So here I am, thinking I’m pretty good at choosing the perfect outfit for the occasion, right? And yet the night of dinner at Elijah’s with the guys and Torrie, I couldn’t for the life of me decide what to wear. Insane, right? Should I stick with the casual jeans and t-shirt? Or wear one of my flannels? Should I scrap the jeans for some Dockers? I started chewing my nails as I continued to stare into the mirror. Fuck.

If I didn’t decide soon I was going to be late. I was supposed to pick Torrie up outside the Marine Mammal Center at six. It was already five thirty. Dom and Billy had flown in yesterday and were staying with Elijah. I couldn’t wait to see them all again. Sean had promised to join us for the evening as well. I think he was bringing Christine. At least Torrie wouldn’t feel strange being the only female there, not that I thought she would. She seemed comfortable enough around a boat full of men fishing, I suppose she could feel just as comfortable with four Hobbits and an Elf. I grinned at my image in the mirror. Wonder how she would handle all of us referring to each other in that manner?

Shit. I gave up trying to figure out what would be the right thing to wear and just went with what I already had on, jeans and t-shirt, over which I threw on a blue dress coat. There, relaxed and yet different from how Torrie was used to seeing me. Yeah, whatever, man. I swear the LA smog was getting to me.

When I pulled up outside the Marine Mammal Center, Torrie was standing outside, talking with that security guard I met the other day. She gave me a quick wave, said something more to the man beside her and then started toward the car. She was dressed in a pair of white Capri pants, matching camisole top and strap sandals. She looked positively adorable. I frowned. I’d have to beat the Hobbits back with a stick. I pushed the thought from my mind as she leaned in the car window.

“You’re late,” she teased with a smile.

I suppose I could have said something witty like “An Actor is never late, Torrie Adams. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to” but that seemed more Elijah’s style than mine. Instead I shrugged. “Yeah. Sorry.”

She opened the door and slid into the seat. I continued to watch her, inwardly happy that the bruise on her cheek had faded enough that one had to purposely look for it to find it. Something about its presence bothered me. Maybe I just didn’t like knowing that she had suffered any pain. Torrie wiggled around in the seat until she sat slightly facing me. I put the car in gear and headed towards Elijah’s place.

“Busy week?” Torrie asked, watching me with a thoughtful expression in her gaze.

I shrugged. “Meetings with my agent, interviews as always. Why?”

“You didn’t stop by the Center unexpectedly.”

I glanced at her. “That was kind of stupid of me.”

Quickly, she shook her head. “No. Not at all. I was glad you came by.” She paused, as if weighing her next words. “I was afraid I wouldn’t get to see you again.”

Keep your eyes on the road, Orli, I had to tell myself, but still looked over at her once again. “Really? It wasn’t out of a need to get your uncle’s clothes back, was it?”

Torrie laughed. “No.” She shrugged. “I just… well, you and Elijah seemed really nice, is all.”

Me and Elijah. Great. Well, what was I expecting anyway? What did I want to hear? I wouldn’t allow myself to think beyond that question.

I really needed to call that redhead.

We continued with the small talk all the way to Elijah’s house. You know, the weather and how bad traffic in LA was, and the latest movies opening at the theatre. Torrie then filled me in on the latest happenings at her job and the seal that had been found earlier that week. She had already named him Bob – I had a good chuckle over that – and told me how incredibly smart he was and how well he had adapted to being handled by humans. I couldn’t help but wonder if given the chance, Torrie would just turn into a mermaid and disappear into the ocean and never come back to land again. Well, now, that was getting rather fanciful of me, wasn’t it?

Pulling up to Elijah’s, I quickly jumped out of the car and reached the passenger side to open Torrie’s door before she could do it herself. Real gentleman like of me, eh. I even took her hand and helped her up. Of course, that was stupid because then I remembered how soft and small her hands were and I didn’t want to let go, even when I felt that damned diamond digging into my palm. Leave it to ol’ Steve to get her something so unoriginal. If it were me, I would have gotten her something more along the lines of a sapphire, in a platinum setting with… Christ, Orli! What the hell are you thinking?!

“Orli, is something wrong?”

I snapped out of my fugue at her question, realizing that I was frowning quite ferociously. I forced my frown into a smile. “No. Sorry. Just remembered something I forgot to do,” I lied.

“Oh.”

The door opened just as we reached the top of the porch and Elijah launched himself against Torrie, bottle of beer in one hand, cigarette in the other. “You came!”

