The Trouble with Dating a Movie Star

by ZN Willett

  I walked into the room full of men and grimaced as they all perused my body. Being the only woman in the meeting was sad, but having to be looked over like some kind of prime beef was disgusting and unprofessional. My attitude showed as the meeting went on. I had been short-tempered, and my patience ran thin.

  I was anxious to get back to my hotel to unwind. Andrew texted me that afternoon which only made my attitude worse. He couldn't join me for the pre-dinner but would meet me at the event. After the meeting had adjourned, I had gone straight to the hotel and soaked in the bath for over an hour.

  I wasn't on edge due to the filthy men or because I didn't sleep well. It was because of Andrew. I hated that he affected me so much, and his avoidance of kissing me in public still hung over my head. I didn't want to think about it, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he was keeping something from me.

  To help relax, I ordered a bottle of wine, and then began to get ready for the evening festivities. I decided I needed to get a grip after going over everything that had happened between Andrew and me. He said he wanted to try. To me, that meant wanting to see where our relationship could go, and he's kissed me many times before. How many women could say that? That last thought actually didn't make me feel better, but I was on a roll.

  The tour launch looked like a movie premier but on a much smaller scale. There was press everywhere, and celebrities were being interviewed along the red carpet. The sponsors had backdrops with pictures of my cover placed sporadically on them. I watched as Elena spoke to a reporter while Owen, one of her assistants, stood by her side. That was when Keira spotted me. "Andria, you're late!"

  "You told me eight o’clock.”

  She rolled her eyes. "I told you it started at eight. You were supposed to be here at seven. Why didn't you answer your cell?"

  I didn't want to tell her I had turned it off as I wallowed in a cold, bubbleless bathtub, and had forgotten to turn it back on. "Sorry, I didn't hear it ring."

  "Well, we are behind schedule—they said it happens a lot here—half the guests haven't arrived yet."

  I nodded knowingly and took a moment for a couple of deep breaths as I tried to shake the nerves away. It was my first big appearance.

  "Are you ready to answer some questions?"

  I wanted to say no, but I answered with, "Let's do this."

  Keira guided me to a mini stage, and I waited as the announcer said my name. I waved and walked out. It was overwhelming, and cameras flashed everywhere. I shook Elena's hand, as well as those from our subsidiary agency in New York before approaching the podium. It was a surreal moment. I could feel my heartbeat pick up, and I prayed that no one could see how much I was sweating. "I would like to thank my editor and Elena for supporting me and seeing Deception come to fruition. I want to thank my best friend, Erin Brandon for encouraging me to find my voice. I also would like to thank my family for always supporting me, and the slew of people behind the scenes that make things easier for me—Keira in particular. Most importantly, I would not be here if it were not for my fans; not only for reading my book, but also for sharing it with others. I wouldn't be standing here today if it weren't for them. I want to thank my fans most of all."

  I stepped down, took a boatload of pictures and then headed inside. Keira had had me pre-sign books, and I was very thankful for that. No one had to wait in a long line, and everyone could eat and do whatever they wanted. For me, I spent time talking and meeting people before Keira came and gave me a drink. "Your life is going to change."

  I shrugged. "I don't think so."

  "No one knew what you looked like before."

  She had me there. I used an avatar on my book cover. I didn't want my picture on anything. I knew it was unusual, but I liked remaining anonymous. Even though I did a few public appearances, nothing previously had been done on a scale like tonight. Now there was no turning back.

  As people came up to speak, I found myself scanning the room for Andrew. He said he would be here, but it was getting late and the D.J. started spinning dance music. The place changed from a Hollywood premier to a nightclub. The food was moved out, and more bars were moved in.

  Elena cut in on some guy trying to hit on me. I laughed when she said she had seen the agony on my face and knew I needed saving. "Come and dance. You did good girl. You need to relax."

