Setting Up A Date

Toby tried to help at the store but the 'lookie loons' as Missy calls them kept the store packed with admirers, not buyers, so he left. He was going to have to wait for his fame to die down to have a semblance of a normal life. He hides sometimes with Louise in the office, watches the monitors, and then works. He wanted to be out there helping and talking to people, but they wouldn't let him be a normal person. That was his biggest frustration. 

*

Liana has Travis in a special class, so he was gone every day from 10:30 to 3:00 and then he goes down for a much-needed nap. He and Louise both needed something to entertain themselves, he lamented one day. 

Calling Candace was looming large in his future. He thought about calling Marcus and going out, but that sounds like it would end up on the news as a crowd control problem. The shit never told him if he liked his movie. Knowing him he probably didn't go. He just watched the different sites on YouTube to get an idea. People have taken to adding music to the scenes to make it sexy. Some are cute and some are raunchy. 

"Maybe I need to start reading Alli's magazines and see how other men handle the fame and going out," he told Louise out of the blue as he sat in his least favorite chair in the place. She just shook her head and the brooder was back.

During a lull in the crowds, he walked out to the showroom, snatched up a lounger, and took it into the office. He then came back out, scooped up a pile of magazines, and went back into the office. The women watched his antics and laughed as the door shut. They know how frustrated he was. He is a doer, not a sitter. 

He was amazed at how many people he knew on the pages of the magazines. And it appeared they all got jumped as they came out of the restaurant or shop, so he was doomed even in Dallas.

"So, would you think I was an idiot if I got involved with Candace again?"

"No, remember I was here when you first, Oh hell you can't even call it broke up with her. When you first started brooding over her, I can in some ways understand her dilemma. I like the girl, she is a beauty, and she was very concerned, almost frantic about your health after you were shot. We spoke often and she made sure we had all the information she could give us. She knew you had no other family, or they would have been there. She cares, if nothing else she cares."

"I know that, but do I want her in my life and Travis' life?"

"You have to decide; the main question is whether it is for sex or to be with her. Because you can go out and find someone in the showroom who will have sex with you, not a problem. If you're settling for her because you know her, that is not going to work either. It will be like Amy and Missy having good sex but not the right one."

"How did you get so smart?"

"I have been around for a long time." 

"So, I'm right back to where I started. I want a life with a good woman in it."

"Call Steve, he and Liz broke up months ago, maybe he will go woman hunting with you. He may know some classier places than your old running friend. Marcus was a little sleazy. He even came on to your stepmother."

Getting a good laugh out of that statement he asked, "Do you have his number, or should I ask Liz?"

"You will have to ask Liz; he was more in love with you than her."

"Oh, come on Louise, how am I supposed to call him now."

"It's the truth, not in a gay way, but in a way I want what he has. You can dazzle him with stories of acting."

"No, I can't because he will be pissed, he didn't get a part as I promised."

"You promised to ask, and you did and four of your friends got in the movie right."

"He was not right for the parts needed. He is not a marine," Louise shot back, "he looks like an accountant."

"That is true there wasn't a normal man in the whole film and I was the prettiest," he said, giving her a smart-ass grin. 

"Ok, so now what, online dating is big now," she suggested. 

"You know, I think I will think about Candace some more. The reason she hurt me so badly was because I saw a future with her. The question is can I get past the hurt and anger she caused? And do I want her family around Travis?"

"He did work his ass off to save your life. I will give him that," Louise countered.

"Sure, he was probably afraid Candace would want Travis back if I died."

"That was rude, they did come to check on him as a family remember? Even the idiot brother came so give them that much credit," Louise reminded.

Toby remembered how his stomach clenched when Travis asked about his mother. He is smart and he would figure that out quickly if he brought her around. What if she didn't react to him like he wanted her to? What if she is dismissive of him as she was in the hospital 'Oh I saw Travis in the hall'? 

It would wound his soul if his mother didn't care for him as he does. Someday he will ask who she is, and he can't tell him she is dead. To him, she is a non-entity, a concept that he feels. He looked up and half smiled for Louise, her brooder was back. Candace strikes again. 

"So, what do I do?" He has gone full circle again and suggested. "Let's go to the museum or go shopping for Christmas presents. I don't have any decorations at all in the house. Let's do something. It has died down. The girls can handle the store for now easily. Tomorrow we will make plans to go somewhere." Toby declared as if it would fix everything.

