The Journey Collection

by Lisa Bilbrey

“Don’t tell Cal about this. He gives me enough crap for being ‘emo,’ as he calls it. He’ll never let me live this down.”

  “Emo?” The confusion that spread over Russ’s face was almost enough to make Travis laugh. “What the hell does ‘emo’ mean?”

  “Oh, um, like emotions,” he explained. “You know, like a big sissy. So just don’t tell him, all right?”

  “Deal,” Russ laughed.

  ~*~*~*~

  At seven o’clock sharp, Travis and Russ were sitting at a table in the back corner of Marty’s Bar and Grill. Cal had sent Travis a text, confirming that Anna had agreed to dinner, but he had warned Travis that she was nervous. Travis could understand her fears, but he knew Russ would treat her with respect, even if he had concerns about the age difference between her and Cal.

  They were sipping on their iced teas when Cal and Anna, a beautiful woman with shoulder-length raven hair and startling, midnight-black eyes, approached the table. Travis stood up and reached out and pulled her in for a hug. Anna was maybe five-foot-four, which just added to the amusement of seeing this ravishing Latin beauty with a six-foot, five-inch, lanky Irishman.

  “Anna, nice to see you again,” Travis said, kissing her cheek. “How’s Ben?”

  “He’s good. Made the A honor roll for the first time in two years. I’m very proud of him.” Anna turned to Russ, holding her hand out to him. “You must be Mr. McCoy. I’m Anna Ruiz. It’s an honor to meet you, sir. Cal’s told me so much about you.”

  Russ wrapped his fingers around her and smiled. “The honor’s mine, Anna, and please call me Russ.”

  “I’ve known you for a decade, and you’ve never once let me to call you Russ,” Cal muttered, placing his hand on Anna’s back. “That doesn’t seem very fair.”

  “You’re not anywhere near as pretty as Anna, Cal.” Russ laughed at Cal’s pout and pulled out Anna’s chair for her. “Here you go, miss.”

  “Oh, um, thank you.” She slid into her seat.

  Russ sat down next and looked up at the other men, both of whom were staring at him. “Don’t just stand there like a couple of goobers; sit down.”

  “Told you that we shouldn’t let him around her,” Cal groused and took the seat next to Anna. “She’s gonna think he’s funny all the time.”

  “Even though he’s not,” Travis added and returned to his chair. Russ and Anna were laughing at the two of them. “Anna, don’t think he’s always this charming; he’s just trying to lure you into his evil trap.”

  “Don’t listen to them. They lie,” Russ said.

  Anna smiled. “I’m sure they do.”

  Their waiter came up to the table and took their drink order, returning just a few minutes later with a soda for Anna and a glass of water for Cal. Since they knew what they wanted to eat, the four of them ordered their meals and settled in for some light conversation. Travis could tell that Anna was still uneasy with Russ, but the more his father talked to her, the more her shoulders relaxed.

  “Cal tells me you’re in school. What are you studying?” Russ asked, leaning up and placing his arms on the table.

  “I’m pre-med. Just working on my basics for now, but I’m hoping to be through with that by next fall, and then I’ll have to start considering which medical school to apply to,” Anna explained.

  “That’s impressive,” Russ commented. “It must be difficult to balance work, school, and your brother, though.”

  “Yes, sir, it is,” Anna admitted. “But Ben needs me, and one of the biggest gifts I can give him is showing him how hard work and discipline pay off. Like with him making the honor roll. For most kids that wouldn’t be a big deal, but Ben’s had a rough couple of years. He was in the car with our parents, and he suffered severe trauma to his frontal lobe. Because of that, he’s struggled to keep up with the rest of his class. He’s the smartest boy I’ve ever met, but he lacks self-confidence. When he came home this afternoon with his report card, he was happy.” Pausing, Anna wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to get so emotional, but my brother is very important to me.”

  “Don’t be sorry, darlin’,” Russ murmured. “Do you have family to help?”

  “No, my parents were both only children, and my grandparents are too old to be able to handle a child with Ben’s needs, so the responsibility landed on my shoulders — not that I’m complaining. Our parents always stressed the importance of family, and Ben is my family.” Anna looked over at Cal, grabbing his hand. “So is Cal.”

