by Kim Desalvo
“I’m thrilled for you, man, I really am. When do you think you’ll do the deed?”
Dylan laughed. “I haven’t even asked her yet! But, seeing as she’s already agreed to move in with me, I’m pretty confident that she’ll say yes.” When Tony looked at him intently, he shrugged and continued. “As soon as possible, I guess. I know it takes some time to plan these things, but I’m hoping for Spring. Maybe end of May, if we can get it together. We met on Memorial Day weekend, so it would already be an anniversary of sorts.”
Tony’s face skewed for a moment, and his face twisted up in contemplation. “Give me just a minute in my own head, will you?” he asked, getting up and pacing the room without waiting for an answer. Dylan watched his facial expressions shift as if he were in deep thought. He could almost see Tony’s mind working, especially when he started texting furiously and jotting notes on a little spiral pad he pulled from the inside pocket of his jacket. Dylan heard the swooshes and blips of incoming and outgoing texts, and watched with amusement as Tony mumbled to himself while scribbling figures on the pad. Finally Tony got one more text and smiled wide as he sat down across from Dylan. When he spoke, his face was completely serious.
“Dylan,” he started. “I have a proposition for you. It may sound crazy at first, but hear me out, OK?”
Dylan raised an eyebrow. “OK…” he said, his tone cautious. He had no intention of getting married on live television, or subjecting their wedding day to hoards of media, if that was what Tony had in mind.
“It’s a win-win situation,” he said. “Actually, you can throw about a dozen more wins into the mix. Of course it’s up to the two of you to decide, and my feelings won’t be hurt if you don’t accept…”
“Just spill it, Tony,” Dylan said suspiciously.
“I was just thinking about what to give you for a wedding present,” he said. “And I decided; what better gift could I give you than your wedding?” A slow smile crept over his face.
“I’m listening,” Dylan replied.
Chapter 8
“Welcome to a special live edition of After Dark,” Tony grinned into the camera. “I’m really glad you could all join me tonight for what promises to be a very special show, and I want to take a minute to thank our producers for allowing me to put all the rumors to rest and answer the questions you’ve all been asking over the past couple days.” He paused, giving the audience a knowing wink. “Now, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past week, I know you’ve seen the news, or read Person to Person magazine, and you know that my special guest tonight is none other than Dylan Miller; he’s been named, “Sexiest Man on Earth,” “Rock’s Most Eligible Bachelor,” and is a huge star of both stage and screen.
“I won’t waste a lot of time with introductions—you know that he’s been the subject of a media frenzy involving a bizarre love triangle…” he held up the Person to Person cover and waited a beat for the cameras to zoom in, “…numerous criminal activities, and a mystery woman who stole his heart and triggered the alleged jealous rage of Penelope Valentine, Oscar nominated actress and co-star of his latest film.” He waited for the applause to die down before continuing.
“Here to tell his story in person for the first time, and to announce to the world whether or not he’s found his mystery lady and can fill in this question mark…” he pointed to the lower left corner of the magazine cover and waited again for the extreme close up that filled the monitor, “…is my very good friend. Ladies and gentlemen, Dylan Miller.”
The impromptu crowd that had filled the studio rose to their feet and cheered, and would have, regardless of the little electronic sign that signaled them to do so. Dylan strolled confidently out onto the stage, shook hands and shared a man-hug with Tony, and took a seat on the couch at Tony’s right after bowing and waving to the audience.
“It’s so great to have you here, Dylan,”
“It’s great to be here; thanks for having me.” He bowed to the audience and Tony had to pause as the applause erupted again.
“Well,” Tony started, “I know it’s a bit of an understatement, but it seems you’ve had yourself a little excitement recently.”
Dylan smiled. “Understatement indeed…it’s been a bloody roller coaster, if you want to know the truth.”
Tony once again held up the issue of Person to Person. “This says that the article is in your words, but you’ve always been kind of media-shy and very vocal about avoiding anything that’s considered a tabloid. So, did you actually write this?”
“Yeah, I did,” Dylan replied. “I pretty much threw it together on the plane on the way back to The States.”
“You mean, when you pretty much abandoned your film contract in New Zealand to come back and find your lost love? Why the tabloids?”
“I didn’t have much of a choice, really,” Dylan replied. “It was the medium she used to fabricate a relationship that didn’t exist, and I had to clear that up. I had to do it fast, too, and they were more than happy to accommodate me.”
“I bet they were,” Tony smiled wryly. “There’s some pretty powerful stuff in here.” Tony summarized the story, throwing in all the requisite “allegedlys” in order to stay in compliance with the law. “So you’re claiming that Penelope Valentine knowingly sabotaged your relationship by cutting off all your communication, so she could have you for herself.”
“I can’t say exactly what her final intentions were,” Dylan said, “but that about sums it up based on what I do know. I’m sure there’s a lot more to the story that I don’t even know about yet.”
“So all the pictures and the stories that appeared in the previous issues of the tabloids—you’re saying they were doctored to make it look like you were romantically involved?”
