[Riley, Lance, Kiersten] the boyfriends

[Mackenzie Janelle Collins]

Mackenzie knew her parents were looking forward to meeting the boyfriends, both hers and her sisters. And she also knew that, whatever problems they had as a family, her parents were good people. Her mother was kind and sweet, and generous, and her father was hard working, and cared about his daughters. Mack held Riley's hand as they approached the restaurant, looking up and down the street at the different people out and about at dinner time. If felt weird, having her family here and being so excited about it, when Riley couldn't ever have his parents around anymore. She wondered if it bothered him, that her parents were so accessible when his were so obviously not accessible at all. In an ideal world, her parents could become something like a another set of parents to Riley, but she knew it was a touchy subject she wasn't going to touch anytime soon. They went inside the restaurant, the hostess barely looking at them before registering all the familiar faces. Surely Mack's parents were already there, and the hostess had probably gushed over them too, but now both their daughters and boyfriends were here? This hostess would have quite a story to tell her friends. Mack had already seen people in the street taking pictures with cell phones. Most of the time she tried to hard to fly under the radar, especially when she had Lily with her, but it was no use when they were all together.

The hostess led them to the back of the restaurant to a private room, Kiersten and Lance leading the way behind the hostess, and Mack squeezed Riley's hand, "Thanks for coming to dinner," she smiled at him before turning the corner. Her sister had squealed as soon as she saw their dad, "Dad!" breaking away from Lance and jumped into their dad's arms. Mack smiled, leaving Riley's side. Their dad's face had a huge grin plastered to it, and he hugged Kiersten lifting her feet off the ground and wrapped his other free arm around Mackenzie, "There's my beautiful girls!" He set Kiersten down, "Look at you two, just as pretty as always." He leaned down so both daughters could plant a kiss on either cheek, and their dad looked at Mack, "You're all grown up, and look a this one!" He squeezed Kiersten, "I hardly recognize this young lady." Mack walked over to Riley, taking his hand and leading him over to her Dad, "Dad, Mom, this is Riley." Mack squeezed his hand once again before letting it go, waiting to see how everyone would react to each other. Kiersten, went to Lance, introducing him also, and Jonathan shook both their hands, smiling, "Nice to meet you both, Riley Collins, and Lance Renner. Honored really, have a seat, let's have dinner." Mack and Kiersten looked at each other, so far so good. Mack and Kiersten both hugged and kissed their mother, who was just beaming at their boyfriends, "Oh this is just so charming, we are so pleased to meet both of you," she said, "Oh, come here, let me just hug both of you." Julie hugged both boys before letting Jonathan pull her chair out for her and she sat down, her husband beside her, "Oh this is just so nice." she smiled while everyone got seated.

[Riley Scott Collins]

Riley squeezed his hand tightly around Mackenzie’s before he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles as they walked down the pavement to head inside to the restaurant. He knew they probably thought he was a complete ass for not bringing Lily, but it just simply wasn’t the time for that. Atleast meeting Mackenzie’s parents was a memory he could have for himself, instead of one he had lost. As they came into the restaurant he wondered just how weird this must seem to people outside of their social scene. Two heiresses introducing their CEO boyfriend and Disney channel,…foreign… star boyfriend to their parents. Riley straightened his shoulders as they approached their parents. He watched as Kiersten ran up to their father and he flashed instantly to several memories of Mandi trying to get the same reaction from their parents. He was genuinely glad that Kiersten and Mackenzie had that relationship with their parents, it was just odd. And different. He placed his hand on Mackenzie’s lower back. ‘ I’ll be back in just a moment,” he said, leaning down to place a kiss against her hair before he stepped away to find the owner. Riley smiled as he spoke to them, shaking hands with the owner before he gestured towards the windows and talked to him about a few more precautions he thought would be helpful. He took out his wallet and offered some money to the owner before he headed back over to the table. Riley looked back over his shoulder in time to see the blinds being taken care of and some of the ushers heading outside to handle the security gates.

