It Shouldn't Be You, page 5
Colleen looked over at Travers. “You pain!”
He walked up behind her and placed his arm around her waist.
“Look, Red, we can see them, and the world can see us. Now I don’t know if you want them to see you inhaling that burger, but it’s your call,” he said with a laugh.
She turned around and threw her arms around him. This was not what she was expecting from Travers. Colleen was learning that he had more in his arsenal than just magician’s eyes. It looked like he was considerate as well—all the traits she wanted but not in a career-minded man like this.
“Thank you, Travers.”
“You don’t have to thank me. You wanted to be out in the sunlight, but where ever you go, you are my sunlight.”
She looked at him and stepped back. It was time to make a tactical retreat.
“Let’s eat. The food looks delicious, and we don’t want it to get cold.”
That had to be the worst exit line ever, Colleen thought. It also didn’t help that when she went to the table, all of the food was covered in metal lids. This was going to be a long meal.
Travers didn’t want to look too closely at why it pleased him to please Red. When they were both sitting, he looked in each wine holder.
“You ordered wine for our burgers?” Colleen asked.
“These are special vintages. On the left, there is a 2000 vintage of Cola. The Cola was bottled in the U. S origin unknown. On the right, there is four-day sweet tea. It’s been roasted in a pot that has roasted many teas before and has a mature, sweet taste.”
“Tea, please.”
It took a lot to pour the tea without his hands shaking. He didn’t even try to pour anything for himself. He was grateful for the water on the table. She looked beautiful. Colleen’s skin was flushed from laughing and the surprise. Her eyes were wide and alert. When she closed her eyes and took a deep inhale of her food, it was like she was having a religious experience.
“The food is okay?”
“It smells heavenly.”
Colleen took a bite out of her burger and gave a moan of approval.
“It’s funny how you don’t miss something until it’s gone,” she said.
Then they both reached for the ketchup on the table. There was a shock of awareness that went through them both when their hands touched.
Colleen gave a nervous laugh.
“No, Red, you go ahead and use it first.” Colleen smiled and then gave Travers the ketchup. The night continued that way. One would touch a condiment, and they would use those moments to lightly brush over each other's hands.
They talked as they ate. They spoke of growing up poor. They talked about how people were more interested in their pay and title than them. The sunset and the night began to fall. When dinner was over, Travers realized this was the most enjoyable date he’d been on.
“Did you enjoy dinner?”
“I enjoyed it and the company. Thank you, Travers. I know it’s been a ride, but you didn’t have to do this for me.”
“It was my pleasure. Besides, I told you I have an ulterior motive. I’m trying to win and woo you.” They both stood, and he walked her to the staircase.
“Ahh, well, I can see that you’re putting in a good effort. Truly, I can’t imagine anyone saying no to your eyes.”
“Tell me, are you taken with these eyes?”
“They’re gorgeous, but I’m immune to you, Travers.”
“Are you?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Prove it.”
He saw Colleen take a step back. “Really, you’re going to dare me?”
Travers shook his head. “No dares here. It was a great night. I need to take care of a thing or two here. So this is where we part. Let’s part on a good note and a kiss.”
“A kiss?”
Travers could see her calculating how she could do the kiss but limit her risk.
“If it's too much . . .”
“No, let’s kiss.”
Colleen leaned over and pressed her closed lips against his and then pulled back.
“I thought we’d kiss and not try to take out my front teeth,” Travers chuckled.
“Travers if you don’t like—”
Travers didn’t even let Colleen finish. He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. Just being this close to her made his heart thump in anticipation. Then he began to move his lips and kissed her on the far corners of her mouth before returning to her lips. When he pulled back, they were both breathing a little deeper. She put her hand to her lips in wonder.
“I think it’s time for us to part now?” Travers said.
Colleen nodded her head. He waited for her to say something, but she said nothing. As she was leaving, Travers whispered. “Dream of me, because I’ll be dreaming of you.”
Chapter Nine
Travers understood he needed to figure out precisely what he wanted from Colleen. She intrigued him and challenged him on different levels, but what did he want at the end of the day? Travers sat on the edge of the bed the next morning and waited for Colleen to come out of the bathroom. When she came out and turned the corner, she stopped and gave him a shy smile.
“Good Morning, early bird,” she said.
“Force of habit.”
“Ah, and here I thought it was your eagerness to get to your brother.”
“Sorry, no! I’m going to see if the morning Joe is drinkable. If it passes muster, I’ll bring you some back.”
“If you do, I’ll love you forever,” she said with a smile.
Love him forever, huh, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad? Travers' logical mind tapped him on the shoulder. Get the coffee and then get them on the road. All those other thoughts are just getting in the way. On his way down to the breakfast area, he decided to give his sister a call. He could negotiate New York contracts with the unions; certainly, he could manage to talk to his sister. With a head full of positivity, he called Loretta.
“Morning.” Loretta had left off the good. It always irked him, as if she knew the day wasn’t going to be good. He pushed that aside and focused on her.
