Collin laughed, “You have expensive taste.”
“Says the guy who just got a free Mercedes!” Jake grinned, his wide smile like a beacon in the center of his small face. He took a sip of his soda, sucking the beverage loudly through his straw.
“We need to get back,” Collin said as he reached for a paper napkin to wipe his hands. “Mom’s going to be mad that we ate when she was planning to cook dinner.”
“I’ll be hungry again by the time we get back. It won’t go to waste.”
Collin laughed. Jake continued to talk, barely stopping to catch his breath. He had missed Collin and it showed in the young boy’s exuberance. Collin let his brother ramble, feigning interest in stories about superheroes and girls who smelled like bubble gum. An hour later, when he pulled his new car back into the driveway of their home, Jake was past ready to go back to his video games and give his big brother some very welcome space.
* * *
“That boy is out like a light,” Matthew said as he returned to the dining room table. “What did you do to him?” he asked, his eyes locking on Collin.
Collin shrugged. “I didn’t do anything.”
“He didn’t sleep last night. He was so excited, and he was up at the crack of dawn. He needs to rest. And you, Mr. Stallion, need to get your foot trunk out of my SUV and take it to your room so you can unpack,” Katrina admonished.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She leaned to kiss the top of her son’s head. “So, we redid the guest suite. Your father and I thought you might like a little more privacy until you figure out your plans. You’ll have your own entrance with your own key. The fridge and pantry are fully stocked, so if you want to make your own meals you can, but you are always welcome to eat with us.”
“I still grill on Fridays and Saturdays,” Matthew said, “so you’re guaranteed a good meal at least two days out of the week.” He winked at Collin.
“I know you are not talking badly about my cooking,” Katrina said as she moved to her husband’s side. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and leaned to kiss his lips.
“Not at all. I was just reminding our son that we eat steaks on Friday.”
“And Saturday,” Collin said with a wide grin across his face. He held up two fingers. “Two! Two days of good food!”
“You two think you’re funny!” Katrina said, giggling softly. “I’m done with the both of you.”
“Family breakfast is the same time tomorrow?” Collin asked.
His mother nodded. “Food will be on the table at nine o’clock sharp. And we’re all going to church at eleven. We have much to be thankful for and I’m thinking you could use a little prayer to kick off your week.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“We also need to talk about you getting a haircut,” Katrina said. She pulled her fingers through the length of his dreadlocks. “Something a little more befitting of the courtroom.” Her eyes were wide as she looked from her son to her husband, and back.
“I’m not cutting my hair, Mom,” Collin said, his tone firm.
Katrina crossed her arms over her chest. “Matthew, please talk to your son!”
“So, now he’s my son because he doesn’t want to cut his hair?”
“Support me here, please!”
Matthew shook his head. “Darling, I love you. But we are not going to win this argument. You’ve been trying since he graduated high school and decided to lock his hair. It’s time to let it go,” he chuckled softly.
“Uncle Mark is one of the state’s top attorneys and no one ever says anything about his dreadlocks.”
“Oh, they say things,” Katrina muttered under her breath. She tossed her husband a look.
Matthew laughed heartily, “That’s okay, baby. I know the ladies love my brother’s rugged good looks and I’ve heard most of your friends say how they would love to run their hands through that full head of hair he has.”
Katrina tossed the man another dry look. “You really are no help, Matthew Stallion.”
Collin grinned. “I’ll tell you what, Mom. I’ll give it some consideration, but I can’t promise you anything. The girls like to slide their fingers through my hair, too!”
Matthew and Collin both laughed heartily as Katrina threw her hands up in frustration. The two men watched as she made her exit, stopping to give them both one last kiss before retiring for the night.
Matthew stood and moved to the sideboard. He filled two glasses with scotch and passed one to Collin as he sat down with the other.
“You’ve impressed me, son. You’ve worked hard these past few years and I’m very proud of you. Graduating top of your class at Harvard, then finishing law school early and passing the state bar in Massachusetts and here in Texas on your first attempts. Those are quite the accomplishments.”
A look crossed over Collin’s face, giving Matthew pause. His gaze narrowed ever so slightly as he stared at his eldest child. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Sir?”
“What’s bothering you, son? You haven’t been yourself since you arrived. You’ve been quiet and withdrawn. So, why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?”
Collin took a deep breath before answering. “After you finished law school, were you scared at all about what came next?”
Matthew took a slow sip of his cocktail before he responded. “I was. I wasn’t sure I’d made the right decision. It took a while before I got my bearings and realized corporate law was what I really wanted to do.”
“I’m not sure it’s what I want, Dad. But I don’t want to disappoint you.”
Matthew shook his head. “You wouldn’t disappoint me, son. You’re an adult now. The choices you make for your life must be about what you want and what you need. You’ve done everything your mother and I have ever asked of you and in most cases, you excelled beyond our expectations. It’s now your time and you need to make the most of it.”
