Acting Happy (Texas Desires #2)

by Rylie Roberts

  “Baby, stop.”

  She stretched, her fingers barely reaching the phone before sliding back over him. That time an elbow dug into his shoulder making him groan again as he rolled her to her back.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, sleepy eyes looking down at her.

  She lifted the phone to him. “It’s buzzing like crazy.”

  “I don’t care. The only person I want to talk to is right here with me,” he said, which made her heart happy. He took the phone and started to toss it aside until it vibrated again.

  “I hate modern technology.” Ty shoved to his back, moving his finger over the screen. Kenzie rose to her side, anchored her head on her hand, and pulled the blanket up to make sure her naked body was still covered. Ty had been good at getting his way. Her stipulation was that they stayed underneath the blankets. In her mind, she hadn’t completely caved since she’d kept them covered the whole time. At least she hoped.

  “We got the land. I can close soon. Maybe even tomorrow,” he said, smiling over at her.

  “That’s great. All that vibration just for that?” she asked.

  “Well, no. Malea says the media coverage is all solid, and Anthony’s sending all the other messages. He’s listing all the reasons he shouldn’t have to lose his job if he doesn’t move to Texas with us,” Ty said with a chuckle, working his phone. “He’s given me the top ten reasons why he shouldn’t move. All in separate text messages. Two message for the number one spot—apparently a tie. First, there’s no ocean in West Texas, and second, Texans hates gay people.”

  Kenzie busted out a laugh at that. “They do not. Are you going to make him come with us?”

  Ty lifted, turning to face her, mimicking her position, except he picked up a hank of her hair, twirling it around his finger.

  “Nah, but I’ll make him squirm a little while,” he said. Ty let go of her hair and reached up, pushing it all off her shoulder until he cupped her neck and pulled her forward. He met her halfway for a soft, tender kiss.

  “I love you, Kenzie. Are you sure you’re good with moving to the country? You didn’t like the mountains.”

  “I liked the mountains when you were with me,” she countered, and he stared at her until a smile spread across his face.

  “That was a really good answer. Thank you for taking me back.”

  “Thank you for coming to get me.” The cell phone between them vibrated like crazy again. When she saw Anthony’s name, she picked it up and opened the message.

  “He’s amended number one. He’s Googled the area, and no one delivers queso and chips out there. He thinks you should reconsider before signing the papers.” Kenzie put the phone down and looked over at Ty. “So you can have someone deliver just queso and chips around here? I’ve never seen anything like that.”

  Ty laughed solidly as he rose, not concerned with his nudity in the slightest. He didn’t waste a second as he scooped her up, blanket and all, and headed to the bedroom.

  Chapter 45

  Six months later

  Ty grinned, lifted a hand, and waved to the audience as he took his chair across from Nicole Mathers, the premiere daytime talk show host and good friend. He’d been out on stage at least a full minute with the entire audience still standing, clapping, and cheering wildly. This was exactly why his team had chosen this show for his first real interview since canceling his film contracts and going part-time with Titan’s Fall. Nicole was the trendiest daytime host on air, and as an actress herself, she wouldn’t press too hard for answers he didn’t want to give.

  He looked over his shoulder, craning his head backward to see a smiling Kenzie standing just past the backstage curtain. This wasn’t the first time she’d come along with him, but she still very much shied away from the cameras, not comfortable with the attention she drew.

  As a show of solidarity, she lifted her fist, giving him an all-air knuckle bump. It always excited her to watch him have this much attention.

  “Sit down, everyone! Calm yourselves! We’ll have to go to commercial break without talking to him if you don’t sit!” Nicole was back on her feet, waving her hands, trying to get control of her audience. It still took almost another full minute to get them seated.