“Hey, it’s Travers.”
“I know it’s you. My phone got a ring for everybody.” Okay, he could tell she wasn’t even going to try to meet him halfway there. His ringtone was enough to put her in that bad of a mood. He almost suggested she change it to something happier.
“I’m glad you took the time to give a ring tone,” Travers said, trying to be upbeat.
“Don’t get thrilled—I have a ringtone for the telemarketers too. I know you didn’t call me to talk about ring tones. What is it? What do you need?”
Travers made it to the coffee station and poured himself a cup. Why couldn’t she for once make things easy? When Loretta started talking, and then he felt the need to start defending himself.
“Look, I wanted to say that I am sorry for just dropping in on you. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“It’s a little late to be playing at the big brother role now, don’t you think?”
Travers' hand closed on the paper cup he held, and the hot coffee ran over his hand, making him hop around in an attempt to cool his hand. It was a simple thing to be nice. Why couldn’t she manage even the basics without throwing something from the past in his face?
“I don’t want to argue, Loretta. I’m just trying—”
Loretta interrupted him. “I think that’s the problem right there. It’s always about what you want. And it’s not just you—it’s the both of you. It’s like I don’t even exist, unless, of course, I agree with you or David, and then I have a good thought.”
Travers put the new cup he had picked up and placed it on the counter. A smiling hotel attendant had already come out to clean up his mess. The attendant’s smile was tight, and when they offered to pour for Travers, and he refused, he could tell they were less than happy.
At first, he was going to say to Loretta that she hadn’t been left behind. He and David had always made sure Loretta had everything and then some because she stayed with their father in the last years. When her kids needed something, and she got divorced again, they stepped in. Travers couldn’t track where all of this hostility was coming from.
“Loretta, I didn’t call to upset you.”
“Listen to yourself, Travers. You sound like a commercial. One of those no-feeling commentators on TV. I wanted some emotion from either one of you to know you were human.”
Travers was hurt and stunned. He never held back any money, and feelings didn’t pay bills. They had all grown up poor. Certainly, she would remember that and appreciate the things he and David bought for her.
“Loretta I think—”
“You know what Travers, you keep on thinking. If you get a feeling, let me know.” Then Loretta slammed the phone on him.
He was trying to be understanding, but the truth of the matter was this was partially her fault. When David came up with this idea, she should have come to New York and told him. She could have done a lot of things so they wouldn’t be in this position. She was acting like she was the only offended party.
When tense situations happened, this is what women did, they acted irrationally and just went off the handle. Travers had tried to do what his father had asked of him. He tried to make sure he did something so that his siblings would have jobs and have the same freedom that he had.
Their mother had died early, but his dad had been their rock. He had told each child they had a gift. He urged each one to own those gifts and take care of the others. Travers had checked the boxes and done what his father had asked.
Now, because of two women, he was on some crazy goose chase. Because Colleen had decided she wasn’t ready to go back to her life, she had agreed to railroad his. Then his sister tries some guilt move and says she’s not appreciated. If these women would talk and try to communicate the problem when it was happening, it wouldn’t build up to be this explosion of action that may or may not be the best course.
Travers needed to get his mind together. The decisions he made now weren’t just going to affect him; they were going to affect Butler Hotels. He needed to get back to his A-game and think of some contingency plans.
“I’ve never known a man to give me the silent treatment. I have to say, it’s a new experience,” Colleen said.
Travers had been thinking for the last thirty minutes. What was he going to do? The problem was, Travers was no closer to an answer than he was thirty minutes ago. The only thing he did know was they needed to stop at the gas station to put some more gas into the guzzler.
“It’s not a treatment. I have nothing to say and a lot of thinking to do.”
“You have that much thinking to do? What, did you go on hiatus for thought before the trip?”
Travers looked over at Colleen and had to do his best not to smile. Even when she was testy, she was still attractive with her hair disheveled, the sun hitting it just right, making it seem like she had hand-drawn in those highlights and she was smart. He so needed a plan to deal with this. Travers had reconciled he would see his brother if for no other reason than to bring closure to this part of his life. The relationship, or lack thereof, with Loretta, was done. He needed to finish up with David.
They pulled into a gas station, and then he got out to pump the gas.
“Listen, why don’t you take my card and tell the clerk we are filling up on pump six. I’ll talk after that, okay?”
Colleen took the card and sashayed into the little snack store. Travers was so busy watching her go into the store he didn’t see the police car until it was right next to him.
“Hands up! Where’s the hostage.”
“What hostage?” Travers asked. He looked over his shoulder to see two officers, both of their late forties and a little bit of a paunch straining the belt holding up their pants.
“Listen, boy, don’t play; where is the hostage?”
The next thing Travers heard was Colleen.
“Oh, my, goodness,” she said slowly.
“Ms., are you the hostage?”
“I’m with him, but he hasn’t taken me hostage. Is this the claim from Florida?”