Torrie stumbled back a little and flashed me a look that seemed to scream “Exactly what have I gotten myself into?” but to her credit she hugged Elijah right back, laughing. “Of course I came. Do you think I only said that to get you off my boat and out of my hair?”

Elijah shrugged as if he hadn’t thought of that. “Hey Orli.” He gave me a quick nod before grabbing Torrie’s hand and pulling her into the house. And then the introductions began.

Obviously Elijah had already told everyone about Torrie because they immediately launched into a cavalcade of questions regarding her work, her uncle’s boat and how enjoyable it must have been to knock me off the pier. I just flashed whoever made that comment – I think it was Dom – a flip of the finger, then wandered off to the kitchen to grab a beer. Elijah followed me in, finishing off the bottle that was in his hand and tossing it to the garbage before grabbing another. I stared longingly at his cigarette, wishing for a moment that I hadn’t decided to quit. Oh well. Fingernails were rather tasty now that I thought about it.

He jumped up onto the counter. “I warned Billy and Dom that she’s engaged.”

“That’s a good thing.” I took a swig of the beer and made a face, wishing I had a glass of scotch instead.

“Thought I’d remind you, too, while I was at it.”

I sputtered, almost choking on the swallow I had just taken. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” He took a long drag, watching me silently while I wiped the beer from my mouth with the back of my hand. I just glared in return. “Oh, c’mon, Orli. I saw you holding her hand on the way up to the door.”

“That doesn’t mean shit, Lij. So I held her hand. Big fucking deal.” I took another drink, looking away from his prying gaze. “She’s not even my type.”

Elijah laughed, jumping down from the counter. “Yeah. You keep telling yourself that.”

He walked out of the kitchen before I could add another denial. I followed him out to the main room where Torrie sat on the couch, chatting with Sean and his wife, Christine. Billy and Dom sat across from them, listening, interjecting with a comment now and again while Elijah made himself comfortable on the arm of the couch beside Torrie. He handed her the bottle of beer, which I noticed she kind of grimaced at, before turning her attention back to Christine. Rolling my eyes at Elijah’s astuteness, I walked over to her and reached out, pulling the beer from her hand.

Both she and Elijah looked at me but I ignored him and asked her, “Is there something I can get you to drink – that you actually want to drink?”

Torrie laughed, flashing a quick smile at Elijah who was frowning. “Vodka Collins, if its not too much trouble?”

“Coming right up,” I replied, walking back to the kitchen.

“I thought everyone liked beer,” I heard Elijah comment beside Torrie who laughed in reply.

Dinner was excellent, as was usual when it came to Dom’s cooking. He barbequed the salmon and served it with rice and a spinach salad and freshly made bread with cheesecake for dessert and we all passed around a couple of bottles of wine that we started off pouring into our glasses but by the end of the meal we were just drinking straight from the bottle. We laughed a lot, and I think half the time we didn’t know what we were laughing at, which typically happens whenever I get together with the Hobbits. We can just look at each other and start laughing because we seem to think the same thoughts and a lot of people don’t get that and treat us as if we’re stupid children or something. They tend to forget that Billy and Sean are in their thirties. Actually, I think Billy often forgets how old he is.

Torrie seemed to take it all in stride; fit right in, actually. I mean she never appeared the least bit shocked by some of the crap that came out of our mouths and she always laughed with us and by the end of the evening was getting some of the better smart ass comments in as well. Twice she had left Billy completely speechless and when someone does that there is like this moment of awe shared by myself and the other Hobbits. Shortly thereafter, Billy asked her to marry him. God, he was drunk. He passed out about twenty minutes later. I hoped he didn’t remember any of it in the morning, poor guy.

After Sean and I helped Elijah deposit Billy into one of the guest rooms, we all sat down to play cards. Don’t ask me what game it was. Elijah and Dom were trying to teach us and I think they made the whole thing up but I didn’t say anything like that because, of course, I pretended that I knew exactly what they were talking about. Even added in a few of my own rules, just for the hell of it. Of course, Christine and Torrie were giving us disbelieving looks the entire time and Sean refused to even pick up his cards. He knew us too damn well. We did try to suggest strip poker but the ladies gave us those withering glances – you know, those ones that all women know from birth how to give. So we played our made up game instead and it became so confounded confusing an hour into it that Sean finally told us to piss off and went and turned the TV on. Elijah sat slumped in his chair, smoking another cigarette while Dom jumped up to join Sean. Christine and Torrie were wrapped up in some “females only” conversation. I think they were talking about washing machines but I couldn’t be certain. My head was buzzing. That last bottle of wine, obviously. I stood and mumbled something about needing some air, mostly because I needed to get away from Elijah’s cigarette or I was going to end up asking for one.

