Behind The Limelight 15: June Weddings

Lee wasn’t how Ashton was expecting them to be at all. Dressed in a neat three piece suit with their hair slicked back and deep red lipstick. They were making Ashton feel extremely underdressed in his casual shirt and jeans. Lee welcomed Tabitha with a gentle kiss on her cheek before greeting the other two actors.

“It’s so great to finally meet you both!” Lee exclaimed, a geniune smile on their face. “Tabby doesn’t shut up about you two, I feel almost as if we’re already acquainted.”

Ashton was a little surprised. Usually if the actresses he worked with had significant others then they weren’t this ecstatic to meet the co-workers that their partner had to be intimate with on screen. But from Lee’s demeanor it seemed like they were extremely supportive of Tabitha’s profession.

“You too, trust me, we’ve heard so much about you that for a moment I felt that I was the one dating you,” Ryker joked, making both Lee and Tabby laugh.

“All good things, I hope,” Lee said, wrapping their arm around Tabitha’s waist.

“As if I’d ever say something bad about you babe,” Tabitha retorted, looking at Lee with a soft gaze. They both were so clearly in love, and it was actually nice to see that for once. Ashton usually hated being around couples, considering what a massive fail his dating life was.

“Ashton, I don’t know if Tabby told you but I’m a huge fan,” Lee said as they entered the private room and got seated.

“She mentioned,” Ashton replied politely. “It’s an honor.”

“I grew up watching your parents on screen and it was so great to see you too. You’re really carrying on the family name,” Lee complimented.

Ashton passed Lee a tight lipped smile, not saying anything. Ryker glanced at him, he knew very well that family was a sensitive topic for Ashton. Especially when it came to the Archer legacy. Ashton’s parents and grandparents both were actors, and were still involved heavily in the industry. His dad had even started directing and producing movies, for that matter.

Ashton always felt like a disgrace as compared to them. He wondered if he ever even would’ve gotten a break had he not been a nepo baby. Unlike Ryker, who built his career all on his own without any contacts or favors. Self doubt was Ashton’s middle name.

“So what’s good on the menu? It’s my first time eating here,” Ryker changed the topic, making Ashton relax subconsciously once the attention was diverted from him.

“They have a bartender’s special cocktail which is yum and gets you fucked up after the third round. I’d highly recommend it,” Tabitha answered.

“Oh no, no alcohol for me tonight. I’m driving,” Ryker stated, and the couple nodded in understanding, neither of them pressuring him to drink.

“Ah, water, then?” Lee continued, “I’m kidding, their iced tea is pretty good too.”

“Iced tea it is. What about food?”

The four gave their orders to the waiter. Ashton was starving, so even though he wasn’t previously in the mood to go out, he was at the very least excited about eating some good food. The only silver lining.

“I never asked, Lee,” Ryker spoke. “What do you do for work?”

“Oh, I work in finance,” Lee answered casually. “I know. Pretty boring compared to you guys.”

“Trust me, things always look better from the outside,” Ryker shrugged casually. “What’s the finance world like?”

“Male dominated with a cut throat competition, you know how that goes. But I make do,” Lee replied. Ashton was impressed by their modesty and grace.

“I figured you’d be in the industry too,” Ryker said.

“They’re looking into starting their own talent agency firm!” Tabitha informed with enthusiasm.

“It’s still in the talking stages, nothing’s certain so far,” Lee added.

It was mostly the three talking, with Ashton pitching in once in a while as he relaxed on his chair and sipped on the cocktail that Tabitha had recommended. She was right, he was already starting to feel the effect as he finished his second one.

“My first movie was when I was twenty, it was nothing special. Didn’t even do super well on the boxoffice,” Ryker spoke. “Luckily I still managed to find work after that.”

“Really? I thought you were in the industry for longer,” Lee hummed.

“Not unless you count the cereal commercial Ash and I did when we were seven,” Ryker said. “My parents didn’t really let me audition while I was still in school. They wanted me to focus on education first before deciding that acting was what I wanted to pursue for sure.”

“You and Ash? I didn’t know you guys had worked together before.” Tabitha was surprised. “You know, considering what the media always has to say about you both.”

“We go way back,” Ashton muttered, not exactly in the mood to discuss this.

“Isn’t it exciting to be on the same set again, then? Must bring back old memories,” Lee said.

“Exciting is one word for it,” Ryker noted with an awkward laugh as he took a bite of his steak. “Anyway, how did the two of you meet?”

“Through a mutual friend,” Tabitha said with a wide grin. “I saw them and was like ‘damn, now that’s somebody I want to get to know’ and well, the rest is history.”