Collin pondered the comment for a moment. Being the son of district court judge Katrina Boudreaux Stallion, and then adopted by her husband, mega Attorney Matthew Stallion, he had big shoes to fill and an extraordinary family legacy to uphold. He didn’t have the words to express that pursuing his own legal career came with some self-confidence issues he hadn’t anticipated. “Mom’s really excited about me working for Stallion Enterprises. But I’ll be honest, Dad. I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”
“Your mom wants you to be happy, no matter what you choose to do. So, what is it you’re thinking you want to do?”
“That’s my problem. I’m not sure. I really don’t have a clue.” Collin’s gaze was downcast as he drummed his fingers against the crystal glass resting on the table before him.
His father nodded. “May I make a suggestion?”
“Please. I can use all the advice I can get.”
Matthew smiled. “There’s a community organization called the Pro Bono Partnership of Dallas. They provide legal services to the underserved and the disadvantaged. Only a select few are added to their payroll, but they’re always looking for good attorneys willing to donate their time to help. I think you should give it a try.”
“It wouldn’t be a salaried position, though?”
“Probably not, but it’s a great way to spend your time until you figure out what you want to be doing. And you know how much we believe in being of service to others.”
“What about my bills?”
“What bills?” Matthew eyed him with a raised brow.
“I know I don’t have to pay rent or anything, and I’m blessed that I don’t have any student loans to repay, but I don’t want you and Mom covering my personal expenses. And I was hoping to get my own apartment at some point. I mean, the guesthouse is great and all, but what’s it going to look like if I bring a girl home and Jake is hanging out the window, screaming my name? Or, wo
rse, Mom is tracking who’s coming and going!”
“Jake better not be hanging out any window!”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do,” Matthew said with a light chuckle. “Which is why you need to relax and trust me when I tell you it will all work out. Find out if the Pro Bono Partnership can use you. Then go from there.”
Collin nodded, a slight degree of uncertainty lingering in his eyes. He did trust his father, but his future prospects still felt daunting. He took a sip of his own drink, wincing as the bitter fluid burned the back of his throat.
Matthew laughed, “You’re not a scotch man, I take it!”
“Sorry, Pops! I’m more of a bourbon guy like Uncle Mark.”
His father winked at him. “I’ll be sure to pick up a bottle just for you. Now, tell me about these girls you’re planning to bring home, hoping your mother won’t be tracking!”
* * *
Pulling his new car past the gates of Stallion-Briscoe Ranch, Collin was surprised by the intensity of emotion that suddenly overwhelmed him. It happened every time he returned to his uncle’s home. Stallion-Briscoe Ranch was well over eight hundred acres of working cattle ranch, an equestrian center and an entertainment complex that specialized in corporate and private client services. With the property being central to Austin, Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth, the ranch had made quite a name for itself.
Back in the day, Edward Briscoe, the ranch’s original owner, had been one of the original black cowboys. Not long after the birth of his three daughters—Eden and the twins, Marla and Marah—he and his first wife had expanded their Texas longhorn operation, adding two twenty-thousand-square-foot event barns and a country bed-and-breakfast.
After Marah Briscoe’s marriage to business tycoon John Stallion, Edward had gifted the property to his daughter and new son-in-law, her love for a Stallion ending the conflict that had brought the couple together in the first place. With her father wanting to sell the ranch, John Stallion wanting to buy the property and Marah interfering at every turn, their acquaintance had gotten off to a contentious start. Under the umbrella of Stallion Enterprises and managed by brothers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the ranch had grown exponentially. It was now a resource for several government programs that assisted children and families in need. It was a community center of sorts and a bright light in the Dallas area. But the ranch was still home to all the Stallions and the pride and joy of the family.
Eleven years ago, Collin had been sent to Stallion-Briscoe Ranch as a part of his court-ordered plea agreement for stealing Matthew Stallion’s car. It was where he had found family and a sense of belonging. He’d grown up at the ranch, and returning to where it had all started for him punched him in the gut every time.
His father and his uncles were all standing on the front porch as he stepped out of his car. Pride registered over their expressions, broad chests pushed forward as they moved down the porch steps to greet him and inspect his ride.
“Congratulations, nephew!” Mark Stallion said as he wrapped Collin in a heavy bear hug.
John and Luke Stallion echoed the sentiment. “When did you get home, son?” his uncle John asked.
“Yesterday.”
“Nice ride!” Luke exclaimed. “Somebody did something right.”
“Collin actually went to college and studied,” John said. He shot his brother a look. “And he completed his undergrad in three years. He didn’t take the five-year route like some other people we know.”
“Are you ever going to let that go?” Luke queried. “I’ve been out of school and managing my own division in the company for how many years now, and you still keep harping on the fact that it took me a little longer to find my way!”
Matthew chuckled, “When you pay him back for those extra semesters I’m sure he’ll let it go.”
“That would be a start,” John said teasingly as they all laughed heartily.
Luke turned his attention back to his nephew. “So, what are your plans? You make any yet?”
“Still trying to figure it out,” Collin answered as he shot his father a look.
Matthew nodded. “Collin might do some pro bono work while he gets himself acclimated. He doesn’t know yet if corporate law is what he wants to do.”
