Page 7 of Yours, Always
Annabelle walked over to a cabinet and brought out a bottle of tequila, pouring out three shots. “I know babies wasn’t the bet,” she said, handing Devlin a glass and walking one over to Prudence, “but I can’t wait.”
“What bet?” Devlin asked after taking her shot.
“We’re going to take a shot every time The Moms mention marriage. It was originally babies.”
“Well, why don’t we do one we can all play?” LuAnne said while pouring herself and Shirley a shot. She took it like an expert while Shirley sipped hers. “It’s worse if you just sip it, dear. You’ve got to take it in one gulp.”
“I know!” Annabelle said, pointing at the TV screen where Wyatt Reed was talking with the interviewer, his date on his arm. “Let’s take a shot every time the camera pans to Wyatt Reed.”
A thoughtful silence filled the room. “I like it,” Devlin said. “I don’t think he’s nominated for anything, so we probably won’t have to drink too much. In fact, I’m close to my limit with this shot already, the shop does open at six a.m. tomorrow, you know.”
“You’re exempt, Devlin,” LuAnne said. “Anyone who works that early doesn’t need to tempt fate with drinking games.”
“Thanks, LuAnne. Do you know when Greyson is expected to be on?”
Prudence looked at her watch. “When I talked to him earlier, he said he’d be on later in the show since he’s nominated for Lead Actor. They wanted him to wait until toward the end to keep the viewers watching, but that could change.”
LuAnne nudged Shirley, and not covertly. “You talked to Grey today?” Shirley asked, the picture of innocence.
“Yep, he called me while he was getting ready. He’s nervous even though he’s…” She trailed off, seeing the large grins now covering The Mom’s faces. “What?”
LuAnne sighed. “You and Greyson have always been the cutest couple.”
“LuAnne, you know we’re not a couple.”
“Never?” Her eyes widened. “You’re sure?”
“I think we have to have this talk a lot, LuAnne. Do you think you should ask your doctor about memory loss?”
Shirley raised a hand to lessen the admittedly soft blow of Prudence’s joking words. “What she means is that you two always seemed to be more than friends.” She turned to Devlin to explain, as though saying it to her rather than Prudence would get her point across more clearly. “You see, my Pru and Greyson have been as close as two people can be for years. I was surprised she didn’t go to L.A. with him”—she slid a glance to Prudence—“and I thought that would be the end of my hopes and dreams, but they really seem to have an even stronger connection, now more than ever.”
“Mom, really, that’s enough.” Prudence could feel her cheeks flame up as she also turned toward Devlin, who was sitting at rapt attention. “We’refriends,” she said, repeating words already spoken to her days earlier in the coffee shop. “Yes, good friends, but just friends.”
“You would make the most beautiful babies—you have to admit that,” LuAnne pointed out. “Beautiful, tall babies.”
“Is that him?” Annabelle interrupted, pointing to the TV screen and a couple slightly out of focus in the background behind the interviewer and interviewee.
Prudence turned her head, her eyes focusing not on Greyson but on the woman who was holding on to his arm for dear life.Huh.
“Did he say anything about a date, Pru?” Shirley asked.
“He did not,” Prudence casually responded, trying to sound neither surprised nor disappointed, but knowing both were coming through loud and clear in those three words. She watched as the woman detached herself from Greyson’s arm, giving him a playful shove to the side while she stood to get her picture taken. She threw a becoming pout over her shoulder while the train of her dress, that took up at least ten feet of red-carpet real estate, was being photographed.
He’d had plenty of time to tell her he was bringing a date. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time he was at a premier or awards show with someone other than herself, Annabelle or his mom. A wave of nausea hit her, and she swallowed hard, knowing this bodily reaction was over the top. He just hadn’t told her.What’s the big deal.She tried to convince herself, as though this deviation from his normal behavior was some sort of turning point she wasn’t prepared to take. She gave a mental shake. “He just said that Janice couldn’t make it.”
Annabelle was obviously trying not to look at Prudence, perhaps sensing she needed a moment to compose herself with this out of character move from Greyson. She studied the screen as the camera now focused on the couple. “Holy shit, that’s Samantha Crane!”
The room was a flurry as the rest of the guests clamored to the living room to watch the TV. Sure enough, the chyron at the bottom of the screen scrolled, ‘Greyson Atwood—nominated for Lead Actor—and date, Samantha Crane.’
Date. Prudence’s head swam while the rest of the ladies commented on what they were seeing. Grey would tell her if he was dating someone, right? Someone as famous as Samantha Crane? True, she didn’t read gossip magazines, she’d learned that the hard way when Greyson had first moved to L.A. and lurid details of his first Hollywood fling had been printed for all to see, but she couldn’t imagine no one telling her if they’d seen it.
“What do you think, Pru?” Devlin asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.
“I’m sorry, what?” she responded as LuAnne and Shirley exchanged a knowing glance she tried to ignore.
“I said he doesn’t seem too happy to be with her. She keeps moving him aside so she can get solo pictures then pulling him back like she’s hooked a fish or something.”
“Yeah.” Annabelle pointed to the TV in exasperation. “See! It’s his big night, and she’s acting like everyone is there for her.” She folded her arms over her chest. “I never liked her anyway,” she stated decisively.