“In San Francisco on business. I’m expecting him later today, unless something’s detained him.”
“Drew is very handsome. I know you said both his brothers are married. Does he have any unmarried cousins?”
Pilar laughed. She was so happy to be with them again, especially her sister. “I haven’t been here long enough to meet any cousins yet, but I will keep an eye out for you.”
Bonnie arrived a short time later bearing a tray with tea and sandwiches. As they ate, they caught Pilar up on things in Florida.
“Our cousins have novios!” Doneta informed her excitedly. “A set of twins who are only a few years older. Tio Miguel and Tia Simona are ecstatic.”
Pilar was pleased to hear that. She hoped they’d be as happy as she and Noah.
The talk moved to the house Desa had been considering buying when Pilar left Florida. “We moved in last week. It has three acres of land and the house is in need of some repairs but Miguel will take care of that and promises everything will be ready by the time we return.”
“How long are you planning to stay?”
“Our tickets give us two weeks. Would that be an imposition?”
“Of course not. In fact, I hope you will decide to stay longer. I love it here and I know you will, too.” Pilar couldn’t stop grinning. She couldn’t believe they were truly there.
Alanza came in a short while later to let them know their rooms were ready. “I’ll see you at dinner,” she said.
They were given the wing that Billie and Drew once called home and the visitors again marveled at the suite’s size and scope.
Doneta took a seat on the settee and declared, “That’s it. I’m not going back to Florida, Mama. I’m finding a husband and living right here for the rest of my days. This is exquisite,” she added, looking around the well-appointed space.
Pilar and Desa chuckled.
“Good afternoon, ladies.”
“Noah!” Pilar shrieked. She ran to him and he caught her up and they held on to each other as if they’d been apart for a lifetime.
“How are you?”
“Wonderful, now that you’re here. Mama and Doneta are here, too.”
“So I see. Welcome to California. I hope you plan to stay with us for some time. How was your trip?”
As Pilar settled in beside her husband, she doubted there was another woman in the world happier than she.
Eventually the talk came to an end, and Pilar and Noah stood to leave so Desa and Doneta could rest up for dinner. Pilar shared a parting hug with her mother and again whispered, “I’m so glad to be with you again.”
“I feel the same way.”
She shared a hug with Doneta as well. Wiping at her happy tears, Pilar and Noah departed.
In their room, they shared a welcome home kiss. “I missed you,” he said holding her tightly against his heart.
“I missed you as well.”
When they finally parted, they walked out to the verandah and took seats. “How was the trip?” she asked and then listened as he told the story. “So you now own a shipyard.”
“I do and sometime soon you and I need to go to San Francisco and begin the search for that house we talked about. I’m letting you tell Mama we’re moving.”
“Coward.”
“Definitely.”
“This is all very exciting.”
“Yes it is. There was a fly in the ointment though.”
“Meaning?”
He told her about Gordonez.
She stared. “He was in San Francisco?”
“Yes and he wants to buy Walt’s shipyard. Lavinia wanted him to be the owner.”
“Is she out of her mind to be on the same side of a snake like him?”
“My sentiments exactly. He asked if I’d back out of the deal. When I told him no, he threatened to reveal your location to the Spanish authorities.”
Her heart stopped. “Would he really do that?”
“I promised to kill him if he did.”
The cold truth in his eyes raised the hair on the back of her neck. She realized he was not kidding. She also realized there was a man beneath the surface of Noah Yates that she didn’t know and that gave her pause. Was he the man who had the nightmares? She sensed that questions about that would open a Pandora’s box, so she let it be. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
They talked about his trip for a short while longer and then he asked, “How’s your horse?”
Her worries about Gordonez negatively impacting her life momentarily faded and she smiled. “He’s coming along rather well. I want to take him with us when we move.”
“That means we’ll need a place with some acreage.”
“Will we be able to find something that has water, too?”
“I don’t know but we’ll certainly try our best.”
That filled her heart. “You are so kind to me, Noah Yates.”
“I don’t ever want you to regret marrying me, Pilar. I want us to be happy.”
“As do I.”
His arm across her shoulders drew her closer, and as she rested her head against his chest, she wondered if this was how it felt to be in love.
That evening at dinner, Pilar introduced her family to her in-laws and the babies, and Alanza declared, “Next weekend will be the party to celebrate Noah and Pilar’s marriage, and to let our neighbors and friends meet Desa and Doneta. All in favor say aye!”
The answering ayes could be heard in Denver.
Rancho Destino spent the next week gearing up for the party. A small army of hired workers retrieved tables and chairs from the warehouses, along with linens, china, and tableware. Food orders were placed with local providers like Eli’s Naomi, now happily working out of her brand-new restaurant, while fresh fruit was gathered and stored for the gallons of sangria that would be consumed. Alanza and Pilar, accompanied by Desa and Doneta, drove all over the valley to find the peppers, yams, and other vegetables needed for the Cuban dishes Pilar planned to prepare as her contribution to the festivities. And Pilar finally learned why Mariah had taken her measurements during that initial visit to her shop. It was for a gown.
