“Give me back my daughter,” Michael grins walking out onto the porch, “then again, carry on. I’m going to borrow my wife.” He pulls Lily up from the sofa and pats her on the ass, pulling her toward the barn, which causes Sebastian to act like he’s fifteen by whistling.
I feel sorry for Lily—although she’s laughing, she’s wearing a lovely blush over her face. Michael’s a dick. I shake my head as I watch him shove Lily into the barn in front of him. I don’t even need to guess what they’re going to do.
Taking the seat Lily vacated next to Lucien, I bring Charlotte down into my arms, but she isn’t happy with this position and tries to pull herself up. So with her sitting on my knee, I gently bounce her up and down, which is followed with lots of baby giggles.
Hearing a camera shutter, I turn and grin at my mom, who, if she isn’t holding one of her grandbabies, is capturing them and us with the digital camera.
“Hmm,” Mom sighs, “so, which of my babies is going to be next to fall.”
Sebastian roars with laughter while I feel pressure in my chest as Rosie pops into my head. Trying to ignore mom, I glance at Lucien as he fidgets in his seat like he used to do when we were kids and he wanted to avoid a conversation. Some things never change.
“Lucien will be next…then again, I bet Ruben cracks soon as well, so I guess it’s going to be a pretty close race.”
I’d love to be able to knock the shit-eating grin from Sebastian’s face with my fist.
“What about Ramon? Why didn’t you mention him,” I counter.
“What about me?” Ramon questions as he walks around the end of the porch.
I’d had no idea he was already here as his wheels aren’t out front.
“Mom wants to know who is going to be the next to fall.” I chuckle at the look on his face. “She’s after more grandbabies.”
“Oh, you hush up,” Mom clips me on the shoulder. “I’m hoping Sebastian will be helping me out with more grandbabies.”
“Hey now,” Sebastian interrupts. “I want time alone with my woman before we have a baby.” He pulls Carla up from the chair, sits down in her seat before pulling her into his lap. She snuggles into him, and I realize I want that—my own woman. Rosie.
“Well, with all the practicing you’ve been doing I’m sure you’ll get it right when needed.” Mom never ceases to amaze me with the things she comes out with. And at least Sebastian is keeping his mouth shut—probably because Carla is sitting with us and looking embarrassed.
“You can all laugh, but I want to see my other three son’s having the love of a good woman. There’s nothing more satisfying seeing the love Lily and Carla have for your brothers. I want you three to have that.” When Mom finishes, she dabs at her eyes. We groan knowing Mom is on a mission to get us all hooked up and off her hands.
Ramon cringes before turning and heading back around the porch while I try to look anywhere, but at Mom. The last thing she needs is to have one of us acknowledge her comments.
Lucien ignores her and plays with Jr., but unfortunately, I’m the one Mom has her eyes on. I can hope it’s because I’m bouncing Charlotte on my knee.
“Ruben, I’m worried about you.” Her tone is quiet but it makes me meet Mom’s gaze. “You work too much,” she gives me the ‘look’ as in don’t even think about opening your mouth right now, “and regardless of how much you and your brothers wish I was deaf, I’m not and I know you’ve been having trouble at the club,” Mom stops talking and starts to bite her lip. A sure sign she’s worried.
How the hell do moms always manage to find out what you don’t want them to? “I didn’t want you to worry.” I lean over and kiss Charlotte on her head before Mom takes her out of my arms and starts making silly noises in front of her face.
“I always find out these things. You should know that by now. Just please tell me you have it in hand.”
“He’s going to be fine Mom and so is the club. I’m going to hang out there a few times a week and we’ll get Ramon down to the club; see if we can figure out what’s going on,” Lucien states.
“Hmm. Well, although I think it’s a good idea for my two single sons to be hanging out at the club of another of my single boys, I’m going to worry triple time now. But if you all should meet a nice young lady there, then I might not worry as much.”
I choke back a laugh knowing it won’t be appreciated, and say what I know Lucien is thinking, “Nice young ladies don’t hang out at Kenza. If they do they’re usually with their significant other.”
