Chapter 25
Taylor
Wyatt was quiet for most of the journey home, providing polite responses and snippets of small talk only when absolutely required.
I didn’t push for more, understanding that she needed the space to regulate her growing anxiety.
Having Michael Keaton along helped more than I thought it would, and it was the first time I was truly thankful for having the kind of money that made bringing him along a non-issue.
Wyatt had been concerned about how he’d handle the flight, but by the time my plane took to the air Michael Keaton looked like he was born for the high life.
“Good to have you back, Miss Kane,” Harold, my driver, greeted me as I slid into the back seat.
Wyatt met my gaze and bit back a smile. She’d been awkwardly self-conscious about my way of life—the private plane, the personal driver… But I was trying my best to set her at ease.
“It’s so great being back, Harry,” I replied as we started off home. “Turns out I’m not cut out for storm chasing after all.”
He laughed heartily, giving Wyatt a nod of acknowledgment in the rearview mirror. “Nice to meet you, Miss Green. You’re going to have a blast in New York as long as you stick with us.”
She returned the greeting, and her cheeks flushed bright scarlet. I reached out, offering my hand for comfort, and she clung to it so tightly I thought she might cut off my circulation. It was so strange to see… calm waters on the surface, but a storm billowing underneath.
As we pulled up to my place, I felt a heady mix of excitement and apprehension. Bringing Wyatt into my world was a big step, and I hoped she would feel comfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings. More than that, I hoped she would feel safe. I wanted to give her that more than anything.
I watched as her eyes widened in amazement when she stepped out of the car and looked up at the imposing front view of my house.
“Alex is always joking about me living in a palace instead of a house,” I muttered, moving past her to get inside. “Harry will bring those.”
Wyatt looked around with uncertainty, then dropped her bags back on the sidewalk, hurrying to catch up with me. She gasped out loud when she was met by the marble columns in the entrance hall.
“Welcome to my humble abode,” I said, trying to keep things light as I led her through the large front doors.
“Humble, right.” She laughed, drinking in the lavish foyer.
Her gaze darted around at the grandeur of the place, and her mouth actually dropped open when we walked through the living room. Wyatt froze and pointed with a limp finger at the chandelier overhanging my indoor heated swimming pool.
“I know it’s a little much, but it’s great for entertaining,” I said to her flabbergasted expression.
At first, I was enjoying her reactions to the vast differences between our worlds, but it was slowly creeping up on me—how wasteful all this extravagance must’ve seemed to someone who lived in a wooden box in the mountains.
Who found heat from fire and several layers of clothing.
Whose closest thing to DoorDash was whatever Michael Keaton dragged in from outside.
“You actually live here?” Her voice was filled with amazement. “It looks like we shouldn’t be walking on these floors…”
The chasm between our worlds was wide, but it was a gap I was sure we could bridge. After what we’d already shared, I had every confidence that what we felt for each other would win out.
“If you think this is a lot, wait until you see Reid and Mia’s place.” I chuckled, walking us through to the bedroom. “We have time to get showered and changed, and then I’ll call the car around.”
“Call the car around,” Wyatt muttered under her breath, still with that look of astonishment on her face. “This is so wild.”
I kicked off my shoes and started unbuttoning my shirt. “Why don’t you get your butt into that shower with me, and I’ll show you wild.”
That seemed to do the trick and broke through Wyatt’s big city daze. She sucked in a breath, her supple pink lips parting just a little.
“How’s your leg?” she asked, her voice soft and hesitant.
But I was already stepping out of my pants.
We were sucked right back to the 80s, Cameron’s favorite music era, the moment we arrived at Reid’s condo. Bright neon flashing lights met Wyatt and me at the door, with the blaring synths of Depeche Mode providing the perfect backdrop.
A rush of excitement infected me, and the biggest smile spread across my face as we walked in. I gasped when I saw the awesome decorations which all complemented the open layout and floor-to-ceiling windows that gave us a great view of the city.
“The place looks amazing.” Wyatt’s eyes devoured every inch as she looked around, frozen just across the threshold.
“I was always jealous of her view,” I admitted. “Breakfast on her balcony is still my favorite.”
I stood with Wyatt, watching her soak it all in.
She was on edge, and I knew better than to drag her into the belly of the beast without giving her a second to acclimatize.
Getting her to agree to come to my welcome back party was a feat on its own, and I wasn’t about to ruin the progress we’d made.
“We can head straight to the bar and get drinks before hitting the floor,” I offered, hoping the promise of some Dutch courage would help.
Wyatt nodded stiffly, her bottom lip sucked between her teeth. I could tell by the look on her face that she was busy talking herself down, and the way she was wringing her hands confirmed that.
I rubbed her arm, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s going to be okay, I promise. And if it isn’t, then we’ll go.”
