The Long Road chapter 36

 “Wow, what a night!” Billy said as he and Tony lounged just before closing the club.

“It’s certainly not one I’ll forget in a very long time, if ever, thanks to Kyle and Jayson.”

“I’d really love to get to know them better. They seem to be an awesome couple. Too bad they’re only visiting.”

“I’d like to get to know them better as well. Not because Kyle’s a famous recording artist, but because they’re both down-to-earth. They seem to be the couple we’ve been looking for to just hang out with. Wait a minute. I just thought of something. Why don’t we send them a fruit basket as a sort of thank you, ‘cause you know our business is going to go through the roof once word gets out that he was here.”

“I think it’s an awesome idea. Do you know where they’re staying?”

“Yeah, I do. I asked Jayson.”

A patron just happened to overhear that particular part of the conversation. “Where are they staying? I’d like to send them a fruit basket as well.” Several other patrons chimed in, expressing similar desires.

Tony had to think fast. Kyle was generous enough to sign the autographs without any kind of compensation. He was very sweet and kind to the patrons who mobbed him like a bunch of love-struck groupies. They want to show their appreciation in typical Hawaiian tradition, not that I can blame them. He wanted to do the same thing himself, but he felt compelled to protect their privacy. They're on their honeymoon, and if word got out as to where they’re staying, they won’t have a moment’s peace. He quickly came to a decision. “I’ll tell you what.” He shouted over the noise, lifting his hands for silence. When everyone quieted down, he continued. “I’m not at liberty to divulge the name of the hotel where Kyle and Jay are staying, but I promise you this. If you want to send flowers or fruit baskets or something to them, you can leave them here at the club along with any personal notes you wish to write them and I will personally guarantee they’ll get them. Have them here at the club by eight am."

They never expected the sheer volume of gifts that poured into the club the next morning. It took several trips using the club’s courtesy van to deliver them all to the hotel. After the deliveries were made, Tony and Billy were lounging by the pool. “Do you realize what happened last night at the club?” Tony asked his lover.

“Yeah, we had Kyle Matthews-Williams perform live for free and sign autographs. Never in a million years would I have ever expected to see that, nor have the opportunity to meet my favorite singer.”

“Me neither, but I’m talking about the ramifications.”

“What ramifications?”

“Once word gets out that he was at the club, if it hasn’t already, it’s going to get crazy. Everyone who is a fan is going converge on us hoping for an autograph or perhaps even a glimpse of him.”

“I’d better stock up on the liquor. Business is going to skyrocket.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. You know, Kyle is not at all what I expected.”

“What do you mean, Tony?”

“You would expect a guy with two platinum CDs to be a conceited, arrogant asshole. But he was just the opposite. He was so sweet. I really like him and Jay. They’re a great couple.”

“Aren’t they? No attitudes, just regular guys like you and me. I’d love to hang with them some more. Too bad they’re going on one of those crappy over-priced sightseeing tours tomorrow.”

Tony perked up when he heard that. “How do you know that?”

“Jay told me last night when I asked him what they planned to do while they were here.”

“What time were they leaving?”

“I think he said around ten.”

You just gave me an idea.” He picked up the phone and dialed. “Max? Tony. Listen, tomorrow morning I’d like to have you take the limo and go pick up Kyle and Jayson Matthews-Williams at the Honolulu Hotel. Give them a grand tour of the island, making sure you hit every conceivable point of interest. Take the whole day. Take the club credit card with you and get them anything they want to eat or drink and I mean anything. There's no spending limit. If they want a thousand-dollar lobster dinner, that’s what they get. Get them lots of souvenirs, too. Anything they want. I want them to remember this visit. Be at the hotel no later than nine-thirty. Thanks Max.”

Meanwhile at Kyle and Jay’s hotel there was a knock on their door. “I wonder who that could be.”

“I don’t know, Jay.”

Jay got up, put his robe on and opened the door, to reveal several bellhops, each with a large luggage cart filled with flowers, fruit baskets and chocolates. He let them in, and with Kyle's help, unloaded the carts, tipped them generously then closed the door. “I wonder who they’re from.”

