Rachel POV
Backstage at The Late Late Show
"Is everything okay in there?"
"Everything is fine. We're discussing Rachel's travel itinerary."
I realized I had to go along with whatever Tyler said at this point. I echoed his sentiments with a murmured response which seemed to satisfy the staffer who'd come to investigate things.
They left. That meant they were satisfied, right?
I didn't know what was happening in my world. I had thought I was getting a fresh start with Nathan Lewis, with my music, with my life. Now Tyler Wright was thrusting himself back into the mix as a potential suitor, a possible mate, and an employer? Was he threatening me?
I couldn't gauge his intentions. I had never understood the decisions Tyler made at Moonrise Entertainment because he'd made it very obvious he didn't want to discuss his business with me.
There had always been a vast divide between Tyler Wright as t
Rachel POV Flying from Los Angeles to New York City Sleep had claimed Nathan almost as soon as the plane finished taxiing down the runway. He had warned me he had a hard time staying awake while traveling. I had thought he'd been joking or exaggerating, but it turned out Nathan really did conk right out once the vehicle started moving. I was watching the city fading away from view out the window when my phone buzzed in my hand. "What does your calendar look like for next week?" I stared at the text from Tyler in stunned silence. He had been the one to tell me to call him! I hadn't even looked at my calendar yet! How was I supposed to answer him without being offensive? I'd been focused on getting on the plane before it left the runway. I needed to get from one side of the country to the other for my next appearance. "Have you even looked at your schedule yet?" Trust Tyle
Tyler POV Wright House Rachel responded to my texts with a reassuring speed. I had never sent so many texts in my life. I was surprised the cellular company had yet to reach out to ensure my phone hadn't been stolen. "Are you on your way?" I knew she was finished for the day. Rachel had messaged me as soon as her morning cleared up following her recording session. Dylan kept telling me they weren't pressuring her any more than another new launch artist. I didn't deal with the music side of the entertainment industry often. I trusted Dylan though. If he said they weren't pushing her, they weren't pushing her. I just hated the idea of Rachel being forced to work for hours at a stretch when she was pregnant. "10 minutes out!" Children had never been a priority for me. I swore I wouldn't have any when I was taken from my birth mother to come live at Wright Manor with my fath
Rachel POVWright House"Men don't really want a woman of mystery?""Mysteries are overrated."Tyler seemed to almost be teasing me except there wasn't anything funny about our conversation.We had started our life together with pain and suffering because I had chosen to lie rather than approach my mate with the truth. I hadn't trusted Tyler Wright and I had not had a single reason for my doubt. All my fears had been the result of years of instincts honed from life with a compulsive gambler, liar, and con artist.Patrick Flores taught me not to trust anyone---not even my own father."I wish I had told you the truth.""I wish you had, too," Tyler murmured, leaning down to nuzzle my neck once more, "I would have saved Ethan. I would have personally delivered the ransom if I needed to and I wouldn't have regretted a single dollar. It was never about the money."Tyler was distracting me with hi
Rachel POVBella & Rachel's Apartment"Do you know your blood type, Ethan?"I was filling out forms for my OB/GYN as part of the pre-admission process for my delivery day. If things went well, I would have my baby following the birth plan I was working on with my medical team.I had yet to go public with my pregnancy, but I knew I wouldn't be able to hide it for much longer.Ethan handed me a stack of forms he'd found for me at Patrick's place. I was hoping I would have a copy of my birth certificate ready to go. All my important paperwork had been kept with Patrick. I'd never needed it in the past since I had never gotten a job or legally married my mate.Not that my mate would have legally married me, I thought with a flash of bitterness."I'm type O," Ethan said, "It's the same as Patrick. He donated blood when we had the school shooting. I remember it was a big deal because O is like the universa
Rachel POVBlue Diamond"I feel strange being here as a guest."Nathan ordered sparkling water for both of us; I was grateful he hadn't tried to order wine because I wasn't ready to talk about my secret pregnancy.If it had been Tyler, I was sure he'd have ordered a bottle of his favorite wine for himself and ignored ordering for me entirely. He'd just say water would have to be good enough. He wasn't one to think of the needs of others.Except for his father, I thought bitterly, pouring my water into the provided glass.Tyler was very worried about his father's opinion. He'd kept me a secret for three years because his father told him to---and so his father could keep making secret deals to secure him a more desirable wife."Don't worry so much. Everyone seems thrilled to see you again. Besides. You look stunning tonight. I've missed seeing you smile."Trust Nathan to make me blush as if I were i
Rachel POVCamelot Records"You're driving him crazy, you know that, right?"I looked up, startled at the voice coming through the speakers into the recording booth. I was still working hard to finish all the tracks on the LP I had signed a contract to produce when I came under Camelot Records umbrella as an artist.Dylan Roberts was alone in the control room; I wondered how long I had been lost in my music without a sound engineer present. I felt a flash of annoyance at his interference.I needed to get my work done to honor my contract with his company. His status as Tyler's lifelong best friend should not interfere with our working relationship. I didn't want anyone thinking my contract with Camelot had come from having a connection to Tyler.I'd worked my ass off to provide them with quality tracks. They were getting some of the best compositions I'd written in my life. I was insulted by the very idea peopl
Rachel POVRachel's Bedroom"Hello? Tyler?"I couldn't help the breathlessness I was experiencing as the phone line was answered. It felt as if there hadn't even been enough time for it to ring and suddenly there was the sound of someone else on the line.Breathing.How could I identify Tyler from the way he breathed alone?"Who else would be answering my phone at this hour?"I smiled at his grumpy response. He sounded tired. I wondered how bad things were for him if Dylan had felt pressured to come to me in person to appeal for my help."I don't know. Magda has answered before.""Magda is never here later than six. She's got to be home for her grandkids."I gave a fond thought to the older woman who was Tyler's personal housekeeper. Magda had always been a comforting presence in the house. She'd been there before me and it felt fitting she was there after I'd gone.I realized
Rachel POVRachel's Bedroom"Jenny is going to be the costar."I wasn't sure what I had expected Tyler to say, but that definitely wasn't it.Silence stretched between us on the line. I wasn't in any hurry to fill it as I had no idea what to say in response to the bombshell Tyler had gotten his mistress a part in my movie! What was he thinking?"Are you angry? I know you don't like Jenny very much."Was I angry?I tried to examine my emotions from an outside perspective. There was definitely some anger in me towards the woman who had driven me to demand a rejection from my mate.Jenny had made me believe she was having Tyler's baby only for me to find out it was a lie. The irony of us both having used a pregnancy scam to win Tyler wasn't lost on me. I hated she reminded me of my weakest moment, too.I hated a lot about Jenny Wayland the Model."I don't know if