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The Tessarae Inn |
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Dreams In Amber Refrains CHAPTER 13 Todd didn’t pretend to know all of Llanview’s “happening” spots but he thought he knew at least the name and location of all of the one’s worth noting. Things happened in “happening” clubs and as a newspaper publisher he couldn’t be left with his pants down asking ‘where’ when a story broke. But he had never heard of Carmine’s on Horton. The club was identified by on a single letter, C, hanging crooked over the doorway at the end of a short alley and down a stairway. Nothing on the outside offered a clue to the spacious, elegant, bar and restaurant behind the large door with the chipped paint and scarred surface. Todd did a slow span of the club. It was a beautiful place full of leather club chairs, a huge oak bar with shelves full of bottles of every alcoholic beverage imaginable behind it, large round tables set to perfection and soft glowing lamps in the center of each. The air reeked of cigar smoke and testosterone. Carl Shuttlesworth grinned at him. “We like to do seedy on our on terms.” Todd studied him for a minute. He was not what he had expected either. Shuttlesworth had to be in his mid to late fifties but he was one of those men who time chose to be kind to as an affront to his peers. He was trim, fit and carefully tanned. His hair was thick and cut precisely to fall in soft waves. His beard was sculpted to precision with a thin frame from his sideburns along his chin which were joined by the ends of a mustached and crowned with a patch of hair that extended from under his lower lip to the hair on his chin. His eyes were a deep gray that seemed to get darker and lighter depending on his mood. He was wearing a dark blue suit that draped so perfectly that there was no question it was hand tailored for him from the first stitch. “I’m surprised Asa never brought you here but then that old reprobate plays by his own rules. I understand he was once married to your wife.” “They don’t get along. She tried to kill him. For some reason, he holds that against her.” “Was that before or after you two got together?” “Before. If it had been after I suspect Asa wouldn’t be around to tell the tale so to speak.” Shuttlesworth laughed loudly then emptied his glass. He was drinking vodka even though it was only eight o’clock in the morning. Robyn had been right. He rang the doorbell at Dorian’s at six thirty and took a tour of the house then “invited” him to breakfast at Carmine’s. “I like you, Manning. I had you checked out. Nothing I hate worse than some punk pussyfooter that doesn’t know how to get what he wants. Like I say. Grab it. Smack back everybody and everything that will try to take it from you. If necessary pay the damn price but understand there are no lessons to be learned.” Todd stared at him. He wasn’t sure how to respond. Was this man serious or was this some kind of test to see if he was remorseful enough for his sins. “Shuttlesworth, I’m not sure what you heard.” “I heard all of it. And call me DC. I’m not too fond of Shuttlesworth as a first name. And sorry if I shocked you but I’m too damn rich to have to worry about pussyfooting around any damn thing. I know all about your sorry ass life. Boo damn hoo. Everybody’s got a well full of shit to survive. Yours has just been more colorful than some.” Eat shit and die, old man. “You got a raw deal on that rape mess. You could have had a good career in ball without all that shit. I’d have been mad as hell. She deserved what she got.” What? Todd shook his head. “You really believe that?” “Spare me some mewling mouth politically correct assholes. That kind of shit doesn’t happen without the girl cooperating.” “You have daughters and still believe that?” “Damn straight and I’ve taught them how to take care of themselves. Nothing like that will happen to them because they’re not that stupid but if they found themselves in that kind of situation they would have kicked your horny ass all over that damn house. You’d still be limping. I raised my girls right. That’s what people don’t want to admit. You got to raise your girls right and that shit won’t happen.” This was too much to believe. Was the man already drunk? “Their mother agrees with you?” “Their mother? Damn. What’s that bitch got to do with anything?” Todd stared into Shuttlesworth’s eyes, which now appeared to be pools of liquid silver, and tried not to let his discomfort show but he was not completely successful. “Son, I believe in talking plain. Hope you can handle it. As far as I’m concerned there’s no percentage in wasting your time loving a woman. All it does is make