“You mean like you telling a dozen reporters that you love me?” he teased brushing her hair out of her face as the wind whipped it around.
“I’d rather have you draped all over me than Craig. I know where you’ve been and that you’d never leave me stranded on the side of the road, never use me to better your position. You kept my secret for five years Ty. There were plenty of times when you could have used me to keep clients or bolster the client list, but you didn’t, and that is why I know that no matter what this will work out.”
“You do have a way with words Bella dear,” he stated before a group of employees and their families interrupted them.
Chapter 5
“Bella?” Tyler shouted walking into her apartment.
“Ty? What are you doing here?” she asked peeking around the corner of the kitchen as she finished mixing up the muffins.
“I take it you haven’t seen the paper, have you?” he said walking over and kissing her forehead.
“No, it’s Sunday Ty, I’ve barely gotten back into town, and I have a week’s worth of papers on my coffee table.”
“How was the shoot?”
“Great, I think the ads will come out amazing. In fact, I’ve been offered a contract with another line, but I have to make sure it won’t conflict with Angels. So, what’s the fire about the paper? Don’t tell me they’re still trying to make up stories about us? What is it this time, that we’re not as solid as we’ve been claiming, and that Craig really did come between us?” she joked. “Come on Ty, it’s been six weeks, it’ll blow over soon enough.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t guarantee that,” Tyler said unfolding the paper he was carrying showing her the picture that had been taken at her Angels shoot when he’d stopped by to see her.
“Alright, I agree it’s a bit much, but it’ll really sell our story…holy hell,” she gasped as he unfolded the rest of the paper to reveal the headline below the photo. “Who…how…I didn’t…”
“Oh, I know that,” he said setting it down onto the counter. “It says right on top that Mr. and Mrs. Steven Reed are happy to announce the engagement of their son Tyler to Miss Arabella Spencer Remsen better known worldwide as Arabella Angel.”
“Why?” she cried glancing at the article and seeing that he’d just told her the entire first line by memory. “What does she expect will happen?”
“Exactly what that announcement indicates, I knew she had a gleam in her eyes that day. I just didn’t think she’d do something like this…”
“What do we do?”
“Either admit that we aren’t, weren’t ever a couple or…” he said catching her gaze.
“You don’t mean we let her get away with this and get married,” she stated as her eyes widened in surprise. “Ty, no…we can’t.”
“Look just hear me out…I’ve had about three hours more than you have to think about it and I was just as angry as you are but then I started thinking about it more and Bella, we can make it work.”
“Please explain how this could possibly work without ruining what makes us so special,” she said hopping up onto the countertop after putting the muffins into the oven.
“Because we’ll still be us,” he told her walking over. He put his hands on either side of her body on the countertop and kissed her forehead again. “We’ll just be married. Tell me you don’t see that we could do this. We’re always together anyway. We can move in together; I honestly don’t care where I sleep as long as there’s a bed.”
“But you want kids someday which means…” she said looking over his shoulder because the idea of them doing what that would require made her pulse race.
“That we’ll need to be intimate, yeah I know Bella,” he stated softly titling her head to look at him. “Honey, I promise nothing will happen that you don’t want, ever, but we could do this. I love you; you love me. You are my best friend which is a hell of a lot more than most couples have. If we don’t do this, we’re going to face a huge backlash by not only the public but also with my parents.”
“Ty…I don’t want us to end up hating each other,” she sighed as a tear slipped down her cheek at the thought of that happening.
“There is no way that would ever happen, come on Bella, we’re practically married already other than living together and the official paperwork.”
“And sex…”
“Bella, Bella, Bella,” he teased trying to make her smile. “I’m confident we won’t have any problems when it happens, honey, and that won’t be until you’re ready.”
“Okay…” she said several minutes later, releasing the breath she’d been holding as Tyler gave her a soft, gentle, warm look of honesty that had her nearly shaking with wonder. “You’re right if we try and deny this it’ll only send the press after us trying to crucify us.”
“I know this isn’t what you really want but I promise to be the best husband you’ll ever have; now, what do you say we go pay a visit to my mother who has a ton to explain?”
“Can it wait until the muffins are finished? I don’t feel like having my apartment burnt down because I left the oven on…” she laughed hopping off the counter as the timer dinged.