Tailan turned as Michelle hurriedly put her phone away, ignoring a call that had just come in. Tailan moved over to Michelle’s seat and stooped. “Man troubles?” she asked.
Elona shrugged and addressed Michelle, “You might as well tell her.”
Michelle passed the phone. Tailan scrolled through the call log. Her mouth sagged.
“Tai,” Delvin said, noticing the abrupt change in her demeanor. “Everything all right?”
“It will be,” she tossed to him, then turned her attention to Michelle. “What’s going on? Margo’s called you forty-three times.”
Michelle slumped down in the seat. “I’m going to lose my job because I won’t spy for her.”
Tailan’s eyebrow shot up. “Give it to me quick and dirty.”
“Since you haven’t been following the original schedule, she wants to know every single thing you’re doing on the tour. Where you’re going next. Any drama. Hell, the woman practically wants me to sneak in your room every night and learn what toothpaste you use.” Michelle shook her head. “I couldn’t do it. I’ve been letting the calls bounce to voicemail. Now she’s calling me on every number I have—she even left a few messages on my home phone.”
Delvin felt a mischievous smile forming on his lips. Tailan’s profile was one he remembered. His little firecracker was thinking. Her “give-away”—she was tapping Michelle’s phone against her chin. Suddenly Tailan handed Michelle the phone. “Misdirect her.”
“Come again?” Michelle said, frowning.
“If she wants to play games, then let’s change the rules,” Tailan replied. “She’s not aware that we’re onto her. So, answer the next time she calls.”
“I don’t want to talk to her,” Michelle huffed, her voice edged with anxiety. “I might slip up.”
“No, you won’t.” Tailan smiled, the wheels of cat and mouse playing in her head. “We’re on the road. We’re on a tour bus—horrible reception, no cell phone towers. As soon as we land back at the hotel, you call her. Tell her your phone died, there was no signal anywhere for hours. And you won’t lose your job.”
“But what about all the Intel she wants me to gather?” Michelle asked, her thin lips pulled into a frown.
“Easy fix.” Tailan smiled and caressed the girl’s trembling hand. “Going forward, you give her what she asked for—Intel on the places we’re going, but only after we’ve already left. That way, she’ll be behind us instead of ahead.”
Michelle gulped her concern. “She plans to have you fired when the tour ends.”
“With the numbers we brought in?” Tailan gave the woman’s hand a reassuring pat. “Margo’s selling wolf-tickets. Her father speaks one language—money. If it doesn’t make dollars, then it doesn’t make sense. And baby, we cashed out today!”
Chapter 11
SOUL EXPRESS TOUR—DAY 3
2:18 P.M.
They were on the bus following a successful beginning on the third day of the tour. Two stores, all sold out, and the authors were getting along famously. Especially since The Vets were keeping The Divas in check. The last store took longer because they had to wait for more stock to arrive.
“And this puts us way behind schedule,” Tailan said to her staff with another weary sigh and a quick look at her watch. “We’re supposed to stop at Benihana’s for lunch on the way to the Marriott reception. Now we don’t have time.”
“How about pizza?” J. L. piped in.
“Quit eavesdropping.”
“Ear hustling,” he corrected.
“Whatever,” she shot back, giving him the “stink eye.” “I can’t serve them pizza.”
“Why not?” Beverly said, rubbing her flat abdomen. “Our stomachs aren’t too ritzy that we can’t enjoy some good ol’ Italian pie.”
“You can say that again,” Lutishia chimed in.
Tailan shook her head. “This tour has been classy and I’m going to keep it that way.”
“Then put the pizza on some China and keep it moving,” J. L. countered. Then before she could rein him in, he stood and yelled out, “Hey peeps!”
Everyone turned to the youngster.
“We’re low on minutes. How about some pizza?”
“Pizza sounds great!”
“Sausage and cheese please,” several called out.
“Make mine pepperoni.”
“Anything but anchovies,” J. L. said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. Almost everyone grumbled their consent to that one.
