Page 43 of Only the Small Bones
“Have you had a chance to look at the script I sent you? You’re the first person I thought of when it crossed my desk. It was like kismet,” he chuckled, accepting a champagne flute from a server. “Who better to handle the screen composition for something like this?”
“I’m flattered, truly, but I’m taking some time off from work right now.”
“Yes, your agent said as much. I knew she couldn’t possibly be serious, though.” He laughed. “You’re in the prime of your career. You’re on the wish list of every idiot in Hollywood holding a camera, for Christ’s sake. You’d be insane to pull away now.” His laughter died when I didn’t join in. Ryan stiffened beside me, his gaze burning into the side of my face.
“You… You can’t beserious?”
“I am. Now if you’ll excuse us—”
Mark stepped left, cutting off my path to my mother and Davidson. “Now hold on a second.” He hadn’t sipped from his flute yet, and I was close to snatching it from him and downing the contents myself. This wasn’t something I wanted to address in front of Ryan.
“Just read it, will you? It’s about the kidnapping of the Kiwanika girls. I thought this topic was close to your heart. We spent hours talking about it over lunch the last time I was in town on business.”
The Kiwanika reservation sat just shy of the Mexican border. After a string of young girls went missing over a three-month period, the authorities decided to take the situation seriously. At first, they believed they were dealing with a case of rebellious teen girls who’d run away from home. Then reports came in linking the disappearances to a sex trafficking ring. The investigation ended up hitting a wall—until one of the girls managed to escape.
Ryan twisted his whole body toward me, but other than a quick cursory glance from Mark, we both ignored him.
“It is important to me,” I said, trying not to show my urgent need to end the conversation. “But as I said, I’m on hiatus at the moment. I can bring it to Xavier. He’s more than capable of filling my shoes.”
“I’m sure one day he will be,” Mark said. “But we don’t want Xavier. We want you.” He sounded disappointed now, making a final request before striding off. “Look, just read it and give me a call if you change your mind.”
I turned to Ryan then, my heart absorbing the blow of sadness his gaze unleashed on me. “Come on,” I rasped, “or my mother will eat all the chocolate.” My joke didn’t land well, and for once his refusal to speak didn’t leave me conflicted. I had a feeling I knew where his thoughts had gone, and I didn’t want to hear it.
“If it isn’t the man of the hour!” a familiar voice declared from somewhere to my right. Ryan and I were on the outskirts of the excitement now, about twenty feet from where Davidson and my mother chatted with one another.
“Senator Roberts,” I greeted. I relaxed my jaw as he came to a stop in front of us, managing to make my next words sound welcoming. “Happy you could make it.”
“Are you kidding me? I’d never miss it. What you’re doing here is amazing.”
“Thank you. I don’t mean to be rude, but my mother’s waiting for us.” I looked over, and bless her heart, she stared back looking concerned.
“Ah, yeah, she looks like she’s ready to come over and chase me away.” We both laughed at that, only mine was forced. “Real quick before you go, we’re introducing a new bill to congress next month. One that will grant stiffer penalties for anyone involved in the trafficking of people—atalllevels. You’d be surprised how many officials are accepting bribes at our ports and borders. Think you can make it out to D.C. in support? Maybe bring a few residents from Safe Haven? It’d be good to show the faces of those who’ve been affected by this. Maybe they can even share a few words—”
“I’m sorry to interrupt Senator, but I’m unfortunately unable to travel at the moment. If the offer still stands, I can see if someone from our staff would be willing to represent Freedom Fighters. Just reach out to me with the details.”
“Someone from your staff?” He frowned. “I do think having you there personally could make all the difference.”
“Sorry, but I can’t.” I got Ryan and I moving before he could add anything else.
“What’s wrong?” I asked when Ryan came to a halt. He looked to the table where Senator Roberts now sat next to his wife, then back at me. “Let’s just meet up with my mother and Davidson so we can get to our table.”
Ryan grabbed the hem of my jacket when I passed him, stopping me. He crossed his arms, stubbornly refusing to move until I told him what was going on with me.
“I can’t leave you,” I whispered. He dropped his arms to his sides, that heartstopping sadness gracing his handsome face again. “I don’t want to.”
We met up with my mother and Davidson, Ryan offering them both a small smile before we were ushered to our tables. The awards and performance portion of the evening was about to start.
I couldn’t enjoy or concentrate on any of it. Not even the testimonials made by so many survivors, or when I took the stage to thank them all for their show of courage and perseverance. Not even when Davidson hopped on right after to give an impromptu speech in my honor.
Thoughts of Ryan plagued me. I needed to know what ran through his mind while he stewed in the seat next to me. I released an audible breath when the music started up, and the Emcee ordered everyone to the dance floor.
Davidson leaned over to me. “Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?” He’d attempted a whisper, but he had the kind of booming voice that couldn’t quite pull it off.
I glanced at Ryan who now listened to my mother chattering on the other side of him. “We’ll be fine,” she said, pausing to address my look of concern. “Won’t we, Ryan?” He nodded once without looking at me.
Davidson and I excused ourselves, but we didn’t go too far. I had to keep an eye on Ryan, to be able to get to him quickly if I needed to.
“We go together.”
