Characters' Bios in Hot Romance

Jonathan Williams

Son of director Zander Williams and special effects artist Lara Nylund Williams, the 23-year-old actor is best known for his role in the Hollywood blockbuster The Demigod. Other notable roles include:  Love Twice (with Mia Thompson), The Forgotten Year (with his brother Jack Williams), Uproar (with Niki Morris), Third Rung (with Amy Richardson), Demigod Forbidden (with Rachael Marrerro), and Liar’s Remorse (with Natalie Lipka). 

Nicknames:  Jon, Will, and His Holy Hotness

Birthday:  April 4th

Close Friends:  Nick Reyes, Hayden Nappo, Liam Nordstrom, and Chris Hanson. Also hangs with: Jake Gorboni and Daniel Nackerson 

Trivia:  

1. Plays the piano/keyboards and guitar, and has been known to join buddies Nick Reyes and Hayden Nappo on stage with their band EXpireD. 
2. Has a vintage guitar collection, including a signed Fender that once belonged to rocker Terence Halverson.
3. Currently in a relationship with university student Sarah Isabella Austin.
4. Has a great sense of humor and will often play practical jokes on castmates and crew when filming a movie. 
5. Singer Ashley Taylor deemed him "His Holy Hotness" on the red carpet of the VMAs after she was shown a video clip of him singing on stage. The name stuck in the press. Copyright 2015 Susan Schussler (All characters, events, and places are fictional.) 

Megan's Blog: August 7th

Megan:  Romancing the Cook (Part 3)

We stop at the big white cooler before joining the crowd at the fire pit and Kellen digs around until he finds a bottle of water. He hands it to me with a smile and says, “You do drink, right? You’re not one of those religious types who doesn’t want to meet his maker drunk?”

“No, I’m not afraid of dying drunk.”

“Then you’ve either been through treatment or you’re close to someone who has.”

My mind immediately goes to Chase, even though his problem was drugs, not alcohol. “I drink. I just don’t want to tonight.”

He rummages through the cooler again, pulling out a beer and cracking it open. He takes a sip, penetrating me with a humorous gaze and then says. “This is our third date, counting our two lunch dates.” He licks his lips, pulling his lip ring into his mouth with his tongue and then releasing it. “There are certain expectations on a third date.”

“Really?” I say because if he thinks I’m sleeping with him, he’s wrong.

“Yeah.” He grasps my chin ever so softly and trails his thumb over my lower lip. “I should at least get to kiss you on our third date.”

I smile and before I can say anything his lips are on mine. I brace my hands on his broad shoulders, really strong shoulders, as I deepen the kiss. I thought his piercing would be awkward rubbing against my lip, but it’s sensual, erotic even. He pulls back just as I want more.

“See that wasn’t so bad.” He licks his lips again, and I want to suck that ring into my mouth.

Just then jeers break out from the crowd around the fire. I look over and everyone is staring at us. He takes a shallow bow as if we had just performed on stage, places his hand at the small of my back motioning me to walk, and we head toward the onlookers. Kellen pulls up two chairs as the circle widens to accommodate us. Everyone is watching as we settle into our seats. After he introduces me the conversation returns to its previous level of chatter, and he pulls my chair closer to his, resting his arm on the back of it.

The discussion burns through strategy based type video games and the idiocy of politics, finally, it settles on the latest Comedy Central star to hit the big screen and whether she was hot enough to do. Most of the guys agree that there is something about her which makes her desirable. I’m quiet, for me, as I scrutinize the group. It’s interesting to watch Kellen interact with his friends. Maybe I am a little more detached because I don’t know anyone or maybe it’s because I’m not drinking that I enjoy the carefree silliness of their dialogue.

I’m relaxed and I don’t care that I don’t know anyone because I’m enjoying the date. Kellen’s sweet, but not clingy. His leg is pressed against my knee. I’ve never understood the way men sit. Is it a peacocking thing to sit with your legs spread as far as possible? Are they airing out their junk or showing it off? I guess it’s not that different from women crossing their legs. My tiny white shorts would be obscene if I sat like him.

