LAUREN

 

Almost a full week passed before I had to travel to the city again. A week spent telling myself not to let my thoughts drift to Tyler. A week spent pleasing Gabe in all the ways I could think of as a penance for the thoughts I couldn’t block. Jimmy greeted me off the plane, his usual goofy grin spread over his face.

“You’re stuck with me again today,” he said as he tossed my bag into the back seat. I winced as it bounced, and Jimmy reached back and patted it nicely, apologising for tossing it yet again.

“I’m sending you the bill if any of it breaks,” I teased.

The traffic leaving the airport was moving at a snail’s pace and Jimmy cursed under his breath. “Sorry,” he said. “I don’t mean to swear all the time, it’s just that this traffic is ridiculous. There are all these events going on in the city. Some garden show or horse racing or something. All the accommodation is booked solid and getting around the city has turned into a nightmare. Even the bus drivers are pulling out their hair. Mr Thornton is thrilled though. They own half the hotels here. I’m pretty sure Mr Thornton senior will be rubbing his hands together with glee.”

There had been a lot of progress on the site. The building now extended high into the air, still covered in scaffolding.

I followed the line of the construction up high, shielding my eyes from the glare of the sun. “Am I allowed to go up?”

“Up there?” Jimmy asked, his hard hat wobbling on his head as he followed my line of sight. “On the scaffolding?”

I nodded. “I could get some amazing photos from up that high.”

Jimmy frowned. “I’m not sure Mr Thornton would approve.”

“Who says we have to tell him?”

“Well there are all these rules regarding safety and I’m not sure if you’re authorised to—”

I cut him off by holding a hand over his mouth. “Enough. Go get your boss.”

Once I was fully equipped with a harness, a bright vest, and everything else deemed necessary for the climb to the top, I cautiously followed Jimmy’s lead. It wasn’t long before the wind whipped through my hair as I looked out over the city.

“And this isn’t even as high as it’s going to go,” Jimmy said.

The view was magnificent. The sun was beginning to set over the hills, the hazy spray of the ocean could just be made out, and the buildings surrounding us looked small in comparison.

I had never been afraid of heights, but I could tell from Jimmy’s expression that he was not a fan. “I’ll be fine if you want to head back down,” I said, laughing at his pale face.

Jimmy refused to look directly down and kept his eyes fixed on the horizon. “I’m under instructions to wait. Mr Thornton has just come onto the site and if he knew I left you unaccompanied up here, I would lose my job.”

Once I had finished taking the shots I needed, I followed Jimmy back down, his steps shaky, but they grew firmer the closer we got to the ground. When he finally rested his feet on the concrete, he turned and wrapped his arms around me tightly.

“I think that was the scariest thing I’ve ever done,” he said when he released me.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I reached to retrieve it. “Are you sure you’re in the right profession?”

Jimmy laughed. “I’m going to make sure all the work sites I get assigned to from now on have two storeys tops.”

The text was from the airline. My flight had been cancelled due to fog on the runway. “Shit,” I said, then grinned at Jimmy. “You must be rubbing off on me.”

“Was there a reason for the embrace?” Tyler’s deep voice startled me and I jumped a little.

Jimmy turned beet-red.

“I generally do not approve of my contractors embracing on the job.” Tyler’s eyes were cold. He wasn’t serious, was he?

“I’m sorry Mr Thornton—” Jimmy began but I interrupted him.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Jimmy.” I removed the strap from around my neck and placed my camera securely in my pack. “We were just getting some shots from above,” I said. “I was a little shaky from the height and Jimmy comforted me. Is that okay with you, Mr Thornton?”

“You weren’t the one who looked shaky.”

“You appear to have taken a lot of notice. Is there a reason for that?”

“The reason is I need to make sure my contractors are doing their job while I’m paying them.”

“I’ll be sure to reduce my bill by one embrace,” I replied.

Tyler nodded dismissively to Jimmy who gave me a quick wave before leaving.

“You will be staying at my apartment tonight,” Tyler said.

“Excuse me?”

“Sadie just informed me that your flight has been cancelled.”

“Sadie?”

“My assistant. You will stay at my apartment tonight.”

“I will not,” I stated.

“No? Well, where do you intend on staying? All the accommodation in the city is booked, even the backpackers. Do you have friends you could crash with?”

“I am not staying with you, Tyler.” I reached down and started to place the various pieces of equipment I had used on the shoot into my pack.

“Are you afraid I’ll try something?” The corner of Tyler’s mouth lifted a little.

“Honestly?”

“I’ve told you I don’t like it when people lie.”

“Yes. I’m afraid you’ll try something.”

Tyler leaned against the wall, not caring that his suit jacket rubbed against the dust again, and held up one hand like a boy scout. “I solemnly swear that I will not try anything. I will not touch you. I will not attempt to kiss you. I will not engage with you in any way that could be perceived as romantic or sexual in any manner. Even if you beg me to.”

“My answer is still no.”

“I have given you my word, Lauren.” The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine and I turned away from him, not wanting him see the effect he had over me. “I do not go back on my word. Unless…” Tyler paused. “Unless it’s not me you’re worried about. Unless you’re worried about what you’ll do.”

“That’s not—”

“You don’t need to explain yourself, Lauren. Obviously, I’m so tempting that you can’t even trust yourself to spend one evening in my company. It’s quite the compliment, really.”

“It’s not like that at all.”

“Then you’ll stay? Jake will also be at the apartment so it won’t be just the two of us.”

