Free Blue Autumn in the Bayou (Gumbo Love) by Ann Clay Page A

his father and his brothers, believed in taking care of business. Each one of them headed a separate division of the family ’s import/export company. Travis started working there first, even before he graduated from Louisiana State University. He’d always taken an interest in what his father did. Aside from Clem, Alvin had been the man he most wanted to be like.
    Everything his father did, Travis wanted to do as well. Well, not exactly everything. He still didn’t want to be tied down to a woman. And although he saw the goodness in a commitment, the happiness and satisfaction of being with someone who was always there when you needed them most, something about the concept didn’t sit well with him.
    He’d tried dating exclusively. Things always managed to get complicated. After dating for a while, the woman felt that it was time to move to the next logical step, marriage. She was ready, but seldom was he ready, and it made the relationship dicey to say the least. So he made the TK rule: no more than two to three dates before he cut a woman loose. He made sure to let them know up front he wasn’t into a commitment, that he just wanted to have a good time. 
    So far , his plan has worked. Most of the women accepted his terms. Those who didn’t, he left staring at his back. He enjoyed women like Savannah. She was beautiful, freaky, and easy to contact when and if he needed her. She came without questions and left without hassles. He liked his life as it was.
    “Thank you very much for seeing me on such short notice.” Jacob Euclid stood and stuck out his hand once he finished his pitch. “I promise you this will be a great business venture.”
    Travis shook Jacob’s hand. Jacob spent two hours bending his ear and Travis wanted to give him his undivided attention, but his thoughts were elsewhere. “Thank you, Jacob. We continue to look for opportunities to expand. I’m happy we were able to meet. I’m sure we’ll find mutual success.”
    “Indeed , we will. Have a great evening.”
    “You too, and please make sure you fax those proposals. Meagan , my assistant, will make sure you get the fax number and email address you need.”
    * * * *
    Travis looked down at his watch. “Meagan, I’m meeting my mom at West Pointe to take care of some unfinished business. Call me if you need anything, okay?”
    “Yes, sir. Oh, and Mr. Brooks, you still have to pick up your tux. You asked me to remind you.”
    Travis turned briefly after several steps before he headed back to his office to retrieve the sales slip he left on his desk. “Thanks for the reminder, Me agan. I need to do this today. Can you call and let them know I’ll drop by around five?”
    “Sure thing.”
    Everyone had picked up their tuxes except him and Trae’s best friend, Rykard. Rykard was arriving in a couple of days from Atlanta. His college buddy’s early arrival was a surprise. The last time Travis saw Rykard, he assured him that he would meet him in New Orleans to celebrate his friend’s rites of passage. A good, old-fashioned bachelor party was the tradition no man passed up before going into the institution of marriage.
    Travis kissed his mother’s cheek. “Hi, Mom.”
    “Hi, baby. How was your day? You look a little tired.”
    And before she could finish , Travis interrupted. “It’s just been a long week, Momma. Losing Clem took a lot out of me.” He knew she was gearing up to lecture him about his late nights, women chasing, and to ask him for the thousandth time when he planned to settle down. So to beat her to the punch, he hoped to keep the conversation on the business at hand, Clem’s estate.
    “You don’t fool me, boy. I’ve been your mother all your life , and I know what you’re trying to do.” Diane stuck a finger up at him.
    “Mom, I still have to pick up my tux for next week. Can we talk about this later?” He folded the finger and her hand in his, brought it to his lips and pressed a brief kiss to it.
    * * *