Incidental Happenstance (31 page)

            Prague was a beautiful historical city, and she and Dylan pressed against each other as the breeze lifted their hair and they weaved slowly through Old Town Square past the amazing architecture that made the city unique. They chatted easily about the past two weeks, her last days of school and the gifts and notes she’d received from her students; Lexi’s uncontrollable excitement about joining them for a leg of the tour, the cities the band had already visited and Tia had missed. Dylan quieted suddenly, and just looked at her.

            “What?” she asked, smiling.

            Dylan kissed her gently and said, “It’s downright embarrassing how much I missed you! It’s just so damn good to see you again.”

            “Me too,” she said, resting her forehead against his lips and running her hands down his back. “I can’t believe I’m finally here!”

            They pulled onto a side street and stopped in front of a little house covered with ivy and tucked away from the main line of traffic. “Home sweet home,” he said, motioning to the doorway as the limo came to a stop and Dylan ducked back into the car. The driver was there in a moment, holding the door for them. Dylan thanked him and shook his hand, and from the look on his face when he checked the bill Dylan had tucked into his palm, he was tipped generously.

            “Thank you very much, Mr. Miller,” he said grinning. “Enjoy the rest of your stay in Prague!”

            He looked at Tia as he answered, “I certainly will—it just got a whole lot better—thank you.”

            They entered the little house and Tia looked around. From the outside, the house had old world character and charm, but the inside had been modernized and was beautiful and quaint. There were flowers everywhere, the beautiful tropicals like those in Dylan’s first bouquet to her, and candles were lit, bathing the rooms in a soft glow against the pulled curtains. There was a bottle of champagne chilling on the counter, and two glasses had already been poured. Dylan picked them up and handed one to Tia, clinking glasses and offering a simple toast, “To reconnections, and getting to know each other a whole lot better.”

            They sipped, and Dylan put his arm around her shoulders and led her on a tour of the little house. When they reached the bathroom, Tia saw petals sprinkled on the floor and more candles burning. A large claw-foot tub sat in the center of the room; full and steaming and inviting, with more flower petals floating on top of the water.

            “Do you know how hard it is to find a place in this city with a tub big enough for two?” Dylan asked as Tia looked at him smiled. “But I just couldn’t get that image of you soaking in a bath out of my head, and I had to find one. I thought maybe you’d like to clean up after being on the plane all night.” He leaned down and nuzzled her neck.

            “It’s definitely big enough for two,” she said slyly, “and I couldn’t think of a better way to start off the summer than right here.”

            He took his time undressing her, running his fingers over her skin as he exposed it, planting little kisses that drove Tia crazy. All her weariness left her, and she slipped into the hot water, watching as Dylan undressed and climbed in beside her after pushing the button that turned on the jets and sent the water churning around her entire body. Then she was in his arms, all slippery skin and bubbles, and the past two weeks melted away as they kissed and explored each other, hands sliding easily and greedily over the contours of their melded bodies. Dylan pulled back, cupped his hands under her, and lifted her hips out of the water, taking her with his mouth. The swirl of his tongue coupled with the swirl of the water was an incredible sensation, and she gave herself to it fully, every nerve in her body on fire as she rolled into an intense and shuddering climax. She moaned when he entered her, reveling in the slipperiness between them and the way their bodies came together in rhythm with the churning water. When they were spent, he grabbed a bottle of scented wash and sponged her all over, washing her hair and massaging her scalp as she leaned back against him. She felt herself completely relax for the first time in two weeks, and exhaustion finally caught up with her. They stepped out of the tub and he toweled her dry, and tucked her into the soft bed, lying next to her and lightly massaging her shoulders.

            “It’s so good to have you back,” he whispered against her ear. “Sleep a little now, and I’ll wake you in a few hours.”

            “Mmm hmm,” she murmured, drifting off. There was a show tonight, she knew, and she planned to be there. Wrapped in his arms, she slipped off into the best sleep she’d had in weeks, the smile she wore never leaving her face.