Mariah presented it to her one evening at dinner and the deep red gown was so beautiful, Pilar cried.
“I wanted it to match your rubies. You are planning to wear them, correct?”
“I will now. Thank you, Mariah.”
Mariah kissed her cheek. “You’re welcome.”
Later as she and her mother and sister viewed the gown her mother asked, “What was that about rubies?”
Pilar explained.
Doneta stared shocked. “You have rubies?”
She nodded. “You’ll see them at the party. They’re in the safe now.”
Desa said, “I’m getting jealous of your mother-in-law. There’s no way I can compete with that.”
Pilar gave her a hug, “There’s no way my love for her will ever surpass my love for you, so please don’t be. She’s my mother-in-law and I adore her, but you’re my mother. Okay?”
Desa nodded and smiled.
The party was yet another grand Alanza affair. There were no juggler or dancing bears but the people of the valley turned out in droves to meet and greet the newest Yates wife and her family. Only a few of Alanza’s many relatives were able to attend due to the short notice but those who did come were as pleased to meet her as she was to meet them and they were ecstatic that she had Spanish roots and spoke the language. Wearing her beautiful gown and the rubies around her neck, she felt like a queen. And her king, decked out like a Spanish grandee in his well-cut black suit and snow-white ruffled shirt, was so handsome and elegant he looked good enough to eat.
As they moved through the crowd mingling and garnering hugs and well wishes, he said to her, “I can’t wait to get you alone tonight. The only thing you’ll be wearing are those rubies.”
Her senses flared. “You look so handsome I was hoping to maybe sneak off and make you do all manner of scandalous
things.”
“You’re a woman after my heart, but my mother would kill us both.”
“As would mine.”
“So hold on to that thought.”
“You do the same.”
She and Noah received hugs and congratulatory kisses on the cheeks from his brothers and their wives. They were all beautifully attired as well.
Drew raised his glass of sangria. “A toast to all the women who weep this day because the last Yates brother has married.”
The brothers raised their glasses. Their wives rolled their eyes.
A short time later the musicians arrived and music filled the air. She smiled at the sight of her sister doing a rumba with one of Alanza’s young male cousins. He was among the small battalion of unmarried men competing for her attention. Doneta looked to be having fun and Pilar was pleased. Her mother looked happy as well. She was seated with Alanza, Max, and some of the aunts, drinking sangria, eating, and chattering away in Spanish.
Noah left her for a moment to speak with the postmaster, Will Sally, about a package that had arrived for him and she continued to thread her way through the gathering.
Naomi stopped her. “Pilar, what are these? They’re delicious. You have to show me how to make them.”
“Certainly. They’re called chatinas. They’re fried green plantains.”
“I could eat these for the rest of my life.”
Eli had introduced the two women to each other a few days ago and Pilar genuinely liked her. “May I make some for your wedding dinner?”
“Would you?”
“I’d be honored.”
They spent a moment discussing the wedding that was only a few short weeks away and Naomi went off in search of more chatinas and her novio Eli.
Noah made his way back to her side.
“What did Will say about the package?”
“It arrived yesterday. He would’ve brought it with him but he was so anxious to get here, he rode off and left it. I’ll go pick it up Monday morning. I’m hoping it’s the paperwork from Walt’s lawyer.”
“Have you told your mother we’re moving yet?”
“No. If I had I’d be dead and you’d be making love to a ghost tonight.”
She laughed.
“Would you care to dance, mi pequeño pirata?”
The endearment made her heart soar. “I’d love to.”
Later, as dusk fell, the party began winding down. The musicians packed up their instruments and the hired help started to clear the tables. Surplus food was given to all who wanted to take some home—there wasn’t much left, and Noah and Pilar said good-bye to each and every guest and thanked them for attending. Alanza’s relatives would be staying overnight but would be heading for home at first light.
A happy Doneta gave her and Noah hugs. “I had a wonderful time.”
Noah said to her, “I hope you told your army of suitors that we’re sleeping in the morning and that anybody arriving before dawn will be shot.”
She hit him playfully on the arm. “I doubt there’ll be any demand at all.”
Pilar said, “You might be surprised. I saw a few of them talking to Mama.”
Her sleepy eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“Now I’ll be unable to sleep, wondering who it might have been.”
Pilar chuckled. “Go on to bed. Sweet dreams.”
“’Night.” And she headed inside.
Noah draped an arm around her waist. “Are you ready to go in?”
It was a beautiful night. “Just let me stand here for a minute.” She looked around at the torch-lit grounds and thought back on the glorious time she had and knew she’d remember this day for the rest of her life. “Your mother really knows how to throw a party.”
“I wanted dancing bears,” he groused.
She laughed and they went inside.
Upstairs in their room, just as promised, he slowly removed her gown and left her dressed in only the ruby necklace. The love they made was so hot and scandalous the party wasn’t the only thing Pilar would remember for the rest of her life.
