Bittersweet Chapter Five
Arriving at the hotel, Liz smiled seeing Eleanor and Jude outside, waiting on them. Once the cab had pulled up she waited until Taylor got out and then she got out, holding Emerson on her hip, "I hope you guys didn't have to wait long," she said as she walked over to them, knowing Taylor was getting the bags.
"No, we didn't wait that long," Eleanor replied as she eyed Taylor suspiciously. It didn't matter to her how highly Liz talked of him. That man just couldn't be trusted.
Liz raised an eyebrow as she watched Eleanor eye Taylor, "If you keep looking at Taylor with that death glare he might fall over dead," she laughed as she headed inside, putting her free hand on Eleanor's back to bring her as well. She was almost afraid to leave Eleanor and Taylor in the same breathing space together for too long.
"Maybe he will," Eleanor smirked as she walked with Liz, keeping a grip on Jude's hand.
Liz just shook her head and went to the front desk, where she waited on Taylor, who came not too long after they got there. He had now put the luggage on a luggage cart. Liz had to smile because she was impressed that Taylor hadn't tripped or fallen yet while using that. He was never particularly good on his feet.
As he talked to the people at the desk, Liz looked down at Emerson who was just looking around, "You okay baby girl?" she asked when Emerson finally looked up at her. She knew this was the children's first time away from Tulsa without both of their parents. Every other time they had left Tulsa had been when Liz would go on the road with Zac for a few weeks at a time when he had toured solo before joining this band, though this year she had opted not to do that. She wanted to get used to the home life. She would need to for when Jude started school in what seemed like a matter of months.
"Miss daddy," Emerson said as she smiled softly. "Daddy here?" she asked.
Liz just shook her head no at Emerson's question, "No baby girl, Daddy isn't here," Liz frowned as she kissed the top of Emerson's head.
Liz heard Taylor clear his throat and she looked up at him, waiting on whatever he had to say.
"Liz, you and Eleanor have a room with the kids on the third floor," he said as he handed the room key to Liz. "My room is on the fourth floor, right above yours."
Liz nodded and turned to head towards the elevators.
"Wait," Taylor said after Liz as he walked to where she was. "I sort of have it planned that a bellhop will take the luggage cart up to our respective rooms and you and I can have dinner alone," he smiled hoping she was okay with this plan. "I'm sure Eleanor wouldn't mind watching the kids," he smirked as he turned to look at Eleanor who had followed behind him.
Eleanor just shot Taylor a dirty look before turning to Liz, wondering if she would agree to have dinner alone with Taylor.
Liz chewed on her lip as she considered Taylor's offer to dinner with him. She was hungry and she knew dinner with him wouldn't hurt anything. "Sure," she told him before turning to Eleanor. She could tell from the look Eleanor was giving her that she wasn't happy with this decision.
"Can you watch the kids for me?" Liz asked as she raised an eyebrow. "It's just dinner Elle," she said as she shrugged.
Eleanor took Emerson from Liz and looked her in the eyes as she did so, "I'm sure that is what he wants you to believe," she said before brushing past Liz and heading to the elevator with the kids.
Watching Eleanor leave, Liz turned back to Taylor, "It better be just dinner," she told him as she walked past him and headed to the hotel's restaurant.
"Elizabeth," Taylor whined as he followed behind her, until he caught up with her, "Of course it's just dinner," he muttered as he walked into the half empty restaurant. He was glad for it being half empty. Less of a chance of being noticed by fans and the paparazzi that had been at the airport hadn't followed them here luckily.
Liz followed him into the restaurant and soon sat down at a table, "If you say so," she said watching him sit down across from her. Once he had sat down she picked up the menu and looked through it. "Why did you want to have dinner with just me?" Liz asked as she looked up from the menu briefly.
Taylor looked through the menu and shrugged at Liz's question, "Because I didn't feel like eating dinner and getting death glared by the redheaded evil nanny you have."
Laughing some Liz went back to looking through the menu again and when she heard the waiter arrive, she gave him her order of a burger and fries with a sweet tea.
"You mean you are actually eating meat?" Taylor joked to Liz before giving his order to the waiter. He got the same as Liz, minus the drink. He had opted for a Dr.Pepper instead.
Liz watched the waiter leave and she shot Taylor a look, "Of course I'm eating meat again. I only stopped eating it in 2001 when I was going through that weird vegan phase. I think it stopped once I lost you," she muttered playfully.
Taylor smirked at her words, "But you did eat meat with me," he shrugged, "Or is my dick not considered meat?"
"It is, but I am so not having a sexual conversation with you," Liz muttered as she rolled her eyes.
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Zac had just gotten out of his bunk and made his way down the hallway to the front of the bus as he felt it slow down, "Are we in California yet?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow. The band had left Chicago early that morning and he had slept for most of the trip. He would have opted to play video games but Andrea had been using the back lounge as her make shift bedroom. She had wanted to sleep on a couch instead of sleeping in a cramped bunk.
Griffin looked up at Zac and nodded, "Yep. We should be pulling up at our regular hotel any minute now," he said as he looked down the hall as he saw Andrea coming down the hall.
Andrea smiled as she stood beside Zac, "I have never been to California before," she said as she moved some hair out of her face. "Maybe you can show me around," she laughed as she felt the bus come to a complete stop.
Zac heard what Andrea said and he knew he would have to run that by Liz first. He wanted to make sure she was okay with whatever he did with Andrea. "I'll ask Liz first," he told her before walking to the door to get off the bus.
"Liz isn't your owner Zac," Andrea told him as she caught up with him and got off the bus. Going to the compartment where their bags where she opened it and got her bag out, handing Zac's to him. "She is your wife."
Zac took his bag from Andrea and he held it as he walked inside, "My wife who doesn't trust you," he said feeling the heat of Andrea's body as she followed him into the hotel. Walking to the desk he looked at Griffin who was holding the room keys.
"You and I are sharing a room," Griffin informed Zac as he looked at him. "And you miss Andrea darling have your own room," he said handing Andrea her key.
Zac smiled some hearing he was sharing a room with Griffin. He really hated rooming alone when they were at hotels. "Can you take my bag up to our room?" he asked feeling his stomach growl. "I'm hungry and I don't think I can wait to eat."
Laughing at Zac, Griffin took his bag and nodded.
Zac watched as Griffin took his bag and he turned on his heel, going to the restuarant. Feeling someone following him, he turned around again and he wasn't surprised to find Andrea who almost ran into him.
Andrea looked at Zac, having almost just ran into him thanks to him turning around unexpectedly. "I'm hungry too," she said trying to play innocent. Truth was she just wanted to spend time with Zac. She had thought that maybe their talk on the roof had meant they had bonded some. That now that he knew her cancer secret they could at least be friends, even if his wife, her sister hated her.
"Sure," Zac muttered unsure whether he believed her or not. Turning around again he finally walked into the restaurant but instead of taking a seat, he stopped in his tracks when he saw, just a few tables away from the entrance his brother and his wife. What the heck where they doing in California? What the heck where they doing together in California?
Andrea followed behind Zac and when he stopped she raised an eyebrow confused at first as to why he had just stopped. That was until she followed his gaze. "Isn't that Liz....and Taylor?" she asked trailing off the last of what she said.
Zac nodded unable to turn his eyes away from the sight in front of him. The longer he watched them the more he felt himself getting pissed off.
Leaving Andrea standing at the entrance Zac walked over to the table where Liz and Taylor were seated, "Sorry if I am interrupting this lovely date," he said through gritted teeth.