Love's Autograph (28 page)

“
Everyone, fans, media,” Ellie said. “I don't know how. That was Jazzie texting.”

Ria got up and tiptoed to the window, and said,
“Holy crap. No way. What do we do?”

“
Well, I've been in tighter circumstances. I need to know where the exits are in the building,” Ellie said.

Ellie avoided the paparazzi with the help from her look
-alike, Kelly, as well as Jazzie and Ria. Ellie looked into who tipped the media and fans. It seemed that some kid told her friend that she knew EJ Way and said she comes to her apartment a lot.

Later that night Ria called Ellie.

“So, Maggie told her friends that she knew you to try to get a play date,” Ria said.

“
Oh, that explains it,” Ellie answered.

“
I can't believe she did that. What was she thinking?” Ria said.

“
Well, we never told her not to tell anyone. We assumed she knew,” Ellie said.

“
Yeah, but... does this ruin you being able to come here again?”

“
We should lie low for a while,” Ellie said. “You and Maggie can come here. You have to be careful that nobody is following you.”

“
Okay,” Ria said. “This whole dating a star thing is complicated.”

“
Oh, we're dating?” Ellie teased.

“
Yes, I'd hope so after last night and this morning, and again this morning,” Ria said.

“
And again this morning,” Ellie laughed. “So I can call you my girlfriend?”

“
Yes or your lover,” Ria laughed.

“
I prefer sex slave,” Ellie said. “Hold on,” Ellie said. A few seconds passed.

“
What are you doing?” Ria asked.

“
I’m updating my website, social media and Friends News to say that I'm dating,” Ellie said.

“
You are not,” Ria said.

“
Check it out for yourself,” Ellie said. There were a few more seconds of silence.

“
You tease! It says you're out on the town picking up girls' numbers,” Ria said.

“
Ooops,” Ellie answered and started laughing.

“
Ellie,” Ria said.

“
What?” Ellie said still laughing.

“
Log into a fan page,” Ria said. “Oh no.”

Ellie walked to her laptop, put her phone down on speaker phone, and typed in a search. Several sites came up with recent information on
EJ Way. The most recent pictures were of Ellie and Ria on the street last night. There was a series of pictures of Ellie and Ria dancing in her living room. There were a few pictures of a close-up of them kissing.

“
Oh Ria, I'm sorry,” Ellie said.

“
Oh no,” Ria said. “You do realize that Maggie will see these?”

“
I'm on it right now. I'll get my people to get these down right away. This is invasion of privacy,” Ellie said.

“
That's not good enough,” Ria said.

“
That's the best I can do,” Ellie said. “At least they don't have any pictures of us in the bedroom.” Ellie tried her best to use the optimistic track. “We look amazing together. Don't you think?” Ellie's statement was met by silence.

“
I’m going to go,” Ria said.

“
Ok,” Ellie said. “Can I do anything?”

“
No,” Ria answered. “Good night.”

“
I'm sorry, Ria,” Ellie said.

“
I know. It's not your fault,” Ria said.

Ellie hung up the phone and called any
one and everyone she knew to get the pictures taken down. She activated her lawyer instantly at double the price to get the pictures down immediately. She called some old tech friends to illegally scramble the sites. After a few hours of pulling every string she could, she could not shake what she felt deep in the pit of her stomach. She felt that Ria and she were going on another downward spiral.

A text came from Ria,
They said I'm fat and ugly. They say you should stick to the gorgeous models and actresses. They even have a poll of who you should be with.

You're
beautiful, sexy, funny, and smart. I'm luckier than I deserve,
Ellie replied.

You're
crazy,
Ria said.

The only thing I wish right now is to be in your arms. Can I call you?
Ellie asked.

No, I don't feel like talking. Good night. I hope tomorrow is better,
Ria said.

Good night and tomorrow will be better,
Ellie texted.

Ellie awakened the next morning as if her love butterflies had been swatted down and pinned on a cork board.

She received a text from Ria.
Last night solidified that we can't be together right now. I can't expose Maggie to all this. I'm so sorry. It is all too much. Please, don't call or come by. Please respect this decision.

Ellie's heart fell and splintered into a million pieces.

Ellie picked up where her tour left off. She wrote song after song about Ria, her love, her smile and her heartbreak. She poured her heartache into every note, every chord and fell asleep every night thinking of Ria.

Ria did not text, call or email her. Her only tie to Ria was
now through Maggie. When she was not in concert, she did webcasts and spoke cryptically to Ria. Her heart went to war every morning. It woke with a little oatmeal for breakfast and strapped on army boots. It crawled under barbed wire, dodged arrows, walked miles and miles, came out tired, hungry and covered in dirt. Ellie took her heart off her sleeve and strapped it in tightly close to her chest. It was protected under layers and layers of clothes.

She texted with Maggie almost daily. In a roundabout way, Maggie told her that Gwen and Ria were seeing each other. Although it hurt Ellie to hear about Ria, she kept her word, and continued her relationship with Maggie. She loved talking to Maggie.

One morning while she was touring in Tampa she got a text from Maggie,
42 Chords Reached and a month without any incidents. You're welcome.

A few minutes later she got a text from Ria,
I guess I'm coming to Florida to fulfill the promise to Maggie. Where will you be in Florida?

