“Matt and Laura are going to stay in the guest room and Scott is going to couch surf. Their bags are already upstairs. I didn’t see the need for them to stay at a hotel.” I shrugged.
Ryan wrapped his arms around my shoulders to give me a hug. “Thank you,” he whispered in my ear. “I love you so much!”
“Come on birthday boy! Everyone’s been waiting for you. It’s time to get this party started!” I tugged his hand to follow me.
“Cory! Fill em up!” I motioned to the stack of champagne glasses sitting on the bar.
“Wait! I can’t get too wasted tonight. We have final scenes tomorrow,” Ryan informed.
“Did you hear that, Kenneth?” Cal shouted to the director of their movie. “Ryan doesn’t want to get too drunk tonight because he has to work tomorrow.”
Kenneth smiled and laughed out loud. “Actually Ryan, I have a big confession to make. We – ahh – wrapped today. Tomorrow’s call sheet that you have, it’s a fake. You’re the only one who didn’t know that today was the last day on location here.”
“What?” Ryan looked totally confused. “So all that crap about the wardrobe and then you sent me to the makeup trailer – that was all bullshit?”
Kenneth grinned and nodded.
“I spent two hours sitting in that chair! Two hours while Mia painted me!” Ryan yelled in jest.
I started laughing and pointed over to the poolroom where Mia, the makeup artist who stalled him, was standing.
“Hey, I had to get you off the set somehow!” Kenneth laughed.
“Were you in on this too?” Ryan looked at me. His eyes questioned my participation.
“In on it?” Kenneth chortled. “She orchestrated it!”
“Hey I’m not taking all the credit!” I defended. “I had a lot of willing accomplices. Everyone standing in this room was in on it.”
Cory and I handed out champagne glasses to everyone.
Pete tapped a spoon on his glass to get everyone’s attention. He raised his glass in the air to make a toast.
“Here’s to Ryan… A great man and a great friend! May you be blessed with great health! No, wait,” he paused. “I don’t think you need that. You are pretty healthy.” He squeezed Ryan’s biceps. His eyes scrunched together to ponder his next statement.
“Well then, how about… To Ryan, may you be blessed with great wealth! No, come to think of it, you are pretty filthy-stinkin’ rich too!”
Ryan started to chuckle. He looked slightly embarrassed.
“I’ve got it…I’ve got it. Ryan, for your birthday, may you be blessed with the love of a great woman! Wait! Shit! You already have that too!” Pete pointed a finger at me.
“Well, what the hell?” Pete whined, faking his disgust.
Everyone laughed at Pete’s toast.
Pete looked at the many faces in the pub, waived his glass in the air and said, “to Ryan, may you get so drunk tonight that you puke all over yourself, you lucky bastard!”
“Here, here!” Our friends raised their glasses.
Ryan took me by the hand and we mingled with our guests. He was anxious to talk with Matt and Scott since he rarely got to see them.
“Ryan, this is my girlfriend, Laura,” Matt said.
Laura reached out and shook Ryan’s hand. I was curious to see how she would react and I was so relieved when she maintained her composure. The last thing I wanted was a giggling fan sleeping in the room next to ours tonight.
“Man, where are all the single women?” Scott was looking around the pub. “You call this a party?” he teased Ryan.
“Laura, why don’t you come with me. We’ll let the boys catch up.” I patted Ryan on his back and headed over towards my friends.
“So, you’re really dating Ryan Christensen, huh?” Laura asked. I misjudged… maybe she was a fan after all?
“So, you’re really dating his best friend, huh?” I smiled at her.
“Yeah, I guess I am!” Laura realized aloud.
“Did you see his movie?” I asked, half expecting her answer.
“Yep,” she nodded and continued quietly, “but between you and me, I don’t get what all the excitement is about.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Kelly asked.
I kept Laura’s comment to myself and introduced her to everyone instead.
“Ryan said you’re coming out to L.A. with him in December,” Kelly stated happily. “We’ll have so much fun!”