“He doesn’t need to know that. Welcome,” Reed said. A beautiful, very pregnant woman was walking toward them. Another man stood at the dining room table across the room, looking their way.
“You must be Lara,” Ty said, leaving Kenzie standing there as he went toward her. The woman smiled brightly, and Ty reached out, giving her a giant hug that she accepted, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
“You must be Ty. I thought I’d know you no matter what Reed kept telling me, but you hide yourself very well,” she said, smiling up at the ceiling, patting him on the back.
“I’m the jealous kind,” Reed said loudly still standing beside Kenzie. She felt his hand at the base of her back pressing to move her forward. “Come in and get your man off my fiancée.”
That seemed to tickle Ty, making Kenzie laugh too. “Bray set me up to do that. I was supposed to hug her tight.”
“I’m sure he did. Meet Kade,” Reed said, nodding toward the other man. “He’s Lara’s family.” Reed moved around them to the kitchen bar to place the telephone back at its base. The layout of the house was really just one very large room that held the foyer, living room, dining room, and kitchen. Ty went toward Kade, extending a hand while Lara headed in her direction.
“You must be Kenzie. It’s so nice to meet you,” Lara said, reaching out to give her a warm hug. “You have to be exhausted.”
“It’s very nice to meet you. I’m not dressed appropriately,” she said, looking down at the hoodie and jeans she wore compared to this beautifully put-together woman who managed to elegantly pull off a tight dress, snugly wrapped over a very pronounced baby bump.
“You’re fine. Very beautiful in fact, but I’d already been told that. I want you to meet Kade. He’s my roommate and best friend,” Lara explained and started walking her toward the dining area.
“Roommate? So that’s true?” Ty asked, looking over at Reed. He was standing close to Kade, who was obviously a bodybuilder and most definitely held his own in a room full of very handsome men.
“No one answer that,” Reed said, extending a Heineken to Ty, then one to Kade. When he offered Kenzie one, she wrinkled her nose, rejecting the beer, making him smile.
“Oh, even better,” Ty teased, taking the beer and twisting the bottle cap off.
“Kade Michaels,” he said while reaching out to take her hand. Ty was next and extended a hand toward the man, still smiling good-naturedly.
“So what’s the roommate story?” Ty asked.
“Don’t be annoying, grizzly,” Reed said. He’d taken a seat at the dining room table.
“You can’t tell at all that you’re Ty Bateman,” Kade said, effectively changing the subject.
“That’s what I said too. It’s just the beard that makes him look so different,” Kenzie added, relaxing some in the effortless comradery they shared.
“Yeah, it grows quickly,” he added, lifting a hand to scratch an itch. Funny how that always happened when the mention of his beard came up.
“Have you seen him without it?” Lara asked.
“One night, he shaved for me. It’s a remarkable change,” Kenzie confirmed, smiling up at Ty. He grinned back, bending to kiss her upturned lips.
“I’m going to change clothes. Lara’s ordered in dinner for everyone. It should be here soon and she needs to sit down,” Reed said, rising from the table and walking toward a hall behind the kitchen.
The doorbell rang, and Kade took off to answer, stopping Lara in her tracks. He pointed to the chair, giving her the eye. “You aren’t supposed to be on your feet like this, and the doctor doesn’t even know about those shoes.”
Lara changed her direction. While looking over at Kenzie, she rolled her eyes, but did walk to the living room to take a seat.
“Kenzie, come sit by me. When Kade gets back, we’ll make him get you something to drink,” she said, kicking off her pretty high heel shoes before lifting her feet to a nearby ottoman.
“I don’t need anything. I’m fine,” she said, taking the seat closest to Lara.
“Oh no. You need something to drink several times while we’re having dinner. I’ve learned it’s better to keep them busy, otherwise they fret all over me. I mean suffocatingly so,” she explained. There was nothing more to do than relax around these people. As a whole, they were genuine, fun, and easy to be around. Maybe Ty was on to something when he kept insisting they were all about the same kind of people, just in different circumstances.