"Only if you push me in one of those complimentary wheelchairs, I don't have the strength to walk all over the place like that anymore. I do good to go shopping at the grocery store," Louise informed him. 

"I'm sorry to hear that. Ok, we will change our tactics. You look up Christmas decorators in the Dallas area and we'll watch them work over my house," Toby offered as an alternative. Besides, he knew no woman would approach him pushing an old woman in a wheelchair. He thought if a woman approached him, she could step to the side as he got to know her. She would be educated and well-dressed just like he likes them. 

So, pushing her wouldn't work, but they would go shopping for Christmas. Maybe she can ride one of those motorized carts halfway up the aisle from him. That would work. Again, he looked up and smiled. He and Mom are going Christmas shopping. He was thrilled. Frank was right he had stolen his mother. Maybe if he was nicer, they could share her.

She wrote down a number that looked expensive, but he had money. "Here, call these people and see if they can do it. This is kind of late in the season to be looking for help," Louise warned.

"I know but I just got back," he whined so helplessly. 

"I hope that works for you," she quipped back and shook her head thinking he was such a kid.

He made an appointment for tomorrow. He was told, "Most of their homes were decorated the week after Thanksgiving so they have time to come and see what I need," he told her with a grin.

"Brat, maybe she will be young, sexy, and sweet. I'll leave the house if you think you have a chance," Louise smarted back.

"Oh, thank you, you're so kind," he said but it did sound good. Now he has something to look forward to. Some pretty girl knocking on the door tomorrow would do the trick. 

Whether he liked it or not, Candace loomed large in his mind. She has for over two and a half years, gnawing at him.

*

Oh my God Louise was right three beautiful women were at the front door all with clipboards and magazines in hand. They must have looked up his address and knew it was an expensive home. Maybe they recognized his name. Smiling he opened the door and watched the smiles fade and come back a little sexier. 

"Hello ladies, come in please and help me make this place look like Christmas is coming," Toby said, stepping back to let them in.

Travis came running up he was excited, he remembers last year. This was his third Christmas, and his birthday was looming large. 

"We just moved in, we just came back from California, I just finished a movie, and they just finished the remodel of this place, so I just need some help," Toby told them, and they all smiled. Louise and Bobbie stood back and watched him work his magic. His problem was he is too damn cute, and all the women had wedding rings on. The poor thing struck out again. 

Travis threw a fit and it was time for Liana to take him to school. He wanted to stay and watch. Toby told him they wouldn't do the work today. That seemed to calm him as Liana explained they would have to order all the stuff and he couldn't pull it down once it was up. 

"I know, I'm not dumb it is to look at, not play with," Travis told her as they walked to the car. She knew someone had to have told him the same thing lately as she smiled at his statement.

*

Toby shows the women around and tells them his ideas and they show him what they could get at this late date. Lamenting even a trip to Hobby Lobby wouldn't help much, but they would do their best in two days. They knew they had to make it childproof. He was quite a terror they noticed. 

"I have decided what to do about Candace," Toby told Louise and Bobbie as they drank a cup of coffee once the decorators left. He had nothing to do.

"Ok, what is that?" Louise asked, sipping her coffee. 

"I'm going to ask her out on a date, no sex involved, and see how we do. We never had that, just a date that would show me a lot about her. We may not have a thing in common and all my angst has been for nothing."

"Good thinking my boy, go call her. Who knows she may have moved on," Louise offered and watched his head snap back to look at her. Giving her the evil eye, he walked off. He could hear them laugh at him as he went to his room. He was glad they got along so well. Louise was much older, but Rob almost worked poor Bobbie to death. She said she just quit and didn't tell him she was moving in with me in case he had a movie for me to do one day. That sounds good to Toby. A movie in Dallas working with Rob would be fantastic. For that, he would continue to act. Mike has called a few times, but he wasn't interested in another director's movie. The other director ruined him for all the others. He has plenty of money and the DVDs are selling strong for Christmas. 

Lord, what happened to his conviction to not do any more movies? Boredom is what happened. Another thing he needs to do is set up the workout room with equipment. There was something he could do, he thought, lifting his spirits. Where do you find that kind of stuff? 

