CHAPITRE 11

Day finally dawned and Rey slowly opened her eyes. The little design cube facing her on the nightstand read 7:30 and, snuggled into the warm, soft cocoon of blankets, she stretched like a cat before realizing that the place next to her was empty.

Bummer. Ben was already gone. She knew that he had to go to the airport very early but she would still have preferred to wake up next to him to enjoy it a little.

Because yes, she was madly in love with this man and she wanted only one thing now: to spend all the rest of her nights with him.

She had a good hour ahead of her before she was due at the clinic so she got up, determined to explore her lover's cozy little New York nest.

Not finding her T-shirt around the bed, she put on the one Ben had left lying on the chair by the door. The scent of his skin permeated the fabric and she shivered with pleasure.

In the hallway, she passed in front of a room that had been converted into a home gym. Treadmill, elliptical, weight bench; professional equipment, ideal for completing his rehab under optimal conditions. Ben had obviously decided to follow her advice and that made her smile.

She arrived in the living room and finally discovered the place in broad daylight. Ben's apartment was bright and cozy, open to a large modern kitchen, and tastefully decorated. A huge library with well-stocked shelves built around a beautiful fireplace occupied an entire wall. On a console behind the sofa, Rey came across a collection of photos. It showed Ben, posing with his parents, his uncle, and even Amilyn. He was adorable as a child, with his mischievous look and protruding ears, and Rey thought to herself that Leia Organa and Han Solo really made a beautiful couple.

She then moved forward to admire the view of the river and bridge through the large bay window when a delicious smell of toast wafted in from the kitchen. Rey's eyes widened as she discovered what awaited her in the middle of the center island.

Toast, pancakes, jam, orange juice, and even a bowl of cereal! She also found a note folded in half on the tray, which she hastened to read.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hey you,

Slept well I hope? I'm so sorry I disappeared on you this morning, but you were sleeping so peacefully and you were so beautiful to look at that I didn't have the heart to wake you up.

Make yourself at home. There's milk in the fridge. I also have Earl Grey tea on the shelf above the microwave and if you prefer, coffee capsules by the machine. And don't worry about leaving, just close the door behind you.

I can't wait for this trip to Orlando to be over so we can be together again. I miss you already.

Ben.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Toast, Earl Grey and a sweet note… This man was absolutely wonderful.

After filling her belly and realizing that she had to leave, she tidied up the kitchen a bit and then made her way back to the bedroom, humming to herself as she picked up her clothes along the way. Only her bra was still missing.

Where could it have landed?

On all fours, she checked under the bed.

Bingo. It was there.

But something else, right next to the undergarment, caught her attention.

Standing up again, she examined the small, shiny object she had just retrieved and her good mood suddenly evaporated.

It was the bracelet Zorii Bliss had been wearing five days earlier, when Ben had introduced them to each other.

OoooO

"OH. MY. GOD! I still can't believe Finn showed up at the clinic! What a drag that one is! Thank goodness it all worked out and you were finally able to find Ben! So tell me the rest! How did it go?"

"It went fine."

"Fine? Do you think you're just going to get away with just 'fine'? I want all the details! And most importantly, how was the SEX?"

As soon as she'd arrived at Brookdale Hospital, Rose hadn't let Rey out of her sight until the first patients had walked through the door of the waiting room. The petite brunette was bubbling over with excitement. Rey had managed to hold her off until lunchtime but now, sitting across from her in the cafeteria, it was impossible to escape her friend's barrage of questions.

"The sex was amazing, but it would be nice if you could avoid announcing it to the whole room," Rey whispered, giving a polite smile to the people who had now turned their heads towards them.

"Awwwww, I'm so jealous! Why can't this kind of fairy tale happen to me? Imagine Armitage Hux, taking a walk in Central Park and accidentally falling off his electric scooter - so yes, in his last interview he admitted to owning an electric scooter. I just happen to be strolling near the lake and I witness the scene. I fly to his aid, our eyes meet and BANG! It's love at first sight. Then we both start chatting, lost in each other's eyes, hearts pounding, while I wrap up his leg…"

"Because of course you always walk around with a roll of bandages on you," Rey laughed.

