“I just mean that there is a bit of speculation that the relationship with Juliet is a PR move mostly. I wondered if you could comment on that?” Alison smiled sweetly, and I wondered suddenly if she’d known all along. Did she actually know anything now? My mind raced as I tried to figure out how to spin this to save Juliet.
“Well, you’re very savvy, Alison,” I said, pasting on a grin. “And you’re one-hundred percent right.”
“Really?” Alison perched on the edge of her seat, pushing away Tess’s cake and leaning toward me.
“I mean, yes. There’s no way anyone can be associated with Juliet Manchester and not see their star rise a little. She’s a phenomenon.” Alison was nodding madly. “Who also happens to be one of the sweetest, most genuine, and kindest people in Hollywood. Not to mention lovely, inside and out.”
This wasn’t what Alison had wanted to hear. Her posture stiffened. “So this relationship …”
“Has made me one of the luckiest men alive,” I confirmed. It had been luck, after all. It didn’t mean I was in love with Juliet, though. But Alison didn’t need to know that. “And if my career gets a boost just because I adore Juliet Manchester? Well, that’s just gravy, right?” I stood, smiling graciously. “Excuse me.”
Alison might have had more questions, or suspicions, but I didn’t care. Tess was waiting for me, and my heart wouldn’t let me waste another second pretending not to understand exactly what should happen next. I glanced behind me, but Alison was so busy scribbling, she didn’t notice me leave.
I slipped out the tent door and made my way around the edge of the sprawling lawn, avoiding the glow of the lights strung in the trees. A few people meandered here and there, appreciating the beauty of the landscape, the water. I didn’t need them to see me and strike up a casual conversation, delaying me even more.
The barn door stood open, and I stepped inside, into the dark interior. It was quiet, as if the barn stood in a world apart from the music and light just outside. The faint smell of horses and hay drifted around me, and from the darkness, a familiar voice said, “Hi.” Just the sound of it brought a smile to my face and made a little beat echo through my body.
My eyes adjusted slowly, and I found Tess sitting on an overturned crate, her arms resting on her knees. She looked innocent and vulnerable there, and I had to resist the urge to move straight to her, to gather her in my arms.
“Hey,” I said, pulling up another crate to sit next to her.
Neither of us spoke for a moment as the sounds from the party outside filtered through the thick warm air, sifting bass beats and high laughing voices into single notes and a vibration I could feel in my bones.
“The party is going so well,” I said. “Do you think Gran is enjoying herself?”
“Well, she’s still there, as far as I know. That’s a good sign.” Her voice was soft, uncertain in the darkness.
“Thanks for meeting me out here,” I said, trying to pad the way gently into the conversation I wanted to have, though I wasn’t sure exactly what to say.
“Sure,” she said. “But I only have a second. People will start leaving now that we’ve had cake. I need to wish them goodnight. I’m the hostess.”
“Of course, yeah.” I turned toward her, just her outline visible against the light spilling in from the open barn door. “Okay, well.” I took a deep breath, trying to still my racing heart, to make sense of the thoughts flying through my mind. “I looked at houses today.”
That wasn’t quite where I’d hoped to start.
Tess turned to look at me, and even in the dark I could see her eyebrows go up in confusion. “Um. Okay,” she said slowly. “Wait, what?”
“To buy. I bought a house here.” Closer. Still nonsensical.
Think, Ryan.
This was easier when I had a script.
Tess didn’t speak immediately, so I tried again. “I’m going to have a home here. I love it here—the water, the trees. It’s so different than any place I’ve ever been.”
“Oh.” There was an edge of disappointment there, and I realized I didn’t say what I needed to say. “Okay, well …” Tess moved to stand and I caught her hand.
“Wait, please.” I held her soft hand between my palms, resisting the urge to bring my mouth to her smooth skin. “It’s not just the scenery, Tess. I want to be here to be close to you, to give us a chance.”
Tess tugged on her hand, but I didn’t let it go, standing to face her instead.
“Ryan, that doesn’t make any sense,” she said, shaking her head and sounding small and defeated in the darkness. “People don’t do things like that. I mean, buy a vacation home, sure, yeah. But you’re not going to stay here. You’re not going to live here.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re Ryan McDonnell!”
My name sounded like a curse on her lips.
“You’re a movie star, and women all over the world throw themselves at you. You’ve got a rising career, you’re linked to America’s Sweetheart. Southern Maryland has nothing to offer you.”
“It has you, Tess.” I kept her hand in mine, but lifted my other hand to capture her jaw, to still the shaking of her head. “It has everything I want because it has you.”
I felt her soften beneath my touch, and though there were more words that needed to be said, more things that had to be cleared up and explained, in the moment, I brought my lips to hers because the universe demanded it, pulling us together like it was meant to be. She melted into my touch, and as our lips met, I felt my future unfurl before me like a long ribbon with no end, undulating in the
