Fame and Fortune

"Okay, so you're good at arithmetic. Is there a point?" he asked with a smile.

"You know what the point is," she said firmly but without any real conviction.

"No. I'm afraid I don't," he insisted.

"Then you're not thinking very clearly," Jenna said as politely as he could.

He turned a bit more then said, "Jenna, I've never thought so clearly in my life as I have since I met you. And I don't give a rip about numbers. So if that's the best you've got, I'm afraid it isn't going to help."

"Help? Help with what?" she asked, puzzled by his answer.

"It isn't going to help you keep me from kissing you," he said as he leaned closer.

Jenna's brain sent her body so many mixed signals she felt paralyzed. Unable to move, she felt his lips press against hers, and then she realized her eyes were closing. 'Worst' of all, she knew she was kissing him back and felt powerless to stop.

"Why did you just do that?" she asked oh-so quietly when he pulled away.

"Because I couldn't not do that one more second," he told her before kissing her again.

This time she managed to pull back but not until several seconds had elapsed.

"I...I think maybe you should take me home now," she told him, no longer able to look at him.

"Okay. If...if that's what you want," he said.

"I think that would be best," she said without looking at him.

Duke was laying at their feet waiting patiently to get back to the walk.

Tyler stood up then said, "Come on, boy. Let's go."

It was a long, quiet walk back to his truck. Neither of them said a word the entire time.

Tyler opened the door for Jenna and she finally broke the silence by saying, "Thank you."

He put Duke in then got in himself and started it up.

Before putting it in drive, he turned his head toward Jenna then spoke.

"Jenna. What's really bothering you? There's no way you're going to convince me you don't have feelings for me, and you know I have them for you. So...what is this? This...silent treatment? Help me understand, okay?"

His voice was gentle and tender, and Jenna was so touched she felt her eyes welling up with tears. She reached for another tissue, dabbed her eyes, then tried to explain.

"I...I'm not sure. I know the age difference bothers me, but it's...it's more than that."

Tyler reached over and took her hand, and Jenna didn't try and stop him.

"I'm listening," he told her as he squeezed her hand.

Several seconds passed in silence before she looked his way and said, "I think a part of me is worried about getting hurt—again."

He went to speak but Jenna said, "No. Please let me finish, okay?"

Tyler nodded and she continued.

"You're not only young...very young...but you're famous and getting more so by the day. I'm just not sure I want to be a part of all that. The cameras, the interviews, the...women. I know you only just kissed me so it's not like it was some kind of proposal or anything, but kissing leads to...other things...and those things lead to love and..."

She took a deep breath then said, "I have feelings for you, too, Tyler. I'm not going to try and pretend I don't. But why follow through on those feelings if our lives are so different? How could anything possibly come from this? Where could it possibly go?"

"Would you give me another hour or two to try and answer your questions?" he asked quietly.

"What could you show me in another hour?" she asked, her skepticism showing through.

"Humor me, okay?" he said with a smile.

"Using my words against me, huh?" she said, finally smiling back.

"No. They just seem appropriate," he told her. "Just let me show you a few things, and then I'll take you home. I promise."

Jenna looked at him, and just as she went to answer, Duke barked loudly and scared her half to death.

Tyler smiled and Jenna laughed, and the tension broke. When things got quiet, she told him, "Okay."

They drove for quite a while and got on the interstate and headed south. Traffic was unusually light and they passed Renton in a few minutes then took the first exit into Auburn a few miles later.

"What's down here?" she asked.

"Two things. My apartment and a building I want to show you."

The drove another couple of miles, made three turns, then came upon a construction site.

"Auburn's community center is old and...awful," Tyler said. "This is going to be the city's new building where people of all ages will be able to come and swim, play, read, use computers, and a whole lot of other things."

"Are you paying for it?" she asked without any hint of emotion.

"I would never, ever tell anyone I am, but I'm telling you. I want you to know that money isn't my world. And I think when you see my apartment, you'll know that's true. But as I said, I have these concerns about not feeling genuine, and yes, I even feel a little guilty about the money I make for writing words on pages and talking to people. The real heroes, our teacher, police officer, firefighters, and the military make peanuts. I make...a lot, and I don't really do anything for anyone. So this helps me justify what I do. I may not change how you feel about me, or hopefully—us—but this is who I am, Jenna. Not the guy on stage where everything is well...staged...and scripted."