I am very aware of his body. The heat emanating from him is incredible. His arm trails along the back of my chair as his fingers gently stroke my neck. It feels good and I am not going to disrupt him by changing positions to cool off.

Several people have just arrived and are helping themselves to drinks at the cooler when Kellen leans in and says, “Crap. I didn’t know she would be here. She shouldn’t be here. Sorry in advance for anything she may say to you.”

I look to the group coming toward us and then back to him with a questioning expression. He’s nervously sucking that luscious ring into his mouth again. “The brunette in the skirt is my ex.”

“I figured that. She’s the only girl. How ex?” I ask as she stares at me, and if he says yesterday I’m leaving.

“A month.”

“OK. How long did you date?” She's still glaring and if she had laser eyes I’m sure I would be a pile of ash by now.

“Not that long.”

“That was vague.” I look into his eyes to see what he’s hiding.

“About eight months.”

“Why’d you break up?”

A coy smile crawls onto his face. “Did anyone ever tell you that you ask a lot of questions?”

“Is that rhetorical?” He looks at me as if he doesn’t know the meaning of rhetorical, so I say, “No.”

“She’s crazy. Nutso, schizoid, certifiable. That’s why we broke up.”

“Is she going to stalk and kill me on my way home?”

“Probably,” he answers twisting his lips in a smirk.

“I guess I better make this worth it.” I lean in and mesh my lips with his. It takes about a heartbeat before he realizes what I’m doing. Then his hand at the back of my neck pulls me in closer. I suck his ring into my mouth and tug on it with my tongue—very erotic. The groan he makes is way too loud, and if the crowd hadn’t noticed us before, they have now. I don’t know if it was the smartest move to flaunt the kiss in front of his ex, but if she hadn’t glared at me I would have played nice. It’s childish, but so much fun. I let the ring go and pull back. He smiles. I refuse to regret it. We aren’t the only couple making out in front of everyone tonight. I saw at least two other couples coupling. I sit back in my chair, and his fingers dig softly in my hair.

I look up and the ex is sitting on the edge of her seat with her back to us as she talks to another girl. I’m not usually such a bitch and I don’t know the whole story, but she started it with her hatred eyes. I glance around and no one seems to be paying attention to the two of us. Kellen raises an eyebrow and says, “She’s going to kill you for sure, now.”

“I can take her.” I laugh and then he smiles.

“I believe you can. I need another drink. Are you sure you don’t want a drink? One drink’s not going to kill ya.”

“I’m sure. Another water would be good.” I smile appreciatively and his whole face lights up as he heads for the cooler.

When he returns he’s got another newcomer with him. I didn’t see them come down to the fire pit because I was talking to the guy next to me, but I can feel the heat coming off of Kellen’s body. They’re standing behind my chair so I turn and try to stay composed.

“You’ve got to meet my best bud. We’ve been friends forever. Megan, this is Tegan Maxwell.”

I swallow hard and smile, readying to spill my past to my date.

That’s when Tegan extends his hand and says, “It’s great to meet you, Megan.”

Wow. He’s as good of a liar as his older brother, Chase. © Susan Schussler 2015

Megan's Blog: August 7th

Megan:  Romancing the Cook (Part 2)

I slide into the same booth I sat in yesterday. I can’t wait to see what my personal chef has dreamed up for today’s meal. My expression wilts with disappointment when my usual server appears at my booth.

“Do you want a menu?” Her raspy smoker’s voice scratches through the air.

I never got the cook’s name so I’m not sure how to ask for him. “The guy in the kitchen was going to make me something.” That sounded completely lame. Of course the guy in the kitchen was going to make me something, this is a restaurant. I pause. “Can I talk to him?”

She shakes her head, turning her face to the ceiling as if asking God for strength. “Romeo, there’s another victim out here for you,” she calls toward the kitchen.

He comes out of the back wiping his hands on his towel just like yesterday and raises his chin in acknowledgement with a smile. When he sits down, I raise my eyebrows and stay silent.

“I’ve got something special for us today. How do you feel about Thai food?”

“I like Thai food, Romeo.”