“ Mr. and Mrs. Bannon” he said, smiling as he reached out to shake Mackenzie’s fathers’ hand and then turned to her mother, shaking her hand very lightly before he stood up straight. He laughed quietly as their mother hugged him and he wrapped his arms around her delicately. “ Well it’s definitely a pleasure to finally meet both of you. It’s been something that should have happened a while ago,” he said, giving them a smile. A while ago, before he got hit by a cab, before he got a child that he had never known about. But that’s the way things worked in their world, you ignored, shuffled, maneuvered, exchanged pleasantries. He gestured to the server and ordered a round of drinks for the table before he looked over the table and smiled again, rolling up the sleeve of his long sleeved shirt as he sat down. ”So Mr.Bannon, I saw on the DOW this morning that the market was down. I can only assume that’s what your meetings in the city have been about. What a headache..” he said with an understanding shake of his head before he reached over and held Mackenzie’s hand in his own, tracing his thumb over the side of her hand.

[Lance James Renner]

Lance wrapped his arm around Kierstens shoulders as he traced his hand across the top of her arm and held her close to him. “ This will be a piece of cake, we’ve already overcome the hardest part,” he said, smiling down at her. He looked ahead as he walked into the restaurant and made his way towards the table that he assumed was taken by her parents. They just… looked like Bannon’s. He smiled warmly as he watched Kiersten run up to her father and greet him, but just as quickly her mother was coming over to give him and Riley a hug. “ Oh, pleasure is all mine Mrs. Bannon” he said,smiling as he wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Mr.Bannon,” he said, giving a small nod and shook his hand. As people began to take their seats, Lance took the flower from his lapel that he had clipped short and offered it out to their mother. “ It didn’t seem appropriate to bring a bouquet of flowers, so there are more of these waiting for you at your hotel,” he offered the flower to her before he reached over and pulled out Kierstens chair for her. He smiled as Riley gave him a nod of approval and looked back at his own drink.

“ So Kiersten was telling me how you ladies had lunch together while your husband was unfortunately stuck in business meetings. A little alone time with the children is never a horrible thing. Especially when you are lucky enough to have such brilliant daughters,”Lance reached his arm back as he leaned against the back of his chair and wrapped his arm back around Kiersten’s shoulders before he lazily picked up his glass of water and took his drink.He was pretty damn pleased with the way things had turned out. It had happened quickly, that night anyways, but it was a long time coming, ever since Las Vegas. It wasn’t that he had been blind to it, he just hadn’t ever seen a reason for a push. If things weren’t broke, why fix them? It wasn’t like much had changed between him and Kiersten except now they were more..what..involved? Whatever it was, it was going well and if him meeting her parents was important to her than he’d do it in a heartbeat.

[Kiersten Mollie Bannon]

Kiersten laughed, "Oh Mom, look out, he's out to charm you." Kiersten sat back in her chair, leaning into Lance as Lance spoke to her mom about lunch earlier that day. "We had a good lunch, its been too long. At least were on the same coast now. Actually, Lance went to school in England, he's been all over the place too. I don't know if you noticed, but he has an accent." Julie laughed, "Oh hush, you think you are so funny. Yes of course I noticed, Lance what school did you go to over there? That sounds like it was quite an experience! Not to mention Kiersten was telling me about the school here Ya'll are attending, it seems like quite the artistic place to be. But of course, you're an actor, so this school will be good for you." She beamed, drinking her water and watching Kiersten and Lance, "Ya'll are so cute, you've only been going steady for a few days?" Kiersten rolled her eyes laughing at her mom, "Good grief, Mom, your accent. It sounds like you never left and lived in California for twenty years!" "Oh, don't I know it, it just came back, I feel like a gosh darned real southern lady now. I sound just like Grandma." she laughed.

