Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

BECCA

Time was dragging by, and it certainly didn’t help that someone called in at work – again. No, she was answering all sorts of phone calls about a recent software update that had nothing to do with the cell phone contracts she sold, which ended up getting her chewed out more often than not when she had to refer them to open an issue with their provider. The fact that the day was trudging by wasn’t helping things either.

In fact, she was really glad that Travis hadn’t mentioned getting together tonight because she wasn’t in the mood. She wanted food, a hot bath, and maybe a good cry or a glass of wine before collapsing into bed. It was so busy that she never even got a chance to check her cell phone, only to see that she had fifteen text messages.

Hey – we’re grilling next weekend. Are you gonna show up this time?

Becca rolled her eyes at her oldest brother’s text message. Jason was bossy, had little tact, and simply called it like it was. He didn’t believe in sugar-coating things, and maybe that was what bothered her so much. Being told to ‘get to work’ by him was just annoyin g.

I borrowed your Levis – and your boots. Have I mentioned that I’m glad you have big feet, sis?

Love you!

She chucked as she read Matthew’s text message and decided to reply to him, ignoring Jason completely.

Just make sure you wash my jeans, okay?

Hey! You’re alive, and what makes you think that I’m the one who actually wore them?

Tramp.

You misspelled ‘Scamp’ – and the ladies love me. How can I let them down?

You’re impossible.

Incorrigible… and are you coming next weekend?

Jason’s been in a real mood, and I’ve got some dirt for you!

Oh?

Toni has a crush.

Dialing Matthew’s phone immediately, he was laughing when he answered on the first ring.

“Well, I now know how to get your attention – don’t I?”

“Toni has a crush? How do you know?”

“Oh man, she’s practically drooling over some pilot at Flyboys in Yonder.”

“No waaaay – our Toni? Bossy-female-version-of Jason— that Toni? The same girl who has no filter on her mouth?”

“Yup. We’ve all got our quirks.”

“Is he cute? ”

“You know I’m a guy, right?” her brother retorted in a flat voice, sounding completely perturbed, making her laugh.

“What did Luke say?”

“Luke’s not gay either, Becca. Seriously, what are you thinking moving two hours away… you barely know us anymore.”

“Does that mean you miss me?”

“You know I do, brat.”

“I miss you too,” she smiled sadly. “And I’ll try to come by, but I have a date.”

“Ohhh? My baby-Becca-booberry has a date?”

“Oh my gosh, never call me that,” she chuckled. “Or I will break out your pet name, Matthew.”

“I’m done.”

“I figured.”

“Tell me about your date…”

“Well, it’s more like we are going to hang out and get to know each other.”

“Becca Baird! Don’t you dare drop your drawers for this guy – ‘Hang out’ is bro-code for foolin’ around. You know ‘ Netflix and chill’ ? Well, ‘ Hang out and get to know each other ’ is almost just as bad of a phrase. He’s putting the moves on you, sis…”

“Matthew, just because you’d do that – doesn’t mean other guys think the same.”

“Uh yeah, they do.”

“No, they don’t.”

“I guarantee it.”

“Travis is not like that…”

“Oh gosh, his name is Travis? I bet he’s some fem-boy, plays guitar, or some sport. All guys named Travis are high on themselves and…”

“Wow. That’s oddly specific.”

“I knew a few of them in high school and college - and there’s a type. Just like all Jasons have a problem with the world, and all Lukes were n amed after parents that saw Star Wars in the theaters back in the seventies.”

“You seem to know everything, don’t you? And please enlighten me on my name, dear brother…”

“You’re an optimist who is trying really hard to act cool and fit in – but you never will because you are an original. Half sweet, half a holy terror. If you were a goody-two-shoes, you’d go by Rebecca. If you were a wild child like Toni, you’d go by Becki – but maybe with two ‘I’s…” Matthew chuckled. “How am I doing?”

“You’re a twerp, and I’m sorry I called.”

“No, you’re not – and I’m serious. If Traaavisss ,” he mocked in a high-pitched annoying voice, “tries to make a move, you tell him that your brothers will whip his…”

“It’s Travis Giroux,” she admitted, wondering if her brother would recognize the name since he followed sports. He usually always had baseball or football on, but had been known to go to a few basketball games as well. Maybe he liked hockey, too?

“Nooooo,” he breathed in a hushed voice, and she felt a burst of pride for some strange reason. “You’re lying…”

“Nope.”

“Travis Giroux… THE Travis Giroux? Hockey player and panty-slayer, Tickle-Me-Travis?”

“Panty-slayer? Are you serious? Wait, did you just say ‘Tickle-Me-Travis’… like Tickle-Me-Elmo?”

“I told you guys named Travis were no good. Don’t believe me? Ask Jason or Luke.”

“I’m not asking Jason… and Luke is too innocent. He’s a baby.”

“That guy isn’t innocent. He’s twenty-three and actually has his head on straight out of all of us.”

“Aww. That’s actually sweet coming from you.”

“I’m a sweet guy – and ditch Travis.”

“I’m not ditching Travis, but I appreciate the warning.”

“Bring him out to the farm.”

“Why? So you can all gang up on a guy that I barely am talking to? No thank s,” she muttered in disbelief and annoyance. “I’m not siccing my brothers on a friend that…” and paused to hear a knock at the front door of her apartment. “I’ve gotta go. Someone just knocked on the door.”

“Stay on the phone with me,” her brother growled protectively. “If it’s Travis, I’ll call the police and be there in no time to put him six feet underground…”

“Geez, now you really sound like Jason,” she chuckled, opening the front door and hesitating as a massive bouquet of roses nearly filled the doorway. “Can I help you?”

“I’ve got a delivery for Becca Baird.”

“Who is it?” Matthew asked bluntly as she stared in disbelief at the roses. There had to be at least twenty or thirty buds in what looked to be a crystal vase.

“F.T.D. delivering flowers for me,” she whispered weakly. “I gotta go,” and ended the call as the driver handed her a clipboard to sign – before exchanging it for the vase.

Walking back inside her apartment, she put the flowers on the small round table near the kitchenette before plucking the card from the clear floral pick. Opening it slowly, her hands trembled as she read it silently.

I hope these make you smile – and I can’t wait to see you on Friday.

Travis

Stunned, she took a moment to breathe in the perfume of the dazzling array of flowers. There were large, deep red blooms mixed with some pale pink ones, yellow buds, and white ones. It was like someone tossed every color rose into the bouquet just to make it look full – and she loved it.

Picking up her phone, she took a photo of it, wanting to keep the beauty and this moment fresh in her mind. Looking at the unread text messages, she saw one from her sister, Toni – and one from her brother, Luke.

And eight from Travis.

Good morning. I’m off to practice and just wanted to preface the next text with a reminder of what a real dork I am.

I can’t stop thinking about our conversation and how much I enjoyed it.

I guess you are busy…

I hope you are busy and not ignoring me.

Just fyi – the ‘nerd’ is sweating buckets. Between the grueling practice from Coach and my anxiety, I might be dehydrated now. If something has changed, just text me.

This is me, not panicking at all.

Not at all.

(I’m lying.)

Becca laughed softly, realizing she could hear his voice practically in her mind as she read his text messages. Panty-Slayer? This sweet guy was supposedly as big of a ‘player’ as her brother?

Her brother Matthew never dated anyone twice. In fact, he had come home more than once, rapping on her window because he forgot his keys – and pants- at some unknown location. Yeah, Matthew was a wild one, and she was pretty sure he was going to give her oldest brother, who took on the role of protector for the family, an aneurysm one of these days.

I just got home – and saw the text messages along with the roses. THANK YOU! I’m really touched, and you have no reason to panic. It’s just dinner, and nothing has changed .

Clicking send, she hesitated.

That sounded so cold and elusive and wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy like his text messages were. He was opening up and putting himself out there – and she liked him enough to do the same, even though she wanted to take things slowly.

I really enjoyed our phone call, too – and I haven’t stopped smiling yet.

See you Friday, Travis.

She waited a few moments, hoping that he would text back and then sighed. No, she wasn’t going to hang on this man reaching out to her because they were only barely talking. They were strangers. She knew nothing about his life or his world – except that he couldn’t cook, played hockey, and might possibly be loaded financially.

Oh – and her brother called him a ‘Panty-Slayer.’

“Let’s not forget that,” she muttered aloud, shaking her head. “If Matthew turns out to be right and Travis is as big of a ‘Himbo’ as my brother, I will literally be crushed and give up on dating – forever.”

Late the next day, Becca was emotionally and mentally wiped out. Starting a load of laundry, she poured herself a glass of cheap box wine from the fridge and sank in a bath. Gosh, it had been such an exhausting and rough day that she needed this silence so badly.

There was always the option to move back home, but it just wasn’t the same since her father passed away. Her mother had died when Luke was a boy. Becca was willing to bet it was the stress of running the farm, combined with five kids, that probably broke her father .

Jason was now in charge, and maybe that was why she didn’t want to go back home. She was afraid that it would be too much for her brother, too. Matthew was right. They each had their strengths and weaknesses – and maybe she just needed a chance to focus on her own strengths instead of being told what to do all the time, knowing it was wrong.

And she sighed heavily, slumping down further into the bathwater.

There was so much that felt like a jumble of messy thoughts in her head, so maybe bringing another element into her already tangled world wasn’t the smart thing to do right now. She really didn’t need one more ‘snarl’ in her mess, no matter how sweet the roses were or how endearing Travis seemed to be. What if her brother was right and he was a dumpster fire waiting to happen?

Yeah, all of these thoughts were not relaxing or comforting in the slightest. She needed time to think and sort things out in her mind, and honestly – Travis couldn’t be a factor in that right now. She didn’t know him and barely had any discussion with him, so she needed to focus on what she did know, what she could handle, which was the biggest secret she had ever kept from her family. They might be really upset when she dropped this bombshell on them.

“And that’s probably the reason I’m staying away,” she whispered to the silence, finishing her glass of wine to drown out her thoughts.