He hates me now.
That might be a tad dramatic but he was disappointed. His expression had said it all and he’d left here sad and deflated. Apparently he’d been sure she would say yes and she couldn’t really blame him in a way. The idea was practical and for Hollywood it wasn’t all that outlandish. It was good business, really.
But…it sure as hell wasn’t how she’d pictured being proposed to. Like a merger or a real estate deal. There’d been no romance, no confession of feelings. Just a list of all the reasons they should and how they would both benefit. She’d been shocked by her own reaction to his proposition. The sensible, practical woman who pried him out of nightclubs and made sure he didn’t eat his weight in candy would have said yes. Who knew she had this flighty, romantic little girl inside of her that wanted a prince on a white horse? Fat chance of that happening in Tinseltown.
Certainly there were good reasons for marrying Tyler. Career-wise she would benefit. He had all sorts of contacts in the business and another agency would quickly pick her up despite Ina dropping her earlier today. Personally, he was a good and kind man, generous to a fault. They had a great deal of fun whenever they were together, and scarily, they could almost read each other’s mind. There was no lying or subterfuge between them. Tyler was honest as the day was long and she was too.
Maybe too honest, though. He’d never pretended to be anything other than what he was. A playboy. A partier. When he was working, no one put their nose to the grindstone harder than Tyler did but when he was between pictures he liked to have fun. Sometimes with her and sometimes with the myriad of women that always seemed to be hanging around him. He was a chick magnet and he attracted all kinds. Even some crazy ones. She’d shooed more than a few of them away and called the cops on the ones that couldn’t take no for an answer.
It pained her to remember when she’d first met him. His prior tenant in the guest house had decided to move to New York City to work on Broadway. She’d met Kyle at a kickboxing class and they’d hit it off. When he’d seen where she’d lived, he was appalled at the dangerous neighborhood and the high price tag. Immediately he’d given her a key to the guest cottage and told her she could move in at the first of the month. Desperate, she hadn’t questioned it. So when Tyler Gaylord showed up at her front door while she was unpacking her dishes she’d been shocked.
Then scared he was going to throw her out.
Because Kyle hadn’t told Tyler that he’d moved Billie in as a replacement. She’d been the one to tell Tyler about Broadway and how Kyle had hated where she lived and given her a key. She was sure she was going to end up on the streets but Tyler had simply nodded and said they’d try it out and see how it worked.
At first, he’d left her alone but after a few weeks he’d come down just to see how she was doing. She’d offered him a soda and they’d ended up talking all night. A friendship blossomed, mainly because she’d always been straight with him. She didn’t ask him for money or favors and treated him just like he was one of the guys. No better and no worse. It was clear that he’d been hungry for that in his crazy, fame-filled life.
That was five years ago. As far as she knew she was still on probation.
There was also the little secret she’d harbored all of these years, and there was no sense in ever telling him. He didn’t need to know.
The first six months she’d lived in the cottage she’d had a terrible crush on Tyler. She hadn’t shown it, of course. In fact, she’d gone out of her way not to show it so she might have even been a little rough on him. He’d been handsome and sweet, a man who really listened when she talked. Something she hadn’t been used to with her background. Her feelings had probably been inevitable when she looked back at that time. However, as she got to know Tyler more and more, her feelings had faded and them morphed into something far different and complicated.
He was difficult at times, and often more child than man. And the women… There were always plenty of them, although not one of them hung around too long. Somehow Tyler Gaylord had glided through his life with his heart untouched. While she thought of herself as a lovely person, she wasn’t going to be the wonderful and amazing woman who somehow managed to get to his buried heart and make him fall in love. It just wasn’t going to happen. She’d end up heartbroken and crying and she’d had enough of that crap for a lifetime.
It was better that they were friends only.
Now he wanted to throw off the delicate balance that they’d achieved. With marriage. He was so cavalier about the whole thing, thinking that everything would stay the same. It wouldn’t and it could ruin everything. She just couldn’t lose him out of her life. He was too vital to her happiness and well-being.
The ringing of her phone cut off her melancholy thoughts and she groaned when she saw the display. The same number as earlier. She’d been putting this off but she already felt like shit. She might as well go all the way and feel like hell.
“Hello.”
“Billiie, thank goodness you finally answered. I’ve been calling and calling.”
Connie, a childhood friend, sounded out of breath and shaken which immediately put Billie on alert. Frankly she never heard any good news from her old hometown.
“Hi, Connie. Sorry about that. It’s been busy here. What’s going on?”
She hadn’t wanted to ask but Connie wouldn’t call unless it was important.
“It’s your sister, Sierra.” Connie didn’t bother with any more pleasantries and went straight to the point. “Brian beat her up again. This time it’s real bad. She’s got a broken arm and a black eye. A few broken ribs too. The shelter advised her to divorce Brian, change her name, and leave the state. You know, start a new life, but that costs a lot of money. They said she needs to disappear because he’ll never leave her alone. The divorce alone will probably be thousands, plus you know he’ll fight it tooth and nail. Then to get her set up in a new life with a new name… The social worker said that they have attorneys that might accept lower fees or a payment plan but it’s still going to be expensive.”
