Acting Happy (Texas Desires #2) (29 page)

Several boxes arrived, making today almost like Christmas as Kenzie sat in Ty’s office unpacking each one. She pulled out a new laptop, printer, something called a docking station, and about a ton of different cords and instruction manuals. When she had everything unwrapped and all the shiny new equipment spread across the table, she picked up her cell phone to call Lara.

“Hey, you,” Lara said when she answered the phone.

“How you feeling?” she asked, anchoring the phone on her shoulder as she put all the padding back inside the boxes.

“I feel fine, and she’s doing good per the doctor’s visit this morning. How’s the Internet coming?” Since arriving in California, Kenzie had talked to Lara every single day, solidifying the friendship they’d started in Dallas.

“Are you talking to me?” Ty asked, sticking his head in the office door.

“No, I called Lara. I have a question for you, though. What’s going on with the Internet? Are we getting it soon?” she asked, looking up at Ty as she worked.

“I’ll call and check the status. I forgot,” he said, coming toward her, his brows waggling on the next comment. “I think it’s all that good lovin’ that’s got my memory in the toilet.”

“Ty! I’m on the phone,” she exclaimed, feeling heat rushing to her cheeks. Quickly she said to Lara, “I hope you didn’t hear that.”

“It’s okay. You’ll see when we start working together that Reed has rules for everyone regarding PDAs and sexual harassment in the workplace, except for himself. He’s not very good at keeping his hands to himself.” Lara gave the briefest of pauses, laughing a little to help validate that point. “I was wondering if you were up for company? I was just talking to Reed about a quick trip to LA. Your stuff’s due to arrive today, and I was thinking if I came out there, we could do a crash course in foundation work. I know you’re not supposed to officially start yet, but it seems like a good time for me to come out. I see my doctor putting the brakes on traveling soon.”

“I’d love to see you. When were you thinking?” When Ty looked interested, she quickly explained, catching him up before Lara answered.

“I thought maybe I could come tomorrow. It might help divert your attention, but you honestly sound wonderful. I’m proud of you for not letting all that bother you,” Lara said, and Kenzie’s brows snapped together.

“What bother me?” she asked, completely confused. The silence that came back had her eyeing Ty more closely. His face had just gone way too passive. “No, really, Lara. What would bother me? I think Ty’s been keeping secrets from me.”

“That’s why the Internet’s out,” Lara said quietly.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Kenzie said. Ty rolled his eyes and started to turn away, but she caught the back of his T-shirt, keeping him from leaving as she walked in front of him, putting a hand on his chest and raising one critical brow. “What’s she talking about, Ty?”

“Beautiful, it’s just that stuff I told you would happen. Everyone wants to know who I’m dating now. We talked about that, remember?” Instead of backing away, he stepped into her personal space and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her against his chest. He was too much to process all close up like that—and he knew it, no doubt. When she tried to step back, his arm became a vise, holding her in place.

Tactically speaking, he was clearly very good at getting out of trouble. His cologne and breath and eyes and lips were far too distracting, making it incredibly difficult to think.

“And you’re good with everything happening?” she finally asked. It was the only way she could come up with to ask that question. If he knew what was going on and seemed to be managing everything, surely things weren’t too terrible.

“Of course not, but it’s the normal crap. My team’s handling it,” he said, ducking his head into her hair, close to the ear not pressed against the phone. “You’re sexy when you’re all dominant like that,” he whispered, causing goose bumps down her arms at the feel of his breath on her neck. Okay, that was totally a diversionary tactic if there ever was one.

“Lara, we’re good with you coming anytime. Right, Ty?”

Ty began nibbling at her earlobe before whispering a croaked, “Of course.”

“He’s good with it. I’d like to get started as soon as possible. Ty starts back to work next week,” she said and let out a yelp when he hoisted her up in his arms. “Send me the details. Maybe Ty can send someone to pick you up. I gotta go.”

