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Runaway TrainChapter 6

We were all startled when Chris Weathers, Susan's husband, got to his feet. I knew he had his own opinions on a lot of things ... but, like Liz, he tended to keep them to himself. I wondered what had been said to make him angry. Rather than offer a contribution to the discussion, he walked over to a young man sitting three tables away. I had to turn my head to follow his movements and eventually I turned around to see what was happening. "Are you aware that California is a dual-consent...

Runaway TrainChapter 7

We left my friends and headed back to the city a short time later. The crowd had picked up and it was impossible to stay hidden in plain sight for much longer. "So?" Liz asked when we were back on the highway. "So what?" I replied. "Do you think they'll do it?" she asked. I nodded as I thought about it. "It's too good a job to pass up," I said. "I want it to be more than a place they draw a paycheck," Liz said, shifting in the seat. "It was just a figure of speech," I...

Runaway TrainChapter 8

Liz plopped down on the couch and kicked off her shoes the moment she entered my home for the second time. She tilted her head back and looked the ceiling while I set the security system and turned the air conditioner up. It had gotten a bit stuffy in the house because the early spring day had been exceptionally warm, even by Southern California standards. "Do you want ... water, beer?" I asked. "That's about all I have here." "A beer would be nice," Liz said. "I wanted one with the...

Runaway TrainChapter 9

The security at Petco Park was as strict as Liz had promised me it would be. As with the radio station, there were people waiting along the road. Unlike the day before my car was not anonymous. Thousands of pictures of my Mustang had shown up on the Internet overnight. Certainly Liz had been the focus of the photographer but my car had been present in them, too. To people of a certain age, a maroon 1969 Mustang convertible was just as recognizable as the woman getting in and out of it. I...

Runaway TrainChapter 10

Liz was already immersed in her duties by the time security showed us back to the VIP area. I had expected a handful of local politicians and their families. I didn’t expect to be among the last of about 100 people to arrive. A quick glance around the room told me that most of the people invited for the event were dignitaries. Of course, I saw the mayor of San Diego and her family. I saw the head coach of the NFL’s San Diego Chargers with his wife. A few of the people looked ......

Runaway TrainChapter 11

I'd heard Liz Larimer sing a couple dozen times before she became a star. I had seen her first public appearance when she was 14 years old on the stage at the high school. I had seen all or parts of her performances in two productions at the amusement park near the township where we both grew up. I thought I knew what to expect when she took the stage. I stood with my friends in the dugout as we waited for her to make her way through the door that led from the team's clubhouse. The noise...

Runaway TrainChapter 12

We walked past the dressing room where Ryan was stationed out front. He gave me a grin and pumped his fist at me. I didn't understand the gesture so I just waved back to him. "Liz has a couple of media commitments right after the show," Stephanie explained. "She takes care of most of them in the afternoons but some people will want to get their photo taken with her afterward. Are you guys good with staying?" "Like we could get out of traffic for the next hour!" Sarah offered. "What...

Runaway TrainChapter 13

My friends were not the only people that seemed reluctant to have the evening come to an end. The parking lot still held hundreds of cars and I estimated 200 people were lining the metal barriers that offered Liz a route through the crowd. Eric, Rick, Chris and Susan had made their way to their cars and headed homeward. Ryan had added Matt and Sarah’s dark SUV to the formation of cars that the drivers pulled around to the exit. It came from a different manufacturer but it looked close enough...

Runaway TrainChapter 14

Matt gave us commentary through his cell phone as he turned the corner toward my house. “There is someone in the car and you’re right, he’s facing your house,” Matt told us. “Jesus, they tracked you down quick,” Sarah said. “It’s that damned car,” I muttered. “There are probably less than a thousand like it in the state and maybe five in the county. It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out where I lived.” Liz patted my hand. “It could have been any car, Travis,” she said. “They...

Runaway TrainChapter 15

The buzzing of my cell phone alarm awakened me only four hours after I'd fallen asleep. I was not pleased by the prospect of riding into the city and renting a vehicle. If the bed were more comfortable I might have phoned Matt and told him I'd hitchhike in later. But the bed was designed for a child – and I was no longer a kid. I rolled my legs over until my feet hit the floor and then sat up carefully because I'd bumped my head on the top bunk more than once. Grudgingly I stood and...

Runaway TrainChapter 16

Sarah was all smiles when she walked into my house without knocking. She found Liz and me in the kitchen cutting up some fruit. I wore my usual casual clothing ... a pair of cutoff sweatpants and a ratty old T-shirt. Liz was stuck with what was in her travel bag so she was a lot more stylish. Her white shorts were form-fitting without being obscene and she wore a scooped-neck pullover with blue and white horizontal stripes. The heels she would have worn to complete the outfit were at least...

Runaway TrainChapter 17

Liz was sitting on the couch, ear buds engaged, with her papers spread out over the coffee table again. She was hunched up and scribbling with her head bobbing in time to the music. She looked up when the light in the room changed and she hurriedly shuffled the papers until a blank piece rested on the top. She shut off her phone and pulled the buds out of her ears when I walked in. “No need to stop on my account,” I told her. “I know you have to work.” “Just jotting some notes for myself,”...

Runaway TrainChapter 18

As we talked, Liz had shifted on the couch until she sat facing me with one foot tucked under the opposite knee. I had put my hand on her soft (and hairless) calf almost without thinking about it. Periodically, she had reached out to touch my hand or my arm as she told me about one facet of her young professional life or another. She had hung her head as she confessed her youthful sins of hubris, envy and avarice. I knew I had covered wrath, sloth and gluttony pretty well during my pro days...