Jenna didn't say anything else and Tyler assumed he'd just struck out. He backed up, turned around, and headed a few miles across town then pulled into a decent-but-not-glitzy apartment complex.

"This is home," he told her.

"I have to admit I made another unfair assumption about you," she confessed. "I honestly believed you'd have a huge home in a gated community and maybe a butler and a maid or two."

"Nope. No butler. No maid. No one but me and Duke. Or Duke and I—if that matters to you."

Jenna finally laughed a small laugh then Tyler said, "Can I show you the inside?"

It was a very nicely-furnished place, but it was anything but ornate. There were two bedrooms, a small kitchen, and a modest living area.

"This is me, Jenna. I'm just a quiet, private, simple kind of guy. I could afford to live in a gated community, but I have no interest in doing so. At least not as long as it's just..."

"You and Duke?" she said sweetly. "Or would that be 'Duke and you'?"

Tyler laughed and Jenna did, too.

"Okay, so you're not a snobbish eccentric. But you still have a very eccentric kind of life."

He let Duke off the leash, and the dog bolted for his water dish.

Tyler turned to Jenna, and after looking at her for a second or two, reached out and took her hands.

"If eccentric means the touring and speaking, I'd give that all up today if I had someone in my life worth giving it up for. Lately, I don't enjoy it much more than I did therapy. But it brings in a ton of money, and that let's me do things for other people, so for now, at least, I'll stick with it. But I'd be happy to stay home and write books or pretty much anything else if that special someone wanted me to."

"Tyler? May I ask you something directly?"

"Of course."

"Are you implying...I'm that special someone?"

Her eyes were rapidly moving back and forth between his as her heart beat faster while waiting for him to answer.

"You know it is, Jenna. But I'm happy to say it out loud if you like," he told her without taking his eyes off hers.

"But...why? Why me, Tyler? You could have anyone from 20 to say...40. Why a woman who's fifty-s..."

"Beautiful?" he said finishing her thought. "Smart? Funny? Warm? Friendly? Charming?"

He reached up and brushed her hair back then asked, "Did I mention beautiful?"

When he moved closer to kiss her, Jenna knew she was along for the ride now. She had no idea where it was going, but she was definitely going somewhere, and wherever it was, it was with Tyler Montgomery whom she kissed back. Softly at first and then more passionately as tongues touched and gently flicked.

"No. Stop," Jenna said quietly surprising both Tyler and herself.

"Okay," Tyler said as he let her pull away. "I thought things were going well."

"There are. Too well. I just need time to think, okay?" she said in a way that told him she really needed some time.

"Would you like me to take you home?"

"I...I think so," she told him.

Again, they rode in silence all the way to her place.

"May I walk you to the door?" he asked.

"No, thank you. I really do just need some time, okay?" she told him, her eyes imploring him to believe her.

"All right. May I at least call you?"

Jenna turned toward him then reached over and touched his face. He moved her way and she kissed him softly before saying, "Let me call you. Please?"

"Okay," Tyler said, sensing it would be best not to push too hard.

"I had a wonderful time today," Jenna told him. "Confusing but wonderful. And I think Duke is pretty wonderful, too."

"Too—as in...you think I'm also amazing?" he said with a smile hoping to some kind of positive feedback before she walked away, possibly for good.

"Yes," she said quietly. "And that's what I find so...confusing."

Jenna opened her door and got out. She turned to thank him then closed it and went inside. As she did, Tyler wondered if he'd ever see her again.

The first day was agony. Not hearing from her was torture. It took all his willpower not to call her or text her, but he made it through those first 24 hours. And then another 24 passed and then another, and he truly did think she might never call.

Jenna found it equally tortuous not to call him, but she couldn't. Not until she could sort through the avalanche of emotions being with Tyler caused her.

On that third night, Kami asked her what was bothering her so much. She'd tried to get details from her mom about the time she'd spent with Tyler, but all she said was it was pleasant. But after nearly three days of watching her mom act like she'd never seen her act before, Kami had to find a way to make her talk.