"Candace, I'm back in town. They tried to kill me with fake monsters, but I made it back. I wanted to see if you would like to go out on a date. As you may know, I'm free at any time so if you're interested in going out, call me. Oh yes, this is Toby," he told her voicemail. Now he must wait. Taking his laptop to the kitchen Louise helped him find a place that sold gym equipment. One place was Academy, and it was only four miles away. 

He was ready to go, and Louise told him to have fun. She had no desire to go to a sporting goods store. He told Bobbie he wouldn't be home for lunch, he would eat tacos. Louise called him a brat as he went out the door. Maybe he would meet someone there. A nice athletic girl, or maybe Candace will call him back quickly, he was thinking as he drove away.

*

The quality was not what Toby wanted. Rob had better equipment than this place. Nothing impressed him there. The young man standing by the treadmills caught his attention. Walking toward him Toby asked, "Do you know where I could find quality workout equipment around here." 

"Not close but yeah, there is a place off Greenville," I'll draw you a map. You look pretty buff already," he commented as he drew the map. Toby is buffer now than he was before. He had done most of the stunts, all the pulling up to escape a creature hanging running and it built him up. He didn't feel anything pop along his L, so he thinks he is all healed. 

"Thanks, I would like to keep it that way too,"

"You're that actor guy, right? You got shot. You look good for being shot," he said a little too loudly and customers started looking at them. 

"Well, that was almost a year ago. I'm fine as you can see." Taking the map, he left the store and headed across the freeway. He wondered how long people would refer to the shooting when talking to him. He got the same reaction in California. He guesses because it was shocking to them. It shocked him too, almost to death. 

He pulled up to the Fitness HG, put his truck in park and his phone rang. His heart began to pound as he pulled it from his pocket. 

"Yes, hello."

"So, your home?" Candace asked as his heart pounded in his chest.

"Yes, we are back," he told her, wondering why he reacted to her so strongly. 

"So, you are looking for a hookup?"

"No, I was thinking of an actual real date if you're interested."

"I would be, but I don't have any spare time for about six more weeks," she lamented.

"Wow, that long."

"Yeah, I'm afraid so, this new rotation is busy,"

"No, I understand it is grueling," Toby said, seeing everything flying out his window.

"Nice of you to be thinking of me," she whispered.

"Yes, I have been thinking about you."

"I have been thinking about you too," She told him slowly and sexy.

"Good, happy to hear it," but what good does that do any of them?

"So, you're done with another movie, did it go well?" she asked, sounding bubbly and happy to be talking to him.

"Yes, the movie went well. It was exhausting but I'm fine."

"Have you gone to see a doctor for a checkup?"

"No, I haven't. The movie was exhausting. I'm not exhausted."

"I understand but you still need to be seen by a doctor and be checked out. You took a hard hit you know," She reminded, as did everyone who met him. 

"I guess I need to buy insurance too, another thing I need to do now we are back." He told her ready to let her go.

"So, Travis has a birthday coming?"

"Yes, he is very excited for his birthday."

"Ok, well I'll let you go," Candace said hearing the, we have nothing else to talk about in his voice. Apparently, he was not going to ask her to come.

"OK, call me if you find time to go and eat, I can swing by at any time."

"Sounds good,"

"Ok bye," Toby said it sounds like she has no time for anything much less him. She did sound happy to talk to him, but he is back to square one again. 

He went in and looked around and the salesman knew who he was and immediately came out and shook his hand and showed him around. Their prices were sky-high. Money or not Toby was shocked. They did have a good chin-up bar free standing with a place to perch to raise his legs, he bought that. They will deliver and put it together in his home for free. 

Toby thought, you damn sure will for that price. Even at Rob's he only used the chin-up bar so he should be good. He will go back to the Academy and buy some thick floor padding for sit-ups and he should be good. He knew they had that, plus who he was trying to impress. He was the only one who would use the stuff. He couldn't see Bobbie running on a treadmill and Liana runs after Travis all day; she doesn't need exercise.

*

Getting out of the truck at Academy a woman across from him in the parking lot was cursing like a sailor. She kicked the front tire and then crumpled to the asphalt in tears as he got out of his truck. 

"Can I help," he asked, not knowing what to do. She was a damsel in distress that is what a man is supposed to do to help. Oh yes and hold the door.

