Love and Lies...

1. The Old Kid in Town

Taylor was nervous...She was back in town and wanted to be somewhat unnoticed. After a few years...returning to Las Vegas was only for work...no other reason.
"Thanks." She took the drink and scone from the barista and went to an out of the way booth to sit down. She placed her glasses on her face and flipped through the contract she had just signed before starting to read her book. Sitting in a hotel room was not something she could do. This was Las Vegas after all, and she needed to be out amongst the hustle and bustle. This was going to be hard, but she knew that she could do it.
On the other side of town....
"I don't know man...I'm getting tired of these demonic locations...it's just been too much lately. I think we need to chill dude...besides...I got a wedding to plan soon." Aaron wasn't budging on this.
"He's right...I don't think any of us on are board this time." Billy stood up, hands in pockets.
"We have a show to do...my reputation is in the line here!" Zak got loud and slammed his hand down onto his desk at the museum.
"Oh that's how it always is...this is the only way you see it...always just "your show" we helped you build this by the way....Billy and I have been here from the very fucking beginning!" Aaron turned to walk out. Billy...always the voice of reason, stood there glaring at Zak.
"Shit." Zak said and tossed his phone onto his desk while turning to look out his office window...hands on his hips.
"He's right you know." Billy piped up.
"Yeah...I know. He's right about all of it." Zak admitted. That was hard for him. He'd been through a crappy year...the show...a high profile breakup...and some personal losses. It was getting to him...all of it. Billy walked out of the museum office and building to see Aaron smoking by his jeep. As he approached he let Aaron do all the talking...
"Why? Why is he so hell bent on this? And who does he think he is?!" Aaron was pissed.
"You know who he thinks he is, and you know why. He's still hurt over the break up or whatever the hell that was, plus losing...well
you know. So, he's plunging...plunging himself into all this shit. To him...the darker the better when he's pissed...and we all know that." Billy explained.
"Look man, I get it but at some point he needs to grow up and snap out of it. I'm getting married soon...I gotta think about her. This show, and this shit already ruined one marriage for me...I ain't letting it ruin another before I even get the chance to make her my wife." Aaron threw his cigarette butt onto the concrete. He knew it would piss Zak off finding it there, but at this point he didn't care.
"I get it...I think he gets it too...give him some time. Let's go get food, or coffee, or something. Come on...my treat." Billy patted Aaron on the back.
"Fine." Aaron agreed and they got into his jeep, speeding off.
       Taylor sat and looked over her future that was laid out on that paper. Her own book...her own story about Las Vegas...in pictures. But she had no idea where to start. She sipped her iced latte and took a bite of her scone.
"Just let it go Aaron...I think if enough of us ban together he won't want to go." Billy said to Aaron as they walked into the coffee shop.
"Val is gonna FREAK if I go on this trip...she has basically forbid me to go." Aaron was spilling it all out to Billy.
"Lower your damn voice...people are staring." Billy instructed. Taylor turned around to see what the commotion was...her eyes widened and she sank into the booth, not wanting to be noticed at all...especially by these two.
"Crap...it can't be." She said to herself. She then slightly turned and covered her face with her papers...and then peaked over them. "Crap...it is." She decided in that moment she was not going to hide. After all, Vegas was a big place...plenty of room for everyone. She lowered the papers, sat up in the booth and continued reading her contract...if she was noticed...so be it...if not...even better. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Aaron and Billy ordered and then turned around to wait for their coffee...they were engrossed in conversation. She just knew they wouldn't notice her...so she opened her book and began to read.
        "Zak can be such a dick...ya know?" Aaron just couldn't let it go.
        "That's harsh...but yeah...I guess you are right he can be a bit..." Billy stopped mid sentence.
"Bill...what's..." Aaron then stopped mid sentence as well. They were both looking in the direction of Taylor's booth.
"Oh..." Aaron was a bit taken back himself.
"It can't be." Billy said to Aaron.
"Bill!" The barista called out...Taylor heard it but kept her nose in the book, never looking up...never letting on she knew who was there.
"Thanks." Bill and Aaron took their coffee.
"Go say Hi....Casanova." Aaron nudged him. "What's the harm now?"
         "No." Billy said quickly and turned the opposite way.
         Taylor could tell there were eyes on her...but that feeling came over her...don't look up. She fought it and then made a huge mistake...she looked up and locked eyes with Aaron. She gave a forced half smile and he waved...just as Billy was turning back around. He then locked eyes with Taylor as well.
       "Well, we gotta go over now." Aaron said mumbled.
        "Yeah...thanks to you." Billy said in a whisper and gave a huge sigh. Slowly the guys made their way over. Taylor continued to read until she felt a presence near the booth...she looked up again, and this time...locking eyes with Billy. "Taylor...Hey."
