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The Tessarae Inn |
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Dreams In Amber Refrains
CHAPTER 23 Travis was right about the view from the living room being spectacular at any time of the day or night. Blair looked out on the blanket of sunshine as she worked through her stretching routine. Despite the fact that Travis’s penthouse suite was now fully occupied, everything was quiet as a church this morning. Piper and the rest of the band were still partying like there was no tomorrow until a couple of hours ago, so she assumed they were all sprawled out somewhere asleep. Plus rehearsals the last two days had been brutal and everyone was exhausted. Now, however, it was all over but the shouting. The show was tonight and the only thing on the agenda was lounging around until they needed to leave for the theater in the late afternoon. Then tomorrow she was going home and then on to Creedyville. The last few days had been fun but it was way beyond time to go home, grab her husband and see her babies. A loud rapping sound on the door to the suite startled her. She stood up and started to answer it but Travis appeared suddenly and waved her back. “Let Clive get it. You wouldn’t believe how inventive and persistent some of the fans can be, especially on the day of the show. They know everyone is in town.” Clive walked into the room with his right eyebrow raised and cut his eye at Travis. “It’s the Mrs….or the ex-Mrs. and that football player.” Before Travis could say anything a woman with strawberry blonde hair in loose curls and a tall muscular man wearing a suit jacket but no shirt walked into the living room. The woman stared at Blair for a minute. “I see the papers didn’t lie for a change. Are you two living together now?” Travis stepped next to Blair. “What do you want, Robyn?” “I want to talk to you—in private.” “I can’t imagine what we have to talk about.” “Why doesn’t that surprise me? You never seem to be able to let yourself imagine what we need to talk about.” Travis locked his gaze on Robyn and she glared back at him. The tension in the room ratcheted up several hundred degrees. Blair glanced back and forth between Travis and Robyn. She actually could see anger flashing between them like an electric current. Whatever this was about, was not good. Finally, Travis looked over at Blair. “I apologize for Robyn’s rudeness.” “Don’t apologize for me. It’s not your privilege anymore.” She turned toward Blair and stretched out her hand. “I’m Robyn Shuttlesworth and you’re Blair Manning, Todd’s wife.” Blair nodded and shook Robyn’s hand. Why did that name seem so familiar? “I think you’ve met my sister, Heather.” Blair stepped back. Travis cleared his throat. Blair felt her eyes widened as she remembered where she met Heather. Travis had been married to Robyn and was now sleeping with her sister. She shifted her gaze to Travis but he was looking down at his feet. “And this is Bryan Treyscott, the great quarterback. I guess Todd has told you all about him.” What? She studied the tall man with the spiky blonde hair and the unusual fashion sense. “No offense but why would Todd tell me anything about …?” “Treyscott. Just call me Treyscott.” Travis smacked his thigh. “You saw the newspapers didn’t you?” Robyn exhaled loudly. She glanced at Blair then back at Travis. “I really need to talk to you now. It’s important.” “Robyn, your needs are no longer my concern. And what I do is none of your business.” “Don’t make me explain to you why that’s a lie in front of strangers.” Travis gritted his teeth but then glanced at Blair. “Excuse us for a minute. It will be less trouble this way.” Travis walked off toward his bedroom and Robyn rushed behind him. Treyscott looked around the room then said, “This is some place isn’t it? Having fun in Travis World?” Blair sat on the couch and studied Bryan Treyscott for a few seconds. “Tell me, Treyscott, how do you know my husband?” Treyscott shrugged his shoulders and walked over to the bar and poured himself a glass of juice. “Want some?” “No thanks. What about Todd? How do you know him?” “I’m close to Carl Shuttlesworth so he has kept me informed about the negotiations and such.” “Negotiations?” “For the team.” He grinned and then winked at her. “I don’t have first hand knowledge about what’s going on between your husband and Heather, which I guess is a form of negotiation too, but I do know her style.” Blair sat up straight and stared at him. His eyes widened and he walked toward her. “Look, I’m sorry. I thought you knew and that’s why you got out of town.” Blair was trying to control her breathing. “I mean Heather tends not to be subtle when she is on the hunt for a new trophy. That’s part of the thrill for her. She takes what she wants and for an extra shot of adrenaline, she likes to rub people's noses in the shit she creates.” Think. Stay calm. Think. Keep your wits about you. Focus. “Todd is in negotiations with Carl Shuttlesworth for what again?” “The team. This is hush-hush shit but I guess you have a right to know. Your husband is buying into The Tornadoes as the principal owner.” “Heather is involved how?” “DC likes to give her the illusion that she has some real power. Heather thinks she is taking the lead in the negotiations and, believe me, she knows only one way to make deals.” He looked at her and rubbed his free hand on his trousers. “Sorry. Can’t seem to keep my foot out of my mouth this morning. Dealing with some personal shit on my own and not doing a good job of censoring myself. Shit’s too close to the surface. Sorry.” Blair couldn’t stop staring at him. Every instinct in her body told her that Treyscott was neither lying nor trying to stir up trouble. He honestly thought she knew. He thought she knew that he husband was making nice with some harlot while she was out of town. “Excuse, me. I have to get dressed. I have some business to take care of.” ============ “The sun is shining and it’s a beautiful day. The late afternoon lunch was wonderful but now we need to get down to business.” “All we need to do is sign the papers, Heather, and