She ended the call as Ty carried her from the office. Designed to distract, he clearly didn’t want to talk about whatever gossip was going around, and while she should have stopped him, made him talk, like normal, she caved to whatever this man wanted. Besides, it could wait. If he were intent on taking her mind off things, he’d be very attentive. She couldn’t wait to see and enjoy the lengths he’d go to in hopes of distracting her.

~~~

Their time in California cemented all these crazy feelings, making him know without question that Kenzie was everything and he wanted it all with her—the white picket fence, mini-van in the driveway with children running all around, and a golden retriever or two in the backyard. Okay, scratch that. Make it a black Lab. And scratch the kids. The children would be at Grandma Stanton’s house, allowing Kenzie to greet him at the door wearing nothing but an apron after a long, hard day at the office.

Every other morning he woke and desperately wanted to make love to her. Not today. What he wanted more than that was for her to open her eyes and decide this was the day that she confessed her love. Those complicated three little words were all his aching heart wanted most in the world.

The faint sounds of the doorbell caught his attention. He looked over at the alarm clock to see it wasn’t much past eight in the morning. The serene calm faded as he realized nothing good could come from an eight o’clock in the morning visitor.

Betting it was Anthony, Ty reluctantly untangled from Kenzie and moved off the bed. He tugged on the walking shorts that still lay on the floor and ran his fingers through his hair as he left the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him. To his surprise he found Lara in the living room, staring out the windows into the backyard with a coffee tray just being brought inside the room.

“You came early,” he said, his voice still gravelly from sleep.

“You know how Reed is. Once he found out I was coming, he scheduled everything at the crack of dawn,” she said, walking to the coffee tray, fixing herself a cup. “Don’t tell Reed. He monitors my caffeine now because he read it was bad.”

“You feeling okay?” he asked.

“Are you asking for Reed?” she asked suspiciously, furrowing her brow, and he laughed at such an immediate assumption. Prescott must really be bad if that was how her gut chose to answer that question.

“So papa bear’s mothering too hard?” he asked, going for the coffee.

“He’s impossible. Worried all the time,” Lara said, moving closer to him. He poured himself a cup before lifting his head. He stopped in mid-action and eyed her closer. The concern on her face was more than just Reed-related.

“I really came to help, Ty. I don’t know how I can, but I thought if I could keep her busy, everything being said about her would be easier to take. I know it sounds dumb, but it’s all I could come up with,” she said then took a tentative sip, probably testing the warmth.

“It’s not getting any better, is it?” he asked, losing his taste for the coffee. He left the mug on the cart and stood facing her and crossed his arms over his chest. The last time he’d checked on things, he’d had a hard time stomaching the viciousness created on a bed full of lies.

“No, it’s only getting worse. They even have a morning show planning an interview with her ex-husband.”

“What the fuck?”

“I know. It has to be hard for you, and you deal with this crap all the time. I can’t see how she’ll be anything but overwhelmed. I’m glad you’ve been keeping it from her.” Lara must have lost her taste for the coffee too. She discarded the cup on the cart next to his. “What can I do help?”

“It might’ve been a mistake to hide from it,” Ty finally said several long seconds later. “Let me make a phone call. I have an idea.”

“Absolutely.”

Ty started to leave the room but went back to the coffee cart to pour Kenzie a cup, adding the cream and sugar like she liked. “I’ll be back.”

This idea had come to him in the middle of night in a desperate attempt to try to do anything to stop this media frenzy before he had to start back to work. Managing the coffee cup, Ty opened the bedroom door. Kenzie was still sound asleep, and he placed her cup on the nightstand before going for his cell phone.

First, he sent a text to Julia, asking if she could squeak out a few hours today. When he got that confirmation, he texted Malea. While he waited for that return message, he sat on the side of the bed and began running a palm over Kenzie’s back. “Gorgeous, we gotta get up. We’ve got stuff we have to do today.”

~~~

Forty-five minutes later, Kenzie lifted a hand to hide the yawn as she sat in front of the bathroom mirror with both Malea and Lara and all of their cosmetics and hair products laid out in front of her. Lara worked on her hair, and Malea said she was doing her best to accentuate Kenzie’s natural beauty with the makeup.

