“You know Dora, I am thinking that maybe...,” he paused for effect. “...Possibly Eduardo thought it was a good idea for us to all arrive at different times. You know, put on a ruse that Bobby Ray and Lucille were on vacation, with us coming down for the Christening...”
Dora’s jaw hung low, nearly touching her chin. “Is that what you think, Big Sarge?”
“It would make sense,” he said matter of factly.
Silence filled the room with unspoken words, her anger simmering right below the surface, his ebbing with a new understanding of his son-in-law’s decision making. She’d just explained it to him, but he’d said the words like he’d put it together all by himself. No other words were spoken as Kevin Jr. burst through the back door, Mary Jean in tow. Big Sarge blinking furiously as he tried to process the grasshopper green dress covered in embroidered brown grasshoppers with a wide sashed brown belt that disappeared between the little fat fold on her belly. The giant green beetle in her hair sat lopsided on top of her head, moving each time she spoke. It had a hypnotic effect on Big Sarge who watched it like a cat waiting to pounce.
“I heard we are headed to Eduardo’s!” Kevin Jr said loudly.
Mary Jean jumped in on the conversation, “I am planning to be on that plane too! I have never been on a private plane before. Heck, I have only been to Mexico once so technically I ain’t never left the country before.”
Big Sarge struggled to get up from the chair, a frozen frown imprinted on his face. “Where the hell do you think you’re going Bugzilla?”
“I’m going with y’all!” Mary Jean said with determination, a neck roll and twist of her lip which made the beetle on her head appear to hop to the other side of her hair.
“Aww hell naw!” Big Sarge yelled.
“Oh heck yeah! I don’t have to buy a plane ticket either. MJ on the private jet, hey now!” she said wiggling, saying the words in a sing song fashion as she danced about the room. “I’m gonna be sipping champagne with my man as we head to South America.” She danced all the way into the kitchen. “...South America...South America ...,” she continued to sing.
Dora had not moved from her chair as she gave her son that look. The look every mother gives their child when she wants to come across the room and beat the skin off of them. Kevin Jr shrugged.
“It doesn’t cost us anything, it makes her happy and she gets to travel to a place few outsiders have ever seen,” he said with a smile.
Little did his parents know, the main reason he was bringing her along was to avoid doing something he had no business doing with the sensual caretaker of Eduardo’s plane. Julianna was often on his mind and he knew she shouldn’t be. An 8 hour flight from Dallas to Las Tierras with sleepy headed parents was temptation made to order. Mary Jean’s presence would keep him on track.
At least, it is what he hoped.
Chapter Four – Prepare the Guest Rooms
Las Tierras Verdes, Colombia
Ryanne was beyond ecstatic after her phone call with Odessa. She missed her sister more than she had imagined, often chastising herself for so many of the little things that she’d let get under her skin. Although her life and days were full at Las Tierras learning to be Eduardo’s wife, she missed sitting down and having tea with her sister. Marianna, her husband’s right hand, had indeed become a close friend, but she would never be a confidant. There were some things even Marianna didn’t know about her husband, although she had served him faithfully for nearly ten years. The woman was also a trained assassin who, in private, provided Ryanne with personal self-defense classes all during her pregnancy. She may not have been able to see her feet, but she could throw a knife from any position.
Isabella was down for her nap as Ryanne pondered her next steps. She still wanted to work, but was uncertain how much she could do independent of her husband. Up until her delivery date, she’d worked side by side with him on the new launch of the redesigned cartel model, providing solid data and statistical analysis. Her old friend David Davonshire had reached out a few weeks prior suggesting she work on a book with analysis strategies for small businesses. Ryanne’s thoughts were more focused on a book of numbers and data for small children or kids with special needs.
Angel. He was such a sweet little boy with a heart of gold. She’d given a great deal of thought on ways to teach him as he got older, not certain of how, or with what, but she would find a way. He deserved to learn as other children did.