But she shook her head, as much telling me ‘no’ as she was trying to rid herself of intrusive thoughts.
“This is your night, Taylor.” The tremble in her voice was evident even with the loud music. “We’re here, and we’re going to have a great time with your friends. They haven’t seen you in weeks, and I’m not going to make you bail early.”
Then, with a pointed look, she took my hand from her arm and gave it back to me. “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”
It wasn’t as convincing as she believed it to be, but I gave in and smiled, anyway. The vibes in the room were electric, and although Wyatt’s wellbeing was my first priority, the party mood was already digging its claws under my skin.
“We’ll take it one song at a time, then.” I grinned widely, bopping along to the music as I turned back to scope out the room.
There were people everywhere, none of whom had noticed our entrance yet. I recognized a few faces from the office and from the wedding, but was a little disappointed that I couldn’t spot the four faces I was most looking forward to seeing.
As I was about to lead Wyatt deeper into the lively party she gently pulled me back, a hint of worry in her eyes.
“Do you think Michael Keaton will be okay?” she asked. “It’s his first night in the city, and I don’t know if we did the right thing, leaving him alone in a strange place.”
I studied her for a moment, sensing that there might be more to her concern than just the dog. Still, patience was how I was going to play this.
“He’ll be okay,” I reassured her. “He was asleep when we left, and he’s probably going to stay that way after the excitement from the flight. Besides, we can check on him with this…” I pulled out my phone and opened the security camera app. “See, we can keep an eye on him any time we want.”
Wyatt visibly relaxed as she looked at the live feed of Michael Keaton snoozing on my bed. A hint of a smile touched her lips, and I disguised my sigh of relief.
“There she is!”
I turned around just in time to see Cameron descend on me, enveloping me in a bone-crushing hug.
“You’re back. I can’t believe you’re finally back.” Her words were muffled in my shoulder.
I held onto her like she was a figment of my imagination that would dissolve into nothing if I ever let go.
“Oh, my God, you have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” I said, fighting back the warm moisture stinging my eyes. I swore I wouldn’t cry.
Cameron released me, and we were suddenly engulfed by the others. They offered their overly excited, boisterous welcomes with hugs and kisses, their smiling faces a blur in the pulsing neon lights.
“I almost forgot what you looked like,” Mia said, squeezing my cheek like a hundred-year-old grandmother greeting her chubby grandkid.
“That’ll teach you to miss FaceTime,” Reid teased, shouldering her out of the way so she could get to me. “Taylor Kane…” She let out a long, slow breath, shaking her head slowly. “You look like a million bucks.”
“Try a couple of billion,” Alex butted in. “And that’s not entirely accurate. She looks like she’s been trapped in the mountains with no access to the outside world in weeks.”
I joined their laughter, my insides all warm and squishy, finally among the people I loved the most.
“It was hardly the harrowing experience you make it out to be,” I said once the laughter had simmered down, my eyes flickering over to Wyatt who’d been standing silently at my side.
Alex threw her arm around Wyatt’s shoulders, giving her a friendly shake. “What sorcery do you dabble in? My friend knows how a hammer works, and she’s suddenly over her vehement objection to bringing her girlfriends to our homes.”
“Sorcery?” Wyatt’s gaze darted from Alex’s laughing face to the rest of the gang crowded around us. “I don’t know what you’re-”
“It’s true,” Hayden chimed in, hooking her arm into Wyatt’s. Now she was flanked by two of my friends and I was helpless to intervene. “Taylor rarely brings her lady friends to our homes. We’re all curious about what makes you different.”
Cameron clapped her hands together and rubbed them vigorously, a sparkle in her eyes. “I’m so looking forward to getting to know you, Wyatt. You and your special brand of magic.”
It was the best ever, seeing them take Wyatt in with such ease. The best measure to tell whether they liked someone or not was the level of teasing that ensued. And it was safe to say that they liked Wyatt.
“How about we get to the bar and continue this warm welcome?” I asked, pushing past Alex so I could take Wyatt’s hand. “This is an amazing party, by the way.”
Reid motioned toward Mia with her head. “I told her to have fun with it, and this is where we landed.”
“Well, thank you. I couldn’t think of a better way to come home.” I gave Mia a peck on the cheek. “Now, how about that dri-”
“Did somebody say drinks?” Frankie appeared out of nowhere, skillfully carrying four glasses of champagne by the stems. Behind her, Devon and Elliot came into view, doing the same.
A loud cheer rang out, and drinks were shared between us while I fielded excited hugs and questions from the new arrivals. It felt like I was walking on a cloud. A cloud that took a bit of a wobble when I glanced over at Wyatt.
She was trying her best, but there was no hiding the fact that the smile on her face wasn’t real.