Intertwined Hearts Series (4 book collection): (Intertwined Hearts, An Exceptional Twist, Tangled Paths & Grafted Vines)
Page 67
I tilted my head to the side looking at the large white baroque oval mirror above our gas fireplace. “Their loss, Dani. You’ll find the right one. Just not one that works at another of our favorite places, please.” I chuckled. “You know we can’t go back to El Ranchero now. I’ll have to kick that guy’s ass if we do.”
Dani laughed along with me. “Not before I do.”
“Forget him. We have to look out for each other though, deal?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Deal.”
We didn’t need men to be happy. Learned that lesson a long time ago.
⁂
Josh
After working on my dirt bike for the last hour, I stood up and leaned back, stretching my sore muscles. Damn, I must've tweaked something when we were out riding. Bending forward, I held onto the bike’s seat as I inspected the ground for oil leaks. This was one of my older bikes, and I’d had a few problems with it the past couple of weeks.
My younger brother, Bradley’s blue eyes peered over his own bike. “That was a pretty kick ass week. I can definitely do that again.” We’d just returned from Northern California, where we’d helped a couple underprivileged kids at a motocross camp.
“Yeah, me too. Those guys were really good.” I agreed.
The teen camp that my buddy, Tanner, ran was originally designed as a summer training ground for young motocross hopefuls. After some nudging on my part, it was expanded this year to include higher risk kids, the ones everyone thought would land in juvy at a young age.
I’d heard someone once say, “The stronger the breed, the more physical exertion they need.” The guy may have been talking about dogs, but that same philosophy also applied to boys with high energy and too much time on their hands.
Given my history, I knew this firsthand. I’d spent too many years in the public eye, getting in trouble for all the world to see. Had I gotten back into my riding and not into drinking and girls, I might have saved myself and my family from a lot of embarrassing headlines.
Brad pulled me out of my thoughts. “Still going to the party next week?"
Squatting in front of my own bike, I ran my dirty fingers through the tangles in my sweaty hair. "Are you kidding? Dad would kick my ass if I missed this one."
Closing one eye to keep the sweat from dripping in, Bradley left a trail of grease on his forehead as he wiped the perspiration away. “I know how Dad feels about you going, but how do you feel about it? It’s been a long time since you’ve been bombarded with that kind of attention. Think you can handle it?”
The sound of the ratchet echoed in my large garage as I tightened a bolt. "I have to be okay at some point, right? Plus this one is a huge deal for you. Since Dad and Mom won’t be there to take pictures, I wanna watch you piss your pants in front of all those cameras."
Cocking his eyebrow, he pointed out, “Not likely. I think you’ll be the one pissing, brother.”
I snickered, cocking my head. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
I hadn’t been in front of those cameras in at least six years and wasn’t looking forward to this event. I still wanted to keep my private life just that, but it was time to get past my own shit and support my brother’s career, the way the rest of our friends and family had.
Standing up, Brad pushed his bike onto its stand and began picking up tools from the ground. “Are Uncle Joel and Zachary gonna make it?”
“Nah, Uncle Joel’s been fighting something. Probably just a cold, but Zachary doesn’t want to take him out at night.”
Joel was our father’s older brother and Bradley and my favorite uncle. I owed him and his adopted son, Zachary, so much after they’d stepped in, intervening when my life spiraled out of control.
It was pretty humiliating, to be honest. I didn’t even remember going to my uncle’s vineyard that night, plastered beyond belief. But when I finally woke up from my drunken coma the following day, my parents, brother, uncle and cousin were all there to have a little chat with me.
The next six months were spent in a rehab facility in the Santa Ynez Valley. Once I was released, I knew I had to stay close to family, but not where my parents and brother lived, in the heart of all things Hollywood. Instead, I’d bought the ranch down the road from my uncle and cousin.
Thank god my dad invested my money, otherwise I wouldn’t have shit anymore.
