“That’s a good point, brother. Good for you,” I said. “Let me know if they need anymore guys. In the meantime, let’s get this show started, shall we? I’m on first tonight, since Richie’s gone.”
“Break a leg,” Blaze said.
I walked towards the door and stopped when I heard a knock. I was surprised to open it and see Tillie standing there.
“Tillie!”
“Hi, Daine,” she said, smiling shyly. “I hope I’m not bothering you. I’m looking for Richie. I was hoping to have a quick word with him before I went back to LA.”
“Oh!” I replied, smiling, happy to see her. “Richie’s not here.”
“Oh, is this his night off?”
“Not exactly,” I said. “He’s pretty down in the dumps.”
“Why?”
“You haven’t talked to him?” I asked.
“No. We had a date last night, but he never showed up or called. I was a little worried about him, but I thought maybe he just changed his mind.”
“He stood you up?” I asked. I’d been out all night and thought Richie had been with Tillie and come home early. I didn’t realize he never showed up at all. “I’m so sorry, Tillie. Here, come in.”
I pulled her into the dressing room, where she was promptly greeted with warm hugs from a mostly naked Blaze and Fox.
“Richie stood her up last night,” I said. “That bastard.”
“No, no, it’s okay,” she said. “If he’s not feeling well…”
“He should have called. That’s rude as hell,” I said. “He didn’t get the loan he needed to buy the club, Tillie. He’s really down on himself right now. It’s not you. In fact, he was really smitten with you. I haven’t seen him act like this about a woman in a very long time, if ever.”
“Oh, I see,” she said, thoughtfully. “Now I understand. Will you tell him I said goodbye? My plane leaves in an hour.”
“Of course,” I said, touching her hand. “He really does like you, Tillie. Stay in touch with us, okay? And if you ever come back, let us know. We can go dancing again!”
“I’d love that,” she said, beaming up at us, with a lingering twinge of sadness in her eyes. Richie’s a goddamned idiot, I thought. It was obvious Tillie liked him, and he’d spent so much time alone lately, no wonder he was devastated by the first big blow. But to blow off a woman like Tillie? He’d truly gone off the deep end.
“Tillie, I’ll make sure Richie calls you, okay?” I promised.
“That would be nice, thank you, Daine,” she said, heading for the door. “You guys have a nice show tonight.”
“Thank you, Tillie,” I said.
She turned back, pausing before smiling back at us.
“You guys showed me a great time, thank you. It truly meant a lot to me. More than you know.”
“You’re welcome, honey,” I said, waving to her as she disappeared.
“Richie’s a fucking idiot,” Blaze said, as I turned back to him.
“Massively,” Fox agreed.
“Completely,” I nodded.
CHAPTER 31
TILLIE
I sat in my garden, the pale blue hydrangeas and roses of all colors in full bloom, their sweet perfume drifting through the gentle breeze as Milo and Leo swirled around my ankles, their soft tails tickling my skin.
The house was as quiet as usual, the gardeners having gone home long ago. I’d gotten rid of almost all the help once Reggie left. Reggie loved having people at his beck and call, living in the far East wing of the house, but to me, it was completely excessive and unnecessary. It always seemed odd to me to live with people you didn’t care about. There was something so cold about it.
Sure, once again the silence was deafening, but at least I wasn’t living with people I barely knew.
Leaving Vegas was hard, but I took all the lessons I’d learned with me. Richie had been on my mind since I’d returned non-stop. I’d waited for his call but it never came. Somehow, though, I knew Daine had been telling me the truth. Richie cared about me. We had chemistry, it was undeniable.
I still held out hope that once he got his legs back under him, he’d call. In the meantime, I spent my days lounging by the pool and reading in the garden. I was determined not to allow my life to waste away anymore, in fact, I was contemplating where I’d go next and my eye was firmly planted on a trip to Monte Carlo next, which was already Mario-approved.
He’d taken perfect care of the property and my boys while I was gone and in the process we’d managed to deepen a friendship that I already adored. Tonight, he was stopping by for a glass of wine on his way home to Malibu.
As soon as the doorbell rang, the boys leapt towards the front door, purring frantically around his ankles as soon as Mario stepped inside. He kissed my cheek and headed straight to the kitchen.
“What a day!” he exclaimed. “I had the client from hell, Tillie!”
“What happened?”
“This socialite from Beverly Hills,” he began, shaking his head as he poured himself a glass. “She comes in once every two weeks, and she barely has two hairs on her head! She’s never satisfied, right? Well, today, she made me repeat the dye job twice because her hair color didn’t perfectly match the new drapes in her library, where she’ll be hosting her monthly book club meeting tomorrow.”
“Wow,” I said. “That’s dedication to detail.”
“That’s one way of putting it,” he replied. “I call it batshit crazy!”
We strolled out to the garden with a fresh bottle and sat in the lounge chairs under a huge camellia tree I’d planted when we first moved in.
“So, I saw your ex again, on Entertainment Tonight this time,” he said, glancing at me sideways.
“Yeah, I saw that, too,” I said. “He’s everywhere it seems. I’m trying not to watch but it’s hard to turn on the television without seeing that baby bump.”