“Fine,” I said, feeling slightly relieved. I didn’t know where else I was going to stay, other than with Billie and Hamish, and the fact that Jake was also staying at Tyler’s helped. “I’ll stay.”

A wide smile crossed over Tyler’s face. “Great. But I do have one final question before I’m on my best behaviour.”

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. “What?”

Tyler pulled himself off the wall and walked over to me, a wicked glint in his steel-grey eyes. “What were you scared you might do? Were you worried you were going to kiss me?”

Inadvertently my eyes dropped to his lips.

Tyler smirked. “You were,” he said.

I slung my bag over my shoulder, ready to leave him standing there with that stupid smirk on his face and take my chances sleeping at the airport.

“You weren’t thinking anything dirtier, were you?” Tyler called after me.

“Goodbye, Tyler,” I said.

Chuckling, he ran ahead of me and opened the passenger door to his car. “Okay, I’m done now. I’m officially on my best behaviour.” He bowed low as I climbed into the front seat.

I thought Tyler’s apartment would be close to the city centre, but we pulled back onto the highway. “Where are we going?” I asked.

“I have a standing appointment that I need to keep.”

“And I’m expected to wait in the car?”

Tyler shook his head. “You can attend it with me. I assure you it’s highly unromantic.”

We drove through the city until the houses were less tightly packed together and fields of green grass dotted the background. We pulled into a long tree-lined driveway and stopped outside the entrance to a nursing home. Without a word, Tyler got out of the car, expecting me to follow. I ran to catch up with him. The woman behind the counter in the entrance smiled widely when she spotted Tyler.

“Mr Thornton,” she greeted. “They are eagerly awaiting your visit. I believe they are in the lounge.”

Tyler walked over and signed the register on the counter, pushing it towards me once he was done and indicating I should do the same. The guests he had listed to visit were Barrett and Annie Thornton. I quickly scribbled my signature and followed Tyler who seemed to know exactly where he was heading. We walked through a room filled with elderly people on cushioned reclining chairs, and over to a couple playing chess at a circular table next to the window overlooking the garden. They didn’t look up as we approached, and Tyler cleared his throat.

“Tyler!” the old woman exclaimed when she saw him. Tyler leaned down to embrace the woman and then did the same with the elderly man.

“Grandmother, Grandfather, I would like to introduce you to Lauren. She is Gabe’s girlfriend.” Tyler spoke slowly and clearly, and somewhat loudly.

“Who?” Tyler’s grandmother asked.

“Lauren,” Tyler stated even louder.

“She’s very pretty,” the lady said. “Come sit, dear. We can have some tea.” She held her hand high in the air, and a young girl came over and nodded when informed to bring over a pot of tea. Earl Grey and hot.

Tyler and I pulled chairs up to the table. Grandmother Thornton patted my knee affectionately. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, dear,” she said, loud enough for the entire room to hear.

“You too,” I replied. “It’s great to meet Gabe’s grandparents.” I would have added that I had heard a lot about them from Gabe, but he had never mentioned them. I guess when he made the move away from his family, it included his grandparents too.

“Who?” she asked.

“Gabe,” I repeated. “It’s great to meet Gabe’s grandparents, Mrs Thornton.”

Confusion crossed over her face, but she must have caught the last part. “Call me Annie,” she said, patting my hand with her wrinkled one. “Isn’t Tyler a sweet boy?”

Tyler leaned over from where he was chatting with his grandfather about the casino. “She’s dating Gable, Grandmother, not me.”

“Nonsense,” Annie said and flashed a toothless smile my way. ‘Tyler’s a wonderful man,” she said to me. “Every second Friday are the highlights of our lives. He visits every fortnight. Did you know that? He’s such a sweet boy, our Tyler. Sometimes he even comes over more frequently. Like last week, he came to fix the television in our room, didn’t you Tyler? He’s so good like that. So handy around the house. And he can cook too, can’t you, Tyler?”

“I’m pretty sure Lauren is not interested in hearing about my more redeemable qualities, Grandmother.” Tyler smiled gently at her. Not a smirk, not a smile laced with amusement, but a smile that showed how much he cared.

“She needs to know these things if she is to marry you, Tyler.”

Tyler rolled his eyes. “She’s with Gable, Grandmother, not me.”

“Of course she’s with you. If she was with Gable he would have been the one to bring her here. Why would you bring her, if she is with Gable?” Annie attempted to whisper her next words. “And isn’t she a little old for Gable? He’s just a boy. Not that we’ve seen him recently. When was the last time we saw Gable, dear?” Annie turned to her husband, but he was intent on working out his next chess move and didn’t hear her.

“It was the funeral,” Tyler said quietly.

Annie sighed. “Clark.” Her eyes misted over with tears. “He was such a kind-hearted boy. You and he were the most similar.” She nodded to Tyler.

Tyler took her hand in his. It was dwarfed by Tyler’s large hand. “I’m not sure the rest of the family would agree there, Grandmother.”

Annie patted his cheek with her other hand, her wrinkled face creasing into a wide smile. “You’ve always been such a sweet child.”

The conversation continued, loudly, as Tyler updated his grandparents on the casino development and the various members of the family. Part of me was dying to tell them about Billie’s pregnancy, if only to see their eyes shimmering with happiness at having another grandchild, but it was not my secret to tell. When the time came for us to leave, Annie shakily stood and embraced Tyler, him bending down low to meet her. She whispered in his ear, but it was still loud enough for us all to hear. “She’s a lovely girl, Tyler. You’ve done well picking her.”

Tyler looked over the shoulder of his grandmother to where I stood patiently waiting and smiled. “I know.”