it’s concluded. When is DC arriving?” Todd Manning was without a doubt the most stubborn man she had ever met. He clearly got the message but he insisted on behaving as if he didn’t. Well, maybe she needed to hit him on the nose with a rolled up piece of paper. She stepped directly into his line of sight. “You keep pretending that you need to worry about Daddy Carl when we both know that’s not true. You need to worry about me.” He frowned. “Now we’ve agreed that everything is to your liking. The money is acceptable, your lawyer has worked out the best deal I’ve ever seen for you, your accountant has assured you that you cannot lose money, owning this team will make you very happy. There is only one little thing that has not been brought to fruition and that’s me.” “Heather, I told you…” “I am coming to the conclusion that you are not taking me seriously. Don’t make that mistake. I will blow this whole deal right out of the water and I will not only ruin your deal with us but with every other team in the league.” She walked over to the couch, flopped down and crossed her legs. She watched him as he narrowed his eyes and tightened his lips. She took a deep breath then made sure she thrust her chest forward as she exhaled. The expression on his face was a bit frightening but there was no way she was going to back down. Her father raised her not to back down from any man. She ran her tongue across her upper lip then straightened her back. “Don’t think I can do it? PR is my game and I’m as good at tearing down as I am at building up a rep. With you I have a treasure trove to work with. No other team would have seriously considered your offer and that's before I even start to put my spin on things. By the time I finish, you’d be lucky to be able to buy a ticket to a high school football game without a full slate of character witnesses.” “It’s not going to happen, Heather.” “Tick. Tock. The clocking is ticking. We are well past the two-minute warning, Todd. Only enough time to run one more play. And you better make this pass a good one.” “Will not happen, Heather.” “What is with you? It’s just a little sex. I’ll make you feel good and give you a damn football team. What is the downside of that? Why can’t you just give me what I want, so I can give you what you want?” “Because I’m not a whore.” “Whores give it away, Todd. I’m going to pay you mighty fine for what you do to me and give you an experience you won’t soon forget. How can you beat that deal?” “I’d just as soon kill you.” A surge of fear swept through her body but her nipples were suddenly so hard they hurt. She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. “But you won’t and the deal is still the same. I get what I want or I walk out that door. And I won’t be back again. ============ Blair stared out of the window and watched the scenery fly past as if part of some abstract painting. Treyscott was cruising at close to ninety. Her head was spinning and not from the speed. She needed to distract herself to keep from screaming. If she wasn’t careful her mind would whirl out of control. She seized on Travis and Robyn. “What happened to them?” “Best I can figure she lied to him about something. What was it? Oh, yeah. She told him she had a fatal illness so he married her to make her last days happy.” “Are you kidding? And she wasn’t sick?” “Not physically.” He glanced over at her. “But, look, Robyn really is a nice person especially when you consider how she was raised and all. She was head over heels in love with Travis, but he wasn’t into anything more than some free stuff. Didn’t stop her though from pushing for more.” “So he wasn’t in love with her?” “Don’t know. Travis is pretty hard to read even if you care what he’s thinking and to be honest, I don’t. But I do know she loved him desperately. Still does from what I can tell.” “So you have no idea how he felt about her?” “Look, if my experience is any indication, he can get it about anyway he wants it, anytime day or night, anywhere, so you can’t tell me she was the first one who threw him a piece of ass. And it ain’t none of my business but he did marry her and nobody used a loaded shotgun on him or anything. But like I said, Travis has what the team shrink calls ‘issues.’ Hell, more like damn subscriptions.” “How fast did it go downhill?” “It lasted about six months then it blew up like someone planted nitro in the middle of it. But for a while there they looked happy as hell. Nearly drove Heather crazy. She can’t stand for Robyn to have something she doesn’t have. She didn’t shed any tears when everything blew up in Robyn’s face that’s for sure.” “Is that why she’s with Travis now?” “If you call it that. Like I said, she likes to rub people’s noses in shit when they have something she wants. The thing is though that Heather will never let herself have happiness. She may find it or try to steal it but she will never live it.” “Sounds like you know her pretty well.” “Well enough. With Heather a little bit of knowledge is much more than you want to know about her.” “How long have you been seeing Robyn?” “We’re just friends. She borrows my couch sometimes and sleeps over just to drive Heather crazy.” “Why?” “Another long story and I don’t really want to go into it right now.” “Sorry, but you started this. Don’t have to get personal but you have to tell me what I need to know to deal with Heather.” “Everything you need to know about Heather is summed up in two words: Carl Shuttlesworth.” “Her father?” “She lives and breathes that man. Weirdly intense relationship between DC and both of his girls but especially between he and Heather. Sick if you ask me.” “How intense?” “Look, we just crossed the city limits. Welcome to Llanview, Pennyslvania.” “Answer me, Treyscott. Is it sexual?” He exhaled loudly. “No. But she lives for his approval even about who she chooses to have sex with.” “Carl Shuttlesworth has that kind of power over his daughters?” “Heather definitely but Robyn less so, but it’s not just his daughters. That man likes messing with people’s heads. Treats it like it’s a competitive sport.” “Yet, you’re close to him?” “Yeah, but