“These babies are going to have no fingers left if we don’t feed them soon, and don’t think you guys are off the hook,” Mom says, ignoring my protests. I laugh as I watch Charlotte and Jr. shoving their fingers in their mouths and sucking on them. “And you, Lucien, can take Sabrina to the club. She doesn’t really have any friends here apart from Lily, Carla and Sylvia. Those are two young ladies that I’d like to see find the one true love,” Mom adds, clutching her chest with a sappy look crossing her face.
“I think it would be much better if you concentrated on fixing Sylvia and Sabrina up instead of us.”
Standing, I follow Mom with Charlotte in her arms into the house as I hold the door for Lucien and Jr.
“Now it would be perfect if those ladies were to end up with one of my sons.” Mom turns and grins at us both before disappearing into the kitchen with Charlotte. Luckily, she misses Lucien cussing under his breath.
We’d all love for Lucien to get together with Sabrina, but he’s a stubborn ass and is fighting his feelings for her. We all can see this apart from my idiot of a brother and if he doesn’t get with it soon, he’s going to lose her to someone else. She’s an attractive woman and once she decides to open herself up for dating he’s going to be left behind.
The woman in question is standing in the doorway of the kitchen staring at Lucien as he holds a one sided conversation with Jr. The look on her face makes me think that perhaps Lucien won’t get left behind; perhaps she’ll be the one to act and shake his world.
Sabrina glances towards me and blushes when she realizes I’ve been watching her. Instead of retreating like she usually does when caught watching Lucien, she makes her presence known and standing in front of him, says, “Jr.’s dinner is ready. I’ll take him.”
Lucien pauses before holding Jr. out to Sabrina, who takes him into her arms and gives him a kiss and cuddle before retreating back into the kitchen. Lucien watches her retreat.
I grin and stare at him.
“What the fucks wrong with you?” he grouches.
“Nothing’s wrong with me.” I laugh before becoming serious again. “Why don’t you ask her out? I don’t think she’d refuse.”
He looks surprised. Does my brother really think she’d refuse him after the way she’s always watching him?
“She doesn’t want to go out with me. I don’t have anything to offer anyone, and she’s a bit too close to home for anything else.”
With a huge effort, I keep my mouth shut. For over five years he’s been alone and shut off from the world. I know he was seriously burned in the car accident, but for a while now I’ve wondered whether or not his girlfriend at the time said something to him about the injuries he suffered. Since they broke up, I haven’t seen him with a woman, and he always goes out of his way to be standoffish. Pisses the fuck outta me.
“You don’t do ‘anything else.’ When you start dating someone it’s going to be more than ‘anything else.’ We both know that. You’ve never done the casual fuck…”
“Ruben Elias McKenzie.” I cringe hearing my full name shouted out from the kitchen. “Stop using the ‘F’ word and go find Ramon.”
I feel heat creeping into my face knowing Mom heard part of my conversation with Lucien, who is lounging back on one of the sofas with a shit eating grin on his face.
Busted!
Chapter 4 ~ Rosie
Stepping out of the shower, I quickly dry myself with my favorite pink, fluffy towel and thin
k back to last night, which was my first night back at Kenza. I’d been looking forward to going back to work so I’d get to see Ruben, but to my disappointment he wasn’t around. Simon the bastard had snickered when he caught me snooping around and made sure I knew that Ruben was out on a booty call. Of course hearing those words made me lose my objective, which was to try and find out what was going on at Kenza. I’d gone back to the floor and worked like a robot, but toward the end of the evening, I’d chatted with Hunter, who’d helped break up the fight the night I’d gotten hurt.
If Ruben hadn’t already taken up residence in my heart, I might have been tempted to flirt with Hunter. He has the most mesmerizing green eyes I’ve ever seen. When he looks at me it feels like he is looking into my soul—intense and hot. It had taken a lot to drag my gaze away from his, which he seemed to know considering the smirk he’d given me. Arrogant ass!