  She pulled me onto the dance floor, and we began to move to the beat. Keira and Owen soon joined us, and we really let loose. Dancing was something I hadn't done for a while, not since going out with Erin last summer. As we moved to the beat, I felt a chill suddenly come over me. I ignored it at first until the chill turned to tingling all over my body. It was the strangest feeling, and I knew why the moment I caught his hazel eyes. He held a drink up to his pursed lips. I watched in anticipation as he took a sip, before one corner of his mouth tilted up. It wasn't the same look he had given me at the airport, but it was in the same family. The way he stared at me caused goosebumps, everywhere. My chest became heavy, yet I kept on dancing as he watched. He stared into my eyes before they traveled meticulously down my body. His hooded eyes lingered on my hips as they moved to the beat of the music.

  Andrew's eyes took their time drifting back up to mine before he mouthed, "Come here."

  I obeyed his command willingly as I walked up to him. "Hi."

  He smiled. "Hi, beautiful. I'm sorry I was late."

  "I was late myself." I grinned stepping closer to him. I needed to feel his touch.

  "It's your party. You're supposed to be late." He moved closer.

  "Tell that to my assistant."

  Andrew chuckled lowly as he brushed his hand down mine as we looked intently at one another.

  Startled by a cough, I turned; surprised that it had come from Wade. I didn't even see him, and he's not hard to miss. "I'm glad you were both able to come."

  "I wouldn't have missed it," he said with a dimpled smile.

  "I have a special copy for you. Although, you said Taylor had already read it, I thought you might like to give it to her anyway."

  He smiled widely before giving me a tight squeeze. "I like you."

  "Ummm, I like you too."

  "I was telling Drew to get a move on before you're snatched up."

  I looked at Andrew who was shaking his head at him and said, "I think you have it turned around Wade."

  "He's right, Andria. I need to hurry this up," Andrew said with an edge to his voice.

  I looked at him puzzled, not sure how to take that. Then I saw a server walk by with a tray of food. "Did you eat?"

  "We ate before we came. How long do you have to stay?"

  I looked at Elena and Keira who were now getting low on the dance floor as Owen watched. "I think I'm good to go."

  He finished his drink, and placed his hand along the small of my back as he guided us out of the room.

  Photographers shouted Andrew's name as Wade led us to the front door. He had to remove several hands off of Andrew as he told them, no touching. Almost to the door, we got sidetracked as people Andrew knew stopped him to speak. I kept looking to the door wishing we could gravitate towards it as he talked to them.

  A few women approached him offering their business cards and phone numbers. I had to take deep breaths to control the monster that was stirring inside of me. Did they not see him with me? Did it not matter that I was shooting daggers with my eyes at them? One had the nerve to smile and wink at me before whispering in his ear! Even though Andrew backed away signaling Wade to haul her ass away, I was quickly losing my patience.

  What bothered me the most was that not once did Andrew introduce me. I knew they knew who I was since my face was plastered everywhere, but they and most importantly Andrew could have acknowledged me.

  It was taking too long to leave, and one of my best nights was quickly becoming one of my angriest. I looked at Wade who seemed to understand— thankfully—and he quickly moved us out the door and into the car.

  What was I doing?

&nb
sp; I couldn't do this!

  Andrew and I have totally different lives, I thought. I wasn’t the type of person who could stand back and watch women throw themselves at him and not say anything. He was friendly with them; I understand that he had to be, but he gave the ones he knew kisses on the cheek. Why did that bother me? That was more than I received!

  We sat in silence. Feeling the tension around us, I knew that if I spoke, I would say something I would regret. I wasn't thinking rationally. Also feeling things I hadn't felt before, and I couldn't breathe with Andrew's scent all around me. I wanted to scream and cry at the same time. When Andrew reached for my hand, I automatically pulled away. "I'm sorry. I didn't…"

  "Tell me what's wrong, Andria?"

  Not able to look at him, I continued to stare out the window. "I think...I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

  "Did I do something to upset you?" The seat dipped as he moved closer.

