It Shouldn't Be You, page 11
Colleen turned the radio off.
“Why did June’s dream bother you?”
Travers sighed. “Because it was true. I was thinking about leaving. Everything seemed okay. I could just as well send him the correspondence as give it to him. What would be the reason for me to hang around?”
“Oh.”
“Don’t say ‘oh’ like I’m the bad person here.”
“You think that guilt is eating you much?” Colleen fired back.
Travers looked at Colleen and then hit the steering wheel several times before resting his head on it.
“Let’s walk. I’ve got all this energy and nowhere for it to go.”
They both got out of the car and started to walk. He walked to the tree and then down the path. Colleen folded her hands over her chest and then stopped.
“What’s up?”
“Travers, how much time did you spend in the country?”
He looked at her, taken back by the question. “I grew up there as a boy and then came back to visit.”
“So, if you want to talk, let’s find a safe place on this log.”
“Safe place on the log?”
Colleen shook her head and started to inspect the log.
“I care for you, but I’m not going to lose all of my commonsense to follow you. I can smell the water from here. I also just saw a skeeter hawk go by, and he was very healthy. You know what that tells me?”
Travers shrugged. “They grow them bigger here?’
She shook her head. “It means that the lake or whatever water I’m smelling is just a smorgasbord of mosquitoes.”
Travers was a little confused. “Skeeter hawk?”
Colleen sucked her teeth and finally found a safe place to sit on the log.
“I think the book name is . . . dragonfly.”
“How do you get skeeter hawk from dragonfly?”
Colleen laughed. “Because skeeter is short for mosquito and hawk talks about how the dragonfly dives on them and picks them up. You know dragonflies can’t walk. They can take off and land. So they do what they can do, which is swoop down on their food.”
Travers took a seat next to Colleen.
“It kind of dispels all of the romantic scenes when couples go to the lake and have a romantic moment,” Travers joked.
“Well, the moment might be romantic on paper, but in real life, if a couple really did hang out around a lake, they would be a walking Petri dish of West Nile Virus.”
“Yeah, that could be a problem,” Travers said.
“So I don’t think we came out here to talk about disease and skeeter hawks,” Colleen said.
“Nope, we didn’t.”
“Soooo, the reason we are running from your brother is?” Colleen prompted.
“I don’t run,” Travers bit out.
Colleen had never felt so helpless, looking at Travers trying to figure things out. Maybe it was because she was used to people disappointing her.
“Great, since we’ve decided not to run, then we have to look at we have,” Colleen said.
She watched Travers get up from the log and pace. “I don’t want to look at what to do. I want it to just go away!”
Colleen looked at Travers trying to work through the lack of control, and it took all she had not to run to him and pull him into her arms.
“I’m the COO of a big company, and I’m having brother issues? Who does that?”
“It looks like you do,” she murmured.
“And did you see him? He just walked right in there and sat down.”
“He did. It was almost like he’s been there before or something,” Colleen said.
Travers stopped as if he were just hearing her responses.
“Red, now is not the time to joke,” he said.
Colleen pushed off of the log. “I’m not joking. I’m trying to help you, and the first thing we need to do is realize that sometimes bad things happen. You need to find your logic and your inner COO to deal with this. Then we can graduate you to dealing with your brother because no matter what we do now or how we slice this, you will have to deal with the inner COO and your brother.”
Travers went to Colleen and pulled her into his arms and held on. She knew he needed this more than he wanted to admit, and she was glad to give it to him. That’s what had happened between them lately. She had become his partner in crime, his sounding board, and companion. There was something about being in his embrace, knowing he was coming to her for comfort, that made him that much easier to care for.
“Red, I know I’ve been saying this a lot but, thanks.”
“I told you the bill is going to knock your socks off.”
“I’ll pay it. Red, I’ve got to go back,” Travers murmured.
“Well, we both have to go back. I hope this isn’t one of those horror movies where the heroine gets left behind to fight the monster,” she chuckled.
Travers pulled back and looked at Colleen. Then he brought his hand up and traced her cheek with a finger until it was under her chin.
“You don’t have to worry. Contrary to this incident’s appearance, I’m pretty tough. You won’t have to fight any monsters, Red. I’ve got your back for that.”
He couldn’t know he was probably the first guy to say such a thing to her. Elissa had said it, but the warm feeling that was spreading through her body never happened when Elissa said it.
“Where’s that man who can bargain with the devil and win, or be a mermaid for charity. That man can do anything, including facing an older brother.”
“I’d prefer to face the devil.”
“I’m sorry he’s unavailable for you, leave your name and number, and he’ll get back to you, never,” Colleen teased.
“Red?”
“Now, now pull yourself together, Sunshine. Besides, I know why you’re acting this way,” she said.
“Do you?”
“Yes, let me tell you it hasn’t escaped my attention that I’m in your arms.”
Travers wiggled his eyebrows. “It’s true you are in my clutches. Maybe you should be running or screaming for dear life.”
