medicine, cough drops, and a whole container of chicken noodle soup from my favorite corner

deli.” He pulled each item out of the bag. “Oh, and some crackers.”

“Thanks, but you shouldn’t have,” I muttered. Little did he know how many facets that one statement had. I knew for a fact that he had to drive

over an hour to get here. It wasn’t like Kyle lived right up the street or anything. He was definitely going out of his way to see me.

“Would you like some soup now?” he asked, testing the temperature of the container with his hand. “It’s still slightly warm.”

I nodded and started to stand up. Some hot soup sounded appealing for my sore throat.

“Sit down!” he insisted. “I’m pretty sure I can figure out how to use your microwave.”

My eyes traveled to watch his incredible body and his nice ass walk towards my kitchen. I covered my eyes and rubbed my face to banish the

thoughts. I had to get him out of my apartment – as soon as possible. Then another thought flashed through my mind. This wasn’t just my apartment

anymore. This apartment was a home that I chose to share with Ryan; a home where we were living together in happiness and where no other man

should be standing.

“Careful, it may be too hot now,” Kyle cautioned, handing a mug of soup to me.

“Thanks,” my voice strained as I set the cup down on the table. “Kyle? I appreciate all of this, but why… why are you here?”

“What, we’re not allowed to be friends?” he quickly replied.

I thought about his question for a moment and replied with one of my own. “If your girlfriend was traveling out of town for work, do you think she’d

appreciate another woman being in her home while she was gone?”

“What does that have to do with us being friends?” he countered.

As sick as I felt, I still wasn’t falling for his bullshit. “I don’t think you’re here because you want to just be friends.”

“You think I have some ulterior motive?” Kyle questioned my glare.

“Please!” I squeaked. “You’re a man; you have a pulse. Don’t question my intelligence.” I wiped my snotty nose with a tissue, hoping that would

discourage his thoughts even more.

“All right. To tell you the truth, when I saw that you were flying home alone I thought that maybe you and pretty boy broke up. I mean, you’ve got to

admit that being with him definitely has its drawbacks!”

His little dig on Ryan really irritated me.

“Oh, and I suppose things would be a lot better for me if I was dating someone else? Someone like you perhaps?” I hoped my tone was

sarcastic enough.

“Your life would be a hell of a lot more private, that’s for sure! No cameras, no photographers, no fanatics.” He tossed a pack of crackers over

to me.

“Wait. Let me see if I got this straight. So instead of being with someone like Ryan, who is trying to do everything possible to shield me from

danger, you’re saying I’d be better off with someone like you, who willingly risks his own life every day to put himself in front of danger to protect

complete strangers. Is that right?”

He looked away and then a little cocky smile appeared on his lips. “You’ve at least thought about it. That’s a good start. And I would protect you

a hell of a lot better than he would. Besides, being with me doesn’t come with risk.”

“Don’t be so sure of yourself. You are the one who’s forcing me to compare the two of you. And to tell you the truth, there is no comparison.” I got

up from the couch, irritated now by his presence.

“Kyle, I appreciate the soup and the kindness, but we can’t be friends.”

He crossed his foot up on his knee, getting even more comfortable in the chair. “Why not?”

“Because you don’t want just a friendship!” I scornfully stated the obvious. “Kyle, I love Ryan. I have committed my heart to him.” I picked up

Kyle’s coat. “I’m sorry, but I think it’s time for you to leave now.”

“That’s a shame. You’ll never know what could have been.” I noticed he didn’t even attempt to get up. “You’re not married to the guy, and I don’t

see a ring on your finger, so the way I see it, you’re still available.”

“Available? Did you not just hear what I said?” I was no longer just irritated; I was starting to get angry now.

“I heard you,” he muttered. “I also know that it won’t be long before he screws up and cheats on you. They all do eventually. He’s not the first

actor I’ve had to watch over. You’d be surprised to know the great lengths they go through to keep their little affairs hidden. Even the married ones

screw around.”

“Oh and I suppose if I was dating you, you’d be totally different from that. You’d never cheat on me.” I laughed mockingly.

“No, I wouldn’t. And if you were with me, I’d only take local assignments so I wouldn’t have to travel and be away from you,” he continued. “There

would be no reason for you to ever doubt me.”

“I have no reason to doubt Ryan either. You’re a man, he’s a man; either it’s in your nature to cheat or it’s not.” My throat felt like I’d been

swallowing razorblades and I was starting to run a fever again. It was time for him to go.

“And I can tell you, Kyle, that it’s not in my nature to cheat either. I love Ryan. That’s all you need to know. Now if you don’t mind, I’d really like to

rest.” I shook his coat in my hand so he’d get the message.

He stopped to look at me before taking his coat from my hand. “I’ll be watching and waiting. You’re an intelligent woman. You’ll come to your

senses soon enough.”

His assuredness was getting a bit creepy.

I was glad when he finally left. I watched him walk halfway down the alley to make sure he was leaving before locking up and setting the alarm.

Back in my apartment, I picked up my cell and hit the first entry in my phone book. It was time to come clean with Ryan.

By Monday my cold had morphed into something altogether more atrocious and wicked. The pain in my sinuses and chest was almost

unbearable and I could not stop coughing. My ribs and stomach muscles hurt badly from all the hacking and it was getting harder and harder to

breathe. Marie helped me into her car which was parked by the back door. I was relieved just knowing I would be seeing a doctor today.

“I told Ryan about Kyle,” I whispered between coughing up lung tissue.

She looked at me, waiting for my further explanation.

“He was livid.” I wiped my nose. “But then after he calmed down he was glad that I told him. He doesn’t know everything though. I spared him

some of the details.”

“What details?” she asked, patting me on the back as I coughed severely.

I shrugged, not knowing how to say it. “Kyle pretty much said that I’d be better off with him instead of being with Ryan.”

“No! He didn’t! What the hell else did he say?”

“He said I should consider dating him instead. He’d be better for me. He also brought me soup.” I coughed out my last words.

“Soup?” She laughed. “Oh, he’s good! What did you say to him then?”

“I told him I love Ryan and that he should leave. He sort of worried me a bit at the end. Like he didn’t want to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Marie stayed in the waiting room while I went in to see my doctor. He informed me that I had a sinus infection and bronchitis. For as terrible as I

felt, I was wondering if there weren’t a few other lung infection terms missing from his diagnosis.

We stopped at the local pharmacy where I got a multitude of antibiotics, nasal spray, and an inhaler. I mistakenly glanced over the front of

Celebrity Weekly while standing in line at the checkout. The cover of the magazine had a by-line that stated distance was tearing Ryan and me

apart. He just left for Scotland this morning; how could we be split apart already?

“Why are you buying that shit?” Marie scowled. “As if you aren’t in bad enough shape already, you need to torment yourself more?”

“I’m not buying it.” I coughed violently into my sleeve. “I hate the media. Why do they do this?” I showed her the cover.

I had no intentions to spend even a penny on that crap. It was lies like these that enticed people to buy the garbage in the first place. And every

time someone bought one of those magazines, it allowed some idiot to keep his job as a purveyor of lies and gave another idiot incentive to exist

as an intruding photographer. Every dime spent on those rag magazines perpetuated the nonsense.

That’s when Marie informed me that a photographer approached her the other day and offered her two thousand dollars if she’d get him

pictures of the inside of my apartment. These leeches were now going after my friends. Of course Marie declined, but it was apparent that the