Her eyes had tears in them as she said, “I don’t want to go watch the fountains or go on the gondola anymore.”
Crying when there was no reason was part of her charm. He wiped her cheeks. “What do you want?”
She held him tight like he might somehow disappear on her as she said, “I want us… to… be alone.”
Fair enough. He took her hand and walked out with her, ready to return to the MGM.
Neither of them said much in the short limo drive back to their hotel. She rested her head on his shoulder and the lights of Vegas passed them.
Once at the MGM, he guided her toward the luxury suite hotel elevators and swiped his card. As they entered their private glass elevator, he said, “Taylor, I’m hoping one day that you mean our vows.”
They rose high and fast and her eyelashes fluttered. “What?”
The elevator stopped and they walked across the short hall to his penthouse suite. Once he opened the door for her, he reached down to pick her up and carry her over the threshold. “I love you and I’ll prove to you however I can that I won’t hurt you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Eddie, you have more power to hurt me than any other man ever….” He put her down once they passed the threshold and she straightened. “But I’m here and I’m open because part of me already loves you… now come here and close the door.”
Taylor was his. Now and forever. She was Mrs. Eddie Williams and somehow, he needed to keep her happy, forever, just as he’d vowed.
11
Taylor woke to sunlight beaming on her face. She stretched, wearing Eddie’s black t-shirt she’d borrowed from him last night, her legs against the sheets.
The moment she fully opened her eyes, the diamonds on her hand sparkled, but she glanced up into the handsome green eyes of Eddie Williams. His hard muscles, visible without a shirt on, flexed as he carried a breakfast tray.
He had ice cream and waffles as well as eggs, her yogurt parfait with strawberries and granola, and orange juice. She reached for her parfait though all her favorites had her mouth watering.
Eddie sat beside her and brushed her hair behind her ear as he said, “Good morning.”
Wow. This wasn’t anything… anyone ever did for her. She finished a bite of the parfait. Honestly, she should be feeding him. And she didn’t understand how she’d actually married Eddie. She hadn’t broken her vow of no dating men, though she wasn’t sure what the future was for either of them as she put her spoon down and glanced down at her tray. “Eddie…”
He took the waffle and ice cream from the tray and replaced it with a cup of coffee. “I ordered us breakfast.”
He motioned with his head that she should try the beverage before her.
She sipped and the caramel flavor hit her. Unlike when they were teens, they didn’t have to sneak out of a dorm to go get this treat. She put her cup down and let out a small sigh. “This coffee is great.”
He winked and piled ice cream on his waffles. “Nothing is too good for my wife, my muse, my life.”
But he was the one that mattered. She picked up her yogurt again. “Eddie, you are seriously too good for me.”
He finished building his waffle ice cream tower and said, “I’m nothing without you.”
They both ate and the yogurt was good.
Eddie waved a bite of his ice cream at her. She pressed her lips together as eating that would be horribly fattening.
But then she relented and had a sweet taste.
Her body yearned for more, but she met his green eyes and said, “You built a career without me. You’d be fine.”
His gaze grew more serious and he put his fork down. “I built a career on letting the world in on how much I missed you.”
Eddie’s heart was so pure and sweet.
Her lips tingled to kiss him, and she leaned closer but only got his cheek when a ring sounded, and he turned. “My phone…” she said.
He reached to his side of the bed and handed it to her. “It’s your parents.”
She held up her hand with the diamond as her heart raced. The last thing she’d ever do was hurt Eddie’s career as he starred in countless women’s fantasies and that sold albums. Being married might hurt him though he didn’t seem to care. “Don’t talk about this. Remember it's a secret.”
He gave her a look that she hoped meant he’d follow her directions as she hit the speaker button and said, “Hi, Mom.”
“Taylor, your father and I are just thrilled at the wine selection Eddie sent ahead of the party, but your dad is having a hard time finding Spring Gin Gentlemen’s Cut for his martinis.”
