Timing Is Everything

by Steinsiek, Sabra Brown;

  “Elodie, I don’t know what you’re asking. Taylor is away on personal business.”

  “Personal? It certainly looks that way from the item in the Times this morning.”

  Laura sat up in bed and leaned against the headboard, trying to get her brain to take in what Elodie was saying. “Item? What item? We haven’t released anything.”

  “Let me read it to you.” Laura could hear paper rustling before she began to read. “Here it is,

  Sources close to superstar Taylor Morgan have let us know that entertainment’s most eligible bachelor has finally tied the knot. Morgan was married late yesterday at his home in Florida to his long-time friend, Annie Miller. Not only is the handsome bachelor now a married man, but he’s a father as well, since his new bride brings with her an eleven-year-old daughter.

  “Laura, why didn’t you let us know? News of this sort should appear on our information line as soon as you’ve released it to the papers.”

  Laura was stunned. It couldn’t be true. Taylor had said he was moving out to Annie’s. Some idiot reporter hadn’t checked the facts and had jumped to the wrong conclusion.

  “Elodie, calm down. Taylor didn’t release this information. It sounds to me like someone was desperate for something to fill space in the gossip column.”

  “The internet is already going nuts with it.”

  “Try to keep them calm. I’ll get hold of Taylor and get an official announcement to release. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.”

  All thoughts of sleep gone, Laura hung up the phone. It was still early in Florida. Taylor was probably awake, but Annie might be resting. She decided to wait another hour before calling. In the meantime, she’d check out the news on the web and see what was being said on the fan website. She had the feeling she’d be doing a lot of damage control later.

  * * *

  As Laura suspected, Taylor was awake. In fact, he’d never been to sleep at all. He’d sat out on the deck for a long while last night, running every possible scene he could think of for telling Laura. No matter how he approached it, every one of them had ended with her walking out of his life. Finally, exhausted, he’d gone back into the quiet house. As he had started for the guestroom, he’d been surprised to see Annie’s light on. Knocking softly, he’d opened the door and found Annie standing by the window.

  “Annie? It’s late. You should be resting.”

  She’d turned and he could see she’d been crying—was still crying. “Taylor, we’ve made a terrible mistake.” She sank into the armchair by the window and buried her face in her hands, crying as if her heart was broken.

  Taylor crossed the room and kneeled beside her. “Annie, what is it? What’s wrong?”

  “What isn’t wrong, Taylor? This is our wedding night! I can remember a time that I would have been thrilled to say that. Now, all I know is that I’ve let you screw up your life by marrying me. I should never have agreed to this. Your life should be with Laura.”

  Taylor put his arms around her and let her cry. He wasn’t going to argue with her. She was in no shape to listen to reason—and he was in no shape to offer it even though she was only partially right. He should have been married to Laura. But, he was the one who had screwed that up by leaving her at Christmas. If Laura loved him, she would find a way to understand why he had to be here with Annie for now.

  When her tears had ceased, Taylor carried her to the bed and tucked her in. Taking a tissue, he gently wiped the tears from her face before offering it to her to blow her nose. That made her laugh.

  Taking her hand and touching the gold band he had placed there, he looked into her eyes and said, “Annie, you have to stop beating yourself up over this. I did what I wanted to do. When have you ever known me to do something because I had to? This wasn’t your idea, it was mine and I do not regret it. Annie, darling Annie, marrying you was as much for myself as for you and Meg. I want to be here for you. I want to spend as much time as I possibly can with you. I married you because I love you, Annie Morgan, so stop feeling guilty about it.”

  He leaned down and kissed her and felt her return his kiss as her arms came around his neck. For a moment, they were both still, their lips barely touching, waiting, exploring the emotions that surrounded them.

  Taylor remembered the young woman who had shared his bed in New York all those years ago and how much he had loved her, how much he had loved making love to her. Even after they broke it off, through all these years of friendship, he’d never forgotten what it was like to make love to Annie Miller.

  Without taking his lips from hers, he breathed her name in question; her answering kiss was invitation enough, and he stretched out beside her, caressing her, murmuring her name as he unbuttoned the nightgown she wore.

  Afterwards, in the darkness, he’d held Annie and tried to make sense of what had happened. He didn’t know if their lovemaking was a product of her need or his, but the fact that it had happened had changed everything.

  He’d planned on telling Laura the truth about his marriage— that it was a means to protect Meg—a marriage of convenience. But what had happened tonight had changed all that. If he told Laura what he’d planned to tell her, it would be a lie. If he told her what was now the truth, he would lose her forever.

  Shortly before dawn, he untangled himself from his sleeping bride. Looking down at her, he realized the love he felt for her was much more complicated than he had thought, and he knew he couldn’t promise Laura that he and Annie would never be together like this again. Picking up his clothes, he headed for a shower, hoping it would help clear his fuzzy brain. Afterwards, he would have to call Laura. It couldn’t be put off any longer.

  Chapter 47

  Taylor was waiting for a reasonable hour to call, reluctant to wake Laura with the news. When the phone rang at nine, he picked it up, never thinking it could be her.