"Hey, let me dream, will you?" Rose defended herself. "Well anyway, I'm absolutely thrilled for both of you. Can you believe it? You're officially dating Ben Solo, Hollywood's most eligible bachelor!"

Rey struggled to get as excited as her friend and dug into her spaghetti a little too quickly, which finally made Rose realize that something was wrong.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Rey kept her eyes down and Rose suddenly became concerned.

"Spit it out, Kanata," she ordered, "I can see there's a problem."

Rey stopped pushing her food around with her fork and looked up.

"I found a bracelet belonging to Zorii Bliss this morning under Ben's bed when I was picking up my things."

Rose's fork froze halfway between her plate and her mouth and she stared at Rey with wide eyes.

"Zorii Bliss, the actress?"

Rey confirmed with a nod.

"She's going to star with Ben in that new Broadway play."

"Wow! And what did Ben say when you showed it to him?" Rose asked.

"He had already left this morning for his trip to Florida when I woke up."

"So he doesn't know you found this thing?"

"No."

Rey could see that her friend didn't quite know what to say and was desperately looking for an explanation for this unfortunate discovery.

"Rose, let it go."

"No, listen Rey. God knows Ben Solo made a bad impression on me at first, but after everything you've told me about him - about the progress of your relationship, what happened on the beach, and the night at the restaurant - do you really think he'd be capable of doing something like that to you?"

"You mean potentially getting Zorii Bliss into bed earlier this week and me just last night?"

"Maybe he invited her to his house to… to… rehearse the play? He gave her a tour of the house and she lost the bracelet, which accidentally slipped under the bed?"

Rey stared at her with a look of disbelief.

"Yeah well, that's a stupid scenario. That's why you have to call Ben right now and just ask him!"

In the face of Rey's dejection, the young woman insisted.

"Yes, Rey! Because we both know you're getting yourself all worked up over this! So either he gives you an EXCELLENT reason for the presence of this bracelet under his bed and you're reassured, or you get confirmation that he's a pig and I volunteer to kill him and Barbie, making them suffer horribly. Did you keep the bracelet with you?"

"I left it on the dresser in the bedroom."

"Rey..." Rose grumbled, looking annoyed.

"What! I wasn't going to leave with it!"

"Call him," her friend told her, "or you'll be worried sick until he gets back from Florida. And let me remind you that tomorrow is Maz's birthday. I have to say that the gloomy face you're making right now is not going to put anybody in a party mood."

Rey knew full well that Rose was right. Still, she agonized over it for the rest of the afternoon.

Ben texted her several times. He told her about his tribulations at the amusement park and his encounters with fans, and in each message he kept saying how much he missed her and couldn't wait to get home to her and curl up in her arms. Not really knowing how to react, Rey answered each time with trivialities, so much so that Ben finally ended up asking her if everything was okay.

Once home, Rey decided to take a shower and then finally follow Rose's advice. She made herself a nice cup of tea, sat down on the couch, and started scrolling through her contacts to find Ben's number when an incoming call cut her off.

It was Rose again.

Rey let out a long sigh, sure that her friend was calling to make the same argument once again. So she picked up the phone and spoke first:

'It's okay, Rose, I'm going to call-"

"Rey, turn on your computer."

Her tone was serious, almost panic-stricken, and Rey remained silent for a moment.

"Ben Solo and Zorii Bliss are trending on Twitter," Rose continued. "I should say, Ben Solo, Zorii Bliss, and YOU are trending. Plus, on the internet, articles are popping up on the worst gossip sites out there. I'm so sorry, Rey. But you need to see this. Look on ."

The young woman retrieved her laptop, pulled up the site Rose had indicated, and suddenly froze when she saw the home page.