“Congratulations on the engagement, by the way,” Ryker smiled softly. “Have you both set a date?”

“June next year,” Lee answered.

“We haven’t sent the invites yet but I hope you two know that you need to show up or else I’m putting spiders in your trailers and hot sauce in your coffee,” Tabitha spoke.

“Ah damn,” Ryker frowned. “You know that I’d love to but my sister is getting married around the same time.”

“Oh wow! Really?” Tabitha exclaimed. “That’s so exciting! Please give her my love.”

“Will do,” Ryker replied.

“What about you, Ash? Will you be going to Ryker’s sister’s wedding too, then?” Tabitha asked, looking at the other man, catching him off guard and making him freeze.

“Uh…” Ashton didn’t know what to say.

“He still needs to RSVP,” Ryker answered for him. Tabitha nodded in response, before drifting to another topic.

Ashton glanced at Ryker. He didn’t know if Ryker said that just to save him from the embarassment or because he actually was invited to the wedding. Both of the options didn’t make any sense to him, but he tried not to think about it too much.

“Here’s your dessert,” said the waiter as he placed the plates on the table before leaving. Ashton immediately dug into the cheesecake, his favorite. He had already proclaimed tomorrow as his cheat day, so what was a little early sweet to ruin his strict diet?

Ashton was pretty damn buzzed by the time everyone was done with dinner, and even though he previously just wanted to get back home- now he was ready to go wherever the night would take him.

“-I know a really cool speakeasy,” Lee said. “It’s a very private place and you folks likely won’t be bothered by fans there, if anyone’s interested.”

“I’m in,” Ashton was the first to respond, surprising Ryker. Ryker looked a bit hesitant, especially considering he could see that Ashton was tipsy, but he agreed nonetheless.

As Lee came in their own car with their driver, Tabitha went with them and Ryker and Ashton got into Ryker’s car as they decided to meet directly at the location. Ashton didn’t seem to care as he got into the passenger’s side without a single complaint.

“Seatbelt, please,” Ryker reminded. Ashton nodded before putting it on and relaxing back into his seat with a soft sigh.

The two were quiet for a little bit, the radio was on silent as well but for the first time the air between them didn’t feel awkward. Maybe it was because of Ashton’s calm state, as he wasn’t fidgeting or glaring at Ryker or acting like he usually would.

“Am I really invited to Abi’s wedding?” Ashton asked.

“She hasn’t sent out the invites yet, but yes,” Ryker answered.

“Why?” Ashton couldn’t help but question. “I haven’t met her in years and it’s not like you and I are still friends.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Ryker said. “My parents ask about you all the time. So does Abi. They seem to be in denial about the fact that we had a falling out.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Don’t know,” Ryker shrugged. “They loved having you around. And they know how much you mean- how much you meant to me.”

“Damn,” Ashton whispered. “Now that makes me kinda sad. Your family was always so sweet to me.”

“Will you be coming to the wedding then?”

“I don’t know,” Ashton muttered, inhaling and then exhaling deeply before continuing. “Won’t it be awkward?”

“It’s going to be a very small affair. Just close family and friends. You won’t be bothered by anyone except maybe a couple of my younger cousins that are your fans,” Ryker spoke.

“That’s not what I meant,” Ashton shook his head. “Won’t it be awkward because, you know, us?”

“That depends on you,” Ryker retorted.

“Right. It’s always on me, huh?”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Ryker sighed in frustration. “Look. It’s your choice. I know that Abi wants you to come. If you can’t keep your feelings about me aside for a day then you don’t have to.”

“I can do that,” Ashton said softly. “For Abi.”

“Right. For Abi.”

“Will your grandparents be able to make it from Brazil?”

“My granddad, yeah. My grandma passed away a few months ago,” Ryker answered.

“Oh,” Ashton blinked. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that.”

“It’s fine,” Ryker muttered. “Cancer is a bitch.”

“Yeah,” Ashton whispered.

“She really liked you.”

“I liked her too. She was sweet,” Ashton recalled with a soft smile. Ryker glanced at him briefly, the corner of his lips turned upwards as well as he remembered when Ashton met them for the first time.

“Ash…” Ryker paused. “Do you think we can ever go back?”

“Go back?”

“Go back to how we were before,” Ryker elaborated. “Back to when you didn’t hate my guts.”

“Is that what you want?”

Ryker took a moment. He didn’t reply immediately, Ashton looked at him, and the man seemed torn up about something. He looked…sad. Or maybe it was just Ashton’s drunk mind playing tricks on him.

“Yes.”

***

i have a toxic relationship with cliffhangers. oops.