A Hollywood Bride (Ryder & Paige 2)

The accusation pisses me off. I’ve never done anything to control her. She’s the one who decided to push my buttons by bringing Anthony’s flowers to her room, knowing how I feel about him. Knowing what happened between the two of us. “I’ve never treated you any different from before, so you being upset like this all of a sudden is bullshit, and you know it. If you want my attention, fine. Get it in a more productive way, not like this.”

She pales. “You think it’s all about attention?”

“What else could it be?” I really can’t imagine. “Payback because I invited your folks over without your permission?”

Breaking eye contact, she paces back and forth twice, then stops. Her gaze comes back to me, and this time there’s hot fury in it. “The fact that you don’t treat me any different is the problem. You want me to be your wife, allegedly, but you’re still treating me like I’m your assistant.”

I open my mouth to refute her. She’s being emo—

“I’m not finished.” Her hands are on her hips and her chest rises and falls. “My situation now is worse than when I was your assistant, because you never cared who sent me flowers before. Now I can’t even seem to breathe without your permission.”

“That’s unfair!” I always hated it when she got flowers from some guy she was seeing. I just never showed it because how can you do that without looking like a psycho? She’d always giggle and flush with pleasure, and weirdly enough, I hated seeing her like that over some stuff that some guy sent her.

“Oh, so I can breathe without your say-so? Great! Then they”—she gestures at the flowers—“stay because I like them. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to clear my head.”

She stalks out without waiting for my response. I glare at the damned bouquet. If that’s how it’s going to be, fine. But she should know she isn’t the only one who can draw a line in the sand.

* * *

Paige

I go out for a walk. It’s either that or scream at Ryder.

After I make a huge circle around the rose garden, my temper starts to cool. I’ve been asking Ryder to make the decision to trust me. Perhaps it’s about time I make that easier for him. Given his history with Anthony, my keeping the flowers probably doesn’t help. Besides, there’s the whole blowup Ryder had over the interview I scheduled with Derek Madison from The Hollywood News.

A part of me wants to have that interview more than ever before. It would be a chance to tell my side of the story, especially after the sex tape. But given Ryder’s history with Lauren, I can see how the whole situation looks to him. I should cancel.

And when I get back, I should throw out the flowers…even though they are really pretty.

Ryder isn’t the enemy. Yes, his reaction to the tape and so on hurt. A lot. But his concern for me and my baby’s welfare is genuine. I shouldn’t ignore that and only look at the bad parts.

I sit on the same bench that I shared with Mom last night. The lake is calm, the lily leaves like enormous green coins in the water.

My hand goes to my belly of its own volition. Mom told me to get rid of the baby if it makes sense, but I can’t. Even now I feel a deep bonding with my child.

I pull out my phone and call Derek. He answers within seconds, like he’s been waiting for me. “Paige. How are you?”

“Good, tha—”

“I saw the news. You’re out of danger, right?”

Oh, lord. “I’m fine, thanks. Did, um…everyone see it?”

“Everyone with social media, I imagine.”

I shake my head. “I’m just not used to this.”

“Better get used to it. You’re a big star. Everyone wants to know about you now.”

But not the truth. All they want to know is the dirt, not the real me. “I’m calling you about that exclusive we were planning.”

“Uh oh, that doesn’t sound good.”

“Yeah, I’m really sorry. But I don’t think I can do it anymore. It… It doesn’t feel right.”

“I see.” He pauses, then clears his throat. “I don’t know how to say this delicately, but is it because the wedding’s off?”

I have to laugh. “You’re fishing. Even if it were, you know I couldn’t tell you anything definite right now.”