Torn Read Online Free Page A

love to join your family for dinner.”
    She turned around, a smile lighting her face, bringing a glow to her dark eyes. “Really?”
    “Yeah, really.” He grinned in response. “You have no idea how much.”
    She couldn’t help but laugh. “Huh. Want to bet? You’re staying at the Sweet Grass Inn… Don’t tell me you actually eat there too.”
    His grin turned sheepish, and he tugged his ear. “Yeah… I do actually.”
    Chelsea clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in a way that somehow managed to convey both sympathy and amusement. “Esther Jones is a wonderful person and a great friend… But a cook?” She shook her head. Knowing how dire his eating situation was gave her courage; she placed a hand on his arm. “Tell you what. Consider this invitation open indefinitely.”
    Tyler laughed. It was a rich sound that Chelsea somehow remembered… Felt its echo from long ago. Hearing it left such a feeling of warmth and satisfaction that she took a step back, as if doing so would somehow distance her from the emotion.
    “So what time?” he asked.
    “Whenever,” she replied. “We’re not into formalities.”
    “After my own heart.”
    Chelsea blinked at his innocent choice of words, and Tyler’s smile widened. “How about in around three hours? It’ll give me time to change.”
    Chelsea nodded. “Works for me. Oh, directions…” She looked around for a piece of paper or something to write on, and came up with one of the napkins from the lunch table. Tyler walked up next to her, and located a pen hidden between the nearly empty lox platter and cream cheese bowl.
    She murmured her thanks, scribbled her address, phone number, and directions on the flimsy paper, and handed it to him. “It’s only a little way out of town, but not hard to find off Two-Eighty-Seven.”
    Tyler looked at the napkin briefly, then tucked it into the pocket of his shirt. “See you in a bit,” he said, and walked away.
    Chelsea hurried in the opposite direction to the dressing room. She couldn’t wait to get home and tell Jake the exciting news.

 
     
    Chapter Two
     
     
    A s he took the left turn that merged him onto the two-lane highway, Tyler again debated whether joining Chelsea Morgan’s family for dinner was the wisest choice. Insofar as gaining knowledge of her in a home setting that could prove to be valuable as a resource while filming, the answer would be yes. Seeing what Chelsea was like with her family, her husband, would give him a resource to utilize as he played the role of her spouse.
    On the other hand, hours had passed, and he still wasn’t able to erase the passionate feelings their shared kiss had invoked during the screen test. And that, in itself, was a novel experience for Ty Benson.
    After leaving the set, he returned to his hotel room, showered and –– against his better judgment –– called his wife, thinking it would help him focus. To Tyler’s surprise, it was good to hear Jennifer’s voice. Or, at least it was until she remarked, in rather snide tones, how the press was bombarding her with questions about when she and Ty were going to start a family, start having babies. “It’s like, ‘Hello? I’m in the middle of solidifying my film career, and they want me barefoot and pregnant. As if!’” Tyler sighed, his hands unconsciously clenching tighter around the leather-wrapped steering wheel. A year ago, maybe two, he would have wondered the same thing. Now… Now he knew better.
    His wife was in Greece, also working on a film, and it was the first time in nearly three weeks that they’d talked. He laughed with her over the Vivian Cray drama –– knowing she’d enjoy that bit of news; Jennifer and Vivian did not get along. He also told her about the new cast member, that he’d been invited to dinner with her family tonight. He ignored the familiar, derisive tinge to her laughter, her sarcastic comment about how bored he must be out there in the sticks to have set