Colleen got up on her tiptoes and pressed a light kiss to his lips. When she opened her eyes after the kiss, she smiled at him.
“I don’t have to scream or run, because I know a secret.”
“What secret?”
“You’re one of the good guys, Sunshine. So let’s stop stalling.”
Travers nodded, and they walked back to the car.
“You want to keep up the encouraging pieces and tell me how much you admire me and . . .”
Colleen sat in the car and gave him a side look.
“Pep talk time is over, let’s go back. I’ve got to make up our beds.”
“You mean yours?”
“No, ours. I messed up yours just in case.”
“In case of what?”
Colleen shrugged. “In case you didn’t want anyone to know you were out all night finding yourself.”
“Good call, counselor.”
Colleen smiled. “You keep up with those affirmations of my good work. Remember, your new counselor isn’t cheap.”
Chapter Twenty
Colleen was amazing. During the drive to the house, they had decided to try and sing some songs with the radio. It was during that time that Travers found out that Colleen couldn't hold a note. Laughing like children who had no care in the world, they went into Moonbeam’s house.
Every moment spent with Colleen just confirmed she was the one. She was the reason he couldn't date in good conscience. When he saw Colleen, he saw his future wife and family in her eyes. He knew she was the right one; he just had to convince her.
When Colleen stepped into Moonbeam's house, and her laughter died out, Travers looked over her shoulder to see what had dampened her mood. She turned around so that she was facing him.
“It looks like you're up, Sunshine,” Colleen murmured just low enough for him to hear.
Travers saw his brother sitting at the table. It almost looked as though David hadn't moved since Travers had left the house a couple of hours ago. He looked at his brother, and memories flooded him paralyzing him to the spot. Then he felt a consistent tap on his arm. When he looked to see what it was, it was Colleen.
“Are you okay?”
He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “I'm good.”
“I thought so,” she said with a smile.
Colleen ducked under his arm and went out the front door. Travers pushed his shoulders back and went to take a seat at the table with his brother.
“I didn't think you would wait.”
“I'm pretty good at waiting, Trav.”
Travers didn't know what to say next. David had used his nickname from when he was a kid.
“I saw Loretta.”
“Is she still screaming and yelling about how unfair it was for me to move everything?”
Travers gave him a wan smile. “Pretty much.”
“So, what do you think about me moving everything here?”
“I'm hoping that you made the decision based on more than a dream and June.”
“I did, but she would have been enough.”
“You could have told me you were moving things.”
“You might have thought about coming home or even reading the emails that I sent you.”
Travers wanted to fire back that he hadn't read the emails. The truth of the matter was, he had gotten them and collected them in a folder and was going to look at them later, but later never came.
“Okay, that's enough small talk. Why don't you tell me why you have that huge chip on your shoulder, Trav?”
Travers kept telling himself he would keep his cool. He repeated the mantra in his head over and over. “I don't have a chip on my shoulder.”
“Maybe if I was someone else, and maybe if I didn't know you so well, you'd be able to get away with that.”
Travers had to get up and move. He went to the coffee pot to make a cup. David thought he knew him? Too much time had passed, and the person David knew wasn't here anymore. Travers knew he just had to keep calm. He was trying to ignore the sweat that was forming on his forehead. If only he could make it through this moment without getting upset.
“Come on, Trav, just tell me already.”
“You think you know me?”
“No, I don't think I know you, I do know you. I know you, too, have a temper that even now you must be trying to tell yourself to control. I know you're upset that I didn't come to you and tell you that I moved the location. It shouldn't matter to you if I moved it or not. If you had bothered to read the contract before I took this job, you would see that it gives me complete control to do everything without having to come to you. What should matter to you is whether or not I keep the quality of your signature products and keep you in business? That's the problem; it's always personal for you, Trav.”
Travers threw his hands up in the air. “I don't know why I even bother. You are always like this. It has to be your way or no way at all. I'm doing the best that I can do to make sure I keep my word to Dad to look after everyone.”
“You weren't the only one Father made give him promises. So before you go on the holy road and say you did it all for us, I want you to remember some things. I stayed at home with Dad in the beginning. I graduated from college and still remained in the town. I had to start my own business in order to stay with Dad while you went off to college and got yourself together. Why? Because Dad made me promise to take care of you.
“Loretta doesn't have the best temperament, but she has the best heart. While both of us went into the workplace, she stayed home with Dad during the final days. I would come back on the weekends. You sometimes came back every now and again on holidays, but she stayed there every day. Why? Because it was another promise, Father asked.
“So I know you must think you're special, but we all were asked things by Father, and we all did them, no more and no less. We did them because we thought it was the right thing to do. We did them because we love each other and you, Travers.”
Travers took his coffee cup and put it in the sink. He wiped his hands on his pant legs and then clapped his hands together.
