“See all you need?” she asked me, her smile and gaze wholly focused on me.
“I did. Ryan, Mandy, all set?”
Ryan nodded. “Thanks, Peter. Our office will speak to your office, figure out fees and course closures for filming. You’re welcome on set anytime, with Wren here…”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Peter was professional when this was both a personal and career coup. His club would be featured, and he would get all the credit while rubbing elbows with Hollywood celebrities.
“Dinner?” Ryan asked in our chauffeured SUV. Mandy was taking an Uber to see a friend.
“Birdie?” I looked at Wren.
“I’m hungry,” she said.
“Let’s do it!” Ryan answered Birdie, and she tried hard not to fall prey to the movie star, but he was enigmatic. Even I knew this. I wasn’t jealous of my friend; I loved the way he welcomed Birdie and made her at ease.
I loved the way Wren’s cheeks blushed, her straightened hair tucked in a winter hat, a faux fur coat keeping her warm.
“What about Rourke?” I asked, wondering if she forgot about the little guy in her Ryan haze and if he could stay alone for this long.
“His regular walker came while I was at work, and Genie is going to get him after work and take him back to her place.”
“So you pretty much guessed you’d have one smoking date for tonight—me—and a third wheel, Danny,” Ryan joked.
Wren started to laugh. “Exactly,” she said.
“Sorellina is holding a table for us. In the back.” Ryan looked at his phone. “You want to come, Jer?” He asked his question to the front where Jerry sat in the passenger seat.
“I’m going to head back to the hotel and plan some details for next week when we film by the Hollywood sign. It’s going to be a mess.”
“We’ll bring you back food.”
I saw Jerry nod before he stated, “I’ll come to get you later. Don’t exit without me.”
Ryan said, “Yeah, yeah,” but hadn’t planned on the one person snapping his picture while we were eating, and then TikTok exploding, leading to an influx of starstruck fans mobbing the table. “It’s not this bad in LA. I think people are more used to it.” He apologized to Wren. “Let’s get out of here,” he suggested before dessert, having texted the driver and Jerry.
Of course, as we exited, Wren tucked in my arms, we were photographed more times than I could count.
“RYAN, did you decide to do this film because of your friendship with Daniel?”
“RYAN, who is the woman? A costar?”
“DANIEL, did you hear you’re in the running for SEXIEST golfer atPeoplemag?”
The questions kept coming and we did our best to ignore them, shuttling into the car. But by the time we made it back to Wren’s, we were plastered all over the internet.
“Told you so,” I teased Wren as I laid her down on the bed, slowly undressing her, marveling at her curves.
Her clothing in a pile on the floor, she looked at me while on her back, wearing nothing but a black bra and panties with the wordsFor youknitted on the front.
“I’m forever linked to the SEXIEST golfer.” She faux-shouted the sexiest part, mimicking the paps.
“I can’t hear you,” I teased. “I’m too busy reading your undies. For me?
Is that what I’m seeing?” I asked.
“It’s Friday, by the way,” she noted.
We both laughed as I started to take off my own clothes, feeling incredibly warm all of a sudden.
