The theater is dark and I feel Jackson squeeze my hand as the screen lights up. I smile at him, surprisingly nervous, as the title rolls onto screen:

Finally, the movie we’ve been waiting so long to see. It took about a year to film and another year of post-production before it was finally ready, but here we are, sitting in an LA theater at the premiere, and I have no clue if it’s going to be good or not.

After Holly backed off Jackson, things went smoothly. It sucked that he wasn’t getting paid, but at least the movie was surprisingly fun to make. I mean, it was fun because Jackson was there with me, and we snuck off together to have sex or just talk every single spare moment we had. I think we fucked on every surface of that set more than once, and it was glorious. Maybe a little irresponsible, but I think that made it even more exciting.

Jackson found another agent. And true to their word, the studio and his producer didn’t mess with his career. Sure, they’re not likely to work with him again, but at least they’re not actively trying to destroy him, which some people do. I’ve seen it happen before.

But no, not now, not with Jackson. Holly behaved and the movie went on. The production crew all got a nice little bonus because of the money that Jackson gave up, and that just made him even more popular with everyone, since he made sure they knew where it was coming from. The media ate it up that he sacrificed his salary for the crew, or at least that was the story his new PR woman decided to spin.

After we wrapped shooting, he booked another movie right away. Part of his contract included a job for me, so we both traveled all over the globe filming this on location, and it was amazing.

But now we’re back in LA watching the movie that started it all.

I reach to the other side of me and grab Laney’s hand. She grins and winks at me, cool as a cucumber. She doesn’t care if this movie is good or not, since she’s sold a couple more scripts since this one, along with the Holly film.

Which makes me remember, Holly is nowhere to be seen. I grin to myself and whisper to Jackson.

“I wish Holly could be here,” I say.

“I don’t.” He grins and kisses me softly. “I’m sure she loves Death Valley.”

I snicker just as the movie starts. Holly’s face appears on screen, and I’m totally delighted to think about her sweating her ass off in the most uncomfortable location in the world, filming a totally absurd and over the top farce. As it turns out, Holly didn’t read the script at all before signing on to it. While it is about a James Bond-type female character, the whole movie is goofy and silly, totally outside of her range, and I hear she’s really struggling with it.

Not to mention Laney purposefully set it in Death Valley to make sure that she’ll have the most uncomfortable time on this movie as possible. In the end, Holly got what was coming to her: a shitty job on a movie that doesn’t suit her at all, and I suspect she’s not long for acting.

Brutally Dishonest begins, and it’s about what I expected. Lots of action, lots of excitement, and of course Jackson is incredible in it. The movie is just okay, it’s a big action blockbuster, but that’s exactly what we needed it to be. When the ending credits roll, the whole house claps enthusiastically, because everyone knows this thing is going to make millions.

“What did you think?” Jackson asks me as we filter out of the theater.

“It was perfect,” I say, kissing him again.

“You didn’t think it was cheesy?”

“Not at all.” I pause. “Well, a little bit, but it was supposed to be.”

He grins and kisses me again as a thick German accent calls Jackson’s name.

“Hello, Lionel,” he says, shaking the big director’s hand.

“You were wonderful, very good, just what we needed. And to do it for free, I say, you are a crazy man.”

Jackson grins. “High praise, coming from you.”

“Yes, well. You want to make more movies, you come to me, okay?”

“Okay.”

Lionel pats his back and strides off.

“Weird guy,” I say.

“Yep,” Jackson agrees, laughing.

We spend the rest of the reception shaking hands and catching up with crew we haven’t seen since the movie wrapped. We won’t see most of these people again, unless we work with them on a film or something, but it’s nice to see them all.

“We have to catch a flight tomorrow morning,” Jackson says to Paul, the lighting guy. “We’re filming some scenes on location in New Zealand.”

“Damn, man,” Paul says. “Isn’t that Middle Earth?”

“Absolutely it is,” I chime in.

“Middle Earth?” Jackson asks.

“You know, man, Lord of the Rings. Hobbits and shit.” Paul grins at him.

“Oh, yeah,” Jackson says. “Sorry, I was too busy fighting bad guys to read much.”

I roll my eyes at him. “You always say that.”

“It’s always true.”

I laugh and we move on, chatting with more people, trying to make connections. I never in a million years thought I’d be dating a real star, let alone be back with Jackson.

And true to his promise, he hasn’t left me. Not even for a second. We’ve been inseparable, and it feels like we finally picked up where we left off when we were kids. That incredible feeling is back, every single day.

“It was another masterpiece, huh?” Laney smiles at us over a glass of champagne.

“Beautiful,” I say to her, laughing.

“Made me look pretty cool which is all I ever ask,” Jackson responds.

“I hear you look pretty cool in your latest,” Laney says.

“We’re trying.” He shrugs a little bit.

“Seriously, Laney, I need to thank you again for what you did,” I say.

“I didn’t do a thing,” she says, waving her hand. “I just wrote a script and sold it. Just so happens to have worked out for you guys.”

“Still, you made that happen. We owe you one,” Jackson says.

“Nah. You made it all happen. I just wrote the thing.”

I laugh and hug her. “Come visit us,” I say. “We’d love to have you.”

“I will soon,” she says. “Right now, I just saw a cute waiter boy that’ll be very impressed by a nerdy writer like me. Excuse me, folks.” She grins and heads off. I know I’ll be seeing her again soon. I’ll never be rid of Laney, and that makes me happier than I can explain.

I have another glass of wine and I feel good as Jackson chats everyone up. I love being near him. He makes me feel so much better about myself than I ever could have imagined. Nights like this remind me how lucky I am to have him. He looks incredible in his tuxedo, like it was built just for his muscular, enormous body. He catches me looking at him and gives me that same familiar grin, the same one he’s always had, ever since I first fell in love with him all those years ago.

Slowly the reception ends and people begin to filter out. There are media people outside doing interviews, and it’s like a second late night red carpet. Lights and cameras flash as we step out into the madness.

“There’s one more thing before this night ends,” Jackson says to me. “It might embarrass you, though.”

I raise an eyebrow. “What are you going to do?”

He grins and pulls me by the hand into the middle of the madness. Once we’re there, he locks eyes with me and drops down to one knee.

“Jackson,” I say, my eyes going wide, my heart beating fast. I don’t know what’s happening, how this is happening, but there are cameras flashing like crazy and there’s a circle of people around us.

“I love you more than I can imagine,” Jackson says. “I told you I’d never leave again, and now I want to make that real. Tara, will you marry me?”

I stare at him for a second. “Yes,” I manage to say through my tears.

He laughs and slides a ring on my finger. It fits perfectly, and it’s big, shiny, shockingly shiny, too beautiful. I look at him and he stands, takes me into his arms, and kisses me.

Applause breaks out in the crowd as people cheer and take pictures. I can barely hear them though because my heart is beating so loud in my ears and Jackson is everything.

“I love you so much,” I say to him.

“I know you do.” He grins and we kiss, and I know that I’m home.

We’ll travel, make movies, have kids, have a life. We’ll be together forever, because he’ll never leave me again. I know that now, without a doubt in my mind. He won’t be going anywhere, and that’s exactly what I need.

Right here, right now, with Jackson, forever.