Seriously? This was about the stupid party. Why were they never talking about her career or just being proud of her accomplishments? Ever. Taylor shook her head. “Mom, you can find it in the store.”
Her mother asked in her sing-song voice, “It’s hard to find as it’s high in alcohol, Taylor, and we were wondering if your Eddie knows where to find it.”
She closed her eyes. Her parents only ever cared about appearances. They never asked how she was, so she answered curtly, “I’m not asking him.”
Her mother snorted. “Then I’ll just text him, sweetie.”
Eddie’s phone vibrated. Thankfully he had it on silent, but she saw him on his phone texting as she said to her mother, “I have to go to practice, Mom.”
“Looking forward to seeing you soon, Taylor.” Her mother hung up like everything was fine.
For a second she massaged her temples but then she heard Eddie’s phone vibrate again. She met his green-eyed gaze, and said, “Don’t text her back.”
He put his phone down. “Already answered yes. Your dad loves his martinis. The party will be quite…” his phone vibrated, and he picked it up and texted one word as he said, “entertaining if the doctors are all drinking that.”
She ignored the buzz in her skin and asked, “What else are you texting her?”
He put his phone back down and reached for her hand. “I’m going to throw in a few bottles of Cambridge Distillery Watenshi for him to test.”
Must be a gin. She swallowed and wondered if it was also more alcohol content. “You are not going to get my parents drunk.”
His eyes widened like he was innocent. “Your dad was drinking martinis at our graduation, in the front row, and passing out glasses to everyone near him. He can handle himself.”
Oh goodness. She remembered--her parents had said they’d ensure the entire row toasted for her future success. But then they’d expected her to return to Denver, marry a doctor and transform into her mother, the party planner. She rested her head on Eddie’s shoulder. “And mom was drinking with him.”
He patted her back. “At least your parents showed up. Mine had their own shows to do, but that’s always been my life.”
Yet in marrying her, did he expect her to drop everything and just go with him? The Lipstick Outlaws were just breaking through and she’d promised to stick with them. Eddie had already been hurt and abandoned when he was so amazing. He deserved much better.
She finished her coffee then put the cup on her tray. “Eddie… our lives were always different. But I’m on tour, with the band.”
He gently pushed his shoulder into hers as he said, “I get that, Taylor. I’ll wait for you.”
He stood and went to his closet to grab clothes. But she’d only recently signed and the tour with Miranda Lambert had a few months left and she and her girls were discussing a second album. She couldn’t let them down. She told his backside, “That could be over a year.”
“Totally fine.” He pulled out a shirt, tossing it to her.
She glanced at the white t-shirt with Eddie Williams' face surrounded by hearts and laughed as she took it while she changed in the bed. “How is that fine?”
He turned toward her. “I’m used to waiting for loved ones to show up. And I trust you will.”
But he shouldn’t.
This wasn’t good. She’d been reckless in ask
ing him to marry her—he was supposed to talk her out of it.
Honestly, she couldn’t explain herself.
Her phone beeped with her alarm. Drat.
She stood and said, “Eddie… I’m late.”
“Go.” He tossed her a pair of sweatpants that also had his face on the side.
Had he raided his tour vendors for clothes for her? She slipped them on without question as she had to run to her room for jeans. He said, “I booked us a helicopter ride for after the awards show.”
Her heart gained another crack. Denying Eddie wasn’t what she’d want for him. She cupped the sides of his face. “I always go out with my band… it’s tradition.”
He pulled free and tossed his clothes he’d wear into his bathroom. “They can come too. It’s just to get away from the crowds and after-party invitations. Half an hour in the air means people forget about you fast and you don’t just walk out on the red carpet, we fly off…unless you want to be seen?”
“No! Not at all.” This wasn’t something she’d thought about. Usually she and the girls made an entrance and exited together but having her life and Eddie's merge even for one night… that could be great. She squeezed his shoulder muscles and asked, “Seriously? You booked us a helicopter?”