Satisfied with our work, we wiped the grease off our hands, picked up our discarded shirts from the floor, then I pulled down the rolling garage door. "Shower then pizza?" I asked as we made our way to my ranch house.
"Is that even a question?" He punched me on the arm.
"Ow, fucker." I swung at my younger brother, attempting to hit him even harder, but he slipped away before I had a chance.
Walking backward, Brad jerked his body side to side with his fists in the air like he was getting ready for me to come at him. "You're losing your touch."
I gave a dismissive nod, planning to get even later.
"Remember when Mom used to tell you to stop screwing with me because I'd be bigger than you one day?” He smirked at me. “Well that day is now, shithead." He flipped me off before spinning around, slamming into the flagpole in front of the house, then falling flat on his ass with an ‘oomph’.
I busted up, like any older brother would’ve done. “Anyone ever tell you karma’s a bitch?”
He turned his bloody-lipped face toward me with a glare.
Strolling past him, I let the screen door slam. Yep, that karma sure is a bitch, but she seems to be on my side today.
Chapter Two
Earth Shaking
Bri
“That was delicious,” I couldn’t help but moan as I dropped my napkin onto the empty plate in front of me. The spinach, artichoke, and cheese baked pasta dish Leah served for lunch was to die for. It almost made up for my shit-tastic morning.
I was having a hard time shaking my foul mood after the early morning wakeup call from my mother. Sitting in my brother and sister-in-law’s dining room with Dani, Leah and Caleb’s wife, Abby, I knew I wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding my feelings. When Leah asked what was going on, I had to lie, saying I was just tired. However, hanging out with the girls was helping to change my outlook especially because today was the first time we’d gotten together since Leah came back from her honeymoon.
Dani agreed with me about the food. “Yeah, I’m gonna have to starve myself all week to make up for that lunch.”
Leah patted her sister’s forearm. “You worry too much about calories, Dani. Mami didn’t raise no salad eatin’ chicas, ya know.”
“Well, I’m not worried today. I’ll be pissed off though in a few days when I can’t zip up my jeans.” Dani pushed her empty plate away with one hand, touching her stomach with the other.
I hate that she’s so concerned about her weight. Thanks to my mother, I’d spent way too many years worrying about what I looked like. I dabbed the corners of my mouth with the napkin before taking a sip of strawberry lemonade. “I haven’t had a good home cooked meal in forever. Stefen is one lucky man.”
Leah raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t Dani cook for you? Our mom taught us the same recipes.”
The leather on the dining chair squeaked when I jerked my head to the side, eyeing my roommate. “You cook? Why don’t you make food at home? You know how much I hate eating out.”
Abby sat across the table from us, staring at her four-month-old son, absentmindedly adding, “Dani makes the best cheese enchiladas I think I’ve ever had.”
Dani narrowed her dark brown eyes at Leah, then Abby. “Thanks a lot.” Then admitted, “It was kinda a thing I did with my dad before he passed away, then with my mom when we lived together. It’s way easier to just come over here and eat whatever Leah makes anyway.”
The bracelets on my wrists jingled when I pressed my hand to my chest. “Well I’m all for helping if it means you’ll make me food. I’m a shitty cook, but I don’t mind chopping stuff and cleaning up.”
<
br /> Dani answered sarcastically, “I already do your nails, what more do you want from me?”
I automatically looked down at the fresh manicure she’d given me before leaving our condo today. The little mustache drawings she’d added on the tips made me smile. “Fine. I’ll take the manicures, but wouldn’t mind a nice meal every so often too.” I huffed, faking irritation.
Leah took her last bite then stood to snag the sweet baby from Abby’s arms. “Huy, let me have this gorgeous little man.” Baby Max blinked as Leah swayed back and forth, giving him loud kisses on his chubby cheeks.
My heart expanded, a tiny tear forming in the corner of my eye. Every single time I saw a baby, I teared up. As much as I’d love to have my own one day, I knew it would be the most selfish thing I could ever do.