  “You command a room,” she said, lifting a hand to wipe pretend sweat off her brow as she sat back down. Ty shifted in his seat, got comfortable, and placed his arms along the arms of the chair. He just grinned at her, not exactly sure what she wanted him to say. “Oh whatever, we’ll just go to break thirty seconds early, but I’ll leave you with this. Titan’s Fall season finale this Thursday night. Check out this never seen before…” Nicole waved her hands at her staff, motioning for them to hurry. “Put that picture up. The one of him…” Nicole turned her head and Ty followed her gaze to see the image from the final episode of Titan’s Fall’s photoshoot, containing a barely dressed Ty, wrapped in chains, battling with Zeus himself. He had on little more than a glorified chain mail loincloth as his fierce expression made his entire body flex and strain toward his brother. This was the first reveal of the teaser for the final episode and the crowd again went nuts. Nicole yelled toward the cameras. “We’ll be back!”

  Going against protocol, Ty stood, bowing to the audience. He planned to spend time signing autographs when this was over, but until then, he needed them to know how much he appreciated all their support. Even though he’d virtually disappeared, his core audience hadn’t left him. His newest movie premiered last month and grossed higher than any other before—he owed his fans so much.

  About forty-five seconds later, Nicole’s staff did everything in their power to control the audience, and Ty took a second to again check on Kenzie. She was still there, grinning so proudly. Ty reached for the glass of water on the table in front of him as he sat in his seat. The countdown started and then they were back on air.

  “We’re back with Ty Bateman. You’ve made bold moves, leaving television, canceling movies. Canceling movies I’m supposed to be in with you. What’s up with that?” Nicole asked rather cheekily, causing Ty to chuckle.

  “I needed a break. It was getting to be too much,” he said honestly, putting the glass back in its place. He made a show of turning the Nicole logo to the correct angle, perfect for a camera shot. That got a small laugh, helping to keep the interview light and easy.

  “It doesn’t hurt that you’re in love.”

  “I’m so in love!” he agreed, grinning big.

  “Well, Ty… Since you chose my show out of all of them hammering for this interview, you put a lot of pressure on me to come up with something good. I’m not gonna lie. It was hard.”

  Nicole got a solid laugh out of that, and all he could do was furrow his brow. He had no idea where she was going with that statement.

  “I needed to come up with something special. More special than even that never-seen-before picture.” His final episode photo was back on the big screen and the crowd again went nuts. Nicole rose and left him sitting there. She was almost to the backstage curtain before she said, “Kenzie, come on out here. As much as people want to see Ty, they want to know you. Get out here, girl.”

  Ty immediately stood. What just happened? The crowd’s frenzy started again as a camera followed behind Nicole as she went for Kenzie. Ty couldn’t see around Nicole, but he started to jog those last few steps. Kenzie didn’t like being in the public’s eye and Nicole didn’t seem to care. She had her arm around a retreating Kenzie, tugging her forward. By the time he got there, Kenzie had been pulled out on stage, biting at her lip as she just shrugged at him.

  What did that even mean?

  “Kenzie Stanton, everyone,” Nicole said. The commotion behind him drew his attention as the staff worked at changing out his chair to a loveseat. All the while, Nicole expertly guided them in that direction. Ty saw no other choice than to take her hand, pulling her over to the sofa. The sooner they got this over with, the sooner he would never appear on this show again, and that thought made a giant grin spr
ead across his face.

  They had Kenzie mic’ed up in seconds.

  “Well, Kenzie, how are you?” Nicole settled into her chair and leaned forward eagerly waiting for her answer.

  Kenzie looked at him, then over at Nicole.

  “I was better backstage,” she said and hooked a thumb over her shoulder. She used her left hand to make that move. Nicole lifted her hands like she was blinded before she reached across and lifted Kenzie’s left hand to show her engagement ring to the camera.

  “This is what I wanted everyone to see. They’re engaged.”

  Ty looked at Kenzie who had a solid blush staining her cheeks, and he leaned in, kissing her temple.

  “We’ve been engaged for a while now,” Ty told Nicole, trying to draw the conversation back to him.

  “The intrusion into your life, especially while trying to build a new relationship, was too much. Is that what pushed you into seclusion?”

  “I hate to say yes. It makes me seem ungrateful for my celebrity status, but the answer is yes.”