Runaway TrainChapter 19

The sound of running feet greeted me when I knocked on the screen door outside the house where Sarah and Matt lived with their two boys. I stepped backward because the dance was usually the same. The door flew open and a five-year-old bundle of energy raced through. “Uncle Travis!” Lucas said with a wide grin. I held out my hands and he grabbed them as I bent at the knees. He put one foot on my thigh and started to climb until he could wrap his arms around my neck in a hug. He had greeted...

Runaway TrainChapter 20

“Beat feet, lose seat,” Liz said when I re-entered the room. She had shifted to the chair I had vacated. They had switched to a different game but the three were still laughing and having fun. I put my hands back on her shoulders again and leaned forward to kiss her on top of the head. She didn’t dare take her hands off the controller so she tilted her head and rubbed her cheek against my hand. When the game paused, she tilted her head backward and blew me a kiss. “No mushy stuff!” Lucas...

Runaway TrainChapter 21

“That was really fun,” Liz said as I pointed the rented Ford Focus toward my house. Eric and Rick had swung past the property on their way home to ensure that no one was lurking outside. It appeared that Liz had managed to slip the paparazzi – and that I really wasn’t that interesting – because no one was there. My car was locked in a windowless garage. It hadn’t been out in more than a day but I was OK with that. The Focus had an automatic transmission that made it a lot easier on my sore...

Runaway TrainChapter 22

Liz rolled off the couch and onto the floor again. “Can we be serious for a minute?” she asked. “I was serious,” I said with a shrug. “I don’t find sexual experimentation to be a problem. I mean, yeah, if you want to put a gag in my mouth and beat me with a whip, I’m not going to play along. But if you think of a position or ... something ... you might want to try, I’m pretty sure I won’t protest too loudly.” “I’ve done bondage,” Liz admitted. “Some of it is OK but I don’t like being...

Runaway TrainChapter 23

We wandered down my hallway until we reached the bedroom door. “I am officially declaring this room to be a clothing free zone,” she said before we entered. She pushed her bikini panties to the floor and looked at me expectantly. I shrugged and lowered my white boxer shorts. I could see that Liz did not sunbathe nude. Her tan lines said that she wore a sensible bikini top. I could see the bra straps and the line across her back where it fit. Her tan on the lower half looked as though she...

Runaway TrainChapter 24

I stood at the stove fixing breakfast while Liz called Ryan and Stephanie, who were on their way to the airport to fly back to Nashville to spend the weekend with their spouses. Again, the first comment after the exchange of hellos dealt with Liz’s typical morning demeanor. “Awake and pleasant at eight o’clock,” Ryan joked from the speaker. “I’m going to want a drug test when I see you again.” “Ha-ha,” Liz said. “Wow!” I cut in. “You must be a real bitch of the mornings.” “Like a bear...

Runaway TrainChapter 25

I had cleared the breakfast dishes off the table and I motioned for Liz to bring her phone into the living room. I sat down in my favorite chair and Liz frowned until I motioned for her to sit on my lap. That got the first smile I’d seen in a few minutes. She looked cute wearing my clothes. She was tall enough that my cutoff sweatpants hit her at the knee. My T-shirt was a bit too wide but she just tied it off under her boobs. I stuck a finger in her belly button as soon as her butt hit my...

Runaway TrainChapter 26

“Are you sure about this?” Liz asked as the commuter plane prepared for landing at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday afternoon. “If we walk through the airport holding hands, your life is going to change. For the rest of your life, a lot of people will no longer refer to you except as it refers to me. You won’t be Travis Blakely. You’ll be Liz Larimer’s boy toy or love interest or ... whatever.” It was the sixth or seventh time that this had been explained to me. I had convinced...

Runaway TrainChapter 27

I emerged from the back room when I heard Liz’s voice raise in anger. I found Jill, Stephanie and Ryan already in the room and Liz on her phone. “That’s just too bad,” she said. “It’s part of your contract, Liz,” a snarky voice said though the speaker. “We’re calling it a promotional appearance and you’re obligated to attend.” “You need to get better lawyers, Mr. McHenry,” Liz shot back. “Personal and promotional appearances require 30 days notice. It’s right there in black and white. Just...

Runaway TrainChapter 28

As was usually the case, it was left to Susan to rein us back in. Susan Weathers was the outlier in our group. She had a good sense of humor but she also had enough common sense to ensure she only showed it when the time was appropriate. She was the oldest in the group at 37 and she and Chris had been married for more than 15 years. She was also the one that grew tired of our antics the quickest. As was her way, she simply cleared her throat and we stopped with the wisecracks. “So, back to...

Runaway TrainChapter 29

We declared the conversation over for the night and Jill and Liz went to pick out clothing for our “Beverly Hills Walkabout.” Stephanie and I looked at Ryan as soon as the others left the room. “I don’t know of anything like that,” he said. “I swear!” “We know that,” Stephanie said. “But you’re likely the one with the best recollection of Liz’s activities during that time.” He sighed. “One of her favorite games back then was trying to ditch us,” Ryan admitted. “It only happened two or...

Runaway TrainChapter 30

Sitting down to dinner with Liz Larimer in Beverly Hills was nothing like sharing a table at a taco stand in Carlsbad. She hadn’t been exaggerating about the number of people with cameras that staked out the sidewalk. The bistro had a small outdoor dining area that ran beside the building. It was late enough of the evening that we could sit there without having to wait an hour (not that any restaurant made Liz wait – even in Beverly Hills). Liz chose a table a little away from the gaggle of...