The backdoor slammed shut a little loudly behind me, causing me to jump in the silence of the darkness. I took a deep breath, felt the world tilt a little bit and quickly took a seat on the nearest lawn chair. I hadn’t drank that much since the last time all of us were together and obviously I was feeling it. I hoped Torrie didn’t mind crashing at Elijah’s – I was in no condition to drive us anywhere. I couldn’t help but wonder what ol’ Steve would think if he knew she was spending the night with Orlando Bloom at Elijah Wood’s house. The thought made me giggle inanely.

“Something funny?”

Damn. Hadn’t even heard her come out of the house. I glanced up at Torrie as she came to stand beside me, the light breeze tossing a couple of strands of dark hair over her face. She was smiling so sweetly at me and I think I was probably grinning up at her like a complete fool. Hey, I was drunk. At least I wasn’t leaning over and puking on her shoes.

“You’re a little drunk, m’dear,” she told me, sitting beside me.

“I’ve been drunker, love.”

“I can only imagine.”

I laughed and she giggled and I pointed at her, laughing harder. “You’re drunk, too!”

She waved a hand between us. “I, my dear boy, know when to say stop.”

“And when is that?”

Torrie pondered my question for a moment then replied, “About two bottles of wine and three vodka Collins ago!”

I fell against the back of the chair laughing. God, it felt great.

The fresh air seemed to help sober us both up and the laughter finally gave way to conversation. She asked me about how I got into acting and the next thing I knew I was telling her all about my years at Guild Hall and how I got the part as Legolas two days before graduation – you know, the same crap that has been printed over and over again in the magazines. Only, she had never heard it before and she plied me with all sorts of questions that I enjoyed answering. I told her about breaking my back and for a moment I thought she was going to cry. Maybe it was just the way the moon reflected in her eyes but then she scolded me about not being more careful and said something very sweet about how much the world would have missed out on if the fall had been worse. Had I been sober, the comment probably would have struck a deeper chord in me and maybe I wouldn’t have been such a complete dolt later but as it was, what she said went in one ear and out the other and that was that.

“I’m surprised you don’t have a special woman in your life,” she commented when our conversation had finally dwindled to silence.

I blinked and looked over at her. “I’ve got my work. That’s enough for now.”

“Ouch. Sounds like something painful in that comment.”

I gave her a weary smile and tapped my head with a finger. “That’s called perception, love.”

Torrie smiled. “Ah well, it’s the alcohol. Trust me.” She fixed me with that steady green gaze of hers – I swear her eyes just continued to get brighter – and asked, “So what’s the story? Or would you rather not talk about it?”

“It’s not much.” I shrugged. “Everything seemed perfect and right and then suddenly it wasn’t. I could find an easy way out and blame it on the shooting schedule of ‘Rings’ but I know that isn’t it. She was with me for nine of the fifteen months we were there. I guess we just gave up trying or something.”

“Was it love?’

I stared ahead into the night, mulling that question over in my mind. How did anyone really know when it was truly love? Was that just the chance you took? You just jumped out there and pledged your life to someone because you were almost ninety-nine point nine percent certain that it was love. And when it didn’t work out, what did it become then? The oh-I- thought-it-was-love-but-was-obviously-wrong relationship. Or maybe there wasn’t any such thing as “true love” out there. Maybe the human heart was just meant to fall in and out of love numerous times throughout the average lifespan. Maybe we weren’t capable of truly loving just one person forever and ever. Depressing goddamned thought, that.

I sighed. “Yeah. Yeah I think it was. Maybe not the type of love that’s written about by poets or in Harlequin romances or something. But love… sure.”

“So I take it you never rode up on a white horse to whisk her away to your castle, hmm?”

I laughed. “What?”

Torrie smiled and looked away, almost as if she were embarrassed. “My favorite romance novel of all time – I’ve read it like thirty times in my life – at the end of it, the hero rides up to the woman he loves and pulls her up before him on his white stallion and they ride away to his castle to live happily ever after. I always thought that was the perfect ending.”

“Hmmm.” I raised my eyebrows. “Too bad I am minus one horse and minus one castle.”

“Ah well. Nobody’s perfect.”