I guess looking the way he does—with his chiseled cheekbones, square jaw covered in his five o’clock shadow; his unruly hair falling to his shoulders—he has a reason to be arrogant. I’m sure he has the ladies dropping their panties for him, although I have to say I don’t remember him ever leaving with anyone the few times I’ve seen him at the club.
He has a sexy butt, which I may have noticed once or twice. There’s nothing wrong with looking even if I’ve fallen for someone who doesn’t even know I exist. Perhaps I need to move on…
Sighing, I fasten my jeans before pulling on my red, long sleeved shirt; it matched perfectly to the red converse I grab from the floor of my closet.
My apartment is small with three rooms—bedroom, bathroom and open plan living area with a small kitchen off to one side—but it’s mine and in the two years I’ve lived here I’ve made it homey. It’s nothing like the home I grew up in, it’s a home I always imagined having. I have pictures on the walls, and colorful throws over the sofa and chair. To the side of the kitchen, I have a fold-up two-person table with two wooden stools. I’m rather proud of my small apartment and the things I’ve managed to buy at bargain prices from the thrift store close to where I live. Home sweet home.
Grabbing my keys and phone from the small coffee table, I take one last look around before I head out the door and make my way downstairs. Have I mentioned that I live above a diner that makes the best damn coffee in Lexington? It isn’t a chain like Starbucks or Costa, but Liz makes the best coffee, and she refuses to tell me her secret or even what beans she uses.
Taking a seat along the counter in the diner also known as Mama E’s, I pick up the menu. I do this every time I come in here. I’m not sure why when I know the menu by heart—habit I guess.
“Pancakes and coffee, sleepyhead?” Liz asks, also knowing what I have on a Sunday morning for breakfast.
I grin. “Please.”
Liz places a large cup under my nose before filling it with hot coffee.
I smile and warmth fills me. This place is just an extension of my home. She’s been my constant since she took pity on me and let me rent the apartment upstairs for hardly any money until I’d found a job.
She always wears her starched pink dress with matching shoes, small hat and white apron tied around her slim waist. Liz reminds me of Frenchy from the movie Grease—she likes to experiment with the color of her hair. Today though, it’s back to its usual color of light brown and up in a neat bun on the top of her head. She looks amazing for her fifty-seven years. I hope I look as good when I reach her age.
“Earth to Rosie.”
I blink and realize Ed, Liz’s husband has taken the seat beside me.
“How you doing, Ed?” I ask swiveling my chair around to face him, and rest my arm on the counter beside me.
“I’m doing good. Thanks Rosie.” He looks me over. “You can hardly see the bruising now. How’s the pain?” he asks concerned.
“The pain’s gone now. So all is well.” I smile to reassure him. “I started back at work last night, which was good. Even though having the week off meant I could catch up with all the new books on my kindle, I’m not used to being so idol, you know.”
“I know. I can’t keep up with you half the time when you get a bee in your bonnet.” He takes a drink of his coffee, which he no doubt helped himself to before sitting down.
“Here you go. Now eat it all up, you’ve lost weight this past week,” Liz says, her tone motherly.
Liz places a stack of two pancakes in front of me with a small dish of warmed maple syrup to the side. I smile. She usually gives me the one pancake, but I guess with this and her comment that she’s worried about me.
I haven’t lost much weight this week, although I have lost some. I wouldn’t have thought I’d lost enough for it to be noticeable though.
“Well c’mon, eat up,” Ed nudges me, and starts wolfing his sausage and egg down.
“This looks good as always. Your wife makes damn good food, not to mention coffee.” I pour the syrup over my pancakes and make a start on devouring them. I’m not too sure I’ll be able to clear the plate because one pancake usually leaves me ready to explode and has me undoing the button on my jeans.
“Mmm, and no matter how much you beg or butter her up, she’ll never tell you her secret for the coffee,” Ed smirks munching on some egg.
I narrow my eyes. “Do you know the secret?”
He pauses in shock obviously not expecting me to start on him, and he won’t meet my eyes. I chuckle.
