Love On The Brazos

by Carlton, Susan Leigh

  “Have you ever been to Rudy & Paco’s?”

  “No, I haven’t. What’s it like?”

  “Like most restaurants in Galveston, their specialty is seafood, but they have all types, South American style. It’s one of the top restaurants in the country.”

  “Sounds great. Michael, are you a native of this area?”

  “Born and raised, and you?”

  “Fourth generation Texan,” she said.

  “I guess I should have known.”

  “My ancestors came out here in a wagon. My grandfather’s house was originally a homestead.”

  “Tell me about your project,” he said.

  “I’m going to build a sub-division across the highway from Pecan Grove. I am anticipating about 1000 homes, 400k and up. I was working on the proposal when you called.”

  “Can I help you in any way?”

  “Thanks, but wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest?”

  “I don’t know, maybe. I could run it by legal.”

  “Don’t do that. I’m trying to prove something.”

  “To whom? Yourself or your ex?”

  “Both I guess. Haven’t you wanted to show old what’s her name that you don’t need New York City?”

  Surprisingly, no. I think it may be one of the luckiest things that happened to me. I never even considered New York. Besides, if she didn’t want me in my hometown, then she didn’t want me. I think she believed, maybe still believes I’ll come running if she crooks her little finger.”

  “Would you?”

  “Not in a million years. If your project doesn’t materialize, would you go back to Dallas even if Hank was not in the picture?”

  “No, I’m home. I started going to job sites when I was about six or seven. I always wanted to work with my Dad. I'm living that dream now.

  “Is your family in banking,” she asked?

  “No, oil is the family business. I think I broke Dad’s heart when I didn’t follow it. I’m an investment banker from the git-go.”

  “My grandfather, Papaw, was in oil until he retired. He was a wildcatter.”

  “Really? What is his name?”

  “Clay Carlyle”

  “I’ll have to ask Dad about him. I’ll bet he knows him or knows of him. He was born and raised in Sugar Land.”

  “Tell me what I missed by not going to Harvard?”

  “Not much if you wanted Engineering. MIT is the engineering school in Massachusetts. Boston is a great city though. The United States was practically born there. I really enjoyed it.”

  “I’ve pretty much stayed in Texas. We went to Hawaii one year for Christmas. I really liked that. I would like to do the Europe bit though. That is on my bucket list.”

  “You’ll love it. I spent a summer in France and another in Italy when I was in college.”

  “Oh, I want you to tell me all about it. Rome fascinates me and all of those buildings that have survived so long.”

  Michael laughed, and said, I had lunch in Hadrian’s Square several times. Hadrian’s tomb was built in 2AD.”

  “See, that’s what I was talking about. Two thousand years ago.

  “Hadrian’s tomb is at one end of the square. I was eating at a McDonald’s at the other end.”

  “You’re kidding? You’re not kidding? That’s sacrilege. Well, it’s still on my bucket list.”

  “I’ll take you there some day.”

  She looked at him strangely, then “You’re on. It’s a date.” “Where did that come from,” she wondered.

  “We’re here, now if we’re lucky, we can find a parking place.”

  She grabbed his arm, “There; there’s one on the other side of the street.”

  He glanced in the rear view mirror, made a quick U-turn and grabbed the space.

  “Oh, this is beautiful. If the food is as good as the place looks, it’s going to be outstanding.”

  They were shown to a table. Looking around the room, Jordy saw the polished dark wood cabinets, the backlit bar and the wild murals on the wall. It created an atmosphere unlike any she had experienced. She reached across the table and took Michael’s hands in hers. “I love it Michael.”

  When the waitperson came to take their drink order, she asked if they had lemonade and ordered it. Michael asked for iced tea. Eventually, they got around to ordering; Jordy had a seafood salad while Michael had a salad with crab meat.

  After lunch, Michael asked if she would like to walk around the Strand. She did, so they began a walking tour, hand in hand, visiting many of the shops, most of which catered to the tourist trade, but there were a few antique shops that grabbed her attention.

  Talking as they walked, Jordy leaned against Michael’s shoulder as he joked about something he had seen in one of the shops. He leaned toward her, his dark eyes sparkling in the pleasure of her company. As they walked along, he had a fluid motion to his steps. “I’ll bet he’s a good dancer,” she thought.

  Jordy was examining some of the displayed antiques; he leaned nonchalantly against the wall, allowing himself the pleasure of enjoying her lithe, graceful movements and the sheer joy in her face when she found something she liked. She turned slowly and caught him eying her. She smiled delightedly, and said, “Caught you.”

  “There’s no crime against appreciating beauty.”

  “Why thank you. You say the nicest things.”

  “I was talking about the breakfront.”

  “You’re gonna pay for that one.”

  He walked toward her, and draped his arm casually about her shoulders and in a brief show of intimacy, he drew her to him. The pressure of her body against his sent little shocks through the light sundress. She leaned against him, reluctant to end the moment. “About ready to move on,” he said in an emotionally charged voice as he leaned over and lightly brushed his lips against her forehead.

  “Yes,” she said. She looked up and blew him away with a smile. She took his hand as they walked out of the shop. The warmth of his hand on hers spread up her arms. “I feel so comfortable here,” she thought.

