by Reber, Tina
“So, what are you ladies going to do today?” Ryan asked, hugging me from behind at the edge of the water. His mother walked away to speak to his father; they headed towards the dock. I really think she just wanted to give us a moment of privacy.
“I think we’re going to the outlet mall today. I want to stop at the one antique store. I haven’t been there in years. Maybe we’ll do that tomorrow though.”
He partially released me to reach into his front pocket. Then I felt him stuff something into the right front pocket of my jeans.
“That’s a thousand,” he whispered in my ear. “I want you to spend it on anything your heart desires.”
I slouched in his arms; my body language showing my displeasure of his gesture. “Ryan.”
“Taryn, please. Go have fun with my mom. Enjoy yourself.”
“Did your father shove a thousand dollars in your mom’s pocket, too?” I softly asked.
“I honestly don’t know,” he admitted. “My parents have been married for thirty-four years and they share everything, money included.” He sighed in my ear. “And my father didn’t recently cash another five million dollar paycheck with another eight million coming.”
I pinched my eyes closed. “I don’t want your money, Ryan.” I felt horrible for allowing it.
“I know,” he murmured on my neck, stopping my hand from leaving my pocket. “Consider this practice for the next thirty-four years.”
“Well if or when the thirty-four years officially starts, we can have this conversation again,” I said gently. I pulled the money out of my pocket and tried to hand it back to him but he wouldn’t take it.
“So are you telling me we have to be married first before I can even attempt to spoil you and share what I have?” he groaned.
“No. It’s just… that’s a lot of money, Ryan!”
He snickered in my ear. “No, that’s not a lot of money. That’s not even enough to buy a pair of shoes in Beverly Hills.”
I rolled my eyes, even though he didn’t see my reaction.
“If you love me like you say you do, then what’s the problem? I want to make you happy.”
I knew exactly where he was going with this. His chest was pressed to my back, his arms held me in position, and next he was going to try and trip me up in words.
“I do love you. I love that you want to take care of me. But this…” I held the money up, “does not equal happiness or love.” I knew he wanted to treat me well but part of me felt like he was trying to buy my affection.
He wrapped his left arm across my chest. “Taryn, I know you’re a self-sufficient, independent woman and I love that about you. And loving you means that I want to take care of you - physically, emotionally, and financially. If I wanted to piss you off today I would have shoved a hundred grand in your pocket,” he growled in my ear.
I slumped in his arm.
“Yours, mine, ours…” He shoved the bills deeper into my pocket with his long fingers. “Didn’t you say once it was just details? That this is what matters?” He patted his right hand over my heart.
I leaned my head back on his shoulder and nodded reluctantly in defeat. I had to agree with him; after all, he did volley my own words back at me.
“Your parents took care of each other. My parents take care of each other. You’ve been taking care of me – just let me try to take care of you.” He trailed the tip of his nose up and down my neck, knowing how much it makes my will crumble. “Please?”
His lips brushed my skin. “Go have fun with my mom. Buy yourself some new clothes or shoes or some fruity-soapy stuff. Whatever makes you happy,” he uttered persuasively in my ear. He released me, confidently knowing that he had just reduced me to a pile of rubble.
I drove to the outlet mall first; there were enough stores there to keep us busy for an entire day. The money Ryan shoved in my pocket felt like it weighed eighty pounds; maybe it was my guilt for accepting it that weighed that much.
I instantly felt better about spending his money when the first thing I bought was three new pairs of jeans for him. After seeing all the items that constituted his wardrobe, he needed some new pants. His mother shook her head at me when I pulled some of the cash out of my pocket.
She waited until we were out of the store to reprimand me.
“I know Ryan wanted you to spend that money on yourself, not on him.” Her expression was tender and disapproving all at the same time.
“He desperately needs new jeans. Believe it or not, he only has a few pair. A lot of his clothing was stolen from the hotel.” I quickly justified my actions.
“You truly are as selfless as he said you are.” She pulled me by the elbow into a trendy clothing store.
I found a few articles of clothing that I liked. His mother was pleased that I had finally selected things for myself.
I didn’t think I had enough cash left in my pocket, so I grabbed my bankcard out of my wallet. The young girl behind the counter was looking at me strangely as she examined my card for a signature.
“Taryn!” His mother’s reproachful tone caught me by surprise.
“Holy cow!” the young girl behind the counter blurted. “You’re Taryn! Taryn Mitchell!”
“Do I know you?”
“You’re dating Ryan Christensen, right?”
I looked at his mother. I didn’t know where else to look.
“It is you! Oh my God! Is he here too?” Her eyes wielded around the store.
“No dear, he’s not.” His mother answered her question. “May I have that card please? We’re going to pay with cash instead.”
The cashier was smiling frantically at me. “You are so freaking lucky! He is so hot! I saw Seaside like thirty times already. Oh my God! Wait until I tell my friends that I met you!” She jumped around like someone was electrocuting her.
“Wait, are you Ryan Christensen’s mom? Oh my God, Oh my God! Do you both mind if I take your picture? Please?” She was already pulling her cell phone out of her pocket.