His green eyes seemed to hold some secret as he said, “Then do your midnight breakfast run after that.”
Only Eddie would remember small details about what she’d said. She absolutely should have realized how special he was to her long ago. “In the morning, we have the tour bus to Salt Lake City for a show and then we’re in Denver.”
He walked her to the door. “I hope you can make it back here for a few hours, but if not, I’ll meet you in Denver. I’m off to LA for my own show so the helicopter ride will be the last you see of me for a few days if you can’t.”
If she was living her old life before the band, she’d go with him.
But now her heart tore in half that she wasn’t being fair to him. “I… I’ll see you before then, sit with you during, and try to come after the show… I don’t want to wake you.”
He handed her a piece of plastic and her knee-length white dress. His key was all black and so exclusive it didn’t have the hotel logo. “Please do. Take the key. I’m here whenever you need me.”
Her husband.
Her lover.
Her… everything.
Adrenaline coursed through her making her jittery and she kissed him at the door, because they were in the penthouse and he had no neighbors.
But once the door closed, she ran at top speed to the elevators and headed to her floor.
She needed two minutes to change and clean up so no one saw what she’d done.
She took a ten-second shower without washing her hair, tugged on jeans but decided to wear his t-shirt though she added a pink hat and pink snakeskin boots.
Only five minutes late, she walked into the rehearsal room and saw everyone was still with Melanie and the dresses they were to wear tonight.
Mac was in a red full-length, single sleeve that Melanie was pinning to her, but said, “Taylor, Melanie hooked us up with dresses. Go to the racks and pick one. She has an eye.”
Mac’s gown was old-school and classy with flowered beadwork going down the dress from shoulder to waist.
Taylor headed to the clothes and went through the blacks C.C. would love and found the lighter fare that appealed to her. “I want white or pink.”
Rissa stood in a red dress that went to her knees in the front but floated longer behind her with a ribbon on the end, and her dark hair down her back to her shoulder blades. “You’re already glowing. What happened on your date last night?”
The shower hadn’t worked. Tension racked her brain as she stared at the white dress and asked, “What?”
Rissa took the center of the mirror where Melanie had Mac a moment ago. “You weren’t in your room this morning.”
Her hand trembled. Luckily no one saw behind the clothes, but she asked as she held the pink gown up, “How do you know that?”
Rissa laughed. “'Cause you didn’t deny it just now.”
Taylor glanced down and saw her wedding ring. She tucked it in her jeans pocket and then met Rissa’s gaze through the mirror. “Hey, that’s private.”
C.C. asked more quietly, her dark hair high on her head in an elaborate updo, wearing Prada sunglasses, “Are you in love?”
She sucked her bottom lip in. If she was truly, madly, deeply in love, she’d leave everything and go with Eddie, right?
She couldn't hurt him anymore.
She ran her now bare hand through her hair. “I… I don’t know.”
Katie Lyn, her gorgeous roots showing, asked, “How’s the sweet love song going so we can get it recorded for the second album?”
Right. Good. Work. This was how she planned her life, and she would not be her mother, who planned parties and talked about beverages to serve at parties and what she drank at someone else’s house party like that was a life. “I haven’t finished it.”
“Because you’re figuring yourself out?” C.C.’s question held her usual caring tone.
She was now either going to be her mother or she’d break Eddie’s heart. He wanted stability in his life, and she couldn’t give it to him without ruining her own dream. “Because… I’m worried about taking Eddie to meet my parents.”
Rissa fluffed her hair as she put her phone away. “Why? I thought they knew him already.”
She picked out a pink chiffon full-length gown with a slit for her leg to be shown or not, depending on how she stood, and an intricate lace pattern for the top half. Her mother would hate how low cut it was which only made it more perfect. “They do…”
Cinnamon also had a pink with lace and glitter number in her hands, but hers was more mauve and went with her deep red hair. “So, what’s wrong?”
