by Unknown
“You’ve got to curb the death wish clumsiness tonight because you deserve to be awed, not laughed at.”
“Thanks, you’re so supportive.”
“Always sweetheart. Okay TJ let’s get you ready!”
At the sound of hearing TJ, panic, lust, greed, joy and utter fear fought for the front runner of my emotions and all coursed through me in an instant. I looked around quickly and my heart stopped. “Did you just say TJ?”
“Yeah, why? Is that okay?” He asked already facing away as he walked to hang the dress up, not realizing how ashen I had become.
“Why did you say that?” I needed to sit down before he saw my knees knocking. Matt knew me but he knew nothing of my life back home in Tennessee, not the part I was still running from. He had met my mama and daddy and knew I had brothers but that was the beginning and end of what he knew back in Devine, Tennessee.
“T, it’s a dead giveaway, Taylor and J, because you told me your maiden name was Jameson.” He turned back to me, shrugged and looked confused. “Is that a problem?”
“Um, no, I just... It’s a nickname of someone I haven’t seen in a long time. Just caught me off guard.”
“Tay it is.” The sparkling in his eyes, knowing yet silent, and walked to me, body humming with excitement. “Or Barbie!” And just like that my worry shifted almost instantly from my past to my present male situation.
“Yikes!”
Sitting in the limousine, waiting in queue, I twisted my hands nervously and prayed I wasn’t sweating in any obvious places.
“Relax, you’re going to be great! God knows you’re already beautiful as all get out, the dress is just a frosting, if you will.” Matt had been comforting me since the instant he saw me as the total package, oohing and awing after having picked his jaw up off the ground floor. I don't think I've ever seen him truly and utterly speechless. If that didn't make a girl feel drop dead gorgeous, I don't know what would.
“The glass of cristal was not nearly as helpful as I had hoped it would be.”
“There are a few people I want you to meet when we get in there. I talked to a few people and got us seated with some new friends for you.”
“Oh, Matty.” I looked at him prepared to ask him if he was a mama droppin' his baby off at school for the first day, but changed my mind. “Will Jamie be sitting with us?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for everything. I love you!” He does so much for me, he deserves a night of spoils as well and I would do what I could to give him this at the very least.
“Oh sweetheart, don’t go soft on me now. I love you too, you know that.”
Our limo was put into park and someone walked to the door facing the red carpet.
“Here we go. Put your shine on.”
“Right behind you.”
“Oh no, this time it’s your turn to lead the way.” He shoved me forward like a sacrificial lamb and my hand was caught by the chauffeur as I tilted to the side. I swallowed and slid my legs around to step out. Breathe. Waiting for Matty to step out, I smiled at no one in particular but everyone at the same time and the flashes began. Matt took my hand and gave a substantial squeeze letting me know he had me and guided me down the carpet through the millions of photos that would inevitably be taken. Smile, don’t look stupid, don’t look confused, don’t sneeze, don’t trip... The mantra I kept running through for things I was not supposed to do to save face and followed Matt, allowing him to do all the talking. I hated attention and this was the worst sort. I didn't want to make my books movies in part because I didn't want the publicity and notoriety; didn't want to be in the public eye so he would not see me. What was I thinking? Free expensive liquor and food without a guy coming on to me and annoying me all night, that’s what I was thinking! The constant flashing from the bulbs of the cameras was so blinding it took a pro to work these cameras and not look like a complete weirdo. There was a moment of silence and I looked around, spotting what looked like an insanely familiar face – but I could not place it for the life of me. That’s about when the flashing started again and Matt led me away. We finally reached the inside and located our table after what seemed like a damn lifetime of hellos and introductions. Surprised that my feet didn’t hurt, I was not into provoking the devil, so I stayed seated and waited for one of the caterers waitresses to come around so I could order something strong enough to fend off the inevitable pain and keep me relaxed enough not to say or do something stupid. Ha! I know, who was I kidding?
As the waitress walked by she seemed distracted by something so I waved to get her attention and almost sent her straight into what I assumed was some celebrity, and a damn fine one at that. “Oh hi hun, so sorry," I said indicating the guy, "can I please get 3 fingers of Jim Beam, 2 ice cubes?”
“Yes ma’am.” The waitress, bless her heart. I imagined she had to wear just as fake a smile as everyone else tonight and did it with respect and elegance. Possibly more than some of the incredibly mean hearted celebrities present.
“A woman after my own heart.” A man’s silky voice claimed from beside me. I turned to see a stunning man with sandy blonde hair and eyes as blue as the sky, sharp jaw, perfect set of teeth and flawless skin. Men could look pretty good in ordinary clothes, but you put any man in a suit and bow tie - chances are, you’ll be beating women off with a stick.
“Hi, I’m sorry.” He held out his hand that enveloped mine easily. “My name is Jason. I’m a friend of Matt’s. He told me who you were and that we would be sitting next to each other. What he didn’t tell me is that you were the most gorgeous woman here tonight.”
Blushing, I found my voice, “Taylor. So, you enjoy whiskey?”