The condo was definitely beyond anything she’d ever seen, except for maybe in some high-end decorating magazines, but these people were incredibly open, adding a warmth that made them a family.
“It’s their bags,” Kade said at the door, slinging one over his shoulder as he went to take the two other suitcases.
“They’re staying in the guest bedroom,” Lara called out and placed both hands on the side of the chair like she was starting to rise.
“No, you stay seated. I’ll help,” Ty offered, lifting a hand to stop Lara. He placed the beer bottle on the table and went directly to Kade, taking one of the suitcases.
“See?” she said, smiling broadly, waggling her eyebrows at Kenzie. “They fret, but sometimes I can get a foot massage out of it. Those are the best nights.” Lara wiggled her toes and grinned happily, making Kenzie laugh. Lara was wonderful.
~~~
With too much on his mind, Ty lay curled around a sleeping Kenzie. It hadn’t occurred to him until last night that they’d truly left their mountain hideaway and entered the real world as a couple. As much as he hated the prospect, he decided it was probably time to start acclimating Kenzie into his life. If he took it slow and played the game properly, surely they could ease her in with minimal collateral damage. Then, strategizing the million different ways things could go wrong, he hugged Kenzie tighter to his chest.
While sitting on the sofa last night, absently listening to everyone talk, he’d stupidly opened email on his phone. The messages were piling up in his inbox. His supposedly vacationing staff was getting antsy. Even then, he still refused to open the individual messages, and instead skimmed through the subject lines. They weren’t pretty. He’d given everyone but his assistant the same amount of time off as he had taken. Apparently his team wasn’t into R and R. They were vultures, wanting desperately to fill his schedule to capacity even though he’d been clear he needed some serious time off in the future.
With his head full of their turmoil, he decided the best course of action was to slowly navigate Kenzie through the sharks of his life. That needed to start now while he still had some control. Ty reluctantly rolled from bed and padded across the room toward the bathroom. He’d put his shaving gear in there last night. It took some time, but he got his face cleaned up. Surveying the job, he leaned in closer to the mirror, checking for anything he might have missed when the vibration of his cell caught his attention. He picked it up when he saw Reed’s name on the message.
“Come over to my office when you wake. It’s right around the corner,” Reed texted.
“I’m up. Cleaning myself up some,” Ty wrote back.
“Well, that’s gonna be a task. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
“Har har,” he typed back.
Honestly, it hadn’t taken near as long as Ty had thought. Now the bigger problem might be his hair. He ran his fingers through the top pieces. There wasn’t much to be done about that though. Maybe Reed could hook him up with his hairstylist today. Quietly, he entered the bedroom. Kenzie was still sleeping, but this time lying on her back. The bedroom was warm, and she’d shoved the blankets down around her waist, exposing her delicious body to him. It had taken some time last night to talk her out of her night clothes. Now, all he wanted was to crawl back in that bed and explore every inch of her soft flesh. He fought that urge and his hardening dick. He forced himself to turn away and pick up the clothes he’d worn yesterday. He wouldn’t even let himself glance back as he left the room to dress. Kenzie was too tempti
ng; he wouldn’t stand strong if he dared looked back.
Foregoing the shoes, Ty went through the condo in search of coffee. The Keurig sat powered on and ready, with a mug already in place. He pushed the button and waited the minute for the cup to fill. Ty anchored his butt against the counter, looking out over the home. He was impressed with Reed’s surroundings, but not for the normal reasons. Reed had actually downgraded his living quarters when he’d bought this building.
Out of all of his buddies, Reed always had the most to prove—well, at least to himself. After watching that whole dynamic last night, Ty decided that the chip on Reed’s shoulder was being chiseled away by his sweet, pretty fiancée. Lara was truly a surprise and exactly what Reed needed. She was one of the most genuine people Ty had ever met, and although he covered it with a feigned coughing fit when Reed sat down to rub her feet, the image spoke volumes.
Ty crossed his arms over his chest and bent his head, praying he’d have that same kind of relationship with Kenzie. A woman who made him want to do anything in his power to please her, and in return, she’d do that very same thing for him. It had to feel extraordinary.
