Chapter 37

© Copyright 2014 by Elizabeth Delayne



Tyler, indeed, appreciated the dress very much, but more importantly, the evening itself. Out fitted in a suit, he escorted Jamie through the evening. Dinner by candlelight--even if it was shared with six other people-allowed him the pleasure of watching her eyes soften and dance. Her hair was pulled up into a simple twist, a few tendrils flirted with the sides of her face.

Before the show started they were escorted back stage to meet the cast, given a few dance steps to go along with the show’s theme, he supposed.

They had front row seats-better to film them-but even better was that Jamie seemed able to relax at his side. It was a moment of peace for the both of them. They didn’t get a whole lot of that, even when they were relaxing on the bus and someone was always there talking, moving, making conversation.

Then there was the dancing. There was something very ... idyllic about ballroom dancing. Something smooth and very personal about the way they held each other and watched each other.

It gave them time to talk, in soft tones, in a way they hadn’t been able to before. Not that they were sharing anything overly personal, but it was the way their eyes connected when they talked. He told her of growing up in New York and stories of his mother. He told her of moving, of his friends, of people he wanted to meet.

And she told him about her brother and sister, her father, and what it was like to living in Chicago, what she missed most about moving away.

The cameras were there, as they always were, capturing the almost private dance between the two of them. Jamie seemed to forget about the cameras and the mikes, seemed to act more natural. More accepting of the two of them.

During a slow waltz, she let her head fall against his shoulder. She was relaxed, maybe more because she was tired. It had truly been a long day.

But as always, as he’d come to expect from her, she was a trooper.

Unable to resist, he dropped a simple kiss on the top of her head.

“They look so cute together, don’t they?

“Hmmm?” he murmured, ignoring Jessica when he spotted her signaling him across the room. He did his duty, didn’t he? He deserved a moment to himself. A moment for himself.

“Thessa and Dante,” she murmured as he turned her. He looked over, found them in the crowd, in time to see Thessa beam up at her fiance. She literally glowed, and it wasn’t just the bronze in her dress.

“It’s easy to see why this has been hard on her.”

“You noticed.”

“I’m team captain. It’s my job to notice.”

She leaned back and adjusted her arms so that she was back in proper waltz form. “And what do you notice about me?”

“That you’re strong, kind ... beautiful.”

She looked uncomfortable enough that he released her with one hand and spun her out and back. She was laughing again when she was back in his arms.

Keep it light, he reminded himself.

“You should see what it took to get this way.”

“I don’t know. My favorite Jamie is the girl I met in t-shirt and khaki shorts, ready for a challenge. You get a little wrinkle in your nose when you’re concentrating.”

“That’s attractive.”

“It is to me, and it looks like things are winding down and Jessica is getting antsy. She’s been trying to signal me for ten minutes,” he tugged Jamie close. “You’ll hold a spot for me for one last dance before we leave?”

“Sure ...” she walked two fingers playfully up his tie, “and I’ll freshen up while you take care of whatever amazing team captain things they’ve summoned you for.”



Jamie headed to find the room labeled powder room she had and Felicity had found earlier. As elegant as dancing was, it was a workout.

She stepped in, opened the chic little evening bag that they’d provided with the dress. She stared at herself. She would have thought she looked like she was on a prom date, but she didn’t. She was older. More refined. She felt like the movie stars they had watched all week on the RV.

And though she’d done her best to pay attention, she doubted she would ever be able to duplicate what the stylists had done for her tonight.

She stared as Rose, who stood behind her filming, then back at herself, with stars dancing in her eyes. Stars caused more by Tyler than the evening itself. How much of this was make believe?

And she could still hear her mother’s voice.

But what if it is real. What if it was lasting?

The door opened and a tall blond walked in. Jamie smiled at her, then pulled out the thin tube of lipstick the salon had provided for her.

“Well,” the woman said, leaning beside Jamie with her back to the counter. “You and Ty seem to be getting well.”

“Oh,” Jamie slid the lipstick case closed, “you’re a fan of the show?”

“Honey, I was on the show.”

“Oh ...” Jamie chuckled. “I never really watched it a lot ... so I don’t really ...”