Chapter 24
Pilar and Noah rose at dawn, along with Alanza to see the relatives off. After their departure, all three want back to bed. When they all gathered later for breakfast they learned that one of the relatives had stayed behind. His name was Cristopher Vallejo, the only son of one of Alanza’s cousins. He wanted to spend some time with Doneta and had apparently received Desa’s permission at the party. When he joined them at breakfast he only had eyes for Doneta and Pilar could tell that Doneta was quietly ecstatic about his presence. Pilar didn’t know anything about him, but apparently Noah and his brothers knew him quite well.
As they began eating, Logan started things off: “So, Christopher, you’ll be with us for a few days.”
“Yes.”
Noah asked, “How old are you now?”
“Twenty-four.”
Pilar caught Doneta’s smile.
Drew added, “You do realize that before you formally court Doneta we’ll have to approve.”
Pilar hid her smile at Doneta’s surprise.
Noah said, “We are her brothers-in-law and because her father is deceased, we stand in the gap with her mother.”
Desa beamed.
Christopher didn’t and neither did Doneta.
Noah forked up some eggs. “Just wanted you to be clear on how this will work.”
“Thank you,” Christopher said.
Doneta shot Pilar a look of misery. Pilar shrugged in reply.
So, for the rest of the day, wherever Doneta and her potential beau went, Noah or one of brothers followed. When they went riding, Logan did, too. When they had lunch on the patio, Drew joined them. When they went walking, Noah trailed them like a six-foot-plus duenna.
As the women of the family relaxed together in the parlor, Desa remarked, “I had no idea they would be so protective.”
Alanza replied, “Christopher is a fine young man but he has a reputation as somewhat of a heartbreaker. The boys are just reminding him to treat Doneta with respect.”
Mariah cracked, “And Logan is practicing for when Maria comes of age.”
Billie shook her head. “All I have to say is Drew has a lot of damn nerve.”
The room erupted with laughter.
That evening, after dinner, Pilar went up to spend some time with Doneta and their mother in their suite.
Doneta complained, “Can you please do something about Noah and his brothers? With them around I’ll never get married.”
Pilar took a seat. “Weren’t you the one who said you didn’t want Noah to be any girl’s brother-in-law but yours?”
“I was obviously delusional.”
Desa said, “You’re a member of their family now, ’Neta, and they’re taking their job seriously. I’m very pleased.”
“I’m not.”
“How long will Christopher be staying?”
“The way the day went, I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t sneak away as soon as it gets dark.”
“If he does, then he isn’t the one,” Desa pointed out.
Doneta fell into a chair. “I suppose.”
“He is quite handsome,” Pilar added.
Doneta smiled. “He is indeed.”
That night as Pilar lay in bed cuddled next to Noah he asked, “How mad is Doneta?”
“Pretty mad.”
“We aren’t going to let her be courted by just anyone; she’s family now.”
“Mama explained that to her. She thinks Christopher is going to sneak away under the cover of darkness.”
Noah chuckled. “If he does then he isn’t as serious about her as he claims to be.”
“I agree.”
“I’m serious about you.”
Pilar turned to him. “Actions speak louder than words, Americano.”
“Come here,” he growled playfully.
For the next hour, he treated her to more action than words and she
decided he was very serious indeed.
Monday morning, the family resumed their normal routine. With the construction in town all but completed, Max went to the sawmill to pick up some lumber for a new home he’d been asked to build. Logan rode off to meet Eli to mend fences. Billie wasn’t feeling well so Drew stayed home to help with Antonio while she rested. Doneta and Christopher sat in the parlor under the watchful eyes of Alanza and Desa. Pilar headed out to spend the day with Titan and Noah set off for town alone to retrieve his package from Walt.
On the ride to town he thought about how perfect his life seemed. He had a wife he adored, a new business enterprise, and a family filled with love and laughter. He was also pleased that Christopher hadn’t snuck off and hoped that his cousin would be all that Doneta wanted him to be.
Suddenly, he heard the crack of gunfire and pain erupted in his back. A second bullet rocked him, lower this time and he lost his grip on the reins and fell to the ground in agony. Clawing for the gun in his holster all the while trying to locate the shooter and manage the increasing pain, he managed to draw, only to have a another bullet explode in his arm and send the weapon flying. Lying there in the road, growing woozy from pain and all the blood he knew he was losing, he sucked in air and fought to get to his feet. Wobbling, he felt himself tottering on the edge of blacking out. Determined not to succumb, he willed his legs to move. He was no more than a mile from home. If he could just focus he might make it back. He took one step but the second one was his undoing and he fell face-first on the road. As he slid into the blackness, the last thing he saw was a man wearing a black hood standing over him.
Pilar was with Titan when Alanza ran up. “Noah’s horse came back without him. There’s blood all over his saddle. I’ve sent hands after Logan and Drew, but I’m going to look for him, now. I already spoke with your mother and sister.”
Her heart stopped. “I’m coming, too.”
“We’ll take the wagon, let’s go!”
They ran to the stable. A hand had the horses hitched and the wagon ready to go, so Alanza slapped down the reins and they were off.
The wagon wasn’t moving fast enough for Pilar, but rather than be upset about that, she prayed and kept her eyes peeled so they didn’t roar past him if he was lying in the vegetation lining the road.
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