BEN SOLO'S DILEMMA: THE BLONDE OR THE BRUNETTE?

It seems that Ben Solo, son of Senator Organa-Solo, has decided not to waste any more time. The actor, who was still dating top model Bazine Netal at the beginning of the year, was recently seen with not one but two beautiful young women, and that only a few days apart!

The first is none other than Zorii Bliss, his future co-star in a play by Milford Tilson which starts its run on Broadway at the end of this month. The play is directed by Mace Windu and produced by Luke Skywalker, who is none other than Ben Solo's uncle. The two stars, very handsy, were surprised Monday night outside the "Galactic Wars" star's home in Brooklyn Heights. According to a reliable source, the thirty-five-year-old actress, who plays the role of Lana in "Don't Show That," did not leave the scene until the next morning.

So is Ben Solo about to settle down at last? Well, not so fast! Just three days later, he was again caught in a passionate embrace with another young woman, Rey Kanata, a physical therapist working at the Whitegrove Clinic (where the actor just finished a stay following his on-set accident last November).

The couple kissed for a long time in the middle of the street (the actor in pajamas and bare feet!) before taking refuge in the star's building. It must be said that the two lovebirds had already been spotted the previous week dining tête-à-tête in a Brooklyn Heights restaurant.

We thought that the star's rehabilitation was finally complete! Maybe he needed a few more massage sessions?

In any case, the least we can say is that Ben Solo, who was said to be depressed and unsure about his return to the world of show business, seems not only to have recovered his mojo, but also to have kicked things up a notch in terms of conquests! So Zorii or Rey? Place your bets now!

"Rey? Can you hear me? Rey?"

Rose's voice echoed through her phone, but Rey couldn't move. She felt like she had been hit in the stomach with a series of uppercuts and couldn't breathe.

Calling Ben to get an explanation for the bracelet seemed utterly futile now.

She scrolled through other pages on other similar sites to see that these stolen photos seemed to be circulating all over the internet now. With a heavy heart, the young woman closed her computer and finally retrieved her phone with her friend still on the line.

An hour later, Rose Tico knocked on her door and Rey Kanata burst into tears in her arms.

OoooO

Ben had been doing panels, interviews, and photoshoots all day. He was exhausted.

When he finally pushed open the door to his hotel room at one o'clock in the morning, he was surprised to find Josh, Monica Mothma, and Lucy, his publicist, all sitting in a circle in the living room, their faces grim. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the scene for a few seconds.

"What are you all doing here? Is it my mother?" he asked in sudden panic.

"No, it's not your mother," Monica immediately reassured him.

"Then are you going to let me know why you've called a war council?" he said, joining them.

The three companions exchanged worried glances, but none found the courage to start.

"Listen, it's one a.m., I just got out of the studio afterparty, and I just want one thing: sleep."

"We need to show you something," Josh said finally, handing him his tablet.

"And I don't think you're going to like it," added his agent.

The actor grabbed the object without another word and, at the sight of the article and the photos, his face abruptly fell.

"Fucking hell…" he swore as he finished reading.

A heavy silence settled again and no one dared to move.

"The pictures with Zorii aren't the worst thing; they'll create a little buzz around 'Don't Show That,'" Josh said after a moment, making an effort to downplay the article, but it was obvious that he wasn't very convinced by his own words.

Monica Mothma and Lucy glared at the young man as Ben furiously threw the tablet onto the couch.

"I asked around. It was the website that got the exclusive on this story," Lucy continued. "Now, you should know that this publication works mainly with the paparazzi agency Smash & Scoop, whose boss Gerald Warwick is none other than Allan Snoke's good friend. When I used to work for Snoke, he asked me on several occasions to contact Warwick's agency so that they could find something to tarnish the image of certain actors competing with his protégés for roles."

"Seriously? What a dirty bastard!" Josh exclaimed, offended.

