~Sabrina~
“Who wants more egg rolls?” I ask as I return to the living room carrying the takeout boxes of Chinese food. Zane and I always order Chinese on Christmas Eve.
It’s tradition.
“Duh,” Zane says, reaching to pluck them off the platter.
“I like the decorations.” Ben looks around as he uses his chopsticks to eat his stir-fry. While Zane and I both got breaded, sweet and sour everything, Ben stuck to chicken and veggies.
Because he’s healthy.
But it’s Christmas, and I’m splurging a little.
“Zane did a good job,” I say. “I was shocked.”
“How dare you?” Zane asks.
“Dude, you’re a superstar actor, not an interior decorator.”
My best friend shrugs. “I can be both. Also, I might have called someone to make this happen.”
“That close to Christmas?” Ben asks before I can.
“I paid extra.” Zane grins and reaches under the tree for a present and passes it to me. “Okay, one gift tonight. That’s how we always do it.”
“Yay! It’s my favorite part.” I tear into the red and gold paper, letting it fall to the floor at my feet. “Thank you. I needed new earbuds for the gym.”
“They’re wireless,” Zane says proudly. “And you’re welcome.”
We keep exchanging gifts, and Ben opens a pair of riding gloves I got him for his bike, and Zane the cashmere scarf I bought online.
Then we settle in with a glass of wine and enjoy the glow of the lights on the tree.
“So, why is it that neither of you likes to spend the holidays with your families?” Ben asks. He links his fingers with mine and kisses the back of my hand.
“Most people who were child actors have a strained relationship with their parents,” I reply.
“And ours did what they all do,” Zane continues. “They took control of our careers and our money while we worked our asses off. They sold us to the highest bidder to pad their bank accounts.”
“But it’s your money.” Ben frowns.
“Technically, but as minors, our parents had power of attorney. So, they had control of every penny. My parents started selling personal photos for the rags when we were about twelve.”
Zane’s eyes find mine.
“That’s fucked up,” Ben says.
“They liked feeding the rumor that Rina and I were an item,” Zane replies. “And the rags ate that shit right up. So, as the years went on, Rina and I tried to keep our friendship on the down low so we could have some sort of normal relationship.”
“The rumors came and went over the years, and people speculated if we were together.” I shrug and sip my wine. “We haven’t been photographed together in ages. Aside from selfies that we keep for ourselves, anyway. When I decided to leave the business because I was sick and hungry all the time, my parents were pissed. I was pulling the plug on their cushy way of life. In other words, they’d have to get real jobs. I barely speak to them now.”
“I’m sorry,” Ben says. “That’s pretty shitty.”
“My parents divorced when I was young, mostly because they couldn’t agree on how to spend the money I made, and they fought like cats and dogs. They each remarried, several times,” Zane says, “and had more kids. And I got lost somewhere in the shuffle. Not that I’m super bummed, given they’re both assholes.”
“And now you have each other.” Ben smiles.
“Yeah, he’s stuck with me,” I reply and grin at my best friend. “What about you, Ben? Are you close to your family?”
“My parents died a few years ago, and I was an only child, so I don’t have a lot of family. Nic’s pretty much it.”
“So, we’re the three misfits,” I say.
“Speak for yourself,” Zane argues. “I’m no misfit.”
* * * *
“Why did you wear a necklace to the gym?” Zane asks me the next morning. We’re at Sound Fitness, working on weights, and I’m toying with the sweetheart necklace Ben gave me this morning. It came in a Tiffany blue box, which pretty much made my year.
“Because it was a gift, and I want to wear it.”
Zane shakes his head and laughs at me before reclining on the bench press. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ben walking away, heading toward the front desk.
He said yesterday that he closes the gym down by noon on Christmas day, staying open just long enough for the diehards to get a workout in first thing in the morning.
I glance behind me, but when Ben turns to say something to Lisa at the desk, I realize it’s not Ben at all.
Some of the trainers are in, working with a few clients, but just as I suspected on Christmas morning, it’s quiet here, which puts Zane at ease.
The poor man is always accosted by someone wanting a photo.
“Look,” someone says, pointing outside.
“Snow,” someone else says.
“Well, that’ll shut the city down for a week,” Lisa grumbles.
“Aww, isn’t that sweet?” I turn to Zane. “You get a white Christmas.”
“Adorable,” he agrees. Zane always tries to seem cocky, so tough, but that’s just his defense mechanism. I know he makes it sound as if he’s better off without his parents, but he carries a lot of hurt from that whole situation. “I’ll be able to use the awesome scarf you got me.”
“Absolutely.”
Once we’ve finished our workout, I go on the hunt for Ben. He’s been roaming around, checking in on people and then hiding away in his office again. I know he’s giving me space to spend time with Zane, and I appreciate it, but I only have a little time left in Seattle, and I want to spend time with Ben, as well.
“Knock-knock.” I lean on the doorframe to his office. “We’re done.”
