CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The interview turned out to be less of an ordeal than Billie had thought it would be. This certainly wasn’t her first interview and it wouldn’t be her last, but it was the first as Tyler’s fiancée. She’d been dreading intimate questions into their private life but the magazine interviewer seemed much more interested in Tyler’s career and their wedding plans.
There were a couple of questions about Billie’s own acting career which she answered as vaguely as possible. Her former agent Ina had called Billie right after the engagement was announced but she couldn’t see herself going back to someone who had ended their relationship over a set of silicone boobs. A few other agencies had shown some interest but Tyler wanted Billie to sign with his own agent Josh. She liked Josh and had a great deal of respect for him, so in the end that’s what she was going to do but it was kind of nice to be courted by people who wanted her. It was so different than the majority of her career, even if it was only because she was marrying Tyler.
Luckily the evening ahead was going to be relaxing and pleasant. Billie had met Tyler’s Thunder co-stars on several occasions and they were always friendly and fun. Sam Collins was Tyler’s closest friend but Mike Watson, Nate Mason, Maxwell Hayes, and more recently Kirby Glenn would be there as well. Much had changed since they’d made the first movie. Nate and Max were married now to amazing women and were deliriously happy. Mike and his wife Amy had added a second child to their family. Meanwhile, Tyler, Sam, and Kirby seemed determined to hold onto their bachelor status. Until now.
Sam hopped up from his chair and beckoned to Billie when she and Tyler entered the private basement of the restaurant through a side entrance. The actor had positioned himself as something of an older brother to Billie and she adored him. Although less than five years older than Tyler, he seemed to be much wiser in the ways of the world and people in general. She wasn’t sure what he’d gone through that had made him that way but she was often grateful for his down to earth advice.
“How’s my girl?” Sam asked, pulling her into a giant bear hug. “Is that asshole treating you right? Just say the word and I’ll kick his ass, darlin’.”
Billie had no doubt Sam would do exactly as he said. He’d been known to get into a bar room brawl or two which simply ramped up his reputation with the fans as a total badass action hero.
Kissing Sam’s cheek, she laughed at his declaration. “He’s been behaving himself but I’ll keep that in mind.”
“It’s like I’m not even standing here,” Tyler muttered, getting his own man-hug from Sam and then the rest of the cast. “Some best friend you are.”
“I wouldn’t be a decent friend if I didn’t make sure that you were taking good care of your woman,” Sam shot back with a grin. “Now quit your bitching and grab a chair.”
The private room had a large round table in the center of the room and a long buffet table against the wall with a parquet dance floor off to the right. Sam had known what he was doing when he chose this restaurant. There were no windows for paparazzi to see through and the double doors to the upstairs public area were closed with a guard on the outside. No one was going to get a photo of tonight’s festivities without explicit consent.
As soon as Billie and Tyler were brought drinks by the waitress, Nate clinked the edge of his glass with his spoon and stood up to get everyone’s attention.
“Excuse me.” He cleared his throat. “Paige and I, well, we have something of an announcement.” He looked lovingly down at his pretty, smiling wife, holding her hand in his. “Paige and I are pregnant. That is, she’s pregnant and we’re expecting. And that’s not all. We’re expecting…twins!”
The room erupted into a free for all. There were tears, smiles, hugs, laughter, and many congratulations. Nate appeared emotional and misty-eyed while Paige glowed with true happiness. Billie hadn’t even known the couple was trying to have a child but she was absolutely thrilled for them. Paige was already a great mother to her college-aged son Jason and Nate was going to be a wonderful father. The twins were lucky as hell to be born into the Mason family.
“I’m just happy to get all of the pregnancy and childbirth done in one go,” Paige laughed. “I’m not getting any younger. It will be good to only do this once.”
Nate shook his finger at his friend Max. “We’re expecting an announcement from you two any day now.”
Carrie blushed prettily and tried to hide her face but Max beamed with pride and gave them a naughty wink. “We’re working on it. Stay tuned.”
Nate slapped Tyler on the back and grinned. “Maybe you two will be next.”
