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Nya sipped her coffee before continuing. “Something happened last night. Something I didn’t get a chance to tell you. It’s no big deal, and clearly it was just a reaction to seeing Russell.”
“Still confused,” Sabrina said.
“When I saw Russell last night, he was heading toward me with Topaz. You remember Topaz?”
“The woman he cast in his film. The one you suspected he was sleeping with.”
“Yes,” Nya said. “Well, seeing Topaz on his arm...I kind of freaked out.”
“What does any of this have to do with Tyler?” Sabrina asked.
“Because I did something really stupid. When Russell was walking toward me, with Topaz practically all over him, I panicked. I didn’t know what to do, and all I could think about was the last time I’d spoken to Russell and how he’d humiliated me and acted as though I’d never get over him...” Nya knew she was rambling, and Sabrina’s look of confusion grew more intense. “I was at the bar to get a drink, and when I saw Russell, I—I just turned to the guy next to me and started kissing him.”
“What?” Sabrina’s eyes were bulging.
“I know, it was completely crazy.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” Sabrina said, holding up a hand. “Are you telling me you kissed someone randomly? Literally just laid one on some guy at the bar? To what? Make a point to Russell?”
“Saying it like that makes me sound incredibly stupid. I wasn’t thinking. I just acted. Worst of all, it turns out that the man I kissed was that sexy firefighter, Tyler. He played along with the kiss...perhaps a little too well. Now Tyler and I are supposed to go to the film premiere on Friday night, but I don’t want to go. I can’t. And that’s why I need Mason.”
Sabrina drank more coffee. “There are a lot of blanks you’re not filling in for me, but that’s okay. Let’s start from the beginning. What film premiere?” But before Nya could answer, Sabrina continued, “Ohhhh. You mean Russell’s film? He finally finished it? And the premiere is on Friday night?”
“Yes. The world premiere is on Friday night, followed by an after party, and he said he wants me there. Probably just to rub his success in my face.”
“Why did you say yes if you don’t want to?”
“Russell produced two tickets and gave them to Tyler. I tried to decline, but for some reason Tyler told him we’d be there. Probably as a bit of payback for me kissing him the way I did. I didn’t want to force the issue and keep refusing when Tyler was pretending to be my boyfriend.”
“So you didn’t just kiss him. You guys pretended to be a couple.”
“There was no plan. As I said, it just happened. But the last thing I want to do is go to Russell’s movie premiere, and God only knows why Tyler wants to go. Maybe he actually wants to see the film, or just wants to go for the experience—”
“Or he wants to spend more time with you.”
The words caused Nya to swallow her breath and hold it. Did he? He had certainly kissed her back as though he’d been interested, but she had specifically told him to play along. Still, there had been undeniable heat between them as they’d shared that kiss.
Which was exactly why she didn’t want to go out with him on Friday night. Not now that she’d sworn off dating.
“I don’t want to spend more time with him,” Nya said, trying to push the memory of Tyler’s mouth out of her mind as she met Sabrina’s eyes again. “You know that I’ve sworn off dating for a year. It’s been four months, and I’ve been going strong with my commitment. I’m not going to waver. So can you please have Mason tell Tyler that I won’t be going on Friday night? Considering they work together, it shouldn’t be any trouble for him to pass the message along.”
“You sure you don’t want to go?” Sabrina asked. “Aren’t you curious about the film?”
“I can watch it whenever it’s released on DVD,” Nya said. “I just can’t stomach the idea of spending a night watching a project that Russell and I started working on when we were dating. It’s not about being hung up on him. It’s about not wanting my past to keep invading my personal space.”
Sabrina shrugged. “Sure. I’ll ask Mason to tell him.”
Nya’s shoulders drooped with relief. “Thank you.”
Sabrina’s eyes suddenly bulged. “Oh, heck. I’ve got to get some clothes on.” She jumped to her feet. “And take a quick shower before my ten o’clock appointment.
Nya also stood. “You’ve got twenty minutes.”
As Sabrina hurried out of the studio, Nya inhaled a deep, calming breath. She could finally de-stress. Mason was going to talk to Tyler and cancel the date.
And Nya could get back to enjoying her intentionally single life.
Chapter 4 (#ulink_061912b4-6723-528d-9681-257bb1ca1ca7)
“So?” Mason began, his eyebrows raised. “What’s going on with you and Nya?”
