"Ha ha. Seriously, why are you doing this?"
"Well obviously I don’t turn you on by just my looks alone so I’m trying every other way I know possible."
Oh, please. "Your looks are what made me talk to you in the first place."
"And then I won you over with my sparkling personality?"
"Did you say we’re having dinner at my favorite restaurant?"
"Indeed."
"Okay. And just so we’re clear, you’re doing all of this for a kiss?"
"I’m dedicated."
"Apparently." I leaned over the back of the couch and smiled at Tyler. "What do you think, Tyler? Should Daddy get a kiss?" Tyler smiled and made a cooing noise. "Want to give it to Daddy for me? Come here." I leaned in and kissed Tyler. He giggled and cooed some more then looked at Nick.
"Where’s my kiss munchkin? Can I have my kiss?" Nick leaned in and kissed Tyler. "Thanks little man. Tell her that I’m still waiting for my real kiss."
"Hey." I put my hands on Nick’s forehead and leaned his head back so he was looking up at me. "Thank you."
"You can give me an advance on that kiss if you want?"
"You’re positively relentless."
"How can you refuse a handsome man?"
"Because this lady’s got a serious case of morning breath."
"Yeah and it’s blowing right into my face. You might want to brush your teeth before you try speaking to anyone."
"You’re such a nerd!" He puckered his face at me like a little kid. I let go of his face and walked to the other side of the couch. I put my arms around Tyler and rested my head on his shoulder, looking up at Nick. "You’ll watch the kid until I get back?"
"Oh yeah. We’re gonna pop open a few beers and talk about women during the commercials."
"Nick, I swear to God... if Tyler’s first word is ‘shit’ I’m going to hurt you."
"But imagine how funny it would be."
"I’d rather not. I’ll have the cell on if you need me."
"Ever had phone sex in a spa before?"
"Just once. Please make sure Tyler eats and is burped and changed."
"Hey finish what you were saying..."
"Later! Bye my love. Be good for mommy, won’t you?" I kissed Tyler once more then stood up. I winked at Nick before making my way back to my bedroom to change.
Ten minutes later I had managed to make myself look half decent in jeans and a button-up blouse. With a pair of gigantic Chanel sunglasses resting on my head and a new Louis Vuitton purse looking very pretty on my arm, I was ready. I went into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and smiled when Nick and Tyler both turned around to look at me.
"Hey, I think I’m going to get a mani-pedi while I’m out too."
"I have no idea what that is but good luck with it."
"Manicure and pedicure." I got my bottle of Evian and walked to the couch. "Hey, can I tell you something before I leave?"
"You’re welcome."
"Besides that."
"I love you too."
"Besides that too. Tyler needs his diaper changed."
"Crap!"
"Yes it is. Okay I’m leaving. Oh, and hey..." I leaned over the couch and when Nick turned his head to look at me I finally gave him what he wanted. It was on his forehead but still, a kiss is a kiss.
"What do I have to do to get you to kiss me woman?"
"Goodbye, Nick!" I went outside to greet the limo driver and was surprised to see the one and only Jess Brown emerge from the back of the limo. "Hey! What are you doing here? Oh my gosh did Nick call you?"
"I have to admit, Layla, that Nick had no problem talking me into going on a spa escapade with you."
"I can’t believe he did that!"
"He said it was part of his plan to have you finally kiss him, or something like that. What’s up with that?"
I looked at Jess. I could feel that my mouth was dropped open.
"Are you catching flies or something?"
"Nick is.... incredible."
"Well honey if you don’t kiss him I’ll do it for you. He absolutely insisted that I go and have a spa day with you, all on him. Honestly, if that doesn’t warrant a kiss then you’re a tough bitch."
"It’s a good thing I’m not paying for you to give me therapy anymore."
"No shit."
"Um... tell the driver that I’ll be out in a minute. I forgot something in the house."
"Sure you did. Go on and kiss your man!"
I smiled at her and ran back into the house. Nick was mid-stride, holding a diaper in his hands when he looked up at me. "Did you forget something?"
"Yes." I placed my hands on his face and pulled him into me for a kiss. His arms wrapped around me and his mouth opened and I was only too happy to feel the sweet sensation of his tongue connecting with mine. How the hell could I have forgotten what this feeling was like? And why did I wait so long to feel it again? It was two minutes of sheer bliss. And when I pulled away I had the biggest, goofiest smile on my face.
"See? See what you were missing last night?"
"Well that, Mister Hudson, is a mistake I won’t be repeating tonight. I gotta go. I do love you."
"How can you not?"
"I’m going!"
"What was it like?"
"Fourteen months without a kiss?"
"Yeah."
"I almost feel sorry for myself." Jess and I were laying on our stomachs with our faces pressed into a towel-padded hole. Two women were massaging our bones into delightful putty.
"It was good?"
"No. It was amazing."
"Honestly Layla, if a man half as good looking as Nick woke me up by making out with my chest, I would have never fallen asleep on him."
"I was tired! We were up until nearly one in the morning arguing."
