Chapter Thirty-Seven
Ryan
A week had passed since I’d told the world that I wouldn’t be fighting anymore. I’d thought about something like this happening years ago, and I always thought that I would fall into a deep depression. But so far, I’d been fine. I was sure it was because of Blaire. I didn’t mind not fighting when I got to wake up to her pretty face every day. I still didn’t know what I was going to do with my life. I was still considering the proposition from Nick to come and train with him. That was definitely a big possibility. But at the moment, I just wanted some time off away from it all. I wanted some time to breathe and to not think about fighting for a while.
“Good morning, Sunny,” I whispered into her ear.
“Hey you,” she said. “Wow, is that really the time?”
I laughed. “Yeah. We’ve become pretty lazy.”
“Oh, I didn’t tell you . . .” she said.
“That I’m amazing? No, you didn’t. Go ahead.”
“Well, yes. You are amazing. But that’s not what I was going to say.”
“Oh, my apologies. You were going to tell me that I was sexy.”
She chuckled. “Yes, you are. Very sexy. Although not very modest it seems. But again, that’s not what I was going to say.”
“Okay, let me try one final time,” I said. “You were going to tell me that you were getting up to make me coffee.”
“Nope. Wrong again.”
I sighed. “That’s a pity.”
“Okay, I’ll make you coffee. But only to shut you up. Wait here.”
I lay back on the bed smiling as I listened to Blaire in the kitchen making the coffee. She came up moments later carrying two cups and handed one to me.
“This is impeccable service,” I said to her. “Pity you weren’t naked too. Although, your outfit is pretty cute.”
She was wearing tiny cotton shorts and a shirt with a big panda on the front. It said, “I’m fluffy, not fat,” in big bold letters. She chuckled.
“I love this shirt. Sometimes I wish I could wear it out in the public.”
“Oh, you have to! Can you imagine what the media would have to say about that.”
“Something along the lines of BLAIRE KAPLAN IS SO DEPRESSED SHE NOW DOESN’T HAVE THE ENERGY TO CHANGE OUT OF HER PAJAMAS.”
“Probably! So, what were you going to tell me?”
She took a sip of her coffee. “Hmm, I’m not sure I want to tell you anymore.”
“What? Why not?”
“I don’t know. I feel like maybe you’re the one that owes me breakfast now.”
I laughed. “Oh wow, are we going to play this game all day?”
“Maybe.”
“This better be good news then. Okay, breakfast it is. Want to come downstairs and finish your coffee there? I need company while I cook.”
“Let’s go! Wow, I can’t believe that actually worked.”
“You’re lucky you’re so cute.”
We took our coffees downstairs, and I started making her breakfast. I couldn’t believe how relaxed I felt around her, and how nice it was to finally have a chance to take a break.
“You know, I didn’t realize how much I needed this break until now. Nick has been going on at me for ages about how important a break is for your body, and I’ve just ignored him.”
“We all know how stubborn you can be,” Blaire said.
“This is true. I can’t help it. I’m a Maxwell. But I can’t believe just how good I feel now that I’m taking a break. Even my headaches seem to be subsiding. I feel like a brand new person. Soon I’ll be cutting out the caffeine, getting rid of gluten, and eating kale.”
Blaire laughed. “Oh no. Don’t you dare!”
I looked down at the food that I was making and chuckled. “Although judging by the way I cook, I don’t see that happening.”
“I really need to go for a run after this,” Blaire said as I scooped a handful of scrambled eggs onto a buttered olive ciabatta.
“Nah, you don’t need to do that. You can take the week off from normal life with me too.”
“What happens after a week?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Actually I have no idea. And I don’t really care about not knowing either.”
“Wow, you are a changed man,” she said. “And this breakfast is delicious.”
“Okay, now will you tell me the good news?”
“Who said it was good?” she said with a teasing smile.
“Are you telling me that you strung me along all morning just to tell me bad news?”
She giggled. “Just kidding. Okay, I was going to keep this going, but I’m actually just too excited not to tell you. I have three things to tell you.”
“Three?”
“The first thing I want to tell you is that I love you.”
I laughed. “I love you too. But I already knew that. I want more news.”
“More news than me loving you?”
“You’re infuriating; you know that?”
“I know!” she said and laughed. “Okay, well my first big news is that the cowboy movie is having its first screening tonight.”
“What? Seriously? I had no idea that was happening so soon?” I said. “That’s where we first met! When did they tell you this?”
“I got the invitation late last night. The screening is tonight—for friends and family and various other media.”
“Does that mean we’re going?”
“Yes! Will you come with me?”
“Of course! Where is it?”
“In New York!”
“What? Seriously? And they only told you this last night?”
“No. They told me like ten days ago. But with everything going on I didn’t even see the email. Also, my agent tried to call me twice, but I never got back to him. I emailed back yesterday to apologize, but they were fine with it. They knew that I’d been going through a rough time. Anyway, they organized our flights for tomorrow.”
“Blaire, that’s so exciting. Ooh, we’re going to New York!”
She laughed. “Yeah, and for a couple that hasn’t been going for all that long, we’ve already done a lot together. Wyoming, Seattle, and now New York.”
“I’ve never been to a movie screening before. So, what’s the third thing? Didn’t you say you had three things to tell me?”