Without hesitat
ing, before she chickened out, Ellie texted back,
Don't bother.

A deal is a deal
, Ellie. What do we tell Maggie?
Ria asked.
Ellie stared at the phone and the words played over and over in her head.

Ellie thought
, What would she tell Maggie? Maggie would be devastated.

For Maggie you can come to Florida,
Ellie answered.

Don't sound so excited,
Ria replied.

Ellie said
,
This isn't easy for me.

We can pretend to go on a date. She doesn't have to know.

Ellie said,
Honesty is my policy with Maggie. I'll have my team set up travel arrangements.

No,
I'll get my flight. Send me the address of where you want to meet,
Ria answered.

Ellie texted,
Okay, see you soon.

Ellie sat opposite her driver. He was holding a sign that read
Ria
. Ellie had texted Ria and insisted on sending someone to the airport for her. As time crept closer to Ria landing in Miami, Ellie got more excited to see Ria and decide to meet her at the airport. She missed Ria, and against her mind’s insistence to feel differently, her heart won.

Ellie positioned herself so that she would see Ria first. Ellie intently stared at her driver. For minutes she seemed not to blink. Somehow still, Ria seemed to appear.

Ellie was once again overpowered by her heart. She had told herself to keep her distance. She told herself to go to dinner with Ria and feel nothing. Yet once Ria was in her sight, she wanted to win her over again. Her hands gripped the edge of the bench. She curled her toes inside her shoes.

Ria was wearing brown boots, blue-jeans and a tight pink shirt. Her hair was down. She put out her hand and shook the driver's hand. The driver nodded in Ellie's direction and Ria spun around. The two locked eyes and Ellie stood. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans. Ellie was wearing a short blonde wig and sunglasses. She took a few steps toward Ria.

“Nice flight?” Ellie asked.

“
You came,” Ria said. “You didn't have to come.”

“
Only the best for my dates,” Ellie said. “I'm never one to let my driver pick up my dates solo.”

“
Oh, is that all?” Ria asked. “I mean thank you for coming.” Ria stepped forward and hugged Ellie. Ellie held tight and refused to breathe in Ria's scent. She knew that would bring her to her knees in this crowded baggage claim area.

“
Let's go,” Ellie said. They walked outside and reached the limousine. The driver carried Ria's bag and placed it in the trunk. Ellie and Ria slid into the back of the limousine. “Here is the address for dinner,” Ellie said as she handed a piece of paper to the driver.

“
So, where are we going?” Ria asked.

“
It’s a surprise,” Ellie said.

“
You don't have to go to all this trouble,” Ria said. “I know this isn't easy. I was prepared for a quick dinner, and then spending the rest of the night watching television.”

“
This is my plan,” Ellie said. “Let's just go to dinner and have fun. Miami is fun, and the sky's the limit. Did you reserve a hotel?”

“
Umm no, I was thinking I'd find one once I was here,” Ria said.

“
Bad idea. This is a busy week down in Miami. First, there is my concert, and there is a huge comics convention. You'll never find a room,” Ellie said.

“
Oh, well I…” Ria started.

“
Don't worry. I reserved a room for you at my hotel. I didn't want you trying to sleep in my bed,” Ellie said.

“
Give me a break,” Ria said as she lightly shoved Ellie. “Thank you for reserving me a room. I appreciate it and will pay you back.”

“
Please, most places don't charge me. Don't worry about it,” Ellie said.

The limousine stopped outside a restaurant called Moon. The driver opened the car door and Ellie and Ria stepped out onto the sidewalk.

“This seems fancy,” Ria said. “I think we're underdressed.”

“
No worries. I have connections,” Ellie said as she slid her arm into Ria's arm and pulled her toward the door. Ellie felt a rush come over her from being physically close to Ria. They walked in the front door and a hostess greeted them. She nodded at Ellie, grabbed two menus and walked them upstairs. They walked out onto a balcony. There were ten tables there but only one table was set.

“
How's this, Miss Way?” the woman asked.

“
It’s wonderful, thank you,” Ellie answered. Ria and Ellie were seated at a table that overlooked the city. The sun was setting and the sky had an orange hue to it. The buildings stretched up with the ocean as their backdrop. “What do you think?”

“
I think that this is beautiful,” Ria said. “You have surpassed my expectations. I expected to be met by a scowling Ellie. The way I treated you, I expected...”

“
Let's not talk about that,” Ellie said. “I've come to realize that I have a hard time staying mad at you. Can we enjoy ourselves?”

“
Yes,” Ria said. “And I'm starved. Oh, this is a Cuban restaurant,” Ria said as she looked over the menu.

“
Best one in the city,” the hostess was back. “Can I get you anything to drink?”

“
Wine?” Ellie asked.

“
Sure,” Ria said.

“
Your best,” Ellie said. The hostess nodded and walked away.

“
Wasn't that our hostess? What's she doing waiting on us?” Ria asked.

“
Old, short-lived girlfriend, Vicky,” Ellie said.

“
No,” Ria said.

“
Yeah, I honestly didn't know she worked here. I made the reservation through the owner,” Ellie said.

“
She’s hot,” Ria said.

“
You kidding me? You're the hot one. Guaranteed she's jealous of you,” Ellie said. “I’m sure she's going to spit in your food. So whatever you want, I’ll order and vice versa.” Ria laughed.