Sierra didn’t have a clue. “I was scared all the time. I was terrified when I left thinking that I might be making a huge mistake.”
Glancing around the kitchen appreciatively, her sister smiled. “Looks like you did the right thing. You have a good life with Tyler. He’s not much like the characters he plays in the movies but then I guess he wouldn’t be. He’s an actor, after all. He seems to adore you so hold onto him. Take it from me, a good man isn’t easy to find.”
Sierra was too young to be that cynical and Billie wanted to kick Brian in the balls over and over again. “You’ll find the right man someday.”
Snorting, Sierra shook her head. “I’m done with men. Apparently I have the worst judgment of the male species ever. No, I’ll just be a doting auntie to your kids. I’ll be happy with that.”
Billie blushed at the mention of children. It had been something she was thinking about lately. She’d love to have a little boy that looked just like Tyler.
“You might change your mind.”
“I doubt it.” Her smile fell and her expression turned haunted. “I was so scared all the time and it just became normal for me. That’s how every day was and I didn’t think it could ever be any different. I worried all the time about what might set Brian off. Did I clean the dishes right? What if he didn’t like what I was wearing? There was always something, although in the beginning it wasn’t all that bad. It got much worse after you left. I think he thought that he’d succeeded in separating us so now he had free reign.”
“What set him off that last time?” Billie heard herself asking, although she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the reason. It was only going to make her more furiously angry at Brian.
“Toward the end he didn’t need much of a reason. He’d drank his way through my tiny paycheck and he was mad that we were broke and he couldn’t buy more booze. That’s was all the excuse he needed.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you.”
It was such a lame statement but Sierra didn’t seem to think so. She smiled and reached across the island, patting Billie’s hand. “I’ve been talking to a therapist and trying to figure out how I ended up in that situation. I’ve come to the conclusion that I wanted attention so badly that I took any that I could get. At first Brian treated me really well and he was always telling me how pretty I was. I fell so hard and even when I knew that I’d been fooled I just couldn’t admit it. Not to you or to myself. I was so ashamed.”
“You have nothing to be ashamed of. It’s Brian who should feel that way.”
“Well, he doesn’t,” Sierra shot back with another snort. “He thinks it’s all my fault.”
“Brian is a fucking idiot and karma is going to catch up with him before long. He’s going to fuck with the wrong person someday. Sadly, neither of us will be around to see it.”
“I really am sorry, sis,” Sierra said again. “You have no idea how much.”
Billie shook her head. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. We start new from today and put the past behind us.”
“I can do that if you can.”
For the first time in years, she heard hope in her sister’s tone and Billie was happy to be a part of it. Maybe they could be a real family along with Tyler. A new beginning for all of them.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
A week later Sierra was looking immeasurably better. Her pale skin was now tinged with a little California sun and the bruises and cuts had faded. Yesterday Billie and Tyler had dragged her out of the house to get some new clothes which had been a battle royale. Sierra didn’t want to be any trouble but then she’d never seen Tyler in full-on balls to the wall mode. A force of nature, he wouldn’t be denied the fun of buying her a whole new wardrobe.
Today Billie and Sierra were finishing up a spa day of pampering – mani-pedi, massages, and for Sierra a brand-new hairstyle – and then they were meeting Tyler for a casual late lunch at a local restaurant. He’d sent Billie a cryptic message while they were getting their toes painted. The lunch was a celebration of some kind.
“Do you know what we’re celebrating?” Sierra asked as they entered the trendy bistro.
“I have no idea but maybe your divorce came through.”
Now that Sierra was living in their home, Tyler and his team of attorneys had become actively involved in her situation, including the divorce and the criminal charges against her worm of a husband. Sierra was also continuing therapy to help her transition to a new normal.
“That would be cause for celebration but I just know that Brian is going to drag it out as long as possible.”
“Little prick,” Billie muttered as they joined Tyler at an out of the way table. The proprietor was a fan and always gave them a table that couldn’t be seen from the door or the front window.
“Damn, woman. I hope you’re not talking about me,” he said with a grin. “I haven’t screwed anything up since at least yesterday.”
Tyler hadn’t messed up in weeks. In fact, he’d been so wonderful she could barely keep from cuddling up on his lap and kissing him, regardless of where they were or who they were around.
“I wasn’t talking about you,” Billie replied sweetly, giving him a simple peck on the cheek. “I was talking about Brian.”
“That makes sense.” Tyler grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Do you ladies know why we’re here today?”
Sierra gave Billie some side eye and smiled. Her sense of humor was slowly returning and she liked to tease Tyler best of all. “To eat lunch?”
Billie shook her head, well into the spirit of the game. It wasn’t fair that they kind of ganged up on him but if anything, he encouraged it. He said it was nice to see them bond as sisters again.
“To show off how gorgeous we look after our morning at the spa?” Billie guessed.
“That goes without saying, babe. But there is something else. Something big. Actually, two something bigs.”