“Good morning.” The unexpected voice startled Ty. He looked over to see a housekeeper coming inside the kitchen.
“Good morning,” he replied and saw the exact moment she recognized him. An unexpected spike in the coil of his gut sent his brow plummeting. Her eyes shot to the floor and she said nothing more as she went around the corner and down the hall. Ty reached for his coffee as the resignation of the moment settled. That one encounter was all it took to remind him that he couldn’t just blend in any longer. He was back to being the celebrity he’d worked so hard to become.
Instead of allowing that thought to linger and most certainly bring with it the worry and fear of isolation that his life had become, he forced himself to focus on the good. He’d luckily found Kenzie. Hopefully that meant no more lonely nights spent locked away behind windowless walls.
Ty left the apartment, going back down the hall toward the elevator. Much like when they’d arrived, the offices were quiet and dark, except for a single lit room which guided him toward Reed’s open office door. He rapped his knuckles on the wood, drawing Reed’s attention his way.
“Come in,” he said, his fingers typing away on his laptop. “Hang on.”
Ty walked to the small table in front of Reed’s desk until he saw the view from the huge floor to ceiling windows along the back wall. He went directly to them, looking out at the early morning sky. Downtown Dallas was just coming to life. As he took a long drink of the coffee, he remembered as a kid what a treat it had been to come to Dallas for the weekend. His mom would bring him to town, and they’d always have so much fun together.
“You look more like yourself.”
“I like being hidden,” Ty answered honestly, turning away from the window. Reed was up, going for a coffee maker on the bar in his office. “It wouldn’t hurt you to work less,” Ty said, taking a few steps toward Reed.
“Says the man who never slows down.” Reed turned away to push the button to fill his coffee cup. “Besides, that’s the old me. Lara’s changed all that. I wanna be home with her.”
“She offices here with you? Did I hear something about that?” Ty asked, taking another long drink from his mug.
“Yeah. Right across the hall. I want to talk to you about that before I say anything else.” Reed grabbed his cup, placing it on the table beside where Ty stood. He didn’t sit, instead going back to his desk, shuffling through some papers before he found an envelope. About the time Ty took a seat, Reed came back around and tossed the packet toward him, hitting the table. “I got that about thirty minutes ago. It’s the confirmation Kenzie’s case was dropped. Based on rumor, her attorney group’s very slow, but they would have probably gotten this to her in the next month. I figure having the official paperwork might ease some of that tension she’s carrying around.”
“Thanks, man. I figured you guys could get this done faster than I could, but I never expected this quickly,” Ty said, opening the envelope. He pulled out the papers all stapled together. The front page came directly from the judge dismissing the case. Reed was right, seeing the evidence in his hand relieved him. Just wait until Kenzie got a look. Maybe if he could get back there before she woke, he could wake her with this huge surprise.
“How are you doing with it all?” Reed asked, taking his seat, crossing one leg over the other and lifting his mug to his lips.
“You were right, if that’s what you’re wanting to hear,” Ty said, stuffing the papers back inside the envelope.
“No, not at all, but it’s good to hear. You need to remember that in the future.”
“Everything she went through was hard to hear. She’s had a hard time,” Ty said, lifting his cup. Like normal, his internal aggression spiked when he thought about how difficult Kenzie’s life must have been during those cruel years.
“I read she miscarried in jail.”
“Yeah, she skimmed over that part. I was so focused on wanting to kick that guy’s ass, I didn’t push her for much more than she was willing to say,” Ty said, now really having to fight the building anger.
“As I read, the one thing I kept thinking was that she seemed a lot like my Lara. I don’t know this, but I’m not sure Kenzie understands her value to the world,” Reed said, taking another drink.
“She was too isolated growing up in the mountains. When she came to Texas, she was ripe for the picking.”
“She’s beautiful,” Reed added.
“She is.”
“But she doesn’t care about that, does she?” Reed asked.
“Not that I can tell,” Ty said which became another concern in pushing her into his world. Superficial appearance meant everything. How would she do with that?
