The small amount of remaining annoyance I may have carried with me to the theater left when he purchased our tickets forLove Notes,the movie I’d wanted to see all along. I didn’t press my luck by buying M&Ms for the popcorn, but Ryland’s insistence I get my own drink won him serious points.
“There’s one more thing.” Ryland reaches into his hoodie pocket and pulls out an individual bag of peanut butter M&Ms —— my favorite kind — that aren’t sold at the theater. He rips the bag open and dumps them over the top of the large bucket of popcorn. “Good?”
“You gotta shake it a little.” I tap the bucket on the chair’s armrest and smile up at him. “Thank you.”
His lips find mine again for another quick peck. “You’re welcome, Kitten.”
My eyes roll and I sigh, giving up on trying to correct him. It doesn’t do any good.
“We can eat this now, right?” he asks taking a large handful of popcorn without M&Ms.
“Sure, Tiger.”
“Tiger. I like it.” He grins while chewing and I curse myself. I should have gone with a name he wouldn’t find sexy. Whale or maybe elephant.
A large group of teenage girls enters the theater and takes seats behind us. Ryland lowers his ball cap and sits deeper in his seat. It’s a weird move to make and it takes me a few seconds to figure out he’s trying to hide from any potential fans to maintain our quiet evening. The whole incognito outfit makes sense now.
“Ryland,” I start.
He pushes a hand out to stop me. “Shhh don’t say my name out loud.”
“No one in America watches soccer, Tiger.”
His face tightens and he gives me a look full of disbelief. “I’m more worried about the underwear ads.”
Now it’s my turn to be perplexed. “I’ve never seen any of your underwear ads.” I’d remember a face like his. Also I spent a piece of last weekend scouring the different magazines I made the girls bring to brunch. Seeing Ryland’s underwear image online isn’t the same as the glossy print version.
He tilts his head to whisper in my ear. “Yes, but you’re not sixteen with a subscription toVogue.”
“I can see you in underwear if I buy aVoguemagazine?”
Still close to my ear, he continues our whispered conversation. “You’ve seen me naked, Marissa.”
I stretch my eyes as far open as they’ll go. “Yeah, but, Ryland, it’s an underwear ad.”
“I’ll pose for you tonight.” He leans back in his chair apparently done even though I’m not.
“Can I take pictures?”
In a slow dramatic fashion, he turns back to me not moving the lower half of his body. “No.”
“You never let me have any fun.” I pout for effect.
“Watch your girly movie and eat your defiled popcorn, woman.” He shakes his head and the lights dim. The rotating line of commercials flicker off the screen to begin the movie.
The credits roll on the screen while a nice montage of movie scenes plays behind them. I grab for the last napkin to wipe the tears from my eyes, but it’s no longer on the armrest between Ryland and me. I check the sticky floor around us. Not that I’d use if off the floor, but it isn't there either.
From the corner of my eye, Ryland hands over the large light brown square of paper. “Here.”
“Ryland Bates—” I pause at his irritated expression for using his full name. “I mean Tiger. Did you cry when the dog died?"
“No.” He tries to act affronted.
“You did. Don’t you know the golden rule? When the dog makes the movie poster it isn’t going to live through it.”
He pushes the napkin into my hand so I’m forced to take it. The pad of my thumb touches a wet corner and I raise an eyebrow at him.
“Fine, it was one tear. Like half a tear. Probably dust in my eye. Are you happy?”
Using the napkin to clear under my own eyes without messing up my mascara, I laugh. “Much. Thank you. Tonight was a great make-up.”
“Oh, Kitten, the night’s still young. We’ve just gotten started.” He sits our two drinks in the empty popcorn container and takes my hand, leading me out of the theater and back to his car full of excitement over what he has planned next.