"I know. That's why Snoke fired me when I told him I didn't want to do that anymore. You might think I'm paranoid, but I'm convinced this is no accident. Other articles are coming out all over the place, with much less friendly titles. Tomorrow, Ben, you'll be on the front page of every celebrity magazine. The goal is to make you look like a complete asshole. Social media is already starting to freak out…"

With his hand over his mouth, the actor started to walk back and forth in front of the team like a cornered animal.

"The article mentions your dinner last week with Ms. Kanata, so I'm guessing they've been tailing you since you got out of Brookdale," Josh said.

Ben remembered that he and Rey had ducked out of Jamie's restaurant through the back door. But maybe the paparazzi camped out on the street had still managed to get a picture of the young physical therapist and then done a search to find out who she was. And if Lucy was right, Snoke was behind it.

"Allan Snoke hates it when people oppose him. He can't stand not having total control over his artists, not being able to control their lives," the publicist added, echoing his thoughts.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Snoke was behind this either," Monica said. "Seeing you resume your career and act in a play produced by your uncle, learning that you hired me instead of him, all that must have sent him into a rage. The guy's a scumbag."

Ben suddenly stopped pacing the room and grabbed his phone from the table.

"I have to call Rey," he whispered.

"It's half past one in the morning," Josh reminded him.

His assistant was right. He couldn't decently disturb her at such an hour - especially not to tell her that she was on the front page of a tabloid magazine, labeled as just another notch on the belt of Ben Solo, ladies' man.

Goddamnit… How was she going to react when she found out?

"I have to go back to New York tomorrow," he announced. "I've got to go see her and talk to her."

"Oh my God, so she's the lucky girl!" Lucy said, putting both hands together over her heart.

But Monica retorted, "Ben, that's impossible. You've got another full day of commitments. Tomorrow morning is the children's panel - a whole bunch of kids are coming to see their idol and get their Kylo Ren dolls signed. We can't cancel. And tomorrow afternoon you've got another round of press interviews to start promoting 'Don't Show That.'"

Ben stared at the carpet, pursing his lips in annoyance.

"Okay," he finally answered with a sigh. "But I want to leave as soon as the interviews are over. You'll have to make my excuses to the organizers for the last day."

"No problem."

"I'll take care of finding you a flight," Josh confirmed.

Monica finally stood up and the others followed suit.

"Okay, we're all tired and I suggest we discuss this again tomorrow after a good night's sleep."

Josh and Lucy nodded and, just before leaving, the publicist hugged Ben tightly.

"Rey seems like a great girl. I'm happy for you."

Ben returned the hug and thanked her.

Yes, Rey was a great girl. And this thing with Zorii was going to destroy everything he had started to build with her. He couldn't bear the thought and finally lay down unable to sleep, his mind tormented by dark thoughts.

OooooO

Today, Saturday, April 5, 2020, Maria Izabella Kanata - Maz to her friends - was celebrating her seventieth birthday, and Rey hoped for just one thing: that her grandmother would have one of the best days of her life.

But the look on Rose's face as she sat cross-legged on Rey's bed late that morning was not helping her forget her troubles and focus on the day ahead.

"Seriously, Rey... Do you think Solo really has something to be ashamed of? It's strange that he hasn't bothered to call you yet," the young Asian asked again.

Rey avoided meeting her friend's gaze. She was rummaging through her bag as if she was going to find treasure in the middle of her underwear.

"I blocked his number."

"What?! But why?"

"Because I don't want to deal with that today."

"Rey, are you serious?"

Rey suddenly closed her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and left the room.

"We're already late," she added, seeing Rose following behind her. "Remember, we still have to stop by your place to pick up Paige and then we have another two and a half hours of driving to get out to the farm."

Rose knew Rey by heart. She knew that she risked antagonizing Rey completely if she continued pushing when her friend clammed up like this. So she grabbed her bag, and the two young women were about to leave when someone knocked on the door.

"Are you expecting someone?"

"No," Rey answered before going to look through the peephole.

Rose then asked in a low voice who it was and Rey turned around, looking stunned.