“That’s not my name.” His smirk tells me that he doesn’t mind the nickname. He reaches a hand out. “Hi, I’m Kellen.”

“Megan,” I say, meeting his hand. “So. You often suck unsuspecting women into your vortex with your culinary skills?”

He smiles. “That and other skills.”

I laugh. He’s a bit cocky, isn’t he? I may as well ask. School starts in a couple of weeks and I don’t have anything to lose by asking him out. “So what time do you get off of work?”

“I’ll just go let Andy know I’m leaving. He can handle the kitchen without me.”

That’s not what I meant. I smile at his presumption. “I meant, after work, we could get a drink or something.” I say, though I know he’s underage. “You promised me a meal and I have to go back to the clinic for a couple more hours of work.”

“I knew what you meant. You can’t fault a guy for trying, though, can you?” He nods toward the kitchen and adds, “Our food should be ready,” before heading behind the counter.

He comes back out a couple of minutes later with a large plate and two sets of flatware, positioning himself across from me again. The food is even better than yesterday’s. Taking my second bite, I say, “You should be on Top Chef.”

“That’s what I keep telling everyone, but nobody listens.” 

He rises again and I immediately take a large savoring bite. This could possibly be the best meal I have ever eaten. When he returns, he places two glasses of ice water on the table and leans in, holding up an extra napkin. He’s inches from my face when he wipes my cheek and says, “You had dragon sauce.” He looks into my eyes, way to close. I’m not going to kiss him, so my choices are to awkwardly take a bite of food or talk.

“I must be devouring it too fast,” I say. “This is really good.”

He backs away, sitting on the other side of the booth. “You like?” He unwraps his flatware and fills his fork.

I nod and just like that I’ve averted a possible game changer I’m not ready to address.

“I’m supposed to meet some friends tonight out in Grant Township. Do you want to come as my date?”

My lips twist as I consider his proposal. I know nothing about this guy other than what I learned yesterday during our lunch. I don’t really want to ride with a guy I barely know to meet up with his friends. On the other hand, what do I have to lose? He seems harmless, and I can defend myself if needed. “Okay, but I’m driving.”

“How am I supposed to get you drunk so I can take advantage of you, if you drive?”

“I don’t drink,” I lie. “Or at least I won’t be tonight whether you drive or not.” Was that too assertive? I don’t want him to go into this with a false impression of me. “You may as well take advantage of a sober ride.”

He agrees and we talk, finishing our meal. It turns out that we went to the same high school, but weren’t actually there at the same time because as a freshman he was still at the junior high when I was a senior. Eeww. I shiver at the thought. We’re both adults now though. I need to stop worrying about our age difference. He’s cute, intelligent, and an incredible cook. There’s no problem.

He gives me his number and address, and we make plans for me to pick him up at nine. I don’t really know what I am doing, but I may as well see if there is potential in this guy. His cooking skills alone could keep me entertained until I have to head back to class.

***

His address is across town from where I grew up. The houses in his neighborhood are close together with overgrown hedges and cars lining the street. He’s waiting for me on the front step as I pull up and is practically in the car before I put it in park.

He smells good, all traces of the restaurant washed away, his hair still damp. “So…you live with your parents?” I ask.

He nods hesitantly and adds, “I was supposed to get a place with a friend but he backed out. I don’t make much at the restaurant. What am I supposed to do?”

“Don’t sweat it. I live with mine too, during the summer.” I pull the car away from the curb after he’s buckled and start driving in the direction I know we will have to go, even though I don’t know our destination.

“Are you going to school?”

“Yep. I graduate in the spring from the U. Some friends and I rent a house off campus during the school year.

“Did you go to college because you wanted to or because it was expected of you?”

“Both, I guess. What else is there to do?” I don’t want to insult him but school is really the only way to get ahead and have a career verses a job.

“Everyone expected me to go too, but I just couldn’t do it. If I’m going to put out the kind of money it takes to get a four year degree then it’s going to be something I want. I’m doing what I want to do right now. Besides there’s no guarantees that I’d even get a job after paying all that money for school anyway.”

