Fair in Love

Chapter 2-1

Chapter 2The chirp of a cell phone woke Travis out of a sound sleep, and he picked it up before it stopped ringing. He didn’t even get the chance to say anything before the person on the other end started talking.

“Good morning, Travis. Get yourself together. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

He hung up before Travis had a chance to protest, but Travis was showered and dressed by the time Marc’s car pulled up in front of the house. Travis went around and got in the passenger seat, where Marc had coffee waiting for him.

“Thanks. This is exactly what I need right now. I can’t understand how you can be so bright and cheerful at six A.M.”

“That’s because I don’t have a life.” Marc laughed bitterly. Travis wanted to say that he sympathized with him, but Marc’s cell phone rang, interrupting their conversation. Travis sat back, sipping the coffee, watching the passing scenery, and listening to the chitchat between Marc and someone on the other end talking about an upcoming concert venue.

* * * *

Geoff threw a towel around his waist and came out of the bathroom as Doug rolled over, opened his eyes, and smiled.

“Good morning, babe.” Doug still sounded groggy from sleep as he threw the covers aside and got out of bed. He wrapped his arms around Geoff and pulled him to his muscular chest. But Geoff broke away, grabbed his underwear and socks, then leaned against the wall to put them on.

“What’s wrong, Doug? You look like a lost puppy.”

Doug hesitated, as if he wanted to say something, but at the last second he went past Geoff into the bathroom. As Geoff stood at the mirror buttoning his shirt, his eyes were drawn downward to a CD Doug had left out the night before. It was a McAllan Brothers CD. On the cover was a photo of the three brothers on the front porch of an old farmhouse. Two of them were sitting on the stairs, but the third was standing behind them, leaning on the porch railing. He was wearing a cowboy hat and a denim jacket, and there was something oddly familiar about the curve of the scruffy chin, but Geoff couldn’t recall what it was. He finished dressing and waited until Doug was out of the shower before he left for work.

* * * *

Travis and the host of Good Day LA, a beautiful black woman named Trisha, sat side by side on a sofa in front of the cameras. Behind them, a clip of last night’s concert was being shown, and when it ended, Trisha turned to face the cameras.

“That was the scene last night at Nokia Theater, where country music’s top group, The McAllan Brothers, are performing, and we are pleased to welcome Travis McAllan to our studio this morning.” Trisha smiled at one of the two cameras, which slowly swiveled to Travis, who flashed a smile for the viewers.

“Good morning, Travis. Welcome to the show. Looks like you have some fans behind the scenes here.” The camera turned to show a small group of studio employees applauding and then back to Travis, who waved.

“Thank you, Trisha. Thank y’all for making me welcome.”

“Well, Travis, you’re one of the hottest names in country music today, voted one of the sexiest men in America, and talented, too.”

Travis looked almost embarrassed, but he recovered. “Thanks, Trisha, but without my music, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Well, everyone will be able to hear you perform at Nokia Theater through next week.”

Trisha smiled, and Travis added, “Y’all can meet me in person after tonight’s concert. There are still tickets available for the meet and greet to benefit cancer research. My brothers and I’ll be on hand, and who knows, we may do a couple of songs for ya.” Travis grinned for the audience. Trisha clapped and smiled, and then she turned to the camera, instructing the viewers to call the phone number or visit the website on their screens for tickets.

The ten-minute appearance closed with Travis and Trisha smiling at the camera and drinking coffee while another McAllan Brothers song played in the background.

* * * *

In the car, Travis sat back, running his fingers through his hair. “Thank God that’s over. It was hot behind them lights.”

“It’s hot behind the stage lights, too, but I never hear you say anything,” Marc observed.

“That’s because I have my music, and I don’t notice the lights or the people.” Travis looked at Marc. He was quiet, but it was clear from the set of his jaw he wanted to say something.

“Come on, Marc. Out with it. We’re almost at the gym.”

“I’m your agent s***h manager, and as such it’s my place to tell you that you need to start putting out more songs. We can’t keep making money on your past hits, because sooner or later the public is going to tire and go elsewhere. I would advise you to find a young woman who might help inspire you to write some more hits.”

“You sound like my brothers. Write songs and get married…people will talk…” Travis felt heat rising in his cheeks.

“As long as you’re paying me, I’m your brother and your parents, so I can give you a little bit of advice.”

“Which is?” Travis asked bitterly.

“Calm down, Travis. These are just some friendly words. Maybe after this concert tour, you should take a little vacation to recharge the batteries, and maybe you’ll meet someone.” Travis was relieved Marc didn’t mention Keith, but he could tell it was there, unspoken, which was why he was pushing Travis so hard. Travis felt Marc’s eyes on him while they were stopped for a traffic light, but he didn’t want to meet his gaze.

* * * *

In one of the glass towers on Wilshire Boulevard, Geoff sat in his desk chair looking out the window. It had already been a hectic morning, with two meetings and a third scheduled in fifteen minutes. Geoff turned the chair around to face the desk, preparing his laptop for the next meeting. He was about to leave the office when the cell phone on his desk began to buzz. He closed the door, as the company frowned on personal phone calls, and answered it.

