I’d been dying for her to meet Ryder, and to my relief, they got along famously, like mashed potatoes and gravy. The two of them fell into an easy rapport, and it didn’t take long for them to join forces, zeroing in on a common target: me. Their teasing was relentless, and they took great joy in ganging up on me at every opportunity. After dinner one night, Ryder insisted we take Kendall to the Tiki Hut, now our unofficial local haunt, where he launched into a dramatic retelling of my twenty-first birthday, complete with vivid reenactments of how I “threw myself at him.”
“Hardest thing I ever had to do wasnottake advantage of your sister,” Ryder told Kendall, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Imagine the most beautiful woman in the world, dressed in only your T-shirt, begging you for a birthday kiss.”
I didn’t know whether to be annoyed by his exaggeration or flattered by the compliment. “To be clear, there was nobegging,” I clarified.
“Oh yeah?” He mimed cartoonishly wide come-hither eyes, and I belted him in the chest. “I deserve a medal for my restraint.”
“Come to think of it, you really left me hanging that night,” I ribbed him. “Pretty harsh, denying the birthday girl her one wish.”
He caught me by the waist and wrapped his arms around me from behind, pinning me against his chest. “I’ll make it up to you later,” he murmured in my ear.
Kendall’s smile grew as she watched us. “You had my sister all worked up, you know,” she said slyly, chewing on her straw.
“I know thatnow. I thought she hated my guts.”
“Idefinitelyhated your guts. Eep!” I shrieked, laughing as his arms tightened around me like a vise, slowly squeezing the air from my lungs. “You deserved it! You were mean to me for no reason!”
“The reason is because you insisted on torturing me by flirting with Jason right in front of me. I was convinced she had a thing for him,” he told Kendall, and I could only roll my eyes at this now-familiar refrain.
“I mean, it’s a valid concern,” Kendall interjected, noisily slurping her drink.
“It drove me half-insane. If I had to overhear one more giggle, I swear I would’ve ended up in a padded cell.”
“I was trying to flirt withyou, dummy,” I said, turning in his arms and winding mine around his neck. “Took you long enough to figure it out.”
“You can punish me later,” he rumbled in a low voice, leaning down for a lingering kiss while Kendall covered her eyes.
Ryder’s mom Nora came to visit a couple weeks later, and I couldn’t lie, the idea of meeting her had me tied into knots. She was the only family he had, and I knew how close they were. Her opinion mattereda lot, and I was desperate to make a good impression.
She arrived on set straight from the airport, and as soon as we broke for lunch, Ryder rushed to greet her while I trailed behind him, heart thudding, suddenly hyperaware of my posture, my thick pancake makeup, whether my smile was too much or not enough.
Nora had Ryder’s same sandy blond hair and coloring, but her features were softer and more delicate, her frame petite, making me wonder about the rest of the Perry family gene pool. She carried herself with effortless grace and had a tinkling laugh, like a ringing bell. Her face was animated and open, so full of expression that I couldn’t help thinking she could’ve been an actress too. She was lovely, and her pride in her son was palpable, affection radiating from her every pore. I could relate, since I was equally as enchanted with her son.
Ryder started to introduce us, and he barely got the words out before she wrapped me in a big, full-body hug—and just like that, all my nerves disappeared. I adored her instantly.
“I’ve been so looking forward to meeting you, Scarlett,” she said when she pulled back, her smile wide and warm. “Ryder talks about you so much, I feel like I already know you.”
“Likewise,” I told her as the three of us headed toward craft services. “He’s been counting down the days until you got here.”
“Took her long enough tofinallymake it for a visit,” Ryder teased, linking his arm through hers. “You’d think Florida was in another country.”
“Excuse me? I spent years hanging around your sets, thank you very much. Besides, you’re a big boy now, you don’t need your mom around cramping your style,” she bantered back, throwing me a conspiratorial wink.
“You mean the set ofKids Only Club?” I asked, all wide-eyed innocence. “Because I’d love to hear some of your stories.”
“Don’t encourage her,” Ryder warned his mom, tossing me a playful glare.
We’d just started eating lunch—salads for Nora and me, a sandwich for Ryder—when he set his napkin down and said, “So guys, I actually have some news. Thought it’d be fun to tell you together.”
I looked at him in confusion, noticing the excitement flickering in his eyes.What is this about?
“I got a call from Dean a couple of days ago,” he started, and I paused mid-bite. Dean was his agent. A bubble of unease popped in my sternum.
“He said the buzz aroundThe Lost Letteris so strong that he’s already started getting calls. Apparently, there’s a movie filming next month in Atlanta and they think I’m perfect for it. It’s an ensemble cast and someone had to drop out, and they want me to step in.”
“No audition?”
“Straight offer.” He grinned like he’d found a golden ticket. “Guess who the director is.”
