Chapter 28
Wyatt
The atmosphere inside Hayden’s new vegan restaurant was nothing short of enchanting.
It turned out that my choice of a green silk evening dress was just the right amount of dressed-up for the swanky event.
The elegant decor, with its lush foliage and soft lighting, created a warm and inviting ambiance.
As I scanned the room I admired the thoughtful details that adorned the space—from the plant-filled alcoves to the eye-catching abstract artwork on the walls.
The menu we received as we came in promised a night of culinary delights in itself.
I studied it closely, saving myself from having to make eye contact or small talk with any of the other patrons milling about.
My mouth watered as I read through the delectable dishes: seared mushroom risotto, truffle-infused spaghetti squash, and a heavenly almond and berry ‘cheese’ cake for dessert. I’d promised Taylor I wouldn’t over-indulge, but that was going to be a task, as it turned out.
A loud cry pulled my attention, and I looked up to see a man and woman running to embrace each other.
It was clear they hadn’t seen one another in a while, judging by the man’s shocked expression once he noticed the woman’s very pregnant belly.
I tore my gaze away, and it was immediately taken up by someone else.
By several someones, in fact, because the restaurant was absolutely buzzing with people.
And, just like the scene that unfolded at Taylor’s office, the media was out in full force. Every moment seemed to be worthy of a photo, with flashes going off every few seconds.
“I know that face.” Devon, Alex’s girlfriend, sidled up to me with a wry grin. “I used to pull the same one in the beginning.”
“The beginning?”
She took my hand and started leading me to an unoccupied table in the far corner. It beat standing around all by myself, hiding behind a menu, so I followed obediently.
“It feels like an out-of-body experience now.” Devon took her seat and motioned for me to do the same. “But you get used to it, trust me.”
I wasn’t sure whether to be comforted or scared. Did I have it in me to get used to all of this?
“Where’s Taylor?” she asked, craning her neck to sweep the crowd.
“She’s late.” I put an end to her search. “Some crisis or other at work that she had to wrap up.”
Devon nodded with understanding. “I know it can be a bit daunting. This world is overwhelming on a good day, let alone when you’re not used to it. But I’ll help you learn the ropes like I did when Alex and I first got together.”
Relief washed over me. Having someone who could relate to what I was going through made all the difference.
“Taylor told me her friends were the best, and I’m beginning to see how right she was,” I replied with a smile. “Thanks, Devon. It’s good to know I’m not alone in this.”
She put her arm over my shoulders, moving closer. “You don’t have to worry about that where this bunch is concerned.”
The general buzz in the restaurant seemed to reach a peak, and I looked around to find that Taylor was the source of the commotion.
Heads turned, conversations hushed, and an aura of admiration radiated from everyone around her.
A vision of elegance in a simple black dress, Taylor beamed as Hayden and the others surrounded her.
“Wow,” Devon whispered. “She looks amazing.”
I couldn’t agree more. My girlfriend just so happened to be the most beautiful woman in the room, and my heart swelled with pride at the fact.
But with the excitement of Taylor’s arrival came the escalation in media interest. Photographers scrambled to get close to her, their flashes blinding.
I hadn’t noticed them before, but reporters were present too, holding out their phones to pick up whatever sound bytes Taylor offered in response to the questions they yelled out.
Most of it was indistinguishable from the hubbub, but I caught the name Delaney a few times.
The clamor took on a life of its own, and I felt my anxiety begin to rear its ugly head again. Just when Devon’s company was helping me to simmer down.
I clenched my jaw tightly, forcing myself to calm down for Taylor’s sake. She looked so happy. The last thing I wanted was to ruin her night, or anyone else’s.
As that thought solidified in my mind, Taylor’s eyes found mine.
In a room full of people, our gaze locked, instantly sucking out everyone and everything from that room.
It was just her and me, looking at each other.
Her smile softened, that same tenderness reaching her blue eyes, making it easy for me to return the gesture.
