I nod my head. “I appreciate that, but the next time you think of taking matters into your own hands, I get the final say.”
“Totally,” she says smiling, “now where do we want to eat in New York?”
“What is the schedule like?” I ask her, grabbing my backpack and wheeling my own luggage out for the first time. “Is it a three day?”
“Actually, we land, and the next day is both interviews and red carpet, and then we take off on the red-eye.”
“Let’s see how it goes once we land, and we can make a decision there.”
“I also have your apartment ready in case you wanted to stay there.” I nod my head. “Perfect. I’ll have it set up.”
We get to the lobby, and the two days off did everyone wonders because they all look rested and happy. I talk to a couple of people before we get on the bus. Jessica waits at the front door with Autumn and Kendall with her sunglasses on. I don’t get to sit next to her on the bus. Getting on the plane, I walk in and see the seat next to her open, so I toss my backpack in the chair. I walk to the front to get a water bottle, then turn and go back to my seat. “Hi,” I say, looking around.
“Hey,” she says casually, “how are you?”
“Good, well rested,” I tell her, and she continues the conversation as if we didn’t wake up together. The eight-hour flight is long, very long. We watch a couple of episodes of Dateline, then I get up and go eat with Cassie. Jessica opens her laptop and is so engrossed in whatever she is working on that she doesn’t hear them say we are landing. “We land in five minutes, Jessica,” I interrupt her.
“Oh, shit, really?” Saving her document, she starts putting her things away. “I have two assignments for next week, and I dropped the ball.”
“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” I smile at her; we finally land and make our way off the plane. Cassie is waiting for me at the bottom of the plane steps.
“Your car is waiting,” she says, and I don’t have a chance to tell Jessica where I’m going. Every time I wanted to on the plane, someone was close by.
“Thanks,” I say, walking toward the black Escalade waiting for me. “Text me the address and time for tomorrow.”
“Oh,” she says, “I thought I was coming over since your place has three bedrooms.”
“Um.” I have no idea what to say. She usually stays with me, and I never thought anything of it. The only thing that ran through my mind was Jessica and me at ease. “Sure,” I say, taking a deep breath and getting into the SUV.
“Also,” she says, “I had everything set up at the house. And the plane is waiting for you the second you walk off the red carpet in LA,” she says. “This time in four days, you’ll be on your ranch.”
“Sounds great,” I say, looking out the window at everyone else filing on the bus. The traffic getting to my loft in SoHo is insane. “There is a reason I don’t live here full-time,” I say, getting out of the car.
“It wasn’t that bad,” Cassie says, and I make my way inside to my loft. It’s in an old newspaper building, and I bought two of the six floors when it was empty. I made one floor a huge living area with a game room, kitchen, living room, and office, and then upstairs are three bedrooms and three bathrooms. I left the exposed beams when we started, so everything is rustic. In the middle of the dining table is a huge basket of fruit and chocolate.
I set my bag and phone on the counter, then bring both my bag and Cassie’s upstairs. I toss my bag on the floor, going to the window that overlooks the river. I look at the boats in the distance, thinking how great it would be for Jessica to be here. I head back downstairs and grab my phone. “I’m going to go relax,” I tell Cassie, who is sitting at the table on her computer and just nods at me.
Walking into my bedroom, I shut the door and text Jessica.
Call me when you can.
I put my phone on my stomach, grab the remote, and turn on the television. I’m flipping through the channels when my phone finally starts ringing. “Hey,” I answer quietly.
“Hey,” she says, and then I hear rustling. “Where are you?”
“I’m at my loft in SoHo,” I tell her, muting the television. “I thought it would be a good place to be without the peering eyes.”
She laughs, and I miss her. “Is that your way of saying you want me to come over?”
“I would love it, but . . .” I try not to let it bother me. “Cassie is here.”
“Oh,” she says softly, “well then, that settles that.” She laughs. “It’s fine. I’ll work on my articles and just see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I guess,” I say, and it’s almost like I’m pouting.
“It’s twenty-four hours. You’ll survive,” she says. “Call me later.” She disconnects. The rest of the night is spent in my room, and I only go out to grab a bite to eat. Cassie is in the guest bedroom, and when I call Jessica, it’s a two-minute phone call since she’s on the phone with one of her best friends. I go to bed that night and toss and turn.
The next morning, I’m itching to get to the hotel. I’m down before Cassie is and ready at the door when the car gets there.
“What’s the rush, Tyler? We have a long day and don’t have to be there for a while.”
“I just want to get there a little early, that’s all.” I load our luggage with the driver since we are taking off right after the premiere tonight and almost run into the hotel when we get there, walking into the press room where everyone is standing. Jessica stands with Autumn, and she’s dressed in black pants and a pink top with long sleeves. Her hair is tied at the back of her neck. She sees me finally, and I smile.
I don’t even see or notice everyone else’s phones going off around me, almost in sync, including my own. Everything from that moment on, happens in slow motion. Jessica looks down at her phone along with everyone else, and then the color in her face drains. One of her hands comes up to her chest as if she’s in pain, and I look around the room at the other journalists, each of their eyes coming up from their phones and looking directly at me. I’m not sure what’s going on until I pick up my own phone . . . and then I know.
The picture I took of us in bed is coupled with the headline:
EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS. LOOKS LIKE HOLLYWOOD PLAYBOY HAS STRUCK AGAIN AND THIS TIME WITH A REPUTABLE JOURNALIST, ADDING ANOTHER NOTCH TO HIS BEDPOST!
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jessica
Everything you want to know about Tyler’s latest bed bunny.
This can’t be happening, I think after my phone buzzed with breaking news because I have a Google alert set for Tyler. The headline makes my heart speed up a touch more and then it literally shatters in my chest.
EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS. LOOKS LIKE HOLLYWOOD PLAYBOY HAS STRUCK AGAIN AND THIS TIME WITH A REPUTABLE JOURNALIST, ADDING ANOTHER NOTCH TO HIS BEDPOST!
It can’t be. Clicking the link, I see a picture of me on his chest. I look like I’m sleeping, and he’s the one taking the picture with a smile. I look up at him and see him looking down at his phone. “Jess.” I hear Autumn from next to me, her voice trying to sound calm. Then look down again and see the smirk on his face that was captured that night, a moment of bliss that’s now been tarnished and will serve as a moment of outrage, scandal, and everything else between.