Jay started opening cards. “Oh, shit! They’re from the people at the club last night. How’d they find out we were here? The only people I told where we were staying were Tony and Billy. We won’t be able to leave the hotel without getting mobbed again.”

“I don’t think we have to worry about that.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Here, read this.” Kyle handed him the note that was attached to the largest of the fruit baskets.

Dear Kyle and Jay:

Please accept this fruit basket as a token of our gratitude for the autographing session last night. It was certainly the most unforgettable evening in the history of our club. Our staff, the patrons and we will never forget it, or either of you.

Please do not worry about being intruded upon. Everyone who asked about sending you gift baskets was told that we would not give out the name of the hotel, but they could leave the items with us and we would see to it that you got them.

Again, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Love always,

Tony and Billy

“Wow. What sweet guys. Hey, why don’t we invite them to have dinner with us tonight?”

“That’s a great idea. But how do we get in touch with them?”

“We call the club. The number should be in your guidebook.”

Kyle got the book and looked up the club. “Yep. Here it is. Do you want to call, or should I?”

“You call.”

“Okay.” Kyle picked up the phone and dialed the club. “May I speak with Tony or Billy, please?”

“Who’s calling please?”

“Kyle Matthews-Williams.”

“Kyle Matthews…” There was a loud crash as the person who answered the phone dropped the receiver. He yanked the phone away from his ear, looked at it with a funny expression on his face then placed it back against his ear.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to drop the phone. You just took me by surprise. I’m a big fan of yours and never in a million years could I have imagined speaking to you on the phone.”

“Thanks, but could I talk to Tony or Billy, please?”

“Tony is checking in a delivery and Billy is not here. Hold on a second and I’ll get him for you.”

“Thanks.”

“Hi, Kyle, what can I do for you?”

“First, I’d like to thank you for the fruit basket and for protecting our privacy.”

“It’s the least I could do.”

“Jay and I would love to have the two of you join us for dinner this evening, if you’re available.”

“For you and Jay, we’ll make ourselves available. What time and where?”

“We’ll leave that up to you. Talk it over with Billy and give us a call here at the hotel. We don’t plan on going anywhere today but the pool. We’ll probably spend most of the day writing out thank-you notes for all of the gifts. Let me give you my cell number.” Kyle gave him the number, said goodbye then hung up.

Looking up, he noticed that Jay had already dived into one of the fruit baskets. “Would you like some fruit for breakfast? We have more than we could possibly eat.”

“That sounds great to me.” The boys made a fantastic breakfast out of the basket from Tony and Billy. After eating and performing their daily hygiene rituals, they settled on the bed to relax, watch some TV and write out thank-you notes. A couple of hours later, Kyle’s cell phone rang, waking them from their nap.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Kyle, it’s Tony.”

“Hi, Tony, what’s up?”

“How does seven pm at the Surf -N- Turf Palace for dinner sound? They make a mahi-mahi that's to die for.”

“Seven pm at the Surf -N- Turf Palace?” He asked Jay, who nodded his consent. “That sounds great. What’s the address?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll send a limo for you.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I do. And I won’t take no for an answer.”

“Okay. We’ll see you then. Bye.”

“What doesn’t he have to do?”

“He’s sending a limo to pick us up.”

“Wow. I’ve never been in a limo before.”

“Me neither. I don’t know about you, but I’m hitting the pool”

“Race you there.”

“You’re on!”

After about an hour of swimming and roughhousing in the pool, the boys got out, put sunscreen on each other, then laid out in the deck lounges, creating quite a spectacle. Two very handsome, well-built men had a lot of heads turning, not just female but male as well. After sunning for a while, Jay glanced at his watch. “Kyle, it’s almost six. We need to go back upstairs and get ready.”

 “Okay. I wonder how formal this place is.”

“I don’t know, but we can ask one of the front desk clerks. I hope it’s not shirt-and-tie, or really formal.”

“We’ll find out.”

