bookstore down the street from where he lives. She comes into his shop and they start to see each other but everything goes all crazy when the paparazzi get involved and they break up. The press don’t think about celebrities as real people and they’ll do anything it takes to get the story they want.”
“Tara,” I reach over and take her hand before saying, “I don’t want any part of that kind of life …”
Before I can finish my thought, she responds, “I don’t either! The problem is, I don’t know how to get away from it. If changing my name and moving to a small town in Oregon isn’t enough to keep them away, then I don’t know what is. I don’t blame you for wanting nothing to do with me.”
Wait, what? “That’s not what I said.”
“You said you didn’t want anything to do with that kind of life. Well, unfortunately that’s my life.”
“Look, I already signed up to let the world think we’re a couple. I would like us to date for real, I just don’t know how to be the center of attention. It’s not how I’ve lived my life.” I pull her into my arms. Her reluctance to come is obvious but I hold her tightly anyway. She feels like a block of cement in my arm, cold and unmoving.
I wish I could get her to see that things don’t have to turn out badly, but her past experience seems to have squelched any optimism she has left. She’s defeated and I don’t know what I can do to rally her spirits.
Chapter Forty-One
Gwen
Pulling up in front of the lodge, Gwen is greeted by the sight of Romaine talking to a crowd of reporters. She picks up her phone to text Ruby.
Gwen: Holy cow, you weren’t kidding. There’s a mob out here!
Ruby: Meet me in the parking lot out back. There’s no way you can get through the front door.
Gwen: On my way.
Waving her arms high over her head while bouncing around like she’s dancing on hot lava, Ruby hollers, “Over heeeeeeeere!”
“Did you find her?” Gwen asks.
Before Ruby can answer, James’s pickup pulls up next to them. Billy is inside. “I was just coming to talk with you gals.”
Both women look confused. “Is something wrong with the cabins?” Ruby asks.
He shakes his head. “Nope. I got James and Tara up at my place and I told them I’d come down here and let you ladies know.”
Gwen hurries to jump into the cab with Billy. Ruby is hot on her heels. “I take it this means you two want to come up?” He doesn’t wait for them to answer, he just puts the truck back into gear.
Tara
Left alone at Billy’s cabin with James, I try to make heads or tails out of what’s going on with Romaine. I thought I’d made it clear to him the other day on the phone that we were through. So why would he come?
James interrupts my thoughts. “I’m going to go outside to get some more firewood. Are you going to be okay here?”
I offer a half-hearted smile. Words take more energy than I can muster. With my elbows on the kitchen table, I rest my chin in my hands, close my eyes, and recall the nightmare that was my life before leaving LA.
I was still at the height of my career when Romaine and I started dating and was used to a lot of attention. But I was amazed how the spotlight always shone on him. He regularly stopped to talk to the press and pose for pictures. He was their darling and by extension, so was I.
The last two months we were together were a total nightmare. I couldn’t go anywhere without being followed. I couldn’t turn around without having a microphone shoved in my face. “Tara, are you and Romaine on the rocks?” “Tara, is the wedding off?” “Tara, how much weight have you gained? Are you depressed? Tara, Tara, Tara!!!” On and on it went until I wanted to rip my hair out.
When I left Romaine’s house, I moved home with my mom. The press set up actual tents on her street hoping to get a picture of me or him or both. I didn’t leave the house for the first five days. When I finally ventured out to work, I found an equally large contingent of reporters waiting in front of the restaurant.
I gave my notice via telephone from the parking lot and never walked back into