Page 23 of Off Script
Admitting defeat, I end my work out early and hop off the treadmill. “It’s no big deal. Just a girl I’ve been talking to over the past couple of weeks.”
I hope by keeping my explanation brief they’ll let it slide, but my hopes are in vain as Trevor and Jordan immediately barrage me with questions and comments.
“How’d you meet her?”
“Did you swipe right?”
“Dude, he’s not on Tinder, you ignorant dickhead."
"I know. He’s gotta be on Raya. Right, Ben?”
“Regardless, good for you. It’s time to get out there again since Kelsey.”
“Fucking Kelsey.”
“Forget Kelsey. Let's focus on you and the new girl. Is she hot?”
“Better question: Does she have hot friends?”
Laughing, I snap my towel at them. “Shut up. You’re worse than high school girls.”
But then I get my wish. Jordan twirls my phone between his fingers and both he and Trevor remain silent, waiting for me to speak. It’s the same tactic my therapist uses to get me to talk, and it works.
Taking a seat on my yoga mat, I stretch as I talk so my muscles don’t tighten up—and so I don’t have to make eye contact with them. I know trying to explain the situation with Carlisle is going to sound absurd and they’re going to give me shit.
So much shit.
“Let me get this straight. You’ve never met her or even seen a picture of her? And she has no idea who you are?” Trevor's voice is laced in skepticism.
“What the hell, Sutton? You could land any woman aged 18-40 in the greater LA area, but you're pursuing some chick you’ve never met? Someone you called accidentally and then struck up a conversation with?” Jordan stops twirling my cell phone to stare at me. “Please tell me this is a joke or some kind of weird-ass research for your next film.”
“I'm aware it's an unusual way to meet someone, but I like her. She’s snarky and funny. She calls me on my bullshit, but she’s kind too.” I blow out a long breath. Sitting up, I bring my knees to my chest and loop my arms around them. “If I meet a girl now, they see the movie star, not the man. They want to date me to further their own agendas,not because they actually like me. Those easier days of dating women before I was famous, where it was obvious if a woman was genuinely interested in me, are long gone. But getting to know Carlisle in this fucked up, random way has given me back that opportunity.”
“It sounds complicated,” comments Trevor. He’s not wrong.
“What’s your next step, Ben?” Concern is painted on Jordan’s face.
Jordan and Jo were the ones who witnessed the demise of my relationship with Kelsey and who helped me pick up the pieces of my life after her betrayal. It’s only natural that he’d worry about me jumping into a new relationship in such an unconventional way.
Reassuring him, I explain, "There's not really a next step. According to Becky and Jada, I can't date anyone now anyway, so Carlisle and I will remain phone friends. Nothing more."
Jordan holds up his hand. “Wait a minute. You know her full name. Have you looked her up on social media?”
“Nah, man, I haven’t yet.” I’ve thought about it—a lot—but I hadn’t done it yet.
“Why the fuck not? Dude, Ben, you’ve got to,” Jordan implores me.
What if I stumble upon something that ruins it for me?
Sighing, I pull the towel over my head and lie down on the yoga mat. “I don’t know. I’ll think about it.” Peeking out from under the towel, I say, “It might depend on her response to my earlier texts. What’d she say? Can I have my phone back?”
“Oh, about that. Jo’s going to order a salad for lunch. She wants to know if you want anything.”
At least Jordan has the decency to look sheepish when he tosses my phone to me.
“Asshole,” I reply, chuckling. But then it hits me that Carlisle still hasn’t responded to me, and my laughter dies.
Understanding my sudden mood shift, Trevor pats me on the shoulder and wishes me luck before he heads out. He pauses in the gym doorway and turns to face me, leveling me with a steely gaze. “Look up her socials, Ben. And if you like what you find, you might want to rethink not meeting her. If you really have a connection with her, don’t waste it. Who cares what Jada and Becky say? You could always take it slowly and keep things on the down low until after your publicity tours wrap.”
