“I haven’t had a serious relationship in a while,” he said. “I’ve been busy with work and events.”
Right, I remembered now. He won a bunch of awards for a film he was in last year.
School had taken over my life. I watched special effects scenes here and there, but I hadn’t watched a full movie in over a year. Of course, living in Hollywood, it was hard to escape the buzz surrounding Johnny Logan, who seemed to be nominated for prestigious awards year after year and always had his face plastered on tall billboards downtown.
“It’s hard maintaining a relationship when you travel like I do,” he said.
“How often do you travel?”
“Six to nine months out of the year. It’s all for work.”
“Wow, that’s a lot more than I would’ve guessed.” He wasn’t the party monster movie star I envisioned him to be, he was a hard worker.
Johnny nodded. “Making a movie is a giant adventure, but it gets tiresome not being able to share that experience with anybody. Not many things can pull me away from a job, but I’m sure there’s something that could.”
He stared into my starry eyes. Everything around us melted away as I focused only on Johnny. For a moment I forgot why I was even in school. All he had to do was say the word and I’d join him on the beaches of Borneo as he prepared for his next role.
“That’s why I’m glad I’m here with you right now,” he said. “It’s not often I get to indulge.” His lips curled into a smile.
I bit my lip. Was this really happening? Johnny picked up the menu in front of him.
“Do you indulge often?” He asked, looking up at me.
As I opened my mouth to speak, I realized I had been holding my breath. “I’m a university student,” I said. “I don’t have much time to indulge.”
“That’s too bad. It’s important to relax, to indulge once in a while.” The timbre in his voice thrilled me.
“What do you have in mind?” I asked.
He held up the menu.
“Chocolate,” he said. The rich aroma of cocoa ensnared my senses and my mouth watered for a taste. I remembered now: the chocolate truffles were the restaurant’s iconic dessert. Johnny handed me the menu, which was a list of ingredients — vanilla, orange, pecan, and so on.
“Have you been here before?” Johnny noticed my recognition.
“Yes. I ate here during a family dinner once but we didn’t order the custom truffles. They were a bit out of our price range.” After one appetizer and three main dishes, there was no room in daddy’s wallet, or our bellies, for dessert.
Johnny smirked. “You’re trying them today.”
I smiled, feeling special for the first time in a long time.
“Why don’t we each pick an ingredient and create something together?” Johnny asked. “We’ll create some chemistry of our own.”
Whether by accident or not, he brushed up against my leg and a thrill ran through me. The sexual tension between us was palpable. I shifted in my seat.
“Okay.” I browsed the menu. “What’s your choice?” I felt his eyes on me, reading me.
After staring at me for a few more moments, he spoke. “Something spicy, like chilies.”
I let out a short laugh. If Johnny only knew I was anything but spicy.
Johnny continued. “Did you know that the mix of cocoa and chilies is an aphrodisiac?”
“Oh, I didn’t know that.”
An aphrodisiac?
For all I knew, Johnny was making this up. This show was about love. Of course the actor would inject some drama into the show to amp up the romance. I remembered the cameras surrounding us, watching our every move. I hoped I was doing a good job of giving them a show.
“What do you pick?” Johnny asked.
Mimicking him, I looked right into his eyes and tried to read him the way he read me. He chuckled.
“Dark chocolate,” I said. His crinkling eyes sparkled as he smiled at me.
“Dark chocolate?” He asked.
“Because you’re full of secrets,” I teased. Johnny gave me an appreciative smirk. There was a spark in his eyes that was completely undeniable.
As he smiled, I felt something — he liked me. Was it the acting? It was strange. This Johnny Logan was completely different from the one I met earlier. I couldn’t stop myself from flirting with him!
But this wasn’t what I did. I didn’t flirt with men, especially successful and intimidating men whose image I plastered up on my wall in high school.
This wasn’t what I did. Yet, I was doing it. I was doing it and I liked it.
What was happening to me?
The waitress showed up, interrupting our moment, and it was a good thing because if I looked into Johnny Logan’s eyes for one second longer, I might have been bold enough to lean in and kiss him.
I still didn’t know if he was acting or not, which was a testament to his talent. But he was good.
“Your chocolates,” the waitress said as she placed a box of heart-shaped treats on our table. She looked from Madison to me, giving me a hungry look, one that I was often used to. I pulled my eyes from her, not wanting to give any false impressions.
“Oh!” Madison looked at the chocolates. “They have our initials on them!”
I saw that the dark reddish hearts each had ‘MJ’ imprinted on them. Madison shifted in her seat, indicating that she was nervous. She was clearly not used to going on dates. I smiled. She was cute.
“Want one?” I asked.
She nodded. I picked up a truffle and brought it to her lips. She pulled back.
“What are you doing?”
“Feeding you a chocolate.”
“Oh.” There was excitement in her eyes as she relaxed and watched me move closer, pressing the cold treat to her lips. Her pout kissed my fingertips as she took a bite. “Mmm!” She looked into my eyes, striking something in me. I couldn’t remember the last time a woman looked at me like that. Something welled up in me, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. “They’re delicious.” She pushed the box towards me. “Try one.”