  I looked down at his feet. "It's been a really long day. I didn't get much sleep last night."

  He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Are you sure that's it?"

  I wanted to tell him no, but I couldn't. I was falling hard for the guy, and we really hadn't known each other for that long, even though it seemed as if I had known him my entire life. That thought alone made me nervous.

  We pulled up to my hotel, and before he could get out of the car I told him that I was fine and he didn't have to get out; that I had to stop at the hotel convenience store for a minute. He protested, but I got out and shut the door behind me. He rolled down the window looking concerned yet cautious.

  He should be.

  Andrew reminded me that he had meetings until the afternoon, but he would pick me up for a quick lunch before taking me to the airport. He mentioned how much he was going to miss me and that he wasn't going to let me leave.

  Placing on a fake smile, I said my goodbyes. Even though he leaned out for a kiss, it was different. It was chaste, and my heart ached being that close to him. I quickly said another goodbye and told him I would see him tomorrow.

  Grabbing a bag of chips from the store, I headed to my room, got undressed, and curled up in front of the TV. I was physically and mentally exhausted, and wanted to hurt Erin for making me wear those ridiculously high-heeled shoes.

  I zoned out for a while before realizing the movie that was playing was one of Andrew's. How ironic, I thought as I turned the channel before lying down on the couch. I stayed there until morning.

  I woke up lying on last night's bag of chips with crumbs infused to my body. Not exactly how I thought my evening would have ended. Today, I would be heading back home. As I looked at the clock, confirming I had slept through my checkout time, I felt lost. I wasn't sure why. I had the best book launch last night, and by the look of things it was a success, yet I felt blue.

  Reaching for my phone, I saw several missed calls from Andrew. Then I dialed a number I knew as well as my own. "Erin, help me."

  "What's going on?"

  "I'm losing it. Last night was incredible. I should be excited, but I feel depressed."

  "I’m here. It’s going to be okay, but what's really going on?" She knew me better than anyone, and she knew I needed her.

  "It's Andrew. I don't want to see him again." I couldn't believe that came out of my mouth.

  "Talk!"

  I told Erin everything. I told her how he greeted me at the airport. I told her about our dinner. I told her about how he wouldn't kiss me in public. The book event. The women. I think I hit all the major and minor points. She listened and waited to respond until after I had finished. "Do you want to hear the truth or would you like me to sugar coat it?"

  "Do I want to hear it at all?" I asked as I curled up with a pillow, knowing that I was pouting.

  "Not if I'm going to mention the L word."

  I sat up. "No way! I am not in love with Andrew Hughes. There is no way. I just met him!"

  "But you have always had feelings for him. You wrote an entire book based on him."

  "She did?" I heard Miles's voice in the background.

  "I can't be in love with him." I whispered. "That's insane."

  "You're not crazy. You're in love. And before you say it, you can fall in love with someone that quickly. Some people fall in love at first sight."

  "But, I don't—"

  "You did. Trust me. Think about it. The butterflies, the revved up hormones, the jealousy, they're all signs. You're in love, sweetie," she giggled in glee.

  I felt sick. "What am I going to do?"

  "You're going to give Andrew the benefit of the doubt. Get out of your head, Andria."

  "Easier said than done."

  "You can do this. This is Andrew you're talking about. It was destiny."

  I smiled for the first time that day. "It is Andrew."

  "Now get up, get dressed, and go see that man."

  "He has meetings. I won't see him until I go to the airport." My voice was full of disappointment.

  "Use borrowed time. Love you."

  What did that mean? "Love you too, Erin."

  Taking a much-needed shower, I thought about what Erin had said, and the borrowed time reference and an idea popped into my head. I came up with a plan and called the front desk to reserve the suite until the next day. Next, I called Keira and told her to change my flight to tomorrow. I didn't need to be back until Tuesday, and I wanted one more day with Andrew. He said he had meetings until this afternoon and would be free afterwards. I would surprise him by spending the evening with him. If Erin was right, I needed to sort out my feelings for him. Though, if I were being honest, having actually to do it scared me. Yet, what scared me most was that Andrew didn’t feel the same.