John nodded. “Nothing wrong with that. Take your time and don’t rush into anything. Success comes when you love what you’re doing, and it doesn’t feel like work.”
“Actually,” Mark added, “I might be able to use you around here while you figure it out.”
“Here?” Collin’s eyes widened.
“We could use another mentor for our youth program. You went through it, so you’d be perfect. It’s only part-time and it doesn’t pay much, but it’ll put some change into your pocket until you find something else.”
Collin glanced at his father and Matthew shrugged, lifting his hands as if he were surrendering.
“I didn’t say anything,” Matthew said. “I told you everything will always work out when you need it to. You just need to have faith.”
Mark looked from one to the other, a confused expression on his face. “What am I missing?”
Matthew laughed, patting his son on the back. Before either could respond, John’s wife, Marah, called to them from the front porch. “Breakfast! Come eat, please!”
* * *
Collin slid back into the comfort of the family dynamics like he hadn’t been away at school for three years earning a bachelor’s degree in political science and another three earning a Juris Doctor. Summers when he hadn’t taken classes, he had interned. First, for a private marketing and communications firm, then a local senator at the Capitol building, and for the past two summers, with Mass Legal Aid Services. The experiences had helped him grow and now he was home.
As the oldest grandchild in the family, he’d always heard his name called first and often. He was pleasantly surprised to see that his cousins and brother were now old enough to step up, the adults no longer looking to him first to run and fetch things or to corral the younger kids.
He sat between his father and his uncle Mark, listening as his aunt Marah’s father told one of the bawdy jokes he was known for. The women were all shaking their heads and admonishing the old man to keep things G-rated for the many little ears hanging on to every word he was saying, while the youngsters hoped he would slip up and say something out of turn.
Looking around the table, Collin was in awe of how everyone had seemed to age, still themselves, but not. Grandpa Edward sat at the head of the table. He’d been gray before, but his head of silver hair had thinned considerably. Shortly after the death of Juanita, his second wife, he’d suffered a stroke. Collin had been in high school then, and although it had been a few years since the old man’s health had failed him, Grandpa Edward still struggled with his speech. He also walked with a limp, and one arm was locked tight to his side, permanently disabled. He was particularly cantankerous, too.
Marah fussed over him despite his constant bellowing to be left to his own devices. He loved to spend most of his time in the playroom on the second floor, watching the younger children play, and slipping five-dollar bills into their pockets when their parents weren’t looking. He and Collin had often fished together in the pond on the other side of the large estate and Collin hoped to be able to do that with the old man again.
John and Marah sat on either side of the patriarch, Marah fretting and John beaming with pride as he sat back, observing them all. Once or twice he and Collin exchanged a look and Collin knew he embodied every hope and dream his uncle had ever had for all the members of his family. John’s daughter, Gabrielle, and Mark’s daughter, Irene, sat between their fathers, the two teens still bickering about nothing. Despite their age difference—Irene being older by four years—they were the best of friends, and when they weren’t fighting, the two girls were huddled together, whisp
ering and laughing about something.
Irene’s mother, his aunt Michelle, affectionately known as Mitch to family and friends, and his aunt Joanne, Luke’s wife, were refilling empty platters as they puttered between the kitchen and the oversize dining table. Collin’s mother and his aunt Phaedra, the only sister to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and married to his mother’s oldest brother, Mason Boudreaux, were in the other room rounding up the kids around their own table.
Aunt Phaedra and Uncle Mason had three children: Cole, Addison and Fletcher Boudreaux. Jake was giving them orders, lording over the younger kids simply because he was older. Collin couldn’t help but think he’d taught him well. He turned his attention back to Grandpa Edward.
The old man could barely hold his exuberance as he shared his joke. “It was spring in the Old West. The cowboys rode the trails looking for cattle that had survived the winter. As one cowboy’s horse went around the narrow trail, it came upon a rattlesnake warming itself in the spring sunshine. The horse reared, and the cowboy drew his six-gun to shoot the snake. ‘Hold on there, partner,’ said the snake. ‘Don’t shoot! I’m an enchanted rattlesnake, and if you don’t shoot me, I’ll give you any three wishes you want.’
“The cowboy decided to take a chance. He knew he was safely out of the snake’s striking range. He said, ‘Okay, first, I’d like to have a face like Denzel, then I’d like a body like that wrestler they call the Rock, and finally, I’d like sexual equipment like this here horse I’m riding.’ The rattlesnake said, ‘All right, when you get back to the bunkhouse you’ll have all three wishes.’ The cowboy turned his horse around and galloped at full speed all the way to the bunkhouse. He dismounted and went straight inside to the mirror.
“Staring back at him in the mirror was the face of Denzel. He ripped the shirt off his back and revealed bulging, rippling muscles, just like the Rock. Really excited now, he tore down his jeans, looked at his crotch and shouted, ‘Oh, my God, I was riding the mare!’”
Collin burst out laughing with the older members of the family. Irene and Gabby exchanged a look.
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