Happily Ever After? (Sleeping Handsome Sequel)

by Jean Haus

  “Him, my ex best friend…” Pressed into his t-shirt the words come out muffled.

  “So he cheated?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t think so. It’s just—it’s just that she tried and…” I’m not going to explain my relationship with Amanda to Bret. It was hard enough explaining it to Zach. “It brought a lot of old ugly feelings up.”

  He tugs me by the hand toward the couch. Along the way, he grabs the box of tissues from the desk. He pushes a tissue in my hand. “You’re sure he didn’t do anything with her?”

  I pause, pressing the tissue to my cheek. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure.”

  He leans closer to me. His green eyes narrow. “One hundred percent sure?”

  “He’s not like that. We’re…he’s just not like that.” My voice cracks on the last word because Bret’s persistence is widening the crack already in my conviction. The tissue becomes a tight wad inside my fist.

  “So why are you so upset?” he says softly.

  “Um…” I stare at his designer t-shirt. “It has to do more with her than him.”

  He sweeps away the hair on his forehead and frowns. “I find that hard to believe.”

  My teeth gnaw at my bottom lip. Inside my misery, I’m having a hard time following his line of thought.

  “I mean if it wasn’t about him, why would you be so distraught?”

  Is this really about Zach? I’m angry with him, but…I draw in a deep breath. Dry my eyes with the corner of the soaked tissue. Let out the air I’d been holding in. “Maybe it’s about him.”

  Bret scoots closer and puts an arm around me. “Guys are dogs. Unfortunately, being one I know this. You’re still young. After this movie you’ll have tons of guys after you.”

  He draws my head closer to his shoulder. I press my check against his t-shirt and hold in a sob. I don’t want other guys. I want Zach.

  We sit there quietly as he rubs my back with his palm. Though I feel empty, I relax a bit. Let out another deep breath and lean farther into Bret. It’s good to be with a friend during so much pain. Even if he smells like an entire bottle of cologne.

  Bret raises my chin with a knuckle. “We almost have a week left here. I could help you forget that boy at home.”

  Confused, I blink at him.

  “We’d be good together.” His arm grows tighter around my shoulder, he pulls me closer—my confusion goes into overdrive—and his lashes flutter closed before his lips touch mine.

  Yuck. For one long second I’m frozen in shock. I gasp at the gross feeling of his lips then wrench myself off the couch, stumble, and fall back against the wall. “What are you doing?”

  Smiling slowly, he stands. “Come on, Paige. You have to know by now I’m attracted to you. And I’m certain you’re attracted to me. You’ve been watching me with those whiskey colored eyes for weeks now.”

  My mouth falls open. Is he freakin’ serious? I can be a ditz. I know this. But right now, I feel like my world did fall apart and I landed on Mars or inside some cheesy soap opera.

  He puts a hand against the wall on each side of my head and leans in. “Your boyfriend cheated. We share a mutual attraction. Let’s make the rest of this week good.” He leans closer and I have to stop my lip from curling. “I’m sure my experience far outweighs that boy at home. I can make it real good. So good you’ll forget him,” he whisperers as he bends.

  Double yuck. I duck just as his mouth descends. This nutcase needs to go. Now. I race toward the door and fling it open. “I’m not interested.”

  He cocks a brow.

  Oh, stupid, stupid Paige, how did you not see this coming? You knew he was beyond egotistical. “Ah… you’re handsome and all that. And I like you as a friend, but um…my heart is really, really, really taken.”

  He moves toward me slowly, seductively. Triple yuck. His eyebrows rise. “By a cheater?”

  “I don’t think…never mind. Just go. I’ll see you tomorrow at work.”

  He sides up to me and reaches for my cheek. I stumble into the hallway. Is this idiot so arrogant he doesn’t understand the word no? “Bret,” I snap.

  His lips tighten in a determined line as he reaches for my wrist.

  “Let me go,” I hiss.

  Suddenly the guard is near. “Everything all right?” he asks in a heavy accent.