“What an asshole,” he said. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell you first. And to do that to you while you’re still married.”
“It’s Hollywood, Mario, you should’t be surprised.”
“I’m not surprised but he’s still a prick.”
“You know what?” I asked. “I don’t really care.”
“Come on, Tillie, you don’t have to fake it with me.”
“I’m not faking it,” I insisted. “I thought it would hurt me more. Maybe it was because I was distracted by Richie, I don’t know. And maybe Reggie was calling that day to tell me but changed his mind. I wish him the best, even if it's with someone half his age.”
“It’ll never last, you know this, right?”
“Probably not,” I shrugged. “But that’s his problem, not mine.”
“Have you heard from Richie yet?”
“No,” I sighed.
“That’s too bad,” he said. “I still think you should call him. Maybe hearing from you is just the thing he needs to pick himself up.”
“I don’t know.”
“Too bad you can’t buy the club for him,” he joked. “Talk about a pick-me-up.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” I replied, cocking my head.
“I wasn’t serious,” Mario said. “You barely know the guy, Tillie.”
“That’s true,” I said. “I just felt so connected to him, you know?”
“I do,” he sighed. “I haven’t felt that in a long time, but I remember what it’s like. It hits you in the chest like a brick. Hell, like a whole wall of bricks hitting you all at once.”
“Exactly,” I agreed.
“It’s so rare, though, that kind of connection,” he replied. “You’re one of the lucky ones.”
“Am I?” I said. “Is it worse to feel it and lose it than to not feel it all?”
“Trust me, it is,” he said. “It’s worse not to have it all. It’s been so long since I really connected with someone. I’d give my right ball to feel that again.”
I laughed, shaking my head.
“I don’t want to thin
k about your hairy balls,” I said.
“Tillie, I already told you, they’re not hairy!”
“Right,” I replied, taking a huge gulp from my glass. “I don’t want to think about them either way.”
“You’re the one who brought them up!”
I burst out laughing, shaking my head, “I am not!”
He shrugged and smiled over at me.
“I’m glad we’re friends, Tillie. We should have done this a long time ago.”
“Me, too, Mario. Me, too.”
***
The next morning when I woke up, my head was spinning with things that weren’t there before Mario inserted a tiny idea into my head.
I spent the morning sorting it out, writing down plans, and checking my gut, two times, three times…
Finally, after breakfast, I picked up the phone before I could change my mind. After a quick series of calls, to my attorney, my accountant, and a real estate agent, my plan was fully in motion.
I said a little prayer, hugged the cats, and left my house setting off on a mission that would change my life forever.
CHAPTER 32
RICHIE
ONE WEEK LATER
My rumbling stomach forced me from bed. I’d been camped out in my room for days, only coming out to eat and then stumbling back to my bedroom in a daze of misery and failure. I’d ignored all the guy’s attempts to cheer me up. I’d quit my job, because what was the point in going anymore?
There was no future there.
There was nothing left for me there but the painful reminder that I’d never be more than what I was now. Luckily, I had that savings to fall back on. After returning the money to the guys, I put mine back under my mattress and decided it would have to be enough to get me through for a while until I sorted out what the hell I was going to do with my life.
I thought about leaving.
Starting over somewhere else.
This city was a nightmare anyway, crawling with traffic jams and most days it felt like I was living in hell itself. If I wasn’t tied to Cowboys anymore, then there was nothing left to keep me here.
I thought of Phoenix, but it was just as hot as here, if not worse.
Maybe Maui, somewhere tropical…
Someplace warm, for sure. Someplace near the ocean, without a doubt.
I even though of the East Coast — New York, Miami maybe?
Anywhere but here sounded pretty good to me.
The problem was I didn’t really know how to do anything except entertain or run a club. My contacts were limited and the thought of having to prove myself somewhere else was daunting as fuck and only made me want to crawl under the covers even more.
All I could hope for was that the cloud would lift eventually and I find some answers.
In the meantime, I did everything I could to avoid my roommates and their pitiful stares, so I only came out to eat when I knew they’d left, when the house had fallen silent for long enough to let me know I was alone. The thought of facing anyone was enough to make my stomach churn.
I was standing in the middle of the kitchen, shoving a slice of frozen pizza in my mouth when the doorbell rang. I stared at the door like a deer caught in headlights, chewing slowly.
Ignoring it, I turned back to the fridge and pulled out a jug of milk to wash the pizza down. The bell sounded again and still, I continued to ignore it. Whoever it was would leave eventually.
A moment later, an envelope came flying under the door, sliding across the foyer floor. From where I was in the kitchen, I saw it had my name on it. I walked over and picked it up, a faint scent of familiar perfume filling my nostrils.
My cock twitched as I opened it.
I swallowed hard when I saw it was from Tillie. If I’m being honest, a big part of my misery stemmed from the necessity to let her go.
I missed her. Her smile, her kiss, her laughter, this perfume…
Bringing the envelope to my nose, I sniffed again, a slow smile spreading across my face as I pulled out the letter and opened it.
