I finished applying my lipstick and looked into the mirror. Done. I looked absolutely stunning, perfect enough for any movie star. But inside my stomach was eating itself raw. I was a nervous wreck. Here I was about to go on one of the most important dates of my life and all I could think about was whether or not I could keep myself from throwing up on him.
“Maybe your body’s trying to tell you something,” Van’s voice drifted from my doorway.
I turned around, my brows wrinkling as I did. I guess I wasn’t fooling her with my perfect façade. “What do you mean?” I asked innocently.
“Oh, come on, Maxie. Anyone who really knows you could see how terrified you are,” she said, stepping into my room. “Maybe there’s a reason for that. Maybe deep down you know this is a bad idea.”
I shook my head. “Okay, so I’m nervous. Anybody would be. I’m going out with Ryan Everheart.” Picking up my purse off the vanity, I headed out the door into the living room.
Van followed quietly on my heels. I knew she wanted to say more. I could practically feel her trying not to explode with it.
I reached the sitting room and turned to face her. “What?” I demanded. “Why is it so important for you to try to stop me?”
She stood there, mentally debating something. “There are things you don’t know about him.”
What was that supposed to mean? I had just met the guy. I didn’t know anything about him. “Like what, Van?”
“He’s…a movie star. They all have skeletons in their closets, Max. Ryan Everheart included.”
“So,” I said, tossing my hair out of my face. “We all have dark spots in our past we’d rather forget about. That’s just life.”
She looked at me, a sadness in her eyes I couldn’t understand. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
I shrugged. “I’m an adult, Evangeline. What I do is my business. If I take a chance and he breaks my heart…Well, at least I took a chance. Besides,” I said, reaching for the front door. “It’s not like there’s a future for us anyway. I’m just another name on his dance card. Even I know that.” Pulling the door open, I gasped in shock. Danny and Jensen were standing in the hall, looking at me.
“Wow, Max. You look great,” Danny said, eyeing my sapphire blue dress. “But, aren’t you a little overdressed for the movies?”
Van looked at them and shook her head. “She’s not coming. She has a date with Ryan Everheart.”
“What?” Danny said as they all exchanged some kind of look. Great. Now I had three people trying to run my life.
Van shrugged. “Maxie’s a big girl, if she wants to get involved in that life, let her,” she said, stepping out the door and taking Danny’s arm. “Let’s go. I hate missing the previews.” She and Danny disappeared down the hall.
Jensen remained there, a hurt look in his eyes. “Why are you going out with him?” he asked softly.
I stood there, helplessly feeling guilty, and not knowing why. It wasn’t like we had made any promise to each other. We hadn’t even discussed whether there might be a relationship in our future. I was a free woman and I could date anyone I chose to. And right then, I was choosing Ryan. A girl didn’t pass up something like that.
“Look, Jensen,” I told him, almost apologetically. “This is the first great thing to happen to me since I got here. I’m not going to turn down a chance like this.”
He stood there, his face an emotionless mask, but I could sense the hurt underneath. “If that’s what you think, Maxie, then you deserve to go out with him,” he said calmly before turning around and walking away.
I stood there, watching him go. A part of me wanted to stop him, to beg his forgiveness, but I didn’t. Just because I felt confused and giddy around him didn’t mean anything. Jensen and I were from two different worlds. It would never have worked out between us anyway.
At least that was the only thing I could tell myself to keep the tears away as I headed to my waiting cab.
Thirteen
Bell, Book, and Sandals Page 16