  I yank my wrist free. “Yes, he was just leaving.”

  Bret’s eyes turn angry. Ignoring him, I step into my room, give the guard a thankful nod, and shut the door with a huff. What the hell was that? I fall against the door and wait for the world to straighten. After Zach’s email and Bret’s ridiculous attempt at seduction, I’m stuck on a tilt.

  I run my hands over my face and reality sinks in. Oh no. Through my blind stupidity, I’ve done almost the same thing as Zach. I cringe. My offense might be a bit worse. That asshole’s lips actually touched mine.

  I feel like vomiting again.

  Still stunned by the whole encounter with Bret, I lie against the door and stare into space. The computer on the desk stares at me. Slowly, I move toward the desk. Zach asks for honesty, always gives it, and until lately I’ve always been completely honest with him. But admitting my stupidity is going to suck.

  Big time.

  My trembling fingers reach for the mouse. I’m stunned to see a new message from Zach. I hesitantly open it.

  Paige,

  I know you’re angry right now. I don’t blame you. Take however long you need. I’ll always be waiting.

  Until then, here’s my ode to you.

  ~

  She came to me in the darkness,

  Brought light to slow death.

  Though she was lost, scarred, and hurting,

  Her soul was spotless.

  I breathed for the sound of her voice.

  She woke me with her

  Kiss, sincerity, and openness.

  Brought to life by love,

  Forever connected to this girl,

  Darkness has vanished.

  I now breathe freely in the brightness.

  Yet under blue skies,

  The sun shines brighter when she smiles,

  My heart beats faster,

  She fills it with courageousness.

  I aspire to be,

  Worthy of living in her light.

  ~

  It may be cheesy, but it’s the truth.

  Love always,

  Z

  I press my temples as his beautiful words melt into my heart. His thoughts of me warm my insides. And they shame me. I’m not that girl in the poem. I’m not light. And I’m not worthy of his pretty words.

  I’m suddenly crying all over again. After several minutes and several more tissues, I try to collect my thoughts.

  One thing’s for certain, the whole experience with Bret has given me a tighter conviction. My trust in Zach feels stronger. How I even let Bret sway me just a bit into thinking Zach…Ugh.

  My hands hover over the keyboard.

  Now his trust will be in the spotlight.

  ~12~

  Zach

  I never, not once, have been pissed at Paige. She’s always been the perfect girlfriend. We clicked and were in tune with each other from the start. Though her kiss woke me, I never felt truly awake until we were together. After reading her email, I’m about to blow up. Since Drake’s still at work, I tear through the apartment from one room to the next. I’m trying to cool down, but I’m furious. I want to punch holes in every single wall then all the doors. And I’ve been like this for hours.

  So much for a relaxing day off.

  The scrape of a key sounds in the lock of the front door. I set my hands on the counter between the kitchen and living room. Drake rushes inside while I try to get control of myself.

  “Dude,” he gasps. “Have you seen this?” He shoves his phone in my face.

  I stare at the picture of Paige and Bret Travis walking along a rolling city sidewalk. They look at each other. Both are smiling. The caption under the picture s
ays, ‘Actor Bret Travis appears to be hooking up with another costar.’ My fingers grip the edge of the counter. My fury grows.

  “There’s more,” Drake says, bouncing so much the ball of his ski cap almost hits my nose.

  The next one shows them looking in the shop of a window. Another pictures them standing on a corner. Paige’s head is thrown back in a laugh.

  I spin away with my hands clenched at my sides. I don’t want Drake to know how enraged I am. This should stay between Paige and I.

  “Dude, these aren’t real are they?” Drake asks from behind me.

  “You think they’re fake fucking pictures?”

  “Shit. Even if I had dibs, you should’ve just screwed Amanda the other night.”

  At the thought of Amanda, my rage spikes. I spin back around, but stop myself from punching my roommate in the jaw by clenching my hands behind my back. “So if Paige’s with some guy on the sidewalk, they’re sleeping together?”