  “People don’t understand it until they live it.” Nicole shook her head as though commiserating with him. “Back when I first started in this industry, I’d beg for someone to take my picture. Now, taking the most candid shot they can find is a huge mega industry, even when it’s done illegally,” Nicole said.

  “They made it rocky for us in the beginning. Those photos were almost our undoing,” he explained honestly, giving Kenzie’s shoulder a squeeze. Her big blue eyes stared straight at him. She hated when he brought up those illegal photos, but he wanted to get this out, especially since Nicole had mentioned it, in hopes of getting in front of the questioning he had no doubt would come if he didn’t. “She’s a good, decent woman. I see that same kind of woman in many of these women here today.” Ty lifted the hand he had around Kenzie’s shoulders toward the audience, which got huge applause in return. He looked directly at them again and waited for them to finish clapping, then asked, “How would you feel if that was you in those pictures?”

  Nicole nodded her agreement to another round of applause. “What I like is how you stuck by your threat and donated the money you made off those lawsuits to charity—for abused women, correct?” she asked.

  “Battered women, yes,” he supplied. “It’s a charity Kenzie works directly with.”

  “And you two are farmers now?”

  They both laughed at that.

  “We bought some land, yes. We haven’t been there long, but it’s easier there. It’ll be better when the house is finished. We’re living in a trailer there. Not a lot of room.”

  “You’re living in a trailer?” Nicole sounded surprised by this revelation. Kenzie shocked them both by jumping in to answer.

  “It’s not like any trailer I’ve ever seen. It’s nicer than the houses I’ve lived in.”

  Ty laughed at her. She shouldn’t have answered that question like that, but her honesty was what helped her be completely adorable.

  “The house should be completed soon, but I might have to keep that trailer forever now,” he teased, having Kenzie turn toward him and shake her head no, making both of them both laugh. “We go to Tennessee quite a bit—her family’s there. We spend time in Dallas. She’s employed there. It’s not bad.”

  “We need to take a break. Tell me real quick, when is the wedding?”

  Ty looked over at Kenzie to answer that one. He never talked about this, although they had an agreed upon date. When she didn’t answer right away, he broke his silence.

  “Six months, right?” Ty nodded.

  “I thought we agreed not to say?” she asked him quietly. There she was being adorable again. Ty wrapped a hand around her neck and drew her back to him, kissing her temple.

  “We’ll be back, everyone.”

  When Nicole got the all clear, Ty turned immediately to Nicole. “That was unexpected.”

  Nicole ignored him completely as she stood. “Thank you, Kenzie. I knew he’d say no, but they love you. It’ll help calm things down.” She turned toward Ty. “Everyone’s clamoring for an interview with her.”

  The stagehands were there to move the loveseat and escort Kenzie backstage. Ty stole a quick kiss before she could get too far and took a seat in his single chair.

  “That was risky,” he said quietly.

  “Good thing it worked. Plus, she makes you seem nicer, more down to earth,” Nicole said, smiling big, like they were having a friendly conversation.

  Ty didn’t have time to answer before the countdown started again. He craned his neck to check on Kenzie one more time. She watched him from her spot behind the curtain, so she hadn’t hightailed it to the dressing room to pack her things. Good sign, and honestly, the interview hadn’t sucked as much as he’d thought it would. She seemed happy, and that was all he wanted in the world.

  Epilogue

  Four years later

  Live remote or so they kept spouting as the crowd inside her house frantically hustled all over the place, disrupting every part of Kenzie Bateman’s Texas home. Another overly used phrase: Create a natural location. Funny how she’d realized her very comfortable and nicely decorated home didn’t seem to have one of those. Apparently natural meant having to turn her living room inside out. Three quarters of the room had furniture pushed out of the way to allow for the two large cameras, all the crew, and the much needed lighting equipment to complement the asymmetry of their subject’s faces—production crew shorthand meaning her little family wasn’t near as photogenic as she’d thought. They needed lots of lighting help which forced them to move her long sofa away from the glare of the open windows running the length of the back wall.