“I haven’t seen them all, but I can absolutely tell you that she and I were never on a tropical beach together and that we never did anything that could be considered a date. There was never anything romantic about our relationship, so anything portrayed in that way is complete rubbish.”
They chatted for the next fifteen minutes or so about the ordeal, or at least about what Dylan could legally discuss of it. Tia watched nervously from the monitor in the dressing room, gratefully accepting a cup of ice chips from Jessa and crunching them between her teeth in an attempt to control her breathing and keep her mind focused, waiting for the moment they’d rehearsed—the moment when she would walk out of her normal life and into the limelight. She still found it hard to believe that she was the mystery woman they were talking about; the ordinary girl who’d stolen the heart of one of the world’s most eligible bachelors. In just a few short minutes the whole world would know that Tia Hastings was more than a mere curiosity. She was a headline.
“Wow, it really has been a roller coaster,” Tony said. “So, Penelope’s still in New Zealand, sitting in a jail cell and waiting for extradition to the US?”
“I don’t give a bloody rat’s ass where she is,” Dylan spat, “but I hope she’s still keeping track of the tabloids she loves so much.” He smiled wryly, thinking that some small justice might be done if Penelope had to endure what she’d forced Tia to go through—being alone and without any possible contact with him and being bombarded with pictures of him and Tia pursuing their happily ever after. He knew that this show was being syndicated all over the world, and although he’d never considered himself a vengeful person, part of him hoped she was watching right now.
“What would you say to her, if you had the chance?” Tony prompted.
“I have absolutely nothing to say to her,” Dylan said. “Not a single word.”
“Well, there you have it folks, right from the man himself,” Tony said to the camera. “We here at After Dark will keep you posted on the newest developments as they become available, and hope that whatever happens, justice will prevail.” The audience cheered, and Tony again waited for the applause to die down.
“After the break, we’ll get to the question everyone is dying t
o have answered. Did Dylan find his lost love, did she take him back, and are they still together? Stay with us—this is sure to be the news that’ll have everyone talking! Be right back!”
The light announcing the commercial break came on and Tony sat back in his chair and took a swig from his coffee mug. One of the assistants ran out to let him know that Tia was ready, and that she seemed as calm as could be expected given the circumstances. Dylan breathed a sigh of relief; although the average person thought it would be incredible to be on television, especially in this capacity, he and Tia knew all too well that it was much different than most imagined. He turned to Tony and excused himself, jogging back to the dressing room and throwing open the door. Tia came directly into his arms.
“How you doing, baby girl?” he smiled.
She looked up at him confidently. “I was having a minor cardiac episode, but I’m better now,” she mumbled, pulling him close. “This helps.”
He pressed his lips to her forehead, careful not smudge the stage make-up and was glad to see Jessa give him a thumbs-up when he caught her eye. “I’ll see you in two minutes, then,” he said. “We’re in this together, OK? You’re going to be absolutely brilliant, I promise you.”
She smiled back. “You’re a pretty easy guy to love, you know that Miller?”
“I love you too,” he whispered as an assistant rushed in to wave him back to the stage. “Always and forever.” He blew her a kiss, and whisked through the door.
“Welcome back to a very special edition of After Dark,” Tony said to the camera. “My guest tonight, as you well know, is none other than Dylan Miller, and I don’t think I can wait another minute to ask what’s on everyone’s minds.” The audience inhaled, and moved to the edges of their seats.
Tony turned to Dylan. “At the end of the Person to Person article, it says that ‘you have to go and find her—try to make it right.’” He paused for effect, and could almost feel the anticipation fill the room. Tony leaned in and almost whispered, “Did you? Did you find her?”
The audience held their collective breath. Tony did a great job laying the foundation, leading them up to this question. It was what millions of viewers had tuned in to see—did love prevail in the end?
Dylan let his famous smile slide slowly onto his face for the camera. “I left New Zealand and went to find her straight away,” he said. “And I did. Just a couple days ago—on Friday.”
The crowd cheered, their hands clutched in anticipation.
“And?” Tony prodded.
Dylan looked down shyly and his smile told the story before his voice did. “Well…I’m very glad to say that there is a happy ending in all of this mess, Tony. Turns out she never stopped loving me either.”
The crowd rose to their feet as Dylan’s eyes lifted to meet them and his smile grew even bigger. “That’s how I felt, too,” he told them conspiratorially. “Times about a million.”
Tony waited for the cheers of the crowd to die down before asking, “I’m thrilled to hear it! So where does it go from here, Dylan?”
“It only goes up from here,” he said with a smile. “I’ve got the woman I love, so no matter what else happens, I win.” The applause from the small audience was almost deafening.
“Now, this had to be quite a shock for her, too,” Tony said. “I mean, her life was stolen away as well—allegedly—and she had to feel pretty hopeless at the time. What does she think about the whole thing? I mean, it’s pretty unbelievable—this is like the stuff of romance novels. How did she react when she saw you? Obviously she’d seen the tabloid pictures, and thought you’d moved on…” Tony prompted.
