in my apartment with Ryan.

“So Ms. Mitchell, since we’ve come to new agreements, are you ready to renegotiate the terms of your contract?” Ryan raised a questioning

brow, smirking hopefully on our way to the bedroom.

“That all depends on what you’re offering.”

“How about two for the price of one on Tuesdays?” he snickered, pushing the door closed with his fingers.

Ryan was so sound asleep he didn’t even budge the first time the alarm clock chimed. He was lying flat on his back, spread out on the bed in the

same position he was after our incredible night. I figured I’d give him a few more minutes, so I went out to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

“Ouch,” I muttered walking to the door with a slight limp; my hip was hurting from how he maneuvered me last night. I smiled inside,

remembering how I got in this much pain.

“Babe, time to wake up.” I rubbed my hand across his chest.

Our morning felt like it could quickly become routine. While he showered, I made his coffee – poured in one of those Styrofoam to-go cups that

looks like you got it at the convenience store, and then brushed my teeth while he informed me of his schedule.

We were just like any other normal couple getting ready to go to work. I set out a new pack of gum next to his keys and organized his blue

papers so he wouldn’t forget them. His cell phone was plugged into the charger so I readied that for him too.

“You are the best assistant I could have ever hoped for!” He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me goodbye at the back door. “I

love you. I’ll call you later.”

I trudged up my steps, now wide-awake in the wee hours of the morning. Bored, I turned my computer on with the original excuse of checking on

my bank statements, but instead I searched his name.

After I checked his one fan-made blog site, I returned to the news results.

Today’s news headlines showed the following:

Ryan Christensen autograph signing

Fans make Ryan’s new love jealous!

“What the?” I clicked on the link that referred to my jealousy.

Beware ladies! Fans make Ryan’s new girlfriend see Red!

Fans lined up inside his new hangout, the rustic Mitchell’s Pub in Seaport, RI to see their favorite star as he held an impromptu meet and

greet Tuesday night. A few lucky ladies who happened to be at the right place at the right time got to meet the sexy actor as he posed for

pictures and signed autographs for his die-hard fans.

A few ladies who happened to be there when he arrived shortly before 7:00 p.m. said that he was happy and friendly as he greeted his fans.

“We only had to wait for twenty minutes, so it wasn’t too bad. It was worth every second!” one lady reported. Other women who waited over

an hour reported that Ryan’s supposed new love, bar owner Taryn Mitchell, was furious as she watched him sign autographs. “She told

women to get out and then she yelled at everyone inside – we just laughed.”

But a friend of the actor isn’t surprised, reporting that Ryan’s new girlfriend seems like the jealous, controlling type. It won’t take him long to

get tired of her. She even tells him who he can hang out with. He has cut off most of his friends from the set and is only allowed to socialize

with her friends. Ryan doesn’t stay on set any longer than he has to. He’s always sneaking off to check in with her when he is there. It’s like he

has to tell her everything he’s doing.

Another insider reports that Ryan has been completely controlled by Taryn. She’s even insisting that he move in with her, pushing the

relationship into fast-forward. “His luggage was removed from the hotel on Monday.”

I felt like I could pass out. This report took everything out of context, and now the entire world thinks I’m a controlling hell-bitch!

Would he ever get tired of me like the story said? Does he want someone tending to his needs or will he think I’m crowding him one day? I

remembered what happened when I dated Dean. He didn’t want someone to take care of him. Every time I tried to be a doting girlfriend, he pulled

further and further away.

Am I already ruining this relationship? Have I stepped onto the wrong path and didn’t even know it? I don’t think I’m controlling him. Am I? Would

he think that I was trying to smother/mother him by setting out his phone, keys, and a pack of gum? Maybe I shouldn’t do that anymore.

Ten minutes ago I was blissfully happy and now I was a complete and utter mess inside. I curled up under my quilt on the couch and tried to

distract myself with television. It didn’t help; my mind raced and a few tears of uncertainty and insecurity dripped down onto the pillow.

Why do I hear music playing? I pondered in my dream. I suddenly woke, hearing my cell phone play in the kitchen. I was a little disoriented.

How long had I been sleeping? I looked at the clock on the DVD player – it was a few minutes before ten.

I tossed the quilt off my legs and plodded to the kitchen. My cell phone showed two missed calls – both from Ryan.

I called him back immediately.

“Are you okay?” he asked loudly.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I fell asleep on the couch. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear the phone ring.”

He breathed out a heavy sigh. “I got worried when you didn’t answer.”

“I’m fine,” I repeated, rubbing my eyes. “How’s your day going?”

“It’s tolerable. We just took a break. Hey, I was wondering if you could do me a favor? Remember the other day we talked about taking my mom

out for her birthday but we never looked up restaurants. Cal told me about a restaurant someplace outside of Providence called Sabatinis or

Salatinis, something like that. I tried to find it on the net but I can’t locate it.”

“Let me look.” I bumped the mouse on my computer to get the screen saver to clear. The cause of my mental breakdown earlier was still on the

screen. “I’m searching for Italian restaurants Providence,” I informed. I paged through the results.

“La Scalatini’s? Does that sound like it?” I asked. “It’s located in Wyndham which is outside the city.” I clicked on the link to their website.

“Cal, can you come…La Scalatini, was that it? Excellent! Honey, is there a phone number?” I read the number to him.

“Great! I’m going to make a reservation for Friday. What time do you think? Eight-thirty or nine?”

“What time are you getting off of set Friday?”

“Seven. What do you think?”

“Let’s shoot for nine, then we have extra time in case we need it,” I replied.

“Sounds good. Are you going out today?”

“No. I have things I want to do around here.” I thought about cleaning the apartment and finishing the laundry. “I have to wash our dirty bed

sheets,” I snickered.

“Yeah, you did make a mess of things last night!” he teased.

“I had help,” I giggled.

“I actually think I sprained my hip!”

“You? I’ve been limping around here all morning,” I admitted.

“Have you really? Huh, that’s too funny. And here I thought I was the only one hurting. Guess we put a hurting on each other!” he growled. “Cal

asked me why I was moving so slow.”

“You were asleep about five minutes afterwards… in the same position.” I laughed.

“You wore me out with all of that good loving. I have to stop thinking about it. I’m going to make those dinner reservations and I’ll see you around

seven. I love you.”

“I love you too!”

I smiled as I tore the sheets off our bed and carried the pile to the laundry room. I heard my phone ring again, but it wasn’t his ringtone.

“Hey Marie, what’s up?”

“Taryn?” I could tell by her voice that she had been crying.

“Marie, what’s wrong?” I panicked.

“Gary’s mom died this morning.”

“Oh my God, Marie. I’m so sorry.” An old memory of me calling Marie to tell her my mom had died flashed through my mind. “What happened?”