  Several lessons had been learned by the day’s end. First lesson learned—make sure Andrew was still available before rearranging my entire schedule to spend time with him. I found this out when I called him after my shower. "Andria, I wish you had told me sooner. I made plans with Brittney."

  Yep. Brittney.

  My second lesson learned—ask questions. The only reason he told me about Brittney was due to our going back and forth for about five minutes. He was acting odd and finally told me who he was seeing. "Maybe I shouldn't have assumed you would still be free this evening, but you said your schedule was open after the meetings. I thought it would be nice to spend a little more time together."

  "I want to spend more time with you, but you said you would head out at three. If I would have known...I wouldn't have made plans for after you left."

  I started pacing around the room. "I just thought we could have a little more time before I have to leave for the tour. I just wanted to spend one more day…"

  "I can change my plans with Brittney," he said, sounding frustrated.

  I wasn't sure if he was frustrated with me or upset that he had to cancel his plans with her. But, I was trying to hold it together, and gave him the benefit of the doubt. "That's okay. I can see you next time."

  "What? I just said I would cancel with Brittney!” Now, he sounded pissed off.

  That only unleashed the beast that I had tried to hold in. "No need. I wouldn't want you to cancel your date with Brittney! Maybe next time." And with that, I hung up.

  Yes, I know it was wrong. Yes, I know it was childish. Yes, I know it was immature, but I couldn't take it back. It just happened, and I couldn't undo it. Although truthfully, he deserved it.

  I arrived back in Dallas by ten that same evening. As soon as I hung up with Andrew, I called Keira and had asked her to change my flight back to my original departure. Of course, that wasn't easy. The only flight available on a Sunday had a three-hour connection in Salt Lake City. Not caring, I took it; I wished I had rethought that decision when I ended up in the middle seat between a talker and a seat hogger. The hogger leaned on me and snored in my ear while the talker continued on until we arrived at the gate.

  By the time I came home, I was mentally and physically drained. I couldn't stop thinki
ng about Andrew, and as much as I didn’t want to be upset, I was. He didn't call. I wasn't surprised, just disappointed.

  That night, I dreamed about him. One minute, we would be laughing, and he would kiss me tenderly. The next scene, he would be with Brittney or some other woman as they flirted with him and ignored me. Needless to say, I tossed and turned all night.

  The next morning, I woke up with the worst headache and really needed to get Andrew out of my mind. I needed a mental break desperately, and I thought the best thing would be to find some Zen. For me, that meant either the spa or my pool; I settled for my pool. It was unseasonably warm for December, and I wasn't in the mood to be around anyone at the spa.

  My place was small, but one thing I had splurged on was my small private pool. I had it added as my oasis. I also had an outdoor kitchen and fireplace installed. I wanted koi, but I was too busy to take care of fish. I had a pond installed, but it only had rocks and a small stream that led up to the pool. It was tiny, but it was perfect for me.

  I turned on the outside music, made myself a pitcher of tea, and sat in the sun all day. Andrew crossed my mind frequently. I chastised myself for being childish, but I realized it showed just how much he affected me. Also, how much I was falling for him.

  The thought of not speaking to Andrew again made me upset. I was sick to my stomach. For the first time, tears ran down my face, and I wasn’t a crier. I couldn't stop them, and that scared me more than anything else. I wasn't sure how long I cried, but I didn't feel better after I had let it all out.

  Deciding I had enough fresh air, I walked back into the house. Checked my cell phone again, and no missed calls from Andrew. Not sure why I had been hopeful. I tossed the phone to the side as I took off my cover up. I was about to take off my bikini when I heard a strong knock at the front door. I ignored it, not expecting anyone, and I didn't want to see anyone anyway.