Learning

  But the students didn’t give up that easily.

  They took off down the same path they’d walked in on. But a number of the teens stayed close behind.

  “That’s Bailey Flanigan!” one of the guys shouted. “Hey! Bailey, wait up.”

  She almost wondered if it would be easier to stop and deal with the kids, sign autographs, and take pictures. But then Brandon was far more experienced at this, and the crowds he could draw in a very short time would make her night at Sardi’s look like a quiet affair. They held hands, staying fifteen yards ahead of the kids, but the commotion they caused was drawing other people into the chase.

  “We’re a parade,” she smiled at him, yelling so he could hear her above the shouts from behind.

  “Always.” He picked up their pace, and as he ran he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and called their driver. “Same place, five minutes,” he told him.

  Whether one of the kids called the news or flashed the information on Twitter, they would never know, but by the time they passed the pond, more than a hundred people ran after them, and a host of paparazzi jumped out from a cropping of bushes and began snapping pictures.

  “Keep running.” Brandon didn’t seem upset, just determined.

  Bailey was glad she was in shape. They’d already run for a few minutes.

  “Don’t worry about the pictures. There’s no way around them.”

  She had been with Brandon at premieres where she wondered if she’d ever seen so many flashes or heard so many cameras clicking. But a red carpet event was supposed to be like that. Here … with a couple dozen cameramen snapping rapid-fire shots as they ran toward them, Bailey could only imagine the pictures they were getting.

  The paparazzi continued to shoot as they ran up and passed them, and then they joined the throng of people still chasing them. They reached the drop-off spot and there was the driver, the back door already open. He saluted Brandon as they ran up, and like a scene from a movie Brandon and Bailey jumped into the car and the driver slammed the door shut.

  “Wow …” Brandon was breathing hard, but still able to laugh. “I didn’t see that coming.”

  “I did.” Bailey doubled over, laughing and trying to catch her breath at the same time. “There was nothing I could do. Not enough time.”

  “There never is.” He leaned back against the seat, his arms sprawled out at either side like he was exhausted. He turned his head and grinned at her. “Okay … so we got through that, right?”

  “We did.” She turned sideways and laughed again. “It’s crazy … like what are people thinking? They’ll catch us and then what … tackle us to the ground? Force you out for a cup of coffee?” She exhaled, her heartbeat almost back to normal.

  “You’re not freaked out?”

  “No.” She was a little, but she didn’t want to say so. They’d survived it, right? “It was a onetime thing. Compared to all the hours we’ve had in the city, I guess it isn’t so bad.”

  Brandon winced. “Except one thing … now they know we’re a couple.” He was quick to correct himself. “What I mean is … we starred in a movie together, and now we’re holding hands in Central Park months after the movie hits theaters.” He nodded, his expression resigned. “They’ll think we’re a couple for sure.”

  “Which means …” Bailey thought she understood where he was headed with this. “We’ll have less of a chance hiding next time we check out the mongoose pups?”

  “Exactly.”

  Bailey wasn’t sure what to say. She appreciated that Brandon had a plan, that he’d arranged for the driver to be nearby in case something like this happened. She could live with this if she had to, right? If that’s where God was leading them? They fell quiet then, and Brandon reached for her hand. Once their fingers were together, Bailey’s questions fell away. She could tolerate any amount of paparazzi or wild fans if it meant being with him.

  She had never been more sure.

  Twenty-Seven

  PAPARAZZI FOLLOWED THEM TO BAILEY’S APARTMENT, BUT Brandon caught the eye of the doorman, and whisked Bailey inside before the photographers could take more than a few pictures. They took the stairs to the second floor and the elevator the rest of the way, and Bailey tried to imagine the pictures in the tabloids over the coming week. “I’m sure they’ll have a field day with the one of us running into my apartment.”

  “Probably.” He looked intently at her, the way he might if she were sick or if she’d had an accident of some kind. “But you’re okay? You’re not going to hold it against me, right?”