Runaway TrainChapter 31

“Uh, the club?” Dom asked again from the driver’s seat. “Just go to the hotel,” Liz said. He nodded and started a very circuitous route back to where we were staying. I looked out the window at the passing scenery before feeling Liz’s gaze on the back of my neck. “What?” I asked. “You seem to be the one making all the changes to his life,” she said. “For now,” I said with a shrug. “As things go forward, we’ll each move closer to the center of where we’re comfortable.” Liz nodded her...

Runaway TrainChapter 32

I awoke to find Liz standing naked in the bedroom we shared with a cell phone pressed to her ear. She saw me stir and turned around, giving me the opportunity to ogle her from the front. “He said you’d want royalties,” she said with a laugh. “He’s started to stir so I’ll put you on speaker.” “You asshole!” Sarah said. “Sorry,” I mumbled in a sleepy voice. “Do you know what Matt did last night?” Sarah asked, completely ignoring my apology. “For $50, I’ll tell you what Travis did last...

Runaway TrainChapter 33

My schedule for Tuesday had been complicated by the seemingly endless play of the video from the airport the day before. I had planned to just wander around on my own but Ryan told me that might not be the best idea. I was now recognizable by a lot of people. So far, we had kept Liz’s location secret and he didn’t want me leading anyone back to the hideaway. It made sense to me. Liz had a lot of appearances scheduled during the day. She was supposed to visit two radio stations and do a...

Runaway TrainChapter 34

“What’s the problem?” he asked in a reasonable voice. The question was aimed at me but Carly answered. “Lover boy there was eye fucking the maid when I walked in,” she said. “And that’s your business?” I asked instead of replying to the guy’s question. “He’s right,” the man said. “That isn’t our business. I apologize and I hope that’s worked out now.” “That wasn’t the issue,” I spat. “I know you’re protective of Liz and, you might not believe it, but I appreciate it. Yeah, I was looking...

Runaway TrainChapter 35

I looked at Brian – and by extension, Theresa – when Sean closed the door. “What could she know...” I began but stopped and held up my hands. Talking about it in front of a maid we didn’t know was no better than posting it on the Internet. “I need a number for Ryan.” “Uh, sure,” Brian said, clearly confused. He just handed me his phone after hitting a button. “What now?” I heard in lieu of a greeting. “Uh, hey, Ryan,” I said tentatively. “It’s Travis.” “Oh,” he said. “All right. What...

Runaway TrainChapter 36

“You totally stole my thunder,” Liz said when we walked out of the hospital. “I didn’t mean to,” I said. “It was great,” she told me as she took my hand and interlaced her fingers with mine. That’s when we learned that Watson Dewey had tried to get his revenge. I was looking at Liz when Ryan’s meaty palm hit my chest and pushed me backward. “Fucking photographers,” he hissed. “Let’s find a different exit.” I had stumbled backward when Ryan pushed me and I found myself next to RFN’s media...

Runaway TrainChapter 37

I got the expected greeting from my little buddies on Wednesday morning (and it had nothing to do with anyone yelling a catchphrase). Brian watched with amusement as first Lucas and then Brandon scrambled up my torso until they perched on my arms. Of course, this time, their mother had slathered them with sunscreen so they were a tad bit slippery. We had barely made it through the door when I had to put them down. “Go get your towels and put them in the bag,” Sarah commanded. She got two...

Runaway TrainChapter 38

“Those boys,” Brian remarked as we started our northward journey the next morning not long after the sun rose. “Yeah,” I said, laughing. Just as they’d done with Liz, Lucas and Brandon had charmed the former Marine Corps corporal. “All of them were just ... cool,” Brian said. “They didn’t make me feel like an outsider or a stranger. They just...” “We’re a little family,” I said, shrugging. “Matt’s mom pinched my butt,” Brian said, laughing. “You’re lucky that’s all she pinched,” I said....

Runaway TrainChapter 39

“Wow!” I said as we pulled onto the grounds of Liz’s Nashville estate. The house wasn’t really in Nashville. It was located in Brentwood, about 15 minutes south of the city. The assessment of the size of the dwelling that I had formulated while Liz sat in my living room 10 days before had been well off. My house wouldn’t just fit in the pool house. I was now certain the pool house would dwarf my little home. I spent the first hour of my visit touring the grounds (which were expansive) on a...

Runaway TrainChapter 40

I found Liz in the parlor (or what I call the living room). I could immediately see that she was irked that I had denigrated the people that allowed her to live in a $3 million home as well as the fact she believed me to be indifferent about the skills she possessed that acquired those fans. “It’s not true,” I said when I sat beside her. I had refrained from sitting in the room since my arrival because I wasn’t positive the furnishings weren’t authentic Civil War possessions. “You don’t...

Runaway TrainChapter 41

We were still talking to Susan when I heard the door open and Chris’s voice. “She wanted to show this to you,” he said. “Hey, Travis. Hey, Liz.” “Hey,” we said in unison. Susan handed him the phone while she inspected Amber’s handiwork. I heard her say that it was beautiful. “Do you want to say hello to your new niece?” Chris asked. “Of course,” I said. “Hey, Sweetie, your Uncle Travis and Aunt Liz want to say hi,” I heard him say. “Hewo, Uncle Twavis and Aunt Wiz,” I heard a little...