"You know how to fix cars?" she asked, staring at the asphalt. 

"No, but I could take you home or something,"

"Yeah right," she said and looked up to whoever commented. She said, standing quickly, "Oh I'm sorry you're Toby McBride. I heard you were in the store earlier," she said as she stood. He was impressed she was a beauty.

"I was and a young man gave me a tip and now I'm back for flooring. But if I can help, I can come back another time," he offered. 

"Well I just had this piece of crap fixed and it is doing the same thing again. I can't afford another trip to the repair shop," she explained, and he could understand her plight.

"Well, if they didn't fix it right you shouldn't have to pay again," Toby told her, sounding naïve to her.

"Maybe in your world, in mine, they gouge women all the time," she told him looking better to him all the time. 

"Ok, let's go to the place, and for me, they will come and get your car and fix it right," He told her and prayed he was intimidating enough to make them do right by her.

"Oh, Ok, they are going to jump for you," she teased and smiled and that was it for him. The hair, the body, and now the smile, and no ring on her finger, this was a woman who needed to go on a date. Soon.

"I'll get them to fix your car or call my most persistent news reporter and sick her on them. She will do anything for a story."

"Anything,"

"Not that, you have a dirty mind. I'm not that kind of man."

"Good to know. Sure, fix my world because if I didn't have bad luck, I would have no luck at all," she complained as he walked her to his truck. 

"I thought the same thing three years ago and now look at me. So, you know my name what is yours." 

"Mesha Delaney, my mother, was a hippy. I was born of the moon," she told him jokingly with a hand jester signing the moon. 

"Mesha, a pretty name. I like it. So Mesha what do you do for a living," Toby asked following her finger point. 

"Nothing exciting. I'm the day manager for soft lines at the Academy. That is how I knew you were there. Everyone was all excited."

"And you thought they were silly right."

"No! I was mad I missed you. The girls were all talking about how sexy you are." 

"And you say?"

"Oh, they are right, you're sexy, very handsome." 

"Good I haven't lost it yet," Toby teased. She laughed the prettiest laugh as they pulled into the parking lot. 

"Ok let me see if I can charm these gentlemen," he offered and parked.

Walking into the office, the mechanics stopped working and stood watching through the window as Toby spoke to the man behind the counter.

"Yes, my friend had her car fixed here a few days ago and it has the same problem. I need you to go pick it up and repair it this time correctly. She paid you to repair it, not put a band-aid on it." 

"I'm sorry Miss, I remember your car and we thought it was right. It may have been something else going on."

"There will be no more charges and do it right this time," Toby demanded. 

"Sir, it may be something different," he complained.

"Then you eat it, how does she know what you did or didn't do? You eat it," Toby told him. Mesha handed Toby her keys as she stood next to him doing her darndest to not smile. 

"It is in the parking lot of the Academy up the street. She needs that car, get it back to her quickly," Toby told them, giving him a stern look and the man seemed a little afraid. He learned the look during the movie; it was called menacing and apparently, it worked. It hadn't worked with the Aliens, but they were brainless jerks. They left and Mesha laughed when she got in the truck. "That was perfect. I need to keep you around."

"I was thinking the same thing. How about a date this weekend? I haven't been out with a pretty woman in years."

"Oh, you think I'm pretty?" she again teased. Throwing his words back at him she smiles. "I would love that Friday or Saturday?" she asked. 

He wanted so badly to say both, but he behaved. He had decorators coming Friday so Saturday would be better.

"Saturday would be best. What would you like to do?"

"Dinner and dancing would be fun. I haven't been out in a long time either," she told him with a flirty smile. 

"Perfect, so tell me how to get you home and I'll come back Saturday and pick you up at, say 8:00," Toby said, making sure he paid attention to where he was going. He passed his phone to her so she could put her number in. "So why is someone as pretty as you not going out all the time?" he asked, tucking the phone back in his pocket. 

"Well it costs money to go out and I'm doing good to keep a roof over my head and my car running. Sure, men flirt with me, but I thought I was past that until this handsome man picked me up today," She flashed him a smile and pointed down a street Toby knew and didn't like the neighborhood. He thinks this is the area where Frank lives. He hopes he doesn't see Regina or God forbid Frank driving down here. 