"Do you have feelings for him?" she asked her mother without any warning.

"Feelings? For who?" her mom replied.

"Mom. Please. Don't play games. I know you too well for this. You like him, and that's okay. I'm actually happy for you."

Jenna had to admit one big area of concern was how her daughter might react were she to tell the truth, so she'd avoided saying anything at all.

"What makes you think I like him?"

"Okay, now we're getting somewhere," Kami said with a smile. "At least you didn't continue trying to pretend we're not talking about Tyler Montgomery."

"So...do you?" Kami asked again.

"No," her mom said initially then almost immediately changed it to 'yes'. But just as quickly she said, "I don't really know, honey. I'm very confused by it all."

Kami sat next to her mom and said, "If he was say...55 or even 50...would you be so confused?"

Jenna knew the answer. She just wasn't sure she wanted to say it out loud.

So Kami said if for her.

"No. You wouldn't. You'd let yourself act on how you feel."

Her mom looked at her but didn't say anything.

"Mom, you've been acting like a crazy lady. It's obvious you like him. A lot. But I think you're afraid to admit it for several reasons. I just told you I don't care. Do I think he's hot? Um...yeah. I mean, I'm not blind. But am I jealous? Not in the least. I really am happy for you. But more importantly, you like him. What else are you waiting for?"

Jenna still didn't say anything, but she was amazed at how...prescient...her daughter seemed to be. Well, maybe that wasn't exactly the right word, but she really did seem to understand.

"Maybe you're worried what others might think. I mean, he's my age, and no matter how you feel about him, I know you well enough to know that concerns you."

Kami turned more toward her mom then said, "But it shouldn't. It shouldn't because no one else gets a vote. No one else has a say. We each get one life, Mom. No one can live yours for you, and they have no business telling you how to live yours."

She put her hand on her mom's then said, "If you like him or...love him...then tell him. It's obvious he likes you, and my money's on you feeling the same way about him."

She smiled then asked, "Am I right?"

Jenna reached out to hug her daughter who embraced her immediately.

"I am so proud of you," she told Kami. "How did you get so smart?"

"I get that from my mom," she told her playfully.

A kind of dam burst and Jenna shared every detail of the time she'd spent with Tyler from having lunch at 'the dive' to their texts to their time at the park and his apartment; the relatively frugal lifestyle, the community center, and even Duke.

"So...what's not to like?" Kami finally asked.

"You really don't think it's too...weird or odd or..."

"I think love is always wonderful, Mom. Maybe one day I'll find it again, too. But if you have, then don't waste another minute sitting her sulking. Call him. Right now. Tell him you can't wait to see him. And don't look back, okay?"

Jenna was holding her daughter's hands since the hug ended, and her words resonated deeply with her.

"Okay," she finally said. "I'll call him."

Kami hugged her and told her how much she loved her mother who said the same thing back.

"Now go tell someone else how you feel about him."

Jenna's heart was pounding as she picked up her phone. It nearly beat of her chest when she heard him say, "Hello?"

"Tyler? Hi, it's me," she said.

"Hi...me," he teased.

"I...I've done a lot of thinking these last three days."

"And?" he asked hopefully.

"And...I...I do have feelings for you, and if you want to see me again, I'd..."

"Can I come get you right now?" he asked before she could finish.

"Oh. Um, well, I..."

She stopped hemming and hawing and told him, "Yes. I...I just need some time to get ready, but you can..."

"I'll be there in an hour," he told her.

"Okay," she said sweetly and with a smile. "I'll see you then."

Almost exactly an hour later, Jenna asked Kami, "How do I look?"

"Beautiful. Like always," her daughter said just as the doorbell rang.

"Do you mind?" Kami asked.

"No. Go ahead, honey."

Kami laughed when the biggest dog she'd ever seen was standing there with a big, heart-shaped balloon tied to his collar.

"Come in! Both of you!" she said.

The three of them talked for several minutes, and Kami tactfully made it clear she was completely supportive of whatever might be going on, and then not so tactfully mentioned it would be just fine if her mom was out late. Even...very late.