  Cal grinned. “I am, just like you and Ben are mine.”

  “That’s great,” Russ said, and Travis believed he meant it. “Now, tell me all the dirt on my boys here. I know they aren’t telling me everything, and I might need something to blackmail them with later.”

  “Whoa, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Cal blurted out.

  Anna fell back in her seat and laughed. “Oh, where should I begin?”

  “Honey, please don’t tell either of them anything about me,” he begged. “They won’t let me live it down.”

  “Oh, come on now, Cal,” Travis teased. “I would never hold anything over your head.”

  “Freshman year, football initiation at UT,” Cal stated. “You never stopped teasing me about having to hit on that nun.”

  Travis threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, damn, that was funny. The look on her face when you asked her if she came there often.”

  “Why was that funny?” Russ asked.

  “Because we were in a church, and they were in the middle of Mass!” Everyone but Cal burst out laughing. Travis covered his mouth with his hand. “Good thing you don’t have anything on me.”

  “Oh, really? How about sophomore year, spring break? Ring any bells?” Cal lifted an eyebrow in his direction.

  Travis opened his mouth several times before saying, “Touché.”

  “Is this about the cross-dressing contest?” Anna asked, and Travis gasped. “Cal already told me all about that, Travis. In fact, I’ve seen the pictures. I never would have taken you for the red sequins type of guy, but I do admire you for shaving your legs and armpits. You sure went the distance to win that thing.”

  Travis’s eyes flew to Russ, who was choking on his tea. “Are you okay, Dad?”

  “Yep,” he mumbled between his coughs. “Just wasn’t expecting to hear about you in drag, son. That’s a mental picture that I didn’t need to have.”

  “I didn’t think she knew about that,” Travis growled, glaring at Cal, who was doing his best to keep from laughing out loud. “Dude, really? We swore each other to secrecy.”

  “Sorry, man, but she cheated during a game of truth or dare.” Cal shrugged his shoulders.

  “I did not cheat!” Anna giggled.

  Cal smirked. “Yeah, you did, honey. You kept batting those lashes at me, and I swear I saw your bottom lip start trembling.”

  “The ultimate weapon,” Russ sighed. “My wife used to do the same thing to me. Got me every time.”

  Travis smiled. “Penelope does it, too. Always has.”

  “Oh, yes, the old flame.” Anna leaned up, placed her elbow on the table, and rested her chin on the palm of her hand. “Tell me about her.”

  “What do you want to know?” Travis asked, thankful that the dim lighting kept the warming blush on his cheeks from being noticed.

  “Everything. She must be quite an amazing woman to capture your heart again,” Anna murmured.

  Travis grinned. “She never lost it. I’ve been in love with Penelope since I was fourteen, but I was stupid and let her go rather than fight for her.” Shaking his head, he looked away. “Penelope’s the love of my life. Max, our son — he’s the best part of me. I can’t wait to get back to them, where I belong.”

  Anna reached across the table, laying her hand on top of his. Travis shifted his eyes to hers. “Good for you.”

  After an evening of pleasant conversation, they bid Cal and Anna goodnight and headed back to the apartment. Travi
s could tell that Russ had been impressed by her. Of course, it would have been hard not to be. Anna was an old soul and knew how to brighten up a room.

  Travis locked up the apartment, told his father that he’d see him in the morning, and headed to his room. Stripping off his clothes, he climbed into bed and pulled one of his pillows down against his chest. If he tried hard enough, he could feel Penelope in his arms — almost.

  ***

  Chapter Four

  Trouble Brewing at Home

  The next several days were spent trying to pack up Travis’s personal belongings, finding someone willing to take his furniture, and dealing with the never-ending phone calls from the press, who’d gotten wind of his retirement. Travis wasn’t surprised. The minute he left Stewart’s office, he had known it would only be a matter of time before the media would be crawling all over his decision to leave the game. In fact, he wouldn’t have been surprised if Stewart hadn’t been the one to call them himself. After all, negative publicity was still publicity.