            With each leg of the journey Tia found herself more enamored with Europe, and much more enamored with Dylan. Every city had its own flavor of cultures, food, drink, art and architecture, and she drank it in like a thirsty sponge. They spent a good deal of time together, but Dylan had his work, too, and his schedule varied greatly from day to day. Naturally, Tia attended all the shows, and it never got old watching Dylan and the rest of the boys do what they did best. Occasionally, she’d attend a taping of an interview or TV show, but Tia was determined not to get in Dylan’s way or to be constantly underfoot, and she had no problem wandering the streets of places like Vienna, Geneva and Munich, on her own. With her tourist maps in her bag and her camera at the ready, she quickly mastered the art of public transportation, and enjoyed exploring the cities at a casual pace.

            She wanted to remember every minute of this summer, and had brought several journals that were filling up more quickly than she’d imagined. Many afternoons she sat in parks or at sidewalk cafes and wrote about her experiences, the places she’d visited, and her ever-growing feelings for Dylan. She loved watching the people that strolled through the cities; the tourists and locals from each place she visited gave every destination its own character. Sitting alone, she sketched the scenes on empty pages and sent emails and pictures to her friends, creating vivid descriptions of each place. The shops were incredible as well, and she enjoyed picking up unique little souvenirs for everyone back home.

               Every day brought her and Dylan closer together—they discovered many things they had in common and others that were uniquely their own. They both loved architecture, and enjoyed touring the many cathedrals and castles that stood sentinel over the cities they visited. Neither was into the club scene—both preferred quiet strolls and occasional shows to the crowds and pulsing beats of the European nightlife. They shared a similar sense of adventure and a love of the outdoors as well, and spent time hiking in the Alps while in Vienna, soaking up the early summer sunshine and enjoying a picnic lunch of wine, bread and cheese in one of the most beautiful settings in the world.

            The boys had planned the tour so that they’d have some free time in each of the cities they visited, and whenever Dylan had a free day, he and Tia made it a point to see the highlights of each place. In Geneva they strolled arm in arm through the cobbled streets of Old Town past the tall grey stone houses and past the Rue Fontaine to visit the Temple de la Madeleine, a beautiful gothic church at the center of the square. In the afternoon, they hiked on Mont Saleve, through the woods and up to the expansive meadows filled with summer colors. In Stockholm they took a breathtaking hot air balloon ride over the city and the tiny islands that created the amazing archipelago, soaking in the sights while sipping champagne and nibbling on caviar-laden crackers. They both fell in love with the casual atmosphere of Munich, and spun through the city on Segways, excited to find a Segway tour after having loved the one they’d taken in Chicago. Later in the day, they visited the English Gardens, sharing a maas at the world-famous Chinese Pagoda. They sipped fresh German beer from huge steins at street side cafes and watched the crowds strolling through Marienplatz, the large public square.

            They were growing closer all the time, and enjoyed each other’s companand their similar sarcastic humor. Each of them took hundreds of pictures, and Dylan added some sketches and notes of his own to her journals. She knew that they’d be treasures to her forever, and loved the quirky drawings and comments he made that she’d read over and over while they were apart in the fall.

            She’d grown to love the rest of the band, as well. Tia became a regular fixture back stage, and they’d gotten to know each other pretty quickly. She even talked Bo and Ty into having lunch with her once in a while when Dylan was busy doing solo interviews or guest appearances.

            Often, when all the boys were busy, Jessa joined her for little adventures, and they became fast friends. They reveled in discovering the local flavors of tiny street cafes and bakeries, always bringing something back for the boys to enjoy. It was at the sidewalk café at Hotel Adlon, overlooking the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the fifth stop and three weeks into her visit, that Jessa blurted the question. They’d been pouring over maps and coffee, nibbling warm strudel, and planning out their afternoon, when she said softly, “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

            The question took Tia by surprise, and she stopped mid-sip. “Excuse me?” she stammered, obviously flustered.