Richie,
I’ve enclosed a round trip plane ticket to Los Angeles that leaves in exactly three hours. Please get on the flight and I’ll explain more when you get here.
The driver is waiting to take to you the airport and another will pick you up from LAX.
I know this is an odd request. Just give me twenty-four hours.
Trust me?
Love,
Tillie
I opened the door with a bewildered look on my face, and sure enough, a limo stood waiting on the street in front of my house. A man in a black suit and hat nodded solemnly.
“Mr. King?”
“Yes?”
“Ms. Thorne requests your presence. Will you come with me? I can wait while you pack a bag.”
I stared at him, my head spinning, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. What was Tillie up to?
Suddenly, I realized I really didn’t care. I just wanted to see her, I wanted to explain everything, to let her know that my actions had nothing at all to do with her.
“Give me fifteen minutes,” I said.
“Absolutely, Mr. King. Take your time.”
***
When I departed the plane in LA, I spotted a man holding a sign with my name on it. I walked up to him and he nodded.
“Mr. King?”
“That’s me.”
“Ms. Thorne is expecting you. Right this way, sir.”
I threw my backpack over my shoulder and followed him to another waiting car, thinking about Tillie the whole time. This whole VIP treatment was a little much. I easily could have taken a cab or rented my own car, but I went with it, although I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the way Tillie always traveled.
She was obviously well-off, and with a fancy Hollywood producer for an ex-husband, she wasn’t hurting for money. I’d tried not to think about it too much when I was with her, because I knew I’d never be able to compare. Hell, that’s why it hurt so bad when I realized I’d never get that fucking loan. That’s why I stood her up, because I’d never be the kind of man she needed, or be able to provide her with the kind of luxury she was probably used to.
The thing is, she didn’t act like most people with money did.
Not once did she put on any kind of airs; she was nothing but down-to-earth and easy-going. That’s what I liked the most about her.
As we drove through the streets of Los Angeles, the palm trees swaying in the breeze, the buildings I’ve seen a million times in movies flying past the window, my nerves began to get the best of me.
I’d rehearsed on the plane what I would say when I saw Tillie. How I would explain myself. How I’d apologize like crazy and hope she’d forgive me. In the back of the limo, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my trembling hands.
After half an hour of winding our way through traffic, the driver pulled off onto a deserted gravel driveway that led into a cove of trees at the base of a rocky cliff that jutted up into the Hollywood Hills. I wrinkled my brow in confusion, having expected to be dropped off at Tillie’s house.
At the end of the driveway, the car stopped in front of an abandoned building that looked like it used to be a diner or something, with a small group of smaller outbuildings surrounding the back of it in the shape of a horseshoe.
The whole place was dusty and dirty, with broken windows and junk piled up outside.
“What the hell?” I asked the driver as he opened my door. “I thought you were taking me to Tillie?”
“Yes, sir,” he nodded. “Right this way, sir.”
I followed him as he walked up to the door of the place and I noticed the locks were busted as he pushed open the door.
He gestured inside.
“Tillie’s in there?” I asked, suspiciously.
“Please wait inside, Mr. King,” he nodded, solemnly. I shook my head, unsure if I should go in, contemplating if I was being set up somehow.
‘Trust me,’ her note read, I remember
ed. I was already here, I didn’t have much of a choice at this point. And besides, I wanted to see Tillie, plus the curiosity was killing me.
I nodded and stepped through the door and into the dark building.
After a moment, my eyes adjusted to the darkness. The driver walked out, leaving me alone in the cavernous space. In the middle was a u-shaped bar with broken bar stools lining the edges. Against the walls by the windows sat a series of old vinyl covered booths, almost all of them torn, their dirty white padding poking through like exposed flesh.
I shook my head, completely confused.
There must be some mistake.
I turned to walk out, convinced I was in the wrong place, just as the door opened again, and Tillie walked through.
“Tillie!”
“Hi, Richie,” she smiled. “Thank you for coming.”
“Tillie, I’m so sorry,” I began, the words rushing out of me like a dam had broken. “I shouldn’t have stood you up. I was looking forward to our evening, but then, everything just went to shit and I —.”
“I know. Daine told me everything.”
“He did?” I asked. “I didn’t know…”
“It’s okay,” she said. “I accept your apology, Richie, I understand. I’m just glad you trusted me enough to come here tonight.”
“Right,” I nodded, looking around with bewilderment. “And why are we here? What the hell is this place?”
“Hear me out, okay?” she asked, beaming up at me.
“Of course,” I nodded, waiting, my eyes drinking in the gorgeous vision of her. If I wasn’t so intrigued, I’d have pulled her into my arms and kissed her right then.
“I know we barely know each other, Richie,” she began. “But I connected with you in a way that I never have with anyone else.”
“Me, too,” I whispered.
“Good,” she nodded. “So maybe this next part won’t seem so strange to you. You know I’m recently divorced. But what you may not realize is the extent to which I let myself go while I was married. I gave everything to my husband, all the parts of me that made me who I was, gave up all my dreams, to the point that when he left, there was nothing left, I was practically dead inside.”
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