Page 41 of Searching for Sadie (Mystic Falls #5)

SADIE

S adie was pacing in her hotel room. The mixer was in five minutes. All she needed to do was go in there and say hi. She didn't have to stay long. And there was a part of her that was excited to see some of the women from the cast, but she didn’t want to see Ryan.

Tomorrow she was filming her last interview before going out to dinner with her family. The next day was the reunion. She’d been dreading this since she walked away from the show.

Why had she not told Lucas to come with her? All she wanted right now was his steady presence, but she was in her hotel room all alone fighting off nerves and a sinking feeling in her chest.

It was time. She could do this. Once she was in the elevator, she rode it down to the main floor where it opened out into the lobby.

She could already see the cameras and the bar that was full of the cast and producers.

And there was Ryan sitting at the end of the bar with one of the other guys from the show.

"Sadie," a voice said tentatively beside her. There next to her was Becca, one of the girls who left the show happily married.

"Hi Becca," she said, pulling her into a hug.

"It's so good to see you. I've tried to text, but you never answered."

"I know, I just needed space after everything."

"I totally get it. Have you watched any of the online fall out?"

"God, no." Sadie said immediately. "I privated all my accounts until Zara made me turn them back on."

"The trolls are going to troll so good on you, but just so you know, Ryan is really getting hit hard."

Sadie's brows scrunched as she took her in. "I don't really care."

"Oh, and you shouldn't," Becca said, taking her by the arm. "He's getting what he deserves. I just wanted you to know most people could see through his bullshit."

Becca walked her into the room of the mixer arm in arm. The cameras came to follow them. Sadie tried to ignore it, but ever since the show aired being filmed made her skin crawl. She just wanted to go back to Mystic Falls and curl up with Lucas and watch bad TV and forget all of this.

"Sadie," said a bright voice. "I'm so glad you're here. I think we need to adjust your mic."

She turned and saw Zara beaming at her. "I didn't really have a choice," Sadie said as the sound person started messing with the mic back that was tied on her back under her shirt.

"We do want to get the conversation with you and Ryan on film."

Sadie shot her a look. "I wasn't planning on speaking with him."

"Why?"

Sadie's mouth fell open. She was so done creating drama for this show to make bank on. "Because I have nothing to say to him. I have to be here contractually. I'm here. But I'm not talking to him. And honestly, I'm here for ten minutes before I head back to my room."

"Okay," Zara said with a shrug.

Sadie made her way to the end of the bar where Ryan was not, but she could feel his eyes on her.

With her drink in her hand, she made her way back over to Becca who was talking to some of the other women.

That seemed like the safest place to be right now.

They all embraced her, and she listened to them hash out internet drama.

Two couples had successfully gotten married and from what she was hearing it sounded like only one couple was happy.

"Sadie," a voice said behind her. "Can we talk?"

Her heart dropped. She knew that voice. She knew the cameras were trained on her.

Why did she think she was going to be able to make it out of here without talking to him?

While she wanted to tell him to get the fuck away from her, she didn't want to give the show any other clip worthy pieces.

She was gonna gray rock this bitch. Be as boring as possible, it was the only way she could make it through this.

She nodded and stepped away from the group, but not before Becca's hand reached out and made eye contact making sure she was ok. Sadie gave a little nod and walked away with him. She tried to ignore the cameras following them. She'd almost gotten used to them on the show, but now she hated them.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm good. How are you?" she said, trying to pretend as hard as she could to be unaffected by all this.

"It's been hard."

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "I'm sorry you're having a hard time," she said a little too sharply.

"Are you having a hard time?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Sadie," he said, reaching for her hand. "You can be honest with me. We loved each other once."

She ripped her hand out of his wanting to scream 'Don't fucking touch me', but instead she dug deep for her peaceful smile. She would not give them drama to air. "Well, things end. I wish you the best, but I have to go."

"That's it?" he bit back at her, his mask slipping a little.

"Did you need something else?"

He just glared at her, but she was not going to do this. She turned and started undoing her mic pack as she made her way over to Zara. "I came. I said hello. I'm leaving," she said as she pulled the mic off her.

Before Zara could even respond Sadie was making her way back to the elevator. As the doors closed, she finally allowed her icy demeanor to break, and tears started to stream down her face.

Why was she even crying? He meant nothing to her. She was happy with Lucas. She was happy in Mystic Falls. But being back here with all these people was testing her.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and pulled up Lucas's number.

Sadie - How are you?

Lucas - I'm good Songbird. How are you?

Just seeing him respond instantly with that nickname he had for her made her feel better.

Sadie - I wish you were here. I was so stupid to tell you not to come.

The dots danced instantly.

Lucas - Is that so?

Sadie - Yes. I wish you were here. It sucks here. Send me a picture of you and George so I can pretend I'm with you.

Lucas - ... or ... you could actually be with me.

Sadie - What do you mean?

Lucas - I'm in Nashville

She dropped her phone as the elevator doors slid open onto her floor.

As she bent to pick it back up her phone was ringing in her hand.

Lucas's handsome face lit up her screen.

She'd taken this picture of him the first night she'd slept at his place.

He was in bed with his hair rumpled and a plain white t-shirt on and he looked so sexy.

"Hello," she answered as she made her way to her room.

"Hey Songbird."

"You're here?"

"I'm in Nashville."

"How?"

"I just decided I wanted to be here if you needed me."

"I need you!" she said as she opened her front door. Tears were streaming down her face; she was a mess of emotions.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at the Hyatt. Room 404."

"I'm on my way."

She plopped down on her bed and looked down at her phone.

He'd already hung up. Lucas was here and he would be here soon.

She hopped in the shower to wash all the show makeup off and put on some sleep shorts.

The room service menu was ready to go too.

As soon as he got here, they were going to curl up and order some food and make everything better.

He could do that. Just being around him grounded her.

There was nothing to do now other than sit and wait. She pulled back her curtains as a streak of lighting streaked across the sky. It was as gloomy outside as she felt inside, but none of that would matter as soon as Lucas was here.