I don’t know the first thing about being a good mother. My child wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Hey, you okay?” Leah sat in the dining chair next to me, holding Max in one arm and running a comforting hand on my forearm.
Dammit, can’t stop the tears. I sniffed, wiping my hands timidly on the long summer skirt that covered my thighs. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just hormonal when I see babies.” I reached over, placing my palm on Max’s soft back.
“You sure?” Leah tilted her head to the side, not buying it.
Wiping under my eyes with my cloth napkin, I looked around the dark wooden table and tried to reassure everyone. “Really. I’m fine.” Sniffing again, I changed the subject, asking Leah, “So tell us, how’s married life?” I lifted my hand. “But please spare us the gory details since my brother is involved, and I just ate.”
I wondered if the beautiful black stained table was sanitary to eat on after some sexed up night.
Leah stared at me, then smirked and shook her head. “For the most part, it’s even better than I imagined. There’re still some things I’m getting used to, but I guess that’s normal.” She shrugged the shoulder opposite of where Max laid, on the verge of falling asleep.
I knitted my eyebrows. “You guys lived together before you got married, though. What do you still have to get used to?”
She pursed her lips, hesitating before continuing. “Well for starters, he pees with the bathroom door open, while he continues to have a conversation with me.”
Dani, Abby and I laughed out loud before Dani gave her two cents. “Yeah, that’s totally normal. I’ve never lived with a man and a few have done that with me too. He didn’t do that before you were married?”
Leah frowned. “No, he was more private with that stuff before.”
“It’s totally normal, Leah,” Abby snickered. “Caleb started that on our honeymoon. It doesn’t even phase me anymore. Plus, he’s seen me in much more compromising positions.” She eyed her son. “He literally saw my blood and guts during the C-section.”
Leah grimaced. “Well, I’m definitely not ready for Stefen to see my blood and guts, but I guess we’ll get there someday.”
Excited, I chimed in, “Are you guys talking about kids already?” Oh, I can’t wait for those two to have babies.
Shaking her head, she admitted, “No, not at all. We love kids, but we’re not ready to be parents yet. We’ll just help out with this little guy and Madison for now.” She leaned down, kissing Max on top of his head.
I imagined Stefen was probably as freaked out about screwing up a little human being as I was. Then again, he was the one who took care of me growing up. I was sure he would make a great dad one day.
“Where’s Madison anyway? I haven’t seen her all week.” I cherished Caleb’s daughter. When his first wife died from cervical cancer, Stefen and I came to help take care of Madison. She was only a year old at the time, and now she was about to go into second grade. Where had the time gone?
“She’s at a friend’s birthday party. Poor thing, I feel so bad for her now that all my attention is on my little boobaholic here.” Abby giggled. “She’s such a great helper though and loves her baby brother.”
Leah interrupted, “Oh that reminds me, Stefen and I want to take her to the aquarium to go visit all the creatures she conned us into supporting last year.”
I laughed, “Yeah, all she has to do is look at you with those big brown eyes, and she can get you to do anything.”
Abby grunted, covering her chest with her hands. “Oh man, let me have him. Time for my little man to eat.” She leaned over, picking Max up and cradled him in her arms.
“He’s asleep though,” Leah complained.
“It’s him or me, sister. If I don’t feed him now, these things are going to explode.” Peering around the table, she asked, “Do you mind if I nurse him here? I can go in the other room if you guys want.”
Visualizing the whole boob explosion, we all shook our heads, agreeing that she could do whatever she needed to. The moment Abby let one of those ginormous suckers out of her button-up shirt and bra, I gasped. “Holy shit, that’s one humongo boob, Abby.” It came out of my mouth before I could stop it, but thankfully Abby laughed along.
She raised an eyebrow and nodded. “I know. They were massive before, but now they’re just ridiculous. Do you know how difficult it is to find a pretty nursing bra big enough to hold these watermelons?”
