CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Billie tossed her silent cell phone onto the table between her and Sam. They were having a bite of lunch between takes and she was regaling him with her telephonic tale of woe. So far Tyler hadn’t answered his phone, which either meant he was lying dead in a ditch somewhere or he wasn’t picking up her calls on purpose.
“He didn’t answer. Again. He hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you.” Sam serenely took another bite of his grilled chicken. “He loves you.”
Pointing to the phone lying on the table, Billie shook her head. “Recent evidence contradicts your statement.”
Reaching across the table, Sam picked up her untouched fork and held it up. “If I tell you a secret will you eat your lunch?”
Ears perked, Billie sighed and accepted the utensil. “It better be a good secret.”
“The chicken is not that bad. Now eat your lunch and I’ll tell you.”
The chicken was good and so were the sliced potatoes with cheese and some sort of cream sauce. She patted her full stomach and pushed her plate away.
“I’m awaiting my secret.”
Sam had finished his lunch as well and he wiped his hands on a paper napkin before setting his fork on the plate. “I talked to Tyler two nights ago.”
And? Had he said he was giving up on Billie?
“That’s a secret? That’s a lousy secret.”
“You’re a tough audience.” Sam perused the dessert offerings on the table next to them. “How about we share a slice of chocolate cake?”
Sam needed to focus on the task at hand, not scarfing down sweets.
“Are you out of your mind? I’m an actress on a movie set. I can’t be eating stuff like that. You shouldn’t be either.”
Shrugging, Sam reached around behind him and snagged a plate of cake from the table. “I have a fast metabolism. Now where was I? Right, talking to Tyler. He and I had a long chat a couple of days ago. Very enlightening. For him, I think. Not so much for me.”
“I swear I am going to stab you with my fork,” Billie said between gritted teeth while Sam took a bite of the cake as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Talk.”
“As I was saying, Tyler and I had a very interesting conversation where I sat him down and told him a few home truths. You might say I laid some wisdom on his ass. My guess is that he’s not answering because he’s off thinking about what I said. He’ll surface soon and hopefully be a little wiser than when he left.”
She would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation.
“What sort of wisdom did you helpfully impart?”
“The kind where I told him he’s a spoiled asshole that only thinks about himself. I told him that he needed to put you first for once.”
Now wait…that wasn’t entirely fair.
“He does put me first. He’s very generous.”
Chuckling, Sam pushed the plate into the middle of the table, urging her to help him eat the fudge slab. “Funny, he said the same thing, but I pointed out that throwing money around doesn’t count. That made him shut the hell up. I think he’s out pondering the choices he’s made in life. It’s a positive thing for a man to do that every now and then. It can only do our friend Tyler some good.”
“He’s a good man, and you should know that.”
“It’s lovely to hear you defending him. Have you told him that?”
“I’m trying but he won’t answer his phone.”
“Then send him a text. He can read it when he gets back to his messages.” He tapped the plate. “Now have some dessert.”
Why the hell not? She picked up her fork and shook it at Sam.
“You’re an evil man, Sam Collins. Diabolical and scary.”
Giving her a wink, he laughed loud enough that heads whipped around to see who was so amused. “You bet I am. Now just relax. Tyler loves you, you love him. You’re both going to live happily ever after in the make-believe land of Hollywood and have gorgeous babies. Have some faith.”
Faith and trust. She could do this. She wouldn’t allow them to be her demons anymore.
Picking up her phone, she tapped out a text to Tyler.
I love you and I want us to work this out. I know we can. Call me and let’s put this behind us.
* * *
Tyler jumped into a taxi, needing a change of clothes, a decent meal, and a shower. He’d spent the last twenty hours either sitting on a plane or sitting in an airport waiting to get on a plane.
But he was finally in Paris.
Curtis had done the best he could to obtain a last-minute ticket to the City of Lights but it still required a change of planes in New York with an ungodly long layover. The poor young assistant hadn’t quite understood Tyler’s mania to get to Billie but to his credit he’d asked very few questions, simply hopping onto his laptop and doing the best he could.
Sitting back into the seat, he tried to slow his racing heart as he turned his cell phone back on after the flight. He was nervous as hell, hoping Billie wouldn’t be upset about him showing up here without calling or checking with her. But what he desperately needed to say simply couldn’t be done through an impersonal telephone. He wanted her to see her face when he said it. She knew him so well, better than anyone. She’d know he was sincere and telling the truth.
Sam’s hard words hadn’t gone over very well – in fact, Tyler had been cursing his best friend for quite awhile after the phone call – but they’d done the trick just as the older man had known they would. They’d been food for thought – the kind that was healthy for you but didn’t necessarily taste all that good. Tyler had left the conversation with much to think about and he wasn’t happy with what he saw.
He was a man that was used to being catered to, praised, and cosseted from life’s harsh realities. He’d fooled himself into thinking that he was there for Billie when he threw his money around. He’d found it far simpler to buy her things than to put himself out there. He’d ignored her past – who she really was – for five years. He’d told himself it was out of respect but he knew now that it was because it was easier for him. Everything in his life was about what was easier or more fun. Billie had been right when she’d said that she’d been the grownup in their relationship.
It had to change. Right now. He was going to be the man that Billie deserved and needed. He was going to think about someone other than himself.
But the first thing he was going to do was apologize for holding onto the file. That was a huge mistake and he had been wrong to do it. There had been no malicious intent but he hadn’t thought about Billie’s feelings. As usual, it had been all about him.
Then he was going to get on his knees and beg her to marry him. For real.
His phone beeped and buzzed as several hours of messages loaded. The first text he noticed was from Billie. She’d called a few times but hadn’t left any message so he’d simply pushed forward with his plan, knowing they could talk when he arrived in Paris. Opening the text, his heart pushed against his ribs and it hurt to breathe.
She still loved him and she wanted to talk. Put all of this mess behind them. He could do that. In fact, he could do one better. Within minutes he would be pulling up in front of her flat.
Damn, she hated surprises but hopefully she’d make an exception this one time.