CHAPTER TEN
Billie didn’t have many friends in Hollywood other than Tyler but the minute the news of the engagement hit it felt like everyone she’d ever met or talked to crawled out of the woodwork, all claiming to be her best pal.
Dinah Everett, however, wasn’t one of those people. She really was a good friend, although she and Billie didn’t get to spend much time with each other. Dinah had finally made some traction in the acting business and she’d been working on a show for the BBC in London for the past six months. Unfortunately, the show had been cancelled so Dinah was back for an audition – a small part in a blockbuster.
So when Billie called Dinah with the big news, a lunch invitation was the most natural thing in the world. There was no worrying about whether it was because the person genuinely liked her or it was some ploy to get closer to Tyler. Dinah also wasn’t much for the whole “being seen” attitude so they’d eschewed the trendy hot spots and ended up at a small, quiet cafe in East Hollywood that served great food.
“If we get photographed here this cafe is going to become the ‘in’ spot for celebrities,” Dinah teased as she slid into her chair opposite Billie. “I put on an extra coat of mascara in case we end up on TMZ.”
Billie had been on TMZ with Tyler several times, especially at the beginning of their friendship when the press hadn’t been sure whether she was a girlfriend or a friend who happened to be a girl. When they’d discovered she was the latter instead of the former the gossip rags had left her alone.
No such luck now.
“I think I got out of the house without being seen,” Billie grimaced. “It’s like a feeding frenzy. You would think no one had ever become engaged before.”
Dinah laughed, her eyes sparkling with mirth. She was a pretty girl with long auburn hair and green eyes. Casting directors called her cute but she said she wanted to be glamorous.
“Tyler Gaylord has never been engaged before and that’s a big deal, my friend. Now tell me how this happened. You never mentioned anything was going on with Tyler when we talked, although I don’t blame you for the secrecy. I’m sure you just wanted it to be private as long as possible.”
Billie didn’t like keeping things from her friends. Dinah was a good person and she deserved the truth but that wasn’t an option. Not right now, anyway.
“It was kind of sudden,” Billie explained as vaguely as possible. “One minute there was nothing to tell and the next…”
Dinah could fill in the blanks with her fertile imagination.
Clapping her hands together in delight, Dinah sighed. “That’s so romantic. Like in a When Harry Met Sally kind of way. So have you set a date yet?”
Fiddling with her napkin, Billie shrugged. “We’ve had a few discussions. Tyler suggested the end of summer.”
“That’s soon. You’ll have to get moving on the wedding preparations, unless of course you’re going to elope to Vegas or something.”
“Tyler wants a big wedding.”
Just saying it felt strange. Tyler wanted a big wedding. Or rather he said he wanted it for her.
“I would imagine if I’d waited as long as Tyler, I would want the whole kit and caboodle too. Are you on board with it?”
Excellent question. Billie had decided to just go with the flow when it came to all of this because she knew from experience that when Tyler had an idea in his head talking him out of it was almost impossible. Almost was the key word. If she really put her foot down he’d give in. If there was something that was important to her, Tyler always made sure it happened.
“I don’t mind,” she replied. “I’m sure this will be my one and only marriage so I might as well do it up right, but I really have no idea where to start. Where to have it, what to wear. We’re going to need security too, I would imagine.”
The logistics to keep it a secret or at least to keep out the paparazzi would be a nightmare.
“Billie, you can hire people for this. They have experienced wedding coordinators that will take care of all of it.” Dinah tapped her chin in thought and then smiled. “I can dig up a few names for you. I swear every wedding I’ve attended in the last five years the wedding planner has shoved their business card in my hand. Do I look like I want to get married?”
Dinah had just come off a bad breakup with a guy in London who had accidentally slept with his neighbor. At least that was how he’d described it. And since it was an accident, he felt she ought to not make a big deal out of it and simply forgive him. Dinah had walked out and never looked back.
“No, you do not but you have a great idea. Tyler and I need someone who has done this before. Added together we have zero experience with planning a big event.” Billie took a deep breath. “I was kind of hoping you’d be in my wedding. You know, my maid of honor.”
Billie had considered her sister Sierra but with all her problems with her husband, the impending divorce, and basically hiding out she had her own problems. Big important ones that eclipsed color schemes and hors d’oeuvre selections. Sierra didn’t need the added responsibility of looking at wedding dresses and planning a bachelorette party. Perhaps if Sierra was willing she could be a bridesmaid. Assuming Sierra decided to speak to Billie again after years of silence.
First I have to tell Tyler I actually have a family.
Dinah’s mouth fell open in surprise. “I’d love to. But don’t you have any family you’d rather have? You’ve never talked about family but I assume you have some. You weren’t hatched from an egg.”
Had Tyler assumed that as well?
“I do have family but this isn’t the right time to be asking them to put any energy into my wedding. They’re dealing with their own issues right now and it’s taking all of their attention.”
“You know what? If you were marrying anyone else in the world, you’d have Tyler as your Dude of Honor. That’s so cool, Billie. You’re literally marrying your best friend. It’s so romantic.”
And weird. But then so was the thought of Tyler standing by her side when she married another man. Not one day since she’d met him had she thought about getting serious with someone else.
But I’m totally over him. It’s just his personality. He consumes every waking moment just by being Tyler.
“Dude of Honor?” Billie tried to laugh it off. “I bet he’d love the title.”
Dinah’s brows shot up and her eyes grew wide. “Can you imagine the bachelorette party he’d throw for you? It would be epic.”
It would be broken up by the cops and everyone loaded into a wagon to take them to jail.
“I think I’d pass on that,” Billie replied. “The last party he threw at the house I had to shoo a horse off the patio.”
“Your neighbors have a horse?” Dinah laughed.
“I only wish they did. I have no idea where it came from.”
“I missed it all when I was in London. Are you two having an engagement party? I won’t miss that.”
All Billie needed was one more thing to worry about.
“Let me get a handle on the wedding and maybe we’ll talk about it.”
Dinah signaled the waiter for a refill on her drink. “I just have to tell you that I think you and Tyler are going to be very happy. Everyone has been rooting for you two to get together and now it’s happened. Billie and Tyler forever.”
Forever. Why did that sound so ominous?