The sound of approaching horses drew her attention to the window. Eduardo was a fine figure sitting astride the powerful stallion who would not let anyone touch him but his master. A master who was covered in dirt and probably smelled worse than the horse he rode, whom he fondly named Blade. The horse was a dominant beast who controlled every horse in the pasture, including the big bruiser which carried Eduardo’s body guard, an equally bigger bruiser, Tonda. A gentle giant of a man who truly wanted someone to love and share his life.
Ryanne wasn’t certain what kind of life he would have to share since his job was to be at Eduardo’s side night and day. The only time he could not be found near his boss was when he was sleeping. His quarters were adjacent to Eduardo’s with a secret door panel that led into the master bedroom. Ryanne found that there were secret door panels throughout the entire house. The upstairs were loaded with them allowing the kids to move back and forth through rooms without being seen or detected. The six upstairs bedrooms were all interconnected by secret doors going from room to room. Her first night’s stay in the house, Eduardo opened the hidden door which connected the guest room, where she had stayed, to his bedroom. A bedroom she now shared with him as well as Isabella, whose bassinette was within arm distance for her.
“Buenas, mi esposo,” Ryanne greeted him.
He was pleased at her attempts to speak his language, but he preferred to speak hers, as well as encouraging the staff and his children to only converse with her in English.
“Good morning my wife,” he said holding her shoulders and providing a light kiss to her cheeks.
Ryanne was trying to find a way to approach the subject of Odessa wanting to come for the christening. She understood how protective Eduardo was of the farm and people coming to Las Tierras. He was even less tolerant of outsiders on his land, but Saxton and Odessa were family. I want to see my sister. Chin up, determination in check, she exhaled, ready to address him. He stopped her before she could speak.
“Your sister is coming for a visit,” he said.
The air went right out of her. The fight she had prepared herself to have was snatched right out from under her.
“The Blakemores are coming as well as your parents,” he told her.
Her eyes lit up. “Really? When?”
“Everyone should be here no later than Thursday morning, staying through until Sunday evening or Monday after the christening,” he said.
Ryanne looked about the house. Wait. Stop. Where would everyone go? Were there extra beds?
“The Blakemores? Including Ms. Patsy?” she asked.
“Todos,” he said.
“All of them? Dusty and Sue Ellen too?”
“Sí,” he said, waving his hands in the air as if he were giving imaginary signals to fairies and ghosts.
She had learned in front of his sons and employees to not question him, but in private, she was free to speak her mind, argue, throw tantrums if she wanted to, but never in public. It was not what the Lady of Las Tierras Verdes was allowed to do; she had a position of authority. She was the Czar’s wife.
“How should I prepare our home for the arrival of so many guests?” she asked.
“Carina, that work is not for your hands,” he said. “They will take care of everything.”
“Who is they?” She asked, turning around and seeing eight people she’d never seen in her life. Two of the others she recognized. One of them were Tonda’s mother who took care of the kitchen and cooked. The other woman she’d seen cleaning Eduardo’s bedroom six months ago. It was
n’t as if she didn’t know staff was in the house, she just never saw anyone other than the cook and Marianna.
He spoke to them in Spanish and she followed along far better than she realized as he gave the commands. Jueves – okay Thursday. He gave them a count of fourteen guests, requested two cribs and a pig for Saturday. Andres, Micah, and Angel would be sent for on Friday. His helicopter would be dispatched on Wednesday to Medellín to pick up two Blakemores.
“Abierto las recámaras,” he called out to the staff. “The rooms need to be aired and vented for the next few days.”
She could not hide her confusion, “What rooms?”
“There are four bedrooms downstairs,” he pointed towards the dining room. “Three more upstairs on the other side of Tonda.”
“You have 13 bedrooms in this house?”
“Sí, we have 13 bedrooms in our home,” he said to her with his brow furrowed. “I have not shown this to you?”
