That Ring: Chapter 2

I wake up to more texts and messages from Troy, confessing his undying love for me, which is quickly offset by an article from my publicist, showing photos of Troy last night, surrounded by women and booze at some club.

I drop my head back onto the pillow with a sigh that has nothing to do with who texted me and everything to do with who hasn’t—Danny.

We had an incredible evening, followed by one of the best mornings of my life. Waking up with him was something straight out of my dreams. Although, in my dreams, I’m pretty sure he didn’t leave without so much as a kiss.

Things have happened fast with Danny. The way I feel about him hurts as much as the first time. I close my eyes and bask in the glory of sex with Danny.

Well, it could be because I don’t want to face the problems I need to deal with here. I don’t want to have to face reality. I want to live in a glittering, Danny Diamond–filled fairy tale for the rest of my life.

Except that it’s not a fairy tale.

Although I guess Cinderella had an evil stepmother and mean stepsisters, and she and her prince still got together despite it all. And maybe that’s the part that makes it a fairy tale—that in spite of the odds stacked against them, two people came together because of their love. In the movie roles I’ve played, I’ve faced much worse than that. My characters have taken down evil governments and fought aliens. They have gone against their parents’ wishes, fought against civil unrest, racism, and terrorists.

One ex-wife and a couple of kids shouldn’t be that hard to handle in comparison.

I decide to text him.

My heart starts thudding in my chest, my stomach feeling slightly sick.

I’m holding my breath as worst-case scenarios roll through my head.

My phone rings.

“Um, hi,” I say, answering.

Of course he wouldn’t want to tell me over a text. He’s too sweet.

“Look,” he says with a sigh. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you yesterday. And I’m sorry that, after everything that happened between us, I just walked out the way I did.”

“Why did you?” I ask, my voice sounding small.

“I hadn’t known you were going back to LA. It just hit me—you wanting to see your ex, that you were leaving. I mean, when were you going to tell me?”

“As soon as we stopped kissing long enough to talk,” I reply with more bite in my tone than I intended.

“I guess I deserve that,” he says, sighing again. “Our relationship has only started, and it’s already a mess. All backward.”

“You’ve said that before but never really explained it.”

“We should be flirting, getting to know each other, dating, then sleeping together, dating some more, deciding to be exclusive, and then in a relationship—each step moving us forward. With you, I feel like I need the commitment first.”

“What kind of a commitment?”

“I want to know that you’re as crazy about me as I am about you. I want to know that it’s not just a fling. Not a stopover on your way back to your old life. I don’t want you to get close to my children, only to leave them. Their mother did that, and I just can’t let it happen to them again. When you told me you were seeing Troy, I felt like you were leaving. I walked out because it hurt.”

“I feel the same way about your wife. I’m sitting here on pins and needles, wondering why you didn’t sign. Is it because you changed your mind?”

“Gosh, no. Nothing is ever going to make me want to be with her again. I can hardly stand to be in the same room with her.”

“So, why didn’t you sign?”

“She brought up what happened with Devaney at the party this past weekend and basically blamed me.”

“Danny, if you want me to commit to you, you have to be willing to do so in return. Meaning you have to talk to me. I’m going through a lot of shit with my ex. You have no idea. And I wish I could talk to you about it. And I wish you would tell me what else your wife said because I get the feeling that it had something to do with me.”

“She blamed you for Devaney getting drunk. Said dating you has affected my judgment in regard to my children.”

“And how do you feel about that?” I ask, my anger barely in check.

“I think she’s using it to get more money. First, she said she wanted joint custody. I told her if that were the case, we’d go back to what was laid out in our prenuptial agreement.”

“I take it, she’s getting more than she should be?”

“Yeah, I told you, my kids are my top priority. I gave her anything she asked for within reason to get sole custody. She doesn’t really want custody, so she went with a low blow. She asked for my Ferrari.”

“I thought you said she hated that car!” I blurt out.

“She does. And it pissed me off so much that I left the room. Told my attorney to offer her another half a million, and if she didn’t take it, I wouldn’t sign. She didn’t agree. We didn’t sign.”

“Danny,” I say softly. “Give her the car.”

“No freaking way. I thought you would be on my side!”

“I am. She’s messing with you. Trying to manipulate you. My guess is that she’ll give the car to Dickrash. Why do you care if he gets your sloppy seconds? He got your wife. He might as well take the car she hates. Every time she has to ride in it with him, she’ll be reminded of you. And how much she hates the car she’s in. Only she’s in a pickle then because she can’t do anything about it.”

“I like it.”

“And I like you,” I tell him. “I also think you should go buy the most badass exotic car you can find as a suitable replacement.”

“It’s just that car … has memories. It was like proof that I had made it.”

“You aren’t giving away the memories, Danny.”

“That’s true. I’ll think about it. Tell me about what’s going on with Troy. How long are you planning to stay out there? And, more importantly, where are you staying?”

“I’m at the hotel right now, but I might stay at our house—well, his house for a few days.”

“Um, no,” he says adamantly.

“I don’t have anywhere else to stay once Jadyn goes home tomorrow. They’re closing the hotel.”

“Yeah, you do. It’s called a different hotel. Unless you to stay with him.”

“I just thought it might help calm him down. But you’re right. It’s probably not smart. He’s bingeing, and when he does that, he can get a little out of control.”

“With you?”

“Sometimes. He doesn’t mean it—”

“Jennifer, I’m going to say this as your friend. For your own safety, you shouldn’t be alone with him at all,” Danny says passionately and with force.

“You’re still dealing with your ex. I understand that you and the kids are a package, and their mother will be a part of that. Why is it not okay that I have people on my side I have to deal with, too?”

“I have not had even one occasion where I have been alone with Lori since she told me she wanted a divorce. Not once. My attorney advised against it. Probably because he was half-worried I’d kill her.”

To this, I let out a laugh. “I doubt he was worried about that. You’re too sweet.”

“Actually, Jennifer, you’re the one who is sweet. And I know this because the other night …”