  Keeping them uncovered had been at Ty’s firm insistence. He had a thing about never wanting to be closed up again—for any reason—no matter what. So tonight, the sofas were moved, along with a few other pieces of furniture to make the corner of the living room look homey.

  Seemed a little over-the-top, but what did she know?

  “We need everyone in place in five minutes.” Kenzie heard Malea shout across the house and looked over at Linda Bryant or Nana as she was so lovingly called. She had graciously volunteered to come over to help with the kids. Chloe was almost two and into everything, and her pretty cream silk dress wouldn’t stand a chance if she were left to her own devices. Linda held Chloe safely on her hip, talking quietly to her and her older brother. Ashur was a five-year-old Syrian orphan they’d adopted shortly after their wedding.

  Four-year-old Sabeen had only been with them for about eight weeks, and from the beginning, she’d attached herself to Ty. Even now, she was right by his side, holding his hand as he came into the kitchen looking as handsome as ever wearing his suit and tie. Anthony trailed behind, talking non-stop with Ty completely ignoring him.

  “My family’s looking good,” Ty said as he came toward Kenzie sitting in the makeshift makeup chair having the last few touch-ups done on her face. He reached her, patting her very pregnant belly as his lips descended. “How’s my boy?”

  “Don’t even think about it,” Connie, her makeup artist said boldly, shoving her hand between Ty’s and Kenzie’s lips. Ty wasn’t good at being scolded, but he took this one and turned back to their children.

  “Come on, guys. We need to get you placed.”

  Ty reached a hand out, helping to pull her up. She carried this little guy all up front, making her belly huge which in turn made it hard to navigate.

  “Do I look okay? Nothing fits right,” she said nervously, looking down at the elegant silk dress Lara had sent her to wear tonight.

  “You’re eight and a half months pregnant, of course nothing fits right,” Malea said.

  Linda cut her protective, irritated motherly gaze over to the woman, venom in the way of words was sure to come, but Ty jumped in first as he helped Ashur from the table.

  “You look gorgeous as always. You’re the most beautiful woman at the awards tonight. Stop worrying,” Ty said casually, lifti
ng Sabeen in his arms before taking Ashur’s hand and leaving the room. She knew he meant those words, and even if they weren’t true, they did settle her nerves.

  In a full waddle, she struggled to take Chloe as her little one reached for her, wanting to be held. Chloe was more like her daddy. All these people around made her a little uncertain. The thumb went to her mouth as she tucked her head against Kenzie’s neck.

  “I’ve got the sippy cups, LeapPads, and wet wipes,” Linda said from behind her. They must have moved slower than she thought because Ty was back around the corner, his brows snapping together when he saw her.

  “The doctor said nothing over five pounds,” he said, immediately taking Chloe from her arms. She was daddy’s girl too—he seemed to have lots of them in this family—and she went easily in his arms.

  “She’s nervous,” Kenzie explained, but he wasn’t having any of that explanation as he scolded her for picking up their littlest one.

  “Kenzie, the doctor said. You need to listen. You’re blood pressure’s too high. We need to keep my boy cooking a little longer.” Ty was gone again.

  “Jerry was like that too, dear. It’s why we stopped at two. I couldn’t take all his worry,” Linda said as they entered the living room.

  “Three minutes. We need to get you settled,” someone from the camera crew shouted.

  Ty had the kids on the sofa. The plan was to have Sabeen sit between them, Ashur, who was so easy to get along with, planned to sit next to Ty. Chloe would be on Kenzie’s side. Ty helped her settle into the sofa. Good thing he was strong. She felt like she needed a crane. Once comfortable, she straightened her dress, took Chloe, and the countdown started. Ty hurriedly took his place, adjusting the kids around him.

  “You ready, beautiful?” he asked. Ty was past the point of being concerned about how she handled things. Their lives in Texas gave her enough quiet balance to help compensate for the few times a year he took a movie role and required they all pack up and go along with him. Based on his commitment to their family, she hadn’t spent one single night away from him since before they were married.