by Dani Hall
“Mr. Jett, are you currently in a relationship with Kale Delaney?”
Taylor had on the same outfit I’d seen him in after he had dashed off to meet with the interviewers. He seemed more polished and put together under the dim interviewing lights.
“Kale is great.” He answered, a lazy look across his face. “I mean, I’m very attracted to her.”
“We have sources that tell us she was never interested in you or your acting career before this competition, why do you think she’s so interested now?”
“I thought these were going to be questions about the movie.” Taylor answered flatly.
“So are you avoiding the question, Mr. Jett?”
“I’m not avoiding your question; I’m just asking what this has to do with promoting our movie.”
“Well, I’m sure your adoring fans must think Kale Delaney is a distraction from your work as the murderer Todd Watson.”
“She isn’t a distraction. None of my past girlfriends have been a distraction for me.” He answered quickly.
“Do you think she’s using you for money?” Taylor shifted in his chair, getting visibly annoyed.
“Her father’s interview is nothing but pure bullshit. He talks about Kale like he just saw her yesterday, when in reality, Kale has been estranged from her father for 10 years. He doesn’t know her, he hasn’t spoken to her. How could he possibly know anything about her?”
I felt my face heat up; hot with embarrassment at realizing the whole world knew these intimate details about me. My life, my past, Taylor’s life…and now our relationship together…it was a drama for the world to sit back and enjoy.
“Mr. Jett, what about her not reaching out and helping her father, in his time of need? How can you be sure there is no truth behind a need for monetary compensation?”
“Why would she reach out to someone who shut her out ten years ago? I mean, what do you expect her to do? Throw him a bone when he begs?” He cleared his throat. “I’m sitting here, right now, declaring to the world that the relationship I have with Kale Delaney is real. It is as real as it gets.”
“So are you officially announcing that you and Kale are in a relationship?”
“In not so many words, yes. I’m saying that everyone should just mind their own business and let Kale adjust. She isn’t used to this. To any of this.” He sighed and rolled his eyes. “I am falling for Kaley Delaney, that’s a fact.”
“You can see the full interview of Taylor Jett on his relationship with Kale Delaney tonight at 8 o’clock. In other news…”
I felt like I couldn’t breathe as I stared at the T.V. screen, tuning out now that I was not the topic on Joe’s lips. I heard Lisa behind me.
“Oh. My. God.” I turned and saw her too staring at the T.V., unable to figure out anything else to say.
I looked at my phone, realizing Taylor had texted me.
Well, I groveled and got your number. Sorry if you’ve seen the interview…I probably shouldn’t have given in and talked about us. They pissed me off. Hope you understand. I want to see you soon so we can talk about it. And I’m not dating you just because you’re hot. Just to clarify.
“Man,” Lisa finally said. “He was all cool and collected until they started bashing you. Then he was all like…fuck you…and they didn’t even back off.”
“I know. Apparently it’s going to be like this for a while.”
It’s ok.
I sent back.
I probably would have said the exact same things.
Chapter Thirty-Three
I was walking out to my car Friday night. My dress pants on, a nice shirt, grabbing my work keys and praying I wouldn’t be running late. I walked out of the dorm quickly and started heading out toward the student parking lot. I was reaching for my keys when I saw a familiar figure in a hoodie and sunglasses leaning up against my car.
I couldn’t help but smile as I jogged over. He grinned back, and when I reached him he pulled me into a hug.
“Sorry about the media.” He mumbled into my hair. “I may seem like a hard ass on the outside, but…”
I pulled back and smiled softly at him.
“It’s ok; it’s nice to be official.”
“The thing about the media,” He continued. “Is that when they start asking questions like that, they won’t believe the truth. They said they wouldn’t bring up our relationship in the interview. But, I knew better than to believe that. Nothing would shut him down.”
“It’s ok, really, I get it.”
He nodded, wheels turning in his head.
“So…I was thinking…” He said as he ran a cool hand through his hair.
“That’s never good.” I teased. He smiled, but it didn’t touch his eyes.
“You’re not going to like what I’m thinking, probably.”
“That’s most likely true. Does it involve going on the air and announcing intimate details about our apparent sex life?”
“Well, maybe it’s not as bad as that. I actually want you to quit your job.”
“Quit my job?” I repeated, laughing. “I can’t do that. I have my car payment, insurance, gas. Last time I checked I am in need of food to survive.”
“But I could pay for all that.” He waved it off, no big deal.
“But I don’t want you to. We established this the other night; I refuse to be dependent on you.” Any hope that I had had that this was a joke vanished as his face visibly crumpled.
“But I want to see you more. We could go out tonight and have a great time if you didn’t have to work.”
“But what happens when we break up?”
“When?” He asked, a curious look on his face.
“If.” I quickly corrected. “If we break up, I’d be screwed. I’d have no money to pay for insurance, no money for gas or car…not to mention the media fire storm if you started paying for everything. I’m trying to prove that I’m not a leech, remember?”
He looked uncomfortable and suddenly avoided my gaze.
