CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
It had been a long day at the convention but Billie and Tyler were finally back in their hotel room. The minute they’d walked in the door she’d made a beeline for the bathroom, stripping off her clothes and soaking in the jacuzzi tub. After making a short phone call to his publicist, Tyler came in to join her.
Reclining back on his chest, she ran her toes down his calf. Even his feet were sexy. It wasn’t fair. “Can I ask you a question?”
“You know you can, babe, but why do I get the feeling that it’s going to be one that I’m not going to like?”
She wasn’t sure whether he was going to like the question or not. Tyler didn’t like explaining his motivations and reasonings. He made decisions and when she second-guessed them he could get impatient and frustrated. That didn’t mean he didn’t listen to her concerns. He did and sometimes he even changed his mind. But the questioning process wasn’t always the easiest for him.
“Ron Weller is a douchebag.”
Chuckling, Tyler bent his head and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “True, but that’s not a question, babe.”
“It’s the first part of the question.” Sitting up, she twisted around so she could see his expression. “This guy is a total asshole. Everyone could see it. Why do you want this role so badly knowing you’ll have to deal with him day in and day out? There are other movies that can get you an award, Tyler. Other films where you can grow and stretch your abilities. What’s so special about this one?”
At first, she didn’t think he was going to answer her. His body language began to close up and his gaze shifted away as if he was hiding something. She almost turned back and gave up when he spoke.
“I understand Zak because I was him. Not all of his life, of course, but I understand what shaped him.”
Billie had read the book the movie was based on and she couldn’t think of a character further from Tyler than Zak.
“You’re going to have to help me here. How are you like Zak?”
His mouth quirked up into a half smile. “I was just like him. I was the geeky, ugly kid in school with braces on my teeth, wearing thick glasses. I was bullied and teased pretty much every day of school until my sophomore year of high school.”
There was absolutely no way Tyler was telling the truth. She’d seen a picture of him as a one year old baby and he’d been definitely cute.
“Your mother showed me photos of you so I know that’s not true.”
“Mom showed you a baby picture, but she didn’t show you any photos of my awkward adolescent years. She only showed you what I allow her to show. I begged her years ago to put the bad ones under lock and key. I was the chunky, nerdy kid in school, babe.”
Now that Billie thought about it, Tyler was right. She’d seen baby and toddler pictures and then some from his high school years. Nothing in between. How had she not noticed?
Her gaze couldn’t help but run up and down the beautiful man before her. “What happened? Obviously you aren’t…I mean…now…”
Tyler ran his fingers down a few stray strands of her hair that had escaped the hair tie.
“I grew six inches the summer between freshman and sophomore year in addition to getting contacts and also having my braces removed. Suddenly I wasn’t heavy anymore. I grew another three inches before Christmas. My mom was beside herself trying to keep me in clothes that year. By June I was six foot one and hitting the gym every day.”
It was hard to imagine him different than he was now. “But you couldn’t have been ugly–”
“Baby,” he laughed at her consternation. “Trust me. I was a homely kid. I grew into my nose and ears. Mom said she should have known I’d be tall because I also had big feet as a kid. I didn’t look like this.”
“You’re gorgeous now.”
“Thank you,” he replied huskily, capturing her lips with his and taking her breath away. “It was a long time ago but I’ve never forgotten. Zak had the same issue. He’d been bullied in school but later in life he found his true love in Rebecca. Kind of how I found you.”
Her chest didn’t feel large enough to hold her heart. What was it about this man that could turn her into mush with a look or a simple statement?
“You romantic fool,” she teased. “Just don’t try to prove your love and devotion the way Zak did. He went a little too far.”
“Zak didn’t want to live in a world without Rebecca,” Tyler said, shaking his head. “Jumping in front of that bullet was the only way.”
“But then she had to live without him,” Billie pointed out. “Plus, she had the guilt of knowing he’d saved her life. That’s a heavy burden for anyone to carry. So don’t do it. Now if you want to sacrifice the remote or the last cookie, I’m fine with it.”
“I’ll always give you the last cookie. Unless it’s chocolate chip. Then it’s survival of the fittest, baby.”
She poked him in the chest. “Just stay away from my oatmeal scotchies and we’ll be fine.”
Wrapping his hand around her pointer finger he raised it to his lips. “So are you okay being with the geeky kid?”
Hell yes.
“Haven’t you heard? Geeks rule the world now. Of course I’m okay.”
“I kind of got the feeling that your school years weren’t all that great either.”
They had that in common and she’d never realized. He’d understood because he’d experienced it too.
“They weren’t but we were teased because we were poor.”
“It’s the same thing but what matters is who we become.”
She opened her mouth but quickly closed it. Perhaps that wasn’t the thing to say.
“Spit it out, Wilhemina. You know you want to.”
Sighing, she rolled her eyes. “It’s just…it kind of explains you. I mean, you’ve always enjoyed the attention of attractive women but this sort of puts it into perspective.”
A grin split his face. “You think that I lack self-esteem and I need women telling me I’m hot? Honestly, I like it when they do but I don’t need it. At least I don’t think I do. Maybe early in my career I was hungry for validation but shit, I hope I’m past all that by now. I want to be known for other things than how my jeans fit.”
“And that means this movie,” she finished for him. “I get that you think you can play Zak because you understand his pain but you could also play so many other parts that would be just as amazing. You don’t have to work with this douche. Find another script.”
His fingers tenderly brushed her cheek. “I’m going to tell you a secret, something I don’t say to many people. Hell, I think you may be the only one, actually. I’m not that great of an actor. I’m decent but I’m not in the same league as Nate or Max. They’re great actors, theatre trained and all that. I’d love to be like them someday but I may never be that good. I’m not sure about Hamlet or Richard the Third but I know I can be Zak.”
Did he honestly believe that? “You’ve been reading too many of your reviews. You’re a wonderful actor and I know that you can dig way down deep and do great characters’ roles. You have it in you.”
“Maybe now.” He seemed to have trouble putting his thoughts into words. “Let’s face it, six weeks ago I’d never even been in love. Just how deep do you think I am?”
“Give yourself some credit. See yourself through my eyes. You’re as deep as the ocean. I wouldn’t be with a guy who was pretty but superficial. You just pretend to be that way, but it’s not who you really are.”
He pulled her closer to his chest, pressing a kiss onto the corner of her mouth. “You’re good for my ego. If there were only some way I could thank you for believing in me. Some physical action that would demonstrate my adoration and devotion.”
This was the Tyler Gaylord she knew and loved. “You are a big goof. Take me to bed and make me forget my own name.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Life was good and Billie was happy. She had everything she’d ever wanted.