Ted Anderson had just landed a swell job with The Acting Bug, a magazine devoted to covering different movie stars and their lives. Some would say more like being devoted to prying into movie stars lives and airing their dirty laundry to the world. Ted did not care. If they didn't want the world to know they shouldn't act the way they did was his motto. It was their own fault. Maybe if they hadn't gone out with that woman or that man and tried to hide the affair their picture would not be splashed on the front page of the paper. Pictures. Pictures were the jackpot in his business. People may or not believe a story but if you had a picture to back it up…the public would eat it up.
Right now his ears perked up when he heard Diana speak of Ginger Grant. The other stories that had been spread about her had turned into a bust. But this one. This one was gold. Pure gold. Surely there would be a big pay day with this!
Ted slipped the bartender the money for his tab and followed the blonde woman outside the bar. Slowly he approached her. "Excuse me Miss.."
Diana turned to see a strange man standing there. "What do you want?" She asked.
"I'm sorry to disturb you…My name is Ted Anderson. I work for The Acting Bug. I couldn't help overhear what you told the bartender about Ginger Grant. It let's say piqued my interest."
She rolled eyes and sighed. "So what? You want to get the dirt on her is that it?"
"Do you know any dirt?" He asked.
Diana gave a slight smile. "I might…what's it worth to you?"
Ted smiled. "I think we can work something out." He said leading her back inside.
The pair found a table in the corner. The reporter got out his notepad. "Okay start talking."
"Now hold up." Diana said. "I need a drink first."
"Come on miss…just give me the dirt…"
"I gotta go." Diana stood up and turned to leave when Ted stopped her.
"Alright…alright…I'll buy you a drink.."
"And dinner." She added.
"Dinner? Now look here…"
"You want the scoop on Ms Grant or not?" She asked folding her arms.
Ted frowned. "You drive a hard bargain."
"I want half of the profits from the story." Diana announced.
"Now wait a minute I am most certainly not going to.."
"Bye now." She began to walk away when Ted jumped up and hurried to her.
"Alright….30%."
"Half."
"35."
"Half" Diana repeated.
"Okay 45. And that's my final offer."
"48 or no deal."
"Okay fine. 48%. Now do we have a deal?"
"We do." Diana grinned. "But let's go someplace else. I want a good dinner."
Ted shook his head following her out. This better be worth it.
The two got into Diana's car and drove to Francine's as Ted's suggestion as he knew the matre'd and could get a good table.
The pair headed inside the establishment.
"Brad!" Ted greeted. "So nice to see you. How are things?"
"Very well thank you Ted." The older man greeted. "And who is this young lady?" He asked looking over his companion.
"Diana Hart." She said holding out her hand.
"So nice to meet you Miss Diana." He kissed her hand which charmed the blonde.
"Likewise." She smiled.
"Say Brad we could use a quiet table."
"Sure thing. Come with me."
He lead the two over to a cozy table in the corner and handed them menus.
Diana thanked him and looked it over. "Hmm…so many delicious choices. What should I get?"
"Look..Diana." Ted said. "No more fooling around. Tell me what you know about Miss Grant."
"All in good time Mr. Anderson." Diana said with a sly smile. "First dinner. Oh this lobster sounds heavenly…Maybe I'll start with that."
"Start?" He said shocked. "What do you mean start?"
"Oh trust me honey." Diana said looking over at him. "With what I have to tell you, you'll think it a bargain."
Professor's Home
He rushed in checking the time. The academic was supposed to meet Ginger but he had run late in the lab. The perfume was more difficult then they had anticipated and was taking a long time to get just right.
Roy threw his jacket on a chair and tossed his briefcase on the shelf. Quickly he ran up the stairs and to the bedroom. He opened the door and paused when he saw his beautiful fiancé standing there wearing something that left nothing to the imagination. Her black negligee was very short and so sheer he believed he could see right through it. Ginger's red hair hung down to her shoulders and she had a black flower behind her ear.
"Hello darling." She purred at him. "Welcome home."
As if in a trance he approached her taking all of her in. Never had he seen her look so…enchanting. His heart rate hit the roof and his pulse raced. He lifted his hand touching her soft cheek.
"I take it you approve." The starlet smiled.
Still not speaking, he put his arms around her and kissed her lips with vigorous passion. His hand went up and ran through her silky red locks. His lips went to her ear and then down to her white neck.
Ginger felt herself being lifted up and carried over to the bed. Her sexy attire was ripped off her and discarded to the floor. Her fingers unbuttoned his shirt pushing it off his shoulders. Ginger's hands then ran over his bare chest and then clutched him tightly.
A little over an hour later, Ginger sighed happily laying in the Professor's arms basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. She smiled looking at the ring on her finger. It would not be long now before she was his wife. The actress lifted herself up and kissed his lips. "Darling will it always be like this?"
