“Besides, we are leaving for Scotland soon, and he is contracted for movies immediately after that. He doesn’t have time for a relationship.

He’ll be traveling the world, and you know the saying ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ He’ll think of you only until the next girl opens her legs.”

Kelly’s words about how I had to be strong flashed through my brain. Marie’s words about this being a part of his life flashed after that. But I looked at Marie with desperation. I had no comeback for Suzanne’s comment.

“Yes, we all know that Ryan has obligations, but I don’t think that will be powerful enough to keep these two apart,” Marie replied in my defense.

“When I see how Ryan looks at you,” she said to me, “I just know. That man is falling in love with you. You two are perfect for each other. You’re his soul mate.”

Temporary relief washed over me and a smile broke across my face.

“Soul mate?” Suzanne scoffed. “Oh, he really has done a number on all of you! He should get an Academy Award for that performance!” She clapped. “You really have no idea how many women he has slept with, do you? And he made every one of them feel like they were his perfect match.”

“You never know. Maybe Taryn is his perfect match. The way he holds her and kisses her, it’s what his heart wants, not what the script says he’s supposed to do,” Marie fired back.

“Foolish American women. They are all the same,” she said to Francesca. “Let me guess… he’s been calling you and texting you? So typical for Ryan; that’s how he gets them to fall for him. He probably uses the same lines on each of them too!” She rolled her gaze over to me.

“Ryan is an actor! He gets paid to fool people into believing he’s something he’s not. It is extremely difficult for people in our industry to have long standing relationships, especially when you lie for a living.”

I momentarily had a vision of tossing her off the edge of the roof.

“Ryan is a young man in his prime. He has no desire to settle, not when the world is laid out for him and he has all these opportunities. All the parties, all the women… they are just toys to him,” she stated emphatically.

“His next movie starts filming in January. He’ll be gone for months. After that we have hundreds of photocalls and junkets to promote Day of Dawn. We still don’t know where we’re going to film the third movie, but I can say with confidence that it won’t be here.”

Marie glared at her. “Other actors have relationships and get married all the time. I don’t know why you think Ryan would be so different.”

Suzanne sat up straight in her chair. “Married? Ryan? I don’t think so. He isn’t the marrying type. Besides, everyone knows that in the end, famous celebrities always marry celebrities.”

“Not always,” Marie argued. “Matt Damon looks quite happy. The way I see it, it’s the relationships between actors that always end up in divorce.”

“Yes, well these momentary distractions could end up costing him his career. He’s already been warned by the director to get focused,” she said callously.

“Perhaps it was something on the set that was distracting him and taking away his focus?” I pointed out. “Maybe someone was having a bad costume day or was behaving like a spoiled brat? Or perhaps someone is still harboring feelings from something that happened once a long time ago? I’m sure those moments of irritation affect his performance as well.” Swallow that one Bitch! I said to myself.

That was the final straw for her. She abruptly got up from her chair, shoving it back and out of her way with extra force. Francesca stood up two seconds later. The scowl on her face was evident too.

“Don’t overcook my steak,” Suzanne huffed as she retreated for the door.

Chapter 12 – Served

“What the hell was that all about?” Marie asked the second Francesca slipped through the door.

“I’m not sure,” I sighed. “I think Suzanne is in love with Ryan. At least she’s acting like it. What the hell did I get myself into?”

“Don’t worry about her. He obviously doesn’t care about her,” Marie declared.

I put the steaks back on the grill for their last cycle. As I poked them with the fork to move them around I thought about Suzanne’s statements.

What was I going to do once Ryan left Seaport? I was caught up in the moment again with another guy who was still leaving for good in a few weeks.

“Taryn, you look like you want to cry. Don’t let those bitches get to you like that.”