Page 12 of Be With Me

At least she had the decency not to pity me. She looked more pissed at Tyler than anything. I took a deep breath. Okay, then. Last night was what it was. An ego boost from a young hottie that I really needed, and nothing else. I honestly hadn’t known about the girlfriend, so I didn’t need to feel guilty. Not if I cut off any more attempts from him.

Besides, why did he keep calling me if he has a girlfriend?

Stef’s phone rang. I was grateful for the interruption in our conversation. I didn’t want to talk about Tyler anymore. I’d turn my phone back on after Stef approved her cover photo and if he called again, I would set him straight for once and for all.

Unless, he was calling to tell me last night had been a huge mistake on his part. Maybe he’d taken something illegal, like ecstasy. That would explain his weird behavior. In that case, I’d crawl under the nearest rock and hide for the next twenty years. Or move to the other coast. Or maybe Europe. I’ve heard Italy is nice.

I looked up to find Stef waving at me with her free hand. “It’s him,” she mouthed.

I frantically shook my head, realized I was acting like a teenager, stopped, and then shook it twice as hard. I was acting like a teenager, but I just couldn’t talk to him. Not yet. I hadn’t had time to prepare what I wanted to say.

“Sorry, Tyler, I haven’t seen her. But I’m supposed to stop over there in a little while and see the edits from the shoot so I’ll tell her you’re trying to get a hold of her.” She looked at me with wide eyes and shrugged. “Yeah, she probably just left her phone at the studio or something. She does that sometimes.”

I shrugged back. This wasn’t untrue.

She paused. “Yeah. Okay, I will…Okay…No problem…Good seeing you, too…You’re very welcome…Talk to you soon.” She disconnected the call and put the phone down on the table. “That was Tyler. He wants you to call him as soon as you can.” Then she picked up a spring roll and dipped it in the bowl of sweet and sour sauce.

Don’t ask. Don’t ask.“Is that all he said?” Dammit. What was wrong with me?

She gave me a look. Not quite pity. More curiosity. “That’s all he said. At least until you explain the ‘soul-altering’ part.”

I snorted and went back to eating. “I’m going to call it off. Not that anything has really started. And you know exactly what I mean. I mean, have you met the guy?”

With a great sigh of disappointment, she said, “That’s probably a good idea. And not because of the age thing. You’re a young at heart, vibrant, attractive woman, Ailee. Hell, you’re fucking hot. Any man would be lucky to have you. But you should call it off because of the girlfriend thing. If Tyler Hale wants to have you in his bed, he needs to break it off with Willowy Wanda.”

I broke out into spastic laughter. “Willowy Wanda?” I said when I could breathe again. Good God. It wasn’t that funny. Maybe I needed to have my estrogen levels checked. Have my hormone patch dosage adjusted.

She shrugged. “That’s what I call her in my head. The girl is tall and so blond her hair is almost white. Not a curve to be seen. She reminds me of a willow branch. Or maybe a pussy willow.” She stared past my shoulder with her forehead scrunched up in thought as she contemplated that one.

My heart sank in my chest. I was nothing at all like a willow branch. More like the tree trunk. Sturdy and planted firmly in the ground, with some pretty foliage when the mood struck me to do my hair and makeup. Maybe Tyler was just taking a wild ride on the chubby side last night. Maybe he has mommy issues.

I stared down at my food. I hadn’t really thought about that. I guess it was totally possible.

“Ailee, stop. I can see the wheels turning. Whatever you’re thinking about yourself right now isn’t true. Tyler came on to you last night because you have an earthy beauty about you and he couldn’t help himself. You’re very sexy. Don’t think I didn’t see the way he stared at you while you were shooting.”

“He was acting for the camera.”

“He was fucking you with his eyes.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. Here we were, both middle-aged women, letting a boy dominate our conversation. “Let’s talk about something else. Tell me about your book.”

As Stef launched into an animated description of her characters and the awesome plot twist she’d come up with the night before, I ate my dinner and really tried to pay attention.

I swear I tried.

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