  “Good morning, Taylor.”

  “Laura! I was going to call you a little later. What are you doing awake this early?”

  “Well, it certainly wasn’t my idea.” She laughed, and his heart lightened at the sound. “I got a phone call from Elodie at six this morning.”

  “What? Why would she be calling you so early? Why would she be calling you at all?”

  “There’s a report in the Times this morning that you and Annie were married yesterday, Taylor.” His heart sank as he heard the words. “She’s been besieged by phone calls and the website is going nuts. I think you need to release an official statement to the fan club, at least, and I would recommend that you release one to the media as well.”

  He was appalled. Laura wasn’t supposed to have found out this way. It was something he had needed to tell her himself. How had the papers gotten hold of the information?

  “Taylor?”

  “Laura…it’s true.” He could hear how emotionless he sounded. It was as if someone else was reading lines for him. “I never got to call you last night to tell you. I also never released the information, so I’ll have to find out who did.”

  Laura felt her dreams shatter as he coldly said the words that destroyed all her hopes. She had been so sure after the tour, after that day on Catalina. How could she have misjudged his feelings so completely?

  “Laura?”

  “I guess congratulations are in order then, Taylor.” He could hear the reserve in her voice as she shut him out. “I’m very happy for you both.”

  The phone had wakened Annie, and she’d gotten up to see who had called. She stepped out in the hall just in time to hear Taylor plead, “Laura, please! You don’t understand.” Annie could hear the heartbreak in his voice, and she realized he hadn’t told her. She must be devastated. Quietly, she retreated to the bedroom so he wouldn’t know that she had heard.

  “Taylor,” Laura said, her voice all business, “we need to release something to the media and to your fans. How would you like
it phrased?”

  “Laura—”

  “I’d like to get it out as soon as possible. I know you must have wanted it to remain private for a while, but it’s out now and you need to comment.”

  “Laura, just write up whatever you think is best. Just please don’t mention Annie’s illness.” Laura could hear the defeat in his voice and knew that he had given up trying to justify it to her.

  “Fine, Taylor. I’d better go call Elodie before she’s hounded to death. Give my love to Annie and Meg, please.”

  He heard the click as she broke the connection between them. He silently replaced the phone. One by one, all of his nightmares were coming true.

  * * *

  Hanging up the phone, Laura was numb. First Cary, now Taylor. She’d trusted them both. She had to be the most incredible idiot on the face of the earth!

  She had seen Taylor with Annie the day they had spent with her. He hadn’t acted like a man in love. He obviously adored Meg, and he cared deeply for Annie. But to suddenly marry her? She knew that news of Annie’s illness had hit him hard. Maybe it had brought out feelings he didn’t realize he had.

  Even if that were true, it didn’t change the fact that he had said nothing to her, that he’d let her find out through a carefully-placed leak. She wasn’t sure what hurt more, misjudging his intentions or realizing her feelings were so completely unimportant to him.

  As her anger grew, she made no attempt to keep it under control. It was easier to be angry with him than to try to understand what had happened. Resolutely, she turned to drafting a press release—the last one she planned on writing for him.

  * * *

  Taylor had no idea what to do now. Annie and Meg were still his first priority. They had to be. Yet all he wanted to do was get on a plane to Albuquerque and try to explain it all to Laura before he lost her for good. He picked up the glass he had been drinking from when the phone rang and threw it as hard as he could against the wall. As the glass shattered, he saw his dreams shattering, too.

  “Taylor?” Annie spoke softly from the doorway of the bedroom.

  “I’m sorry, Annie. I didn’t mean to wake you. Don’t come out here yet. I broke a glass and need to clean it up.”

  He went to the kitchen, coming back with a broom and dustpan. As he began to sweep up the glass, Annie said, “I heard the phone. Was it Meg?”

  Taylor stopped and looked at her. “No, it was Laura. The news of our wedding was leaked to the papers. She wanted to know how to handle damage control.” His voice was tight, and she knew him well enough to know he was hiding his true feelings.

  “Is she all right, Taylor?”

  He returned to his task so he didn’t have to meet her eyes. “Laura is fine, Annie. Please stop worrying about it.” Sweeping up the last of the glass, he continued. “There, I think it’s safe to come out now, but make sure you’re wearing shoes.”

  She watched as he walked back to the kitchen. After a few moments, she followed him. “Taylor,” she said as she poured a glass of juice, “you’ve been so busy with all of the preparations for the wedding that you haven’t been out on your skates in days. Why don’t you go out for a while? Surely, you need it by now.”

  Taylor looked at her as she busied herself with taking out bread and putting it in the toaster. Annie knew something was wrong. She’d always been able see through him. He would have given anything to be able to talk to her about it.

  “Will you be all right here, Annie?”

  She turned around and met his eyes. “Let’s get something straight, Taylor Morgan! I will not be watched all the time. I won’t be coddled. I am still here and I intend to live my life without you or anyone telling me what I should and shouldn’t be doing. So, go! Now!”