Runaway TrainChapter 42

I woke up Sunday morning and offered Liz a soft kiss before I got up to start my day. It was barely 10 o’clock but I had a Sunday ritual to complete. My mom had a host of activities to keep her busy on weekends and I didn’t want her to put off her plans because I was a laggard (even though it had been almost four in the morning before we cleaned up and went to sleep). “I wasn’t sure I’d hear from you today,” Mom said when she answered the call. “It’s Sunday, isn’t it?” I asked. “You’re...

Runaway TrainChapter 43

Neither Stephanie nor Ryan seemed to mind a detour to San Diego. Jill and Brian weren’t unhappy about staying an extra day either. San Diego’s international airport wasn’t as media savvy as LAX but there were a few photographers outside when we exited. Liz gave a couple of waves and I offered the same. Word must have gotten out that Liz was on the way because the music critic from the newspaper was there with a photographer. The woman despised country music but had written a rave review of...

Runaway TrainChapter 44

We were quiet as we drove away from the Kozak house. I got a few blocks away and pulled over. “You drive,” I said. “My arm isn’t used to shifting gears.” Liz looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “You’re going to let me drive your car?” she asked. “I think the changing temperatures and air pressure didn’t do me much good,” I said as I opened the door and got out. Liz met me at the rear of the car and gave me a sweet kiss. “You must really love me,” she said, smiling at me. “Well,...

Runaway TrainChapter 45

Phoenix went off without a hitch and so did the return drive to San Diego. At Ryan’s urging, my home was left vacant and we stayed at a hotel where Dom and Brian could stay close to us. Liz only drove my car one more time after we arrived in Phoenix – and that was the entire way back to San Diego. Liz had reverted to her childhood on the ride back along Interstate 8. She put a purple paisley bandana around her blonde hair and slipped on a pair of oversized sunglasses. We put the top down...

Runaway TrainChapter 46

Liz was in a good mood for the rest of the day. She and Jill talked about how much fun it would be to go to Cabo again. Brian and I just did our best to sneak surreptitious glances at their forms. Liz had made her prediction into reality by turning over on her stomach and untying her bikini top. She even pushed her bikini bottoms upward to sun her buns a little. Jill’s buns were already almost bare but she did Liz one better on the top. She unhooked it in the back and just set it to the...

Runaway TrainChapter 47

“I can’t fucking believe this,” Liz said, looking at me intently. I only nodded and put down the remote control for the DVD player. We’d gone through the junior high yearbooks and elementary school class photos until we got to the bottom of the box. That was where I moved the DVD of Liz Larimer’s first live performance that my mother had located in a box in our attic. “Is this what Jill asked you about the other day?” Liz inquired. I nodded again. “Fuck,” Liz said, shaking her head....

Runaway TrainChapter 48

Liz’s revelation was so sudden I was caught slightly flat-footed. I only managed a nod. “Yeah, too soon,” Liz said. “If things keep going this way, it would work out,” I stammered. “But we have a lot to think about between now and then.” “We do,” Liz agreed. “But, and, here again, this is just what I’ve been thinking.” She let out another long breath. “After the next tour, I’m going to take some time away,” she said. “I’m going to write and record the next disc. But I would also like to...

Runaway TrainChapter 49

Liz was all smiles when we came back to the deck half an hour later. The slow handjob had led to a longer shower (since we didn’t have to worry about drought conditions on the boat). Liz pulled on a light blue string bikini top and dark blue shorts over the similar bottoms. She left the top button undone and carefully pulled the strings out the side so they were visible. Dom, Skye, Jill and Brian were already seated around a table with glasses of iced tea and water in front of them. Liz...

Runaway TrainChapter 50

We found ourselves sitting in the parlor, the eight of us, when the night officially turned to day (aka midnight). The sun had drained everybody so we’d all taken a short nap after supper (or at least returned to our separate rooms). Liz and I slept, but we’re old. At 30, we were the eldest of the group. It was new for me. Rick is the only one of my friends younger than me – and I’m older than him by a whopping 22 days. Through the course of our afternoon together (during which I managed to...

Runaway TrainChapter 51

“Hey, let’s take a step back,” Jill said. “I’d try to stop him. I really think this will be fun. Cabo is a fun place!” “I’m sure it is,” I said. “I’m not talking about the specific activity. I’m talking about a disturbing habit that’s developing. I know where she learned it so I can’t even be pissed at Liz. We talked about this trip a hundred times. None of you mentioned barhopping or clubbing as a nightly ritual. If you had, I’d have stayed in San Diego and you could have come down without...

Runaway TrainChapter 52

There were four or five famous faces outside the private room when we got back. Two were television actors I’d seen and two were girls that seemed to be famous for no apparent reason. The fifth was the girl I’d seen on stage earlier. I didn’t know her name but I did know her panties were striped. One of the women tried to get to Liz but Dom and Brian blocked her. She appeared offended. Liz tapped Dom on the shoulder and pointed to the private room. A member of the club’s security detail had...

Runaway TrainChapter 53

We spent a relaxing day on the beach. Well, I spent a relaxing day on the beach. I think the others were bored. They wanted to go shopping and try out the jet skis. But I needed a day to just do nothing. Liz seemed to understand that – or, at the very least, she wasn’t going to fight with me over it – so the others were left to find something to occupy their time. Dom and Brian had to be with Liz and they said Skye and Jill would be safe if they wanted to wander around. Their only caveat was...