"I swear you two have the strangest relationship."
"I know."
"I think you’re cured."
"Is that your professional opinion?"
"It’s my opinion as your best friend."
"Well I’ll take that with more authority."
"See? Getting my doctorate was unnecessary."
"Oh shut up."
"So what are you guys doing tonight? Besides the obvious?"
"The obvious?"
"You know, getting it on like crazy."
"Jess!"
"I wouldn’t bother denying it if I were you."
"No, we’re taking things as they come."
"Are you being literal or figurative?"
"Anyway! He’s taking me out for dinner."
"Nice! I bet it’s difficult to go out with Nick without getting absolutely mobbed."
"Tell me about it. Wherever he goes he has cameras following him."
"You have your fair share too."
"One. And I think he’ll stop following me since I threatened to shove his camera somewhere only a skilled proctologist could remove it from."
"Ouch. How do you handle all of that media attention?"
"There is no handling it. You just have to ignore them. And as long as they don’t bother Tyler they’re safe."
"Do you think you and Nick will get married again?"
"I don’t know. Honestly, I seriously don’t see that happening for us. You know how like Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have been together for twenty years and never got married? Maybe Nick and I are better off that way. Besides, a piece of paper doesn’t really make a difference. If you’re together, you’re together."
"Well as a professional I do have to admit that Nick has a point about raising Tyler together. If you can make it work then for his sake do it. A stable home, no matter how many parents are in it, is the best home."
"I know. But I’m just so afraid that if we move too fast everything will fall apart again. If we’re going to make it work then our relationship has to be built on something other than insanity or sex. I’d rather it be for real."
"It wasn’t before?"
"We were too young to get married.
"
"Then why did you do it in the first place?"
"We were so in love. We probably thought that it was the most we could make our relationship work. Isn’t that every girl’s dream? To get married to a man she absolutely adores and live happily ever after?"
"No, not every girl. It certainly wasn’t mine."
"It wasn’t?"
"No! I didn’t even have my first kiss until I was well into college. Graduate school, in fact."
"Jess, I’m shocked!"
"Well I had other priorities. I worked my butt off in high school to get into Stanford and then I worked double hard to get my doctorate. I didn’t have time to think about marriage and happily ever afters."
"When did you decide that being a doctor was what you were meant to do?"
"I just felt it. It was what I wanted and I made it happen. That’s how you get places in life, you have to work to get there."
"That’s what Nick was telling me."
"Smart guy."
"He has his moments. I wish I had a career."
"You’re a mom. That’s a career in itself."
"Yeah but I want to make a difference in the world. I want to matter. I want to be remembered."
"Go on a reality TV show."
"Yeah, that’s a great idea!" We both cracked up laughing. "Could you imagine? ‘I became famous when I married Nick Hudson and even more famous when I divorced him.’ Oh God, that does sound like my life."
"No it doesn’t! Maybe you could talk with the magazine about getting more involved? I’m sure they could use more of your writing talents."
"I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to ask."
"Of course not! You’re a fantastic writer. Maybe that’s what your calling is."
"You think so?"
"Sure! You went to school for it, didn’t you?"
"Yes. And having the letters U-C-L-and-A on my resume don’t look too bad."
"There you go! Or you know, you’re really into fashion, maybe you could do something with that."
"It seems like all the celebrity wives are doing that now."
"So? I’m sure they’re not doing it for the publicity. They’re doing it because they enjoy it and want to have a career outside of their husband’s. I have no doubt that if you put your mind to it you could do pretty much anything."
"Well, there is one thing..."
"What’s that?"
"Well, a few months after Tyler was born, when Nick was gone, I wanted to do something special for Tyler so I wrote him a book."
"A children’s book?"
"No, soft-core porn. Yes, a children’s book. I’ve made some connections in the publishing world, maybe I could use them."
"Absolutely! Hey, it worked for Madonna."
"Hey, I know Madonna!"
"You do?"
"Have you met my ex-husband?"
"Not formally."
"That’s right, you haven’t. I never brought him in to one of my sessions."
"Do you want me to comment on that?"
"Not really."
"So let’s say that you and Nick do get back together..."
"Jess..."
"I’m being serious! You could have another kid and..."
"And change diapers on a tour bus?"
"That aside..."
"Since when did you become a supporter of the Nick and Layla Show?"
"Layla it’s written all over your face. He may bug you but you’re so in love with him. And I’m pretty sure, as evidenced by the flower shop in your house and a Louis Vuitton store in your closet that he loves you just as much."
"I know. I just don’t want to set myself up for failure again."
"Well you know, if we never took chances we’d all still be crawling and sucking on bottles."
"Yes, but then you’d be out of a job."
"And you would never have had Tyler. Or Nick."
"Well at least you’re not smug about the fact that you know everything."
"I went to college for the majority of my life so far. If I don’t know anything then I want a refund on my tuition."