You know how sometimes you just do really, really dumb things? It’s like the intelligent side of your mind takes a sudden vacation, leaving you there all on your own with nothing to guide you except your own baser instincts, those same instincts that tell us to resort to cannibalism when we are in danger of starving to death. And so there you are, this perfectly normal human being and you have always considered yourself fairly bright and have always had only the best of intentions and out of nowhere you become this complete blathering idiot. Hello. That’s me. Orlando Bloom – blathering idiot. I’m even pictured in the Encyclopedia.

One minute we were just sitting there, smiling at one another, enjoying each other’s company and then the next I was cupping her face in my hands and pressing my lips against hers , and she tasted of vodka and cheesecake and her mouth was so soft and pliant beneath mine. My eyes closed and I lost myself in that kiss, forgetting everything about myself and her and what we were doing there and my entire body reacted, going cold and hot all at once, the desire practically suffocating me. Her skin beneath my fingers was like silk and she smelled so sweet, or it could have been the jasmine bushes behind us. I didn’t know. And I sure as hell didn’t give a damn what scent I was currently once more becoming drunk off of. All I did know was at that moment, she was the only thing in the world that I wanted.

And then she jerked away from me, pulled back and I was left holding onto air, yet still stuck in that euphoric state that we males tend to enter when it comes to the opposite sex. You know, our brains just shut down when we’re in that frame of mind and you could tell us the house was burning down around our heads and it really wouldn’t matter because during those moments our vision is sort of clouded and fuzzy. I swear if you asked me my name at that point it would come out somewhere between “Duh” and “What?” And I knew I had done something wrong but at the moment I was blank as to what it was and Torrie was just standing there staring at me and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why we couldn’t just go back to kissing.

“I thought you were my friend, Orli,” I heard her say and then she pushed past me and went back into the house.

And the fog cleared.

Fuck.

I sat down on the lawn chair, dropped my head into my hands and wondered when the hell I had lost all capacity for rational thought and behavior. Oh this mess was totally and completely all my own and a big fucking mess it was. And I didn’t even have the nerve to stand up and go after her and apologize like I should have. Of course, that little devil inside of me, spurred on by too much to drink, asked me why the hell I needed to apologize anyway. She had obviously wanted something to happen as much as I had or she never would have been so yielding beneath my mouth. Wow. I had to stop thinking about that.

I thought you were my friend, Orli.

Dammit.

The door opened. I looked up, hoping it was Torrie. Grimaced when I saw it was Elijah, giving me that typical Elijah look. Sure, he’s all youth and innocence but he also has this way of making you feel like maybe he’s the parent and he forces you to feel guilt. With just a look. I think its his eyes. The other Hobbits and I have gotten into long discussions about it. Elijah says we’re all freaks but then he isn’t the one who has to be on the receiving end of those eyes, either.

“What the hell happened out here?” He asked, dropping onto the chair opposite me.

I buried my face in my hands once more and moaned.

“Torrie came rushing in there like Satan himself was nipping at her heels and asked if someone could give her a ride back to her car.”

I laughed, picturing myself as the Devil, thinking that at the moment it kind of fit in a grotesque way. Rubbing my hands over my eyes, I faced Elijah once more. “Is she still in there?”

“Nope. Christine and Sean offered their services. They aren’t as drunk as the rest of us.” As if to punctuate that comment, Elijah hiccupped loudly. “So, you haven’t answered my question.”

“I kissed her,” I admitted, waiting for the condemnation.

Elijah laughed. “You fucking idiot! The least you could have done was waited and done something like that in front of Steve. Talk about ruin the perfect opportunity.”

Leave it to Elijah. To make my mistake even dumber than I had originally supposed. He was still giggling across from me, trying very hard not to… Okay, maybe he wasn’t trying at all. At least, he appeared quite willing to laugh at my senselessness. What else were friends for, right? I frowned.

“It’s not funny, Lij.”

“On the contrary, its quite fucking brilliant,” he chuckled. Then he broke into an eerily dead-on impersonation of me, “She’s not my type.” He broke into another fit of giggles.

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.” He jumped up and walked over to me, grabbing me by a chunk of my hair and giving me a big slobbery kiss on the forehead. “You love me. C’mon. Come back inside and tell Dom all about what a horny little bugger you are. He’ll like this story.”

“Fuck you, Lij.”

He laughed again and waved me over. I stood to follow him back into the house, still hating myself and Elijah and the wine and the beer and anything else that I could blame for causing me to behave so irrationally in the first place. My head hurt and my jaw ached from clenching it and I could still feel Torrie’s lips against mine and it was driving me nuts. And now I was going to have to apologize and hope to God I hadn’t severely pissed her off.

Dammit. She’s not even my type.

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