Kiersten smiled, quietly listening to Riley and her dad talk, and her sister just looked smitten with the pair of them, talking about big boy stuff. This was nice, and honestly her parents weren't even scary people. Well her mom was like the sweetest lady on the earth. Kiersten was glad they'd talked things out. It was well needed, and honestly, she'd missed having her mom. "Mom, we've known each other for over a year, so it's not like a brand new thing." "Ah, I see. Well that makes more sense, you two look too close to be that new of a thing." Kiersten nodded.

[Lance James Renner]

Lance laughed quietly as Kiersten told her mother that he was out to charm her. He honestly didn’t see why people thought he was charming, he just tried to be himself. Fortunately that had been working out pretty well for him so far. Lance looked to the side to take a look at Riley and Mackenzie. He licked his lips as he watched Riley. He fit into this world so easily, hell families like his and the Bannon’s created this world. But he narrowed his eyebrows as he watched Riley. Riley seemed to be noticing everything, the watch on Mr.Bannon’s wrist, he even examined interactions of people that weren’t at their table,and he was doing it all with a smile across his lips. He seemed so easy going for a guy who was reading in to every movement around him. Maybe that’s why Riley was so good at how he was handling his life. No other twenty year old could take over his fathers company, handle his parents dying, realize he’s living in New York, contain a knowledge of med school when he didn’t remember going to the classes, and all at the same time maintaining the same relationships he had with each of his friends, a relationship with Mackenzie that was proving healthy, successfully handling school, the negotiations of his fathers business and being a great father. Lance gave a faint smile as he watched Riley and a realization hit him, watching him at that table… he was the greatest con artist in their group of friends. He was smooth, nice, got people to talk that normally didn’t- quite like Mackenzie, what a pair. Lance wondered for a moment what it would be like to be Riley. To have the world at your fingertips, to be able to seamlessly maneuver whatever situation you wanted, to have all of the money in the world, just a taste of it would be too much for himself.
Lance snapped back to attention as he realized that Kierstens mother had been talking to him. He laughed quietly, “ My apologies, I spaced out for a second. Kiersten kept me all up night with the proper answers to give you for all of your questions,” he said jokingly. Lance adjusted the way his arm was placed around Kiersten’s shoulders as he looked back at their mother. “ Honestly I sort of went to a reformatory school. I wasn’t always the greatest kid but uh.. I learned a lot, definitely changed for the better. I never judge anyone for their past behaviors, because of my own, but I definitely think it shapes who we are.” He looked over towards Kiersten slightly. He never really talked about her sister, unless she brought it up. “ Besides,.. the future is looking bright for everyone it seems. Mackenzie’s show is doing phenomenal.. Kiersten is doing so well at Taboo. Logan raves about her… “Lance said, tilting his head towards Kiersten to smile as he watched her. She was so beautiful, talented, smart. He knew he was lucky to find the type of relationship that they had at this age. But he wasn’t naïve enough to think that didn’t mean it would bring them challenges, and honestly he hoped it did. He wanted those challenges, to prove to himself that he and Kiersten could do this.

[Mackenzie Janelle Collins]

Mackenzie, held Riley's hand in her own, calmly listening to her father and Riley's conversation. That was there thing, business and complicated stuff. Mack figured let them talk about their stock market stuff, they were boys after all. She listened to her dad, totally bonding with Riley already over things like the stock market. Well, they had that in common, that was a good thing. Her father sipped his water, leaning forward, "Oh yeah, you know how it is. Stock drops, people go nuts. But you know what their doing, they're creating a cushion. They're waiting for Bernanke to say more quantitative easing, they want QE3. I don't think it's gonna happen, but hence, they're creating this cushion." Jonathan set his water down and picked up his menu, gesturing to his wife, "But this one over here, she says to me, 'Johnny, you better not have any more meetings this week while we're here.' You know, the key to a successful business is the separation of the business and your home life. You'd know about that, you took over your fathers business, right? But as soon as you get consumed in it, next thing you know, you get stuck. To be able to step away, and come back with a fresh mind, that is the key. Plus it keeps the wife happy. A happy wife is a happy home. Otherwise you may as well take a cot to work and sleep in your damn office," he smiled, wrapping an arm around Julie casually. Mack shook her head, smiling. Her dad was a trip. Julie, looked at him, smiling, "You better hope the wife is happy or you can do your own laundry. I sure as hell know you can't figure out how to work the damn washing machine." She shot back, but smiled tenderly all the same. Jonathan laughed, shrugging, "No, you got that new washer and dryer set, it's all shiny and new, I don't want anything to do with it. Too many buttons."