“What? I hope you don’t think I’m using you.”
“No, no. It’s not that. I…” He gave me a hesitant glance.
“What did you do?” I demanded, afraid of what the answer might be.
“You’re going to get mad.”
“I won’t get mad…I just…I want to know what’s going through your head.” I ventured, trying to remain calm.
“I...well, I paid off your car.”
I closed my eyes and felt myself take in a sharp breath.
“I know you’re mad.” He said quickly, but continued. “But I didn’t want you worry about a payment. Hey, it could be worse, right? I mean, I wanted to just buy you a new one but…I also called your insurance company, I went ahead and paid off a umm..”
“A what?”
“Well, let’s just say your insurance is covered for a while.”
“But what about gas? What about food? I still have to live and get places, you know.”
“I thought about that too.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a credit card.
“No.” I said coldly as he extended it to me.
“Living expenses, food,” He said, still extending it to me. “It’ll all be covered.” He pressed his lips together and attempted a very forced smile.
“No.” I repeated, folding my arms over my chest. “I’m not going to be a bloodsucker. This is just the type of stuff the media would eat up. This isn’t me, Taylor.”
“The media doesn’t have to know.”
“They’re going to figure it out when I don’t have a job anymore.”
“I already…I already kind of covered it.”
“Covered what, Taylor?”
“I kind of…explained…the situation, cleared up any issues that may arise, and it won’t reflect badly on you.”
I looked from him to the card. I didn’t want to take it. I really didn’t. This is exactly the kind of person I never wanted to be.
“Let me talk to my boss tonight,”
I fished for my keys and opened my car door, giving him a steady glare. “Let me tell him what’s going on an-” I stopped when I saw the uncomfortable look return to Taylor’s face. I rested an arm on the top of the door and glowered. “Is there anything else I should know before I head to work tonight, Taylor?”
“Well…yes. You see, I called your boss earlier today.”
“You called my boss?!”
“I let him know the situation…and…you officially handed in a resignation this afternoon. The job is open to you if ever you should want it again.” He added, in hopes I wouldn’t get angry. “So if we didn’t work out, you’d go right back to your old job.”
“It doesn’t work out that easily! He’ll fill my position; it would take months…even years for that spot to open up again!”
“So I’d cover you until you got your job back.”
“No! That’s not real life! What if it ends badly, Taylor?”
“I’m not so big of a jerk that I’d leave you hanging. Is that what you think?”
“You’re a jerk to everyone else, why should I expect you’d treat me any different? Why do you think it was ok for you to speak on my behalf? To act on my behalf, without even consulting me?”
I didn’t like this. I didn’t want to be dependent on him. I was furious that he would do this. I liked being able to control my own money, know what’s mine. I hate owing people; I hate being taken care of. That’s how my mother ended up with my dad; she didn’t have a job that could support us.
“This way, Kale, I get to see you a lot more. You don’t have a job to tie you down and I can just fly you out for the whole weekend.”
“I don’t want to be dependent on you! Why don’t you understand that?”
“So…I’ll put you to work.”
I gave him a look.
“Doing what, exactly?”
“Professionally kissing me?” He tried. I took a steadying breath in. He thought for another second, and then his face lit up.
“Lines.” He replied. “I’ll need help. Memorizing lines and having someone read them opposite me. I’ll need help doing that…so…I could pay you to do it.”
“You don’t need help.”
“Oh, but I do.” He said, nodding. “I am an awful actor and need the perspective of an audience member to help me in my endeavor to become a better performer. Please, take this job I’m offering you? My personal…acting counselor. Come on, you’ll be working for it. Please?”
I was going to regret this. I could see it now. I was going to soooo regret this. We’ve been boyfriend and girlfriend, what, a day? This felt like we were moving at warp speed. Was this what dating really felt like?
“I don’t like this.” I muttered, slamming my car door. “So what now. Is this where your plan ends?”
I couldn’t help but feel a little scared when I saw a mischievous grin cross his face.
Chapter Thirty-Four
I found myself in a costume store looking through Halloween costumes with Taylor. We were in a high-scale costume store, more specifically for celebrities who were heading to parties tonight.
“I forgot tomorrow was Halloween.” I muttered, putting on a jester hat. Taylor messed with a bell on the end of one of the many points on the hat.
“C’mon. This will be fun. You’ll get to meet all types of celebrities, you’ll get to meet some of my costars and big producers and stuff like that.”
“Including your ex-girlfriends?” I grumbled. He ignored me.
“And the paparazzi will be minimal.” He promised.
Taylor picked up a prince costume, studying the picture on the front. I set the jester hat down, reaching for a magic wand.
“Would these tights make my legs look fat?”
“Those tights would make your legs look gay.”
“Maybe.” He said, setting the costume back. “Want to be lame and do a couples thing?” He asked.
“Like, cop and prisoner or something?” I said, looking up at him.
“Yea, something like that. But cooler.” I watched as he went through costumes, one by one. There were princess costumes, skanky costumes, some things I’d never even seen before. Like there was one that looked like a body without skin, you could see every organ. He had threatened to wear that one. But I told him I wouldn’t go if he wore the male version of that costume.