Runaway TrainChapter 54

“You got me drunk!” I heard from behind me. We were already in the bedroom and Liz’s voice sounded so serious I turned to defend myself. “You did!” she said, smiling at me. “You got me drunk and brought me to your bedroom and now you wanna fuck me. That was your plan all along.” “You caught me,” I said as I loosened my tie. Liz waited until my eyes looked downward before pushing me backward. The bed caught me at the knees and I tumbled. Liz giggled as she lifted the hem of her short dress...

Runaway TrainChapter 55

We found ourselves alone in the dining room after our joint shower. “It’s yucky out there,” Liz said as she stood at the window and looked out. I turned on the television and found a weather station. “It’s supposed to rain most of the day,” I said. “Then clear out overnight and be nice again tomorrow.” “I don’t see a single reason to leave the hotel today,” Liz said. “Svetlana?” I asked. “She’s down here shooting a catalog,” Liz explained. “She was tied up all day anyway.” “Well, if you...

Runaway TrainChapter 56

“Am I a genius or what?” Liz asked as we cuddled up together on the cool sheets in the hotel room. “I was worried that it would be a disaster,” I admitted. “You have to admit that you’re happy to know that Skye has a tattoo,” Liz giggled. Indeed, Skye Bennett had an image of Smurfette (her childhood nickname) tattooed just beside her pubic hair. “And you got to flash your boobies to the world again,” I said. “It’s Dom and Brian,” Liz said. “I knew you wouldn’t be mad. I could have shown...

Runaway TrainChapter 57

I found myself sitting alone with Jill at the hotel bar. Liz and Skye had headed to the restroom and Brian and Dom had accompanied them. The bar wasn’t designed for a large crowd. It had a small dance area but the music came from a small band instead of a DJ’s personal mix of music. It was quiet enough we could talk without screaming at each other. I liked it. “Uh, earlier,” I said, “sorry if I brought up something that makes you uncomfortable.” Jill gave me a smile. “Jesus, Travis, we’ve...

Runaway TrainChapter 58

We set sail for San Diego on Friday afternoon. It took us 34 hours to make the trip southward. It would take us closer to 44 to make the return voyage because of tides and winds and a lot of other things I didn’t know about. Our last day in Cabo San Lucas was as hectic as our last day in San Diego. The ladies wanted to do the shopping they had put off and have one last drink at all the bars we’d hit while we were there. Liz was giggly (and amorous) when we boarded the vessel. Our comely...

Runaway TrainChapter 59

Mary’s funeral was conducted Tuesday morning at a nondenominational church not far from the home she’d shared with Joe and Amber. Liz and I arrived early and hid in the shadows while hundreds of mourners came in. Mary had been a high school teacher for four years before her illness and she must have been a good one. A lot of teenagers and young adults were present along with some of their parents. We had paid a visit to Joe on Monday afternoon – ostensibly to ensure that the funeral...

Runaway TrainChapter 60

I sat back so hard I almost broke the armrest in the luxury airliner in which I rode. I failed in my first attempt to speak. All I could do was stare across the aisle at a woman I thought I knew. “Wh ... what did you just say?” I managed to squeak. “We had to get out from under those guys,” Liz said plaintively. “So you put a hit out on them?” I asked. I had kept my voice soft but it still came out as a hiss. “No!” Liz said instantly. She tilted her head slightly. “In a way, I...

Runaway TrainChapter 61

Liz and I spent only our second night apart since we reunited. I didn’t sleep well in the guest room and I wasn’t at my best when I got downstairs the next morning. The chef, Lynwood, got on my nerves almost immediately. “Let’s make a rule, Dennis,” I said after chided me for pouring a bowl of cereal for myself. “Never speak to me. I don’t like you. I don’t want to put up with you. So leave me the fuck alone. I’ll get my own meals while I’m here and you can take your prissy ass back to...

Runaway TrainChapter 62

Liz at least waited until the ladies boarded the elevator before turning on me. “What the fuck, Travis?” she bellowed. I held my hands apart. “Who did you call?” she asked. “One of my former professors at San Diego State,” I said. “He worked on a couple presidential campaigns and he’s an old hand at playing dirty. He taught me a lot and he likes me. So I asked him to use his contacts to find out what he could about some people that used to be in your life. Ryan told me about losing track...

Runaway TrainChapter 63

“You said a couple of things,” Liz said. “What was your impression of Geoff Granger?” I asked. Liz held her hands apart. “No different today than normal,” she said. “I’ve only dealt with him personally a few times and he’s always been very accommodating. Why?” “Because I believe it is time to make him aware of what is going on at his label,” I answered. “And you think he doesn’t already know?” Liz asked. “I’m sure he doesn’t,” I said. “Liz, I listened to your conversation today. He...

Runaway TrainChapter 64

Liz wasn’t smiling when we made our way through the airport terminal. The photographers had followed us from the hotel and several people had stopped and pointed as we walked into the airport. Liz was taking a charter flight back to Nashville. Brian and I were flying commercial to Dallas. Liz and Dom accompanied us as far as security would let them before she threw her arms around my neck and gave me a firm kiss goodbye. “I’m going to miss you,” she said. “Take care of what you need to take...

Runaway TrainChapter 65

Liz burst into tears again as the last of her friends-slash-employees departed the room. I felt terrible for her but I knew the reaction, harsh as it was, would have been worse if the story was revealed to them by someone else. Liz had offered a full release from their contract and a continuation of their salary while they looked for a new job if they decided they didn’t want to work with her any longer. I was pretty pissed when I saw them seriously considering the offer – until I recalled...

