CHAPTER FOUR
After Billie’s crappy day, the last thing she wanted to do was go out but she’d already agreed to it last night, and a promise was a promise. Unless she had a dangling limb or was puking up lunch, Tyler was going to hold her to it. He was in his “party” mode that usually lasted about ten days to two weeks after he returned home from a movie set. In about a week he’d settle down and be more normal but right now he wanted to have as much fun as possible after having his nose to the grindstone for so long.
Disgusted with the day, Billie had taken a nap before getting ready for the evening. Luckily tonight she could dress casually in jeans and flats so it wouldn’t take long to get ready. She was applying a final coat of mascara when she heard Tyler at her front door. As usual, he didn’t bother to knock, simply barging in and yelling her name. She’d gone around and around with him about this behavior and clearly she was wasting her breath.
When she came out of her bedroom his head was in her pantry and all she could see was his well-shaped rear end.
“Are you eating my food again?”
Straightening, he grinned and took a bite out of a cookie. “I like to think of it as our food.”
“The same way you think of my front door? This is my home and it would be nice if you knocked once in awhile. What if I hadn’t been dressed?”
He popped the second half of the cookie in his mouth. “I wouldn’t mind that. You know I own this cottage, right? I’m your landlord.”
The best one she’d ever had but it still wasn’t okay.
“Even landlords can’t just stroll in whenever they want,” she argued. “I swear I am going to change the locks someday.”
“You weren’t saying that the day I strolled in and found you in a pool of blood on the floor.”
She remembered that day vividly. She’d been standing on a chair trying to access a high cabinet over the refrigerator when she’d reached a little too far, lost her balance, and landed awkwardly on the cold, hard tile. She’d bumped her head and cut her arm on the way down and she’d lain there for quite awhile because the room had spun every time she tried to get up. It had been sheer luck that Tyler hadn’t been away on a movie set and had come by to check on why she wasn’t in the main house for their training session. That incident had set off this behavior and she didn’t see an end in sight. He was over the top protective of her and even more so since then.
“I appreciate that you were there to help me, I really do. I’m very thankful that you were home and not away on a movie set.”
He’d also taken to calling her every single day when he was away, sometimes more than once. Just to check on her. She had to admit that she enjoyed how he cared for her. It was something she hadn’t had growing up.
His expression had softened. “I’ll always be here for you, baby girl. Always. Just like you are for me.”
That last part was said in a hopeful tone, which was strange because they’d long ago vowed to be there for each other through thick and thin.
“Something on your mind?” she asked, leading him out of her tiny kitchen and back in the living room. “You sounded…unsure a second ago.”
Checking his watch, he appeared uncertain as to how to answer. Billie had seen this mood before. He had something to say but he didn’t want to say it. “If we don’t leave soon we’re going to miss tipoff.”
“It’s up to you, but I bet the Lakers will play whether we’re courtside or not.”
He still looked unsure. “You really don’t mind? I guess I’m not much in the mood for a game tonight. Can we just order some dinner and hang out?”
“It’s fine. Do you want to stay here or go up to the house?”
“We can stay here.” He pulled out his phone. “The usual?”
The usual was a hell of a lot of food but Tyler liked to have leftovers. “Sounds good. If you want beer or wine, you know…”
He’d have to go back to the house or run to the liquor store. Billie didn’t drink.
“Soda’s fine. Let’s find something to watch on television.”
He was going to pretend he didn’t want to talk. That was fine. She’d just wait him out. They’d done this dance before. He pretended there was nothing bothering him and she pretended he was right.
It was over an hour later when his tongue finally loosened up. They’d demolished a large pizza and watched half of When Harry Met Sally. It had been her turn to pick the movie tonight and he’d given her a long-suffering sigh even though she knew he liked the film too. Maybe not as much as she did, but he enjoyed it all the same.
Harry and Sally were singing Surry With the Fringe on Top in a Sharper Image store when Tyler pressed the pause button on the remote control.
“I’ve got something on my mind that we need to discuss.”
Geez, finally.
“I thought so. I’m listening. Is everything alright?”
They were both reclining on a stack of pillows strewn on the floor in front of the television. Tyler sat up, rubbing his palms together in a nervous gesture.
“It’s not but it can be,” he replied rather ambiguously. “And I need your help. I know it’s a lot to ask but you’re literally the only one that can help me.”
Jesus, this sounded serious. Even his expression was sober and frightening. Her heart lurched in real fear that he might be sick or dying or worse. He was the closest thing to a real home and family that she’d ever known.
“If you need a kidney or part of my liver, it’s yours. You know that.”
Did he need bone marrow? She’d give him that too. Anything as long as he’d be okay.
“I need your hand.”
What? That didn’t make any sense. He had two perfectly good ones attached to the ends of his arms. They were twice the size of her own and much stronger.
“My hand? I’m not following you.”
His gaze dropped to the floor and then back to her, his blue eyes intense. “I need your hand in marriage, Billie.”
The world stopped spinning on its axis and the noise of the outside world dimmed. All she could hear was a buzzing sound in her own ears and she was pretty sure that was the sound of her brain draining out of a hole in her skull.
Obviously, she’d heard incorrectly.
“Can you say that again?”
Her question had come out choked and mangled but then she was rarely this up-ended by Tyler. Normally he was as predictable to her as the tides.
“I need you to marry me, babe. The sooner, the better.”
Is he pregnant? Wait, no. He can’t be. Am I pregnant?
“That’s what I thought you said.”
That’s when a horrible thought occurred to her. Had Tyler…fallen in love with her? Had he been carrying some imaginary torch for her all these years and only tonight had screwed up enough courage to say something… All unrequited love like the movie–
Whoa. This was Tyler Gaylord.
Not some lovelorn hero in a chick flick. She was barking up the wrong tree if she thought he’d been pining for her ass all this time. Something else had to be at play here. But she had to be sure.
“I can’t believe I’m asking this but…are you…you know…in…”
Shit, she couldn’t even say the words out loud but he seemed to get the idea because his eyes widened and his face split into a grin. “Baby, relax. This is not a declaration of love and devotion here.”
She could breathe again. “Whew. Well, that’s a relief. You had me scared there for a moment.”
His smile disappeared and that earnest expression was back. “But you know I love you, right? I’m just not in love. You know what I mean? I don’t do the hearts and flowers thing. It’s just not me.”
Now she was annoyed. It was ego-deflating to hear him vehemently deny that he was desperately in love with her. Not that she wanted him to be, because she didn’t. She and Tyler didn’t have that kind of relationship. It might have been nice though if he had a little crush or something.
He’d never even tried to get her into bed. Not once since the day she’d met him. She was possibly the only women in the greater Los Angeles area he hadn’t come on to. When she thought about it, it was kind of hurtful. She was attractive and had excellent hygiene. She was also conveniently located, living less than a hundred feet from where he slept.
“I got it,” she replied curtly. “Now do you want to tell me – clearly, please – what’s going on here? Since when do you want to get married at all, let alone to me?”
He held up his hands in surrender. “I can explain it but please hear me out all the way until the end. This is important.”
Gritting her teeth, Billie nodded. She had a million questions but she’d hold them all until he was done. Whatever was going on had Tyler rattled. She’d never seen him like this. He acted almost like he really did want to get married which she knew was pure bull.
Tyler Gaylord was many things. Handsome, sexy, talented, funny, sweet, caring, and a pain in the ass. But he definitely was not the marrying kind. He wasn’t even the faithful kind.
He was Hollywood’s quintessential playboy and he loved every minute of it.