“You drank wine. With Ryan. Pierce…” She trails off. “You drank Ryan Pierce’s wine.”
I can’t tell if she’s more stunned to be meeting the star in person, or if she’s shocked I haven’t mentioned anything to her about it—which isn’t my fault, since it just happened.
I stand up, sensing a flood of questions that may or may not be appropriate for Ryan’s ears. Lisa tends to lose her filter when she’s surprised, drunk, tired, annoyed, angry—she basically doesn’t have a filter, and I don’t want to expose Ryan to her brutal honesty just yet.
“I’ll be right back. I have to…uh, do something.” I flash a brief smile at Ryan before pulling my best friend just outside the doors to the main stage and into a bathroom. “Lisa, get a grip!”
“That’s Ryan Pierce,” she shoots back.
She’s got me there, so I remain quiet.
“How am I just finding out about you drinking wine all up in his house? You’ve got me all flustered right before my show now,” she says, pouting. “You’re hazardous to my career.”
“Why are you flustered?”
“Because Ryan Pierce is in the audience! With my best friend!”
“I’m just getting you ready.” I pat her on the shoulder. “You’re welcome.”
“Ready for what?”
“The spotlight.” I pause, softening my tone as I pull her in for a quick hug. “Before you get your undies in a bunch, let me explain that I didn’t expect him to be here any more than you did. He ordered a pizza, we talked, drank one glass of wine, and then—”
“You banged your customer?! What will your dad say about that?”
“What? No!” Someone from inside the bathroom stall sucks in a breath, and I lower my voice. “I was going to say it led us here, to your show. It happened in like five minutes. And do not say anything to my dad about banging customers. It’s not true. Ryan does not want to have sex with me.”
“Bullshit.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He looks at you like stuffing on Thanksgiving. He wants to be inside you.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“You know what I mean,” she says. “He’s got sex eyes for you, and if you send out the right vibes, you’ll be getting lucky in no time.”
“That’s not true. Plus, he’s still a customer.”
“Damn, what a night. Is your dad hiring? I wanna find myself a Ryan Pierce.”
“You’re missing the point.” I smile though, happy to see her shoulders relaxing, a glimmer of a grin on her lips. “Stop focusing on me. Tonight is about you. This is a huge step for your career.”
She shrugs. “Maybe.”
“Maybe? Seriously! They called you tonight when Luke Donahue canceled. Luke Donahue! He just had a line on Mod Family, and he played a bit role in Take Out. People know Luke’s name. You’re going places, Lisa. It’s finally happening! All these years of hard work are paying off.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not ready for it. I thought I was, but all those people—I can’t do it! I’m going to trip and fall, or piss my pants—it’s inevitable.”
“There are going to be more and more people watching you perform. That’s just the way it’s supposed to go. Be confident. You’re sassy. You’re bulletproof. You’re funny, you’re smart, and you’re nice, somewhere deep down past all your sarcasm.”
She laughs. “You’d have to dig deep to find the niceness.”
“But I know it’s there, and Ryan is just one of many famous people—athletes, movie stars, politicians, you name it—they will all be watching you perform in coming years. So get up there and kill it tonight!”
“I’m terrified.”
“Pretend it’s just me, Phil, and Bruce,” I say. “We’ll always be your number one fans. Just don’t forget us when you’re famous.”
She pulls me in for a tight squeeze. I don’t miss the way her hands tremble as they clench my back, or the way her voice cracks when she speaks. “What would I do without you?”
“Well, you wouldn’t have met Ryan Pierce, that’s for sure.” I grin, stepping back. “You’re welcome for that.”
“Lisa, you’re up next. Six minutes to go.” A male head pops into the bathroom. “Finish your business and get out here.”
“Bruce, stop sticking your head in the ladies’ room,” Lisa says.
The woman in the stall gulps another breath.
“And I don’t know who you think you’re fooling in there, Christine,” Lisa calls to the stall. “I can see your shoes and I know you’re trying to eavesdrop. Get out here, I need a vodka soda before I go on stage, please.”
Our friend, the bartender at the Laugh House, coughs from the toilet. “Coming right up.”
We file out of the bathroom, Lisa giving me a nervous glance before heading off into the wings, waiting for her name to be called.
“Everything okay?” Ryan asks.
There’s a fresh glass of wine on the table, and I help myself to it. “Fine and dandy. She’s going to rock it.”
“I know she will.”
“But if she bombs, you’re still going to whistle like she won the World Series, you hear me?”
“Do you know what sport the World Series is for?” Ryan asks, eyebrow raised.
“Does it matter?”
He throws back his head and laughs, the sound covered by applause for the comedian on stage completing his set. Ryan claps along, both of us hooting and hollering as the MC takes the mic and introduces Lisa. That’s when I stand, wave my hands, and do a sort of butt shake dance. Yes, I’m weird. When I finally sit back down, I look over at Ryan to see if he’s embarrassed yet.
Instead of focusing on the bright lights, the onstage action, or the waitress asking if he’d like a refill, Ryan’s eyes are fixed on me, and they’re shining with something that looks like desire.
I guess he didn’t mind my dance moves.
Positively boiling inside with happiness, I sit down, grab Ryan’s hand, and together, we watch the show.
CHAPTER 13
Ryan
I’m an idiot.
Friends? I told her I wanted to be friends?
I’ve never seen anyone more alive. Her smile, her laugh, the way she moves her hips when she’s whistling for her friend on stage—it’s all driving me insane.
I need her, even if it’s only for a night.
Look, I get it—I’m selfish. I live in Minnesota and she lives in Los Angeles, and long-distance relationships never work, especially in careers like ours. Comedians travel all the time, and so do athletes.
I should leave her alone. I should tell her I’ll go to the wedding with my mom’s annoying bimbo-bunny. I should quit with the pizza ordering from her dad’s place before I get so out of shape I’m kicked off the Stars.
But I can’t do it. I already said it—I’m selfish, and I want her.
Maybe not tonight, maybe not tomorrow—I’m patient, you see—but sometime, I need it to happen.
As much as I want her, I think she wants me too. If I can show Andi what sex is supposed to be like, maybe she’ll forget about those other assholes who’ve come before me.
One hot night together would be a win for both of us, right?
CHAPTER 14