Runaway TrainChapter 66

I made a few more phone calls after convincing Liz to go work out some of her anxiety on the treadmill. Ryan was the first. “I know,” he said instantly. “I can’t walk away with security concerns over the next few weeks. If anybody in South America believes that shit then Liz is going to be in a lot of danger.” “Yeah,” I said. The rest of my explanation was interrupted by the doorbell. I broke into laughter when I saw Ryan standing on the doorstep with Brian and Dom. “I could have saved...

Runaway TrainChapter 67

The line was silent except for Stephanie’s breathing on the other end. I was content to let her filter my statement in her own way. “And what exactly are you talking about?” she asked in a brittle voice. “A couple things off the top of my head,” I replied. “You didn’t attend the University of Alabama and you don’t have a college degree.” More silence greeted me but I heard a door open and close. “You went to college in Pennsylvania for a year and a half before dropping out and going to...

Runaway TrainChapter 68

Liz and I spent only a short time in the water – but Liz managed to learn something I already knew. Water, particularly treated water like the pool used, washed away a lot of natural lubrication produced by the body. It also wasn’t a lot of fun when it got inside tender places and dried them out. So we pulled loungers to the back of the pool and spent the rest of the afternoon tanning and talking. Liz, of course, wanted to talk about the favorite topic she used to deflect her thoughts from...

Runaway TrainChapter 69

I pulled on dry clothes (with minimal playing around) before we went into the house. Liz headed upstairs to change but I wasn’t sure why she bothered when she returned. She had put on a sleeveless tank top that obviously was designed to be worn over something else (but wasn’t) and a pair of loose gym shorts that reminded me of pictures I’d seen of basketball teams from the 1970s. She had her seldom-used laptop tucked under her arm as she took my hand and led me into her private office. I had...

Runaway TrainChapter 70

The trip to Jacksonville went smoothly. Stephanie had called a little after six (while Liz and I were still in varying stages of undress) and acted as though nothing was amiss. She asked if the travel plans were still the same and said she’d meet us at the airport. She gave no indication that I’d spoken to her or that she had considered walking away. I decided it wasn’t worth the battle so I let it go. She was on board like the rest of us and she’d sink or swim with everybody else. Liz was...

Runaway TrainChapter 71

Jacksonville wasn’t a dud by any stretch, but it lacked the energy from San Diego, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Part of it was the long layoff. Liz had relaxed during her break and it showed in her performance. It wasn’t as crisp as what I’d grown to expect. I would have blamed it entirely on the leaked recording if the rest of the stage show wasn’t slightly off, too. The crowd enjoyed it but they hadn’t seen the West Coast shows so they had no frame of reference. Liz wasn’t the only person to...

Runaway TrainChapter 72

The first stop in Dallas went perfectly. The disc jockey was tame. He wasn’t interested in making a name for himself by ambushing Liz. He acknowledged that the national media had picked up on Steven Morton’s “gossip” before we went on the air and asked her if she wanted to make a comment. Liz said that she made it a habit never to respond to innuendo and the guy said that was fine by him. He was more than happy to be the voice that brought the official announcement to the listeners. The...

Runaway TrainChapter 73

Liz and I managed to make it all the way through the day without snapping at each other. Sadly, however, we were both worn to a frazzle by the time we got back to the hotel. At least we got to sleep in the same bed on Wednesday night. Liz had told me that she had tried to spend the night with me on Tuesday, too, but I was too far out of it to move and I didn’t leave her enough room to sleep beside me. The best she could was to get my belt off of me because she didn’t want to have to ask...

Runaway TrainChapter 74

“What are you doing here?” I asked after I spun around. “I would think that would be obvious,” she said as she sat beside me on the blanket. I shifted away from her. “Decide you can squeeze a couple more percentage points out of me?” I asked. Liz tilted her head in a question. “I was waiting for the elevator and I heard Stephanie and Jill fighting,” I said. “I know I was just a publicity ploy for you because your popularity had dipped a little.” “Now hold on!” Liz said. “And you...

Runaway TrainChapter 75

I was surprised to find a suitcase and a garment bag in my backseat when we reached my car. “Living dangerously,” I said. “Anyone could have walked off with these.” Liz shrugged. “It’s not like I have my passport in there,” she said. “It’s just clothes and none of them have my name on them. Ryan was careful to make sure we weren’t followed. The last thing I wanted to do was to steal this place from you, too.” “You didn’t steal anything,” I said. “Anything I’ve lost has been given away....

Runaway TrainChapter 76

I had just finished my call with the police detective when Liz came back in grinning ear to ear. She grabbed another beer and sat down beside me at the table. “Those two are funny,” she announced before she saw me frowning from my seat at the table. “Well, they are!” “It isn’t that,” I said. “I just finished a rather lengthy conversation with a curious police detective from Nashville.” “Oh?” Liz said, sitting at the table. “I think I have it handled,” I said. “But I had to give her a...

Runaway TrainChapter 77

Liz took another sip of her shaken beer and made a face. I figured that her attempt to fling it across the room had caused it to go flat. “I’ll get you another,” I said, standing. “I was thinking about having one since we’re in for the night.” “No,” she replied. “I’ll get you one.” She took my hand and led me to my favorite chair before looking around the room. “Don’t you have a sound system?” she asked. “No,” I admitted. “I listen to music off my tablet or through my phone. I can pull...

