Billie stood her ground in the doorway, not willing to let him inside to discuss this. “It’s nice to meet you, Curtis, but I’m not sure what you’re late for. Did you have an appointment?”
“I’m here for the job.”
“Job? I think you must be confused. There is no job here.”
Curtis’s happy expression turned to one of dismay. “You mean Garrett gave the job to someone else? Why didn’t he call me?”
Garrett. Crap.
“Garrett told you to be here today?”
Nodding eagerly, Curtis hurried to explain. “He said I was Tyler Gaylord’s new assistant. Is that not right?”
Billie pressed a finger to her throbbing temple. “I’m sure it’s correct. I just wasn’t expecting you today. Come on in.”
She stepped back so Curtis could enter and then led him through the foyer all the way to the kitchen in the back of the house where Tyler was standing, sweaty from his run and gulping down a bottle of water.
“Tyler, this is Curtis. He says Garrett hired him as your new assistant. Do you know anything about that?”
Scraping his fingers through his damp hair, Tyler grimaced. “About that, babe. Garrett mentioned it last time I talked to him but I forgot to tell you. Good news, you don’t have to help me anymore.”
It was a surprise as she’d thought Tyler was doing nothing to find a new assistant. She should have known he’d have Garrett choose one instead.
“That is good news, especially as we have the comic book convention coming up soon.”
Tyler grinned. “That’s right and that’s the first thing we’ll have Curtis do. Confirm all the arrangements for San Diego. Can you…?”
Of course Tyler had no idea where the detailed itinerary was, not that she thought he should. He was busy making the movies and being the movie star. He could pay people to arrange transport at the airport. It wasn’t a cost-effective use of his time.
“I can,” she confirmed. “Let me give you a tour, Curtis, and then show you the office. I’ve been filling in but I’m happy to hand over the responsibilities.”
Tyler and Curtis shook hands and then the younger man followed her as she showed him around the house and grounds. Hopefully he would last for awhile. Good assistants didn’t grow on trees and the really efficient ones were in demand and paid handsomely. The hours sucked and there was little glamour in the job but luckily there was a breed of people that were born to be organized and liked hanging around the movie business.
If Curtis could survive the comic book convention then he could probably survive anything. Billie had never been but she’d heard the stories from Tyler’s friends. This year, however, she was going and she had to admit she was a little worried. These were Tyler’s most rabid fans, the ones who weren’t all that thrilled that Billie had taken him off the market.
Everything she’d done up to now was nothing compared to San Diego. All she wanted to do was survive the trip and not make a fool out of herself. Anything more was a bonus.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Are you sure you’re not mad?”
Billie didn’t appear to care that Tyler had a guy’s night planned with his close friend Sam Collins, but she’d been so sweet lately he didn’t want to upset the delicate balance they’d managed to achieve. When she’d said that she was going to get a new attitude, she’d spoken the truth. The last three days had been almost completely normal, hanging out together and having a ball. He felt lucky to have his best friend back.
Huffing, Billie slapped a bookmark into her paperback and sighed. “I am not mad, but I will be if you keep bugging me by asking me that over and over. Why would I be mad?”
Tyler shrugged awkwardly, not knowing how to deal with the situation. It wasn’t anything he’d experienced before. “I don’t know but I’ve seen women get pissed off when their significant other goes out with the guys. It’s just Sam, you know.”
“I know and I like Sam. Have a good time and don’t drive if you drink.” She rolled her eyes and slapped her forehead. “What am I saying? You’re going out with Sam. Of course you’re going to drink. Use the car service and don’t let anyone take a picture that’s going to end up on social media. We have the comic book convention coming up and you don’t want to spend three days answering questions about public inebriation instead of the Thunder movie.”
Billie was well acquainted with his evenings with Sam Collins. She’d participated in more than a few too.
“I am using the car service,” he confirmed. “What are you going to do while I’m gone?”
His guilt was rapidly dissolving as he studied her gleeful expression. Far from being upset, she appeared thrilled that he was leaving her alone.
“I’m going to take a long, hot bath. Then I’m going to read my new book in bed. Heaven.”
Billie looked damn happy about it too.
“You can do that when I’m here. You don’t have to wait until I leave.”
“Really? Because last time I tried you knocked on the bathroom door at least three times to ask me what you deemed to be important questions such as ‘Do we have any milk?’ I’m pretty sure you could have figured out the answer by opening the refrigerator.”
Women didn’t understand. “I knew we had milk,” he explained patiently. “I just didn’t know if it was any good. It was the day after the date on the carton.”
“Then smell it.”
“I don’t know how bad milk smells.”
“Trust me, you’ll know. And how could you get to the age of thirty-eight and not know how bad milk smells? It’s not witchcraft, it’s common sense.”
He shot her his most charming grin. “What can I say? I’m a little spoiled.”
“A little? Try a lot.” She made a shooing motion with her hands. “Now go have your guy night with Sam. Drink beer. Wrestle bears. Get a tattoo. Call me if you need bail money.”
Being married to Billie was going to be no hardship whatsoever. She could make him laugh so easily and she didn’t sweat the small stuff.