  By the end of the week, Travis and Russ had managed to clear out all the closets and the majority of the kitchen, but they’d run out of boxes. Travis left his father at the apartment while he drove over to a packing supply store to get more. This meant dealing with the reporters and photographers who had been camped out in front of the building in a vain attempt to get him to bare his soul. He always felt bad for the other residents who lived in the complex; they’d never asked to be hounded for information every time they came and went.

  With another pile of boxes stacked up in the trunk of his car, he drove back to the parking garage and into his space, once again thankful for the privacy the concrete structure offered at times like these. He’d just started to pick up the cardboard when he heard the echoing click of a pair of heels behind him. Groaning, Travis turned around and found Tamara Roberts bearing down on him with a microphone in one hand and a cameraman behind her. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with her, but seeing as she was right in front of him, he didn’t have much of a choice.

  “Travis McCoy,” she purred, stopping a foot or so away. “May I have a moment of your time?”

  “Can I say no?”

  She laughed. “Of course you can, but you won’t, will you? Because you thrive off of all this attention, and don’t even think about denying it.”

  “What do you want, Ms. Roberts?” Travis asked, deciding to be direct.

  “You’re leaving the Sharks after a shoulder injury placed you on the reserved list,” she stated.

  Travis sighed. “That’s not a question.”

  “Do your reasons for turning down the offer to take over for Jerry Morton as head coach of special teams have anything to do with Stewart Thornton’s decision to not clear you to play?”

  Travis folded his arms in front of his chest. “My decision to retire from football has nothing to do with Stewart or the Sharks. I’ve been blessed to have six seasons with an amazing organization, but the time has come for me to move on. I need to spend some time with my family.”

  “Isn’t that sweet,” she said, though her tone belied her words. “So you’re not entertaining offers to play in Seattle, Los Angeles, or Denver?”

  “No,” Tyler replied, wondering what rumor mill she’d heard that from. “As I’ve already said, I’m retiring from the game altogether.”

  “How do you feel about Malcolm Rollins taking over as the starting quarterback for the Sharks?”

  “Malcolm is the best man for the job. He’s fresh and young, he has passion, and he loves the game. He’s got a fantastic team behind him, and I know that they’ll be able to go all the way this year.”

  “Hmm, well, I guess that’s all for now.” Tamara turned to her camera man. “Why don’t you wait for me outside?”

  He muttered his agreement under his breath and left. Tamara turned back to Travis. “It’s just me and you here, McCoy. What’s really going on? You hurt your shoulder, and all of a sudden you’re retiring? Come on, be real with me.”

  “I told you what’s going on.” Travis turned back to his car and started grabbing the boxes again. “I don’t have some hidden agenda, Ms. Roberts. There comes a time when you have to go back home, and my time is now.”

  “And you won’t miss the game?” She shook her head. “I’ve been watching for you for six years now, McCoy. You can’t just walk away.”

  “Well, I am. There are things in my life that are more important than football. I won’t regret my decision to go back home.”

  “If that’s your story, McCoy.” Tamara brushed past him and started walking away. “Good luck.”

  “I’ll need it,” Travis muttered to himself.

  With his arms full of broken-down boxes, Travis managed to shut the trunk and make it into the elevator. Stopping outside of his apartment, he used his foot to kick the door, hoping that Russ would open it for him so he wouldn’t have to try to fish out his keys. A moment later, it swung open, and Travis found himself face-to-face with a frantic-looking Russ, who had the phone pressed against his ear.

  “Hold on, he’s right here,” Russ muttered, holding the cordless phone out to Travis. “It’s Penelope.”

  Travis shoved the boxes into Russ’s arms and took the phone. He’d spoken to her every night and each morning, but it still wasn’t enough. “Hey, baby.”

  “Oh, thank God you’re there,” Penelope exclaimed, and Travis was on edge at once.

  “Penelope, what’s wrong?” he asked, stepping into the apartment and closing the door.

  “Max got into a fight at school,” she explained. “I’m still not sure what happened because he isn’t talking to me, but he has a black eye and a busted lip. Travis, they were junior high boys, and I don’t know what to do!”

  “Okay, first you need to calm down,” Travis said, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. “What’d Mr. Nickels have to say?”

