Nick came up behind her and set his hands on her waist. “What’s going on?” he murmured.
“I don’t know. But she looks pissed.”
Nick sighed. “She’s always pissed at Tyler about something.”
“What on earth could he have done? We were just dancing. You don’t think she could possibly be upset about him dancing with me, do you?”
“Not out of the question.” They watched her gesturing, looking as if she was nearly yelling, though they couldn’t hear anything from where they were. “But it looks like a little more than that to me.”
“Um. Yeah.” Her heart rose to her throat as she watched. She tipped her head to look up at Nick over her shoulder. “What should we do?”
He watched them unhappily.
Tyler leaned against the wall, looking careless and relaxed. He flashed a smile, but even from across the room, Kaelin could see how phony it was. Then he straightened. Stared at his parents. Said something to them. Mr. Wirth shook his head violently, and gestured toward the door.
“Dear god,” Kaelin breathed. “Are they kicking him out?”
“Can’t be.”
Tyler stood there for a few seconds longer, and Mrs. Wirth lifted a hand. This time it wasn’t entirely clear if she was pleading with him or telling to get out, but Tyler took a step back, then turned and started toward the nearest exit from the ballroom.
Now Kaelin turned fully to peer up at Nick. “What…?”
“I’ll go after him.”
“I’m coming too.”
“Kaelin…” He paused, then said, “Yeah. You come too.”
They hurried out of the wedding, now a song by Beyoncé getting everyone grooving on the dance floor. They passed Aunt Mona shaking her double Ds and exchanged a yikes glance.
Tyler was still at the elevator and they caught up to him just as the doors slid open. He glared at them. “What the hell are you doing?” he snarled.
They stepped in with him and Nick pushed the button for their floor.
“What the hell are you doing?” he asked Tyler back, his voice mild. “What’s going on, buddy?”
Tyler scowled. “Nothing.”
“What was your mom talking to you about?” Kaelin asked. She tried to take his hand, but he jerked it away. A flash of pain seared through her at his rejection. Oh boy. Once again, just because she was developing feelings for him, completely inappropriate feelings, didn’t mean that he was for her. She pushed away the hurt.
“Nothing.”
“Clearly it wasn’t nothing. For Chrissake, man, just tell us.”
The doors opened and they walked down the hall to the room. Tyler slid his keycard in out and out and opened the door, then pushed into the dark room.
Kaelin followed. The bed had been made and the room straightened. You’d never know what they’d done in that bed last night. Her stomach clenched and her fingers curled into her palms.
Tyler looked at her. “Go back to the wedding, Kaelin. You shouldn’t be up here.”
Her mouth fell open and she gazed back at him. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“Of course I’m okay! Jesus Christ.” He ran a hand through his hair and gave a harsh laugh. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
But she was worried about him. His cheekbones wore a flush of anger and his blue eyes glittered. His beautiful mouth was a thin line across his face.
“Seriously, Kaelin. Get the hell out of here.”
His words were like a slap and she jerked back.
“Tyler.” Nick’s voice cut through the tension. “What the fuck?”
“You want to know what’s going on?” The rage on Tyler’s face almost scared her and she took a step back, feeling as if a knife was turning in her chest. “Fine. I’ll tell you. There’s a rumor going around about me. About us.” He looked at Nick and gestured with his hand between them. Nick frowned. “About last night. About how we were making out with some slutty chick in the lobby of the hotel and took her back to our room.”
Kaelin gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Her eyes went wide and her head spun.
“That’s right,” Tyler said, voice still steely, turning back to her. “Apparently the front desk clerk was getting an eyeful. But he didn’t recognize you. So nobody apparently knows it’s you. And you’d better damn well hope it stays that way. Which is why I’m telling you, get the hell out of here now. Before this gets worse.”
Her chest burning, her throat aching, she just stood there. “Oh my god.”
“Your sweet and innocent reputation will be ruined,” he continued nastily. “You also better hope after seeing you in the same clothes as last night that Cop Boy doesn’t put two and two together and get four. Or should I say three. Ha.”
“Fuck.” Nick sat down heavily on the side of the bed. “Fuck.”
“We did that already,” Tyler said, heading for the mini fridge. “Several times.”
Kaelin looked at Nick, who held his head in his hands. Then he looked at her. “Kaelin. I’m so sorry.”
Sorry? Maybe she was stupid, but what was to be sorry for? If whoever saw them hadn’t recognized her, nobody was going to figure it out. Nobody would guess in a million years.
“Your parents don’t know it was me,” she repeated.
“Not a clue. My mom thinks we picked up a hooker or a dancer from the Pussy Cat Palace or something. They’re completely mortified and pissed off. So mad in fact, that they told me to leave before I ruin Avery’s wedding.” Bitterness edged his tone. He popped the top off a beer and gulped down half of it.
“Oh for god’s sake,” she said. She rubbed her forehead, trying to think. “You’re an adult. What you do is your business.”
“Not when the front desk clerk at the Red Maple Inn sees me and starts telling the whole town. And embarrassing my poor parents. Jesus.” He tipped his head back. “I knew I shouldn’t have come back here.”
Silence loomed around them. Kaelin didn’t know what to do, what to say. “I feel like I’m the one who should apologize,” she whispered, twisting her fingers together in front of her. “It was me who instigated that. It was my idea.” She tipped her head to one side and regarded Tyler miserably. “This time it was me who got you in trouble.”
“Oh for shit’s sake,” he growled. “Don’t be stupid. I get myself in trouble. All the fucking time.”
Nick closed his eyes and tipped his head back. “You know, I’m getting sick of that story,” he said.
“What?” Tyler glared at him.
Afraid they were going to start a fistfight, Kaelin took a step toward them.
“Never mind,” Nick said. “Kaelin, I’ll go back down with you.”
“I’m not going back,” she said heavily. “I can’t go back.”
“Nobody knows it was you,” Tyler reminded her. “Your reputation is safe, babe.”
“I’m not worried about that,” she said, though in fact, she was. A little. Her boss was down there. Could she get fired if someone found out? Dear lord, that entire law firm was so conservative and straitlaced, they probably didn’t know the meaning of ménage à trois without looking it up in a French dictionary. They would totally freak out if they knew.
It was her business, just like she’d told Tyler. And she didn’t regret a second of it.
“I’m not going back unless you both come,” she said.
“Oh Jesus.” Tyler finished the beer and smacked it down on the desk. “I’m not going back. Mom was right. It’s Avery’s wedding and I don’t want to ruin it for her. And to think…” He passed a hand over his eyes. “I was actually having a good time for a while there.”