“Aww, baby girl, that’s sweet, but I wouldn’t wake you up for that. I’ll call Garrett and get his ass out of bed. That’s what I pay him for.”
She was laughing as he exited the house, climbing into the dark SUV the service had sent. It didn’t take long to reach the out of the way bar that he and Sam liked to frequent. It was still Hollywood but a toned-down version. The drinks were overpriced but it wasn’t filled with tourists hoping to see a movie star. This place was for locals and for the most part they left Tyler and Sam alone.
Sam was already inside flirting with a pretty young waitress. Or maybe she was flirting with Sam. It was hard to tell at a distance but his friend didn’t seem to mind. Sam was the Hollywood ideal of tall, dark, and handsome so there were always women wherever they went. He had been married years before and had been single for the last ten or fifteen at least. At age forty he didn’t seem in a hurry to settle down again, always saying that when he met the right woman he’d race her to the altar as fast as he could. Apparently he hadn’t met her yet.
Tyler slid into the dark booth across from Sam.
“Sorry I’m late.”
The waitress’s eyes widened when she took in Sam’s drinking buddy for the evening.
“Trouble with the old ball and chain?” Sam smirked. “Did Billie give you a hard time about going out with me?”
Tyler didn’t want to have this conversation with the waitress listening in. He’d deal with her first.
He pointed to Sam’s beer and chaser. “I’ll have the same.”
Reluctantly – very reluctantly – she headed to the bar to get his drinks, looking over her shoulder the whole way.
“You better hope I don’t tell Billie what you called her because she’ll kick your ass into next week. I’ll have you know that not only did she not care about me coming out tonight, she almost pushed me out of the house. Apparently she wanted some alone time and I’m cramping her style and not giving her a
ny peace and quiet.”
“I would imagine living you with you is like living with a toddler. A happy one but still immature.”
They were always busting each other’s balls and it looked like tonight wouldn’t be any different.
“Because you’re so mature?” Tyler taunted. “You might want to rethink that, my friend. Remember that time in New York City?”
Tyler didn’t even have to mention which time, although they’d had more than one wild night. But that particular crazy evening wouldn’t be forgotten very soon.
Chuckling, Sam stroked his chin and smiled at the memories. “That was a great night.”
Tyler pointed a finger at his friend. “And it was all your idea, Mr. Maturity. So take your toddler bullshit and shove it up your very famous ass.”
The waitress brought Tyler’s drinks and tried to linger, brushing his shoulder with her hand as she straightened up. This certainly wasn’t the first time some girl had given him an eyeful of her cleavage but it sure didn’t feel the same. Before he’d enjoyed the view and every now and then he might even pursue something with the lady in question. But that was before.
His life was now separated into two parts. Before being engaged to Billie and afterward.
It didn’t seem respectful to ogle a waitress when he had a beautiful fiancée at home. Of course it wasn’t real but that didn’t make much of a difference. It still wasn’t right and Billie deserved better than a horn dog for a husband. After hearing the story of her childhood, she deserved better everything in her life. Period.
The waitress leaned down and placed her hands on the table so her breasts were almost spilling out of her tight t-shirt. “Is there anything else I can get you? My name’s Trish, by the way.”
Sam quirked an eyebrow at Tyler. “I’m fine but I can’t speak for my friend.”
Tyler shook his head. “I’m good too. Thank you, Trish.”
Her lips turned down in disappointment, Trish wandered back to the bar where a few others patrons sat. Sam watched her as she walked away, her hip swaying, before turning to Tyler.
“You could have had her if you wanted.”
“So could you. And you’re not engaged.”
A slow smile crossed Sam’s face. “Speaking of your new status, what’s up with that? I thought Billie had more sense than to get romantically involved with you. Did she have a severe blow to the head and get amnesia?”
Sam Collins was one of Tyler’s best friends in the world and there wasn’t much they didn’t know about one another. Lying would be useless anyway as Sam could see bullshit from a mile away. It was uncanny how the man could sniff out a lie.
“She’s helping me out,” Tyler admitted, his voice low although the bar was loud. It was doubtful anyone would hear them. “Weller won’t even talk to me about the role. He wants a man who is settled and in love.”
“Weller’s an ass. I wouldn’t work on one of his sets for all the millions in the world. You need to think twice about whether this part is worth it.”
It was worth it. Tyler wasn’t afraid of Weller and all his bitching and whining.
“You didn’t seem surprised at all. Had you already figured it out?”
Sam shrugged and took another draw on his beer. “I couldn’t be sure. It didn’t seem probable that you turned your friendship into an engagement in the six weeks since I last saw you but stranger things have happened. Billie’s a good woman though, and you’re lucky. Are you actually going to get married for a movie role or just stay engaged? A wedding seems kind of extreme but people have married for worse reasons, especially in this crazy town.”
“We’re getting married,” Tyler said firmly. “This is the role of a lifetime and I’m grateful to Billie for helping me.”
No way was Tyler going to mention the financial arrangements. That was private.
“I can’t imagine that girl ever saying no to you for anything. Or you to her, for that matter.”
