'And that's the news. Please stay tuned for The Tonight Show. Good night everybody.'
Off the air.
We took off our mikes and headed to our dressing rooms.
'Ryan, are you still good with hosting the girl's party?'
'Yeah, but you owe me one.'
'I owe you one? I think you have way more IOUs to me.'
'OK, fine. I will still do it.'
'Just feed them then disappear. Let them do their own thing upstairs.'
'Are they all sleeping over?
'At last count, yes, all six.'
'So they are doubling up in the bedrooms?'
'I guess, they are college girls, they can figure it out.'
'What time are they coming?'
'I told them six.'
'Good, I should be done with the shoot by then.'
'Why do you keep doing those swimsuit shoots?'
'It forces me to stay in shape. And it is easy money.'
We were at her dressing room. She opened the door. I stopped her by touching her arm.
'I signed the papers today. So it's official.'
'Are you happy? You got what you wanted.'
'I thought we would always be together. That is what I wanted, but you gave me no choice.' I said.
'Listen Ryan. You had a choice. I begged your forgiveness, but you wouldn't give it. Your bruised male ego wouldn't allow it. Mr. TV Sex Symbol's wife sought out sex with another man. Just once. That was it. You didn't believe me.'
She looked down. Tears running down her cheek, smearing her makeup.
'Just one fucking time and you divorce me. Good night Ryan.'
'But Lauren, I...'
She slammed the door in my face.
She was right. I couldn't forgive her then, now I want to. Why did I sign the papers? I should have torn them up.
When we broke the news to Jillian, she moved out with Lauren. She wasn't all the mad at me, it's just she has always been closer to Lauren.
At first, she wasn't happy having the party at my place, but Lauren was going out of town. Jillian's circle of friends couldn't move the date, so Jillian gave in.
The local station management knew about the divorce. They insisted that we continue to be co-anchors. We were the top rated 10 PM local news show. So we would continue to see each other every weekday of every week, plus if we were called upon to do specials.
The network execs had their eye on us to move up to a national desk as a team. So bottom line we had to be our usual sparkling personalities when working together. Landing a network desk would mean huge dollars for us.
Lauren came out of her dressing room and blew by me with a roller board suitcase. She was in a hurry to catch a redeye somewhere. She didn't share that with me.
I turned to head to my dressing room and literally bumped into Brittany. She dropped the script she was reading. I picked it up for her.
It was uncomfortable. Her husband, my wife caught by her private detective.
'Sorry Brittany, I wasn't looking where I was going.'
'That's fine, I shouldn't walk and read at the same time.'
A long pause ensued.
'Ryan, I overheard a little bit of your conversation with Lauren. I signed my papers yesterday.'
All I could muster was, 'Sorry to hear that.'
'She still insists it was just one time with Hugh. I am starting to believe her.' I said.
'I don't. I think they have been going at it for quite a while. I saw the breadcrumbs, but I wanted to ignore them. They are still seeing each other.'
I just nodded my head. Then it registered.
'They are still seeing each other. How do you know?'
'I still get his travel notifications. He is flying out on a redeye tonight.'
'So is Lauren.'
'He hasn't turn me off from Find My Phone. Here he is at the airport. The international terminal.'
I checked my Find My Phone. Lauren was in the same place.
'Looks like he is boarding now.'
'Damn, she is too.'
'What are the odds that they happen to be on the same international flight?'
'That fucking slut liar.'
I was fuming.
Brittany gently took my hand. She changed the subject.
'So the girls are doing the sleepover at your place?'
'Yeah, because Lauren is going out of town with her lover Hugh.'
I let that hang in the air.
'I'll drop Taylor off by 6. What time should I pick her up?'
'Have no idea. Maybe just set a time with her. Text me with the time.'
'Will do.'
She started to walk away, then stopped.
'What do you think about going out to dinner sometime? But no talk about divorce.'
'I would like that Brittany.'
'Let's figure that out when I pick up Taylor.'
'Sounds good.'
I always found her attractive, kind of sexy. Why did Hugh seek out Lauren? Or did Lauren do the seeking?
***
I had to be at the beach shoot at 6 AM. The three of us had ten swimsuits each to model.
Doubt creeped in about finishing in time for the sleepover. It was an hour drive back plus I had to arrange for the food.