“I’m about finished, too,” he says. “The others can handle things here until noon, and then they’ll all go home. I’d like to take you somewhere, just the two of us.”
“I’m game for that.”
Ben drove here early this morning, and I rode in with Zane an hour ago or so. I find my friend and let him know that I’ll see him a little later.
“I’m gonna go nap.” Zane yawns. “And then eat leftovers.”
“Save some for me.” I wave him off and turn to find a woman scowling at me. I don’t intend to engage with her, but before I can turn away, she props her hands on her hips and starts spewing words at me.
“You should be ashamed of yourself. You’re leading two men on at the same time.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I turn to walk away, and she keeps talking. Loudly.
“It’s not fair to treat Ben like that. He’s a nice guy. You’re nothing but a stupid bitch, treating people like that.”
I turn and raise a brow at Lisa, who immediately jumps into action, but Ben’s already there.
“We don’t allow that kind of behavior in my gym. You can go. And don’t come back.”
She gasps and clutches her chest. “I’m just defending you.”
“And I don’t need it. Go.” When the woman slams out the front door, Ben turns to Lisa. “I don’t know who that is, but cancel her membership and refund her money. She’s done.”
“You got it,” Lisa says, already typing on the computer.
“Come on.” Ben holds out his hand for mine. “Let’s get out of here. Merry Christmas, Lisa.”
“Merry Christmas, guys!”
We climb into Ben’s SUV and pull out of the parking lot, and I still haven’t said anything.
“Is that how I act?” I ask aloud. “I don’t think I flirt with Zane.”
“You don’t,” he assures me. “Whoever that chick is, she’s jealous.”
“I suppose.” I stare out the window and watch big flakes fall to the ground. “Will this snowfall really shut the city down?”
“If it sticks, it will. It’s not cold enough right now to freeze, but it could overnight. Seattle isn’t exactly equipped to deal with harsh weather. I don’t really have anywhere specific I want to take you. I just wanted some alone time with you.”
“Well, that doesn’t hurt my feelings.” I smile over at him. “I know Zane being here sort of threw a wrench in things, but in my defense, when we agreed that he’d come for Christmas, I didn’t know that you and I would, well, do whatever it is we’re doing.”
He grins. “It’s fine. I like him.”
“Me, too.”
My phone pings in my pocket, so I pull it out and see a text from Melanie. Expecting a Merry Christmas, I open it and scowl in disbelief.
Mel: Are you and Zane together? Like, a couple?
I shake my head and type a reply.
Me: You know better than that. Of course not.
A sinking feeling sets up residence in my belly as I watch the three dots bounce as Mel types her reply.
All she sends is a link.
I click on it, and a website appears with the headline Zane and Sabrina: Reunited!
I briefly skim the article, which goes on to say that Zane and I are cuddled up in Seattle, secretly engaging in a torrid affair. That the rumors from all of these years must be true.
“Take me home,” I say immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
I’m staring at the photos. Zane and I are in the gym, just this morning, laughing and talking. In one shot, he takes my hand and helps me up off the floor, and then I’m leaning against him, laughing at something he just said.
It looks intimate.
Something at the side of the photo catches my eye.
“Rina? What is it?”
I enlarge the photo and feel my blood run cold. It’s Ben, from behind, on the other side of a wall that separates that part of the gym from the reception area. A woman has her arms around him, her fingers in his hair, and he’s kissing her passionately.
What in the actual fuck? The thoughts in my head swirl, and my heart hurts. I just want to go home and hide.
“Rina.”
“It seems someone enjoyed taking a lot of photos at the gym this morning,” I say at last and flash the screen at him, with the headline showing. “Zane and I being together is all over social media. Mel sent this to me.”
“That was literally an hour ago.”
“Word spreads fast in the age of technology,” I remind him. “I’m such an idiot. Zane’s going to be so pissed.”
“This isn’t your fault,” Ben says.
“Actually, you’re right.” I turn in my seat to face him. “It’s your fault. How could you let this happen, Ben? We were supposed to be safe in your gym.”
His gaze bounces up to the rearview mirror, and he curses.
“This car behind me has been on my ass since we left the gym.”
I glance back, but I don’t recognize the driver.
“It could be a paparazzo.”
Ben shakes his head. “There’s no way they could get here that fast.”
“You have no idea what they’re capable of,” I murmur and sit back, silent as Ben turns into my driveway.
I hurry out of the car and see a man jump out of the vehicle that was following us.
“Sabrina!” he yells. “Can you confirm that you and Zane are getting married?”
“What is wrong with you?” I demand, turning to the reporter. “Of course, we aren’t. We’ve been friends for more than twenty goddamn years, you piece of shit.”
“Get out of here before I call the cops,” Ben growls and leads me to the door. When we’re safely inside, and Ben has locked the deadbolt behind us, I round on him.
“This is fucked up, Ben.”
“Agreed.”
“What’s going on?”