Billie wanted a hole in the floor to open up and swallow her. Marriage was stressful enough. She couldn’t handle thinking about children right now. Besides, kids weren’t a part of the agreement. This wasn’t for real. It was a surprise that she needed to remind herself of that these last few days. It was starting to feel like a true engagement. Sort of.
To her utter shock, Tyler wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, dropping a kiss on her cheek. “I wouldn’t mind having a cute little toddler that looks like Billie.”
“He should look like you,” she heard herself saying before she could stop the words. “I mean, I bet you were cute as a little boy.”
A strange look passed over Tyler’s features, so quickly and then gone as if it had never happened. He smiled and tugged at a strand of her long hair. “Naw, I want him or her to look just like you, baby.”
There was a series of “awwws” but Sam’s expression was one of playful disgust. “That was the most nauseating thing I’ve ever heard. The only thing missing was violins playing in the background.”
“You’re just jealous,” Tyler mocked. “Go find yourself a good woman before you turn into a crotchety old man yelling at kids to stay off your lawn.”
It was strange to hear Tyler speak of settling down as a happily married man. Only a month ago he’d been a lighthearted playboy.
“Jesus, I’m with Sam on this,” Kirby groaned. “I hope all of this love and commitment isn’t contagious. I’m rather enjoying my bachelor status.”
Kirby was in his early thirties, a few years younger than the other men, and he was playing the field for all he was worth since becoming a star in the Thunder movies. The tabloids were full of pictures of him whooping it up in Vegas or closing down the clubs in New York City.
Max shrugged as the wait staff began to load the buffet table down with food. “It gets old eventually. Trust me on this. It’s all a party now but soon you’ll be so jaded all you’ll want to do is have a quiet evening at home.”
“I’ll take my chances,” laughed Kirby. “Damn, the food smells great. I could eat a horse.”
“Just make sure that horse has no carbs,” Sam said as they all stood to fill their plates. “You’re a sex symbol now and that means you have to watch your figure.”
The meal passed in a haze of amazing food and laughter. Billie had forgotten just how much fun this group was when they were together. At one point they began doing impressions of other famous people and acting out scenes from their favorite movies. Tyler was such a ham at moments like this, his personality larger than life. Her ribs hurt from laughing so hard.
“Come on, baby,” Tyler urged. “Do your Mary Poppins impression. It’s great.”
That Mary Poppins impression was something that had just been between her and Tyler and she wasn’t planning for that to change anytime in the near future.
“No way,” she denied. “I’ll let you be the center of attention tonight. It looks like your ego needs the applause.”
“Ouch,” Sam laughed. “Man, she’s really got your number, doesn’t she? At least she knows what she’s getting into by marrying you.”
Tyler pretended to preen for the audience. “I’ve been told I’m a catch.”
Rolling his eyes, Max groaned. “It’s not too late to run for your life, Billie. We’ll hold him back so you can get a head start. You deserve better than this guy. In fact, I have a friend I’d like to introduce you to.”
Billie knew good and well this was just Max busting Tyler’s balls but her fake fiancé was having none of it. He’d wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her too close to his warm muscular body. It brought back memories of waking up in the same bed with him and she felt the warmth flood her cheeks.
Forget all about that.
What about the one bed back in the hotel?
She really needed to let her imagination know who was boss.
“Billie doesn’t want to meet any of your friends,” Tyler said, shaking a finger under his friend’s nose. “I make her very happy if you must know.”
Max’s laser-like gaze swung to Billie and she almost shrunk back in her seat. It was as if he could see through their charade.
Like he knew the truth. That she and Tyler were a sham.
“Does he, Billie? Does Tyler make you happy? Because if he doesn’t we’ll take him out to the parking lot and teach him a lesson about how to treat a woman.”
Damn, these guys were all about their displays of testosterone. It was all about who could “out-masculine” the other one.
Turning, she looked up at Tyler who was gazing down at her as if he was afraid of her answer. He was afraid. For real. He didn’t know what she was going to say and it mattered to him. Because she mattered.
“He treats me very well,” she finally replied, a lump constricting her throat. “I have no complaints.”
Tyler was the one person in her life who had never let her down.