“Does she know you’re planning on keeping her around?” That was one of the things he liked most about Reed. He called it like he saw it.
“I think a better question is why in the hell is Kade still considered Lara’s roommate? Like present tense roommate?” Ty asked. He couldn’t hide the smile at the fierce look on Reed’s face. Last night he’d watched with his own eyes as a much more relaxed and sedate Reed acted like a reasonable human being, lovingly handling his almost wife.
Reed eventually gave a hollow laugh and answered truthfully. “I was jacked up about it. Still am. She doesn’t want to rush things more than we have. She stays with me every night, but a lot of her shit’s still over there.”
“I like her, Prescott. Kenzie and her got along great.”
“I saw that. Figured they would after meeting Kenzie at the cabin. So here’s what I’m thinking. I handed my foundation to Lara, and she’s doing a great job, but her doctor wants her to rest more. Her blood pressure has risen. We’ll need someone to jump in and learn the ropes, then take over for a few months when the baby’s born. My problem’s been that it’s got to be the right person. Lara’s had a tough road in helping to change our image internationally. She’s doing it, but apparently I can be a real motherfucker to deal with. My reputation isn’t good. When I was reading Kenzie’s background, and after spending time with her, I think she might be what we need,” Reed explained.
“I want her to have every opportunity, but more selfishly, I want her to go back to LA with me,” Ty said honestly.
“Well, that’s the beauty of it. I wanted Lara with me, so I get it. The job won’t require her to be here. There’ll be some traveling. It’s unavoidable, but she can have her office anywhere.”
“Then I’m sure she’d love it. She doesn’t see herself as employable. It’ll help build her back up,” he said, somewhat relieved. He wouldn’t have stopped her from taking the job or even staying in Texas but that would have been a difficult commute, and he wasn’t entirely certain she could handle a long-distance relationship under all the daily scrutiny he faced.
“Then we’ll offer her the job this evening. Lara’s planning on giving he
r a spa day and doing some shopping. It was her excuse to get out of the house,” Reed said with a chuckle. “She’s not down with her doctor telling her to slow down. She insists that she’s fine.”
“I’ll reinforce the doctor’s orders to Kenzie, but I need to get her some clothing. She’s got nothing to wear outside of some jeans and T-shirts.”
“God, that was Lara. We had a time with that. Had to hide all the fucking prices—that alone cost me a bundle. My buyer can hook her up until you can get her taken care of.”
“I need a bit of a cleaning up too,” Ty said, circling a finger over his hair.
“Margaret can get you set up. Talk to her when she gets in.” Reed’s desk phone started ringing, and he looked down at his wristwatch. “I gotta get this.”
“I’m meeting Kade for a workout,” Ty said, grabbing his empty cup and the packet of papers. He rose, excited to go wake his sleeping beauty with this information.
“Yeah, you’ll regret that in the morning,” Reed said, reaching over his desk to answer the phone.
“Great…” Ty replied as he left the office.
Chapter 28
With a lift of the hand, Kenzie tried hard to stifle a yawn. She, along with Lara, had spent an exhausting day between the spa and a marathon shopping experience in a private section of Neiman-Marcus. Two things Kenzie had never done before in her life.
Before they left, Ty had tried to hand her his credit card. She refused to take it even knowing she had nothing appropriate to wear for the formal dinner Lara had arranged to celebrate the dismissal of her case. When she started questioning the cost of clothes, thinking about the little bit of cash she had, Ty had stopped trying to argue with her and looked directly at Lara, ignoring Kenzie altogether. He gave her the card with a bossy instruction to get Kenzie everything she needed for the next few weeks. Lara seemed to take that task to heart.
From the time they entered the store’s private entrance, a never-ending line of sales clerks brought tons and tons of clothing. It didn’t seem to matter what she liked or didn’t like, the goal was to find the styles that best fit her frame. Once that was determined, they spent hours creating whole ensembles. Kenzie tried on dozens and dozens maybe even a hundred different outfits, modeling each one while a team decided what looked best.
Acting Happy (Texas Desires #2) Page 25