I smirked. I guess she didn’t want to feed one to me. I grabbed a chocolate and popped it in my mouth.
“How is it?” She asked.
“Bold. Spicy. Delicious.” I smirked and she smiled back.
There was something thrilling about seeing Madison sitting across from me. After the year I had with women, the endless parade of actresses and models, Madison was new and exciting, a breath of fresh air. Rob was right — it was time for me to slow down and try something new.
I couldn’t help but get my hopes up knowing that I might have found someone who could fit into my chaotic life. Leaning in, I looked into her luminescent green eyes. Her lips parted and I felt like she was ready to kiss me. Taking the opportunity, I leaned in but, without warning, she pushed away from the table and stood up.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, standing up with her.
“I—I have to go.” She pulled away.
I reached for her hand, clasping it in mine. “Madison, are you okay?”
Those green eyes flashed up to me. God, she was beautiful.
“I can’t stay,” she said, pulling away.
“But can we see each other again?”
“See each other again?” Her eyes darted around to the many large cameras surrounding us. “Oh, sure. Yes.” She smiled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.
My stomach fell to my feet. Something was off.
For a split second I wondered if she was an actress who just put on a hell of a show. But how could that be true? The conversation between us seemed so genuine.
She pulled away.
I furrowed my brow. “Madison, wait.”
She looked back at me. I held out the box of chocolates. “Take them.”
She eyed the chocolates, unsure what to do before finally grabbing them. “Thanks.” She turned and walked off set.
Production immediately pulled me into a location outside
the restaurant to film my post-date thoughts. Madison was easy to talk about. As I spoke, I couldn’t help but wonder whether she liked me back.
I laughed to myself. I hadn’t wondered whether a woman liked me since I was a teenager. That thrill of starting something new washed through me.
When I finished my interview, I looked for her but she was already gone.
“Madison!” Whitney waved at me, joining me in line at the cafeteria by the library. I had spent the past several hours studying away my time in a quiet corner, trying to avoid thinking about Johnny.
When he leaned in for that kiss, all I wanted was to pull him in closer, to wrap my arms around him, but I stopped and pushed him away. If Johnny kissed me, I would have been gone, lost in him forever. No other man would ever compare. I couldn’t go on the world’s most perfect date with Johnny Logan and expect to continue dating normal men afterward.
I had to pinch myself just to prove it was real.
Despite her sun-dress and curled hair, Whitney looked tired, presumably from studying all day like me.
“Hey,” I said. I hadn’t decided whether I was thankful or angry at her for what happened on the set of Blind Date yesterday.
“So?” She smiled deviously. “Did you get your check?”
“I got one but I’m still waiting on the second one. You know, for the date I had to go on.” I gave her the look I reserved for someone who shortened my study time by five hours. Even when I tried studying when I got home, all I could think of was Johnny. That voice. Those eyes.
“You went on a date with the bachelor?” Her eyes widened.
“It’s a funny story. You told me this wouldn’t happen.”
Whitney shrugged. “It’s never happened to me.” She didn’t seem too bothered about the inconvenience it caused me. “How’d it go? Was he cute?”
I looked around making sure nobody could hear us. I leaned in.
“It was Johnny Logan.”
“WHAT?” Several students looked at us. Whitney covered her mouth and leaned in. “Seriously? You went on a date with Johnny Logan?”
I nodded.
“I can’t believe it.” Whitney stared at me with a tinge of jealousy.
I swallowed, trying not to think of him.
“So… how did it go?” She looked at me with big eyes.
I let out a frustrated breath, shook my head, and closed my eyes. “It was more amazing than I ever could have imagined.”
“Seriously? Give me the deets!”
“We made custom chocolates at that restaurant in the valley. He said it was so we could make chemistry together.”
“Ooh I’ve always wanted to go there! That’s cute. Was he?”
“Was he what?”
“Cute?”
I was about to respond, but I couldn’t find the words to describe how hot he was in real life.
Whitney laughed. “I think your speechlessness says it all.”
“It’s strange… at first he was an asshole, but then he changed, before my eyes. He was sweet, and funny. It was…perfect.”
There was a longing look in Whitney’s eyes. “I’m so happy for you, Madi. I just have one last question.”
Knowing exactly what her question was going to be, I pulled the box of chocolates out of my bag. “Here.”
Whitney squealed excitedly. “Thank you, Madi! You are the bomb dot com.” She pulled a chocolate out of the box and popped it into her mouth. “Wow. These are good.” A wicked smile spread across her face. “I can tell you guys had a good time together.”
“You can tell that from the chocolates?”
“I can tell from your red cheeks. You like him.”
I touched my hot cheeks. “Of course I like him! I had a picture of him up in my locker all through high school! He’s even more handsome in person, and that voice… You know the voice I’m talking about. Johnny Logan’s voice.”
Whitney nodded, thinking about a voice she only ever heard through a speaker. I got to hear it in real life.
“I’m happy for you, Madi. I really am. But I have to get studying.”