“There was another email from my agent. He says I must come and see him next week. There’s a new movie that they want me to be in. It’s a big part too. He reckons I’ll be perfect for it.”
“Blaire, that’s wonderful!” I said.
I looked at her smiling face and realized that she hadn’t spoken to me about her acting career in a very long time. I hadn’t given it much thought, but I now wondered if the reason she had been so quiet about it was because she felt bad about my own career.
“Blaire, you mustn’t stop talking to me about your acting,” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“Just because I’m not fighting anymore doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear about your career. I want nothing more than to hear about it.”
She smiled. “Thanks, Ryan. I guess I did feel bad talking about how good things were going. But I wanted to tell you, anyway. I knew you’d be upset if I didn’t.”
“You got that right. And don’t feel bad. I want things to go well for you. And, as I said, I’m starting to kind of like the feeling of not fighting. My poor body went through more than most people’s bodies go through their whole life. It’s actually nice not having someone punch me every day.”
She laughed. “There are better things you can do to your body.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Oh, like this,” she said and took off her panda shirt. She had absolutely nothing on underneath.
She stood up and took her shorts off and then walked over to me and sat on my lap. She grinned at me.
“Oh, this is way better than fighting,” I said and leaned in to kiss her.
We made love in the living room, and then laughed as we couldn’t find our clothes. Blaire’s were lying on the floor near the kitchen table, and mine had somehow managed to fall under the sofa. Afterward, we took a shower and spent a day out in the city together. I was slowly starting to get used to the fact that people took photos of us when we went out. We were both a little bit famous in our own right, and we generally had a few people asking us for autographs or following us. I knew that it was only going to get worse once Blaire’s movie came out, but I didn’t mind. I’d stopped caring so much about what the public thought of me, anyway. And if people were taking photos of me holding hands with Blaire, then I didn’t mind. It was clear that I was in a good place in my life.
We got home around two in the afternoon and packed for our trip to New York.
“I cannot believe we are only going for one night,” I said to Blaire. “I feel like a celebrity. Who goes to a city for one night?”
She laughed. “We do.”
We arrived in New York City that evening and headed straight to our hotel to get ready. Blaire put on a dark green dress, and wore her hair down and curled at the edges just as she had done when we’d gone out dressed smartly for hot dogs. She looked breathtaking.
“You look like a movie star,” I said to her.
“And you look like my leading man,” she said.
I wasn’t much of a suit wearer, but I was dressed as smartly as I could on such short notice. I had on black jeans, a crisp white shirt, and a black jacket.
“You know, as much as I like that outfit on you, I also can’t wait to get it off you,” she said and grinned.
“You shouldn’t say things like that to me. Now I want nothing more than to throw you on the bed. Ooh, maybe keep the shoes on later,” I said and grinned at her.
She smiled. “I can do that. But first, we have a little movie screening to attend. And, I have a surprise for you.”
“For me?”
“Come with me.”
I followed her downstairs and wondered what on earth she could mean. But when I entered the lobby, I grinned at the people in front of me. Reed was standing there with little Trinity, who was dressed in a dark green dress too.
“Trinity! This is a surprise. And you look beautiful. How did you know what color to wear?”
She giggled. “Blaire told me. Daddy took me to get a dress this morning. Are you happy to see us?”
“I’m so happy to see you!” I said and looked at Blaire. “It’s so nice of you to bring them.”
“Trinity is my sister; there’s no way I wanted her to miss out on this.”
“That’s true!” I said.
“But they’re not the only ones who I invited,” she said, and when I turned around to where she was looking, I saw my father walk in.
“Pop! Wow, you scrub up well,” I said.
“Thank you. As do you. Well, your shoes could be better,” he said, and we both laughed.
“And, that’s not all,” Blaire said to me.
“What? Who else is here?”
“I didn’t invite these two personally. But of course Sloan had to be here. She’s the main star.”
I turned around and grinned at Sloan and Brady. I hadn’t seen either of them since Wyoming.
“Sloan, it’s so good to see you again,” I said and went forward to kiss her on the cheek. “Hey, Shotgun!” I said to Brady.
Brady laughed. “Hey, Knuckles. Wow, three brothers in one room together. That’s a first.”
“You’re looking good, Brady. You look happy.”
He smiled and looked toward Sloan. “I am happy.”
“Are you enjoying Wyoming?” I asked Sloan.
“It’s the best place in the world. It’s going to be so weird to see this movie. I mean, this is where it all began for me.”
“You still in the acting world?” I asked.
She shook her head. “That was my biggest role. Leading lady. But that’s where it ends for me. I thought it was what I wanted in life, but it’s not. I want to live on a farm and ride horses all day.”
I laughed. “Your life is like a movie.”
“And I see you finally got together with Blaire,” Sloan said. “I remember a time when you wouldn’t admit that you liked her.”
“Is that so?” Blaire asked, coming forward.
“Oh yeah,” Sloan said. “And yet, he wanted to know all about you.”
She laughed. “I didn’t know this.”
“It’s all lies,” I said. Then I grinned. “Well, do you blame me?”
Blaire blushed and quickly changed the subject. Then she looked around the room and smiled. “Okay everyone, how about we all go and watch a movie?”