"It's Zorii Bliss."

Three hours later, Rose, Paige, and Rey were driving along Interstate 87 toward Delmar as the radio played softly in the background.

"I still can't believe it!" Rose exclaimed, her eyes fixed on the road and both hands gripping the wheel.

"Can't believe what? That I'm the stupidest girl on earth?" Rey grumbled.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Rey suddenly threw her phone into the bag at her feet. Paige, meanwhile, held hers in her hand so that Poe and Kaydel, each with a baby in arms, could participate in the conversation via video chat.

"No, that Zorii is gay!" said the young Asian woman, giving her a sympathetic look. "So you still haven't been able to get Ben?"

"Not yet. But I've already left him a dozen messages."

Suddenly, Kaydel's voice rose from Paige's cell phone, "So Ben's finally in the clear?"

"Since you and Poe are behind, I'll catch you up to speed," Rose replied. "Ben Solo and Zorii Bliss have been friends since Juilliard and are starring together in 'Don't Show That' on Broadway. What happened is that Zorii's girlfriend came to break up with her right after their rehearsal at the theater on Monday night. Ben was there and saw how upset Zorii was, so he decided to take her back to his place for fear that she might do something stupid. She slept in his room, Ben on the sofa. The bracelet fell under the bed during the night. And then the next day, when the girlfriend called in tears to apologize, Zorii left Ben's house in a rush and never realized something was missing. End of drama."

"I'm the queen of idiots," Rey sighed.

"Nonsense Rey, who wouldn't have doubted in your place?" Poe interjected.

"It's true, Rey, since nobody knew that about Zorii Bliss. The most important thing is that everything in the article about Ben and her is a lie!" Paige reassured her.

In the seat next to her, Rey was getting more and more restless. Now it was Ben's turn not to answer the phone. She was so angry at herself for doubting and not listening to Rose.

"Come on, don't worry Rey, I'm sure everything will be fine," Rose concluded.

All these reassuring words made her feel better, and she thanked heaven once again that she had such wonderful friends in her life.

"Ben, it's me again. I'm so sorry, I know I'm clogging up your voicemail, but please call me as soon as you get back to New York tomorrow. I miss you. See you soon, I hope."

Rey tucked her phone into her bag and went back inside to the party room, which was slowly starting to fill up.

Maz greeted the guests at the entrance with big hugs. Everyone was raving about the beautiful decorations that had been put up by neighbors and friends. Fairy lights illuminated the ceiling and cascaded down around the small stage, giving the place a magical atmosphere. Multicolored balloons were hung everywhere, and the small bouquets of flowers on the tables added a warm and elegant touch.

Rey had also had several photographs of her grandmother taken from old albums enlarged and displayed on the walls. Happy moments in her life, captured on glossy paper. Maz as a little girl, sitting on her father's lap. On the arm of her beloved, on their wedding day. Sitting on the porch with her daughter in her arms. Shaking hands with the employees of the stud farm at a picnic... But Rey's favorite photo was undoubtedly the one taken by one of their stable hands, John, on a beautiful morning in June. In it, she was beaming as she posed with her physical therapy diploma in hand, surrounded by her grandparents who gazed at her with love and pride in their eyes. Her grandfather had passed away just a month later. She still missed him terribly today.

When she saw all these photos, Maz, moved to tears, hugged her granddaughter tightly.

"Thank you. It's all so beautiful, my dear."

"Happy birthday, Grandma," Rey answered, finally starting to smile.

A few hours later, the party was in full swing. Sitting at a table in the corner of the room, Rey watched the people laughing and chatting all around her. The tempo of the music had mellowed and many couples were now embracing on the dance floor. Rose was dancing with Jimmy Watson, the librarian, and Paige had been snagged by Mr. Jensen, an octogenarian and war hero who was happy to recount his military exploits to anyone who'd listen. Amilyn was helping Maz unpack the rest of her numerous gifts piled high on a table near the buffet.