He released my hand after lingering a minute, “Oh, I do. Though I tend to stay away from it, making an exception at these painfully boring parties and events.” He smiled a smile that took no effort to reach his eyes. “Tell me, how a woman such as yourself came to drinking such a ....” he paused waving his hand in almost royal manner to think of a proper enough word.
“Man’s drink?” I offered, raising a brow.
He laughed a little and nodded his head in shame. “I suppose that is where my mind was at. But I promise I’m not an abusive, condescending, sexist bastard.” He put his hand over his heart and made the Boy Scout promise.
I returned his laugh and said, “It is quite alright. I’m from the south where mamas wanna raise ladies and daddies wanna raise their little girls to be ladies who don’t take shit from anyone. Daddy won.”
He smiled again, “I like that. I like that a lot.” The lights dimmed and a notice was given that the ceremony would be starting in just a moment.
Throughout the night, I could feel Jason's eyes on me and would look to catch him smiling or accidentally rubbing a thigh or arm against me. Oh, little did he know, I was not one of those women. I glanced down at my hand and realized my ring was missing. Crap, crap, crap! I'd have to figure it out later but that could be why he is so flirty. Damn Matt. I finally caught Matty's attention and threw daggers at him with my glare. Matt chuckled quietly and flashed me his, what we call it in the south, shit eatin' grin. At that moment, Jamie decided to make her appearance but it was too late to speak because the announcer jumped on stage and began the show.
“The show was wonderful but I am so exhausted.” I laid my head on Matt’s shoulder as we waited for the crowd to disperse before we left the table for our ride.
“I’m glad you had fun. I see you met Jason?” Jamie chuckled knowingly but stayed quiet.
“Slick entry.” I whispered and narrowed my eyes at him even though he couldn’t see my face.
"That's what she said." He spit out and before I could think we all jumped in a bucket of laughs together, nearly crying. Before I could stop laughing and wipe my eyes to respond, Jason had returned to the table and walked over to my side. I lifted my head and smiled kindly at him, mama did raise me to be kind after all. With the gentlest touch he caught me off guard. He swiped a f
ew tears off my cheek with the pad of his thumb, quite intimately, looking down upon me as if I were a feast.
“Hi again. I’m sorry if this seems forward, but would you mind if I asked you to join me for dinner?” He cocked his head to the side and smiled infectiously at me. Knowing Matt wouldn’t help, I looked to Jamie feeling backed into a corner, looking for rescue or even a clue. She shrugged and threw her arms up. Great, no help from either of my best friends. I’ll remember that. I narrowed my eyes at her and then turned back to Jason.
“Oh, I’m so sorry Jason. It was such a lovely pleasure meeting you tonight, truly, but I am just not really looking for anything right now and even if I was, I am beyond exhausted.”
“I understand completely. Thanks again for the company tonight and I hope you get that rest. Take care.” Jason looked from me to Matt, extended his hand to him, shook and turned to kiss Jamie on the cheek before walking away. He walked off not giving off any indication of his feelings and looked back only once, still beaming at me.
“Please tell me why you just let one of the most sought after men alive, walk away from you without so much as a coffee break or I don’t know, a limo quickie?” Matt questioned me with total shock. Jamie seemed to share the sentiment because I heard an “mmhmm” to my left.
“Like I told him, I’m not looking. You know that.” I brushed him off not wanting to discuss further, hoping they would get the hint.
“Okay. Let’s go, the rush is over and we gotta get you home so you can get some sleep.”
“You let that go far too easily. Very suspicious Mr. Carver.” I look at him with one brow cocked and my lips scrunched for a look of suspicion.
“I listen to you when you express how you feel.”
“The hell you do, you’re a man!”
“Do you have everything?”
He was brushing me off now.
“I’m going to let this go, simply because I am too tired to argue and find out what you’re up to. But you better believe I’ll get it out of you. I always do.”
He raised his brows, smiled and helped me into the limo.
I had apparently fallen asleep on the ride home because when I started to stir Matt was carrying me up the stairs to the apartment. He looked ordinary but Matty had some serious muscles under all those designer suits and perfectly manicured appearance.
“Want me to tuck you in too?” He joked but carried me in through the door and straight down the hall to the left asking Jamie to disarm the new system he had installed for us earlier that day.
Matt set me down at the foot of my bed and turned me to unzip my dress. I held my arms up and let Matt pull it up, off my body then threw on a way too big t-shirt, took my bra off under it like a pro and climbed right into my queen sized sleigh bed with way too many pillows.
Matt hung it in the closet and placed my clutch on the nightstand. Was he carrying it the whole time, plus me and my shoes? Too much thinking, not enough sleeping.
“Wait, don’t you have to take the dress back?” I asked peeking up over my covers with one eye shut.
“No, why would I?”
“That has to be one hell of an expensive roll of cloth.” I guessed, snuggling into my pillows further.
“Just know that it’s yours, one of a kind and you deserve it. Get some sleep and I’ll be by in the morning.” He leaned over the bed, kissed my forehead and shut out the lights, leaving the room. I love that man so much. He's so sweet and caring and makes me wonder sometimes why there’s never even been a spark between us. I chuckle to myself and roll over. I know exactly why for myself, but with him, I may never know.