“Julia’s here,” Ty said from the bathroom door.

“Bring her in. Let me see what’s she’s wearing,” Malea said, still all business as she concentrated on brushing eyeshadow on Kenzie’s eyelid.

“You know what they say about Julia and Ty isn’t true, right?” Malea said in her normal, direct way she had of speaking. She stayed all in Kenzie’s face, but the brush moved back. Malea just stared directly in her eyes.

“He told me, but thank you for reinforcing it. I’m nervous,” she said quietly. In her heart she knew Malea spoke the truth. She believed Ty completely, but surprisingly, her anxiety grew when she heard Ty’s voice growing stronger the closer he got to the bathroom. She watched Ty come into view and like his ingrained manners dictated, he stepped aside, letting Julia walk in before him. For just the briefest of seconds she got to see them both together, standing side by side. Ty was smiling his real smile, that special grin she loved so much, while looking over at the most beautiful woman Kenzie had ever seen.

Her heart dropped as she realized they truly did look like they were made for one another. Julia’s eyes were bright with amusement. She glanced in the bathroom and grinned at the three of them. While Kenzie was preoccupied with seeing how well the man she loved fit with another woman, Malea had moved to her lips, and slapped her leg when she made a move with her head. Kenzie sat still, letting her work as she lifted her eyes back to Julia.

“Thank you for coming,” Malea said, staring at Kenzie’s mouth.

Julia’s warm smile focused on Malea for a second before her eyes lowered and settled on Kenzie. “I’m happy to be here. You must be Kenzie. I’ve been excited to meet the woman who’s caught Ty’s heart so completely. It’s been such a surprise to learn he actually does have one,” she teased, patting Ty on the chest before she came toward them in the bathroom. Malea stopped what she was doing, and Kenzie stood, extending a hand, but Julia bypassed that and went in for a giant hug. She wasn’t that much taller than Kenzie, and from over her shoulder, she saw Ty leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, his face unreadably passive while watching them closely.

“I’m not a hundred percent sure what’s going on, but thank you for being a part of this today,” she said. Julia reached out to clasp and squeeze both of her hands.

“It’s not a problem at all. I’ve thought we needed a united front from the beginning, and I can already tell you and I will be great friends.” Julia’s words seemed genuine, and the gentle smile she gave eased her nervousness.

“This is Lara Hunter,” Kenzie said, turning her way.

“Hi, Lara. I understand you and Reed are a couple.” Julia turned to Ty who confirmed with a silent nod. Julia turned back, reaching over the chair to extend a hand. “I’ve met him a couple of times over the years when he’s been with Ty.”

“It’s such a pleasure. I’m a huge fan,” Lara said, totally fangirling.

“Thank you! I need all of those I can get. How much longer do you have?” Julia nodded toward her baby bump.

“Due the last day of February, so we still have a few months to go,” Lara said, patting her rounded belly.

“Introductions over. Kenzie, here.” Malea shoved a tube of mascara in her hands. “Put this on, and we’re going to pick out some clothes.” Malea took Julia’s arm and did a once-over before pulling her toward the door. “We’ve been waiting to dress until we saw what you’re wearing. Ty, where’s the closet?” They disappeared, leaving Kenzie and Lara staring after them.

“She’s a little scary,” Lara whispered about Malea.

“Agreed. I better hurry. I don’t wanna be in trouble if I’m not done before she gets back,” she said, waving the mascara at Lara. She laughed, and Kenzie did too, but there was absolutely an element on seriousness to that concern, so she quickly turned to the mirror to get started.

~~~

Ty stood by the front door with his arms crossed tightly over his chest and his anxiety levels through the roof. He listened intently as Julia and Malea huddled together just a few feet away coordinating security with each other’s team. All this strategic preparation and planning was designed to accomplish a simple casual stroll down a populated street with his Kenzie and Julia walking side by side.