HOT & SPICY
De La Cruz Saga
P. T. Macias
Copyright © 2012 by P. T. Macias.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012901664
ISBN: Hardcover 978-1-4691-5944-7
Softcover 978-1-4691-5943-0
Ebook 978-1-4691-5945-4
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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I would like to dedicate this book con todo mi amor to
mi esposo, hijos, nietos, y hermanos y familia. To all the
special friends that believed. Thank you for believing.
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-One
Chapter Sixty-Two
Chapter Sixty-Three
Chapter Sixty-Four
Chapter Sixty-Five
Chapter Sixty-Six
Glossary
CHAPTER ONE
“WHAT AM I GOING TO do?” Jose Enrique shouts at the four walls in the twentieth-floor executive office of the De La Cruz Inc. home office. Jose Enrique is praying to see the answer on the walls.
Mi hermana Paty, Patricia Elizabeth De La Cruz, just called to remind me of the celebration and the expectations from la familia. La familia is expecting me to show up with mi novia, mi fiancée. The De La Cruz Inc.’s twenty-fifth anniversary celebration will take place in ten weeks. La familia has gone all out for this celebration. All the important business associates, media, and amigos have been invited. This is a big black-and white affair for la familia.
It goes without saying that the tias y primas are extremely excited. This will be the only formal event to take place in a long time. Las primas’ quinceanerias have been a while. One of la familia’s hijos has married and now it is mi turn. This is one more reason that the pressure is on me to marry. La familia, mis tios, y tias are anxious to have nietos. Of course they all want me to start so the other hijos will follow.
I, Jose Enrique De La Cruz, the CEO for the De La Cruz Inc., have promised la familia that I will introduce them to mi novia. The problema is no tengo novia. What a joke. I never thought that at thirty I will still be single. It’s not that I have planned it this way. I just have been exceedingly busy studying y working. Las chicas have not been mi priority. I have dated, but not one of all the beautiful chicas that I dated has touched mi alma, mi corazon.
It’s not that I am conceited, but I have had mi fair share of chicas y mujers. They have always pursued me ever since I was in high school.
Jose Enrique is six feet two inches, with black hair y light green ojos with long black eyelashes. He has beautiful square chin and golden tan complexion.
Having always worked hard after school at the company building’s sites—digging, hauling, and doing whatever it took to get the job done—all of the physical hard work has contributed in the development of mis shoulders, brazos, y abs. Las chicas just love me. It has not helped to be named one of the top twenty young, rich, and guapo bachelors in the United States. Jose Enrique knows that the hermosa chicas are attracted to him.
I always schedule time in mi dia to work out. I maintain a schedule for mi physical workout, especially since I work so many hours. This is one of the first things that I did when I stepped into the CEO chair. I had a gym installed in the office building for la familia y employees who wish to use the gym.
La familia has always expected me to be married by now. The expectation from mis padres y los tios is high. They expect that I excel in everything. I’m the role model for todos mis primos.
Mi hermana, the eldest of las primas, Daniella De La Cruz is not involved in la familia’s company. Danni dedicates her days taking care of her hijo Angel Nicolas.
I have another hermana, Patricia Elizabeth, who is called Paty, and is one of the three familia attorneys. The other two power-house attorneys are mi prima Isabella De La Cruz, called Bella, y mi primo Ricardo Emmanuel De La Cruz, called Ricky. Paty, Ricky, and Bella are managers in De La Cruz Inc. All three answer to me.
La familia has an architect, mi primo Sebastian Antonio De La Cruz. Tony has designed the famed and much in-demand buildings with the Mexican influence and eco-friendly environment. Tony is considered one of the most talented architects in today’s building market. Tony has contributed to the growth y success of the familia’s company.
I was given the position of CEO with the blessing of the entire familia. Mi papa, Francisco de La Cruz, is the eldest of tres hermanos. Mis tios Jose Arturo De La Cruz and Jorge De La Cruz have given me their appoyo.
La familia has complete confidence in mi abilities to direct la familia’s company. It is one of mi motivation to continue to take the company into the future. I do not take la familia’s trust y confidence for granted. I make sure I always work hard in being the best in everything I set mi mente to do. As the eldest hijo of the tres hermanos, I have been trained, molded, and educated by la familia to take over and run the company. I am the persona that the entire familia comes to and the one to solve la entire familia’s problemas.
It has been cinco años since I graduated top in mi class with a dual master’s degree in business management and administration. For the last dos años
I dedicated myself at work and spend long hours in the office.