  “It happened after school, so he wasn’t there, but he did tell me that the boys had been hanging around a lot.” Penelope sighed. “Max has been suspended for three days. If he gets caught fighting again, the school says they will press charges against him. Can you believe that? He’s a baby, for Christ’s sake.”

  “It’s ridiculous,” Travis agreed. “Is he there? Can I talk to him?”

  “You can try. He’s been hiding in his room since he got home,” she mumbled. “Hang on.”

  Travis waited while Penelope went to get Max. Through the phone, he heard her knock on Max’s door and him yelling at her to leave him alone. Travis ran a hand through his hair. He’d never heard Max speak to his mother with so much anger before, and he couldn’t help but feel guilty for leaving once again. He needed to be there, to make up for missing so much of Max’s life, but Travis knew that until he had everything settled in Miami, he wouldn’t be able to be the father Max needed.

  Penelope’s muffled voice echoed in his ear while she told Max that he was on the phone. A moment later, the sound of the receiver being pulled out of her hand could be heard.

  “Travis?” Max rushed out. “Are you there?”

  “Yeah, I’m here,” he said, smiling at the sound of his son’s voice. “What’s going on, little man?”

  “She told you about the fight, huh?” Max muttered.

  “Yeah, she’s worried about you. So am I. I didn’t peg you for the fighting kind.”

  “I’m not, but . . .” Max trailed off.

  “But?” Travis prompted him to continue.

  “They were saying stuff,” he mumbled, “about you.”

  “What about me?”

  Max huffed. “They were saying that you were a loser for quitting. I couldn’t just sit there and listen to them say that about you, could I? I told them to shut up, but they called you a bunch of bad words that would make Mom blow her top. I didn’t have a choice; I had to teach them a lesson.”

  “You always have a choice, little man,” Travis said. “Fighting is never the answer, even if it’s about me.”

&n
bsp; “Should have known you’d be on their side,” Max griped. “You’re just another grown-up.”

  “You think I don’t know how frustrating it is to have to keep quiet when people are mouthing off?” Travis scoffed. “Every time I walk outside, I deal with people in my face wanting to know why I’m quitting. They’re saying that I’m throwing a temper tantrum because of my shoulder, because I can’t play anymore. Now, I could tell them about you, about your mom, but that’s not enough for them. They’ll want more. And you know why?”

  “No,” Max whispered.

  “Because they don’t understand how someone who’s had it all could feel empty inside,” Travis explained. “See, Max, to those boys at school and the press, I have it all — the dream life — but that’s not true. Because right now, I don’t have you and I don’t have your mom. Until I’m home with you again, I will feel lost and alone.”

  “I miss you,” Max cried.

  Travis blinked back his tears. “I miss you, too, little man, and I’m trying to get everything wrapped up here so that I can be there with you, but I need you to be strong for me, okay? Listen to your momma, and do what she tells you. You keep your nose clean, too. No more fighting, because you’re better than that.”

  “Just — just hurry home,” he whispered. “Please?”

  “As fast as I can,” Travis promised.

  Max must have handed the phone back to Penelope, because a moment later, Travis heard her breathless sigh. “I don’t know what you said to him, but I haven’t seen a smile like that in days.”

  “Just the truth,” Travis said. “I’m so tired of being away from you, baby.”

  “I’m tired of you being away from me, too,” she admitted. “How much longer, do you think?”

  “Maybe another week. I’ve got a call in to the Salvation Army about my furniture. I’m hoping they’ll be able to take it off my hands and find someone who could use it. The movers are coming on Friday to grab my boxes. If I can get everything packed by then, Dad and I will be able to fly out on Saturday morning.”

  “Then home for good?” she asked with hope in her voice.

  “God willing,” Travis mumbled. “I have to deal with the rental company tomorrow about the lease on my apartment, but it shouldn’t be a problem getting out of my contract. This building is nice; a lot of people want to live here. But if I can’t, I’ll just pay for the last six months rather than fight them. It’s not worth the hassle. And then I need to figure out what to do about my car. It’s too small for us, so I’ll see about selling it, I guess. Maybe one of the guys from the team will take it off my hands.”