Disconnected (20 page)

             
"No. And put that lip back up." I lean down to kiss her. "Let us surprise you." 

             
"But we need to know what to pack. Do we need swimsuits?"

             
I narrow my eyes, thinking of those pictures of them on the beach splashed all over the internet, "No bikinis in public, ever again. I don't want anyone else to see what's for my eyes only, Katy."

             
She sighs, rolling her eyes at me. "Yeah, I kind of figured that. What should we pack, then?" 

             
"Hmmm. T-shirts, tank tops, shorts, flip flops. Ok, and swimsuits, but they are to be worn under a tank top and swim shorts.” I point my finger at her. "The last thing I want is some blown up picture of you for perverted teenage boys to hang on their walls being in a magazine somewhere."

             
"Yes, sir," She mock salutes before kissing me. "Guess I better get packing then. Should I put your bag together, too?”

             
"Nah, I'll get my stuff thrown together. Love you.”

             
"Love you, too." She stands on her tip toes to kiss me before turning towards Krista and Scott on the couch, where Krista is sitting on his lap giggling.

             
"Want to come pack up with me, Kris?” Katy asks, raising an eyebrow at her.

             
 "Ok. Love you, Scotty." Krista kisses him, wrapping her arms around his neck, then stands and waves at him. 

             
"Scotty?" both Katy and I ask.

             
Krista links arms with Katy and walks out, and I look at a blushing Scott, crossing my arms.

             
"Scotty? Really?" I bust out laughing.

             
Scott grabs the closest object, a pen, and chucks it at me. I just duck and keep laughing. 

             
"Shut up, dude." He narrows his eyes at me. "So we have nicknames for each other, so what?" 

             
 I put my hands up in surrender, "Nothing, nothing, sorry. I just never pictured you letting a girl call you Scotty."

             
He shakes his head. "She's not just some girl and you know it." He sighs, looking in the direction the girls just left. "No one else is allowed to call me that, though," he says, giving me a pointed look.

             
"I wouldn't dare," I smirk, shaking my head. "I can just imagine all your adoring fans now. Scotty! Scotty, look over here!" I start laughing again.

             
He glares, throwing another pen at me that actually hits me in the head this time. 

             
"Ok, ok, I'll stop! I promise."

             
"Good. What, you and Kate don't have nicknames for each other?"

             
I shake my head, leaning against the wall. "Not really. I think because we've been around each other since we were kids the cutesiest names we came up with were Baby or Babe. We're not that creative with it."

             
It's Scott's turn to laugh, "Obviously. Think we should go help the girls pack?"

             
"Probably."

             
We make our way down the hall and walk in on the tail end of the girls' conversation.

             
"I want to see about being a therapist or something along those lines. If we end up in L.A., I have a feeling our degrees will get put to good use with all the celebrities and their train wrecks," Katy says, and I raise an eyebrow, wondering just what they were talking about that brought all that around.

             
"Hey! I resent that," Scott says, wrapping his arms around Krista. "I'm a celebrity and I am not a train wreck."

             
Krista smiles up at him, putting her hand on his cheek. "Yes, sweetheart, but have you looked around at your fellow Hollywood hotties? Most of them are in and out of rehab."

             
 "Point taken,” he says, shrugging. "Just remember, Liam and I are the 'Golden Boys' and we have a reputation to uphold.”

             
"What were you girls talking about?" I ask, pulling Katy closer to me.

             
"Just talking about how our degrees in Psychology will probably go far if we were to work in L.A., what with all the celebrity craziness.” 

             
"You know babe, you won't have to work at all. I make plenty," I tell her firmly. 

             
She rolls her eyes at me. "Yes, so you've told me. But I didn't work my butt off the last 4 years to throw it away and sit at home while you jet around for movie after movie. I need a purpose, too."

             
I give her a look and motion for Scott to get him and Krista out of the room. It's time I got to have a real talk with Katy, especially concerning what happens once we get settled down again. I have some real hopes for the future, and I hope she shares them with me.

             
"Hey baby, how about we go see what kind of DVD stash Kate's mom has?” Scott catches on and quickly pulls Krista out of the room, closing the door behind them.  

             
Katy crosses her arms defiantly and looks me in the eyes. "What?"

             
I cross the room to her and pull her arms out so her hands are in mine. "I know we haven't had a chance to really discuss it yet, but I was thinking maybe after we get out the honeymoon phase again, we could...start a family."

             
She tilts her head to the side. "You want a baby?"

             
I look down at her new ring and nod. "Yes. That's why I don't want you to go and work right away, Katy. I've wanted to have a family with you as long as I can remember, even before we got married.” I pull her closer, wrapping my arms around her waist. "And it's not to save our marriage or anything either, because we did that on our own."

             
Katy bites her lip before nodding and squaring her shoulders. "Ok."

             
I raise an eyebrow at her. "Ok? You want a baby?" I repeat her own question and grin hopefully.