Taylor was last to put the dress on and she took extra care to ensure her ring was in her jeans pocket low so it wouldn’t fall out. “I’ve made a ton of mistakes in my life.”
The dress fit like a dream, but Melanie was an expert on ensuring everything was put together. Cinnamon asked, “And now?”
Now she had a choice to make. Taylor had a long history of making bad choices, and she'd unknowingly hurt Eddie. She tried to smile. “He’s too perfect. It scares me.”
Katie Lyn had a tulle light-purple knee-length dress with ribbons looped at the hems and sleeves that made her look like a princess. “How?”
Melanie directed Katie Lyn up for inspection as Taylor said, “He remembers every little detail about me. He knows how I like my coffee, my flower preferences, everything.”
Rissa laughed. “Honey, that’s what we want in our men. Were you looking for someone else to ignore everything about you, like your last one?”
Eddie was nothing like any other guy she’d ever met. He was sweet and perfect and wonderful…and she'd just thought wonderful? Wow. She swallowed and met her friends' gazes as Melanie signaled she was done with Katie Lyn and said, “No, but he’s busy.”
“So are you.” Rissa wisely asked, “Unless…are you leaving the band?”
Commitment. She’d followed the wrong men to the wrong places, but now she'd found a prince and she had zero time. Taylor slid up in line and she was next for Melanie as she said firmly, “No, I’m in the Lipstick Outlaws and cutting the next album with y’all and staying for whatever happens after our tour with Miranda ends.”
Katie Lyn chimed in, “With that love song you’re writing going on the album? It’s super cute and peppy and we need a little lightness to offset the heaviness.”
Finish a happy love song when her heart was ripping like confetti into a thousand pieces because she’d end up hurting the one man she shouldn’t? She hopped up on Melanie’s platform and sucked in her breath. “Okay, I’ll try to finish it quick.” She pushed her hair behind her ear and told her friends, “Eddie wants us all to leave the award show in a helicopter. He says it’s to make a bi
g send off, fly around for a half an hour and then we can go, or avoid, the after-party stuff, depending on what we want.”
C.C. was checking the other sunglasses from a rack while clutching the Prada ones to go with her all-black dress. “I thought we were getting waffles.”
Rissa laughed and said, “We can do both. Helicopters and waffles. Tell Eddie thanks for the dramatic getaway, and he’s invited to breakfast.”
Having Eddie with her would be amazing. “I will.”
Now she just needed to find a way to hide her rings in this dress so no one saw but didn’t just leave them in her tossed jeans where anything might happen.
Eddie was a secret in her heart, and more real than any other man ever. But she needed to be gentle. Hurting him would turn her soul dark. She’d never hurt his career or his future. He deserved to have the world at his feet.
12
Eddie stood with Taylor waiting to walk the long red carpet, she was breathtaking in soft pink while he wore his royal blue Paul Smith suit with black boots and a black button-down shirt, his wedding ring hidden on a chain under his shirt.
Red carpets usually sucked as the color only made his red hair look more like a carrot, but tonight that wouldn't matter, because he'd have Taylor at his side.
Tam motioned for them to move from the dark holding area to being all smiles for the press.
Eddie wrapped his arm around Taylor’s waist and interrupted her talking with her friends to ask, “Is everyone ready?”
She nodded, but stepped out of his arms, offering her hand instead. “This is all beautiful.”
Nothing was half as exquisite as she was. No one else could match her natural glow as they didn’t sell happiness in a bottle.
If so, he’d have been bathed in it long ago.
Tam called out from the sidelines, “Remember to walk with attitude.”
Right now, he could walk on air. He held Taylor's hand that was hidden between the layers of pink tulle as they turned the corner. “Taylor?”
She kissed his cheek and the press took their pictures while she said, “Eddie, you’re amazing.”
Taylor’s Legendary Heart: Sweethearts of Country Music, Book 2 Page 9