“I’m very familiar with Tyler. We were an item, too, when I was on.”

“You’re Samantha.”

The tall ... Jamie scrolled through information in her brain to recall what Felicity had called her ...model, wanna be actress was definitely model material.

“I am ... and you’re his newest squeeze.”

Ouch, Jamie glanced in the mirror, noticed the camera on them both. She swallowed againstt the sudden dryness in her throat. “I wasn’t aware he had a lot of squeezes.”

“Oh, Tyler likes for the show to do well and he follows the direction of whatever the network tells him to do.” Jamie picked up her purse.

“If you believe that,” Jamie said. “Then you never knew Tyler at all.”

“If you believe otherwise, you’re a fool.” Samantha smirked. “You’ll never really know him. Take it from me. It’s show business, after all. No one is really who they say they are.”

“I’m sure people had you pegged,” Jamie turned and walked out, aware that Rose followed her.

Instead of heading into the dance hall, she walked toward the lobby. She needed air.

“Jamie!”

She didn’t turn as Tyler approached. She didn’t ... she no longer knew what to say. The evening they had shared, that had seemed so private and perfect, was now very public and cold.

She ran her hands up and down her arms. “I’m cold.”

“They ambushed you,” he murmured, taking of his coat and sliding it over her shoulders. “They ambushed us. I saw Sam the moment I made it over to Jessica. They brought her in, played you. It was for the ratings, for the show-I’m sorry.”

“Tyler,” Jamie finally turned to face him. “I didn’t believe anything she said. I just ... it just reminded me that we just can’t be. We don’t have room in our lives to believe .... that this is anything real. How much of this is a set up? Candlelight, dancing, broadway. If we were a couple, how much of this would be you?”

‘What?”

“You can’t tell me this is your typical date night. Your dream evening. It’s all so ... orchestrated.”

“Of course it is, but it’s also real,” Tyler grabbed her arm, and kept her facing him. “Very real. Maybe I’ve learned to go along with the flow better than most, I don’t know. What I do know is that I haven’t felt like this before. I’d know. You’re going t o have to trust me.”

“This isn’t about trusting you.”

“Isn’t it? You keep pulling back, going off on these excuses that you can’t explore whatever there might be. We seemed to progress well for awhile, then you toss us into a tailspin. What exactly do you think I’m going to do to you?”

“I don’t know how to handle this. I’m sorry.”

“Then take it from me,” he spat. “Loosen up a bit.”

Jamie frowned at him, never having dealt with his anger before. She yanked her arm out of his grip. “I’m sorry I’m not loose enough. Maybe you should go back in there and find Sam.”

“Of all people on this show, I would think you would know me better than that.”

She turned away from him, walked away toward nothing. As usual, her fire had burned itself out, leaving her feeling sick ... and disoriented. She stopped when she reached the richly decorated floral wallpaper and put her hand to the wall. She was being filmed, she thought. All of this was on film.

“Jamie,” his voice was still rough, still edging toward anger, but she recognized his attempt to soften it.

“I’m sorry, Tyler. I didn’t mean it.” Jamie pressed her hands to her face. “I just ... I can’t do this right now.” She shook her head and lowered it until it touched the wall, as a tear escaped. “I’m so tired. I’m too tired to do this right now. Dancing lessons, shopping ... in and out, this and that ... and now this. I’m so tired.”

They’d done this on purpose, she realized. The production team had set them up in this whirlwind day that would leave anyone exhausted, them thrown in a little chaos.

Tyler stepped from behind her and leaned his head against hers. He reached up and caught the tear in his fingertips.

“Let me get your wrap,” he said, running a hand down her arm that still wore his coat. “I’ll be right back.”

And as he walked away, the camera circled her, like a vulture waiting for the moment she collapsed.

I’m not going to, she wanted to tell the camera, the man behind it, and the world that would be watching, dissecting and discussing her across social media. I’m going to be just fine--when she was far, far away from this world and these people. She was just so tired of it all.

But the wasn't quite sure where Tyler fit into all of that.

And she was beginning to realize it mattered. It did really matter.



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