“No, Señor, you have not,” she said trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.
“Then I shall do so, after I have cleaned up. Tonda,” he said to his guard. “Would you please oversee establishing power to those rooms?”
“Sí Jeffe,” the big man said. Yuńior, who had departed their company as soon as he walked into the house, stood in the doorway of the kitchen eating another sandwich watching everything.
“Come Carina, we have much to discuss,” Eduardo said as he climbed the stairs. The master bedroom started at the top of the landing of the stairwell. The door was not in front of the stairs, but off to the side. Tonda’s bedroom door opened next to Eduardo’s which prevented anyone unannounced or unexpected from entering the chamber. As far as she knew, there were three exits from the bedroom, but only one entry door in. The three exits were the one into the guest bedroom, the other into Tonda’s room and the third opened into the bath room leading down a set of back stairs into the kitchen.
Ryanne was dressed but she had not showered. Her husband enjoyed his morning showers with her beside him. In the privacy of the bedroom, she had many questions for him.
“When were you going to tell me about all of these extra bedrooms?” she asked.
“We seldom have so many guests at once, it never occurred to me,” he said. “I did not think we would have use of them, but everyone wants to come for the christening.”
“Eddie, are you okay with this?” she asked while removing her pants, followed by her top as she made her way to the bathroom.
“No, Carina, I am not,” he said. “You are my wife and this will make you happy, so I do for this you. You are happy, no?”
“I am very happy. Thank you. I miss my sister,” she told him.
“This I understand,” he said turning on the taps. His fingers tested the temp of the water reminding him to fill the other water heaters for the number of people who would be in the house. “I do not understand who this Jason person is that Connard is bringing with him. Quien es el?”
Ryanne pressed her lips together as she stepped inside the shower. “He owns a chain of hair salons in Houston which cater to high end clientele,” she said arching her eyebrow.
Eduardo watched her face as the water pulsed down upon his shoulder. He rotated it under the stream, allowing the hot water to loosen the stiff muscles while inquiring eyes searched her face.
“This Jason, he cuts the hair?”
“Yes,” she said.
“He is a friend of Connard’s?”
“Yes,” she responded as she reached for the soap.
He stood still in the shower, his mind working furiously to add the pieces of what she was saying together. His eyes grew wide.
“Saxton’s brother is the turd burglar?” he asked, the expression comical on his face.
“That is not a nice thing to say Eddie,” she said. “We don’t use such derogatory terms?”
“He is the butt muncher, no?”
“Eddie!”
“A poop puncher?”
“Stop it! You are no longer allowed to talk to my brother,” she said. “I know that is where you got all of those phrases.”
Laughter had started to bubble up in him. He stood in the shower, feet shoulder width apart, pretending his hands were two guns. Using his best Texas accent, he imitated an old west gun fighter. “I am Connard Blakemore, butt wrangler,” he said and cracked up laughing after he made pew pew shooting sounds with his fake guns.
“Don’t make fun of him Eddie. He just came out of the closet, I think the year before last, right after his divorce,” she said. “Bobby Ray is still not comfortable with it. I don’t think Jason has ever been over to the house to one of the cook outs or anything.”
“This will be the first time this Jason will be around Bobby Ray and Lucille? And the Grandma Patsy?” he asked, his eyes wide.
“I think so?”
“Is this Jason aaaah...what are the words...ah sí... a candy ass?” he asked.
Ryanne dropped the soap. “I don’t know what that means?” she said pretending she didn’t understand the offensive term.
“Sabe?” He said, placing one hand on his hip, swirling around the shower wiggling his bum, the snake tattoo on his chest doing a dance. “The flamboyant?”
She could not help it. She began to laugh as he added shampoo to his hair lathering the dark tresses. He was in need of a haircut. If anyone ever saw Eduardo Delgado pretending to move like a gay man, he would more than likely kill them all.
