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"Thanks. One of my dad's girlfriends was a dancer. I learned a few things," she said, smiling. "Quite an education growing up in the Charles household."
Dinner was lively and the morale that had been missing from the shoot seemed to appear from nowhere. “It’s a Christmas miracle in July!” Rhiannon crowed, taking the floor again with Thad, dancing until they were both sweaty.
"What do you say we head back to the hotel?" Thad suggested, his cheeks red with exertion. "I've got plenty of mixers there and we can drink free. Or have coffee."
"Sounds good to me," Rhiannon said, draining the rest of her rum. "This glass is empty."
Rick looked between them and shook his head."I'm going to stay here a while and mingle with the crew."
"Suit yourself, mate," Thad said, offering an arm to Rhiannon. "Shall we?"
"Yes," she said, nodding, taking his arm, and giving Rick a small wave.
"Night, Rickers."
Back at Thad's room he poured her a drink, handed it over and asked, "So what's the deal? I know you fancy him.Why the wait?"
Rhiannon's smile faded. "Aside from the fact I’m working for him and I’m really trying to develop a reputation as someone who doesn’t sleep her way to the top?"
“Yeah, aside from that?”
She sighed, thinking about what had really bothered her in their most recent conversations. "Well, according to his philosophy, a picture's worth a thousand words, right? There must be some truth to what's being printed all the time?"
Thad sighed. "You're upset about what he had to say about Jill."
"Yes, but it's not just that. If he's so quick to believe the worst of her, Thad, based solely on what he sees and reads in the papers, what must he really think of me? That I'm some starfucker who couldn't wait to take Kline Scott for a ride and grab my fifteen minutes?"
"Rhiannon," Thad scolded gently, "He's gotten to know you. He knows you're not like that. He doesn't know her.Okay?"
"No, it's not okay. He doesn't know her. That's the whole point. He believed the worst and was awful about it, and I know I was getting some of the blame for setting you up with her," she said, seriously. "I know he's your friend, but she's my friend and if he thought so highly of me why would he doubt my judgment so sharply?”
"He's got his reasons."
"I'm sure he does. Everyone has their reasons. We all know what mine are," she said, sarcastically. "I just didn't think he judged people by their press."
"Rick was married, did you know that?"
Rhiannon looked surprised. "No."
"Yeah. He married this little girl from Iowa or somewhere. Really cute girl. Seemed to be a decent actress.They dated about six months, he got her into a film, then things started getting really serious. He proposed, she said yes.Blah blah.Right before the wedding, photos start coming out of her and another up and coming actor. She tells Rick that it's all made up press.
“She doesn't know why the media is picking on her. They get married, more photos crop up. More blah blah it's just the media.Turns out, she was a really good actress! She'd been having an affair the whole time. She even talked Rick into giving her lover a slot in a movie.He found out, realized she was using him to further her career and divorced her so fast she didn't have time to change her name on her driver’s license.”
"God, that's awful."
"Yeah. It was really hard on him. He was gutted," Thad said, taking another swig of his drink. "He swore off women in the industry, actresses especially. Of course, he doesn't date much as a result."
She nodded. "I guess not. I'm leery of actors, myself."
"Hey!"
"Well, you're different. I know you. And I'm not looking to date you."
"I'd date you in a heartbeat," he smiled.
"Why ruin a good thing?"
He shrugged. "I think you're still stuck on Rick anyway."