             
"I do." She smiles up at me as she kisses me.

             
“I’m suddenly very anxious to get to that honeymoon." I smirk down at her and she shoves me away playfully.

             
“You’re just going to have to behave until then.”

             
"We'll see." I pull her back to me. "I love you so much, Katy."

             
 "I love you, too. Now we better get out of here so Krista and Scott can have their room back." She smiles before grabbing my hand and dragging me back out of the room. 

             
I pull her to a stop before we make it all the way to the door and tuck her hair behind her ear. "Thank you," I whisper, kissing her forehead.

             
Her eyebrows draw together as she looks up at me, "For what?"

             
"For giving me a real future to look forward to...not just all the Hollywood mania but something real to look forward to."

             
She smiles, squeezing my hand and pulling me behind her as she walks backward, "Anytime, babe. I love you."

             
"I love you, too." I take a deep breath and relax. For the first time in a long time I feel like I can breathe again. No psycho coming after us, no more distance between us, and the most important thing...hope. Hope that we are far stronger together than we've ever been apart, and hope that I can be the man that Katy deserves. Like Mrs. Parker said before, for so long I've hidden behind that star with my name on it. Now it's time to be the man that Katy needs, and hopefully, the father our children will need, a man who's more than just that actor who throws parties because he's told to. Those days are over; I'm not going to be anyone's puppet anymore.

Chapter 28

             
Late the next morning, we're getting all our last minute things together and I'm laughing at Scott lugging all of Krista's things towards the door.

             
"I can't believe you had to talk her out of bringing even more than that," I say, shaking my head and looking over at Katy. "How in the world does she ever get through checking in luggage at an airport?"

             
She laughs. "Slowly, believe me. She will probably rattle off a bunch of rules about the things inside each of those suitcases, and I can only imagine what she threw into her carry on bag."

             
"I am so glad you're not such a diva like that." 

             
She smiles and kisses my cheek before running off to catch up with Krista.

             
Scott walks back in huffing and puffing and shakes his head as he comes to stand beside me. "Thank God we have people to do heavy lifting."

             
I laugh, "That bad, huh?"

             
He nods, wiping his forehead. "You have no idea. I don't know what the heck she shoved in those things."

             
Krista comes up from behind him and wraps her arms around his middle, "Just the necessities! Make-up, hair accessories, hair products, clothes for any kind of weather, and shoes for each outfit. Just the things I need." She shrugs. 

             
He shakes his head and squeezes her hands. "Come on everybody, let's roll. I'm ready to get...where we're going." He smiles secretively over at me and we all make our way out to the waiting hummer.

             
When we drive up to the private airport, Krista bounces in her seat. "I can't believe we're going on a private jet!”

             
Scott smiles down at her. "You better believe it, babe. You only get the best from now on."

             
We all climb out and make our way inside the small building. 

             
"Ok ladies, get comfortable. We're going to go speak to the pilot and make sure everything's good to go," I tell them, and kiss Katy's cheek before walking to the office door just down the hall.

             
I knock once and the door swings open. A tall man with salt and pepper hair stands there in black dress slacks and a button up dark blue shirt. "Mr. Warren, Mr. Adams." He reaches his arm out and we take turns shaking. 

             
"Mr. Owens, right?" Scott asks.

             
He nods. "Yes, but you can call me Frank. Are we all ready to go?"

             
"Yes, sir, we just need to drag all the suitcases on board and we're all set." I tell him.

             
"Excellent." He steps out into the hallway and we follow behind and into the foyer, where the girls are sitting on a luxurious-looking black leather couch.

             
 "Alright ladies, our jet awaits!” Scott claps and rubs his hands together. 

             
 Krista rushes into his waiting arms and Katy walks over too, slipping her arm into mine. "So, can we know where we're going yet?"

             
"Hmm...Think we should tell them, Scott?"

             
He shrugs and acts like he's thinking it over.  "Might as well, otherwise they'll nag us the entire flight."

             
I laugh and nod. "You're probably right. Ladies, we're going to Hawaii."

             
They both gasp and Katy grabs my arm, "Really?!"

             
"M-hm, hence the beach gear I told you to bring.” I smirk at their gaping faces and sweep my arm in front of me, motioning towards the waiting jet, "Ladies first."

             
We walk up the little stairwell onto the jet, and the girls stop and stare as soon as we're inside. The seats are puffy white leather and spacious, there's at least 5 ft or more in between the aisles, a fully stocked bar at the back and a small kitchen for making up meals in-flight.

             
"Wow," they both whisper.

             
 "It's more like a living room than an airplane!” Krista says with a shake of her head before turning to Scott. "Do I want to know how much this cost?"

             
 He rubs the back of his neck before smiling at her, "Probably not."

             
"If you like this, ladies, just wait till you see the resort." I smirk at them before going to one of the seats and reclining in it. "We have a house all to ourselves, hot tubs, masseuse on call, and a chef, too. We'll be all set."