“You’re really serious about this exam.” The reason I was surprised was because Whitney had a tendency to miss classes and fail exams.
“If I don’t pass this, I’m kicked out for good.” She picked another chocolate before handing the box back to me.
I shook my head. “Keep them.”
“You don’t want them?”
“They remind me of him.”
I made the mistake of eating one last night. As I bit into that small heart, the sinful flavors of luscious cocoa and spicy chili danced and sizzled across my tongue, bringing back all the dangerous memories of Johnny. My mouth was already watering and endorphins rushed through my body just thinking about his fingertips touching my lips.
I pushed the box back towards Whitney. Those devilish treats were dangerous to have around. Plus, sugar on a study night was a big no-no.
“Being reminded of him is a bad thing?” Whitney asked.
I sighed. “The date was perfect, but it hurts to know it was all in the name of reality television.”
“What are you talking about? You are seeing each other again, aren’t you?”
I furrowed my brow. “Is that a joke? It was reality television, Whitney. It’s all fake.” I was so sure of my point up until I saw Whitney’s face. “Isn’t it?”
“Are you high, girl? Britt is the best matchmaker in the world! If anyone can match you, it’s her.” She stared at me with awe. “I just realized… the best matchmaker in the world matched Johnny Logan with you.”
Her statement was too much to comprehend. I shook my head. “But I didn’t want to be matched. Why the hell did you tell me to go on that show anyway?”
Whitney shrugged. “I go on all the time and I’ve never been matched.”
That didn’t surprise me. Whitney had a habit of over-sharing when meeting new people. Some guys found her… intense.
I shook my head. “I can’t believe I’m in this mess.”
“This is so exciting!” She grabbed my wrist and shook me. “I mean… Johnny Logan!”
Several people turned to look at us.
I swatted her away and lowered my voice. “I can’t think about this. I have to go home.”
“But you never answered my question. Are you seeing each other again?”
“Obviously I don’t know, otherwise I would have said so!”
“You don’t have his number?”
I rolled my eyes. “Do you think Johnny Logan gives his number out that easily?”
“To you, he might have.”
I let out a sharp sigh, frustrated with her meddling. If she kept this up, she’d really raise my hopes and I’d be heartbroken all over again.
“Quit it, Whitney. He’s Johnny Logan. He could date anybody. What would he want with me?”
“Who? You? A smart, funny, intelligent woman? Britt doesn’t mess around when it comes to matchmaking.”
I stayed quiet. The butterflies swarmed in my belly again. What if I was wrong about the whole thing?
“Does he have your number?”
“Enough.” I didn’t want to admit out loud that I never gave it to him.
As I got to the front of the line to pay for a chicken sandwich, my phone began vibrating in my backpack.
“That’s weird,” I said.
“What?”
“You’re the only one who calls me.”
“Answer it. Maybe it’s him.” Whitney’s blue eyes became wide and devious.
After awkwardly gathering my change, I fumbled my phone. I didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello?” I balanced the phone as I shuffled out of the cafeteria. Whitney was by my side.
“Madison, hello.”
I nearly dropped my phone.
“Hi Johnny.” I met Whitney’s excited gaze. I cleared my throat. “How’d you get my number?”
“The clearance forms you signed when you left ye
sterday. You checked a box allowing production to share your contact information with me.”
“Right.” I was in such a daze after the date that I barely remembered giving my post-date confessional or reading any of the forms they needed me to sign. “I wasn’t expecting your call.”
“What are you up to?”
“Studying for my exam.”
“When is it?”
“Tomorrow evening.”
Whitney watched expectantly, waiting for the story to unfold.
“Listen,” he said. “I was thinking about yesterday.”
“Yes?”
“I’d like to take you out on another date.” Johnny’s smooth voice sounded in my ear. Even over the phone his delicious voice was liquid sex.
“Another date?” My heart beat excitedly in my chest. Whitney’s eyes grew wide and she began gesturing, trying to tell me something. I waved her off as she was making me nervous. “When?”
“Tomorrow,” he said. “After your exam.”
“After the exam?” I repeated, looking up at Whitney who nodded frantically. “Yes that sounds like something we can do. The exam finishes at eight.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up at eight.”
“I’ll see you then.” I ended the call and put away my phone. Whitney was doing a happy dance. Deep down, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to dance or freak out. “Did I sound normal?”
“You sounded great.”
“What the fuck did I just do?”
Whitney grabbed my arm. “You agreed to go on a date with Johnny Logan.”
“I’m going on a date with Johnny Logan.” Even as I said it, I couldn’t believe it.
How could I focus on studying?
Whitney’s wristwatch began beeping. She let out an annoyed grunt. “I have to go. I’ll see you before the exam tomorrow?”
I nodded. “See you later.”
I made my way home where I tried and failed to bury my thoughts in my studies.
***
The sun set outside and I was still studying. As I tried to focus on the chapter in front of me, I couldn’t help but think about Johnny and our date tomorrow. It was impossible to concentrate. Frustrated, I shut my textbook.
The Blind Date Series (Three Romance Stories: Blind Date, Role Play, Pure Fate) Page 3