  He backs away and puts his hands up. “Sorry man, but yeah that’s what it looks like. I mean the guy is known for screwing half of Hollywood.”

  I step back. Drake really has nothing to do with this shit even if he is seriously pissing me off. “She doesn’t get it, okay? She’s too naïve to think people will follow her with cameras and come to bullshit conclusions.”

  He moves toward the fridge. “Well then, she’s in the wrong business and you’re definitely in luuuve.” He pulls out a milk jug and takes two swallows from it. “Cause there’s no way I could deal with that shit.”

  Feeling like I’m sticking up for myself more than Paige, I snap, “How the hell would you know what you’d deal with when you haven’t had a girlfriend since what? Sixth grade?”

  He tosses the milk back in the fridge. “See, I know I couldn’t deal.”

  The music from the phone in my pocket stops my retort.

  Drake raises a brow and his eyebrow ring disappears under a purple ski cap. “Guess this one’s not going to include phone sex.”

  “Shut the fuck up,” I say, reaching for the phone and moving toward my room.

  With the phone to my ear and the door pressed against my back, I answer, “Hey.”

  “Oh Zach, I’m so, so sorry,” Paige says in a rush.

  “How could you, Paige?” The question comes out of me without a thought.

  “I didn’t think he—”

  “And while you were pissed at me. So the spawn of Satan worked with me, but hell, I didn’t hang out with her after work. Didn’t invite her into my fucking room.” I start pacing the short length of my bedroom.

  “I know. I get it. I’m just as bad. Worse probably. But we were just friends, nothing more.”

  I pause in front of my closet. “Friends who kiss each other?”

  “Okay, I deserve your anger, but I didn’t kiss him. And it was like a second long.”

  “Angry?” I kick the shoes spilling out onto the floor back into the closet. “You think I’m angry? Every time I think about his arms around you or his lips on yours, I feel like exploding. I’m furious. Don’t you get what that image is doing to me?”

  “I do,” she says in a small voice. “I feel the same imagining Amanda on your bed.”

  I kick the last two shoes. Hard. The smack resonates within the small space. “I wasn’t on the bed. I was nowhere near her or her lips.”

  “I already admitted what happened with me was way worse. I’m sorry. It was nothing. It meant nothing.”

  I start pacing again. “Have you seen the pictures on the net?”

  “What pictures?”

  “Of you and your buddy having a good time.”

  “Huh?” I hear her moving. “Just give me a minute.” The echo of her punching keys sounds through the phone. “What the…These are freakin’ ridiculous. That asshole must’ve known we were being followed!” She lets out a deep breath. “You know these don’t mean anything, right?”

  I snap open the blinds on my window and stare out at the parking lot without seeing it. “I don’t know what they mean.”

  “What?” her voice is a screech. “Zach, you can’t seriously think anything was going on.”

  My fingers push the window open. I need air. “Do I think you’ve been cheating on me? No. Yet I have to wonder why you’d hang out with someone like him.”

  “I told you. I thought we were friends! Are you saying I can’t have male friends?”

  Breathing near the screen, I ignore her question. “So he never flirted? Never came on to you before last night?”

  “Ugh. Okay, he may have flirted a bit. A come on before last night, no. Seriously, why would someone like him be interested in someone like me?”

  My forehead hits the screen. The mesh digs into my skin. “Holy shit Paige, you can be so dense sometimes.”

  “Did you just call me dense as in like stupid?”

  “You know that’s not what I meant.” I start pacing again. “You just don’t get it. Look at your costars. They’re some of the most beautiful people in the industry. Yes you can act, but that’s not the only reason they picked you.”

  “I still can’t believe you called me stupid.”

  “I said dense,” I spit out from behind my teeth. “You need to take it in context. You’re a beautiful woman. You attract men, which you just don’t seem to get.” I turn on the fan. The air from the window isn’t enough.

  “Well, isn’t that the icing on the pie. Since I’m so pretty, I can’t be with men.”

  “It’s cake.”