Jenna pretended to be embarrassed, but she took her daughter at her word, and didn't make it home...at all...that night.

After having dinner with Tyler, and hearing him tell her how happy he was to see her and how he felt about her, she shared her feelings with him.

The age difference didn't go away, but her feelings of fear about it did. Not all at once, but over the course of that evening, and many other similar evenings, Jenna no longer cared how old—or young—either she or this amazing man she was falling in love with was or wasn't.

So when he took her back to his place again, she had every intention of staying were he to ask. But as it turned out there was no need to ask. It was simply understood, and for the first time in a very, very long while, Jenna made love with someone she very much wanted to be with as their playful banter turned into playful kissing which turned into...

When she woke up the following morning—in an unfamiliar bed—she smiled. When she turned over and saw him looking at her she laughed.

"Have you been watching me?" she asked with a smile.

"I can't help it. You're too beautiful not to watch," he told her as he gently stroked her cheek.

"So does that mean you might want to make love to me again?"

Tyler was on top of her so fast it made her scream with happiness then laugh again as she held him. He was already rock hard and inside her seconds later. Jenna cooed happily as she loved him back, wanting this moment to last forever.

As days turned to weeks and then several months, the new couple discussed their possible, even likely, future together several times, and had told one another 'I love you' many times. No firm decisions were made, but Tyler let her know all he wanted was to spend each day with her.

"Don't worry. I won't stop working and ask you to stay in bed me with 24 hours a day," he teased once.

"Then I want out. Now!" she teased back.

"Do you want to keep working?" he asked.

"That depends," she replied.

"On?"

"On...where this is going," she told him.

"I see," Tyler said. "Can you give me a quick moment?"

"I think I can manage," she said with a smile as he disappeared from the living room.

He came back and sat beside her then said, "I've been waiting for the right moment, but I've come to believe we make the moment right."

"What moment is that?" Jenna asked, her heart beating like crazy again.

When he stood up then got on one knee in front of her she knew.

He opened the small box, smiled, then told her, "Jenna. My life changed forever the moment I first saw you."

He paused then said, "Even though you wouldn't tell me your name."

She laughed even as tears filled her eyes.

"But ever since, my life has finally had meaning. Meaning you gave to it. Meaning that...fame and fortune...could never bring. Money is meaningless unless you have someone to share it with. And while I won't say life is meaningless without someone like you, it certainly feels empty a lot of the time."

He removed the ring then said, "So...Jenna Fox? Will you make my life even more meaningful and be my wife?"

Tears flowed freely as Jenna quietly said, "Yes. Yes, I will."

He slipped the ring on her finger then kissed her softly and told her how much he loved her.

"And I love you, too, sweetheart," she told him back.

By the time they married five months later, Tyler had finished his contractural obligations for speaking engagements. He turned down a renewal offer for more money than he'd ever made telling his agent he had no interest in being away from the woman he loved.

"Then take her with you. This is too good to pass up!" his agent said in response.

"No, Jenna enjoys her job. She wants to stay with Starbucks, and I can't stand the thought of being away from her. So thank you, but...no thanks."

The day he married Jenna was the happiest of his young life, and for Jenna Montgomery, it was a near tie with the day Kami, her maid of honor, was born.

Having children wasn't possible, but Tyler had never really wanted them, and Kami was more than enough for Jenna.

Kami herself met someone the following year, and two years after that, just as Jenna turned 60, she became the youngest-looking grandmother anyone had ever seen.

Life with Tyler was simple and sweet. He continued to write and sell books, but his greatest joy came from having the woman he loved more than life itself by his side each day. She, in turn, had found the love and trust she'd always hoped for but never had. And she'd found it in the most unlikely of places in a man nearly half her age.

Fame and fortune had run their course and come up wanting for Doctor Tyler Montgomery. Love, however, filled his heart and his soul to the brim and then some.

As he sat next to his beautiful wife, he looked at her the way he often did and realized he finally understood the meaning of the verse, "My cup runneth over."

Nothing else had ever made him feel like that. Nothing except whenever he looked at Jenna Montgomery, his loving, beautiful wife.