Runaway TrainChapter 78

The problem with spending the night in San Diego was that it put us three hours behind Miami. We had to get out of our comfortable bed at 6 a.m. to start the car ride northward in time to greet Liz’s downtrodden “friend.” Liz had made arrangements for a car service to pick us up and drive us to the center, and we watched Caley’s performance on her tablet. I had to admit, it was inspiring. I could see a real future on reality TV for Miss Cross. I would need to make sure that didn’t...

Runaway TrainChapter 79

I stood and answered questions for another 15 minutes before the doors opened and the group – minus Caley Cross – emerged into the sunlight. They all wore solemn looks as they walked back to the crowd of reporters and photographers. I took the opportunity to slip away. I had managed to answer 30 or 40 questions without really saying anything. I was tired from all the tap-dancing I’d done – but I knew I had more to do. I pushed my way through the horde and stationed myself in front of Liz as...

Runaway TrainChapter 80

The 10 days prior to the Dallas show were hectic. We bounced from San Diego to Dallas to Nashville in the space of 16 hours. Liz had rented a large warehouse outside of Nashville where a new stage was being constructed. She had decided to put on an entirely new show since she was extending it another hour and bringing in several special guests. The group of people I had conscripted to drive ticket sales had spotted early on that they couldn’t wait until 7 p.m. to start buying. They launched...

Runaway TrainChapter 81

My night with Ben, Lucas, Dom, Brian, Evan and the kids was pretty entertaining. We got a series of texts from our wives and/or girlfriends throughout the evening. I took the kids over to see Liz’s horses and we made s’mores over a smaller fire Ben had built. Mostly, we just goofed around and got to know each other. Lucas and I were the only two that knew about Brandon and Melissa’s impending split but we only exchanged sad smiles. Lucas and Brandon were friends and they hosted one of...

Runaway TrainChapter 82

I spent most of my day shopping in Nashville with Skye and Dom. I had been informed that the clothing that had been appropriated the night before was not going to come back anytime soon. I also decided that I didn’t really need more than four pairs of basketball shorts. Conny had shown up at the house – looking remarkably fresh – just before I was sent on my merry way. The quartet was still working on a song when I returned three hours later. Sadly, Skye had purchased far more than I had....

Runaway TrainChapter 83

I was still getting a tutorial on the setup when the guy I wanted to talk to came into view. He was walking with Jill so I had no trouble redirecting the crew leader to the road manager – and moving Sean out of earshot of everybody else. The first thing he did was point to my sling. “Ding that up again?” he asked. “Nah,” I replied. “Jill told me that the crew leader will put anybody to work so I wanted him to know I was on the DL.” Sean laughed but nodded. “I know I’ve put on 10 pounds...

Runaway TrainChapter 84

As with many things in my new life, I was not prepared for the shitstorm that landed on me Sunday morning. Jill started the ball rolling. “You just can’t keep from stepping on your wang, can you?” she asked before I’d had a cup of coffee to jump start my brain. I glanced down to my middle and knew my legs were going to have to get a lot shorter before that became a problem for me. “What did I do?” I wondered. “You were caught making out with that woman from last night,” Jill said,...

Runaway TrainChapter 85

Liz’s arrival (along with the rest of the group, of course) was entirely welcome. The paparazzi, thanks to catching me with Rosalita, knew which hotel to congregate at and they followed Jill and me to the private airfield where Liz’s leased jet would land. We had called ahead and security stopped the gawkers from getting anywhere on the property. Instead, they set up shop outside the chain-link fence and pointed their lenses through the openings. Sean and the advanced team had brought...

Runaway TrainChapter 86

Liz’s mood fluctuated the day of the concert. She went from excited to anxious as the minutes ticked past. I did my best to keep her mind occupied in other ways but I soon realized I was more of a hindrance than a help so I left it to Jill and Skye to keep Liz entertained. I was more than content to spend my day with my mother and Liz’s parents. Mickey and Bev had been wonderful (and, of course, my mother had been terrific, too). I had gotten the impression that Mickey and Bev had taken a...

Runaway TrainChapter 87

There were several highlights during the rest of the concert. Liz started out her second set with a heartfelt speech thanking Glen Carter. The original that we’d put together simply expressed gratitude for his appearance. Liz did a good job of ad-libbing her other expressions of thankfulness. Then she did her best to live up to her title by putting on one of the most amazing performances of her career. The entire stadium was on its feet by the time the last song wrapped up. I glanced down...

Runaway TrainChapter 88

Radio Free Nashville didn’t have its corporate office among the other big boys in Nashville. Liz told me that there were almost 500 companies claiming to be recording labels in the city. Some had dozens of artists; others had one or two. Some had earnings in the billions of dollars; others made a couple of grand each year. Some had high-rise office buildings; others were in somebody’s garage. Radio Free Nashville wasn’t the largest in any sense of the word. It didn’t have the biggest...

Runaway TrainChapter 89

None of us was in a good mood when we walked out of RFN’s building. Dom and Brian led the procession with Liz and Ryan right behind them. I was a few feet behind with Jill and Skye. I had held the door for everybody since it was about the only contribution I could make. My head jerked up at the sound of screeching tires and metal striking metal. A white panel van had jumped the curb and knocked over one of the metal pylons that separated the sidewalk from the one-way street in front of...