Max pecked like a baby bird once he felt her skin on his lips. She adjusted herself, squirting him in the eye before he latched on, but when he did, relief immediately covered her face.
“I can’t even see his little face. Aren’t you afraid you’ll suffocate him?” Dani craned her neck, and Leah smacked her arm. Although Dani was in the medical field, she specialized in working with geriatric patients, not nursing mothers.
Abby frowned, lifting herself off her poor baby’s face then wiped his eyes with a clean cloth diaper. “No, he’s fine.”
A light knock sounded from the front door, echoing through the open space of the living room and dining room. Leah’s chair scraped on the tile as she pushed away from the table, smoothing her palms down the sides of her jeans.
I strained my neck to see who was knocking as I picked up my glass to take another drink. After peeking through the peep hole, Leah grimaced and complained, “Hijo de puta, what does this bruja want now?”
Dani snickered as her sister flung the door wide open, tossing out Spanish cuss words.
"Hello, Mrs. Crawford,” Leah grumbled with a small bite to it.
What’s that about?
"Oh hello, Mrs. Hunter. I wondered if I could borrow some coffee. I seem to have run out, again." An older woman, wearing a very vibrant floral dress, stood in front of Leah, craning her neck until her eyes landed on our group sitting at the dining table.
Leah threw her hand on her hip and groaned, "My husband is not here, Mrs. Crawford.” She added in an over exaggerated, sing-song tone, “But I’ll be happy to give you more coffee." She snatched the container from the woman's hand, storming past us to the kitchen. Cupboard doors opened and slammed shut before she reappeared, stomping back to the front door.
Everyone at the table silently watched the scene as it unfolded.
With a scowl on her face, the woman thanked Leah before cocking her eyebrow and adding, "That’s a very good-looking man you’re married to. You better keep an eye on him."
My head snapped to Dani, who’d started to get up from her seat, muttering, “Oh heeeeell no. This vieja did not just say that.”
Before Dani could do anything, Leah slammed the door in her visitor’s face, startling Max before she stomped back to the table.
I put my glass down. "What the hell was that about?"
Furious, Leah plopped onto the chair. Blinking hard, she threw her napkin back on her lap and rested her elbows on the arms of her seat. "I don't know if I'm more pissed at that woman or my husband."
Shit, what did Stefen do? "Do I need to sucker punch him in the nuts?” I teased. “Won’t be the first time I’ve had to. I love my brother but he deserved every hit."
Dani snickered beside me as I eyeballed her.
Abby gushed, “Aww, that’s sweet. He was trying to save you.” She moved Max away from her breast, covering herself as she burped him.
Leah rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Yeah, I’m not done yet. So, we go bouncing down the stairs in the dark. I was still waking up and figuring out what was going on. Next thing I know, we’re standing on the sand in front of the house as the neighbors are running out their front doors. Just before Stefen puts me down, I realize he’s bare-ass naked, and I’m only wearing panties. No top.” She made a popping sound to emphasize the ‘p’.
Despite Leah’s irritation, laughter erupted all around the table. Dani smacked her thigh with the palm of her hand, attempting to catch her breath. “Son of a bitch,” she cackled. “And we all know how much you hate being naked in front of people. Well, except in front of Stefen, of course.”
Leah smacked her sister on the arm as Abby and my laughter calmed down into giggles.
“It’s not funny.” Leah scrunched up her face. “Mrs. Crawford had just moved in next door the day before and was already eyeing Stefen. He put me down and I tried to stand in front of him while covering myself, but she saw him anyway."
Oh, this is too good. I was failing at hiding my amusement. "What did he do while that old cougar was gawking at you guys?"
Throwing her arms across her chest, she narrowed her eyes. "He turned and waved at her. Didn't even bother covering himself up."
I took another drink and clicked my tongue. "Yep. That sounds like my brother. He's never been self-conscious. He used to embarrass the hell out of me when my friends came over and he strolled past my bedroom in nothing but his boxers. A lot of my so called friends came over just to get a good look at him."