Travers peeked over his shoulder. Both officers nodded.
Colleen continued. “I’m so sorry you all were brought into this. I can explain, and he hasn’t kidnapped me. I went with him willingly.”
One of the officers put his weapon away and walked to Colleen.
“Miss, are you sure?”
The man looked more like someone’s father and not the scary officer he was a moment ago pointing a gun at him.
Colleen smiled. “I assure you that I’m with him willingly.”
“Well, if all seems well, there’s only one thing to do,” the second officer said. Travers had turned and seen the second office put away his gun. Travers put his hands down and let out a sigh. Then he felt the first metal bracelet go on his wrist.
“What are you—?”
“Listen up. There’s paperwork to be done. If it all checks out, you’ll be out, lickety-split.”
When Travers looked at Colleen, she was being herded into the patrol car as well. The owner of the store came out.
Officer number two waved at him. “Charlie, we need to take them in for questioning.”
“Okay, but I will have to put the car in the garage. I’m on my way to the fair.”
The second officer nodded. Travers had already assessed the situation. It was bad, but it wasn’t anything they couldn’t get out of. He just needed his phone, and it would be fine. After he was pushed into the back seat of the patrol car, he tried to straighten up. Then he felt Colleen’s hands on him, trying to assist.
“Travers, I’m so sorry. I thought leaving the state would be fine. I didn’t know—”
Travers could hear the slight tremor in her voice, and he hated that he couldn’t bring her into his arms and make her feel better.
“Listen, Red, don’t stress. I should have known this could happen. If you were mine, I wouldn’t let a little thing like state borders stop me either.”
Colleen wiped an errant tear from the side of her face.
“Really, Sunshine? Now, you decide to let the nice Travers out?”
The officers got into the car, and the vehicle shook as they settled in.
“Okay, you two, we’re going to the station, and we’ll get to the bottom of it all.”
Chapter Ten
Colleen found out that the older man was Officer Baker, and the other was Officer Nathan. They didn’t book Travers, but they did handcuff him to the front bench that was bolted down in the front of the station.
What worried Colleen was that the two men didn’t seem like they were going to arrest them, but there was a lot of deliberation going on between them. She could have told them she was a lawyer, but Colleen didn’t after Officer Baker said she looked like his daughter and just wanted to make sure she wasn’t coerced.
Colleen and Travers sat on the bench, waiting.
“What could be taking so long?” She knew her voice was unsteady and needy. She couldn’t do anything about it, and that made her more nervous.
“The first thing you need to do is calm down. The officers aren’t going to go any faster if you keep looking at them. When they have figured it out to the best of their ability, they’ll come back, and we’ll deal from there.”
“You’re right. It’s so odd, but I say almost the same thing to people who get arrested in Chusada.”
Travers chuckled. “People get arrested in Chusada? I would think you all know each other. If someone does something wrong, just go tell his momma.”
“They get arrested. Not a lot, but it happens. You’re right.”
“Well, if nothing else, one of the benefits of this experience is hearing you say I’m right.”
Colleen rolled her eyes. “Is that where your thoughts are now. Aren’t you worried?”
“No, I’m not. There’s no sense in worrying. Like I said, we are going to have to wait no matter what, so why go through the drama of trying to second guess something you can’t change anyway.”
“I’m thinking about thinking good thoughts and keeping a positive attitude.”
“Let me know how that works out for you.”
“Travers, no matter what, I want you to believe that I am sorry.”
He turned to her and nodded. “You know these things happen. I’ll have to make sure the next time I abscond with the bride of a powerful person that she is traveling incognito.”
“All things considered, you don’t look all that ruffled.”
“I’ve been arrested before, and it wasn’t as nice as this.”
“I’ll think of a lot of things if I ever get arrested, but one of them is definitely not if this is a nice place or not. Why were you arrested?”
“I was young, poor, and wanted to prove to a girl that I could drive. Fortunately, I could drive; I just didn’t have a license or insurance. We don’t make the best decisions when we go on impulse.”
“Well, you’ve made up for it. You have a license and an okay car,” she teased.
He laughed. “I have to say it was kind of funny watching the officer gently herd you into the patrol car. When you first sat down, you had that this-is-not-for-me look.”
“It’s still not for me. Oh, look. It looks like they are finishing up,” Colleen said with an expectant smile.
“I don’t know, Red. The looks on their faces aren’t ones that I’ve seen before. Be careful and wait for them to lay all the details out on the table.”
She snorted. “They’re cops, Travers. Now that they’ve gotten their game together, we can get ourselves out of here.”
“Colleen—”
She narrowed her eyes and looked at him. “I don’t really care what they have to say or what paper I have to sign. I don’t want to spend the night in jail, and I don’t want to be held here either waiting for Luis to pick me up. Whatever they ask, we will deal with it, agreed?”
Colleen saw Travers nod reluctantly. She didn’t know what he was upset about, but she wasn’t going to let his ego get in the way of them getting out of jail.
