Page 35 of Half Notes and Highlights
“Why did you leave the tour?”
“Are you going to make tomorrow’s show in Albuquerque?”
“How long are you going to be in LA?”
“Are the other members of Wolf Pack also in LA?”
It was a whirlwind of questions that had Tyler’s head spinning, but Ethan just kept walking and never looked in thepaparazzi’s direction, while security tried to shield them as much as possible.
Then, Tyler heard someone shout his name.
“That’s Tyler Kennedy! The famous hairstylist!”
Tyler beamed and stood a little taller. Someone recognized him! He’d never been approached by paparazzi before, so he couldn’t help the bounce in his step and the excited smile that lit up his face. Everyone was looking at him now. Cameras were pointed at him and phones stabbed at him from all angles. He couldn’t look away as questions were hurled at him.
“Are you Ethan’spersonalstylist?” someone asked, the question heavy with innuendo.
“Is this a date?”
“Are the two of you lovers?”
“What about Wolf Wheeler, Ethan Jones’ longtime boyfriend? Does he know you’re stepping out with his man?”
The flattered smile on Tyler’s face turned into a scowl with the last question, and jealousy raged inside him. One of the bodyguards must have seen his face because the behemoth moved closer to him and brushed the paparazzi away with one long sweep of his musclebound arm. A minute later, Tyler and Ethan were safely inside the SUV speeding away.
Tyler wasn’t only jealous. He was hurt. He wasn’t stealing anyone’s man. He wasn’t anyone’s side piece. Afraid to speak because he thought he might explode with a series of expletives, he just glared at Ethan, his nostrils flaring like a fire breathing dragon.
Ethan lowered his eyes and frowned. “I’m so sorry they said that to you.”
“Why didn’t you set them straight and tell them we were on a date and that I wasn’t stealing you away from anyone?”
“It’s complicated. The fans and the media think me and Wolf are a couple. We’re not. But the hype around it drives the band’spopularity up. It’s entertaining. That’s why we get a little frisky on stage. The fans love it.”
Tyler folded his arms across his chest and clenched his jaw. He wasn’t about to hide in the closet or be anyone’s dirty little secret. “We’re together. Let them get excited about that,” he blurted out, much louder and more hostile than he intended.
Ethan closed his eyes momentarily and sighed, a look of exasperation on his face. “It’s not that simple. I can’t tell the media we’re on a date. The label would have my neck if I did that.”
“Why? It’s the truth.”
“Because I have to run everything I say by our PR rep.”
“You mean you can’t answer a simple question without getting an OK first?”
“No. Not to the paparazzi. Everything has ramifications. It sucks, but that’s the way it is.”
It sounded horrible. Tyler thought about everything Ethan said, and by the time the car got to his apartment, he realized that none of this was Ethan’s fault. It was their first little fight, and it was stupid. They had a beautiful day together, and he wasn’t going to let the paparazzi ruin it. And there was no way in hell he was letting Ethan go back to the tour, and to Wolf, with animosity between them.
“Can you come in for a little while or do you have to go back already?” Tyler asked, meekly.
“I have time.”
“Good. Because we aren’t ending this lovely date with this stupid thing hanging over our heads. We’re going inside my apartment. I’m going to rock your world. And you’re going to go back to your tour in an inebriated state of sexual bliss.”
And that’s exactly what happened.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The bus left for Santa Fe right after the Albuquerque show. It was late, and Ethan crashed as soon as they got to the hotel. He woke the next morning to his phone lighting up with text messages, way before he was ready to get out of bed. At first, he thought it was Tyler, since they hadn’t connected yesterday, and hoped the guy wasn’t still upset about the rude questions from the paparazzi. But it was Ruby, the band’s PR agent.