Shaking his head, Tyler chuckled, remembering the look of horror on Billie’s face when he’d brought up the proposal. “Let’s just say she didn’t say yes right off. I had to use my powers of persuasion.”
“Well, I guess I should say congratulations. I actually think you and Billie will make a great couple. When is the big day?”
Damn, this was harder than Tyler had imagined. What if Sam said no?
“Yeah…about that…shit…I was hoping…well…that you might be my best man.”
He had his answer when Sam’s face lit up. “Fuck, yes. Do I get to throw you a bachelor party?”
Saying yes was a dangerous proposition but it was a tradition. “Sure, just keep our names out of the press. I don’t need pictures of all of us with strippers on the cover of the Enquirer.”
Sam held up two fingers. “Scout’s honor.”
“You were never a Boy Scout.”
“You don’t know that for sure.” He nodded to the empty pool table. “Now let’s go play some pool. How about a little friendly wager?”
Tyler was going to love every second of taking Sam’s money.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Tyler had a smile on his face the entire drive back to his home. It had been a great evening of beer and pool, although he’d lost about a thousand bucks to Sam. They’d both agreed to double or nothing next time they got together.
The SUV pulled into Tyler’s driveway and stopped at the closed gate, the driver looking over his shoulder to his passenger in the backseat. “You’ll need to open the gate, Mr. Gaylord.”
Easier said than done.
It shouldn’t be this difficult.
Fumbling with his phone, it took Tyler several tries before his fingers finally took direction from his brain and typed out the code. The gates swung open and the vehicle pulled to the front of the house.
I might be more drunk than I thought.
“Safely home, Mr. Gaylord. I hope the ride home was satisfactory.”
Kevin was Tyler’s regular driver whenever he used this car service and the older man always took good care of him, no matter where they were or what time of night it was. Other drivers had sold Tyler out, talking to tabloids, but Kevin never had.
“Smooth and uneventful,” Tyler said, pushing the car door open before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a hundred-dollar bill. The smell of morning dew and fresh earth assailed his nostrils. “Just like I like it.”
He handed Kevin the tip and stepped out of the car but his legs didn’t cooperate. Stumbling into a bush, he felt Kevin’s arms catch him before he fell onto the ground. For an older guy, he moved fast.
“Easy there, Mr. Gaylord. Let me help you to the door.”
“Thanks, Kevin. I seem to be having some trouble walking.”
It was all because the earth was undulating under his feet, making it difficult to stay steady. When they arrived at his front door, it took another few minutes for him to find his key and slide it into the lock.
I am definitely more drunk than I thought. I need to sleep this off.
The front door finally opened to Tyler’s relief and he stepped inside before thanking Kevin. The older man wished Tyler a pleasant evening although it was already four in the morning. Knowing Billie, she’d be up at the crack of dawn just to fuck with him when he had a hangover.
Jesus, I need to get to bed.
Walking carefully through the house so he didn’t knock anything over, Tyler hugged the walls so he could stay upright. The stairs proved trickier but with time and determination he navigated his way to the top and down the hall to his room, stripping his clothes off along the way. By the time he stood naked at the end of his mattress he didn’t bother to brush his teeth. They could stay furry for a few hours.
Crawling into bed, his head fell onto the pillow and he haphazardly pulled the comforter over his legs. He might regret this tomorrow but he’d had a good time tonight. A thought ran through his head that he ought to drink some water or take a few ibuprofen for the headache he would sure
ly have but he was too relaxed to move, his limbs like lead.
Time to sleep it off.
* * *
The light from the window filtered through Billie’s eyelids and she groaned softly. She’d never be a morning person. What time was it, anyway? The sun wasn’t too high so it couldn’t be all that late.
Shifting on the mattress to stretch, she found herself trapped under something heavy and her fingers reached out to brush it away but instead came in contact with something warm.
Very warm.
It didn’t take much exploring to realize she was being weighed down by a heavily muscled arm around her waist. The real shock was that she hadn’t noticed the face that was buried in her hair at the curve of her neck, the breath smelling faintly of beer and whiskey. There was also something hard and masculine poking into her backside.
That was when she realized her bed partner was quite naked. Unfortunately, so was she.
Choking on her own spit, her heart seemed to cease beating for a long minute and she struggled to suck oxygen into her lungs. What in the ever-loving fuck?
A glance over her shoulder told her the worst. Tyler laid next to her snoring as if she hadn’t just silently screamed in horror. This wasn’t the first time they’d slept in the same bed, far from it, but it was the first time either of them had been naked. And engaged. The sheet had slid down sometime during the night and his impressively muscled chest with just a smattering of dark hair was on display. Only a scrap of thousand thread count cotton kept his modesty. Not that Tyler had much shame to begin with.
It must have been quite a night for him if he’d been so drunk he didn’t remember that he was sleeping down the hall. Shit. How was she going to get out of this predicament without waking him? A better question was how she’d slept through his return last night. She was a heavy sleeper but she would have woken if he’d turned on a light or brushed his teeth. That hot bath must have put her out like a light.
Wild on the Red Carpet (The Hollywood Showmance Chronicles Book 3) Page 11
