about his first major acting role. A few years later, that enthusiasm had waned, replaced with skepticism and accompanied by a bottle of vodka. Jordan realized how little she knew about the years after that, when her own problems consumed her life. “Forgive me for asking,” she said, trying to broach the subject delicately. “But did you ever have a problem? You know, with alcohol?”
Jake’s brow furrowed as he appeared to consider it. After a minute, he shook his head. “I’m guilty of overindulging sometimes. You know that,” he said. “The open bar at the Daytime Emmys after-party was a favorite hangout of mine.” His lips curled in a sheepish smile, as if he were somehow embarrassed about his youthful excesses, which only made him more attractive. “I’ve always been able to stop when I wanted to, though.”
It pleased Jordan to hear it. “Be glad. I’m glad for you. It’s a toxic town.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “I’m glad you got out. You’re a very strong woman, Jordan.”
“I don’t always feel strong. Some days I just get by.” Jordan picked up the menu, opening it for the first time. “I don’t think I’ll be having the special.”
“I’m not suggesting you should,” Jake said, “but doesn’t the wine all cook out, anyway?”
It was a popular myth. Jordan shook her head. “Not completely. There’s some residual. Granted, probably not enough to make a difference, but I don’t like to flirt with danger.”
***
They butchered a few Spanish pronunciations, but managed to successfully order dinner. Jake learned that an empanada resembled a calzone and that the bife de chorizo mariposa was, indeed, a rib eye in the shape of a butterfly. The food was delicious and the company better.
“So you’ve filled in the blanks between the soaps and the movies,” Jordan said, after Jake gave her the behind-the-scenes scoop on the forgettable zombie movie. “I don’t know the beginning, though. How did a nice kid from Iowa end up in Hollywood?”
“Do you really want to know?”
“I asked, didn’t I?” She smiled, her whole face lighting up, and he knew she was truly interested.
“Mark Twain.”
“Say what?”
Jake laughed at her response. “I shocked my family,” he said. “My dad had thirty years in at John Deere before he retired a few years ago. My brother got a job there right out of high school, too , and I was expected to do the same. Then the community theater happened the summer I was ten.” He reached for his water glass and took a drink. “I played Huck Finn, and that was all she wrote.”
“Huck Finn? Seriously?” She cocked her head to the side and scrunched up her face as if trying to picture it , and Jake wanted to kiss her right there at the table. “I bet you were adorable.”
“I guess I was pretty cute, yeah.” Jake shrugged. “Pretty lame story. I bet you’re sorry you asked.”
“No, I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner, but I wasn’t a very nice person then,” Jordan said. “It’s a shame I had to almost lose everything to start caring about people.”
Her perception was so different from the reality Jake remembered that he found himself at a loss how to respond. “For the record, I never saw you that way. I always thought you cared.” He reached across the table and put his hand on hers. “But I won’t deny that you’re even more incredible now.”
***
Jake’s palms were sweating when he pulled the car to a stop in Jordan’s driveway. If possible, he felt almost as nervous as he had when he drove Susie Walker home after the high school prom and didn’t know what to say or whether he should try to kiss her. Back then, the decision was made for him when the porch light turned on and Susie’s dad came out of the house, a stern expression on his face.
Now, at least, he wouldn’t face any disapproving father, but after mutually agreeing they wouldn’t rush the physical aspect of their relationship this time, Jake found himself
Jake’s brow furrowed as he appeared to consider it. After a minute, he shook his head. “I’m guilty of overindulging sometimes. You know that,” he said. “The open bar at the Daytime Emmys after-party was a favorite hangout of mine.” His lips curled in a sheepish smile, as if he were somehow embarrassed about his youthful excesses, which only made him more attractive. “I’ve always been able to stop when I wanted to, though.”
It pleased Jordan to hear it. “Be glad. I’m glad for you. It’s a toxic town.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “I’m glad you got out. You’re a very strong woman, Jordan.”
“I don’t always feel strong. Some days I just get by.” Jordan picked up the menu, opening it for the first time. “I don’t think I’ll be having the special.”
“I’m not suggesting you should,” Jake said, “but doesn’t the wine all cook out, anyway?”
It was a popular myth. Jordan shook her head. “Not completely. There’s some residual. Granted, probably not enough to make a difference, but I don’t like to flirt with danger.”
***
They butchered a few Spanish pronunciations, but managed to successfully order dinner. Jake learned that an empanada resembled a calzone and that the bife de chorizo mariposa was, indeed, a rib eye in the shape of a butterfly. The food was delicious and the company better.
“So you’ve filled in the blanks between the soaps and the movies,” Jordan said, after Jake gave her the behind-the-scenes scoop on the forgettable zombie movie. “I don’t know the beginning, though. How did a nice kid from Iowa end up in Hollywood?”
“Do you really want to know?”
“I asked, didn’t I?” She smiled, her whole face lighting up, and he knew she was truly interested.
“Mark Twain.”
“Say what?”
Jake laughed at her response. “I shocked my family,” he said. “My dad had thirty years in at John Deere before he retired a few years ago. My brother got a job there right out of high school, too , and I was expected to do the same. Then the community theater happened the summer I was ten.” He reached for his water glass and took a drink. “I played Huck Finn, and that was all she wrote.”
“Huck Finn? Seriously?” She cocked her head to the side and scrunched up her face as if trying to picture it , and Jake wanted to kiss her right there at the table. “I bet you were adorable.”
“I guess I was pretty cute, yeah.” Jake shrugged. “Pretty lame story. I bet you’re sorry you asked.”
“No, I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner, but I wasn’t a very nice person then,” Jordan said. “It’s a shame I had to almost lose everything to start caring about people.”
Her perception was so different from the reality Jake remembered that he found himself at a loss how to respond. “For the record, I never saw you that way. I always thought you cared.” He reached across the table and put his hand on hers. “But I won’t deny that you’re even more incredible now.”
***
Jake’s palms were sweating when he pulled the car to a stop in Jordan’s driveway. If possible, he felt almost as nervous as he had when he drove Susie Walker home after the high school prom and didn’t know what to say or whether he should try to kiss her. Back then, the decision was made for him when the porch light turned on and Susie’s dad came out of the house, a stern expression on his face.
Now, at least, he wouldn’t face any disapproving father, but after mutually agreeing they wouldn’t rush the physical aspect of their relationship this time, Jake found himself
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