All the long workdays y consistent hard work has paid off. I have achieved to obtain a nice niche in the market. La familia’s company, De La Cruz Inc., has been building distinctive buildings with the elegante Mexican influence that has been a huge success. The buildings that have been built by De La Cruz Inc. have been recognized as innovated and eco-friendly buildings.
Los tres hermanos had started the company twenty-five years ago with a lot of hard work and obstacles. Mi papa y tios started out with the business building small projects. They struggled in bidding for construction jobs. Even with their limited funds and limited communication skills, la familia was able to start and grow la familia’s company. Only recently has la familia begun to enjoy the fruits of la entire familia hard work. The achievements have been impressive.
Now it is time to focus on mi personal life. I need to locate a chica that will agree to go to the twenty-fifth celebration and agree to be mi novia. Los primos are making bets. Some bet on whether I even have a novia. Others bet on whom mi novia is. It is all starting to become a nightmare.
I don’t know why I told mis primos Ricky, Alex, y Tony that I will be taking mi novia to the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration. I told mis primos that mi novia is the one, mi soul mate, mi alma. I should have known that it would take literally a minute for la familia to hear about it. I never thought it would come to this.
Mi hermana Paty is the only one who knows the truth, and of course Paty always helps and covers for me. That is why I am counting on her to come up with an idea, maybe a chica? Aye dios mio, I will owe Paty big time. The chica doesn’t have to agree to be mi novia for a long time. I can always inform la familia later that mi novia has ended our relationship. Dios mio, help me.
Mis padres y tios are extremely excited to meet mi novia. It is hard work to avoid mi madre. I purposely stay longer at the office in order to avoid questions from mis padres. It is times like this that the Mexican way of living with tus padres until marriage is most inconvenient.
Dios mio! Maybe that is why they want me to get married. Mis padres want to get rid of me. Of course that will also cause mis primos to get married and mis tios to be rid of them.
Hmmm, this is something to think about. Maybe they didn’t think that it will take thirty years for me to get married? Here I thought that mis padres y tios are anxious for some nietos.
CHAPTER TWO
“PATY I WILL NOT, NO, no way and not in this life time. Uh-ah, I will not do this for you, amiga,” states Jessy. Jessy is on top of her cama looking at her hot-pink nails talking on her cell to her best amiga ever.
“You know that I have always been fascinated with Jose Enrique. You know I think that he is hot and spicy. I can get intoxicated on just looking at him. No, Paty, he is too hot and spicy for mi heart to resist. I will not be able to resist falling for him. You know Jose Enrique does not love only one chica; no he loves todas las chicas. I will not put up with that, and you know he will not be true. Besides, Paty, you know he has never given me the time of day when I used to sleep over,” said Jessy biting her lower lip.
“But, Jessica Maria Cortez … !”
Not Jessy? Uh-oh, Paty is yelling at me. That means that Paty is annoyed at me. Oh boy, here we go. Now she’s going to bring up the time that she saved me from mi mama when we were in high school. Paty told mi mama that it was her boyfriend that was calling mi casa. That’s all we did, just talk on the phone, geez. I still don’t know why the Mexican mamas want their little niñas to be saint, innocents, and pure until marriage. I am still trying to figure that one out. Of course it has helped that I have met nothing but jerks.
In today’s world not all niñas are pure until marriage. That’s why Paty and I are so confuse. Here we are, twenty-four years old, successful career women, and still pure y innocent. What’s up with that? What are we waiting for? We are waiting for our prince, of course. The problema with that is that the prince in today’s world doesn’t just want to kiss the princess until the royal wedding. No, the prince wants to kiss y taste the princess. What is wrong with having a boyfriend who calls me only on the phone?
“Jessy! Don’t ignore me. You have to listen to me. Por favor, listen. All I’m asking is for you to help me and for you to help Jose Enrique. I promise to make it up to you. I will owe you big time,” said Paty, nodding her cabeza. “Jessy, all you have to do is make la familia think you’re Jose Enrique’s novia. He needs to have una novia to take to the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration in July. It’s only ten weeks away!” shrieked Paty with a higher-pitched voz, getting hysterical.
“Jessy, it is a very important day for la familia. Besides, this is a great business opportunity for you. There will be a lot of business associates that can be interested in your interior designs. Just think. You can get the job that can make you famous. It has been your dream for a long time. You will not have another opportunity like this in a long time or possibly ever,” said Paty, thinking, Si, I know she will like this part.
“Si, amiga you do have a point, and it will solve all our problemas,” said Jessy.
“But, Paty, what if he doesn’t like me? It will be embarrassing and tremendously painful,” said Jessy in a small voice.
Jessy starts to shake slightly just thinking of seeing Jose Enrique. Jose Enrique has always made her tremble and sweaty.