"I know it is a crappy area but the rents are cheap and for the ones closer to the store the rents are too high." Pointing again she said. "I'm in 1237 on the back side of this building. I'll see you Saturday and thank you for being my knight in shining armor today, Mister McBride," she said and jumped down from his truck. 

Watching her walk away a couple of black men turned and said something to her, then they saw Toby giving them his sinister look. Chuckling to each other they kept walking. He wondered if they would chuckle if he stepped out of the truck. His luck would have guns and shoot him and then chuckle.

*

Shocked to see Louise still in his kitchen, she was chopping vegetables and sitting at the counter. Smiling as he walked in, he said, "I have a date this weekend," and told them what happened and went into a dreamy dissertation of her beauty. 

"Toby, it is a date, you're not marrying her," Louise told him as Travis ran into the house. Scooping him up Toby swung him around he was a happy man. "You just wait till you meet her, she is quite witty," he said putting Travis down he took Liana's work bag from her hand, pulled her into an embrace, and danced her around the kitchen. Liana smiled at his antics and looked at Louise for a reason. 

"He has a date this weekend," Louise explained.

"Oh, how exciting for you," Liana said and patted his shoulder as he continued to dance around.

"We are going dancing, I don't know where, but that is what she wants."

"So, what is her name, maybe I know her?" Liana asked, she knew a lot of people around here. 

"Mesha," Toby told her. 

"Delaney," Liana asked. 

"Yes," he told her and stopped dancing concerned to hear what she said. 

"I know her, she is a sweetie, she lived on the fringe of the fancy homes, but we went to the same school together. She has an older sister Melina. She was wild, but Mesha was a great person. She is a sweet girl. Good for you. Oh, how exciting, tell her I said Hi."

Toby turned and looked at Louise, she knew that name too. "I had a one-night stand with Melina a long time ago," Toby said, seeing his date go out the window. 

"Who hasn't? They are both pretty, but Melina was always the wild one. Mesha always stayed in the background basically ashamed of her sister," Liana said looking to see what Bobbie was making for dinner.

Toby's celebration was over. How will she take the fact he has had sex with her older sister? Pulling his phone from his pocket he had to get this over with. He would hate to really like her and for her to find out he kept this from her.

"Hi Mesha, this is Toby."

"Oh, Hi Toby are you OK?" she asked because he sounded down.

"Yeah, I'm good. I was talking to my son's nanny, and she knows you."

"OH really."

"Yeah small world."

"Who is she?" she would like to know who is screwing up her chance with this man.

"Oh, yeah, Liana Burkhart."

"Yeah, I know her from school she is a sweetie." She knew she wouldn't be saying anything bad about her so what was wrong?

"Yeah a sweetie, so she told me you have an older sister who I dated once several years ago."

"Yeah, she told me when the movie came out. You helped her with a TV problem too."

"Oh, you knew. Good, so you don't have a problem."

"Not if you don't. My sister has been around a lot," she told him.

"No, I was afraid you wouldn't go out with me because of that."

"I thought you may not want to go out with me. She is kind of wild." He could hear the disappointment in her voice. "No, I want to go out with you. I just wanted to clear the air up front."

"She has been around if it doesn't bother you, I'm OK."

"No, I understand so I'll see you Saturday, 1237 right."

"Yes, 8:00." 

"Thanks, I'm looking forward to seeing you. Bye," Toby said as he walked back out to the kitchen breathing a sigh of relief.

"She knew, apparently Melina bragged about going out with me once I got famous. She said she was going to bring it up if things got serious."

"I would imagine finding a guy her age around here who hasn't would be hard," Liana told him and headed up the stairs. 

Bobbie and Louise looked at him like they were classy.

"Hey, I'm a man and she was willing," Toby defended himself. How was he to know? She was a wild crazy one. He learned quickly once she got him in her apartment. He made his escape as quickly as he could. 

"Wow good excuse," Louise smarted back. 

"I learned my lesson, remember no more one-nighters."

"So, Candace didn't call?" Louise asked.

"She did and has no time for dating right now."

"Yeah, being a doctor is hard work. I watch those medical shows and for the intern, it's hell to become a doctor," Bobbie added to the conversation. 

"I know and I give up," Toby lamented. "It was not meant to be, I see that now."