“You want to take our picture?” I asked, totally confused by her frantic behavior. Why would she want our picture? We aren’t the ones who are famous. Ellen wrapped her arm around my waist and we both quickly smiled for the picture. It was over in a second.
Ellen handed my bankcard back to me and tapped me in the pocket to use the cash instead. I shook my head no but she tapped me harder in the leg. It was like Ryan had his own private watchdog monitoring me. Reluctantly I used the cash.
I held the door open for her when we left the store. “That was weird.”
“Was that your first time, Dear?”
“First time?” First time for what? Spending his money?
“To be recognized, without Ryan being with you?” Ellen said.
“By a stranger, yes.” I swallowed hard from the excitement.
She laughed softly. “I never deny it when people ask if he’s my son. But I’m sure you know that I never say anything beyond that! After a while you’ll get used to it, that and the cameras.”
“I wish you would have let me use my card to pay for the clothing. It bothers me to spend his money,” I grumbled.
Ellen smiled and slipped her hand around the inside of my elbow. “Do you know that you are the first girl he has introduced us to in over five years?”
“Really? I find that hard to believe,” I muttered, completely astonished. I thought maybe her memory was fading. “Surely you met the girl he was dating when the first Seaside movie started filming? Wasn’t she from Pittsburgh?”
“What girl from Pittsburgh?” Ellen asked.
“The girl he was dating from the amateur theater? He said she visited him in Maine when he was there filming.”
“Oh, yes, I remember now. That one… her name was Brooke. She was the girl who tried to use him to further her acting career. We did meet her once, but that was when he was in a stage play with her back in Pittsburgh. She ended up moving to California and she hunted him down. He told us about her but we never
met her when they were together. She made quite a mess for him in the papers too with her lies,” she said, slipping her purse strap back over her shoulder.
“No, the last girl he introduced us to was the girl he was dating his second year in college. Her name was Mandy, but they broke up when he started performing with the theater troupe. Actually she broke up with him come to think of it. That’s right… she left him for someone else. Anyway, I hung up on her when she called the house after Seaside premiered. All of a sudden he was good enough for her again.”
“But I’m sure he’s dated a lot of women since then?” I stated the obvious.
“Oh well, yes, I suppose he’s dated quite a few. But that was all before he became well-known.” The expression on her face turned to sadness.
“He lived in California for a while and he met a lot of girls. I heard all about them – well at least the ones he told me about, but we never met any of them. All users and takers if you ask me. He was pretty serious with this one girl he met in Los Angeles, but that ended quickly when she forged one of his checks to pay for a boob job.”
She shook her head; the memory seemed to anger her. “But since Seaside premiered, it’s been tough for him. Ryan dated this actress a few months ago but she broke it off with him so she could date another actor. The papers sure had a field day with that one too.”
I wondered if she knew about Lauren or was she referring to someone else? She left me no time to ask.
“But you, my dear, he can’t stop talking about you! You have captured his heart! As his mother, I see he is at a different stage of his life now. He’s finally growing up. I think he is realizing that his dreams of being a famous actor come along with a lot of pain and heartache.”
“He and I have had quite a few talks about that,” I admitted. “And honestly, I think things would be fine if the media just left him alone. I just wish I knew how to protect him without making things worse.”
“Well, maybe you won’t have to. He told me several times that he is not sure if this is what he wants to do for the rest of his life. I think other priorities are presenting themselves since he has met you. He just about gave up hope finding someone who would love him for him. Do you know what I’m trying to say? He’s already told me that you’re the one he wants to…”
“There they are!” We heard several young women shout, interrupting our conversation. The girls were walking fast down the sidewalk towards us with smiles on their faces.
“Is he here? Where is he?” one of the girls asked exuberantly. Her eyes were desperately searching in the store windows.
“That is her! And his mother!” Another girl was almost running down the walkway. She had a cell phone up to her ear.
“Ellen, let’s go.” I grabbed her arm and we dashed out into the parking lot.
What did he tell her? I’m the one he wants to what? So much for knowing; now his fans were chasing us.
Chapter 21 - Decisions
We stopped at the grocery store on the way back to the cabin. I convinced his mom that it would be easier to cook than to go out and have his whereabouts known to the public. I wanted the cabin and surrounding area to be our safe haven, if such a place could exist for us. Having his mother and I recognized was bad enough.
While we were in the checkout line, I noticed that my face, along with Ryan’s, was now on the front cover of two gossip magazines. A large photo of us covered the entire front of one of them. I recognized that it was a photo of us taken on our way to Cal and Kelly’s. The large headline announced: “Gone Public! Ryan’s new love.”
There was my face and his, less than two feet away from where I stood. I slipped my sunglasses out of my purse and put them on. I nudged his mother; she had already noticed the pictures herself. She took a deep breath and sighed. I could tell she was disgusted.
I wanted to pick up the magazine and see what else it had to say but I fought off the urge. I knew it would upset me if they printed lies. Besides, I didn’t need to read a magazine to tell me what was happening in my life. I was living it.
Ryan and his father were still out on the lake fishing when we returned. I could see them from the back of the cabin. We waved to each other when he saw me on the embankment.