He’s right. But I try to push the worries about getting a job out of my head, at least for the night. “Well you’re really good at what you do. I was serious when I said you should be on Top Chef.”

“That’s my favorite show. That and Chopped. I’ve thought about going to culinary school. Maybe in another year I’ll have enough money saved and I can start classes.”

“Do you know where we’re going, because at the next stop sign we either have to go north or south and I have no clue which way?”

“Take a right at the next road,” he says. “What are you going to school for?”

“Education and Math.” I try to keep my answer short. I don’t want to talk about me. He doesn’t ask any more questions and we sit in silence for a couple of uncomfortable beats. “How long have you been cooking?”

“Since elementary school. My mom worked late every night and if I wanted anything decent to eat I had to learn to make it myself. As I got older it just became my role. I have two younger sisters that were too involved in sports and dance to take on cooking. My dad died when I was little.” He sits back and sucks his lip ring into his mouth as if he’s worried what I may think.

I’m really starting to like this guy. He’s mature for a teenager and the lip ring intrigues me. I turn back to the road and smile. “I think that’s great, and you enjoy making it.” I say the last part tentatively and I hope he takes it as a positive instead of negative.

“And you enjoy eating it.”

My jaw drops. “I don’t usually get complaints.” I wave my right hand down my side to emphasize my point.

“I’m not complaining. I like a girl who’s not afraid to eat. Most girls take one bite of my food and then push it around on the plate. I think it’s great that you’re a member of the clean plate society.”

I laugh. Did we really eat everything on the plate? I glance at him again to read his expression. “I do like to eat when the food is worth the calories. I can always work out.” I say it as a complement. He doesn’t need to know how much I hate working out, when he obviously lifts weights. “Besides, you ate half of it.”

“And it was damn good.” He points at the next street, and I turn.

About halfway down, our path narrows as cars fill the road’s edges. I find a spot to park and then I follow him across a lush green lawn to a brick path. As we round the corner of the house I see about twenty people seated around a large fire pit, just the reflection of the fire lighting their faces. I don’t spot anyone I know, and I resolve to just enjoy my date.

© Susan Schussler 2015

Megan's Blog: August 6

Megan: Romancing the Cook (Part 1)

It’s late afternoon before I take a break to eat. I can’t stop thinking about Chase and I can’t tell anyone that I’m thinking about him. All my friends hate him for what he did to me. I don’t know why I can forgive him when they can’t. I guess I understand Chase Maxwell. He never meant to hurt me. He just has poor impulse control. He doesn’t know when to stop pushing to the extreme. If he is really drug-free maybe he’s changed. Maybe I wouldn’t know him at all. Three years is a long time. His brother Tegan didn’t give me any insight into Chase’s sober life. Chase always had such a carefree way about him. Every sentence that came out of his mouth was either sarcasm or a joke. Maybe I wouldn’t even like drug-free Chase. I shouldn’t waste my time thinking about him.

I look out the window at the mental health clinic across the street and spot a hottie dressed to the hilt in a tailored suit coming out the door. He looks to be about thirty but still striking. He’s not my usual type, though I think my tastes may be maturing. I wonder if he is part of the study I am compiling for my friend Alli’s mom. She’s a psychiatrist at the clinic and paying me to gather statistics on her clients. It’s an easy job inputting data and compiling charts, and it will look good on my resume.

“Hey, gorgeous. You waiting for someone?” a tenor voice infiltrates my thoughts.

I turn to see who is addressing me and shake my head. The dark-haired cutie standing next to my booth wipes his hands on the towel hanging out of the waistband of his jeans, and then sits down across from me, stretching his legs out next to mine. As his grey eyes penetrate me he sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, catching the ring pierced through his lower lip with his tongue.

“You’re not my usual server,” I say, holding eye contact.

He tilts his head toward the counter where the girl who usually waits on me is eating. She must be on break. I’ve only been here twice before, but she was my server both times.

“Do you want a coffee and a house salad like yesterday? Or can I make you something with flavor?”

I didn’t realize he even noticed me. I saw him working in the kitchen, but didn’t know he saw me.