What was Ben doing right now? Had he gotten all of her messages? She was determined to go to his house tomorrow night to see him and explain herself.

As the musicians finished playing one of Michael Bolton's classics, the lights dimmed and Rey noticed that something seemed to be happening at the front of the stage. The main spotlight suddenly isolated the singer from the rest of the band. Having traded in his electric guitar for an acoustic one, he addressed the guests.

"We're going to follow up with a special song which, I've just been told, holds a very special place in the heart of a young lady here tonight."

Rey couldn't quite make out what was happening, but a sort of hubbub suddenly arose from the crowd gathered on the dance floor as the first chords rang out.

"You and Me" by Lifehouse.

She froze in her chair.

Then the crowd of guests began to part as a man with an imposing figure walked slowly in her direction.

The young woman's pulse quickened.

It was Ben.

Soon he stood there, right in front of her, and held out his hand.

"You're here..." Rey stammered in total amazement.

"Miss Kanata, may I have this dance?" Ben responded with that charming air she loved so much.

Rose and Paige, watching the scene unfold, began to jump up and down with excitement near the bar. Time seemed to have stopped, as if everyone was waiting on her response. Rey slipped her hand into Ben's and, under the soft, curious gazes of the other guests, let herself be led out to the center of the dance floor. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her against him, and Rey melted into the comfort of his immense, solid body pressed against hers. The couples around them started dancing again, but Rey was too distracted to notice. A million questions were rushing through her mind, but before she could get her thoughts in order and formulate anything, Ben beat her to it.

"Before you say anything, I want you to know that I'm really sorry about the pictures. I also know about Zorii's bracelet that you found at my house, and I can understand why you might have thought I wasn't being honest with you. I wanted so badly to keep you from being exposed like this, to keep the tabloid press from tarnishing the beginning of our relationship. As soon as I saw that you weren't answering my calls, I flew home. I just landed an hour ago and Josh, my assistant, managed to get me a helicopter to bring me out here. Because in case you haven't figured it out yet, I've been head over heels in love with you since the first time I saw you in the park in the rain. I love your smile and I love the way you frown when you're upset. I love your stubbornness, your generosity, and your selflessness. And I love the way you see the real me and not just Ben Solo, famous actor. I don't know if I'm the person you deserve to be with or if it's possible for you to accept all of this: the paparazzi, the spotlight, my public life, my job, my bad temper, and my multitude of flaws. But all I know is that the thought of losing you terrifies me. And I…"

"Hush," Rey ordered, placing her hand on Ben's cheek.

As music echoed all around them, Rey's lips suddenly pressed against Ben's, and she clutched his shoulders as if her life depended on it. There was no more hesitation as that strange and wonderful feeling they'd both felt on the beach came rushing back.

When they finally parted, Rey whispered against his mouth:

"I'll take it all, Ben Solo. Because I love you too."

Maz and Amilyn, seated a little ways back in the room, both looked quite satisfied as they admired the scene in front of them.

Rey was beaming with happiness in Ben's arms. And he was devouring her with his eyes as if she was the eighth wonder of the world.

"Did you know he was coming here?" Maz asked suddenly.

"I texted him the address an hour ago," answered the psychologist with a little smile.

"You are Machiavellian."

"I didn't want to spoil the surprise."

Amilyn held out her glass of champagne in the direction of her friend and they both toasted.

"To love and happy endings?"

"To Rey and Ben's happiness."

A few minutes later, as Amilyn was getting some fresh air out on the large outdoor patio, she felt her phone vibrate in her bag. Hoping it wasn't an emergency, she retrieved it to discover that she'd just received a text message.

"I'm thinking it would be stupid to waste another twenty years making excuses. Would you have dinner with me tomorrow night at my apartment? I'm cooking. Love, Luke. "

He had signed his text message just like you would sign a letter. It was so cute.

"I really love happy endings," Amilyn murmured to herself with a smile from ear to ear.

OoooO