Page 75 of Hello Darling
“Interesting.”
“I can’t believe Jason Kwasnicki even knows how to sell pictures to gossip sites.”
“I know.”
“I wonder how much money he made.”
“Who knows…You know what? Who cares. It’s just words in cyberspace.”
“Exactly! All that matters is what’s going on between the two of you…God, it was so weird suddenly seeing pictures of you and Evan Hunter in my Instagram and Twitter feeds, but also so great because you guys look so cute together. You honestly looked so happy and beautiful, and he looks like he’s completely into you.”
“Yeah. I think he actually is. How areyou?”
“Oh. Awesome. Rob has decided that we're vegetarian, and now we ride the fart train to bed every night. It's sweet, but you know, enjoy your fling with a beautiful British movie star while you can, because that's probably nice too!”
It’s true what I said about not caring what people write about me on the internet. I don’t. What I care about is how it affects Evan. While I don’t believe for a second that it would change how he feels about me, I do believe it would affect his career somehow if I were his girlfriend. He’s worked too long and hard to become anything less than the brightest star. I make a promise to myself not to do anything to ruin what we have while he’s here, but as I stare out at the storm clouds on the horizon, I know that it’s only a matter of time before the fluffy white cloud I’m floating on tumbles back to earth and washes him away from this place, leaving me just another Hunterhoe who’s grateful knowing that he’s alive in the world…Famous last words from a girl who didn’t even give a hoot about him up until a few weeks ago.
* * *
Evan has completed filming of the fishing boat scene and now he’s invited me to join him and some of the cast and crew for a drink at McSmiley’s “for a pint,” because he remembered that it’s my favorite pub.
It has been a week since I found out about the pictures online, and every day since, he has checked in with me to make sure I’m okay about it. Every time I have said I am okay with it, and it will always be true until I get the sense that he isn’t okay with it. Now I get to come face-to-face with the person that the collective brain of the internet believes Evan Hunter should be with now.
I may be a tad overdressed for McSmiley’s, in the same outfit I wore that first night that I went to Evan’s house, but he seems to appreciate it. I need my sexy sweater dress and my confidence boots now, and he seems to understand this as he removes my coat and slides his arm around my waist, telling me how hot I look while he leads me towards the back of the room where the cast and crew are hanging out.
I wave to my pal Finn the bartender and the regulars as we pass, trying not to dwell on the fact that the group of people we are joining in back look like the airbrushed “after” versions of the locals in the front half of the bar. Even the camera operators and script supervisor and key grips (whatever they are) must exfoliate every inch of themselves and deep-condition their hair regularly. Evan keeps his hand on the small of my back while introducing me to every single person that he knows here, including the film’s director and one of the producers, but his arm is around my shoulder when he presents me to Jess the actress.
She must still be wearing her on-camera no make-up make-up, because there’s a hyper-real quality to her skin and the definition of her eyes, but surely anyone would consider her pretty. Her eyes don’t quite match her sparkly white smile, though, and her limp cold handshake gives me a chill. “Hi! It’s so nice to finally meet you,” she says, looking back and forth between me and Evan. “I’ve heard so much about you. I love that sweater dress—I have one just like it—is it Rag & Bone?”
“I don’t remember, I think I got it at Ross.”
She laughs, because obviously I’m joking (I’m not). “Well it’s so cute anyway. I’m stealing her from you, Evan! Sit next to me!” She scoots over on the long bench by the table and pats the space she has made.
Evan rubs my back and asks if he can order me something, but I shake my head and take a seat and give him a reassuring look before he allows himself to be dragged away by the director.
“So…” Jess says, her voice taking on a different tone now that Evan is not around, and it is even more fake. “You must be having so much fun.”
“I can’t complain,” I say, as I reach for an empty glass and the pitcher of beer nearby. Jess appears to be drinking sparkling water, and she waits for me to finish pouring myself a pint of local brew before continuing.
“You are so lucky you drink beer.”
“You don’t?”
“I mean you’re so lucky you don’t have to worry about being thin all the time.”
“Yes. I do feel very lucky right now.” I take a swig and raise my glass to Evan, who winks at me from ten feet away.
“This town is so cute. I’m not even kidding, I think it’s the cutest town I’ve ever been in. You must be so happy here.”
“I am. Almost all the time.”
“Oh my God I’ve totally seen your gym by the way—I was walking by and peeked in. It’s so cute. Seriously. It’s the cutest gym I’ve ever seen.”
“Thanks.”
“Seriously, you should be so proud of it—you’re the manager, right?”
“Yes. I am proud of it.”