         "Hey Billy...Aaron." She said looking up and taking her glasses off. He blonde hair shown through the sunlight and her big brown doe eyes stared back at Billy. She took another sip of her iced latte.
        "What are you doing back in Vegas?" Billy asked very pointed.
         "I am working....it's not leisure." She answered back in the same tone.
        "Hmm." He said and stared. The vibe was not too cordial and very tense...and a sadness in both their eyes.
        "Well kid...good to see you back for a visit." Aaron piped up trying to be nice and break the uneasy conversation.
          "Thanks...Like I said...all work this time." Taylor answered smiling at Aaron and almost ignoring Billy.
          "How long are you going to be working here?" Billy asked...he was annoyed Taylor was even in the same town .
          "As long as it takes...why?" Taylor folded her arms looking at Billy.
          "Just asking...that's all." Billy looked away...he could hold his own for a second or two...but that was it. There was something between them...more than just tension. No one ever got the real full story either...not even Aaron. Everyone assumed they knew what happened.
        "It's a big city Bill...I doubt we run into each other again. I mean I picked the far corner of Vegas...damn near downtown so I was out of the way...and you walk in. It's like...never mind." Taylor shook her head, sighed, and then turned away.
       "Zak's museum is around the corner...and he is part owner of this coffee shop." Aaron blurted out and smiled oddly.
       "Oh well that figures...the king of Vegas...or so he thinks...has to corner the market on everything...and spread out everywhere. Any other surprise businesses he or any of you may own that I'm possibly banned from?" Taylor asked Aaron.
      "No kid...and you ain't banned from anything as far as anyone of us is concerned." He chuckled and winked at Taylor. She then smiled back at Aaron. It pissed Billy off...Taylor could see it.
     "See ya around." Billy said and walked out quickly...he left Aaron and Taylor there.
      "Well that was nicely uncomfortable." Taylor joked and kinda laughed. Aaron slightly chuckled and looked at Taylor.
     "May I sit for just a sec?" Aaron asked.
     "I suppose." Taylor said. Aaron sat across from her and got a bit serious.
      "Billy is...it took a long time to..."
      "Aaron please...don't start." Taylor held up her hand.
      "He's been in a really good place...you leaving suddenly like that...he never really told me what happened....I mean we all kinda were lost on it."
     "It's a long story..." Taylor cut Aaron off.
     "And what's your beef with the boss? Never really got that either..." Aaron was digging...and wanting answers.
    "Look I gotta run and it's been...well interesting." Taylor gathered her things and started to stand up.
      "Hey look, I'm sorry kid...why don't we.."
      "I'll see you around Aaron...maybe." Taylor walked out and got into her rental car. She never saw Billy on the other side of the parking lot. He watched her as she sped off. As Aaron approached his jeep where Billy had been standing, he was just as confused about all of it as the day Taylor up and left for Paris.
       "You ready?" Aaron asked Billy.
       "Yeah." Billy answered. As they got in...Aaron started the car.
       "Come on...are you ever going to tell me what the hell really happened?" Aaron knew very little. Billy sat silent for a minute...
"I really liked her...I mean really. It was way more than friendship for me....look never mind. She suddenly took off...to Paris. That was it."
"Bill...did you two?"
"No I never acted on that...It was just fucked up man." Billy shook his head.
"Not to mention the flirting between her and the boss." Aaron said. "That must have been pure torture."
"I told her how I felt ....she just left anyway." Billy wasn't one to fall...ever. Especially since his divorce...but something made him gravitate toward Taylor. They became fast friends...they got along well...and his feelings grew over time. Taylor was a photographer/film maker. She was helping Zak and Bill with Demon House at the time, and she and Billy grew close. But she and Zak's obnoxious flirting and inappropriate innuendos always made the crew chuckle, but it made Billy uncomfortable...and mad. She was a lot like Zak...actually they were perfect male and female versions of each other...to Taylor it was all fun and games. She had no idea she'd struck a chord with Billy until he professed his "love" to her. To Taylor, it was an amazing friendship with Bill...nothing more. But to Bill...it was more.
    Taylor drove, thinking and realizing where she suddenly ended up. Passing Zak's museum...she quickly drove passed...got onto the freeway and headed back to the strip, and her hotel.
    Slipping the key card into the door...she threw everything onto her bed, and herself as well. Laying there looking at the ceiling her mind started to drift, she thought about everything from years ago...and why she really left...and soon she fell asleep.
     Billy got to his house, and walked in...threw his keys and wallet onto the counter...went to the fridge and got himself a beer. He sat down and thought...then smiled to himself remembering the laughter, fun, and good times everyone had before Taylor left...before Zak changed after Demon House. Things had taken a huge turn the last few years. It had been hard and his heart had ached for a long time. Suddenly his phone chimed...it was Zak...he sent a group text to the guys: