Chapter 45
Tyler ran down the hall to the elevators where she met ‘Bull’ and Carlos.
"Where are you going, Ty?" asked ‘Bull’.
"I don’t know. Somewhere away from here."
Howie had been about to go to Tyler’s room to check on her when he heard the
door slam. Now he heard her talking to ‘Bull’ and knew she was upset. He
said, "I’ll go with her, ‘Bull’."
Billy appeared, "Not alone, Howie. One of us will go with you."
The three got on the elevator and as the doors closed, Kevin came out of his
room. He saw ‘Bull’ and Howie on the elevator but not Tyler. Neither Howie
nor Tyler said a word on the elevator but Howie did put his arm around her and
she rested her head on his shoulder as she cried quietly.
Downstairs, they made their way to the pool area and found a table off to the
side and out of the way where they sat down.
Howie said, "You blew up, didn’t you?"
"Yeah, I did, but you knew I would...and so did Kevin. How could he be with
Kristen?"
"Did he tell you that?"
"No. All he said was she showed up but once he said her name, I knew why I
hated that perfume. It was hers."
Howie shook his head, "You are just like him...quick tempered! Tyler,
Kristen showed up, yes, and Kevin did everything in his power to ignore her.
About an hour after she got there, some guy started harassing her and as much as
Kristen hurt him, he couldn’t stand to see her in trouble. He went over to
help her and she latched on to him. Kevin got trashed trying to avoid dealing
with her."
Surprised, Tyler asked, "He was trying to help her?"
"Yes, just like he would have for any other girl."
Upstairs, Kevin saw Billy and asked, "Have you seen Tyler?"
"Yeah. She went with Howie for a walk. She was really upset, Kevin."
"I know. I’m going to find her now."
"Take Carlos with you."
Kevin and Carlos headed downstairs together and headed towards the pool. One
thing Kevin and Tyler had in common was they both liked to get away from their
problems by going to a body of water. The pool was the most logical place at the
hotel. As he walked out of the hotel, Kevin spotted them talking.
Howie spotted Kevin as he made his way towards them. He said to Tyler, "Do
me a favor. Listen to him now."
Tyler turned around to see Kevin coming towards them. She looked back at Howie,
"I will. Thanks, ‘D’."
Howie gave her a kiss and then got up to leave. He said to Kevin as he passed
him, "I told her what happened."
"Thanks, man," said Kevin as he hugged Howie.
"No problem."
Kevin pulled the chair Howie had been sitting in closer to Tyler and sat down.
Their chairs were so close that when Kevin sat down, their knees were touching.
Kevin leaned to her and put his hands in her hair pulling her to him. He brushed
her cheeks with his thumbs and kissed her tenderly.
Softly, he said, "Baby, I’m so sorry."
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she said, "You don’t need to apologize,
‘Boo’. I should have listened first rather than blowing up just because I
heard that Kristen was there."
Kevin smiled, "I knew you would react like that and I should have held you
tighter but I didn’t want to hurt you."
Through the tears, Tyler smiled, "You know me so well."
"Don’t worry. When you aren’t all hormonal, you know me just as well. I’m
sorry that this ruined your birthday."
"That’s okay. I’m sure what you have planned will more than make up for
this morning," smiled Tyler. "What do you have in mind?"
"Well, I had planned to go with you to breakfast and then take you shopping
on Rodeo Drive but the morning is shot."
"Why shopping? I don’t need anything."
Kevin laughed, "You’re the only woman I know who needs a reason to shop
and hates to do it then too. I thought you’d like to get some maternity
clothes while we were here. You’re going to need some things for awards shows
and other things once you start showing."
"I don’t see any sense in spending tons of money on clothes I’m only
going to wear for a few months."
"You know, this isn’t the only time you’re going to be pregnant,"
said Kevin a little hurt.
Tyler realized it and said, "True, but still, Rodeo Drive is a bit
expensive for maternity clothes."
"Look, I WANT to do this and it’s for your birthday. Stop arguing with
me. I’ll take you in the morning."
Tyler laughed at Kevin’s exasperation. "Okay, ‘Boo’. What else did
you have in mind?"
"Well, after lunch, we have to go to the studio to do the television
show."
"I’d forgotten all about that. Do you want me to go?"
"Yes. I thought that after that, we’d go to a restaurant for a quiet,
romantic dinner and then, afterwards, we can change in the limo and go to an
amusement park by the ocean with a walk on the beach before we come back here.
Linda has made reservations at this really nice Italian place that Jaime told
her about and she also told me about the park."
"Sounds wonderful, ‘Boo’."
"Come on. Let’s go back inside and get some lunch."
The two stood up into each other’s arms and Kevin kissed her. Then they headed
back into the hotel. As they walked, they were holding hands and looking very
much in love
As they entered the hotel, Tyler spotted Kristen at the front desk arguing with
the girl there. She pointed to her and said, "Kristen’s here, ‘Boo’."
"I see her. Come with me but don’t say anything. Let me do the
talking."
The two went over to where Kristen was and the girl at the desk froze when she
saw Kevin. Kristen turned around and started to hug him before realizing Tyler
was there. "Hey, Kevy Kev," said Kristen completely ignoring Tyler.
"Kristen, what are you doing here?"
"After last night, I thought you’d want to see me again."
"I told you last night, I love Tyler. I was just helping you out because
the guy was drunk and obnoxious. I’d have done the same thing for any
girl."
"But Kevy..."
"Tyler told you not to call me that."
"Fine. Kevin, we had so much together when we were in school We had a lot
of good times and what about your mother. She’ll be heartbroken."
"Mama loves Tyler and knows that I love her too. She’s happy for us.
Look, we did have fun in high school but I grew up and you didn’t bother to
try and understand the man I became. My career is important to me and sometimes
I put it before everything and everyone."
"I suppose Tyler understands you...the man you’ve become as you put
it?"
"Yeah, she does," said Kevin as he looked at Tyler by his side.
"Kristen, Tyler has told you and I’ve told you...you and I are over. Last
night was simply a friend helping a friend."
Linda and Sonja had spotted the three talking and joined them. Now, Linda said,
"Kevin, lunch is waiting in the banquet room."
"Thanks, Linda," said Kevin. Then to Kristen, "I’m sorry if I
gave you the wrong impression but I’m very much in love with Tyler."
Kristen looked away for a minute and then back at Kevin. "You made it clear
last night, Kevin. I was just hoping that Tyler would leave you over this."
Tyler started to respond to that but Kevin squeezed her hand and said,
"Tyler got upset but she wouldn’t leave me over something like that. She
was more worried about what YOU would do. Look, we’ve gotta go. Good luck in
whatever you’re doing." Kristen didn’t say any more and left the hotel.
Kevin put his arm around Tyler, "Let’s go eat, baby."
Tyler and Kevin headed to the banquet room where the others were waiting for
them. There was one person visibly missing...Nick...and Fiona was extremely
upset.
Tyler whispered, "Where is Nick?"
Kevin shook his head, "I have an idea but I can’t say for sure."
AJ and Lex had joined Kevin and Tyler. AJ said, "There’s an old saying
that suits that boy."
Innocently, Tyler asked, "What’s that?"
"Young, dumb, and full of cum."
Lex moaned, "Please tell me that he isn’t so stupid that he’d screw
around on Fiona with her here."
Both guys shook their heads and Kevin said, "I don’t know for sure. He
was really drunk and he was hitting on that waitress. That’s all we
know."
Tyler asked, "Did he come back with you?"
Kevin and AJ had both been extremely drunk and couldn’t remember if Nick had
come back with them or not. For that matter, neither one really remembered how
they got home.
By now, Howie and Kryss had joined them and they were all watching as Brian and
Sonja were talking to Fiona.
Tyler asked Howie, "Did Nick come back with y’all?"
"I don’t know. I left with Kevin and AJ to get them back here and Brian
stayed with Nick."
Kryss said, "Fiona said she hasn’t seen Nick since she left the stage
last night."
"Did they have an argument?" asked Lex.
Kryss answered, "Who knows with those two!"
Tyler suggested, "Maybe you should try his cell phone, ‘Boo’."
Kevin pulled out his cell phone and dialed Nick’s number.
It rang twice and a girl answered, "Carter’s answering service."
