to see that being with Kaylee could be the most right thing in the world.
Kaylee, on the other hand, started to freak a little bit. Sure they looked great together, but was what she saw in the mirror an actual portrayal, or was it all smoke and mirrors? She couldn't shake the fact that Ashton was a playboy who really lived up to his reputation. She had tried not to wonder about how many women he had dated, or slept with, or otherwise engaged in ways she didn't want to think about.
But standing there looking at the two of them, she realized that things do change, and maybe things were changing now, even as she looked at them together. Was Ashton really the kind of man who could change his ways? And was the she kind of woman who could make him want to change?
She was determined to find out, whether it be tonight, tomorrow, or next year.
The ding of the elevator brought them back to their moment of reality, and the doors parted, splitting up the image that they were both carefully studying. In the elevator, they clung to each other's hands, looking for support to get through the nerve-wracking night. It wasn't just the cameras and the fans that made them nervous - it was the appearance they would make, the fact that they would be together in front of all those cameras and fans.
They wanted to impress each other. As Ashton squeezed her hand, Kaylee closed her eyes and said a silent prayer that this night would be better than anything in her wildest dreams.
Chapter 9
Kaylee and ashton were the last to get to the limo that was waiting for them in front of the hotel. They got in and Kaylee looked around. She saw Jayden and Colton on the other side of the long black limousine, semi-dressed up, along with their dates. She knew that Jayden had arranged their dates, in order for them to portray the right image, since neither one had any girls who they wanted to bring. The way they talked among themselves - a little too formal and careful - said that they were all complete strangers trying to make the best of the night.
Noah's date, however, struck something in Kaylee's memory. She looked curiously at her brother, trying to remember where she had seen the girl. After a moment of serious thought, he had it - this was the same girl from the bar a few weeks ago, and even then she looked familiar, but Kaylee couldn't put her finger on where she knew her from. With all the people whom she had met on the tour, names and faces tended to blend together.
"Kaylee, you remember Brittany, right? We went out for a while in high school," Noah told her.
A moment of realization hit Kaylee hard. That was the girl! How could she have forgotten? "Yes, I remember you Brittany. How are you?"
"I'm great, thanks," she replied, obviously feeling a little awkward. "You look great, by the way."
"Thanks, so do you," Kaylee returned the compliment. Her curiosity was now at an all-time high. "So, tell me how you and Noah ended up in contact again?"
The limo began moving, giving a little jolt to all of them. Ashton reached out to steady Kaylee, who wasn't prepared for the movement.
"Well, I travel a lot for my company," Brittany said. "I'm a Business Development Manager for a largeconsulting firm. So I'm all over the country trying to persuade companies to use our services. I ran into Noah at a restaurant a couple of months ago. I wasn't sure it was him at first, but then he recognized me and we started talking. Now whenever we are in the same area, we get together and hang out," Brittany informed her.
"Wow, that's great," Kaylee said, wondering if she really felt that way. She shot Noah a look, asking clearly, why didn't you tell me? But then she thought back to the women Noah had dated, and the pieces finally clicked into place. If she remembered correctly, Brittany was the girl who turned Noah loose, thinking that he'd never make anything of himself. How ironic that she was here now, after Noah had finally done exactly what Brittany swore he would never do.
She turned to Colton and Jayden's dates and introduced herself to them. They seemed rather nice, and she hoped that Colton and Jayden would have a good time with them. They deserved some happiness.
The limo