Page 19 of Stone Promises

“Whatever. And remember our high school trip to the amusement park? Man, we fought all day over who would sit with you on rides. Didn’t it ever occur to you that not once did you sit alone even though there were only three of us?”

I try to think back on that day. “I don’t know. I guess I thought you were just being chivalrous or something, not letting a girl ride alone.”

“I could go on all night with these kinds of stories,” he says.

I put up my hand to stop him. “Please don’t,” I say. “Oh, wow, now I’m questioning my entire childhood existence.”

He laughs. I love Julian’s laugh. His whole body participates in it, making it almost impossible for anyone near him not to feel happy. “Don’t,” he says. “We worshiped you and the ground you walked on. You should appreciate the fact that you had us completely under your spell.”

We spend the rest of dinner reminiscing about some of the great times we had together—the three of us. And I can’t be certain, but by the time we say goodbye at my train stop, I could almost swear Julian might be amenable to a reunion.

Pulling out of the parking garage, I feel my phone vibrate with a text. After I get home, I read it.

Chad: Well?

I look around the car as if someone might be able to explain his text.

Me: Well, what?

Chad: You said you’d think about it. I gave you almost twelve hours. Are you going to have dinner with me tomorrow?

I take stock in the night I just had. Julian is great. I love him like a brother. I trust him. And he knows me better than anyone. He’s just trying to protect me from getting hurt again. And he’s probably right. Nothing good can come of seeing Chad again. He’ll be gone in a few days and life will go back to normal.

Normal.

Me: I don’t think it’s a good idea. But thank you for asking. It was nice seeing you last night.

A minute goes by and I think maybe he’s pissed at my rejection so he’s not going to text back. It’s probably for the best. I quietly make my way into the house and up to my room. It’s late and Dad is sleeping. I set my alarm for six in the morning, knowing I’m not going to get a full night’s sleep because once again, Julian and I lost track of time.

Right before I doze off. My phone vibrates.

Chad: I’m sure you know about a lot of the shit in my past. I mean, who doesn’t? My post-Mallory past. My drug-induced idiotic past. My womanizing past. But I want to assure you, that’s not me anymore. Please give me a chance to prove it to you. I’ve been sitting here wondering why you won’t see me again. And if I were in your shoes, I’d shoot me down too, because I would think you only wanted me for a quick lay. I miss you, Mal. I miss the trouble we’d get into and the talks we used to have. I miss sneaking over to your house late at night to watch SNL. I miss your laugh that almost got us busted by your parents more than a few times on those occasions. So please, I’m begging you, as the friend you once knew, give it a little more thought.

I read the text. I read it three times. Did the man take charm lessons in acting school? He was rather charming last night, too. I’m afraid to see what would happen if I actually went to dinner with him. And for that reason alone, I know it’s a bad idea. I start to type in my response, but then decide to wait. I’ll squash his hopes tomorrow.

Chapter Seven

Chad

Hayden and I wait in the green room of the morning show ‘Wake Up America.’ Yesterday, they interviewed the women fromDefcon One, today it’s our turn. I wasn’t happy with the spin Courtney put on our relationship. She insinuated we are still together, feeding into the frenzy that already exists out there.

“You still pissed at Courtney?” Hayden asks.

“I just wish she would quit embellishing the truth,” I say. “I saw the clip. She was talking about having dinner with me. The dinner she failed to mention was a work function. And then she had to go and make it seem like breakfast the next day was a goddamn extension of some date we had, not a cast meeting to discuss the Vancouver junket.”

“Is it really that bad?” he asks with a smirk. “I mean, it’s not like you have anactualgirlfriend who would get jealous over it.”

I pick up a croissant and toss it at him just as we’re called to head on set. We’re quickly situated on an L-shaped couch next to Tanya Weathers, co-anchor of the show. We exchange a few pleasantries during the commercial break and she reminds us that they will show a clip of the film and then she’s going to start with Hayden and then move on to me, keeping the entire segment at about nine minutes. I glance over at Kendra, who is standing behind one of the cameras. She gives us a thumbs up.

After what only seems like thirty seconds of airtime, Tanya turns her attention from Hayden to me. “So, Thad, or should I call you Lieutenant Cross?” she says, fanning herself with her note cards. “You are just about the hottest thing since sliced bread if the crowd outside our studio is any indication. We haven’t drawn a crowd this big since the Pope was here.”

I try not to show my apprehension over the hordes of people outside. And once again I find myself glad Cole is with me. I laugh it off. “For me? Nah, I think I saw the Teletubbies going into the studio next door. Heck, after we’re done here, I might go wait in line for some autographs myself.”

Tanya pastes on a big smile. “You’ve had premieres in L.A. and London and now here. Where to next?”

“Vancouver is our last stop; we go there in ten days.”

“Are you going to be in New York until then or will you be heading back to the west coast?” she asks.

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