Sierra had a no good, loser husband she’d been with for about seven years. Billie had told her way back then that she needed to dump him but her sister was completely controlled by her infantile husband. Brian needed Sierra. He’d cry when she’d tried to break it off. He’d threaten to kill himself. Then she’d married the son of a bitch and things had gone downhill from there. Brian would get drunk, smack Sierra around, Sierra would leave and stay with Connie for a few days, and then Brian would buy flowers and apologize. Cue the cycle to start again.
“Will she really leave him this time? For real?”
“She says she’s done and I believe her. This time he threatened to kill her and I think he means it.”
Through all of this bullshit she was still Billie’s sister, although Sierra might see it differently. The last time they’d been together they’d argued about Brian and Sierra had told Billie she hated her and to leave and never come back. Billie had been trying to convince her sister to come with her to Los Angeles. She’d failed and tried to put the past behind her, but she’d never quite put her sister in the lost cause category. She’d always had hope that Sierra might one day wake up, which was why Billie kept in touch with Connie.
If Sierra was ready to leave the bastard, Billie wanted to help her.
Billie had been saving up for the down payment on a new car. It looked like she’d be driving her 2002 Honda Civic awhile longer. It didn’t help that she hadn’t had a decent acting job in months. She’d been getting by on temp jobs and bartending at a local place on the weekends. Luckily Tyler charged her almost nothing for the cottage and he wouldn’t have noticed if she didn’t pay at all. Not that she would ever take advantage of that.
“I have three thousand dollars saved up. I can send that to help.”
The impatient exhale of breath into the phone clearly said that wasn’t good enough.
“You don’t understand. Between the attorney’s fee
s and the new life she needs to start, it’s going to be more like twenty-five thousand. Probably more. She left the house with nothing but the clothes on her back. She needs everything new, plus that figure doesn’t even include the medical bills and she doesn’t have any insurance. Is there anything you can sell?”
More tears – this time for a different reason – squeezed through Billie’s tightly closed lashes. Frustration warred with anger at the situation that had been festering for years. It might as well be twenty-five million. The only thing Billie owned was her car and that wasn’t going to fetch more than a grand or two, and she couldn’t even think of selling it. A person couldn’t live in Los Angeles without transportation.
She had some clothes, mostly what Tyler had bought her over her objections, but she wouldn’t get much for them.
There had to be some way but at the moment Billie had no idea what to do. She’d lived on the edge, paycheck to paycheck her entire life.
“I don’t know what to say, Connie. I just don’t have that kind of money.”
“We have to do something. She can’t go back to him, Billie. He’ll kill her next time.”
Billie had been saying that very thing for years. She was protective of her sister even though most of the time she tried to forget she had that other life in her past. She was all about living in the present. Even Tyler didn’t know about Billie’s family. She was pretty sure he thought she was an orphan. Most of the time he’d be right. Billie’s mother had passed away after hitting a tree while driving drunk, and she didn’t talk to Sierra any longer because that asshole didn’t like for her to speak to anyone that might say something against him.
“Let me think on it. I’m sure there’s something we can do.”
Billie wasn’t sure at all but it had all been dumped into her lap to be solved. It wasn’t Connie’s mess to clean up, Sierra wasn’t capable at the moment, Billie’s mother was in the great hereafter, so that just left Billie.
“Call me if you figure something out. It needs to be soon too because she’s getting out of the hospital tomorrow morning. She has to give the attorney an answer in a few days plus he’s going to want a retainer of some sort to keep working on the case. There’s a social worker that can help us but we need to get a plan together.”
Ending the call, Billie tossed her phone aside and stared up at the ceiling. She wanted Sierra to get away from Brian. She’d wanted that for years. Now there was someone who could help her with that but it cost big bucks. Money that she didn’t have.
The fact was the Oliver family was fucked up. This was one of the big reasons why Billie didn’t drink. She wanted to be in control at all times. Her mother had been addicted to booze and it had cost her everything.
It was up to Billie to do something. But what? Sell a kidney? It was the only thing of value she had.
Wait…a kidney.
A terrible, horrible thought came to Billie. One she didn’t want to even think about.
What am I willing to do for my family?
CHAPTER SEVEN
Tyler had spent the last several hours replaying the conversation with Billie over and over in his mind. When push came to shove she was far more important to him than a role in a movie – no matter how desperately he wanted it. While he didn’t think there would be another game-changing part like that for him he also knew he’d never find a better friend than Billie. He was disappointed that she’d said no but her happiness and well-being was his top priority. He couldn’t help it that he thought she’d be better off letting him help her instead of struggling for money and roles as if she didn’t have any connections in Hollywood.
So now he was nursing a full-bodied Cabernet while trying to come up with ideas that might sway Billie’s decision. If she wouldn’t take anything for herself would she change her mind if he vowed to make a huge donation to the local children’s hospital? They were both involved there personally, making appearances and reading to the kids.