"I do have to admit that Nick is making it increasingly difficult to want to just take things slowly."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that he just has a tendency to do to the most romantic things when you least expect it. In the middle of a fight he’ll tell me that he loves me or give me an ostentatious amount of pink, long-stemmed roses. And he is just adorable with Tyler. I swear Tyler looks so much like him. It’s downright eerie at times. And yet every time things are great I’m just reminded of the past."
"Well the great thing about the past is that it stays there."
"And who said that history repeats itself?"
"Honestly Layla you have to ask yourself one question. Why would Nick go to such lengths if he wasn’t fully intent on keeping his every promise to you?"
"Because Nick is an attractive man with a penis and is adored by millions across the globe. And believe me, those millions are not unattractive people."
"You just have to trust him. He trusts you."
"I suppose."
"Give him the same courtesy."
"Well no matter how wonderful he is I still can’t get these reservations out of my head."
"Well until you can get over those reservations, which is just another word for insecurities, you’re never going to be completely happy. Especially with Nick."
"I know," I sighed. "I know."
"Layla we’re going to miss our reservation! I know that girls like to be fashionably late but really, they’re not going to hold our table all night."
"I’ll be right out!" I shouted. I had locked myself in my room to get ready for dinner with Nick. I wanted to look good, but not look like I was trying too hard. Okay, I wanted to look gorgeous. Let’s not sugar coat it. All night long I had been thinking about what Jess said to me. I have to take a chance on Nick. I’d just have to trust that what we have together is worth it to make it work. And if he broke any one of his promises I’d strangle him with a pair of nylons.
"You know I’ve never understood how someone so beautiful could take so long to get ready. Really, if you just walked around in a shopping bag you’d still have my attention," Nick shouted through the doorway.
I parted the door and looked out to see Nick pacing the hallway with his back towards the door. I opened it fully and stood there. "Ahem."
Upon hearing me Nick turned around and stopped mid-turn. His eyes locked on mine and he just gazed at me. "You’re beautiful."
"You haven’t even looked at my dress yet!" I smiled as I did a 360 degree turn, showing off the gorgeous Roberto Cavalli dress. I then struck a pose to show off the gorgeous stilettos on my freshly-pedicured feet. Five inch stilettos. I felt like I was nine feet tall. And I felt beautiful.
Nick walked towards me and exhaled the breath he had been holding. "You’re beautiful without the dress."
And cue the big, goofy smile. "Thank you. You’re looking fairly handsome yourself." And indeed he was in a black, button-down, collared top and black slacks.
"What can I say except that I’m not nearly as beautiful as you."
"Please. So, shall we be fashionably late?"
"Let’s knock ‘em dead." Nick held out his arm and I looped mine through it, walking by his side out to the car. He even opened the door for me. "So did you enjoy your spa day?" he asked once we were out on the road.
"It was exactly what I needed. And thank you so much for asking Jess to join me. That was so sweet of you."
"Well she promised to tell me everything you said about me."
"She did not!"
"So, I’m confused. Didn’t she used to be your therapist?"
"Yep."
"And now she’s your best friend?"
"My best girl friend."
"How did that happen?"
"Well I had stopped seeing her, professionally, and then one day we ran into each other at some bistro downtown, sat down for lunch an
d we’ve made it a weekly ritual ever since. And we get along much better as friends than as doctor-patient."
"That’s good. I’m glad that she was there for you when I wasn’t."
"So am I. She’d like to formally meet you, by the way. Maybe we could double date some time?"
"Double date?"
"Well, call me crazy but I think she’d really like David Waterhouse."
"Your lawyer?"
"Mm hmm! I saw a spark when they met each other. Who knows? Maybe they’re soul mates and through me they’ll find true love. And if not we could all just have a nice dinner together."
"Wouldn’t that be ironic? Your former therapist and your lawyer hooking up? The two people you went to the most during our marriage."
"Nick..."
"I’m not trying to start anything, Lay. It’s just an observation."
"I know. But it would make for interesting conversation. Jess and David, I mean."
"Sure. Have I mentioned how beautiful you look?"
"Yes. And please, you don’t have to keep saying it."
"You don’t like compliments, do you?"
"It’s not that I don’t like them, I just don’t need them. Not from you. I know you, remember?"
"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Only if it’s completely juicy."
"You make me nervous."
"What?!"
"Yeah," he laughed. "Look at my palms, they’re sweating." He held up his right hand and I felt it with my fingers.
"Why are you nervous?"
"Because I just want everything to be perfect."
"You don’t have to try so hard." I laced my fingers in his. "And by the way, I’m sorry I was such a brat to you."
"Don’t be. I know you, remember? Besides, that’s how we are."
"I guess you have a point."
"So let me as you a question. What was the breaking point?"
"What do you mean?"
"What made you finally kiss me?"
"Oh!" I laughed. "Well, Jess said that if I didn’t kiss you then she would."
"That’d make for an interesting plot twist."
"Wouldn’t it?"
"Oh, I have another secret for you."
"You’re just full of them tonight."
"I kind of did something."
"What did you kind of do?"
"I kind of made a reservation for a hotel room."
"A hotel room?"
The Romance of Nick and Layla (Parts 1-3) Page 25