Tyler, Mason and the other firefighters had just returned to the firehouse from a vehicle fire on the Pacific Highway. An SUV had collided with a minivan, and the SUV had caught fire. Thankfully, they’d been able to get the woman and her son out of the car alive, but badly burned. It had been a scene of chaos and fear, after which the mood among the firefighters at Station Two had been dour. So it was an odd time for Mason to be bringing up the subject of Nya.
“Why are you asking me about Nya?” Tyler asked as he began to remove his turnout jacket.
“Sabrina,” Mason said. “I just checked my phone, and I missed a call and a text from her. She said she needed to convey an urgent message about your date with Nya on Friday night. Nya wants you to know that she’s canceling.” Mason flashed him a confused look. “I didn’t even know you knew Nya.”
Tyler hung his jacket on its hook, then began to take off his boots. So Nya was trying to cancel on him. After all the great points he had made about why they should go to the screening?
Tyler wasn’t about to let her off that easily. In fact, all last night he had remembered the shock—then excitement—when she’d kissed him.
“I met her last night,” Tyler said. “Well, I met her again I should say. Obviously, I met her when I went to the studio for my shoot.”
Tyler felt two strong hands press into his shoulders from behind then heard Omar ask, “Are you talking about that beautiful woman you were kissing last night?”
Mason’s eyes widened with surprise. Tyler tried not to show any reaction, though he hated that Omar had blurted that out. But what did Tyler expect? Firefighters were family, and families always teased each other about personal matters.
And when it came to women and dating, Omar was the biggest devil’s advocate. He seemed determined to keep some kind of score and to prove to everyone else that he could get any woman he wanted.
Omar had probably been waiting for the right moment to bring up last night’s incident, but the morning had been unusually busy with the carbon monoxide call, and now this vehicle fire on the freeway. But Omar had been standing next to him at the bar when Nya had suddenly kissed him. One minute, Omar was pointing out to Tyler a woman that he hoped to go home with. The next, Tyler was making out with Nya in the middle of the bar.
“What about you?” Tyler asked Omar. “Did you hook up with that woman you were checking out?”
“Forget about Omar,” Mason said. “He’s always getting action. You, on the other hand...you were kissing Nya?”
“Hell must have frozen over,” one of the other guys said, and a few of them started laughing.
“Very funny, guys,” Tyler said, and told himself not to be annoyed. The subject of his love life—or lack thereof—always brought about jokes. Yes, he had stayed with Carol months after their relationship had all but died—and the guys had known it—which was why they acted as though he was completely hung up on his ex. Was it really wrong to have tried to work things out with Carol after investing years with her?
Omar would definitely say yes. Had it been his relationship, he would have left a long time ago and found a new woman to keep him warm.
“You think every time I get some action I come here and gossip about it like a schoolgirl?” Tyler asked. “A real man knows how to keep certain things to himself.”
There were some “Ooohs,” and another firefighter elbowed Omar in the ribs playfully.
“Hey,” Omar began, “I know how much you all enjoy the details. That’s why I share.”
Tyler turned away from Omar and met Mason’s curious gaze. “Did you actually take Nya home for a one-night stand?” he asked, giving Tyler a look that said he would be less surprised if he had been abducted by aliens last night.
“What—you think it couldn’t happen?” Tyler countered.
“Hey, if you’ve finally put Carol in the rearview mirror...” Mason patted him on the shoulder.
“Oh, come on,” Tyler protested. “Not the Carol lecture again.”
“We wouldn’t give you a hard time about Carol if you’d actually date other women,” Omar said. “You broke up how long ago?”
Tyler cut his eyes at Omar, who seemed to believe that if he wasn’t chasing tail every day, then he was abnormal. Guys like that couldn’t understand that it made sense to take some time for yourself after breaking up with a fiancée.
“Four months is not ancient history,” Tyler said. “Besides, Carol has nothing to do with the equation. As for Nya,” he went on, facing Mason again, “it was quite the interesting experience.”
“Tell me you didn’t blow it,” Omar said.
“Don’t you have a morning-after call to make to the woman you were with last night?” Before Omar could respond, Tyler snapped his fingers and said, “Oh, I’m forgetting. You probably didn’t even get her name.”
There were more “Oohs” and laughter from the guys.
“So you like Nya?” Mason asked, looking hopeful.
Tyler noticed that not only did Mason have a hopeful expression, but so did the other firefighters standing around him, as well. “Since when did my love life become so interesting to you all?”
“What love life?” Omar asked, and laughed.
“We’ll see what you have to say on Saturday morning,” Tyler retorted. Though his interest in Nya had nothing to do with competing with Omar’s scoreboard.
“I don’t know about the rest of you,” Tyler went on, “but I’m hungry. What’s on the menu for today?”
“Fajitas,” Mason said.
“Awesome,” Tyler said, and began to walk down the hallway that led to the common room. “I’m starving.”
In the common room, Omar and the other firefighters headed to the couches surrounding the television. Mason stopped beside Tyler, who had not joined them yet. “So, what am I supposed to tell Sabrina?”
Tyler took a few steps back into the hallway so that he and Mason could have some privacy. “Tell Nya the date’s still on.”
Mason looked intrigued. “What actually happened last night?”
Tyler told him, and when he was finished with his story, Mason was grinning from ear to ear. “Wow. She just laid one on you like that? That’s crazy.”
“Tell me about it. But I liked it. Man, she’s beautiful. And spunky. I definitely want to see her again.”
“All right. I’ll tell Sabrina.”
“Thanks. Though it’s not a real date. Apparently, Nya’s ex made a movie, and he invited us to the premiere on Friday night. I told her I’d go with her and continue playing her boyfriend to make sure that her ex knows she’s over him.”
Mason raised his eyebrows. “And how are you gonna make sure that happens?”
“Look, all I care about is getting to hang out with her again. See where it goes. So I’ll be damned if she cancels on me. You make sure to tell Sabrina that the date is still on. No ifs, ands or buts.”
* * *
“Let’s see,” Nya said as she perused the calendar on her computer screen. “There’s been a cancellation for Friday at 4:45 p.m., so I can get you in then if that works for you. As I said, that’s only a last-minute consultation, and you’ll have to see if Sabrina will be able to work with you and your schedule.”
The woman on the other end of the line thanked Nya profusely.
As Nya hung up the phone, a smile touched her lips. Business certainly was booming. The woman said she was willing to work her date around whenever Sabrina was available. Which spoke volumes about Sabrina’s popularity. At this point, Sabrina had bookings well over eighteen months in advance.
It was amazing what a little bit of publicity could do for a business. Nya knew that soon enough, Sabrina might need some help taking photos. It wasn’t the reason why she had started tinkering with photography, but she wondered if she could take some classes and get to be good enough where she could be a true partner in the business.
It wasn’t something she thought would happen anytime soon, however. She wasn’t delusional. But sometime in the future, maybe in a few years, who knew?
Hearing the sound of Sabrina’s sandals clicking against the floor, Nya turned to face her as she entered the front reception area. “I just booked you a four forty-five appointment on Friday night. It’s just a consultation, and hopefully it won’t take more than half an hour. Sorry to book an appointment so late, but the woman was desperate. If you need me to stay, I can go over packages with her and her fiancé.”
Nya relished the idea of staying late. Not just because she wanted to become more involved in the business, but also because it would give her the perfect out for her date with Tyler.
Just in case he had given Mason a hard time about it. If he had, now she could honestly say that she had work and didn’t think she would have enough time to get ready.
“We’ll see how it goes on Friday, but you could always do the consultation if you like. You know the packages I sell, and I’m sure you’ll have no problem talking to them about it.”
“I do have a feeling that the couple wants to meet you,” Nya said. “I can be here to help out, though. And to learn from the best,” she added with a smile.
“The truth is, you might not have the time.”
Nya stared at her, not understanding. “What do you mean?”
“I have a message for you from Mason. Well, I guess from Tyler, actually.”
Nya swallowed. “You do?”
“Mason talked to Tyler, and Tyler told him to tell you that the date is still on. He’s not canceling.”
“What does he mean he’s not canceling? He can’t just make an executive decision and expect me to go along.”
“Guess he wants to see you again.”
“He wants a few laughs at my expense.” Nya groaned. “What is wrong with that man? I’m already embarrassed enough by what I did last night. He doesn’t have to rub it in.”
“I’m kind of surprised you actually don’t want to go out with him.”
As Nya met her friend’s eyes, she knew why Sabrina was confused. Nya had been such a hot mess when it came to men over the past year and a half that she supposed her sudden break from dating was hard to believe.
“I meant it when I said I want to take time to become happy with myself. Ultimately, that’s what I was missing when I was dating man after man. I have to be happy with myself. I can’t find happiness in the arms of a man.”
“Yet you kissed Tyler.”
“Because Russell was right there. What was I supposed to do?”
Sabrina eyed her, a hint of amusement on her face. “Not kiss a guy and expect him to not want more.”