“It’s been quite a whirlwind, as you can imagine,” he answered. “It’s a lot of ups and downs, and it doesn’t help that it’s been a crazy couple days and that she’s been thrown into this media blitz. She’s not a movie star or a public figure, so she’s not used to the kind of attention that’s been thrust upon her. She’s incredibly strong, though, and holding up as well as can be imagined—better even.” He looked toward the stage entrance before turning back to Tony. “We’re going to plan a future together, and we…” he paused, and looked at Tony. “You know, actually, maybe you should ask her.”
The crowd indicated that they indeed wanted to hear it from her, whether Tony wanted to or not. It was exactly the way he had wanted it to play out, and he had a hard time keeping the surprised look on his face.
“She’s here? Really? Well, I don’t think there’s any question that the world is dying to meet her.” He paused for effect, then looked at Dylan. “Why don’t you make the introductions?” Then he turned toward the audience and shook his finger at them, adding sarcastically, “And you be nice—I know there are more than a few of you out there whose hearts are already broken that the man’s no longer available!”
The audience agreed.
“It would be my absolute pleasure,” Dylan said, turning toward the audience and the camera. “I’m proud to introduce you to the most incredible and beautiful woman in the world, the woman I love, Tia Hastings.”
The audience rose to its feet yet again as Tia walked onto the stage and the world got their first glimpse of the woman who’d won Dylan Miller’s heart. Dylan vaulted deftly over the back of the couch, catching her in an embrace and tilting her back for a kiss; part for the audience, part for moral support. “They love you already,” he whispered as he led her over to where Tony was standing. Tony took both her hands in his and kissed her cheek, and she sat on the couch with Dylan’s arm firmly around her shoulders. The audience applauded long after the sign went dim, giving Tia another moment to catch her breath. She looked out at the audience and smiled, amazed at the grins, waves, thumbs-ups, and even a few tears being directed at her by total strangers—it was both incredible and disconcerting at the same time.
Tony looked surprised. “You weren’t kidding, Dylan, she’s beautiful!”
Dylan smiled and nodded his agreement, gesturing toward her and getting another approving roar from the crowd.
“Hello, Tia.”
“Hi Tony.”
He shook his head as he waited for the audience to quiet. “Wow. I don’t even know where to begin. I’ve known Dylan for a lot of years, and I can honestly tell you that I’ve never seen such a huge smile on his face. Someone might want to put that face on a magazine cover or something, I’m just saying,” he joked. He waited a beat for the laughter to die down and turned back to Tia.
“This whole thing must be a little overwhelming for you.”
“Yet another understatement,” she smiled. “I’m still pinching myself, actually. It’s been a really crazy couple of days.”
“I can only imagine what it’s been like for you. I mean, you pretty much went from zero to sixty faster than a Ferrari…can you take us through what’s happened?”
She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. “Wow, I’m not sure I even can! Dylan described it pretty well; it’s kind of been like riding a roller coaster or a really big wave. It’s been so crazy I have to remind myself to breathe sometimes.” She took a big breath to emphasize the point. “Everything’s happened so fast, like you said, that I’m still trying to make sense of it all. Two days ago I was still trying to figure out how I could live without him; we hadn’t had any communication at all for months, and I’d given up hope that I’d ever even see him again. Then all of a sudden not only is he back, but I find out I never really lost him in the first place. That in itself is a lot to take in; and then you add all this…” she swept her hand across the audience, “…and it becomes too big to even describe with words. But I do have one thing I really want to say.”
“The floor is yours.”
She looked at Dylan. “I am absolutely, positively, in love with this man, and it’s not just because of his pretty face. He’s an incredible person—he’s warm, funny, generous, caring—when I thought I’d lost him, I was devastated. Having him back in my life is more incredible than I can begin to tell you.�
� She choked on the last words, and Dylan buried his face in her neck. Her mic picked up his soft whisper, “God, I love you, baby girl,” and Tony smiled. Media gold, he thought as the audience burst into applause.
“All this media stuff is new to me, and to be honest, I never expected it would be such a big deal, so forgive me if I’m a bit overwhelmed. It’s a lot to take in at one time; especially since I really want to focus on being back with Dylan.”
Tony pressed his lips together and nodded in understanding. “Oh yeah, we can definitely be overwhelming. I imagine you felt that way when Dylan suddenly showed up again, out of the blue, after being gone for so long. He said in the Person to Person article that he rushed back from New Zealand, maybe even breaking his contractual obligation with the studio, with the sole purpose of finding you. How did that happen?”
Tia smiled, amazed that she was able to push out the cameras and the audience and just focus on the conversation. Dylan’s arm was securely around her shoulder, and his other hand crossed his body and rested on her leg. Tony was a friend, and knowing that Dylan trusted him was enough to help her relax. She cocked her head, searching for the right words. “It was…surreal I guess would be the best explanation. I was at work, actually—I’m a teacher—and we were in a staff meeting when our secretary came in and made a big deal about no one hassling the man she was about to introduce. It happened so fast that I didn’t even have time to imagine that it might be Dylan; and even when he was standing right in front of me, it took me a minute to process that it was really him.”
“How about your coworkers? It’s got to be a bit unusual to preface an introduction like that…did some of them guess it might be him?”
“None of them knew the truth about who Dylan really was, actually,” she admitted.