  “What?”

  “Pies don’t have icing.”

  “Whatever. I never thought you’d be like this.”

  “Like what?” I snap.

  “So jealous you’d demand I can’t have male friends.”

  “I never said that. I just don’t like you spending time with assholes who are trying to get in your pants.”

  “That was crude.”

  “Would you like me to take a little walk with Amanda down Rodeo Drive? I’ll have Drake take pictures and send them to you. Then maybe you’ll fucking understand. Or maybe I’ll let her try to kiss me and get that in print.”

  I hear her take a deep breath and imagine her lip quivering. “Now you’re being an asshole.”

  Oh, I can be an asshole. Massive asshole. “Why did you hang out with him? Why did you let him in your room?” I demand harshly.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Why Paige?” My tone is harsher and more demanding.

  She lets out a sigh. “Because…because I was lonely. I missed you.”

  My fury comes back, pounds within my head at full force. I’m going to combust. Bloody pieces of me will be strewn across the room. “Was he a good replacement?”

  “Screw you! You know it wasn’t like that.”

  “I don’t know what it was like.” Though my floor is clean now, I need something else to kick. “I can’t wrap my head around why you would consistently let some guy in your room at the same time you’re freaking out over Amanda working with me. How you didn’t connect the two before last night is just plain stupid.” Oh fuck, I shouldn’t have used that word. I’m so livid. I don’t care.

  “That’s the second time you called me stupid!”

  “I said your actions were—never mind.” I can’t take this anymore. We’re talking in circles. I’m getting madder. She’s getting mad. “I should go.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  “I need some time to figure this out.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  “I’ll catch you later.”

  “Yeah, bye,” she says and her voice cracks in between the words.

  I cut my phone off then whip it against the wall. The shattered pieces fall to the carpet. Broken and sprayed out the plastic shards give me the perfect visual of our relationship.

  ~13~

  Paige

  I died today. A sword went into the center of my chest. Blood soaked my gown before I wrapped my hands around the blade and gurgled out
more red goop from my mouth. Then I slid down the stone steps of the tower keep and laid there for freakin’ ever. It’s a lot harder to keep still than people think. And I did it in two takes, which I should be ecstatic about, but inside I truly feel dead.

  Zach hasn’t emailed me in two days. Nor has he responded to my texts. I was angry over his stupid and dense comments. As the days progress, I’m starting to realize anger doesn’t stop me from wanting him or from loving him. And if I’ve messed up so bad and we’re over, the end of us is going to kill me far more than the stunt sword.

  My lip quivers as I stare at my inbox. There’s a message from Emily and another from my friend Kelly. Though I usually respond right away—right after responding to Zach of course—I don’t have the heart to open them. Especially since the last email Kelly sent explained the Facebook debacle after Amanda’s little stunt. She got called out and got called several names by a fourth of the people on Facebook—okay that might be an exaggeration—then closed her account. None of that matters to me. I’ve finally figured out Amanda and the past aren’t important. Why? After probably losing what is important, everything else seems trivial.

  I want to spend the night crying again. That’s what I do now. Lie in my hotel bed and cry. The thought of another round with the tissue box in between the sheets has me feeling like the world’s biggest loser.

  In three days, I go home but with the way things are with Zach home has lost its allure. Except for the tiny amount of hope lodged in my chest that we’ll get over this bump. Yet with every missing email and unanswered text, my hope dwindles. He said he needed time. I expected him to at least text back a one word response. Something? Nothing. It’s actually kind of disrespectful of him and very hopeless for me. So hopeless.

  I re-read his poem last night. His words made me cry more.

  Just sitting in my room is making me crazy. But I don’t know what else to do. Bret has shunned me. He won’t even look at me unless it’s on the set. No big surprise there. Freakin’ egomaniac. Going anywhere he might be is more than unappealing. So no more dinners outside of my room.

  While I love acting, all the other stuff—the rumors, the arrogant people, and the time away from home—have me questioning if this is the right business for me.