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“I just introduced myself to her.” I hold up my hand. “If two single people somehow spark a conversation…” I shrug. “It’s on them.”
“What do you do for work?” she asks. I can see the twinkle in her eye as some specks of blue start to form, making me want to keep her smiling to see how blue they get.
“I play hockey for Nashville,” I say, and she snaps her fingers.
“Shucks,” she deadpans, “I already scratched that profession off my list. Besides, Chicago and Nashville are very far apart.”
I just stare at her, still not knowing her name, when the doorbell rings. “That must be my parents,” Romeo says. Everyone moves to the side as I walk over to stand next to the woman.
I lean against the doorjamb. “So am I going to get a name or am I going to have to follow you around all night long, hoping someone says your name?”
She turns to face me. “My parents said not to talk to strangers.” She winks at me.
“I’m in your brother’s house,” I point out, “and you know my cousin.” I smirk at her. “I don’t think that would put me under the column of a stranger.” Her head moves to the side as she takes in my words. “Besides, all I have to do is google your brother, and I’m sure there is mention of you somewhere on his Wikipedia page.” She throws her head back and laughs, and only then do I see how blue her eyes can get.
“That’s a good point,” she concedes. “I’m Ryleigh.” She extends her hand as if we just met.
I take her small hand in mine, moving it up and down for way too long, not ready to let it go. “Ryleigh, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
CHAPTERTWO
ryleigh
One Year Later
“Ryleigh!” My name is being shouted from somewhere in this monster of a house. “Ryleigh,” again my father calls my name. I smirk at the cereal bowl in front of me as I wait for him to find me. “Ry?” His footsteps come closer and closer to the kitchen, and then he’s walking in. “I’ve been calling you.” He huffs as he walks over to the massive stainless-steel fridge, pulls it open, and grabs a bottle of sparkling water. I’ve been here for two days because my brother is premiering the first movie he produced with my father in the starring role. It’s going to be a huge night for them both.
“I answered you,” I lie to him, and he leans back on the granite counter. “It’s not my fault you rented Buckingham Palace.” I look around the ridiculous kitchen the size of my whole condo back in Chicago. “I got lost going to the bathroom”—I grab another spoonful of cereal—“in my bedroom.”
He shrugs as he takes another pull from the water bottle. “Why are you eating now?” He looks over at the stove to check the time. “We’re leaving in an hour and a half, and there will be food at your brother’s house.”
“You act like I’ve never been to a Hollywood shindig before.” I take another bite full of the granola cereal. “It’s always the same thing: little pieces of food that no one eats because they will look like they are bloated on the red carpet.” My father has been a sought-after action actor since before I was born. My parents met on one of those press tours. From what I read and was told, they hated each other until, well, they didn’t.
“Have you met Gabriella and her family?” He chuckles as he puts the bottle of water down. “They could give a shit. They ordered enough food to feed an army.” Gabriella has been dating my brother for a little over a year, maybe even two. They actually dated for eight months before he was a dipshit and did her dirty. Finally, he pulled his head out of his ass and went to get her back. Some may say she is a doormat, but you love who you love, and no one should judge someone else’s relationship.
“You might be right,” I agree but finish the cereal.
“There you two are,” my mother states, entering the kitchen. “The hair and makeup people are ready for us.” She walks over to my father and wraps her arms around his waist as he slips an arm over her shoulders. “How are you feeling?”
“Good,” he replies, but I can see he’s a bit nervous. “The movie is amazing. I think people are going to really enjoy it.”
“Now that’s the supportive dad we all love.” I point my spoon at him before I finish the cereal and walk over to the sink to rinse out the bowl and place it in the dishwasher. “Shall we go and glam ourselves?” I wink at my mother. She smiles up at my father, then kisses his lips.
“I’ll call Romeo and see if he’s okay,” my father tells my mother, and I internally groan. “It’s his big day.”
“He’s a big boy,” I remind him, walking to the fridge to grab a water bottle before making my way out of the kitchen toward the massive entryway and to the winding steps to go upstairs.
“Caw, caw,” I call as my voice echoes through the house, and my mother laughs behind me as she follows me up there.
“Mom, seriously.” I look over my shoulder. “This is a bit ridiculous.” I wave my hand around the house.
“It’s because we’re having everyone over here after the movie,” she informs me, and I gasp.
“What do you mean by everyone?”
She finally reaches the second-floor landing, pushing me to the bedroom where they have set up the glam station. “To celebrate the big day, we thought it would be better to do the party here rather than go to some restaurant and not have any privacy. You know how the paparazzi can be.”
“So, like, all of the million family members Gabriella has?” I have to say I love her family, but you really need name tags on people. Also, every time you look around, someone else is pregnant or just had a baby. I think one of her cousins even has like six or seven kids.