At six-thirty the phone rang. Jay answered it. “Kyle, are you ready? The limo’s downstairs.”

“Yep, I’m just putting on some cologne.”

As the evening passed, Kyle and Jay came to the realization that they’ve made two real good friends in Hawaii, giving them cause to return in the future. The next day the phone rang just as they were about to leave to catch a sightseeing tour. It was the front desk. “Mr. Matthews-Williams, there’s a limousine waiting outside for you.”

“Uh, okay, thank you. Jay, do you know anything about a limo waiting downstairs for us?”

“No, I don’t. I wonder what’s going on.”

“Well, there’s one way to find out.”

They went downstairs and indeed, there was a limo waiting outside for them. “Mr. Matthews-Williams?”

“Yes?”

“I’ve been instructed by the Nighttown Waikiki management to provide you with a special tour of the island. If you will get in, we’ll be on our way. Our stops will include places of interest seen only on the most expensive of tours.”

Six hours later, they returned to the hotel. “That was an incredible tour. Thank you so much.”

“It was my pleasure, Mr. Matthews-Williams.”

“Jay, we gotta call Tony and thank him, but I can’t help but wonder why he’s doing all of this for us.”

“Think about it, Kyle. How would you feel if you were a club owner, and your favorite recording artist sang in your club and signed autographs for free?”

“I’d be forever grateful and do whatever I could for him. I see what you mean.”

“You should get your picture taken, autograph it, frame it and present it to him to hang in the club. I’m sure he’d love that.”

“We could do that tomorrow, and give it to him before we leave.”

“Great.”

A week later, Kyle and Jay arrived at Nighttown Waikiki, only to be greeted with applause. “You’d think that after a week of coming here, we would be able to walk in without applause.” Kyle said as he and Jay walked up to the bar to ask if Tony was around. The bartender told him that he wouldn’t be in for a couple of hours and would they like something to eat or drink? Since neither of them had dinner, they both ordered deluxe cheeseburgers, Jay ordering a lite beer and Kyle ordering a diet Pepsi.

“On the house” the bartender told them.

“No, we’ll pay for them.”

“I’m sorry, but your money is no good here, boss’ orders.”

“I can’t accept that. Tony can’t keep paying for everything,” said Jay, insistently.

Billy, coming out of the kitchen and overhearing the exchange, walked over to them. “Jay, since Kyle sang here last week and signed autographs, business has doubled, perhaps even tripled. There have been times when we’ve had to turn people away because we were over capacity. Believe me, a couple of cheeseburgers and a few drinks are inadequate compensation for what the two of you have done for this club.”

Reluctantly, they agreed to the free food and drink. “I’ve also been instructed to direct you to a private booth where you won’t be bothered.” The bartender informed them.

“Thanks.”

The bartender opened a door labeled “Private”, revealing a staircase. “Go up the stairs, and it’s the first door on the right.”

“Thanks.” As they entered the booth, overlooking the dance floor they were impressed by the luxurious furnishings. Just as they finished their meal, there was a knock on the door. Kyle opened it to reveal Tony.

“Tony. This place is fabulous. Thank you so much. And thank you for the food. It was delicious.”

“You’re more than welcome.”

“We have something for you, a small token of our appreciation.”

Kyle handed Tony a package who accepted it with a stunned look on his face. He opened the package, looked at it, then at Kyle. Suddenly, he sank into an over-stuffed chair, clutching the large, autographed photograph to his chest tears rolling down his cheeks. Immediately concerned, Kyle and Jay squatted down on the floor next to him.

“Tony, are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” he finally managed to say. “I’m just overwhelmed by this incredible gift. I’ll hang it in my office and treasure it forever.”

“It’s the least we can do after all that you have done for us.”

“What I’ve done for you is nothing compared to what you have done for me, my club, my staff and my patrons. Since your first night here business has tripled.”

“So we’ve heard. We’re happy for you.”

“Happy enough to do me one small favor?” Tony asked, shyly.

“What would that be?”

“May I have my picture taken with you?”

