And I was madly in love with him.
Maybe it's not all Collin’s fault that our relationship sucks. I've never given him my whole heart.
I'm scouring the captions when there's a tap on my shoulder.
I look up to see the guy who took my order with a cup in his hand.
“We called your name like four times.” He sets the cup down and gives me a boyish grin. “Mind if I join you?” As he’s sitting down, he extends his hand. “My name’s Riley.”
“What!?”
“I said my name’s Kyle. Are you okay?”
I smile, trying to pretend that I’m not rattled. “I’m, um, having a rough morning. Haven't had my coffee yet.” I grab my cup and take a drink.
“It's almost lunchtime,” he says. “You free?”
“For lunch?”
“Yeah, at my place.”
“Are you hitting on me?”
He grins. It's a naughty grin and reminds me of the one Riley used to give me before he'd lead me to the furry rug at Stocktons, our secret hangout at boarding school.
“Just how old are you?” I ask.
“Nineteen. Age doesn’t matter. I think you're hot.”
I blush.
And it feels good.
“I’m married,” I reply, looking down at the clearly visible four carat diamond on my hand.
“I don't want to marry you.” He leans closer, causing an irresistible smell of coffee and musk to invade my senses. “I just want to fuck you. Over and over,” he adds for good measure, sliding his hand across my knee.
I look into his big brown eyes, full of desire.
I haven't felt desired in a long time. Sex with Collin has become perfunctory.
I swallow hard and take another sip of coffee, actually considering it.
I need to feel wanted, lusted after.
“First thing I'm gonna do is undo that bun. I bet you have gorgeous hair. May I?”
“Uh huh,” I say as he reaches around me, his mouth so close that his lips brush mine.
I’m looking at Kyle but, instead, I’m seeing Riley in front of me, shirtless, telling me he couldn't wait to undo the bun I had been wearing for parents’ weekend.
I feel my hair cascade down my shoulders. It's freeing.
“Oh, Riley,” I say out loud.
“My name is Kyle, but you can call me whatever you want. Finish your coffee and let's go.”
I smile at Kyle, grab his cheeks, and kiss him straight on the lips. “Thank you.”
“Uh, for what?”
“For making me remember what it feels like to be desired.”
I grab the magazine and my bag and stand up. Kyle gets up too and follows me to my car.
“He's still single,” I tell him.
“Who?”
I hold up the magazine. “Riley. I have to go.”
“Wait. Are we hooking up?”
“No, I have to go see the movie.”
“By yourself?”
“Yeah.”
“What are you seeing?”
“The Keatyn Chronicles Trilogy.”
“Want some company?”
“Do you have six hours to spare?”
“Yeah, why not.” He grabs the magazine and sees Riley’s name on the cover. “You know this guy?”
“Yeah. That's why I need to see the movie.”
Kyle takes my hand. “There's a movie theater around the block. I’ll warn you. I’m not a cheap date. You have to buy me popcorn.”
I laugh. “I can do that.”
In the movie theater, Kyle happily munches on popcorn and nachos.
I send a text to my boss, telling her I need to cancel my appointment and asking her to reschedule it.
As the movie starts, I whisper to Kyle, “My name is Ariela.”
Part way into the movie, actor Riley is in his dorm room telling Keatyn and Dallas how pretty I am. I get to see him talk to Keatyn about how much he likes me. How nervous he is to even text me. I laugh when Keatyn takes his phone and does it for him.
And I start crying, later, when he throws me a football with rhinestones that spell out Homecoming?.
Kyle leans over. “Are you that Ariela?”
“Yeah, I am.”
I remember getting a document from Captive, allowing them to use my name and likeness in the movie. I quickly signed and returned it, hoping no one would call me about it.
I cry during parts of the movie, but some six hours later when they show photos of the real Keatyn and Aiden, including one from the cast party from A Day at The Lake 2, I start bawling.
Kyle pats me on the back. “Tell me about all this.”
I spill my guts to this relative stranger who has held my hand through the entire movie.
I wipe my tears and say, “And that's it. I walked away and never looked back.”
“Your marriage isn’t happy, is it?”
“No. I'm miserable.”
“Then you need to go get Riley.”
“Go to L.A.?”
“Yeah. You started ugly crying when you saw that picture with you in it. Maybe he hoped you’d see it. Maybe it’s a sign.”
“But . . .” My brain is thinking of a million reasons why I shouldn’t go, but my heart can’t think of any.
“But what? You want to live the rest of your life unhappy? Is he married?”
“The article said he's single.”
“Then you definitely have to go.”