you weak. I married my girls’ mother and screwed her a few times to get those buns in the oven then took my girls and left her ass. Most boring two years of my life.” Todd’s mind flipped into overdrive. What kind of reaction was this man looking for? Well, if Shuttlesworth wanted him to admit that he didn’t love Blair, he would be waiting till hell froze over--twice. “I love my wife.” “I’m not telling you what to think or feel. Just my advice is not to let that one you’re married to keep you from doing what is important to you.” “What’s important to me is important to her and vice versa.” “Yeah? Well, that was some wicked shit about your boy. I can’t believe she forgave your ass for that stuff but then it was all her fault for lying to you about the baby’s paternity in the first place.” “Most people who felt compelled to tell me what they thought didn’t agree with you.” “Fuck most people. I am not nor will I ever be most people. You need to understand that if we are going to be working together. That damn team has to be in the hands of someone who understands how the world really works. No sugar coating, pussyfooting, politically correct mumbo-jumbo either. I understand why you did what you did. You’d have looked like a pussy bitch if you’d let her get away with that shit. You did what you had to do. I don’t give a damn what ‘most people’ will tell you. You did the right thing and she must know it on some level or she never would have forgiven you.” Todd pushed his chair back. What the hell had he gotten himself into? Real or not, Shuttlesworth’s take on things felt bizarre, dangerous and like a slippery slope covered in snake oil. He didn’t need this shit. “Of course, the best of us can get caught,” said Shuttlesworth softly. He stared into his glass. “I’ve been seeing this woman and just between the two of us, she has gotten under my skin more than I thought possible. Need to watch my step.” He looked up suddenly. “In fact, you might know her. She lives here in Llanview.” “I doubt it.” “Probably not but she has me rethinking some things. Got to watch my step.” Yeah. Whatever. Todd pushed his chair back an inch further and stood up. He found himself face to face with a tall man, in his late twenties or early thirties, with spiky dirty blonde hair and eyes almost black as coal. He was dressed in a dark gray three-piece suit with no shirt on. The suit probably cost several thousand dollars but he assumed the bare skin was free. The shirtless wonder gave off a faint woodsy scent. The man nodded at him then he reached out a manicured hand and tapped Shuttlesworth gently on the back. “DC?” “My boy,” said Shuttlesworth looking up at him. “Grab a seat, son. Have you met Todd Manning? Used to play ball at Llanview U. Would have given your arrogant ass a run for the money if not for that gang rape shit. Now we are talking about talking about him buying into the team.” Bryan Treyscott reached out his hand to Todd. “I heard about you. Damn shame too. There was an incident like that at my school and I know for a fact that it was nothing like the way the media reported it. Bet that’s why you went into the newspaper business.” That was as good a reason as any. “Yeah. I try to give everyone a fair shake.” The corners of Treycott's mouth eased upward then he nodded his head. "I see. So you're an equal opportunity ass kicker and everybody's ass has an equal chance of being kicked around on your front page." "Close enough." Treyscott laughed. "I can live with that," he said and eased into one of the chairs. Todd followed suit and studied The Tornadoes quarterback, who leaned back in his chair and pulled out a pack of cigarillos. He straightened up a notch. “Todd Manning. Llanview U, right? You know, I thought DC was just talking shit at first but I think we may have played each other once. I was backup so you probably don’t remember me but I went to Borderton before I transferred to UCLA. You were good, Manning. I remember you. You were damn good.” “What you drinking, my boy?” Treyscott cocked his head and let it bounce for a second. “I’m not drinking, DC. Learned my lesson. I’m eating. That’s what most people do in the morning.” Shuttlesworth grinned then drained his glass. “Don’t let DC talk you into a liquid breakfast, Manning. He and his liver got a special relationship that most people can’t emulate.” Todd nodded. He liked Treyscott so far. Almost as much as he always thought he would. Todd ate a big breakfast and talked shop with Shuttlesworth and Treyscott. He found himself fascinated by the exchange, the camaraderie that he hadn’t experienced since Llanview U. and the chance to revisit the stories. When was the last time he got to talk about the