“Sure, on one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“We get a copy of it.”

“That’s a condition I would gladly agree to.” He reached over to the intercom.

“What can I do for you?”

“Billy, can you grab the camera and come up here?”

“Sure be right there.”

“Where would you like to have the picture taken?”

“How about on the couch?”

“Okay.”

There was a knock on the door as Billy arrived with the camera. “Would you take our picture, please?”

“Sure.”

As Kyle and Tony sat on the couch, Jay got up and moved towards the door, out of the sight of the camera. “No, Jay, I want you in the picture as well.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely sure” Jay sat back down and Billy took the picture.

After he took the picture, Billy asked shyly, “Could I have my picture taken with the two of you?”

“Of course.”

Billy and Tony traded places so Tony could take the picture. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.”

“We’ll leave you guys alone. If you need anything, give us a buzz on the intercom and we’ll get you whatever you want.”

“What we want is to get down on that dance floor. This is our last night in Hawaii, and we intend to celebrate it.”

“You’ll probably be mobbed.”

“Probably, but I’m willing to take that chance. I need to work off this excellent meal, and dancing is the second best way to do it.”

“What’s the first best way?”

“Sex,” Kyle replied. Everyone burst out laughing.

“See you guys later.”

Tony rushed out and down the stairs. Looking over the balcony railing, they watched him rush out the door. “I wonder where he’s going in such a hurry.” Kyle asked.

“Probably to get the pictures printed.”

“You know, I’ve been thinking. I really don’t want to leave here.”

“Neither do I, but we have to go home eventually.”

“Do we? I mean, I’m a licensed teacher and you’re an FBI agent. I’m sure we could easily get jobs here.”

“I’m sure we could, but you have to remember one thing. You'll have to get your teaching license for Hawaii”

“I know, but having my Doctorate will make things easier.”

“We can’t afford it right now. But it would certainly be something to think about and make future plans for. We can definitely come back here on vacation, especially since we’ve gotten to know several people here.”

“True, but right now all I want to do is hit the dance floor.”

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

The next morning, another surprise awaited them as they checked out of the hotel. “You’re all set. Thank you for staying with us and we hope you enjoyed your stay in Hawaii.”

“What do you mean, we’re all set. We have to pay the bill.”

“The bill has already been paid.”

“Who paid it?”

“The bill was paid by the owner of Nighttown Waikiki.”

“Whoa. This is too much. How can he pay the bill?”

“He is extremely wealthy. I take it you didn’t know that?”

“No we didn’t. Well, I guess that if the bill is settled, we should get to the airport. Please don’t tell me there’s a limo waiting for us?”

“Not to my knowledge, Mr. Matthews-Williams.”

“That’s good. We won’t have a problem returning the rental car.”

When they arrived at the airport, they were greeted by Tony and Billy. “Hi. I have the pictures for you.”

“Tony, you didn’t have to pay the hotel bill, although we really appreciate it.”

“Take the money you saved and put it away for your next visit. But next time you’ll be staying with Billy and me.”

“Can I see the pictures?”

“Sure Kyle.”

Kyle looked at the picture of himself, Jay and Tony. Reaching into his bag, he took out a Sharpie. “To Tony, thanks for making our stay in Hawaii one we will never forget. Love always, Kyle and Jay Matthews-Williams” he wrote on one of the pictures before handing it back to Tony, who got teary-eyed as he read what Kyle had written.

“This picture will be framed and hung over the bar!”

“I hate to ask this, but would you mind autographing my photo?” asked Billy shyly.

“Sure.”

“To Billy, the best bar manager in all of Hawaii. Thanks for everything. Love always, Kyle and Jay Matthews-Williams.” Billy’s eyes also filled with tears which made the Kyle and Jay get a little misty-eyed.

“Kyle, we better get our boarding passes and get to the gate. We only have two hours before the flight leaves.”

The four of them hugged goodbye as Kyle and Jay headed for security baggage check and onto the waiting area. “This is one honeymoon we’ll never forget”. Jay said. Kyle couldn’t help but agree.

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