Tailan playfully ruffled the young man’s unruly waves as he grinned. “See? Told ya. Italian Fiesta Pizza is the bomb. If it’s good enough for Obama, it’s good enough for us too.”
And then it happened. The age-old arguments about Chicago pizza versus New York pizza started.
Tai shook her head and leaned over to Renee. “Call it in and we’ll pick it up on the way to the hotel and eat lunch there. My credit card’s on file.”
“Eat pizza much?” Delvin teased and she snickered.
Delvin tried to focus on Joyce’s book, Getting Away With Everything, and realized that he was not “getting away” with putting Tailan’s presence out of his mind.
“What did David say to get you here?” she asked him in a voice just above a whisper.
“That you hadn’t been the same since our break-up and you needed help,” he replied.
“He had no right to tell you that,” she said through her teeth, her body tensing again.
Delvin turned her around and locked eyes with hers. “He had every right.”
Tailan’s eyes dropped to his mouth. He could feel her emotions battling for ownership of her actions—give in to her passion or put up her dukes and punch him.
Fight it out apparently had the stronger hold as she blurted, “Since you want to talk, let’s talk about the fact that you’re under the misguided notion that I owe you a second chance.”
Delvin froze at her harsh tone, but said, “I was wrong—completely—I’m not ashamed to admit it. I should’ve believed you and I thought I could change you.”
He fought the urge not to traipse into the past, but his mind wouldn’t let him hide from the blatant warnings he chose to ignore.
* * *
When they had arrived home on Sunday after their prom night, Delvin’s parents knew without them even opening their mouths.
“So, it finally happened,” Anna Germaine had said, sounding a little relieved as if she had been expecting it to happen long before now.
Tailan’s face turned red. Delvin was quick to announce, “We kept our promise,” as he took Tailan’s hand. “And honored rule number one—never in the house.”
“You are using protection?” Delvin Senior questioned.
“I’m keeping up with that,” Tailan piped up instantly. “I don’t want children. Ever.”
The conviction of her tone gave the small group pause. Especially Delvin.
No children? No little angels conceived and born from our love?
Delvin’s mom looked to him, then cast her eyes over to Tailan and said, “Let’s hope you’ll feel differently once the two of you finish college and get married—in that order of course.”
Tailan shook her head and lifted her determined chin. Delvin saw the first hint of her unwavering stubbornness. “After what I’ve seen, I’d never bring a child into this world. There’s too much ugly in people.”
“But that’s not what you’ve learned from us—from Delvin,” Anna countered, her concern etched into her classically beautiful features.
“You all are the exception to the rule,” she said softly.
“No, Tai,” Delvin chimed in. “Your aunt and uncle are the exception. Don’t let their warped sense of family taint your interpretation of what a loving family is.” He brought her hand to his lips.
His mom sighed and rose to take Tailan into her arms. She pulled back and shared, “Delvin’s right and so are you. But,” she caressed Tailan’s face, a gesture Delvin knew was meant to soothe. “There’s rea
l beauty in the world. Maybe if you talk to someone about—”
Tailan pulled away from Anna. She looked to Delvin then again to his mom. “I trust you enough to tell you, and that’s only because you insisted, but I never wanted to dirty another person’s soul with what I know.”
She shook her head and an eerie feeling slithered up his spine.
“I appreciate what you’re saying. But my mind is made up. I will never, ever have children.”
Delvin felt Anna’s eyes on him and turned. They mirrored his. In his mother’s deep brown pools he saw only one thing … heartbreak.
* * *
The brisk walk around the hotel had simmered Delvin’s spiked emotions. Tailan was within reach. She was in his world again and he was determined to keep her there.
He headed for the elevator and came up short at the screech of a familiar voice. “You’re cheating!”
Delvin edged a little closer to the commotion, making sure not to be seen. “You don’t know how to play,” Les snapped back. “It’s Joker, Joker, Ace, King, and then on down the line. I don’t know where you get that mess that the deuce is supposed to kick in before the Ace.”
“That’s the way it’s done,” Shannon snapped, shifting in the café chair.
“I don’t know where you learned to play cards,” Les said to the opposing team. “But in Philly, we don’t make up the rules as we go along.”
“Amen,” Susan agreed.
“You weren’t paying attention,” Nona said, dealing the next hand.
Les let out a chuckle. “You’re just pissed that you got your ass whipped.”
Sitting on the sidelines, Brenda, Beverly, Fran, and Joyce—mature women he had termed “the Vets”—all shook their heads before they burst into laughter.
The bawdy laughter from the rest of the group near the table prompted Nona to sass, “It’s too much estrogen up in this camp. Where’s a man when you need one?”
The Vets’ attention snapped to Delvin and all five of them gestured for him to hang back.
“Yeah,” Delvin mumbled. “That’s my cue. I’m out of here.”
And before the Divas could spot him, Delvin gave the Vets an appreciative nod and quickly sidestepped that little show. He dashed inside the elevators just as the doors were closing.
Once inside he could not hold back a little chuckle. This book tour had more surprises and twists than he could keep up with.
Chapter 12
SOUL EXPRESS TOUR—DAY 3
9:32 P.M.
Tailan inched across the lobby as waves of nausea overtook her. She struggled just to stay standing. The trip from Indiana to Chicago after the last two stops of the day was the longest that she could remember in a while. And it wasn’t the distance that was the issue.
She slipped over to a quiet corner of the lobby of the Marriott Magnificent Mile and leaned against the wall to get her bearings. Tailan took several long breaths and prayed that whatever was going on with her would pass. She couldn’t afford to be sick. There was one more day left on the tour. Just one more day.
Tailan slumped against the wall.
Good Lord! What’s wrong with me?
Tailan’s gaze locked on Pam, who came to a sudden halt several feet away. Pam scanned the area—first left, then right—before hurrying past, wheeling her travel bag across the green marbles tiles. Then she ran toward the front entrance leading toward the taxi stand.
“Pam, where are you going?” Tailan called out.
Startled, Pam’s head snapped to the corner wall of the lobby where Tailan was barely holding ground. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. She grimaced before changing directions and coming to stand in front of Tailan.
“I’m going home,” she whispered.
Alarmed that something had transpired that had not been brought to her attention, Tailan moved a few inches from the wall. “Why? What happened?”
Pam shifted her brown-eyed gaze to the entrance. “I live in Chicago. It doesn’t make sense for me to stay here.”
“What are you worried about? The cost? It doesn’t matter; your publisher’s paying for it,” Tailan shot back.
Pam pursed her lips, then quickly looked out toward the line of taxis stretched out on Rush Street.
Tailan touched Pam’s arm, focusing the woman’s attention where it should be. “Your publisher did pay for your hotel, right?”
Pam was silent for a few moments, her bright white teeth holding her bottom lip prisoner.
“Pam?”
“They only paid airfare to Indiana for me to get to the start of the tour. Ground and hotel have to come out of my own pocket.”
“Those cheap mother—” she sighed, catching herself before she let the rest slip out. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Pam shrugged. “You’ve done enough already.”
The NEG team walked into the lobby and acknowledged Pam and Tailan with waves and head nods as they made their way to store some items with the bellman.
“I don’t want you separated from the group,” Tailan said.
“It’s all right,” Pam replied, putting a tighter grip on her suitcase handle. “I’ll be at the first store on time tomorrow.”
Tailan didn’t doubt it. But she was angry that a major publisher would require Pam to cover some of her own expenses when another imprint of the same house paid the whole nine yards for one of the other authors. Tailan knew that Pam was already suffering from the loss of her mother and a financial set-back as well. She didn’t need this.
“Michelle,” Tailan said, beckoning the blonde over. “See, if they have another king room available and put Pam in it.”
“You don’t have to—”
Tailan glanced at Pam, who promptly clamped down on her protest.