let’s just say I no longer delude myself about the game. I keep my eye on what’s happening on the entire length of the field—who’s open, who’s thinking about another play, who’s doing his job and who the hell is fucking up. All good quarterbacks do and I’m very good.” “So I’ve heard.” He grinned at her. “In this business you better toot your own horn because management forgets as soon as the team loses a game. Got to stay positive in your own head and watch your damn back.” Blair nodded her head then watched the road flying to meet them for a few seconds. She wondered if Treyscott could drive any faster. “I’ll tell you something else though. No matter how good you are, sometimes someone gets in your face and you can’t see two inches in front of your nose—you’re playing blind and that shit can really fuck you up.” Something about Treyscott’s tone made her shudder. He was more complicated than she first imagined and what he said seemed to ring with more than a hint of truth. “Do you have an idea where is Heather might be?” “Not sure. She’s with Todd though. She said something about closing the deal this afternoon.” “Drop me off by The Sun offices. Do you know where that is?” “Yeah and that reminds me. The penthouse. Does that make any sense to you? I’ve heard Heather and DC both talk about meeting Todd at the penthouse above the offices.” Blair did everything to squelch the mounting sense of anger and panic. Drive faster damn it! She reached in her purse and pulled out her cell phone as she stepped into the elevator of the Manning Building. She dialed Todd’s cell number but there was no answer. She dialed the penthouse. ========= Heather felt like she was standing in an oven. He was so close but still so far away. She stood up and pulled her blouse open to reveal her skimpy white lace bra. She locked her gaze on him and ran her hands along the outline of her breasts. He just stared at her. The phone rang and he moved to answer it but she picked up the receiver and then slammed it down. He didn’t need to talk to anybody. He needed to put his hands on her and give her what she needed. She pulled the cable out from the back of the receiver base then locked her eyes on him and dared him to complain. “No excuses. No mood wreckers. No dumb wives coming home. Now or never, Todd.” He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up. She flung herself at him then kissed him. Her body shimmed from the close contact. She felt as if she had come down with a sexual fever. She could barely control herself. Her tongue pried his mouth open and gave the inside of his mouth a lashing. When he pulled back from her she grabbed him so forcefully he lost his balance and they tumbled onto the couch and then slid to the floor. She looked up at him. She was panting like a dog on a hot day but she couldn’t seem to get control over her breathing. “Kiss me, damn it. Wherever you want to. Just kiss me.” She locked her arms around his neck and forced his head down so that their lips were touching. He tried to move back but she held on so that they ended up rolling over and rammed into the coffee table. She pulled away from him and stood up. “Let’s go upstairs. Less possibility of damage there.” He rose to his feet. The look she saw in his eyes made her catch her breath. Whatever he was going to do to her upstairs was not going to be nice or easy. He was angry but when she reached out and took his hand, he didn’t snatch it away. She walked slowly to the staircase and led him up several steps. He looked up at her. She released his hand and then let her blouse drop away. She slowly lowered the straps of her bra. She stepped up another step and wet her lips then pulled one arm free of the bra strap then the other. She cross her arms and gripped the edge of her bra to lift it over her head. No man could resist that move. And Todd Manning was no different than any other man in that regard. She stepped up one more step but he didn’t move. She lifted her bra over her head and let her breasts swing free. His lips curled then he glanced off to the right as though he was looking through the French entryway doors, which were partially closed. When he turned back toward her his expression of anger had been replaced by a look of utter disdain. “Get out. Get the hell out of my damn house.” ========= Blair would always give Treyscott credit for the way he handled the situation. She was determined not to run. She was leaving of her own accord. Her decision. But when she walked across the parking garage toward him like flaming bats out of hell were chasing her, he opened his arms and held her for a minute. He helped her into the car then sat and talked to her. He told her that everything was going to be all right. She was so angry and hurt she could barely speak but he coaxed the bare details out of her. He asked her whether she really wanted to leave. He told her that he understood her anger and pain but then asked if it wasn’t better to go back to the penthouse and break it up? Why let Heather win? Break up what? Win what? What was there to break up? A negotiation? Todd wasn’t cheating on her. He was sealing a deal and it seemed in his mind his fidelity to her was no more important than any other perk he was willing to throw into the hopper. Things couldn’t get much clearer than that. When Treyscott finally seemed convinced that she had made up her mind, he drove out of the parking garage and headed back to NYC without asking any more questions. They cruised in silence, sometimes reaching 95 or more. Eventually, she told him what she could—how she watched her husband rolling on the floor while kissing that bitch, how that bitch led him upstairs obviously already familiar with the layout of the penthouse, and how he seemed to trot behind her like a dog in heat. Treyscott listened in a stony silence except for an occasional “bitch” or “bastard.” He seemed to understand her sense of betrayal but how could she explain to him what it felt like to have her heart ripped out of her chest again. Again. She had been wrong to stop looking down. Chapter 24 Dreams In Amber Refrains FAN FICTION |