  “Fine, Annie,” Taylor said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “But the tabloids are going to have a field day with it when they see me out the morning after my wedding!”

  Laughing, she threw a towel at him. “They’re going to have a field day no matter what, Taylor. You might as well give them something to work with.”

  * * *

  Cary sat at his desk looking over the morning papers. As he turned a page of the Times, Taylor’s name practically leaped off the page at him. He read the brief note and smiled to himself. So, Taylor Morgan had finally married Annie. He was probably the only reader who wasn’t surprised at the news, although he did briefly wonder what had happened to Taylor’s budding relationship with Laura. He’d seen her articles about the tour and had assumed they were lovers.

  He stood and walked to the window of his TNC office. Already he’d been given a couple of plum assignments and was pretty sure he was being groomed to take one of the anchor slots. Things were going well for him. He wasn’t going to let news about Taylor and Annie bother him. He really didn’t care what either of them did anymore. They were the past. The world outside this window was the future.

  * * *

  The commercial ended, and the camera came in on a close-up of the “Entertainment Tonight” anchor’s face as she said, “Congratulations and Best Wishes are in order for Taylor Morgan, who has released the news that he was married in a private ceremony last night. Morgan, seen here after his triumphant Catalina concert last week, confirmed the news through his spokeswoman this morning. According to Morgan, his bride is a long-time friend from his Broadway days and the mother of Morgan’s goddaughter, Megan.”

  The camera cut back to the anchor who smiled brightly and said, “We should note that the woman in that clip is not Taylor’s new bride. That was his assistant, Laura Collins, who sent us the story this morning. We wish Taylor and his bride all the best.”

  As soon as they were safely into the next tape, the woman turned to her partner and said, “I was there the night we shot that clip. I would have bet money that Taylor was going to be married soon, but to his assistant, not to someone we’ve never heard of. Goes to show that appearances can be deceiving.”

  * * *

  Taylor watched the “E.T.” story. Laura had done a good job with the announcement but he knew it must have caused her tremendous pain. Annie and Meg were doing homework in Meg’s room, so Taylor picked up the phone to see if Laura had calmed down enough to speak to him.

  Laura was at the computer, composing her letter of resignation when the phone rang. She didn’t want to talk to anyone right now, so she let it ring until the machine picked up.

  “Laura? It’s Taylor. I just watched the piece on ‘E.T.’—you did a great job. I just wanted to tell you.” His voice trailed off but he didn’t break the connection. Laura waited to see what he would say. “Laura, I really would like to talk to you about all of this. There’s a lot I need to explain. Please, give me a chance to tell you how this happened. Call me at Annie’s.”

  She listened as the machine reset itself after he hung up and then returned to her letter.

  * * *

  In Florida, Taylor hung up the phone. He was sure she had been there, listening to him. He had to find a way to talk to her.

  As Annie had suggested this morning, he’d gone out for a while. His in-line skates were still at the condo, so he chose to go for a run instead. It felt good to push himself and he went further than he usually would have before he turned and began a slow jog back to Annie’s—back “home.” The exercise had helped clear his head and had given him some time to think things through, to get his priorities straight.

  After he showered, he found Annie at her desk in the family room. “Annie, are you working on that again?”

  She looked up from the ledger in front of her. He looked better than when he’d left. “I have to get this all together, Taylor, if I’m going to sell the studio.”

  “Is that what you’ve decided to do, Annie?”

  “Eventually. I want to keep teaching for now. If I don’t, Meg will know there’s something seriously wron
g. But I want to talk to Jane to see if she wants to keep it. She’s good with the kids and has a good feel for running the studio. I’d like her to have it.”

  “Why sell it to her, Annie? Why don’t you just give it to her, or sell it for some minimal amount to satisfy the IRS? If it’s for money for Meg, she’s never going to want for anything, Annie, you know that.”

  “Taylor, I have never taken money from you before and I’m not about to start now!”

  “Annie! We were never married before. You don’t have much choice.”

  She glared at him for a moment until she gave in to the smile that had spread across his face. “Damn it, Taylor. You always win.”

  The smile faded, and shadows filled his eyes. “Not always, Annie.”

  She looked away from his grief and said, “I’ll think about the studio a little longer. Right now, we better come up with an explanation for our separate bedrooms before Miss Eleven-going-on-thirty gets home.”

  “After last night, Annie, is there any point in keeping separate bedrooms?”

  “Taylor, it shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry… ”

  “No, Annie, don’t!” She was surprised by his anger. “Don’t you dare apologize for that. What happened between us should be something we’re celebrating. Can you honestly tell me that you don’t want me there?”

  “Taylor, I don’t know what to say.” Annie came over and kneeled beside his chair. “Last night was wonderful. But we’d agreed that wasn’t what we were going to be.”

  Cradling her face in his hands, he looked into her eyes. “We were wrong, Annie. I think we both need this marriage. I love you, Annie, more than I realized.”

  He kissed her gently. Annie wanted to remind him about Laura, but she couldn’t. She needed him to be there for her, and, right or wrong, she wanted to be his wife.