  “Brandon …” They were in the elevator, and she put her hand on his shoulder. Her heart melted at the thought that the concern in his eyes was over whether she would hold the paparazzi incident against him. “It’s not your fault. You’ve done everything you can to avoid that.”

  “Okay.” He seemed to breathe a little easier. They got off at the eleventh floor and went into the apartment. The Kellers were gone for the afternoon — headed to Jersey to see Betty’s sister. They might not be home until nine or ten, according to Betty. She knew that Brandon might come back with her, and though she and Bob had a house rule that their tenants couldn’t have visitors in their bedrooms, they’d assured Bailey that Brandon was welcome to hang out in the living room with her. Bailey checked the clock on the microwave. It was a little after three in the afternoon, and they hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

  “Let’s see what’s in the fridge.” She checked and found very little she could make into a meal. She gave Brandon one of the yogurts she kept at the back of the top shelf, and she took one too. But that wouldn’t work for dinner. And now that the paparazzi knew where she was staying, they’d be waiting downstairs.

  “We can order in.” Brandon took a seat at the dining room table. “How about I beat you at Scrabble and then we get Chinese food?”

  Bailey felt the night become magical once again. “Perfect.” Suddenly the idea sounded better than any place they might go out in the city tonight.

  They played Scrabble for an hour, and Bailey lost both games. Then they called for sweet and sour chicken, broccoli beef, and an assortment of other vegetable and noodle dishes. The time alone was wonderful, and Bailey loved that they didn’t have to worry about paparazzi here. It was dark outside by then, and the lights from the city twinkled from both walls of glass windows that bordered the living room. Bailey took a spot on the sofa, and Brandon sat beside her. But she noticed he left room between them — something she appreciated, even if she would’ve liked him to sit closer. They were alone, after all, and Brandon knew the same as she did that the Kellers wouldn’t be home until much later. The distance told her he didn’t want to put either of them in a situation they couldn’t escape from.

  Bailey flicked on the TV and they found a special on Broadway shows. This one was titled, Wicked — Making of a Broadway Musical. Halfway through, the camera caught a ten-second shot of the ensemble dancers practicing. “Hey … that’s Tim!”

  “Tim?” Brandon glanced at her, his expression mildly confused. “Do I know him?”

  “No.” She giggled. “I used to date him.”

  “Oh.” Brandon leveled his gaze at the screen. “So you’re saying I should know him.”

  “No, silly.” She angled her head, loving how he could make her laugh. “He’s dating someone else. We were never really more than friends, anyway.”

  “I see.” Brandon nodded, absently. “I like him better now.”

  The special ended just as the Chinese food arrived. Bailey paid — mostly so the delivery guy wouldn’t catch a glimpse of Brandon. She wondered if the paparazzi would follow the man up, hiding behind the bags of Chinese food. But the doorman downstairs wouldn’t have allowed that.

  When the man was gone, Bailey handed the food to Brandon and followed him to the table. He sat at the head of the table and she took the spot beside him, so they shared a corner.

  But before he sat down, Brandon held up his finger. “Hold on.
” He hurried into the kitchen and rummaged through a couple drawers before he found what he was looking for. “Here.” He returned to the table and held up a book of matches. Then he lit the candle at the center of the Kellers’ table, and before he sat down he dimmed the lights. “Most romantic Chinese restaurant in all of New York.”

  Bailey tried to focus on her dinner — which was truly delicious. But she kept wondering about the question … and whether this was when he’d finally ask it, or if maybe he’d been teasing or possibly forgotten altogether. She didn’t bring it up, and the dinner hour breezed by — the two of them laughing and talking about his funniest movie moments and her brothers’ greatest sports victories.

  When the meal was over, Brandon cleared their plates and the two of them washed the few dishes and put away the leftovers. Enough for the Kellers and Bailey to eat for a week. Finally, with the kitchen clean and the beautiful night beckoning them, Bailey turned to him. “I wish we could take a walk … go somewhere outside. The night’s beautiful.” It was one thing the Kellers’ apartment didn’t have: a balcony.