“Surprise me.” I don’t know why I say it, but I do, and my words light a fire in his eyes.

“Coming right up.” As he rises from his seat, he smirks. He ducks behind the counter and returns a minute later with a tall glass of ice water and a set of flatware wrapped in a paper napkin.

“You’re going to need this. Something tells me you like hot and spicy.” He sets them on the table in front of me, then he winks and returns to the kitchen.

I hear pots clanking in the back and since the café is nearly empty, I know that it is either for show or my meal. He peeks at me through the serving window and smiles. I like his smile. When he returns ten minutes later carrying a huge plate brimming with pasta and vegetables, I can’t help but be impressed. It looks delicious and smells even better with garlic, basil, onion, peppers and summer squash.

“I didn’t realize you served pasta here.”

“We don’t. This was supposed to be my lunch.” He holds up a second set of flatware and sits down across from me. “I don’t mind sharing.” He dips his fork into the pasta and lifts a bite to his mouth as if I’m the intruder on the meal.

I stare at him in disbelief, but he just smiles. Then the aroma overtakes me and I have to join him. “Thanks for sharing,” I say before taking a bite.

He smiles and waits for my reaction. “Three, two, one,” he whispers.

And the flavor explodes in my mouth. Ohmygod. He pushes my ice water toward me. My tongue is on fire, but in a good way. I down a mouthful of water and then say, “This is so good.”

He smiles again before taking another bite. The food is amazing and that alone scores him points, but he’s cute and definitely has attitude. As we chat with easy conversation, I discover he’s only nineteen and that’s a bit of a turnoff. I don’t usually pay attention to younger guys. I’m going to make an exception this time, though. I’m twenty-one so it’s not that big of an age difference.

We make a date to have him make me lunch again tomorrow and somehow over a meal I’ve almost completely forgotten about sober Chase. Copyright 2015 Susan Schussler

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Looking for more about my blog characters? Check out Jonathan and Sarah's continuing story in BETWEEN THE LIES. Release date THURSDAY, AUGUST 20th, 2015. 

(Next blog post is Megan's on August 26th.)

Megan's Blog: August 2nd

Megan:  August 2nd

Today, I met the girls downtown for lunch. I sat facing the river on the large wooden deck as we discussed Sarah’s new boyfriend. She seemed a bit overwhelmed by her new relationship, but I guess that’s understandable. I don’t know what I would do in her situation. Though I’m happy for her, I don’t think she is being realistic. The relationship won't last and she's going to get hurt.

After lunch, I ran into Tegan Maxwell on Main Street in front of the yogurt shop. I had parked by the antique store, my mom loved so much, and was walking back to my car when I heard my name called from across the street.

I almost didn’t recognize him. The last time I saw him he was a round-faced sixteen-year-old, but today he was all grown up. The toddler in his tattooed arms, a testament of his maturity, dawned the same dark hair and sapphire blue eyes as Tegan. Those eyes. I knew those eyes well. They were identical to the ones I’d stared into for years in high school. Though his hair was dark, his eyes looked the same as Chase’s.

Tegan wrapped me in his arms and kissed my cheek as if I was his long lost sister.

“Megan, I can’t believe you’re walking the streets of Stillwater.”

“I’m not a streetwalker,” I said with a laugh. “I am from here.” I didn't know if I should admit I was living at home for the summer.

“No, that’s not what I meant.” He gripped my arm and squeezed, breaking into a huge smile. “It’s just great to see you.”

“It’s great to see you, too. WOW, you’ve got a kid, Tegan.”

“Yeah.” He looked down at his feet and I saw a glimpse of the sixteen-year-old little brother of my ex I remembered. “It’s a long story.”

He introduced the boy. And as I greeted him I thought about his Uncle Chase. It must have shown on my face because Tegan said, “Chase went to rehab, you know. He’s clean.”

This news slapped my consciousness, pulling thoughts of Chase and me that I had buried deep back to the surface. I always used Chase’s drug problem as a barrier between us, but with him sober, what crutch would I use to keep away from him?