“Well, thank you for that history lesson. It's nice to know that you do care about me. I surely wouldn't have known any other way. While this has been fun, I think I'm going to have to pass on the rest of it, bro.”
Contrary to how he felt, Travers didn't run out of the house. When he opened the door, he saw Colleen. That moment of relief was instantly taken away when he saw she was standing next to June.
David's words still rang in his head, and his heart was still pumping like a racehorse after a long race. He knew he didn't have the capacity to be polite and social right now. Travers did the only thing he knew how to do; he fell back to his business demeanor.
As he passed the women, he nodded to them and then called out to Colleen that he would be going for a drive, and he'd be back later. He wanted nothing more than to just be able to grab Colleen and get into the car and leave, but he had to keep this together. Travers knew he had to find a way to deal with this new information.
“He's such a workaholic.”
June didn't ask for a reason, but Colleen felt as though she had to offer one up for Travers leaving so suddenly. As the car pulled away, Travers was taking a part of her heart with it. It was true that she and Travers were close. Colleen just wasn't sure what she was going to do about this relationship. She knew Travers wasn't like Luis, but she wanted more. It wasn’t fair or right, but she wanted someone who put themselves on the line first and exposed how they felt. If they couldn’t tell her the words, she wasn’t going to be able to open her heart. Travers had a lot of her heart now as it was.
Her concern must have shown on her face because June followed her gaze and then reached out a hand to her arm.
“Is he okay?”
“He will be,” Colleen said.
“I know these family meetings can be so tense.”
“I have to ask you a question, and I don't want to seem rude.”
June smiled and opened her hands wide. “Go right ahead.”
“You seem to be a very free and open kind of person, and I'm wondering how you are with David?”
June laughed. “That has got to be the most subtle way a person has asked me what a crazy person like me is doing with a straight-laced person like David.”
Colleen waited for the answer.
“Well, to answer your question, I have not always been the flower child you see before you. Once upon a time, I lived and breathed in the corporate world. The corporate world chewed me up and spat me out. I decided there were some things more important than money: my sanity. When I met David, he was so angry and rigid about how his life was going. He had obligations to his father, and responsibilities for his siblings. The problem was David wasn't taking care of David. Now David takes care of David. I’m hoping that stability and patience he’s learned with himself, he can apply to his siblings and get the relationship he really wants with them.
“After seeing Travers go, maybe that's not going to be as easy as I thought,” June said.
“Travers is a complicated man. He's this mixture of the kindest, most giving person you will ever know. He's the man you call when you're in trouble. He's the friend who bails you out even though he's teasing you about it. I know if there's a way, he'll figure this out too.”
“You have an awful lot of confidence in him, or is it more?”
“Travers and I are still working that out,” Colleen said.
“I can give you my car if you want to go and try to chase after him?” June offered. Colleen laughed and then shook her head.
“Travers and I have a history of people leaving in other people's cars. He’ll be back. I know he won’t leave me.” Colleen realized she did know that was the truth. No matter how upset Travers got, he’d come back for her. She wouldn’t ever worry that he’d get with her for show and then move on.
“Well, if we're not going to go and run after him, let me go get David settled, and then we can all have a nice cup of tea. I know my mom is on her way back.
“A cup of tea?” Colleen asked. She wasn’t really a tea drinker, but with everything else, it was a small price to pay to keep some peace.
“Don’t look like it’s the end of the world. If tea isn’t your thing, we can make coffee. This is just a way for my mom to ask a lot of personal questions,” June confessed.
“Ahh, well, if it’s just a friendly inquisition, let’s go.”
Chapter Twenty one
“Now, the goal is that if you feel like you have dead skin on your feet, you will rub your feet on the inside of the bucket, and then it will be rubbed off.”
Somehow she had wound up with her feet in a footbath. When Moonbeam came into the kitchen, the first thing she said was that a package had arrived on the side of the house. David brought the package to the house, and it was five pumice stone footbaths. After David had set up three of them, June shooed him away to wait in the second house until Travers returned.
“I have to ask, who thought of the footbaths?” Colleen asked.
“It was my idea, but it was inspired by my mom,” June said.
Moonbeam waved her off.
“The girl would have thought of it, no matter what. I just brought it to bear a little earlier.”
Colleen rubbed her hands in anticipation. “I hear a story coming.”
June nodded. “Mom has problems with her feet. The number one issue is dead skin. So she walks barefoot around the block. Everyone thinks it's because she’s practicing some free nature religion. The truth is, walking on the concrete wears the dead skin away. I wanted to help her, and I wanted to stop her from walking on the sidewalk and maybe stepping on glass. So I found these stone footbaths. As you soak, if you feel any build-up, you can rub on any side and take it off. The solution we put in the water keeps the dead skin from our feet. It’s amazing,” June said.
Moonbeam leaned over to see Colleen at the table. “I really like the terry slippers that come with each bath in case you have to get up and go somewhere,” Moonbeam said.