Or perhaps he should simply leave her alone and think of another way to get the role. If Weller knew who Tyler truly was he might come around.
And pigs might sprout wings and fly over the Hollywood sign while TMZ reports it live.
Tyler wanted this role in spite of Ron Weller, not because of it. The man was definitely not an actor’s director, worrying more about schedules and budgets than he did the creative process of filmmaking.
“You should really lock your door. Just anyone could come in.”
Billie’s soft voice pulled him from his reverie and he sat up from where he was sprawled on the couch and placed his wine glass on the coffee table.
“If we were married you could remind me to lock the door every night before we turned in.”
Rolling her eyes, she sat down on the cushion next to his. “That’s something to look forward to. Lock the door. Turn down the thermostat. Put out the cat.”
This was the Billie he knew and loved. “We don’t have a cat.”
She curled up comfortably, her feet tucked underneath her bottom. “I guess we could get one, although I have allergies.”
“Maybe a dog,” he suggested, keeping the conversation light on purpose. Hope had once again flared to life inside of him but he didn’t want to push and scare her off. “I had a dog when I was a kid.”
“You never told me that.”
He hadn’t, but why was a long, drawn-out conversation that he didn’t want to get in to. His past was one of the reasons he’d wanted this role so badly.
“His name was Scout and he was the best dog ever.”
“Scout’s a good name for a dog.”
They simply sat there for awhile not saying anything but the silence spoke volumes for them. There was a tension that hadn’t been there before. A question hanging in the air like a blinking neon sign that neither could ignore. Billie was the first to give in and speak.
“I may have changed my mind about your earlier offer.”
She had Tyler’s complete and undivided attention.
Caution. Proceed slowly.
“That’s good news but it sounds like you still have a few reservations. Want to talk about them?”
He held his breath waiting for her reply.
“No contract,” she stated firmly. “We agree to the details and shake hands like the friends we are. I won’t have a contract in my marriage.”
“Agreed,” he said quickly. If all her demands were like this it was going to be easy.
“You have to promise you won’t embarrass me in the press.”
Stiffening, Tyler couldn’t help but feel offended. “Do you honestly think I would do anything to hurt you, babe? Really?”
Billie shook her head. “Not on purpose, but sometimes your partying can get out of hand. And the women. There are always women, Ty, and there are always paps when the women are around. I don’t want my name dragged through the mud because you were out with a couple of fans dancing the night away. You’ll need to be discreet.”
There wouldn’t be any females once they were married but he was getting the idea that Billie wouldn’t believe him even if he wrote it in his own blood. Actions were always more important to her. He’d simply have to show her that he knew how to behave. He’d promised her to be a good husband and he would be.
“Agreed. I would never do that to you. You have my word. Anything else?”
Shifting on the cushions, Billie chewed on her thumbnail. “We only get married if we absolutely have to.”
“I’m not following. What do you mean only if we have to?”
“Being engaged might be enough. If you get the part we can just tell everyone we’re putting off the wedding until after the shoot.”
Tyler didn’t want to scare her any more than she probably was already was but she needed to go into this with her eyes open. “Babe, I was actually thinking we would get married this fall. That would give us time to put together a kickass wedding but not so fast that people would think I knocked you up.”
Ap
parently that thought hadn’t occurred to her and her eyes flew wide. “Pregnant? Do you think some people will think I’m expecting?”
“Only if we hurry into the marriage. Besides, I’m not going to rob you of a great wedding, Billie. I remember what you said about wanting a fairy tale wedding and I’m going to give it to you.”
Tyler was ready to fight with her on this. They weren’t going to slink away to Vegas or something even worse like they were ashamed.
“I do not remember ever saying that but I guess a fairy tale wedding is appropriate for a make-believe marriage. But still…if you get the part before the wedding, we could postpone it.”
He could argue with her about needing her for film promotion when it was released and then awards season but he’d already won a major battle tonight. That was a fight for another day.
“Okay, is there anything else? So far you haven’t mentioned anything that’s a deal breaker for me.”
Tyler watched as Billie’s hands wrung together, turning the knuckles white.
“Fifty…thousand.”
It took him a moment to realize she was talking about money because she so rarely would speak with him about anything financial.
“That’s it?”
The question came out before he could stop it. Frankly when he’d mentioned giving her compensation for doing this he’d thought of a much larger number.
Like one million. Or two.
It was her turn to look offended. “I’m not a gold digger, Tyler. This isn’t about the money for me.”
Daring to touch her, he reached out and placed his hand over hers, prying the fingers apart. At the rate she was going she was going to rip all ten of them out one by one. Her hands were cold but what was that old saying? Cold hands, warm heart?
“That number is actually far too low, babe. It would be an insult to the time and effort you’ll be putting in on my behalf. Make no mistake, I know that I am the one benefitting the most from this and I want to make this more equal.”
Wild on the Red Carpet (The Hollywood Showmance Chronicles Book 3) Page 4