Tegan explained all the gritty details that led to Chase’s recovery and as I listened, I realized the story had more to do with me than I wanted to admit. An hour passed as we stood on the sidewalk talking. The toddler’s sapphire-colored eyes had long since closed and he lay limp in his daddy’s arms, exhausted by the summer’s heat. As we readied our goodbyes, fear must have shown on my face because Tegan looked at me as if he wanted to say more, but then tightened his jaw and said, “I better get this guy a proper nap. Maybe we’ll run into each other again.”

I wanted to give him my number to pass along to his brother, I really did, but I couldn’t. The number Chase had for me was changed long ago in a deliberate effort to keep him out of my life. I’d worked so hard to erect the wall between us, I couldn’t risk bringing it down. Copyright 2015 Susan Schussler

Perfect Alli: July 20

Alli: July 20th

I went to pick up Sarah this afternoon to go shopping. She wanted a new birthday outfit for when she meets her Internet guy for the first time on Friday and she asked for my help picking it out. She’s so funny. I’ve never seen her like this before, all excited and tongue-tied. I hope the guy doesn’t disappoint.

I walked in the front door of her parent’s house without knocking, because that’s what I’ve been doing since high school, and I literally faceplanted into Thor’s rock hard chest. His arms wrapped around my shoulders, steadying me. Wow, he smelled good. My gaze drifted to his gorgeous face and our eyes met.

“Hey.” His carefree voice resonated through his chest.

“Hi.” I didn’t know what to say. I just stood there in his arms in silence. It felt so good until he dropped his hold on me and stepped back.

“Um, yeah.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m waiting for Jeff. Are you here for Sarah?”

I nodded. “We’re supposed to go shopping. It’s her birthday on Friday.” Awkward.

“That’s right, the big reveal date. I tried to convince her the guy is probably a troll, but then he goes and gets her into a sold out concert. At least the troll’s got connections.”

“You should come with us. I bet we could add one more person to the list. It’s probably no big deal.” My mouth just went off on its own. Damn. Did I sound desperate? I had no idea if we could get him in.

“I can’t. I’ve got plans,” he said rubbing his fingers across his forehead as if he was embarrassed.

Did he have a date? Had he moved on that quickly? Just as I gathered enough courage to ask what his plans were, Jeff walked in from the kitchen.

“You ready?” he asked. He glanced at me with an insincere smile, calling upstairs to his sister, “Sarah, Alli’s here.” Then they were out the door. Gone. I resolved to ask Sarah what she knew, but I didn’t want to come off overly interested. I had all afternoon to bring it up.

It was two hours later before I found the right time to ask. Maybe it wasn’t exactly the right time, but it was as good a time as any other. Sarah and I had just sat down with our packages at a Cariboo Coffee. She’d found the perfect jacket to wear on her date. Though with the ninety degree days we’d been experiencing, I wasn’t sure how long she would be leaving it on. But she liked it so much that I didn’t want to mention the heat. I couldn’t deny she looked sexy and buoyant in it, and half the battle with fashion is finding what makes you confident.

“Hope that wasn’t too awkward seeing Thor this morning. I would have warned you, but I didn’t know he would be there.”

“It was fine.” I shrugged, taking a sip of my iced chai tea. “I asked him if he wanted to join us for your birthday celebration.”

She fidgeted in her chair and I added, “Don’t worry, he has plans.” I thought she was nervous because she might have to ask her Internet guy for another ticket, but that wasn’t it. I was just about to ask Sarah if she knew what his plans were when she spoke.

“I know,” she said softly, glancing down at her coffee and then back up at me, hesitating. “I thought that we should invite him too, but Jeff said that Thor has a date on Friday.”

“With who? He’s not getting back together with Nora, is he?” I was going to call and bitch him out if he was letting his cheating ex-fiancé back into his life.

“It’s not Nora. It’s just some girl he met.”

Of course, he met someone new. That’s what his body was built for. I sipped my tea and took my phone out of my purse to check my messages. Nothing. I glanced up to find Sarah watching me.

“You’re OK with him moving on, right?”