Ellen and I unloaded the car and spread the food out on the kitchen island. She was specific with the items we purchased at the store; she wanted to show me how she makes Ryan’s favorite meal.
“He asks for this every time he comes home,” she said while browning beef tips on the stove.
Ryan and his father carried their fishing poles and gear into the house and he gave me a quick kiss before going to wash up.
“Mom, what are you making?” he asked, even though I think he knew what she was up to. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Your mom is showing me the secret family recipe.” I uncorked one of the bottles of wine that I had packed.
Ryan warned me, “Now you know you can never divulge this information to anyone. This recipe was my grandmother’s. It can only be passed down.”
“I’m under contract, remember? Sworn to secrecy.” I twisted my fingers over my lips.
We were enjoying the bottle of wine when Ryan decided to check his messages. He turned his cell phone on and soon after that he looked perturbed.
“Twenty missed calls,” he groaned. He scanned through his messages, deleting one after the other.
“Holy shit!” he said excitedly. “Honey, pen, paper!” He was grasping at the air.
“You know that script I read a few weeks ago? They want me for the lead!” he said confidently. Ryan grabbed me by the waist and spun me around in the air. He was elated.
“Honey, that’s fantastic!” I hugged him as he twirled me in a circle. Just as I had suspected all along, these studios and movie moguls were all going to strike while Ryan was hot. His parents were thrilled.
“Hey Aaron.” Ryan called his agent. “I’m taking some time off with my family this weekend,” he informed.
Ryan’s mouth hung open as he wrote the number nine on the paper and drew circles around it several times. “Hell yeah I’m in! David assured me that I could make the schedule dates. I’ll see you in L.A. in a couple of weeks.” He ended his call and looked around at all of us.
“They’re offering me nine million to do Slipknot,” Ryan said proudly.
“My God, Son! This is truly a weekend full of celebrations!” His father pulled him in for a hug and a manly pat on the back. I was so happy for him, for his success, for the joy this news brought to him.
I walked outside for some wood to start a fire. Ryan, of course, followed me. I had two logs in my arms when Ryan stopped me with his body. He took the logs out of my arms and set them on the ground. He was holding his phone to his ear.
“Hey David! Yes, I got the call from Follweiler. I already talked to Aaron. I’m clear on the dates in April, right? Thanks, David! It’s great news! All right, I’ll talk to you soon.
“I want you here when I make this next call,” he said, touching my cheek. “Stay.”
“Mr. Follweiler, it’s Ryan Christensen. Yes, sir. I just got your message. Thank you for this opportunity! I’m looking forward to working with you too. It’s an honor.” Ryan was ecstatic.
“I’m still in Rhode Island; we’re almost wrapped on the second film and then I’ll be in Scotland for ten days in the beginning of December for final scenes. No, I’m living in Rhode Island now. Yes, that’s correct, with Ms. Mitchell. No, she’s not an actress. No, she’s not a model either!” Ryan laughed briefly.
“Oh? Yes, of course!” Ryan glanced up at me with a surprised look on his face. “We’d love to meet you for dinner. I’ll be in L.A. the third week of December for the Seaside wrap party.
“I have the script. Yes sir, I’ll call your office on Monday to coordinate a meeting. Thank you so much!” He beamed at me.
“Mr. Follweiler has invited us to dinner!”
I couldn’t believe that some director even
knew Ryan’s personal business. Hollywood was worse than the NSA. There were no secrets.
After our delicious meal, we decided to play a game of cards. We were drinking wine and had a nice fire burning in the fireplace. Everything was peaceful.
“Mom, did you have fun today?” Ryan asked.
“I was clothes shopping, Honey.” She winked at him. “Taryn was recognized by the one young cashier. The girl knew that she’s dating you. She even asked us to pose for a picture.”
“Her picture is plastered all over the Internet with me, Mom. You know how it is. This week she’ll be in every gossip magazine in print. I was worried how it would affect her, but she seems to be handling it very well.” I noted the sound of pride in his voice. It made me smile.
“Just as long as you don’t read the garbage they print with the pictures, we’ll be fine.” He kicked my foot so I’d get the point.
“I hate to break it to you, Son, but the two of you are already on the cover of the magazines. There’s a big picture of you and Taryn on the cover of the Weekly Reporter. We saw it at the store today.” Ellen’s expression was a mix of unhappiness and pride.
“Your mom and I also got chased by some of your fans at the Outlet. Either I was recognized or that cashier called some friends. I think they were hoping that we would lead them to you but we gave them the slip!” I told him.
“Welcome to my world.” He frowned. “So, what did you buy today?”
“She bought you new jeans,” Ellen quickly tattled on me.
I saw him look over at me, even though my eyes were still staring at my cards. I knew I was going to get scolded, so I held my index finger up and stopped him in his tracks.
“Ah, before you complain, I’d just like to say that I’ve personally washed all the pants that you own, and you were desperately in need of a non-ripped pair. I only got you three pair – and one is just like those old favorites you’re wearing right now with the button fly.”
“Please tell me you bought yourself something,” he groaned, obviously displeased that I spent his money on him.