“Ooh, you’ve got it bad, don’t you?” Devon teased, bringing me back into the packed restaurant with her. “Totally smitten, by the looks of it.”
“If I denied it, would you believe me?”
“Not a chance.” Devon chuckled. “Not when she has you looking like that.”
There was no point in arguing the fact. Devon had me nailed down.
“I’ve never met anyone quite like her,” I admitted with a shy smile. “Taylor had me caught up in her web since day one.”
“Well, get ready for some more entangling.” Devon pointed to where Taylor was standing.
She was no longer alone, almost entirely surrounded by reporters. To my dismay, she had her arm outstretched and was beckoning to me with a curl of her finger. She wanted me there. In the thick of things, with the flashing lights and everyone talking at the same time.
My hand dropped to my side out of reflex, searching for Mr. Michael Keaton. But there was no golden comfort for me in the middle of that restaurant opening. No tender snuggles of wet-nosed kisses to be had. I was on my own, buffeted out on a stormy sea with no life vest in sight.
I was glued to my chair, every muscle in my body turned to concrete. To make things worse, my inaction got the attention of the others, and I soon had Hayden and the crew waving me over.
Devon laughed, the effects of the wine glinting in her eyes. “Looks like Taylor means to debut you. Don’t overthink it too much. This is how it gets with them.”
Don’t overthink. Hilarious.
I pushed to stand, my chair scraping loudly on the wooden floor.
The sound grated through me, sending a tremor rustling through every one of my nerve endings.
Breathing became hard, and I was painfully aware of the layer of perspiration that broke out all over.
So much for elegant evening wear. At that point, I wasn’t confident I’d make it across the room without buckling on my heels.
“Good evening, beautiful.” Taylor kissed me on the cheek as she snaked her arm around me, pulling me close.
I softened into the warm comfort of her body, using her presence to block out the racket unfolding in our faces. It helped, but not much. I could feel the worst of my unease blistering just beneath the surface, threatening to show itself and humiliate her in front of everyone. On camera, too.
“Miss Kane, are you dating again?” A reporter shoved his recording cellphone in her face.
Her hand on my hip squeezed gently, reassuring me. “I am. This is Wyatt Green, the famous author of the YA Shadow series.”
It was the worst thing she could’ve said, the most dangerous. Flashes blinded me as the photographers reached new heights. Voices called out, coming from every direction. ‘Give her a kiss’, ‘How did you meet?’, ‘When can we expect the last book?’
My body shut down, and my lungs only worked because I willed them to, taking deep, measured breaths. It left me with no reserves to get my hammering heart under control. I could hear it thrumming in my ears, a sonorous beating that danced me ever closer to the edge of a cliff.
“Help! Please! Somebody…”
The panicked cries ripped through the commotion and we all turned at the same time, looking for the source.
I recognized the screamer as the man I’d seen before, and the pregnant woman was now leaning heavily on his arm.
She clutched her late-term belly in a way that made my blood run cold.
The pained expression on her face didn’t help.
The commotion quickly transformed into pandemonium, with people hurrying about, asking if there was a doctor present, yelling at anyone to call 911.
I started in the direction of the pregnant woman in distr- No.
I didn’t start anything. It was Taylor’s firm grip on my shoulders that steered me over there.
“Clear out.” She raised her voice above the furore and the sea of people gave way. “She’s an EMT. She can help.”
I’d been hanging on by a thread through all of it, but this last thing was a stretch too far.
There was a huge difference between smiling my way through avid media attention and being thrust into a medical emergency.
I couldn’t even stomach a boy’s scraped knee when I was in a familiar environment, my home.
There was no way I was going to lead an intervention in the middle of a bustling restaurant. Not now. Not when-
“Excuse me…” I wrenched myself free from Taylor’s grip and deftly sidestepped the pregnant woman who was now on the floor. “There’s something I have to… Please, call 911.”
The look of confusion on Taylor’s face was the last thing I saw before I made a mad dash for the bathroom.