She looked at me. “Taryn, do you remember if there was a name or number on your cell?”

“No, there wasn’t,” I whispered.

“Where is your phone?” She grasped the air. “Get it for me.”

I regretted my foolishness, but there was nothing I could do to change it.

“It’s on a highway in Florida,” I admitted.

Tammy rolled her eyes at me.

“Ryan, I’m telling you, she didn’t know you were still filming! Well, did you tell her that your schedule changed?” Marie yelled back at him.

“He said the morning shoot got pushed back because Lauren was feeling sick but later she felt better so they were behind schedule when they filmed the restaurant scene,” she whispered to me. “He didn’t get a chance to call because you were already on the plane and he was on location.”

“I guess he was in such a hurry to see her that he forgot to throw her love note away?” I muttered, thoroughly disgusted with the lies. “Ask him how long he’s been fucking her.”

Marie gave me a dirty look and covered her phone with her hand so Ryan wouldn’t hear me.

“Let him cover his tracks,” I said scornfully. “Go ahead and believe him because I sure don’t.”

Marie groaned. “Ryan, she hasn’t been answering your calls because apparently she no longer has a cell phone.

“Quit yelling in my ear!” she yelled back at him. “Stop it, Ryan! You love Taryn and Taryn loves you. She’s a mess; you’re a mess. You both need to chill out!

“Ryan, listen to the facts! Does any of this sound logical to either one of you?”

Marie spent another twenty minutes trying to calm him down. Eventually, she snapped her phone shut. “He’s going to call back.”

While she talked, my mind collapsed from the strain.

“When he calls back, tell him he can come and get his shit out of my apartment, because I’m done with all of this. I’m done with the lies, and the rumors, and the photographs, and having my boyfriend shove his tongue in some other girl’s mouth when he thinks I’m not looking. It’s over,” my voice cracked. The familiar pain rippled through my chest again.

“Just calm down. Nothing is over. You’re overreacting,” Marie patronized me.

“Get out,” I seethed. “Just get out and take the rest of the Ryan Fan Club with you.” I stormed past her, wishing my bedroom door wasn’t broken so I could slam it shut.

“Tar, don’t be like this.” Marie followed me.

“I don’t get it, Marie! I thought you were my best friend? Aren’t you supposed to be on my side? Or are you so blinded by worshiping mister actor man that you believe him?” I yelled at her. “Call him back. I’m sure he’ll fuck you too.”

Marie gritted her teeth and before I could react, she slapped me across the face.

My hand covered the sting she left on my cheek. She smacked me hard enough that my eyes started to water. Tears formed right after that.

Everyone I loved in this world had just betrayed me.

“Get a grip already, damn it!” Marie screamed at me.

“I told you that if you ever screwed this relationship up I would kick your ass myself. And here you are, royally screwing up the best thing that has ever happened to you! Ryan loves you, you idiot! He’s not screwing Lauren!”

Marie started to pace my bedroom floor. Tammy was trying to hold me as I sobbed on my bed.

“Pete! I’m gonna…!” Marie stated emphatically, losing her patience.

“No, Marie, don’t!” Pete lunged forward. “Last resort…”

Marie held her breath for a moment before turning her glare back to me.

“If you want a future with that man then you need stop thinking this way - immediately! Do you think that Ryan Christensen, the man who has been insanely in love with you since the first day he met you, would do that to you? Do you honestly think he would put you on a plane, fly you first class to stay in a luxury suite so he could accidentally let you see some bogus love note and break up with you?”

She gaped at me, waiting for my response. I had none.

“What was waiting for you in his hotel room?” Marie asked angrily.

“Marie!” Tammy cautioned.

Marie waved her off. “Taryn!”

“Nothing.” I sniffed. “Heartache and devastation… and some skanky ho’s panties.”

Marie groaned. “No, Taryn. I’m talking about the dresses.”

“Oh, yeah… the rest of Lauren’s clothing,” I muttered. “A whole rack of her glamorous things. More evidence of her staying in his room.”

“Taryn!” Tammy scolded. “All those gowns were for you!”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t think so. Wait, how do you know about the dresses?”

“Versace, Vera Wang, Jimmy Choo… sound familiar?” Marie asked. “Please tell me you at least looked at the dresses!”

“I did. I thought I was in the wrong room; I mean why would Ryan have evening gowns on a rack?” I asked.

“They were for you!” Marie insisted. “Ryan arranged to have a variety of dresses there - he wanted you to have your pick of what you would wear to dinner.”

I looked at Marie, surprised that she knew all these details and shocked that the dresses were for me.

“And why do you suppose Ryan would want to dress you up in an expensive dress and Jimmy Choos? So he could leave you for Lauren?”

Marie shook her head. “He made a ton of arrangements…”

“Marie!” Tammy and Pete both yelled at the same time.

Marie gave them both a reproachful look and continued. “To take you on a private, romantic dinner on Biscayne Bay for your birthday,” she finished.

I felt my heart lodge into my throat.

Marie crouched down in front of me. “All of us want to see you happy, not miserable and broken like this. Ryan is so in love with you!” She smiled. “Don’t give up on him.”

“Tar, pull your end over a bit more,” Tammy asked, fixing the clean bed sheet on my bed. “Marie, we need one more pillow case.”

Pete had gathered overnight bags together and everyone was staying with me. My friends weren’t about to leave me alone.

“We could always play cards,” Pete suggested. He looked hopeful.

“That’s up to Taryn,” Tammy answered.

I crawled onto my bed and pulled the quilt up over my shoulder. “Not tonight,” I muttered.