Her dad, scanned the menu, not even looking up while he continued chatting, "But you're pre-med aren't you? Now that right there, that's a noble thing to do, helping other people. There's a certain special something to gotta have to do that, I don't have it. And that's a lot on your plate to handle." He looked up at Riley, pointing a finger at Mackenzie, "That one, she'll keep you on your toes though. Make you admit you anything, too, whether you did it or not." Mackenzie laughed, "Guilty..." Julie glanced over her menu, "She gets that from me..." Jonathan nodded, "Yes she does, and this one, " he said pointing at Kiersten, "You better believe she's hot headed, age one to four was one big tantrum." He said laughing. Julie looked up, staring at Jonathan calmly, "That she gets from you, dear."

[Kiersten Mollie Bannon]

Kiersten scoffed laughing, "I did not have that bad of tantrums!" All three of her family members looked up from their menus, "Yes, you did." She laughed, making a mock sad face. Her mom said, "I'll never forget, when she was not even two I cut up a hamburger for her and she threw a fit. Both her sisters offered her their burgers just to get her to stop crying." Mack and Kiersten both laughed, Mack adding, "I think that's where Vanessa got her acting start, imitating you." "I hated when she did that." Kiersten laughed. What she wouldn't give to have Vanessa tease her again. Julie looked at the waitress, "Are we all ready to order? I'm gonna have..." Kiersten turned to Lance, smiling, "Hey, you put up with me, that has to mean something," she laughed. She looked at Riley, "You should tell my dad about meeting Hunter Riggins. Dad, did you know Hunter Riggins lives here in the city?" "I did not! You say you met him? What an outstanding college ball player, that is one career I was hoping would go pro." Kiersten ordered her food, chatting casually with Mackenzie about school and what not, and turned to Lance, "I really do want to go with you to set, I wanna see you in your werewolf stuff in person." She smiled, "Plus Dani is supposed to show me the wardrobe in her trailer." Julie turned to Riley, "So Riley, what made you want to go into the medical field? I think that is just so great, I hear Chad is also pre-med, right?" She looked at her daughters, both nodding, "Wow. See that's just perfect, when I'm old and crippled I have charming young men like yourselves to take care of me! Maybe these two knuckle heads won't put me in a nursing home," she laughed, smiling at Mack and Kiersten. "Yeah Mom, like that'd ever happen. We'd have to put you in there kicking and screaming," Mackenzie stated, drinking her water.

[Riley Scott Collins]

Riley watched the interactions at the table and could see that Lance seemed to be handling himself with their mother. But he watched Mackenzie’s mother as Lance spoke, and flickered his eyes over to her father. They missed their other daughter, that was common sense. But it was still very, very much a part of their lives. They were falling back into the routine of the way things used to be , or at least trying to. Riley wondered if he was as transparent about the loss of his parents, he didn’t really think so but then again he wasn’t observing himself. He chuckled at the idea of people thinking quantitative easing would fix the market. “Right, let’s create some more electronic money, just create it out thin air. Because that would help things.. I swear, it’s people don’t understand that somewhere down the line you have to pay for it. I think they honestly believe that quantitative easing is the same thing as going out and getting a credit card. Yeah, you’ve created yourself some electronic money, that wasn’t there before. But at the end of the day, when you’re done spending… you have to foot the bill. So they’re waiting for this miracle that , at the end of the day, they still have to put money into. It’s a temporary cushion and I agree with you that it isn’t going to happen, or at least, it shouldn’t.” Riley waved it off with a shake of his head. “Anyways, we don’t want this to turn into a meeting before both of the Mrs get onto us,” he said, gesturing to both Mackenzie and her mother.