  “Is there roof access?” A sense of adventure brightened Brandon’s expression.

  “Ummm,” Bailey tried to remember if the Kellers had ever said anything about the roof. “You know … I’m not sure.”

  “Well,” he took her hand and led her to the front door. “Let’s find out.”

  Bailey often wondered what life would be like with Brandon if their friendship led to something more serious, more long-term. Marriage, even. Would their lives always be a series of adventures and surprises, the adrenaline rush of escaping paparazzi and searching for hidden places to share their time? Bailey smiled to herself as they hurried into the hall. She wouldn’t mind, that’s for sure. Bailey loved everything about their time together recently — even the chase through Central Park today was fun. He brought a sense of magic to any situation, never knowing where he might show up or what new memories they might make together.

  A lifetime of this would be practically perfect, right?

  Bailey didn’t stop long enough to answer her own question. She and Brandon tiptoed to the other end of the hallway. “Shhh,” he whispered back at her, his eyes alive with the thrill ahead. He snuck a glance over one shoulder and then the other, pretending that someone might jump out at them at any moment. Bailey had to work to keep her laughter at an appropriately quiet level.

  The door at the end of the hall led to a stairwell, and Brandon raised his brow at her. “See? We might be onto something.”

  Bailey had no idea how many floors made up the apartment building, but she hoped it wasn’t more than twenty. She could climb stairs all day long, but between laughing and trying to catch her breath, she wasn’t sure how many flights she could take. At first Brandon kept up the light steps and whispers, like he was playing a part in an espionage movie.

  But after six floors he began dragging his feet, exaggerating every breath in. “I need … to get … to the gym more.”

  Again she was overcome by a bout of laughter, this time strong enough that she grabbed the railing and stopped, bent over. She laughed so hard tears came to her eyes, and when she finally regained her composure enough to move on, she gave him a playful slap on the shoulder. “Quit it … I can’t breathe when I laugh that hard.”

  “Risks of hanging out with me, I guess.” He shrugged, again moving lightly up the stairs, the out-of-shape act finished for now.

  As it turned out there were eighteen floors in the Kellers’ apartment building. Only then did Brandon stop and turn abruptly to her. “Of course … we could’ve taken the elevator to the eighteenth floor and then looked for roof access.”

  Again they both started laughing, holding each other up from the silliness of their walk up the stairs. It was one of those times when a person looking in on them might not understand, a time when every moment seemed funnier than the last thing. Bailey thought about all the hours she’d spent with the Hairspray cast, and how little she’d laughed. A night like this, laughing until she couldn’t see for her tears … was more wonderful than anything else they might’ve done for her tonight.

  One last flight of stairs went up after the last floor, and as they rounded the corner they saw a door printed with the words Roof Access.

  “Ahaa!” Brandon stopped and thrust his hand in the air. “The explorers are victorious!”

  “Exhausted …” Bailey trudged up the last few steps. “But definitely victorious.”

  The minute they walked onto the roof, Bailey drew a quick, quiet breath and stopped, shocked at what she was seeing. A garden filled up most of the roof, and through it pathways and benches that gave it a feel of Central Park. There were lights along the winding walkway, and pretty bushes marking every ten feet or so along the railing that ran along the perimeter of the roof. Suddenly Bailey remembered a conversation with Bob a month ago when he’d said something about hanging out with Betty on the roof. Bailey hadn’t given the idea another thought. Where she grew up, people didn’t hang out on rooftops of buildings.

  “Wow …” Brandon stopped and slid his hands in his pockets. The goofiness from earlier was gone, and clearly now he could do nothing but stand frozen in place, in awe over the beauty here. He looked back at Bailey and grinned. “Who would’ve known?”

  “Bob said something about the roof once, but … yeah, I had no idea.” It was one more example of how she shared new vistas with Brandon, how they experienced things Bailey had never imagined. She smiled. “Ummm … definitely a good idea. Coming up here.”