“Yeah.” I lied. “You know me. I’m not going to have time for a relationship once school starts.” I swallowed a few gulps of my drink, trying to rid my throat of the knot lodged there. It was what I wanted, right? My career comes first. The rest of the afternoon I tried to erase Thor’s date from my head, but I couldn’t. I knew I had made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Copyright 2015 Susan Schussler 

Blonde Chicks Preferred: July 19

Liam Nordstrom:  July 19

Nak and I met Jake Gorboni before heading over to Club Priela, on our second attempt to flush Leslie from Nak’s system. To say last week was unsuccessful would be an understatement, but this week Nak was ready. We got seated in the VIP area, not the best table, but decent for not letting the club know that we were coming. Girls surrounded us in a greater than usual effort to get our attention and I wasn’t sure if it was Jake’s company or my newly established notoriety that drew them in.

It’d been months since I was out at this club. My girlfriend wasn’t thrilled about me going out with the guys a second weekend in a row, but she accepted it for Nak’s sake. It was to her benefit to stop his moping around the house. She had to live with him too, after all.

I propped my casted leg on a chair, using my injury to pull more fish into our net. No one asked what happened to my leg. My motorcycle accident was common knowledge now. My crash and the false accusations of the underage girl had done wonders for my Internet presence and every female seemed to be in tune with my life’s story.

It was weird, being out at a club. I’d been removed from the scene too long. Since Kelsey moved in, I hadn’t been driven to go out shopping and that’s what a club is for a man, a giant chick mall. I’m not sure if I’d call what Kelsey and I have love, but it is the closest that I’ve ever been to that state. She’s the only person that I have ever dated that has made me stop to think before acting and that’s new for me.

I tried to direct the beauties toward Nak, even though the first sentence out of every girl’s mouth seemed to be, “So you’re single again?” They assumed that since Kelsey wasn’t there, we’d split. And though it helped bring them to the table, I wanted it clear that I wasn’t shopping.

“Nope, but my roommate Nak is newly available.” My comment met pouty lips and a few longing touches trying to prove that my words meant nothing, but I behaved. I’m not the immoral bastard I play on television and messing up what Kelsey and I have didn’t appeal to me.

A couple of hours in, Nak had his arms around two girls—one a dead ringer for Leslie and the other I was pretty sure I had hooked up with last year—I wasn’t going to bring up either detail though. At least he looked pseudo happy.

I never realized how boring clubs are when you’re not shopping or able to move around. I sat stuck at the table because of my leg, limited to the people that found me. When the brunette crossed my vision, I just assumed she’d come for Gorboni or Nak, but no such luck. When she said my name, I realized who it was and couldn't suppress the groan that slipped from my lips.

“What’s up, Mia?”

She waited for everyone at the table to give her their full attention. Even though they wouldn’t be able to hear her above the techno music, she obviously wanted all eyes on her. “Why can’t you get Jonathan to come out with you? I thought you were buds. He needs to get out more.”

I gawked at her in disbelief. He’d never come to this club and she knew it.

“I think he’s too preoccupied with that girl he’s seeing.” He wasn’t technically seeing her yet, but he was planning to meet her in less than a week and it brought me great satisfaction to watch the smugness on Mia’s face crumble into concern.

“What girl?” She straightened her posture and brushed her dark hair behind her shoulder, trying not to look bothered by my reveal.

“Some girl. He’s known her for months. Hasn’t he told you about her?”

She glared at me while the microprocessors in her head fired, trying to make sense of my words. “Not the non-Hollywood chick?”

“Yep. That’s her.” She was definitely not Hollywood.

“She’s never going to last,” she spat. And though it may have been true, I didn’t like the way it sounded coming from Mia’s mouth.

“What’s it matter to you anyway? I thought you were hot and heavy with Fallston. Are you done with him already?” Her lips curled into a sneer and she glared at me for a moment readying to tear my head off. I didn’t have the patience for her. Just as she opened her mouth, Tom Fallston’s arms wrapped around her behind her and he balanced his head on her shoulder.