“Saxton did tell Odessa that he was the hairdresser stereotype,” Ryanne confessed.
“This is going to be...what is the term?...Hella fun.” He started laughing again as he rinsed the shampoo from his hair.
“Eddie, promise me you will not make them uncomfortable? Connard was very kind to you when we went for the twins christening,” she said. “He is taking this time to bring Jason into the family. He has to deal with his parents and everything.”
“Sí, but you do know in French, Connard’s name means asshole? It seems Bobby Ray must have known since birth that his son was going to be the butt pirate,” he said. He closed one eye, “Aye, I came to raid your booty!”
“I am done with you,” she said.
“Oh Carina, I just need to get it all out now,” he said mischievously. “You must admit to the humor of it all. He is so big and tough looking like the Saxton, but he prefers the company of a girly man.”
She was not smiling. Other things were on her mind as she watched him wash the svelte body loaded with sinewy strength and muscles built from days in his fields. Eduardo was lean, but he was strong. He was also a passionate lover. A critical part of their lives she’d been missing since the ninth month of her pregnancy when he would no longer touch her for fear of harming her or the child. It had been so long for them both and she was ready.
“I had some good news to share with you,” she said. “However, I think I will keep it to myself.”
“What is this good news?” he asked, lathering up his body.
“Only if you promise to lay off Connard,” she said.
“You may want to make that request to the Jason hairdresser caballero. Or is he the bottom?” Eduardo asked, cleaning his neck, looking at her under eye.
She folded her arms across her breast. They were swelling which meant Isabella would be awake soon and ready to feed.
“Carina, share with me your news,” he encouraged, rinsing himself with the detached shower head, then turning the water on her, rinsing her body from head to toe.
“I got the all clear from the doctor yesterday,” she said.
“The all clear?” His forehead was crinkled. Her hand reached low, touching, gripping the powerful tool in her hand, squeezing, massaging gently yet tugging at him until he closed his eyes from the pleasure of her touch. In no time he was ready and eager to go.
“Yes, you and I can...,” she started to say. Her words were lost as his mouth found hers. The fun moment in the shower with Eddie was over. Eduardo took charge quic
kly preparing her body to receive him, wasting no time kissing Ryanne, holding her close as he whispered in her ear.
“I have missed this with you,” he said lifting her leg, wanting to be gentle, but the desire was powerful as he hefted her in his arms, impaling her in one motion, exhaling in the deep satisfaction of the connection.
She had missed this portion of their relationship as well. More than anything, she would never confess to him that she enjoyed having sex with Eduardo a helluva lot more than she liked making love to Eddie. Ryanne clung to him, allowing the pleasure to wash over her from the joining with her man.
“Eduardo,” she called his name, clinging tightly to him as she gave into the sensations. “Damn, I love you.”
Chapter Five – Understanding Your Place
Busy B Ranch, Houston Texas
Connard Blakemore rarely stayed at the ranch. His job as CEO of Blakemore Oil required that he stay close to the corporate headquarters in Houston, but on weekends, attempts were made to be home to spend time with the family. The same went for Belva, who ran the philanthropic arm of Blakemore Oil. Lucille called the job a professional party planner which offended Belva. Careful planning and research went into the charities and organizations she selected as benefactors of grants and charitable giving from the company. Belva’s passion were focused on the lost children of the world since she was unable to have her own.
Since the birth of the twins, she came home every Friday after work to lend Odessa a hand, give her a break and to spend time with her niece and nephew. Austin stole her heart from the moment she held her and the bond between Aunt and niece was strong. The second Austin heard the syrupy Texas drawl of Belva Blakemore, her little legs would kick as she wiggled, turned and tried to get to her auntie. Connard, only watched the kids from afar. He held them each once or twice, handing them back to their parents.
“When they are older and not so...drooly,” Connard said as he handed Robbie back to his father.
A Weekend with the Blakemores (The Blakemore Files Book 8) Page 3