  “Even with the stairs.” He still had laughter in his voice as he reached for her hand again and they walked along the path to the other side of the roof. “Let’s check out the view.”

  The air was cooler now that night had fallen, and Bailey realized she should’ve brought a sweater from the apartment. She ran her free hand along her arms and stayed close at Brandon’s side.

  “Cold?” He slowed and put his arm around her shoulders.

  “A little.” She felt a different sort of chill at the touch of his hand against her bare arm. And his body beside her kept her warm against the cool of the night.

  They reached the far side and found a pretty patio that ran alongside the railing. Flower bowls dotted the edges and benches anchored either side. “It’s beautiful.” Bailey took the lead and they walked slowly to the railing. She looked back at him. “Our own personal Empire State Building.”

  “Mmmm.” His teasing eyes danced again. “With you, who needs another eighty floors?”

  She giggled quietly. “Exactly.”

  For a little while they stayed that way, side by side, leaning on the high railing, soaking in the lights of the city and the view of Times Square. But then he faced her, sliding his arms around her waist and looking to the places in her heart that were beginning to feel like they belonged only to him. “I had another great day.”

  “Me too.” The mood between them was suddenly more intimate, deeper than before. Bailey felt her heart beat hard. She laughed a little. “I don’t think I’ve had this much fun ever.”

  “See?” His smile warmed her soul. “That’s why you’re supposed to be with me.”

  “Hmmm … is that right?” She lowered her chin, her eyes on his.

  “It is.” He ran his fingers lightly through her hair. The depth in his eyes turned more serious, a sort of mesmerizing look that left no doubt about his feelings. “I have something for you.” He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a tiny vintage-looking brown leather box. He held it out to her. “Here.”

  The box alone was the most beautiful thing … like something a person might only find in an antique store. She ran her thumb over it and then lifted her eyes to him. “Can I open it?”

  “Of course.” His smile told her how much he enjoyed this. “I’ve been waiting for this all day.”

  Happiness filled her, consumed her. She had no idea what to expect, but as she opened the box she caught her breath
again. “Brandon, it’s beautiful.”

  The white gold necklace had a heart charm and on it — in the faintest engraving — were their initials. B&B. He reached in and turned the heart around. “It’s engraved on the back too.”

  She peered at it in the moonlight and what she saw brought tears to her eyes, tears because for all the ways she’d missed opportunities and struggled in her season here on Broadway, somehow God still loved her enough to give her a moment like this … a guy like Brandon Paul. She looked at him. “My verse. You remembered?”

  “I remember everything about you, Bailey.” He took the necklace out and set the box on the nearby bench. Then he carefully slipped it onto her neck, his fingers cool against her skin. After he’d fastened the clasp, he faced her once more and she wondered if his heart was pounding like hers. “Can I ask you something?”

  This was it … the question. She put her arms around his neck, curious … barely able to breathe. “Yes … please, Brandon.” She couldn’t take her eyes from him, didn’t dare move or blink.

  “You’re beautiful … you have no idea how much.” He looked mesmerized, lost in her eyes.

  “I feel beautiful … with you, Brandon.”

  “Bailey …” The rare vulnerability was back in his eyes, the brash confident, carefree guy the rest of the world knew gone in this moment between them. “Will you be my girlfriend?” He didn’t wait for her to answer, but rather put his hands on her shoulders, his expression intense and filled with a love that surprised her. “I know it won’t be easy … but I’ll try my best to make it normal. As normal as we can be.”

  “Normal?” She laughed, and the sound held the slightest cry in it. “Brandon, you could never be normal.” She hugged him and when she pulled back she felt the depth in her own eyes. “Which is why I have to tell you … yes. Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend.”

  “Really?” His question came loud and with a fresh burst of life.

  “Really!” She laughed again. “I wanted you to ask.”

  He picked her up and swung her in a full circle, and when he set her back down again he leaned against the railing and shouted. “Hey, New York! I’m in love with Bailey Flanigan!”