Riley scratched the side of his jaw with his thumb as her father brought up how he took over his parents business. “ I did, seemed the appropriate thing to do before it got ran into the ground,”he said giving a small chuckle. He listened as her father spoke though about separating work and home life. So far Riley had thought he was doing a pretty good job at it, but he was still new at it. There was time to mess up. And hell, they knew about Lily. They were just being polite in not bringing her up. Riley had absolutely no problems talking about Lily, and the situation, with Mackenzie’s parents. He was just skeptical for them to meet her. “ Don’t get me wrong, I feel like I still have a lot to learn in that department. My daughter was certainly unexpected. But she is a blessing, and it’s a lot on my plate.. but I’m fortunate enough to have someone help me in every aspect of my life. I’ve got Mandi to help me with the company ,when she can. She’s busy trying to keep everything in line so she can go to law school. Chad is a huge asset with being pre-med and Kenzie has been beyond helpful when it comes to Lily. Seeing them together has been really beneficial for me, to see how they’ve taken to one another. I mean, I suppose it’s really important because I have every intention of marrying your daughter, so I’m glad she’s accepted a part of me as her own. “ he said casually before he lifted his glass of water to his lips and took a drink. “ Yeah, Hunter Riggins.. He’s a great football player. I actually met him at a baseball game and just sort of kept in touch. Him and my sister are um.. close friends. I’m still hoping he will go pro, I think I talk to him about it every time we get a chance to talk. He’s still got it,”. Riley listened as both her parents talked about medical school. It was more honorable in his opinion that Chad was doing it. Chad was doing it because he wanted to, Riley was doing it because that’s what his parents had expected of him. “ Oh it’s,nothing special really. Just trying to fill my parents expectations. But, it seems decent enough of a work field. People are always going to need doctors,” he said. He smiled as they spoke about Mackenzie. He understood very well how her personality was. “ Yeah, I’ve seen that firsthand” he said with a small smile and a squeeze against her hand.

[Lance James Renner]

Lance tilted his head to look at her as she spoke to him and smiled. “ It means everything, love” he said before he rubbed his hand against the side of her arm affectionately. Lance waited as everyone else ordered and ended up ordering the same thing Riley did. They gave each other a small smirk before he looked back at Kiersten. He knew that he was technically a part of the “mini-crew” and they each had people that they resembled. He knew that his looks were more like Logan’s, granting him a mini Logan title , but there were two mini-Logan’s. He had the looks, Joel had the personality and ambition. Personality wise, Lance very much took after Riley. Which was ironic since he was with Kiersten, the little Mackenzie. “ You can come to set whenever you like,” he said as he smiled at her. He froze instantly as he thought about the different scenes he and Dani had to shoot together. Kissing scenes, that could be awkward. But it wasn’t like Kiersten didn’t watch the show, she would know what to expect and understand that it was for work. “ I still don’t understand how the five of you are so close,” he said with a smile. “ Aren’t girls supposed to hate each other?” he picked up his water and took a drink before he focused back on Kiersten.

Lance could overhear the conversation that was happening from Riley and the girls’ parents, but honestly there wasn’t anything schoolwise for him to talk about. He wasn’t in college yet, so there wasn’t any point as to say what he planned on his major being. Mainly because he was a kid, and his mind could change at the drop of a hat. Disney wasn’t much of a talking point, not in comparison to what everyone else was doing. He smiled as he looked at Kiersten and leaned over to kiss her cheek. He figured it was the most he could get away with without seeming too forward in front of her parents, but at the same time it was something that meant a lot to him since they hadn’t been too terribly affectionate towards one another before they started dating. But with that he sat back , keeping his arm around her loosely before he looked back around the table. He wasn’t exactly someone that hated PDA, but he knew the boundaries for himself.