“What about princess and prince?” I suggested, eyeing a sleeping beauty costume. “I could go to sleep and you could wear those tights you seemed to like so much.”
“Nah.” He said. Then his eyes lit up. “Hey, look at this.”
It was a Robin Hood costume for a girl, a medieval sheriff costume for the guy.
“You can be Robin Hood, and I could be the sheriff. It’ll be cool.”
“I…”
“I could arrest you.”
“Um…”
“What?”
I eyed the neckline on the costume, already knowing I’d be terribly uncomfortable in it.
“I don’t normally show that much cleavage.”
“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun.”
“You know, normally a very, very non-fun time follows when someone tells me that.”
He walked up close to me, getting so close that we were inches apart. He put his hands on my hips and pulled me close to him. I felt his lips at my ear, tickling me when he talked.
“Please?” He whispered. “I don’t think anyone would mind a little extra cleavage.”
I shoved him back and yanked the costume out of his hands.
“Fine.” I muttered. “But I’m not wearing that.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
“I can’t believe I’m wearing this.” I grumbled. We were riding in the back of a limo, on the way to wherever. Taylor’s sheriff costume had a silver long-sleeved shirt that looked like chainmail. There was also a long, black tank top looking thing that went over it. He wore black pants along with a black belt with a silver buckle that went around his waist. Black boots finished the look. I kept tugging at the green Robin Hood dress I was wearing. It was frilly where my chest was, a creamy color. It was mostly green and had a black belt around the waist as well. The sleeves went out to the side, also that puffy cream thing. Then at the bottom it frilled out with the cream puff crap. I had put on black boots to match.
Apparently tonight was a night that the town needed to know we were out and about, there were no hoodies and sunglasses. Whatever party we were heading to, anyone who was anyone already knew. I kept throwing nervous glances at Taylor. I was thankful that it was unseasonably warm that night.
“I’m not going to fit in.” I whined, smoothing over the cream frills. “I’m not going to know what to say to these people.”
“Just treat them like you treat me,” He suggested, leaning back in his seat, his knees parted. His eyes flicked down to my cleavage before popping back up to my eyes. “You know, I’m not sure if they’ll be interested in conversation with you.”
“This is why I don’t wear stuff like this.” I sputtered. “Because that’s all you see. No one even notices your face with this kind of outfit on.”
“I see your face, it’s beautiful.” His eyes went from my face to my outfit. “And I see your outfit. You’re smoking hot in it. I don’t see why you’re uncomfortable. I mean, you’re not as hot as I am…”
I looked out of the window so he couldn’t see me blushing.
“You better not spread your legs so far tonight, Taylor…those tight black pants are kind of revealing.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
There were servants there to greet us as we came to a stop in front of an enormous brick mansion. A servant dressed up like a zombie butler opened the limo door. He helped me out and then Taylor clambered out behind me. He kept behind me, putting a hand on the small of my back to guide me. The small touch was reassuring, but it also caused sparks to erupt inside of me. Just this small motion was him declaring to this entire: hey, she’s mine.
“You’ll
be fine.” He whispered in my ear. He added with a chuckle “If you get nervous, think about my tight black pants that you seemed to be admiring earlier.”
I chuckled, still feeling uncomfortable. I headed up the marble steps into a house that looked like it could double as a hotel. All the butlers and such were dressed as zombies, so it was easy to spot someone there to serve you.
I saw faces I recognized from movies, different outfits littered the house. I cringed inwardly, thinking about Lisa. I had texted her, telling her what was going on. She’d been upset, but pretended otherwise for me. I wished she could be here, she would be so much more appreciative.
The first room was a large hall, marble floors continued throughout the house from what I could see. Huge white columns stood in a pattern around the place. Dark tables lined the walls with food and drinks. Straight back there seemed to be a ballroom where celebrities were dancing. Taylor’s hand was still on my back as he guided me through the mass of people dressed up. Music was pumping loudly throughout the mansion, making it hard to hear what people were saying.
“Hannigan!” I heard him yell from behind me. A bald man turned and looked at me. Maybe he wasn’t bald, maybe it was part of his costume. He was dressed up as some sort of army looking guy. His eyes looked vaguely familiar. The closer he got, the younger he appeared.
“Jett! Nice to see you.” The man dropped a firm hand on Taylor’s shoulder, then turned and smiled at me. “You must be Kale. So nice to meet you.” It hit me why his eyes seemed familiar. They were a familiar set of grey that I remembered from behind a ski mask. He was the one hired to rob me in the parking lot. He held out a hand. I took it, shaking it firmly. My chin was set high; I was determined to act confident. “Quite a strong handshake. You picked a good one, Jett.” The man murmured, nodding cheerfully at Taylor. He leaned in closer to me. “Sorry about the robbery thing,” he muttered so lowly that only I could hear it.
“Thank-you sir, I appreciate the invitation tonight.” My voice sounded slightly squeaky.
So this was Hannigan’s party. Huh.