“I don’t think so,” he replies keeping his mouth full of food.
“I’ll let you off the hook for now,” I spear a piece of pancake with my fork, “but I have a very good memory,” I whisper.
He laughs. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re dangerous?”
“Not recently.”
We both concentrate on our breakfast. Just as I’d expected, two pancakes are too much and I’m struggling to eat the second one on my plate. They’re delicious, but so filling.
“Hmm. I thought you’d struggle, but thought you’d at least manage half of the second one.”
“Sorry, Liz.”
Removing my plate, she leans on the counter in front of me, and asks, “So how is your young man?”
Liz and Ed are the only ones I’ve told about Ruben—not willingly. They’ve been encouraging me to go after what I want ever since. They don’t realize it isn’t easy, especially when he doesn’t seem to know I’m alive.
He certainly reacted to me last week when I’d been hurt. There was no way I could mistake his hardened penis against my hip, or the twitching bulge behind his zipper when I’d ended up on the floor flashing him. God, I blush every time I remember him standing over me, and his comment about my pink panties.
“Oh, this is going to be good.” Liz leans even closer, “You don’t blush for a handshake. What aren’t you telling me?”
“You’re impossible, you know that, right?”
“Ed tells me that all the time.”
The man in question starts laughing and standing up, removes his empty dishes to the kitchen.
“Okay, quick before he comes back. What’s happened between you and Ruben?”
“I wish I could say something has, but it hasn’t. I already told you about him holding me after I’d been hit last week. He texted me once to see how I was doing, and he wasn’t in last night. Simon said he’d gone out on a booty call.” I shrug feeling sad.
“Hmm. Do you believe Simon? Or do you think he’s telling you that to get your back up?”
That hadn’t even entered my head. Could he? “Maybe? I don’t know. But I do know Ruben prefers the kind of women that can give him more than I’ll ever be able to give him.” I swallow down the knot of sadness that is threatening to overwhelm me. Even if Ruben was interested in me, I’d never be able to give him what he needs.
“You won’t know unless you try.” Liz pats me on the arm.
“He’s my boss. So if I make a total idiot of myself I’ll have to leave and I really like my job. It also pays above average wage.” I l
et out a loud sigh. “Ugh! I don’t know what to do, but it’ll all work out. I hope. For now though, I need to go across the street to buy some groceries. I’m out of a few things.” Sliding off the seat, I step on the foot rail in front of the counter and leaning over, I hug Liz. “Thank you for being here,” I whisper into her ear.
She smiles. “Take care of yourself, Rosie.”
I grin. “I will. Always.”
Waving back to Liz and Ed, I push my way outside and dash across the road to the corner grocery store, which seems to always be open.
Grabbing a basket as I walk inside, I pick up a pack of apples, only to pause when I feel someone close behind me—too close.
“Hello, Rosie.”
I quickly turn recognizing the voice. Simon. “I didn’t know you lived around here.” I’m sure he doesn’t.
“I’m off to a friend’s house when I saw you dash in here so thought I’d stop for a few minutes.”
“Oh.” I fidget with the bag of apples in my hand before it dawns on me what I’m doing and I drop them into my basket. Moving further around the display of fruit, I pick up a bag of grapes and add them with the apples.
The hair on the nape of my neck prickles as I shuffle under Simon’s stare. My skin feels like it’s crawling and I force myself not to turn and run. Why is he here? He’s never shown any interest in me before, so why now?
“Have coffee with me,” he suddenly asks running his fingers over his head. “Shit, I can’t right now. But another time.”
“Um, okay.” Why did I agree? Because he frightens you.
“That’s great. I’ll catch you later.”
He leaves me standing there as he heads out through the doors. He doesn’t even turn back and I can’t help but wonder what he’s up to. I’ve suspected for a while now that he has something to do with the problems at the club, but I’ve no real evidence. Simon started off as a kind of friend when I first started working at Kenza. But for a while now he’s been—odd, for want of a better word.
Delight Page 3