“Jessy, you are una bella y sexy mujer. How can mi hermano not like you? You don’t look the same. It has been diez años since he’s seen you. We were only fourteen, and he was always busy in college y working,” said Paty. “Jessy, I do not think that he even looked at us or knew we were looking at him. Well, that you were looking at him,” said Paty with a grin.
“Ha! Ha! So funny,” answers Jessy, making Paty laugh as she rolls onto the floor.
“Paty, it’s not funny, but you may be right,” continues Jessy. “You do remember that at mi quince Jose Enrique did not bother to appear. Yeah of course I was really disappointed. Jose Enrique did not even know I was alive,” said Jessy, biting her lower lip.
“Jessy, believe me, you’re perfect for Jose Enrique,” said Paty nodding her cabeza.
“Okay, okay, Paty, I’ll do it. Remember, amiga that you owe me big time. When do you want me to meet him? Do you want me to go to the office? Are you going to introduce me as tu amiga or as a possible interior decorator?” asks Jessy really excited.
“Jessy, that is a magnificent idea! Why don’t you come over on Monday with your work, some new design ideas for us? Maybe we can get a job for you as an interior designer for one of our company-owned office buildings,” said Paty, smiling. Si, this is a great idea.
“Wow, Paty that sounds fantastico. I’m so excited. I will work on it this weekend. What time on Monday do you want me to show up?” asks Jessy, jumping off her cama going to her desk.
“Jessy, how about at one, we can have lunch before the meeting? You can meet with Jose Enrique after lunch. Okay?” asks Paty, nodding her cabeza. Si, this is a magnificent idea, y it will work out for all of us.
“Where do you want to have lunch? Should I meet you at the taco stand, or do you want me to go to the office, amiga?” asks Jessy.
“No, we should meet at the taco stand that we love, okay? Don’t forget that your smart, hermosa, y muy sexy,” said Paty, smiling jumping up y down from alegría. Si, Jose Enrique will be real feliz.
“Okay. Say hi to your mama. See ya Monday,” said Jessy, looking out the window dreaming of Jose Enrique.
What should I do? Should I tell Jose Enrique that Jessy agreed to attend the celebration as his novia? Should I have them meet after all these years? Will Jose Enrique remember Jessy? Will he see how smart, hermosa, and sexy she is? Jessy is the right chica for him.
I have always thought so. Not only is Jessy mi best amiga, she is also like una hermana. Jessy has always loved Jose Enrique. Jessy has never and most likely will ever admit that she loves Jose Enrique. This is why Jessy
never has had a serious novio. I strongly believe that Jessy is the one, Jose Enrique’s alma.
Paty picks up her cell again y calls her prima Bella. Paty is sitting on the sofa with her right leg stretched trying to paint her toenails a dark sparkly red shade.
Oh, this red color is one of mi favorites on mi toes. This red makes me feel muy sexy. Not that it really matters. I don’t even have a novio.
Biting her lower lip and in deep concentration, Paty is waiting for Bella to answer her cell.
Bella loves to text, but Paty loves to chat on the cell. Paty tries again since Bella did not pick up the call the first time. This time Bella answers.
Finally!
“Hola la mas Bella speaking,” said Bella, grinning.
“Bella you can pick up on mi first call. Duh,” said Paty, cleaning up the mess on her small toe. “Why didn’t you answer?” asks Paty.
“Hola prima, so sorry, I was answering the front door. Mi book order just arrived, y you know how much I love to read. I’m all alone. Mis padres are at the store. Mis hermanos are busy. What’s up?” asks Bella, putting the box on her cama.
“I want to go to the store mañana and get some shoes for our dresses. Do you want to come?” asks Paty, putting the polish away. “I received a call this afternoon from the dress store. The store attendant advised that the dresses are ready to get fitted.”
“Oh Paty, si, let’s go mañana. We can also shop for some shoes for our dresses. I can’t wait for the big day. I can’t wait to try on mi dress. Do you remember which one I ordered? It’s just so perfecto for me. I ordered mi dress in that dark red. With mi coloring it will look fantastico! I’m just going to be muy cute, cute!” said Bella, laughing with pleasure. “Oh, prima, I have been trying to think of whom Jose Enrique’s novia is. He has kept it a secret. I haven’t been able to catch him talking to his novia on the phone at the office. This makes me wonder why it’s such a secret. Maybe Jose Enrique doesn’t have una novia. Paty! Dime! Please! You’re mi favorite prima,” said Bella, walking toward her closet to see what else she needs to purchase at the store.
Hot & Spicy: De La Cruz Saga Page 1