Page 7 of Beyond the Fame

Going to set and watching Ginger and Bruno fall in love then seeing Lana and Mylan’s romance unravel... made me sick to my stomach with jealousy.

How horrible is that?

I’m happy for them, all of them. Really, I am.

I brush the toxic thoughts away. This weekend isn’t about me. It's about Ginger and her dream wedding. She chose Hawaii because her mother always wanted to visit. She never got the chance before she passed away over three years ago, so holding the ceremony here is a tribute to Gracey Cartwright.

I glance around the bustling lobby. People are sitting on white cloth furniture, chatting and drinking or snacking on bowls of cut fruit. Others are watching the sun setting over the ocean. The resort is on the beach and the lobby offers the perfect view of crashing waves. Beautiful bodies of all shapes and sizes relax on towels spread out across the sand, or underneath umbrellas, hiding from the harsh rays of the sun.

“You’re with the Stein-Cartwright Wedding?”

“Yes ma’am.”

The clerk smiles. “Do I hear an accent?”

I snort because she has an accent to me. “I lived in the south a long time ago. Can’t seem to shake the twang.”

“I understand that. You shouldn’t try to shake it, though. It’s cute.”

The woman’s flattering—and somewhat flirtatious—words help soothe my rattled nerves. I’ve been stressed while writing my new book, but also because Ginger asked me to be a bridesmaid.

My first ever wedding and I’m in the wedding.

I was surprised Ginger asked me. We’ve had our issues in the past. She’s Lana’s best friend, and she wasn’t too happy about the things I said when Lana stepped away from the process of the book being turned into a movie. That was a rough time in my life. I apologized for what I said. Words I never meant. Words I thought would protect me and my feelings.

Over the past four years, my relationship with Ginger has gotten better. Now me, her, and Lana text non-stop and we take week-long girl trips together once a year.

“Oh no,” the clerk whispers.

She glances up at me, then back down at the computer screen. She types frantically and winces.

“Mrs. Taylor.”

“Oh… I’m not married.”

“Right. Um. Sorry, but it appears your reservation was canceled.”

“What? How?”

“I’m not sure. It must have been a glitch. We had a similar issue last week with another reservation.”

“Okay. Can you, um, uncancel it?”

She winces again, and my heart drops.

“We are fully booked for weddings. We have three this weekend alone. Unfortunately, I have no available rooms to offer you.”

“Well, that’s a problem since I’m in one of those weddings.”

“Right… um… shit.”

The woman slaps her palms over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to curse.” She wrings her hands. “I don’t know what to do. I am still new. This is only my second week.”

I feel bad for her. This isn’t her fault. At the same time, I want to scream at the top of my lungs. I don't need this right now. I love Ginger to death, but I will head back to the airport and go home to finish writing my book if they can’t figure this out.

Ugh. No, I won’t, because I’m already here. It’d be a waste of money, and how could I leave Kauai without exploring or appreciating its beauty?

But where the fuck am I going to sleep?

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