Looking like a little boy with a huge secret, Tyler was practically vibrating in his chair. If they didn’t get him to speak quickly he was going to bounce out of the restaurant like Tigger in the Hundred Acre Wood.
“So tell us,” Billie urged, rolling her eyes. “Just say it.”
“It’s just I still can’t quite believe it.” Tyler threw up his hands but didn’t get a chance to go on as the waitress approached their table. The sisters had to wait for the news until after they ordered and the server disappeared into the back kitchen.
“Okay, she’s gone. Spill it, pretty boy.”
“I got the movie.”
Such a simple sentence but Billie wasn’t sure she’d heard it correctly. Had it really happened?
“Can you say that again?”
He was wearing the most gleeful smile and it looked damn sexy on him.
“I got the movie. I’m playing Zak.”
Throwing her arms around his neck, Billie no longer worried about who might be watching. “That’s the most amazing news. I’m so proud of you.”
Although she wasn’t a fan of Weller, this was what Tyler wanted. If he wanted it, she wanted it for him.
“Congratulations, Tyler,” Sierra said. “I’m not sure who Zak is but it sounds like you’re happy about the role.”
“It’s a great opportunity,” Tyler replied. “The director is a jerk but the role is juicy and very different than anything I’ve done before. I’m hoping to show I can stretch as an actor. But that actually isn’t the biggest news. Remember I said I have two surprises to celebrate.”
“Spill,” Billie urged with a giggle. “You’re keeping us on the edge here.”
“That wasn’t the only news Josh had. Turns out there’s another role that needs someone to fill it.”
“Josh is Tyler’s agent,” Billie explained to Sierra who seemed to be watching all of this with amusement. She’d get used to all this movie obsession in time.
“He’s your agent too,” Tyler said, dropping a kiss to her forehead. After their clinch in the kitch
en, he’d been quite circumspect when it came to affection in front of Sierra. “And the role is for you, baby. Do you remember that Lilliana Dowling took the co-starring role in Sam’s new movie? Well, she was in a car accident in Nice and broke her leg in two places. She’s going to be fine but she needs surgery and several months to recover and rehab. Sam immediately told the producers and the director that he wants you to take the role.”
Any movie Sam Collins starred in was probably going to be a huge hit and this one was no exception. A murder mystery with light moments and some romance, she’d heard about the script the last time she’d talked to Sam. He must have remembered how much she’d loved the concept. She’d read the book the script was based on and it was fantastic.
But it was still hard to believe. Her – Billie Oliver – co-starring with Sam Collins in a major motion picture? It hadn’t been that long ago that she’d been dumped by her last agent because she wouldn’t get breast implants.
“Sam wants me?”
Tyler nodded, looking more excited for her than he had been for himself. “Josh said the part is yours if you want it. You won’t make what they were paying Lilliana but the money is still good. You can get this movie under your belt and still be done in time for the wedding. Any post-production work can be done after while I’m working on the Zak film.”
“That’s…amazing.”
It was still hard to wrap her mind around it. She’d been sure her career was going nowhere and then out of the blue…this.
Tyler was frowning at her, not understanding why she wasn’t jubilant. “You want it, don’t you?”
Did she want it? Glancing at her sister sitting across the table, Billie had to put her first. This wasn’t the best time to be flying off to some location for months, leaving her sister behind to grapple with a divorce and a new life.
Tyler’s gaze followed Billie’s and his expression relaxed immediately. “I guess I had three pieces of news. I miscounted. After talking to Josh and Sam, the production company had planned to hire an assistant for you for the run of the shoot. Sam told them Sierra was your assistant so they’re hiring her too. You both will be together for the duration of filming.”
Eyes wide, Sierra looked at Billie then Tyler, then back to Billie. “Are you serious? I’ve never done that kind of work before.”
Tyler gave her a wink. “I think Billie won’t make you do anything too tough. It’s mostly keeping her on schedule. Look at it this way, you’ll get to order her around. That is, if she takes the role. Billie, you haven’t said much.”
“I’m stunned,” she confessed, laughing at herself. “Completely blindsided but in a good way. I’m still in disbelief.”
“Believe it. You’re a good actress and Sam knows that. He wouldn’t ask you to do anything if he didn’t think you could do it. He’s way too protective of his movies to work with just anyone. He wants you.”
And Billie wanted to do it. She could do it, and working with Sam would be a dream. The only thing better would be working with Tyler.
“I want it.” She turned to Sierra who was regarding them with a combination of awe and amusement. “Please come with me. I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
“If you’re sure…?”
“Very sure.”
Sierra’s eye lit up with happiness. “Then of course I will. I’d love to.”
Billie was going to make a movie with Sam. She was going to be the co-star. It was a dream come true. She’d worked hard but Hollywood was also about luck and timing.
“Where are they shooting and when do we need to be there?”
Chuckling, Tyler sat back in his chair as the waitress slid their entrees in front of them.
“The twenty-first in Paris.”
Sierra’s mouth fell open and Billie couldn’t stop the huge smile that spread across her face.
“Paris? In less than three weeks?”
