I skid out into the hallway just as Mark Wahlberg walks through the door, he’s closely followed by Josh Hartnett. I swallow back a deep sigh and I look them both up and down. Mark is DEFINITELY my favourite. He is just gorgeous, with his soft brown eyes and his fit body. Mmm. I shake myself out of the daydream as he advances towards me with a big smile.
“Hey there, I’m Mark.”
“Hi Mark,” I try not to simper too much but c’mon!
“And you would be…?”
“Huh?” I stare up at him.
“I kinda need to call you somethin’,” he looks amused. “Or maybe I should just call you mine.”
“That’d do,” I giggle. “My name’s Jade Greene.”
“Jade Greene,” says Josh reaching for my hand and kissing it softly. “I guess your parents couldn’t resist.”
“Nup,” I giggle again and mentally shoot myself. Here I am, a twenty one year old respected writer with a great boyfriend, and I’m acting like a starstruck teenybopper. God help me. “Well, it’s good to meet you guys. I loved The Big Hit,” I tell Mark with a grin.
“Yeah? Most people pick Boogie Nights,” he says with a suggestive smile.
“Oh purlease!” I laugh as we head into an empty room. “That was so obviously fake,” I sit down and grin at Mark and Josh. Mark’s pretending to be offended and Josh is laughing hard.
“Hey, how do you know that?”
“Honey, I know what a real one looks like,” I smile sweetly and he sits next to me with a grin.
“Well, maybe you need to check this real one out…”
“Mark!” Josh coughs out between laughter. “You guys are BAD. And I need the rest-room.”
“Thatta way,” I point out a door and he heads towards it.
“A little hot and bothered, eh Josh?” suggests Mark. Josh throws him a dirty look and shuts the door behind him. Mark laughs and turns to me. “Well, Jade Greene. You’re not how I’d expect a photographer to be.”
“That’s because I’m not one,” I reply. “I’m a writer.”
“I wasn’t aware we were doin’ interviews… Not that I object to a little one-on-one with you,” he grins.
“No interviews,” I say. “I’m just here for the fun.”
“Whew, it’s hot in here,” he says, peeling off his jacket. “Or is it just me?”
I resist making any comment and hand him a bottle of water from the nearby table.
We chat for about five more minutes, before I decide to go to check on Jade and the other guys. Excusing myself, I walk back into Ashton’s room, only to find Ryan Phillippe sitting like Mr. High-and-mighty in Ashton’s chair, and digging through his drawers.
“What the hell do you think you are doing?!” I ask, running up to his desk and pulling Ryan’s hands out.
“Excuse me, child. I’m waiting for my photographer,” he takes off his shades and looks me up and down. “You must be the entertainment for while I wait,” he decides, standing up and proceeding to put his hands on my waist.
“Hands off of her, you sick motherfucker!” says a familiar voice, coming up behind me and pulling me to him. “What the hell do you think she is, a hooker?!” he yells, wrapping an arm around me. I look up into the eyes of Joshua Asshole Jackson. He winks down at me then picks me up in a hug. “Ali McNamara. My favourite person in the world! How’s my girl doing?” he says loudly, as if showing me off.
“Thank you,” I whisper into his ear and he nods. Maybe this guy’s not all bad. “Oh, darling, I’m fabulous!” I say in a classy voice.
“Ryan, what a nice first impression you have made on our photographer.”
Ryan’s eyes widen and his jaw nearly misses the floor. “Yes… simply marvellous,” he grunts.
“Ali?” calls Paul as he walks into the room. Noticing Ryan and Joshua inches away from each other’s faces he stops in his tracks, Heath knocking into him. Paul lets out a smile grin, and Heath tries to cover up his laughter with a fake cough.
“What are you giggling about back there?” Ryan asks, with an attitude that I don’t find attractive at all.
Ignoring him Heath asks, “Al, we were just wondering about a good fast food place. We were getting a bit famished, so we figured we’d go out for a minute. Is that alright?”
“Definitely, I’m pretty hungry myself. I didn’t have lunch,” I say.
“We’d be glad to pick you up something. You too, Joshua,” Paul offers.
“No thanks, I already ate thank you,” Ryan mutters sarcastically.
“Well, that takes care of that,” Heath laughs.
“I’d love something, I’m starved,” Joshua says, rubbing his stomach as if to prove the point.
“And your friend?” Heath asks.
I glance behind all of them into the actual studio. I smile as Mark leans in to wipe a stray strand of hair out of Jade’s face and she giggles. ‘Her dream come true,’ I think to myself. Hmm, I guess Josh Hartnett’s in the bathroom.
“Well, she’s a bit busy with Mark Wahlberg and Josh Hartnett back there. So, how about you call us whenever you get to wherever you are going, and then you can take our orders?”
“Sounds great, we’ll be back in a jiff,” Heath answers, him and Paul walking out of the door.
An uncomfortable silence falls over the room. Nervously, I decide to break it.
“I guess I’ll go see what Jade is up to. You guys, make yourselves comfortable.”
“So, Jade…” Mark leans closer to me and reaches out to touch my hair. I move away from him and stand up just as Josh comes back from the restroom.
“Everything ok Josh?” I ask him brightly, trying to calm my breathing down.
“Just fine,” he grins. “Ooh, can I get a Danish?” he asks, heading over to the tray of cakes on the table next to Mark.
“Knock yourself out,” I grin.
“Everyone ok in here?” asks Ali, walking into the room.
“Just great,” Mark stands up and reaches out a hand to Ali. “You must be the photographer.”
“Yeah, just call me Ali.”
“Well, photographer was a bit of a mouthful,” he winks at her and she blushes slightly.
“I’m Josh,” he says through a mouthful of Danish. He holds out a sticky hand to Ali and then blushes as she hesitates. “Oops!” he wipes it on his jeans and tries again. She shakes hands with a smile.
“Good to meet Josh.”
“Oh hey Josh, Mark,” Ryan Phillippe enters the room behind Ali and I gaze at him.
The man is a God. I have a serious weakness for men who pout and his lips are just MADE for pouting. He’s followed by Joshua Jackson. He’s cute but I have to admit he don’t really do it for me. Ryan looks at me and steps forward with a half-smile that almost kills me.
“And who are you?”
“I’m Jade Greene,” I manage to work my mouth normally.
“Good to meet you Jade Greene. Like the name,” he grins. “I’m Ryan. In case you didn’t know.”
That added comment grates on me. The guy is turning out to be an arrogant prick. And judging by the faces Ali is making behind him, she happens to agree.
“Sure I knew,” I say brightly. “You’re Ryan David, right? The guy from Dawson’s Creek,” I add, knowing about his rivalry with Joshua Jackson. Judging by the smothered giggles from Ali, Mark and Josh, they all know too. Ryan’s smile fades and he looks at me coldly.
“It’s Ryan Phillippe actually. And I bypassed TV shows for the movies.”
“Really? Oh gee, my bad,” I say innocently. “A Danish?” I offer him the plate.
“Thanks,” he takes one and sits next to Mark.
Joshua walks over to me and shakes my hand. “The guy from Dawson’s Creek,” he says dryly with a wink. “Didn’t bypass TV shows but hell, who cares?”
“Not all those millions of Creek fans,” I say with a grin.