Runaway TrainChapter 90

I drifted off to sleep again as my brain tried to process all the information I’d received. It seemed as though the surgery (or surgeries, I suppose) had been far more extensive than seven years earlier. I had followed the rigorous recovery routine the surgeon had suggested then – not only because I wanted to get back to playing baseball again, but also because Rosalita had been a dictator about forcing me to comply. Then Domingo had been promoted and she had left with him. I had maintained...

Runaway TrainChapter 91

The man I’d seen through the window barely let Liz and Ryan clear the doorway before he was inside my room. He wore a nice suit and had a badge hanging out the breast pocket. Two others, a man and a woman, followed him inside. They were also well dressed (although less expensively than the first guy) but they didn’t see the need to advertise their professions. The female took the seat that Ryan had vacated and the second male stood by her side. The first man moved to my opposite side. It...

Runaway TrainChapter 92

I spent the next four days in bed. A couple of weeks earlier, when Liz could have joined me throughout the day, that might not have been such a bad idea. But she had plans and decisions to make. She spent as much time with me as she could but she couldn’t put her entire life on hold to watch me convalesce. But Liz didn’t even spend the nights with me. She would come in to cuddle with me after my last round of pills and then slip away to a different room to sleep. That bothered me more than...

Runaway TrainChapter 93

I blinked and looked over at the appendage strapped to a metal table as I contemplated her answer. “It’s that bad?” I asked. “It’s that bad,” Sondra answered with a grave nod. “I was going to give you a couple of more days to recuperate before I came out Sunday to explain all of this to you. It wasn’t going to be a surprise when you got the hospital on Monday. But now I hope you understand why everybody is so concerned with your well-being – me included.” “So I can cause more damage by...

Runaway TrainChapter 94

The return trip to Tennessee Regional Medical Center started out benignly enough. I got up, washed and dressed without incident. Liz and Mom were accompanying me, of course, but they laid down the law to the others. Skye and Jill were given the day off to do as they wish. Ryan, Dom, Brian were told not to come out. Rick was told to stay at the house. Melissa had departed for her Texas home midway through the week – and I don’t think Lynwood or Juliet was interested in coming with us. Liz...

Runaway TrainChapter 95

The only light in the room came from a green LED display on a piece of machinery off to my right. It gave the white wall of the sanitary room an eerie glow. I didn’t really give a shit. My head was still foggy from the anesthesia and the medication. It took me a few seconds to open my eyes but then I was completely awake. I hurt. I hurt in places I had never before hurt. I hurt in places I didn’t even know existed. It wasn’t the constant ache that I’d learned to live with. It wasn’t even...

Runaway TrainChapter 96

My Tuesday started out pretty well. I slept until almost 10 o’clock – a full eight more hours on top of the eight hours I’d slept after surgery. My arm didn’t hurt as much as the night before; Liz was in a pleasant mood; I was going home as soon as the doctor signed off on things. Liz helped me get cleaned up a little bit but I put the gown back on over my shorts. A nurse was going to show us how to get my shirt on and off with the least amount of movement possible. Liz had brought a...

Runaway TrainChapter 97

After we sneaked out of the hospital under the nose of the paparazzi, the rest of the week was filled with drudgery. The physical therapist was used to working with collegiate athletes – not a 30-year-old man whose stamina had dwindled from weeks of forced inactivity (that followed two solid months of a schedule that sometimes pushed exercise to the back burner). I was instructed to work on the treadmill as my pain level permitted for the next few days. He wanted to wait until he could see...

Runaway TrainChapter 98

It took some time for our visitors to get used to my infirmity. At my insistence, Liz took a photo of my battered arm on her phone. I had used the logic that it was it a “before” photo that I could use for inspiration in my therapy. It was a blatant falsehood. As soon as we returned down the stairs – and after Sondra had departed for home – I pulled my friends aside and showed it to them. “It’s still there and still attached,” I said, making sure to look hard at each of them. Not...

Runaway TrainChapter 99

I expected that getting everybody off to bed would prove tricky. San Diego was two hours behind Nashville and it always took me a day or two to get used to going to bed at what my body thought was an earlier time. But everybody had been up early to get to the private field where the charter plane had met them. The pre-dawn start and the excitement (none of the children had been on an airplane before that morning – and nobody in the group had ever seen a private pool with a freakin’...

Runaway TrainChapter 100

Liz was all smiles on Saturday morning. She went to check on our guests while I got dressed for my morning workout. I appreciated that she offered me the independence to do what I could without assistance. I also appreciated that she returned in time to tie my sneakers for me. “Your workout partners are waiting for you,” she informed me. “Ah, hell no,” I said. There was no way I was going to try to keep up with Chris or Matt. Chris still held firm to the Navy training regimen. Matt’s job...

Runaway TrainChapter 101

My physical therapy got under way in earnest on Monday morning. We got everybody packed up and off to their next destinations. The California crew was taking a detour – to Disney World in Florida – before returning back to San Diego in time for the Fourth of July holiday. The adults fought the idea of an all-expenses paid trip to an amusement park. It wasn’t the concept that bothered them. It was the idea that Liz was going to foot the bill for everything. They relented when Liz threatened...

Runaway TrainChapter 102

The venue hosting the No. 1 party seemed a little small when we pulled up to the curb. The Music Row reporters were stationed out front with their cameras and microphones. The dark SUV we arrived in was nondescript and the driver Liz had selected for the evening wasn’t one of the faces that normally showed up around her. It was a pretty big surprise for everybody when the door opened and Liz stepped out to the curb. She looked great – if I do say so myself. Liz wore a pair of tight white...

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