They had a boatload of work to do before they could leave. For Paris.
Life was darn near perfect.
* * *
The next two weeks were a whirlwind of packing and preparations. Billie had contacted their wedding planner and finally set a date for the second week in October along with a myriad of other decisions that she and Tyler had finally sat down and made. They’d decided on colors – an autumn palate – and even a location – an orchard in Colorado that they had rented out for the entire weekend. Now that those major decisions were made the others would easily fall into place. Billie might even look for a wedding dress while in Paris.
There were travel arrangements to make as well and Curtis stepped in to help with that. He was guiding Sierra through the process and filling her in on his duties, although Billie had assured her sister she wasn’t nearly as needy as Tyler. She could stay on time and didn’t need anyone to remind her of appointments. The only snag they’d hit was that Sierra didn’t have a passport. They’d expedited its processing and it had shown up yesterday, much to their relief.
“What does Curtis have you doing now?” Billie asked as she entered Tyler’s office. “This isn’t some sort of hazing ritual, is it?”
Curtis and Sierra had their hands full of scripts, all rejected at some point in the last year for one reason or another by Tyler. At Josh’s bidding, they had kept them for awhile in case the project came up again but eventually they would be shredded.
Laughing, Curtis dropped the stack of scripts onto the back credenza. “I promise I’m taking good care of your sister. We’re just trying to get a handle on all this office clutter and rotating out the oldest scripts and storing the newer ones.”
“Curtis says I’m a natural at this,” Sierra said, elbowing her mentor. The two were getting along great, much to Billie’s relief. It was also helping Sierra to feel more normal; at least that’s how she’d described it. She didn’t want to sit around contemplating the wreck of her life all day. She needed to be busy and she was excited to see Paris.
Sierra retrieved a folder from the desk and held it out to Billie. “We were catching up with the filing and I think this belongs to you. You can take it or we can file it, whatever you want.”
Accepting the folder, Billie flipped it open. “I doubt that it belongs to–”
This wasn’t Billie’s file. This was a file about Billie. About her past. It was Tyler’s.
He’d known about her life all along. Wow, he was a great actor because she never would have suspected that he wasn’t surprised when she told him. He ought to win that Oscar he coveted. He was that good.
Snapping it shut, she held it to her chest. That place where her heart was currently breaking into a thousand pieces. He’d talked about trust so many times but in the end he hadn’t trusted her. How long had he had this? Since she’d moved in? Since he’d needed her to be his wife?
“It is mine. I’ll take care of it.”
Without another word, she turned on her heel and headed for the bedroom. Tyler was at a meeting and she’d have some time – uninterrupted – to look through this.
Then figure out what in the hell she was supposed to do now.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Worn out and now dry-eyed, Billie shoved socks and underwear into her suitcase along with the rest of the clothes she’d already packed. She’d be gone for quite awhile filming the movie but she wouldn’t need a wide array of wardrobe choices since she’d be working most of the time. The thought of being on a movie set again was the only thing getting her through the day.
Billie was a good actress but she couldn’t pretend that everything was fine. Not with Tyler. He’d see right through her little act. So it was with a heavy heart that she changed her and Sierra’s flight reservation to Paris from day after tomorrow to tonight. She needed to put some distance between herself and Tyler so she could get her head on straight. She needed to do something about her heart as well because it was currently lying in about a dozen pieces on the ground.
After reading the dossier that Tyler had collected
on her, Billie had literally been sick to her stomach. Although there was nothing in there incriminating, and she’d told him the important highlights, it was still a horrible realization that he’d had her investigated. He’d dug into her past while all the while smiling to her face as if nothing was going on behind the curtain.
Nothing to see here, folks, except a private detective digging for dirt.
Tyler had lied to her. That was the most hurtful part of all of this, although his casual use of the word trust was a close second. He kept saying she wasn’t trusting him but all along he hadn’t trusted her. All he would have had to do was ask and she would have told him whatever he wanted to know. But he’d never asked. Not once.
The timing of all of this was disturbing as well. How old was the folder? He never cleaned his desk so it could have been five years old or five months old. She could have understood Tyler doing a background check on his new tenant when she first moved in. That made complete sense, although it was vastly more extensive than a credit and criminal history check.
But when she’d started to tell him about her family he could have said he already knew and saved her the less than pleasant trip down memory lane. Instead she’d spilled her guts and he’d acted all surprised, comforting her and telling her it was all okay. Clearly it wasn’t if he’d cared enough to hire someone to dig into her life.
The worst alternative was that he’d had her investigated when he’d decided to marry her for the movie role. That really blew the whole trust lecture he’d given her out of the water. Once again…all he’d needed to do was ask. He should have known that she’d never let him get dragged into some unsavory incident from her past. That lack of trust again.
She was hurt and betrayed and she wanted to crawl away and lick her wounds, whining about how life wasn’t fair. Figure out what the hell she was going to do about all of this because one thing hadn’t changed.
Wild on the Red Carpet (The Hollywood Showmance Chronicles Book 3) Page 22