“Hello, sweetie. What are you up to?” Lu’s saccharine voice on the other end sounded harsh in his ear.

“I was just on my way to a meeting.”

“That sounds like a lot of excitement to me.” Geoff could tell she was being sarcastic. Lu had been married four times, each husband wealthier than the last, and she filled her days with shopping on Rodeo Drive, lunches at the restaurant that was currently popular, and hanging out at night with her “boys” at Revolver. He listened to her talk about a new restaurant on Sunset, and he found himself staring at a picture on his desk. In it, he stood next to Doug, who had his arm around Geoff’s waist, holding him close. A few inches away, arms folded, stood Lu. Geoff liked that picture of Doug, and he remembered the weekend it was taken.

It had been over a year and a half ago in the fall, and Lu had invited Geoff and her two boys of the moment, Aaron and Tom, to her house in San Diego. They were on the freeway just outside the city when Geoff’s car developed engine trouble. While Geoff was looking under the hood and about to place a call for help, a silver Jeep slowed down and pulled up in front.

A rather good-looking man with short brown hair, camouflage pants, boots, and a Marines T-shirt got out and walked toward Geoff.

“Having car trouble?” he asked Geoff.

“Yeah, and needless to say, I’m not a mechanic,” Geoff replied, flustered.

“Let me take a look…” He bent over to check the distributor and spark plugs. While he continued to look for the source of the trouble, he made small talk. Geoff loved his smile, and he could feel the warmth of his body.

“Where were you guys heading?”

“San Diego for the weekend, maybe.”

“Why do you say maybe?”

“If you can’t fix the problem, then I’ll have to call the mechanic who normally fixes my car, and we’ll be stuck at home.” The guy had frowned and looked at the engine.

“I don’t think you’ll need to do that. Just let me look at one other thing.” He grabbed one of the wires and untangled it. Lu stuck her head out the front seat passenger window.

“Hey, Geoff, tell him to do less flirting and get this car moving.”

Geoff smiled, and the guy returned it, saying, “Have your friend try it now.” Geoff told Lu to start the car. It sputtered and then roared to life. Everyone was visibly relieved.

“How can I thank you for your help?” Geoff reached into his pocket to pull out money, but the man waved it away.

“There’s no need, but if you don’t have anything to do tonight, I would like it if…if you would have dinner with me, tonight or tomorrow night.”

“He’s going to be quite busy this weekend, so now that you’ve done your good deed, be on your way.”

“Lu, that’s no way to talk to someone who went out of his way to help us. I’m sorry she said that.”

“No problem. I guess I’ll let you guys go on your way, then.” The disappointment in the man’s voice wasn’t lost on Geoff; he walked after him, catching him before he got to his Jeep. He didn’t want to let the guy walk out of his life.

“Wait. If you’re in San Diego around Harbor Island, I would love to meet up for dinner.” That brought a smile to the man’s face. “Well, I think I better know your name first.”

“Doug. Doug Somerville.”

“I’m Geoff.”

He clasped Geoff’s hand, the rough palm lingering before he removed it to get Geoff’s contact information. It was then that Geoff remembered seeing the dog tags around his neck, shining in the sunlight.

Doug saw Geoff staring at the tags around his neck. “Yes, I’m in the Marines.” Doug and Geoff stood close together, not saying a word until Lu opened the passenger door and got out, hands on her hips, looking ready to stamp her feet.

“Geoff, I’ve already told you to stop flirting with the mechanic and get in the car. The sun will set by the time we get there, and we can just forget about tanning by the pool,” she said resentfully.

“Your grandmother is waiting, so you better get going. I’ll call you later,” Doug told Geoff as he climbed into his Jeep.

Geoff waited until Doug had driven away before returning to the car. He never shared with Lu the reason why he’d been alternately laughing and grinning as they continued into San Diego.

He was thinking it had been over a year since their first dinner together when Lu’s voice on his cell phone suddenly burst into his thoughts.

“Geoff, sweetie, are you even listening to me?”

“Sorry, Lu. I was distracted for a second. What did you say?”

“I was inviting you to an event tonight at Nokia Theater. I got the tickets from a friend who can’t go, and it’s for cancer research…”

“What kind of affair is it?”

“It’s a meet and greet with the McAllan Brothers. We get to watch the concert from the wings, and then there’s a party backstage.”

“You should ask Doug to go with you. They’re his favorite performers.”

Lu huffed. “He was there last night, and I’m asking you. Please say you will. I don’t want to go alone. Everyone else refused when they found out it was a country music concert.” Lu spoke impatiently, and Geoff, as he always did where Lu was concerned, gave in.

“What time should I meet you?”

“We’ll have dinner at that tapas restaurant near the theater and then go from there.”

Geoff responded quickly when he saw a shadow outside the office door. “I have a meeting. I’ll pick you up at six thirty. Bye.”

* * * *

Travis waited on his front porch until the gate swung shut behind Marc’s car, and then he went inside. The closing of the front door and his footsteps in the hall echoed as he crossed the polished hardwood. Holding his guitar case, he walked through the archway on his left to the wing used by visiting family and friends. At the end of the hall, overlooking the pool and part of the garden, was the room he used for practice and writing.