"Like what?"
"This.." She said resting her head against his shoulder. "Just like this…I want to always be just like this."
"I think that would be just wonderful." He replied kissing the top of her head. "I love you Ginger."
She raised her head again looking at him. "Roy move in with me. I know I know you don't think you should until we are married but darling I can't stand it." The movie star snuggled up close to him. "I want us to be together. I want you to be with me."
The Professor sighed. How was he going to handle this? It wasn't that he did not wish to live with her now. He did. But then the house would not be a surprise and he wanted it to be one. He wanted to see the look on Ginger's face when she saw their new home and when he told her it was all theirs. His excuse of waiting to move in was wearing thin on his fiancé and he knew it. She wanted him with her. However he could not move his belongings into her home as some of them were already in the new house. Roy knew that Ginger would certainly notice if something was missing. She had a good eye for those things.
"Darling." Ginger said. "Why don't you just move in with me? Please…say you will."
"Ginger." He said sitting up. "I love you. I want you to know that I love you but I'm sorry my love…I cannot move in with you. Not right now."
The starlet frowned. "Why not? What's the big deal? You are going to anyway. Wouldn't it save time to just move in your stuff now?"
"Listen to me." He said gathering her into his arms. "I know it's difficult for you and I don't mean for you to have to feel like I don't want to be with you. I do. Please just trust me. I promise you it will be worth it."
The redhead shook her head. "No." She said pushing him away and getting up from the bed.
The Professor found his clothes and pulled them on. He took a hold of her before she could put her dress back on. "Ginger." He said kissing her temple. "Please…I'm asking you to just trust me on this…You will not be disappointed. I swear you will see it was worth it. I don't mean to hurt you my love…I need you to trust me on this."
Ginger turned her head towards him. "Trust you?"
"Please my love." He said holding her tightly. "Can you do that?"
The starlet looked into his eyes. She wondered what he meant by her needing to trust him. Was he up to something?
"Roy….what is going on? Why should I trust you? Are you hiding something from me?"
He swallowed. He did not want to lie to her but he could not tell her the truth. She could not know about the house. Not yet. "I love you." The Professor replied carefully. "You do believe me don't you?"
"Darling of course I do." She said wrapping her arms around him. "I know you love me."
"Can you then please just trust me on this. Ginger…"
She took a breath and smiled at him. "Okay." She replied. "I will trust you Roy. But I have to know what you are up to."
The Professor knew he had to do something to distract her from her goal of getting more information from him. "What I'm up to is wanting to get you back into my arms." He pulled her close to him and kissed her lips.
Ginger forgot everything but how much she loved him as he brought her back to the bed laying her down.
Restaurant
Ted stared at Diana as she ate her lobster. She still had not spilled what she knew and he was growing impatient. "Okay you had your dinner…now tell me what you know."
"All in good time." She replied taking another bite of her seafood. "Mmmmm delicious."
"Look Diana I'm holding up my end of the bargain how about you hold up yours?"
"Will you relax." She said rolling her eyes. "Here…have a roll…" She shoved one of the crunchy baked rolls into his mouth.
He took it out and set it on his plate. "I don't want a roll, I want to know what dirt you have on one Ginger Grant."
"I'll get to that." She replied. "Lighten up already."
Ted took a sip of his scotch and was starting to wonder if this was even worth it.
This woman was being impossible but she claimed to have dirt and he wanted that dirt.
"This better be worth it. You better really have something for me."
"Oh I do." The blonde said placing her fork down. "And you will love it. What I have to tell you is nothing short of pure gold."
"So what is this pure gold?" Ted pressed.
Diana laughed and took another sip of her drink. She set it down and turned her head towards him. "Ginger….she had an affair with Thurston Howell III."
Ted's eyes almost popped out of his head. This was gold! "The Thurston Howell III? Of the powerful empire Howell Enterprises?"
"The one and only." Diana grinned.
"I find that hard to believe. Everyone knows that he adores his wife."
"Sure he does but come on…being on that island around a woman like Ginger…Even he couldn't control himself. You know she seduced all the men on that island."
"All of them? Not just that Professor?"
Diana grinned. "This can't come as a surprise to you. I mean let's face it…the only chance of any of those men getting any action would most certainly be from Ginger. She would give it up to anyone. And she had no shame giving it up to Mr. Howell."
"Does Mrs. Howell know this?"
Diana shrugged. "Beats me. She might but decided to over look it as he is her meal ticket. I'm sure she let that one go. And he probably bought her a new diamond or something and she forgot the whole thing."
"Interesting…Ginger Grant and Thurston Howell III. This is quite a juicy story."
"I told you it was gold." Diana said with a satisfied smile.