            “I’m not trying to be nosey,” she added quickly. “But it’s pretty obvious from where I’m sitting. I can see the way you look at him. And the way he looks at you.”

            Tia exhaled sharply. She’d known Dylan only a little over a month, but the question had been nagging at the back of her mind for some time now. She tried not to think about it, about what it could mean to be in love with someone like him. It was an incredible feeling, but one that scared the crap out of her at the same time. Now that it was on the table, though, she couldn’t deny it. “Oh God, it’s true,” she breathed, and Jessa grinned. “But I don’t know, Jessa, what am I supposed to do about it? Things are so great between us, but I don’t know what he’s feeling, exactly, and anyway, what kind of future do we have? He’s going to go away to film a movie on the other side of the planet, and I’m going to go back to my fifth grade classroom. He’s going to go to a Hollywood premier as the star of the red carpet, and I’m going to be doing report cards and hosting parent conferences. Hardly a match made in heaven—our lives are so different.” She’d gone over these words in her head a thousand times, and it actually felt good to finally voice them aloud.

            “So what?” Jessa said matter-of-factly. “Love is love, and if it’s meant to be, it’ll work itself out.” She lowered her voice to a conspiratory whisper. “I’m rooting for you, you know.”

            Tia leaned over and hugged her. “I’m glad to have you on my side,” she giggled. “I’m already beside myself worrying about him spending months alone with that horrible Penelope Valentine. She wants to sink her teeth into him, and they’re going to be really involved with each other while they’re in New Zealand…”

            “Never gonna happen,” Jessa answered. “Trust me, he sees right through her. He can’t stand her type of person—she doesn’t stand a chance with him. Besides, I’ll be there too, and I’ll be sure to mention you at least…oh, twenty times a day or so. But even if I didn’t, it’s not like he could forget you. Like I said, I see the way he looks at you, and he talks about you constantly. He’s really done a lot behind the scenes to make sure you have a good time on this tour and that you always have something to do. It’s working out for me, that’s for sure—part of my job while I’m here is making sure you enjoy yourself, which is guaranteeing that I’ll have some fun too. He’s worried that you’ll get bored and want to go home.”

            “You’re kidding, right?” she mused. “I can’t believe he’d even think that! I’m loving every minute here, whether it’s with you, by myself, or with him.” She smiled at the sideways smirk Jessa threw her way. “OK, I fully admit that the times with him are the best, but I haven’t been bored for a minute—how could I be, when I’m surrounded by all this?” She motioned to the beautiful public square, sipped her coffee, and sighed. “Oh Jessa, I’m completely out of my mind over him, and it scares me to death. I’ve only known him a little over a month, but now it’s hard to imagine my life without him. But I have no choice in the matter—he’s going to be gone for a long time. I’m trying not to get too attached, but I’m afraid it’s already too late.”

            Jessa reached over and patted her hand. “The feeling is mutual, I’m sure of it.”

            “You know,” Tia confessed, “when I first met you, I was so jealous that you got to spend so much time with him, and got to travel with him…I have to say, I wondered if there was something between the two of you. I’m so glad I got to know you. I like knowing that he has you to look after him.”

            Jessa laughed. “Oh, there’s a lot between us, I assure you,” she confided. “In some ways, I know more about him than I want to.” A smirk touched her lips. “But none of it’s beyond a professional relationship, and it never was.”

            “I know that,” Tia added quickly, “I do. He loves you too, you know.”

            She smiled. “Yeah, I do know. He’s a great guy, and you’re a great couple. I like you so much better than all the other girls he’s dated. Believe me when I say he never cared about any of them the way he cares for you. Take it from someone who knows him.”

            Tia looked her in the eye. “You won’t tell him, though, right? If he doesn’t feel the same way…”