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The Tessarae Inn |
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Regrets In Jade Tones
CHAPTER 28 Blair threw her arms around Greenie and gave him a big kiss. Then one by one the members of the David Dukes boys kissed her on the cheek and told her she looked lovely. “Mind if we play a few?” “Nothing would make me happier.” “Wanna sing a few?” “Not tonight. Tonight I’m flying too high to land for a while.” “Seems about right to me but he may change your mind.” “Who?” David cocked his head to the right and Blair slowly turned and saw Jake Travis standing in the doorway. He walked over to her and for a few minutes the air in the room seemed to turn into stillness. Damn he was looking good. For a few seconds he locked his gaze on her face but finally he stretched out his hand. “I’ve got a new song that I thought I’d try out tonight, if you don’t mind.” She touched his hand. “Thank you…Thank you for coming.” “Wasn’t sure if I was invited but decided to take the chance.” “I’m very happy to see you.” “You look good in white. You always did.” Just for a minute they stared at each other then he walked past her to the stage area. “Oh-my-God! That’s Jake Travis,” yelled Kelly. “I didn’t know you knew Jake Travis!” Toni and Cassie rushed up to her and then everyone seemed to converge. The Sun photographer was snapping pictures everywhere. The buzz level in the room ratcheted up ten thousand degrees and Travis hadn’t played one note, yet. Thank goodness as Travis began to tune up all attention shifted to him. Blair eased away from the throng. Where was Todd? ====== Starr couldn’t believe her mother invited Mrs. Cole but grownups sometimes did stupid things. “I didn’t know your parents knew Jake Travis,” said Jason with big saucer eyes. She didn’t either but she wasn’t going to let him know that. “Yeah, they’re real good friends.” “That’s so cool, Starr,” said Susie in her irritatingly high-pitched voice as she vigorously shook her red curls. Susie grabbed her hand. “Let’s go talk to him.” How could she talk to him? She didn’t even know him. “Nah,” she said snatching her hand back, “lets wait until he finishes.” “But your Aunt Cassie is looking for us. She said something about it being time to go home.” “Where’s River?” “I don’t know. He’s kind of mean. He called me a little kid.” “He’s like that sometimes.” “So,” said Jeremy with his big toothy grin. “Do you have a cousin named Earth or Dirt, too?” “Shut up,” said Jason. “Don’t push him,” wailed Susie. “Mrs. Cole is here. She’ll make us all go home.” Starr shrugged. Her mommy and her daddy were here. She was home. Jake Travis began to sing. Susie grabbed Jeremy’s hand and they ran toward the stage. Jason stood away from her but he was looking at her. “What’s wrong, Starr?” “Nothing.” “Come on. Tell me.” “It’s my Daddy. He has that look on his face.” “What look? What you talking about?” “He doesn’t like it when people look at Mommy too much. He gets real mad.” “What kind of people?” “People like him,” said Starr gravely then pointed at Jake Travis. ========= “My goodness, Todd. You do have competition. Did you know about him? I was on the other side of the room and I could see the sparks. I’m not sure if a singer, or whatever he is, is a big improvement over you but he is an improvement nevertheless.” “Shut up, Dorian.” “Testy. I’m suddenly feeling better. I think I’ll go meet this rock star person.” Duke Wilson slid next to Todd and popped a shrimp into his mouth. “Him, I’d have checked out.” “Grab a couple of shrimp on your way out the door. I want to know everything by the am.” Duke grabbed the whole platter of shrimp but just as he was about to walk off he looked over his shoulder. The expression on his face was straightforward —no smirk or sarcasm written into the lines for a change. “By the way, just as I was leaving the office a report came in. It seems that Wyatt Cooper met with a particularly ugly accident. There is always something to be said for taking out the trash.” “I’ve heard that cleanliness is next to godliness.” “So they say.” Duke balanced the tray on one hand and saluted him with the other hand then walked toward the door. ======= Blair finally spotted Todd standing against one of the load barring columns to the right of the stage. He didn’t see her. She studied him for a minute then walked toward him. He was frowning. Travis’s new song was about midnight trains and loneliness on the road and singing heartbreak away but the last line had made her breath seize up in her chest: “I wanted her to stay but she wanted to go back to him.” The crowd went wild. She didn’t blame them. The song was beautiful but all she cared about right now was Todd. He finally noticed her but his eyes had gone flat. She walked toward him. He threw up his hands, turned around and walked away. She didn’t run after him. If after everything they had been through he would let a little thing like a song come between them then so be it. She turned and walked back to check on Jack. She spotted RJ and Toni sitting at a table near the back of the room. Even from a distance she could see the connection between them--the way he was looking at her, the tilt of her head, and the fact that as far as they were concerned no one else seemed to be in the room. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that love often triumphed against the worst possible odds. She had once quoted Eva Cassidy to him: “Love Heals The Wound It Makes.” Now she repeated that line to herself. The sound was very muted in the bedroom. She was pleased that the soundproofing she had installed when she remodeled the loft was so effective. Mrs. Castle looked up when she came into the room. “He is sleeping like an angel.” She looked over at him and then placed her chin on the crib railing and studied him. He was the most beautiful child. He was worth everything—even all the excruciating pain and suffering caused by so many lies. Someone knocked softly on the door. Mrs. Castle opened it. Blair straightened up and turned expecting to see Cassie, Kelly, Sheri, Dorian, Viki or… It was Travis. “Hey,” he said. “I need to talk to you for a minute.” Blair stared at him for a few seconds then nodded her head. When she was lost and thought she would never find her way home, he was one of the people who saved her. How could she ever forget that? “Mrs. Castle, will you excuse us for a minute.” Mrs. Castle narrowed her eyes and harrumphed. “I’ll be right outside the door.” “Thank you, Mrs. Castle.”