Michelle looked from Tailan to Pam and back to Tailan. “Actually, they’re booked solid. That’s why I had such a hard time getting all of us here. She can have my room.”
“I can’t let you do that,” Pam protested, her round face panicked at the thought.
Michelle waved her off. “I want to go home to my husband for a hot minute anyway. I could use a little … tender loving care. “ She handed the key card to Pam and lifted her eyebrows, “Well, maybe not so tender,” then went back to the bell desk and grabbed her things. “Hey, I think Margo’s figured it out though,” she said to Tailan. “The woman hasn’t called me at all today.” She gave a two-finger salute and was out the door and in a taxi before anyone could say another word.
Tailan reached out and embraced Pam. “We’ll reimburse you those ground and hotel costs too.”
Pam choked up, then gave Tailan a brief account of all the wonderful things that the people on the tour had done for her. When she was finished she said, “Mama’s looking out for me from up there.”
“Yes she is,” Tailan whispered and at the moment, she felt a pang of sadness because she missed her own mother. “And she’d be so proud of you.” She gripped the woman’s shoulders and gave her a playful shake. “Now enough of this!” Tailan teased, drying Pam’s tears with the sleeve of her aqua silk blouse. “Go on upstairs and get some rest. I expect you to be on your best hustle tomorrow.”
“No worries,” Pam said, giving her a mock salute. Then her gaze narrowed on Tailan. She placed a hand on her face. “Hey, you don’t look so hot.”
“I think it was something I ate.” Tailan’s hand splayed across her belly as the telltale signs of another problem became evident. “I’ll be okay,” she lied. “Now get going.”
“Are you sure?”
Tailan shooed her away.
Pam trudged toward the elevators but looked back at Tailan, who gave her a smile and a thumbs up to keep her moving.
* * *
Delvin snatched open his hotel room door and froze when he saw Nona’s barely dressed form on the other side.
“I thought you’d like to have a drink,” she purred, holding up a bottle of Tanqueray—something she probably believed he drank by the bucketful since
he was their latest spokesperson. He rarely touched the stuff. When he did indulge, it was only for the cameras. He was very careful of the things he put in his body.
Nona stroked her talons across his chest. “And I thought I could properly … apologize for what I said about you the other day.”
Giggles echoed down the hall. He would bet dollars to donuts that the doors to several rooms were cracked open, their occupants listening in.
“You just don’t get it, do you?” he asked. He plucked her claws from his chest and tossed them to the side. “I stopped dating your kind in high school.”
Nona took a step back. “My kind?”
“Sleeps with anything wearing pants and shoe laces,” he shot back. “No taste whatsoever.”
She scowled but slid her eyes all over him. “But I want you. That means I have pretty good taste.”
“I’m just a fallback option because I’m convenient,” he answered, then leaned on the door jamb. “Question. How many men—besides your husband, that is—have you slept with in the past three months?”
Nona blinked, opened her mouth, then clamped it shut. She’s actually trying to come up with an answer!
“See?” he said, grinning. “If you have to think about it, it’s not a number worth knowing. Have a good night.” Before the door closed all the way, he said, “Try Derek.”
“He’s married to Elona’s daughter,” she said sourly.
“Oh so you do have morals! Then try J. L.,” he teased. “He looks like he could use a little schoolin’.”
“He turned me down,” slipped out before she could cover her mouth and keep it in. The shocked gasps from the adjoining rooms were unmistakable. Checkmate!
“Goodnight, Nona,” he said, bawling with laughter as he closed the door on her mortified face.
Delvin’s cell rang, and he laughed all the way to the bed, silently cheering the youngster for his intelligence. “What’s up, Katie?
“Forgive me for chewing in your ear,” his agent said. “I didn’t think you were going to pick up. How’s the tour going, my man?”
Delvin popped open his suitcase and slid out two pairs of slacks. “I didn’t realize that books were such a hot commodity.”
Was it Good for You Too? Page 8