Chapter 4
I woke to the sound of my cell phone blaring Brantley Gilbert’s, ‘More than miles in my rearview’. Reaching over to the clutch, eyes still closed, I retrieve the phone and pick up. “Hello?”
“Good morning baby! How are you?” My mama's sweet and smooth as honey, southern twang hits my ears and I feel at total peace despite the recent goings on.
“Mama, what time is it?” I glance at the clock.
“For me or you?” She said, far too happy for whatever hour of the day it would be. Unless it was happy hour. I was always really happy during any happy hour. Too bad mama didn't drink.
“Me.”
“5 AM.” She said pointedly, making it 4 AM for her. Oh, sweet baby Jesus.
“Mama, you are my heart and soul but do you know that not everyone in the world is up with the roosters when you are?” Sleeping in was the first indulgence I allowed myself when I left the farm.
My mother simply laughed and began divulging all the family and town gossip she had been collecting over the week since our last call. I fought desperately to stay awake while she did so. Once mama got started, it was best not to stop her.
“Vicky!” A loud, rushed voice called out to her as if running in the room at that instant.
“I’m on the phone Cyn, what is it?” Despite her attempt at annoyance, mama and Mrs. Cynde were like sisters and family just the same to us all. She also happened to be the neighbor, one of mama’s best friend since childhood, our godmama and unknowingly so...my mother in law. Yeah.
“Turn on your computer! Look at this!” She said just a little shakily as if she had run all the way over from her house. I could still imagine her with her brown, bobbed hair, soothing brown eyes and always with that apron on. Cynde was major on the arts and crafts and her horses. If she didn’t have her apron on with some sort of project’s proof on the front of it, she was trying to ride in her spare time, doing what the men would allow on the farm.
“Oh my goodness! Our little girl is famous!”
“What is going on?” I grumbled, rolling over and putting a pillow over my head.
“You’re on the front page of almost every magazine and gossip website!”
“Don’t joke with me mama.” Panic struck me in my heart. I froze and felt the blood in my veins turn to ice as I sat straight up in bed. Welp, that did it. I was certainly awake now, no mistaking.
“You are wearing the most breathtaking dress I have ever seen. You could have done with a sash or a little more over your special goods, but you still look so pretty baby.” Mama beamed through the phone line.
“Is that Tay? Ooh, tell her I love her and am so proud of her! I miss that little chicken something fierce!”
“She can hear you Cyn. You aren’t exactly the quietest woman in all of the southern region.”
“Hi baby, we love you! All of us!”
I wasn’t quite hung-over enough, unfortunately, that I didn’t catch the insinuation behind her emphasized ‘all’. It was an unspoken rule that we simply didn’t talk about Tommy or me and Tommy. Though mama was used to getting her way, after a few months’ time she would ‘accidentally’ let some news slip on him, then apologize profusely. She’d say, “Well, he is just as important to me as you are, it was an accident baby, I’m sorry! It won’t happen again, no, no, it won’t happen again.” I came to know that was a fib after about the fifth time it happened. Thankfully she hadn’t done it in a while; longest time she’s gone since doing it but I wasn’t going to go asking now. No, now I was a little more concerned with what she and Cynde were arguing over in the background.
“Can we get back to why exactly I am on the cover? I wasn’t recognized or do anything for that matter.” I grumble and throw my forehead into my free palm, resting my elbow on my knee. Couldn’t just one thing go my way, just once?
“Well, it seems as though you were spotted in an intimate pose, and everyone thinks you’re Jason Henderson’s bimbo of the week.” My mother said with an edge about her that indicated she was not happy about the story, nor was she amused. Cynde also huffed something that sounded more like disgust than anything.
“I can promise you, that is not the case mama. We just met last night and spoke for all of forty five minutes, maybe. I came home alone, as always, unless of course if you count Matt who poured me into bed.” Mama tsked at me regarding my
pouring comment, she’s never been one for the sauce and hates that I drink whiskey “like a man.”
“Someone caught a picture of him leaning into you far too close for our liking and it does impose a certain bit of closeness and the intimacy indicated between you two. If that closeness wasn’t enough to spark rumors, his having a hand on your arm certainly did the trick.” Cynde whispered harshly in the background again and mama let out a deep breath before informing me there was a new picture being posted to the website in addition to the first. “Here, you two are both laughing quite deeply and again he has a hand on your hand with a twinkle in his eye for you.” I sigh loudly. “Don’t you take that tone of breath with me little girl.” She warned.
I simply smiled knowing she wasn’t angry but knew me all too well. “He couldn’t hear me over the host, that was all as far as the first picture and for the second, yes ma’am, he said something humorous and I laughed. Don’t worry about it. In Hollywood, things usually find a way to snub themselves out in five minutes. By the afternoon I’ll probably be long forgotten. Plus, I made it quite clear that I had no intention of meeting him for anything else and that I was not searching for anything. If we come near each other again, it will be a matter of coincidence, I promise you this. I have no intentions of chasing this man, being alone with him or leading him on.” I not only heard but felt both of them relax and take a deep calming breath in sync.
Beep Beep.
“Mama, can you hold on a minute, that’s my other line.”