“Hey, guys. Good music tonight, huh?” Fallston bellowed over the noise. They were still hot and heavy as far as he was concerned, I could tell. Mia, on the other hand, she’d drop him in a second if Jonathan Williams wanted her back.
Copyright 2015 Susan Schussler 

Blonde Chicks Preferred: July 12, 2013

Liam Nordstrom:  July 12, 2013

Will finally took the red pill and called the Internet girl. He was hilarious when he stopped by this afternoon, in the best mood. He kept cracking jokes and nothing I said seemed to bring him down. He’s completely whipped. He didn’t come clean with her about his fame, but at least he is talking to her. She sounds like a super sweet girl—nothing like Mia Thompson. Will deserves a break. Hope she doesn’t turn into a psycho bitch. He wants to meet her, so he and I were brainstorming on how he should spring his true identity on her.

“I say you just show up at her door. It’s not like she’s going to turn you away.”

“She might. She’s not impressed by fame. I think she’d see it as a detriment, not an asset. She’s not like the rest of the mindless drones. That’s why I like her.” He smiled and I could tell that he was thinking about something she said. “It’s got to be something big, something she can’t refuse.”

“If you had a premiere coming up, you could invite her to that.”

He shook his head. “I don’t. And I have to meet her before filming starts in September. It’s got to be larger-than-life, where she can’t just shut me down.”

“Talk to Nick,” I suggested. Our buddy Nick Reyes lives over the top every day and in a weird man-whore way knows women pretty damn well.

“Can do.” He cocked his head in agreement and we moved on to talking about his assistant Leslie and my housemate’s break up.

“Is it another guy?” I asked. “Because I think that Nak is in shock. He can’t figure out what happened.”

“I don’t think that she is seeing anyone else. Leslie said that they just agreed that it wasn’t working. She made it sound as if they were both too busy to keep it going.”

“If you gave the chick some time off, maybe she could have a decent relationship and Nak wouldn’t be moping around like a puppy with his head stuck in one of those clear plastic cones.”

“This is not my fault.”

Nak walked into the kitchen in yesterday’s clothes, wearing a three-day-old beard. “I’m pretty sure it is your fault, Jonathan Williams.” He sat down at the breakfast bar and spun around to face us.

“I am not getting involved in Leslie’s personal life. You are not worth me losing the only person that can keep me organized. Sorry, man.”

Nak slumped against the counter. “If she had just given me some warning. That would have been…I mean…what the hell? She shows up in Vancouver for my wrap party and granted the film didn’t have much of a budget so it wasn’t much of a party, but I was coming home. And she starts up with this it isn’t working BS. And we never see each other? We were flying out together. I just don’t understand.”

“It’s not another guy if that’s what you’re worried about. She’s probably just trying to work out her fall schedule. You know how anal she is. We’re going to be gone almost three months. Leslie likes to have everything methodically in order. I, on the other hand, say, seize the day.” Will chuckled and I knew he was talking about finally meeting the Internet girl.

“So you think I should call her or not?” Nak asked.

“Do what you have to do. Life’s too short. I’ve got to go,” Will added as he stood up and headed for the door.

“Can you talk to Leslie?”

Will turned and asked, “What do you want me to say.” He stared at him earnestly.   

“Tell her we’re going out clubbing tonight,” I hollered. There was no way in hell that I was going to let Nak beg. “This is LA. There’s plenty of chicks wanting some Nak. Her loss.” I lifted my chin to stress my point. He doesn’t need her. “Are you coming with us or not,” I ask Will.

He smiled. “Can’t. I’ve got to figure out my own problems.” As he headed for the door he added, “Gorboni said he was looking for something to do. Give him a call.”

“Good luck with the Internet girl,” I yelled before the door closed.

Kelsey was visiting her family so it was the perfect night to go clubbing and I could always find some more people to join us. I’d call Gorboni for sure. I hadn’t been out clubbing since before the accident. My plastic leg boot and pain would assure that dancing was out, but the sympathy card the cast brought would reel in the chicks—all in the name of helping Nak. The sacrifices I make.

“You better shave. I can’t take you anywhere looking like that,” I said, slapping my roomie on the back as I hobbled over to the counter to grab my phone and figure out our plans for the evening. Copyright 2015 Susan Schussler