Chapter 26
Wyatt
I felt good, something Michael Keaton agreed with as he trotted happily beside me, acting as though he, too, was taking in the sights.
The top floor of Taylor’s office building was a testament to stunning design and modern art.
Best of all, it was empty. The top floor staff were all huddled in the boardroom with her, in the middle of a debrief after her extended absence.
We paused at a particularly arresting piece by Kusama, and Michael Keaton nuzzled my leg, whining softly.
It was just a check-in, like he’d been doing every half hour or so since we left Taylor’s place.
After the close call at her welcome home party, he probably figured he’d rather be safe than sorry.
“It’s okay, buddy.” I bent down to ruffle his fur. “We’re just at work. Nothing crazy going on here.”
With him locked up at home, I was left to my own devices at Reid and Mia’s condo.
Taylor tried her best to stay by my side and be a buffer between me and the constant onslaught of attention and stimulation.
But it had been years since I’d left the mountain valley at all, and no amount of Taylor, Michael Keaton, or heavy meds could’ve made it easy for me.
Her friends were lovely and warm, but I spent most of the night in the bathroom with Taylor’s phone, watching Michael Keaton sleep. When Taylor discovered my strategy, she promised we’d have two days of vegging at home—no people, no outside world.
Which was the main reason I felt good. She understood that I needed a moment, and she gave me that space.
“Wyatt, is it?”
I turned to a flustered-looking redhead who’d popped up next to me. I recognized her as Taylor’s assistant who was introduced to me only that morning, but I’d already forgotten her name.
“Lisa…” she read my mind, forcing a tight smile onto her face. “Taylor said I should check on you while she’s in there. Those things tend to run long.”
“Thanks, Lisa,” I said her name in the hopes I’d remember it. “But we’re okay. Just looking around.”
She glanced at Michael Keaton, her smile wavering a bit, then met my gaze again. “Um, that’s great. Would you mind waiting in Taylor’s office? I need to get this space ready for the press conference.”
I blinked in surprise. “Press conference? For who… Taylor?”
I had spent weeks with this woman, taken her into my home, nursed her back to health, and taught her how to play chess with my dog. Not once had she mentioned that she was someone who held press conferences.
Lisa’s fake smile stretched out again. “Yes, Taylor. Just a media update on her next resort. Would you mind?”
She pointed to Taylor’s office across the floor and waited that way, like a statue, for me to obey her direction.
I knew there was a shitload of money involved, and that it had something to do with vacation destinations. But since setting foot in New York with Taylor I’d been reminded at every turn that my best guesses didn’t come close to just how large of a life she led.
I was equally impressed and freaked out by it.
My world was so insignificant in comparison, with my biggest responsibility the golden Lab sitting at my feet. It was no wonder she seemed like a fish out of water in the beginning. Who needed to know what a hammer was when they were dealing with stuff like this on a daily basis?
“I don’t mean to be rude…” Lisa said, her voice a little firmer. I still hadn’t responded to her request or made any kind of move for Taylor’s office.
But just as I was about to do both of those things, the top floor was cracked open with a flurry of activity.
People streamed in, carrying and packing chairs, wheeling in a huge podium, and some started setting up a long snack table against the back wall.
A tech guy bustled about, setting up bright lights with thick cables snaking all over.
The whole place buzzed with an energy I couldn’t quite comprehend or stomach.
My palms grew damp, and a sickening knot started twisting in my gut.
I couldn’t even grab hold of my lifeline, either, because he was just as upset by the change in atmosphere.
Michael Keaton scampered around nervously, darting to and fro.
I could see frustration growing in the faces of some of the people trying to work, and my anxiety rustled even more.
“Please, ma’am, can you get control of your dog?”
“Whose animal is this?”
Lisa touched my arm lightly, but it made me jump. “Wyatt, are you okay?”
I started toward the spot where Michael Keaton had just noticed the flavor of the lighting cables. “I’m fine, I just need to-”
“Get outta here, you little mutt!” The tech guy lost his cool and frantically waved Michael Keaton away.
I dashed over and took hold of Michael Keaton around his neck, backing up with him while muttering a tirade of apologies to anyone within earshot. Taylor’s office was a few feet away and I dragged us in that direction, wishing for the only sanctuary available at that moment.
“This isn’t a zoo.” Another woman came up to me, scowling disapprovingly at Michael Keaton. “You can’t have him up here. Does Miss Kane know about this?”
Miss Kane knows. She’s the one who invited him, and she happens to love the shit out of him. That’s what I wanted to say. But my words stumbled over the snarl of racing, jumbled thoughts that refused to find any kind of sense in my head.
“I’m- uh… I’m with- I’m… Miss Kane…”
“I don’t have time for yammering and stammering,” she interrupted me, her impatience seething in the straight line of her mouth. “We’re trying to do our jobs, and you’re getting in the way of that.”
I swallowed the boulder pushing up in my throat and tried to convince my lungs to keep working the way they should.
They didn’t listen, and my breathing grew shallow and quick.
It was happening again, and there was nothing I or Michael Keaton could do to stop it.
Voices faded to a background hum, a sharp ring taking over in my ears.
“Listen, lady, if you insist on sticking around for the press call, then I’m going to need you to sign this release.” A tall man in a gray suit shoved a clipboard in my face. The release form on it took no discernable shape in front of me.
“Can she hear me?”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“Does she even have a pass to be up here?”
Their faces were out of focus, but their questions pooled in the back of my mind.
Michael Keaton barked loudly, pressing close to me as he warned the people to back away.
Then he did it again, and this time I heard more scolding from the office floor.
More ‘Get that dog outta here’ and ‘When did this become a dog park?’ kind of comments.
“Can everyone please keep it down?” Lisa spoke loudly as she made her way over to where I was standing. “Can’t you see you’re upsetting the dog? Miranda, give the woman some space, please.”
Lisa pushed them aside and stood in front of me, her one hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay? Let’s go in here and I’ll get you some water. For him too. Would you like some water, big boy?”
Michael Keaton whined, shying away from the hand that came out to pet him. He licked me a few times, then nuzzled the tips of my fingers with his wet nose. All the while, he stayed tightly by my side, nearly knocking me over with how much he refused to budge.
I didn’t belong there. Not at Taylor’s office, and definitely not in the city. Nothing could’ve made that more clear than the past five minutes. I needed to leave.
“I should go.” I heard my voice as though it belonged to someone else, speaking the words I was thinking. “I should leave.”
“What’s going on out here?” Taylor’s voice rose above the commotion. My eyes found hers as she was crossing the office floor and she picked up her pace. “Wyatt? Lisa, what the hell is going on?”
But before either of us could say anything, Taylor was swept aside by a make-up and styling team who’d appeared out of nowhere, eager to get her ready for the impending press conference. Taylor struggled to break free and get to me, but the wave of activity around her was relentless.
I watched as she tried to fight her way back, her eyes pleading for a moment alone with me. But I knew this wasn’t the time or place for that, so I made it easier for her.
“I was just on my way out,” I said, and her expression shifted from concern to frustration, her team tugging at her hair and clothes.
She jerked her arm to get away from the glam squad, but they weren’t about to get beaten into submission. They had one thing on their minds, and not even Taylor would be able to stop them.
“Wyatt, wait,” Taylor called after me, but I shook my head and turned to leave.