“I hope I didn’t cause you any problems.” “Yes you do. You hope you caused me all sorts of problems.” He grinned and looked down at his hands. “I hope he’s treating you right.” “I’m happy, Travis, and I swear to you I didn’t think I’d ever be happy again.” He nodded and slowly raised his head so their eyes met. “You matter to me. I can’t help it. You always will.” For a moment, she lost herself in his eyes then she snapped out of it. “You said you wanted to talk about something.” “I do, but this is not the time.” “Or the place.” They both turned to see Todd strolling into the room. Blair held her breath. Travis stretched out his hand. “Jake Travis.” Todd ignored the Travis’s hand and moved up behind Blair. He stood so close to her that there was no space between their bodies. His hands moved slowly down her bare arms. “I know who you are. And you know who I am. And we both know who she is. She’s my wife.” “And you’re one lucky man.” For a moment, she felt Todd’s whole body tense then slowly he relaxed. “Come on, Blair, let’s go.” She slipped her hand into his and let him lead her toward the door. “Blair. Todd. There’s something important that we need to talk about.” “Not now. Blair and I are needed elsewhere.” Blair looked back at Travis. For a minute he held her gaze then he glanced away from her face but not before she sensed that he was worried. “I’ll be in Philly next week for a concert. I’ll call you next Sunday and maybe we can get together.” “Don’t count on it,” said Todd as he pushed Blair in front of him and out of the room. “Mrs. Castle, make sure this gentleman leaves. Don’t leave him alone with my son.” Blair couldn’t help wondering what Travis wanted. Todd moved in front of her and she let him pull her along. Kelly popped up in front of them. “Is Jake Travis in the baby’s room?” “Yes,” said Todd. “And he’s waiting for someone just like you.” Kelly narrowed her eyes but she couldn’t sustain the expression for very long since it was so obvious that she was thrilled at the prospect of seeing Travis alone in a bedroom even if a nanny and a baby were there as well. Kelly rushed off. Blair squeezed Todd’s hand. “We need to talk about Travis,” she said moving closer to him. “Yeah, we do. I need to say some things to you.” She stopped and he watched her for a few seconds. They were at the edge of the dance floor. He raised his hand and suddenly the music stopped. The room became quiet but a sense of anticipation filled the space vacated by the music. Greenie stepped to the microphone. “I have a special dedication to a woman who this evening is all about celebrating—Blair Manning. It’s from the man who says he always has and always will love her--Todd Manning.” The crowd burst into applause and ooohed and aaahed, but Blair couldn’t take her eyes off of Todd. How much she loved him scared her. “Dance with me, Blair.” She stepped into his arms as the David Dukes band began to play the opening notes to “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Blair gasped when she recognized the song. Greenie began to sing in a voice she had forgotten could sound so beautiful. “The first time ever I saw your face I thought the sun rose in your eyes. And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave to the dark and the empty skies, my love. To the dark and empty skies.” Blair hugged Todd tightly but he stepped back slightly so he could see her face. “You are all I ever wanted, Blair,” he said softly. “And I have no intentions of letting you go. Don’t forget that. What is between us is and will be forever.” “And last ‘till the end of time, my love,” sang Greenie. “And will last ‘till the end of time.” She tried not to cry. She wrapped her arms around his neck, framed her face next to his and let herself get lost in him. Pure moments of bliss sometimes can last a lifetime. The End
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Sequel:
Dreams In
Amber Refrains
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