championship game and how LU was a game away from making it into a major bowl game his sophomore year? Or how it was he who came up with the “castle play” that all but shut down so many defenses that year. As far as he knew, Coach Glib was still cribbing off that play to this day. He relaxed more and more as the time passed. Treyscott and he were more alike than in their style of play. He felt himself connecting to someone in a way that he hadn’t experienced since his frat days. He was laughing at one of Treyscott’s foul jokes when Shuttlesworth stood up and told them he was leaving. Todd sensed that they had worked out this plan earlier. What did it matter? The idea of spending some more time with Treyscott was surprisingly okay. They talked for another hour then Treyscott dropped him off in front of The Sun offices. “It must be bad, if you are talking to me.” “I don’t need a commentary. I need your opinion. Okay?” “Sounds to me like this Shuttlesworth is as dangerous as a shot of liquor to an alcoholic. Is having a piece of this team worth it?” Todd bounced the football in his hand. “Not just a piece. Controlling interest. He doesn’t want to be involved to a substantial degree.” “Right. How does Blair feel about all of this?” Todd reached over and grabbed the bottle of scotch that was balancing on the hood of the Ferrari. He took a long gulp and tried to forget the feel of the football that was balanced so perfectly in his left hand. “Oh, I see. She doesn’t know. Now, doesn’t that tell you something, Manning? You’re hiding this shit from your wife. Not a good move. Not after everything you two have been through recently. Is it worth risking your marriage for?” “The risk factor is low enough to be statistically insignificant.” “You mean it’s in an acceptable range. You wanted my opinion, well, here it is. If any deal is in the acceptable range for risking your marriage then you are having a brain fart and need to run like hell. That’s my damn opinion.” “There are other things in life that are important.” “Lie to yourself if you must, but I was there, remember? I saw what almost losing her to Cooper did to you.” Todd shook off the gripping surge of bile that threaten to flood his stomach at just the mention of Cooper’s name. This was something else entirely different and he was not going to be distracted by mixing oranges and apples. “If you had a second chance to live your dream, would you? Damn, RJ, I was good. I could have made it in the pros. I was that damn good. And this team would be a great legacy for Jack and Starr. It’s not all about me.” “It is all about you and you better own that or you are truly lost. And I’ve gotten my second chance. Toni and I are about to get married. I have my son and my daughter. They all love me, man. It doesn’t get any sweeter than that.” Todd glanced at RJ who was leaning against the driver’s door. Maybe he was right but then maybe he was wrong. This was a once in a lifetime deal. Could he live with the regrets if he made the wrong choice? How much of a risk was it really? He and Blair had never been more solid, more grounded, more in love. Sure he let Travis get to him but that was just a minor misstep. And why had Rebecca come back into his life the way she did if not to remind him that there once were other dreams? She thought it was divine providence but he suspected it was just as likely fate getting him ready to see the door when it opened. He glanced at his watch. It was decision time. He either called Shuttlesworth in the next fifteen minutes or the “talks” were concluded. How these people did business was freaky weird but to their credit they did not claim otherwise. They stated their rules and conditions and made no excuses. He pulled out his cell phone, glanced at the slip of paper where he had written the number. “I was wondering whether you want to stand up for me at the wedding.” “What?” “You heard me. I’m getting married and I need someone to stand with me.” “What about Hank?” “He’s my brother. I need a friend.” Damn you to hell. “What are you trying to do, RJ?” “All I asked was a simple question.” “Get off my car. I’ve got to go.” RJ stepped away slowly and then folded his arms over his chest. Todd threw the football and the bottle of scotch into the car then jumped into the driver’s seat and turned the key in the ignition. He glanced at RJ. “Think about what I said, Manning.” The car roared and squealed as he pressed the accelerator but held the car back. He tossed him the bottle of scotch. “Go to hell, RJ.” “I’ll save you a seat.” He spun out of the back parking lot of Capricorn and hit eighty before he reached the first stoplight. Chapter 14 Dreams In Amber Refrains FAN FICTION |