I saw her down the beach. My own paparazzi dressed in her usual hoodie and sweats. She had her telephoto lens camera and video camera.
I have no idea how she finds out about the timing and location of the shoots. But she is always there.
She posts her pics and videos to her social media sites dedicated to me. Millions of followers. I don't think it is warranted but it has got me national attention with network.
A segment about me and my swimsuit modeling made the national Sunday morning show as a special interest piece. It doubled her social media followers and generated untold good natured kidding from our local station employees of me.
Comments on her posts came from women and men who are interested in men. Most comments pretty clean, some pretty raunchy.
Today's swimsuits were from Speedo. Some had more cloth than others. All of them tight fitting. When wet, a little too revealing for the mainstream magazines, The other revealing photos picked up by what my agent calls special interest magazines and soft porn websites.
One porn site made an offer to my agent to do a video with one of the high rated adult movie stars. The storyline, she picks me up on the beach, we go to the beach house and have sex.
I checked out some of her work, most of it done in an erotic style, not raunchy. Looks like someone who has polished her craft.
It was tempting but we turned it down. That would ruin my network career.
The shoot went faster than I anticipated. I seized the opportunity to try and meet my paparazzi. She saw me coming and ran. Too much of a head start, I let her go. Someday.
I have sent her DMs offering to meet, but I never got a response. I wouldn't ask her to stop, I am just interested in why. Why does she do it?
An incoming text from Brittany - she will pick up Taylor at 10:30 unless I tell her otherwise.
***
Made it home by 5. LA traffic was... well LA traffic. Two hours to get home.
Jillian's car in the driveway. It had been a month since I've seen her. I found her in the living room watching the Olympics. A glass of wine in hand.
'Hey Jill.'
'Hi Dad. Love your shoot. My god those were tiny swimsuits. You can see your... you can see everything. She had one closeup where... never mind.'
My paparazzi took pictures of everything. Typically she cropped out my face or blurred it, but everyone knew, after all her handle was @LoveRyan.
'Dad, do the companies get mad about her posts?'
'No, they actually like it. The professionally photos look way better, and they are in the finest magazines.'
'I think it is kind of fun that you are so popular and... sexy.'
Suddenly she turned sad.
'Jill, what's wrong?'
She started crying. I sat next to her on the couch and put my arm around her.
'Mom told me that the divorce is final. I was holding out hope that some miracle would occur, and you would stay married, we would live together again, and we would all live happily ever after.'
'Sorry honey. Sometimes I wish that too. Then I get reminded why not.'
'What, what are you talking about?'
'I really don't want to talk about it.'
'Why not? Is it that bad?'
'Okay. So we are having your party here instead of at Mom's.'
'Yeah, she said she was going to visit Aunt Kathryn.'
'I know for a fact that she flying to an international destination with Hugh.'
'No, that is not true.'
'True.'
She went quiet.
'I hate her. She lied to you, she lies to me, anything to get fucked by some guy.'
Tears rolling down her cheek.
'I take back the last comment. After all he is Taylor's Dad.'
'Dad, I worry about Taylor. She sleeps around a lot. At some point, she is going to sleep with the wrong person.'
'Thank god her Mom is a strong person. It will be up to her to keep her in line.' I said.
She leaned into my shoulder.
'Please Dad, please don't let me down.'
'Jill, I won't. I promise.'
'Dad, can I move back with you? The thought of living with Mom now is disgusting.'
'Sure. I would love that.'
She kissed me on the cheek.
'Thanks Dad. I love you.'
'Love you more Jill.'
The doorbell rang. If was 5:30.
'Has to be Mary, she is always early.'
'Jill, I haven't even thought of food.'
She stood up and headed to the front door.
'No worries. I have pizza coming at six.'
'Now I love you even more!' I said.
***
A steady stream of 19 year old college co-eds wearing anything from short shorts to sun dresses to jeans. Long blonde hair, black hair even a red head. All of them carrying their overnight bag and some kind of alcohol -- beer, wine, whiskey. These girls were ready to party celebrating the end of their college freshman year.
The girls were Jill's 'rat pack' of friends. The friendships going all the back to middle school. All of them pretty and smart. And a little bit sassy.