  * * *

  “I love the feel of her soft warm hands,” Michael thought as he pulled her closer. He had a tingling feeling in his hand where it touched the tender skin on her shoulder. He thought he felt her shudder. He wondered if he had offended her, but then she leaned against him and he felt all was well.

  The drive home was long and quiet. They had pretty well solved all of the problems of the world last night and today. The quiet pleasure of each other’s company was enough for now.

  Michael parked in the circular driveway in front of Jordy’s house, and went around, and opened her door; then, taking her hand, he walked her to the door. She turned toward him and tilted her face to him expecting, wanting to be kissed. He leaned and lightly brushed her lips with his, sending little tingling jolts through her body. “Bye, Jordy and thanks for a great day. I enjoyed it.”

  “Thank you for asking Michael. You took me away from a day of boredom and turned it into a very nice time and a great lunch.”

  He turned and started to walk down the steps. He looked back over his shoulder to where Jordy stood, unmoving. He went back up the steps, wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her to him. With the other hand, he tilted her chin. His kiss was slow and thoughtful, surprisingly thoughtful. She returned the kiss, lingering and savoring every moment. They broke apart. “That was nice,” he said.

  “Yes it was,” she said and stepped in to him. He kissed her forehead, her eyes and finally her sweet warm lips. Her lips parted slightly allowing him access. The shock of his tongue on hers elicited a soft “mmmm” from her. This time when they broke apart, she said, “Bye, Michael and thanks again.”

  “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said.

  “Great,” was her only response. He went down the steps, and she entered the house.

  “Did you have a good time, dear?”

  “Yes, I did. I had a wonderful time. We had lunch at Rudy and Paco’s,
explored the shops along the Strand and just walked around. He's a really nice guy, too.

  His Dad is Steve Simms. They’ve lived here like forever. Do you know his family?”

  “I don’t but your Dad might.”

  “I’ll bet Papaw does. His grandfather was a wildcatter. I think the family is still into oil. I’ll have to ask Dad.”

  “Ask Dad what?” Her father said as he walked into the room.

  “Have you ever heard Papaw mention the Simms family? Michael’s family is in the oil business. His grandfather was a wildcatter.”

  “I’m sure Dad knows him,” he said. “I think they hit it big years ago. So that’s who Michael’s family is?”

  Chapter 5 A Picnic

  “Well, how was your day, baby girl,” Jordy’s father asked?

  “It was fabulous. We ate at Rudy and Paco’s, and it was outstanding. He is the easiest man to talk with I’ve ever been around… outside of you I mean. Daddy, do you know Isaac Simms?”

  “I know him to speak to but not much beyond that. I think your grandfather knows his dad though, why do you ask?”

  “Steve is Michael’s father and Isaac is his grandfather. Michael said they have lived in this area forever.”

  “If Michael plays his card right, he could be your son-in-law someday.”

  “Aren’t you moving kind of fast Jordy?”

  “Oh don’t worry. He doesn’t know it yet. I like him a lot. He asked today if he could help me, but I told him no; in addition to being a conflict of interest, this is something I want to prove I can do. He asked who I was trying to prove it to, myself or Hank.”

  “Sounds like a real smart person doesn’t he?”

  “Yes he does, and I think he is.”

  “So you’re going to keep seeing him I gather?”

  “Yes, if he keeps asking. I need to get to work; I still have a few things to pull together. I’m meeting with the bank on Wednesday. Want to go?”

  “No, you do it. Like you said, this is your baby.”

  * * *

  Michael called the next morning. “Jordy, you ride don’t you?”

  “I’m an Aggie, and I live on a ranch. Of course I ride. You have something in mind?”

  “Mom and Dad’s place has some great riding trails along the river. Would you like to try them out?”

  “Sure, but I’m going to have to hit it hard Monday and Tuesday. I’m meeting with the evil money changers Wednesday, and I have to be ready.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want my help. I know what they look for.”

  “Thanks, Michael, but I’ve got to do this for myself. You want to pick me up or do you want to meet somewhere?”

  “Let me give you directions, and you meet me at the ranch at ten or does that make you get up too early?”

  “Ten will be fine. See you then.”

  She took the directions and looked them up on Google Earth. It would be easy to find. She put the directions on the dresser where she wouldn’t forget them.

  She met Michael and his parents the next morning before their ride. Sure enough, Michael’s dad knew who her grandfather was. It was like old home week. She told them, “I’m Papaw’s only grandchild. My Dad was an only son.”

  They were both dressed for riding. Michael was wearing boot cut jeans, and a white Stetson. Jordy had jeans and an embroidered cowgirl shirt with snaps instead of buttons. She also had a white Stetson with a light blue hat band. They rode out at a trot. Michael saw that she sat comfortably on her mount so he quit worrying she might fall. At times, they dropped the reins and let the horses drift along where ever they wanted.

  Michael’s mother had packed a picnic lunch for them. “That was nice of your mother,” she said.

  “Mom’s my best girl,” he said.

  “I thought I was,” she said with a pouting expression.

  “Oh you are, right after Mom.”

  “Well, I didn’t know you were a mama’s boy she said.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “You have made this past week very enjoyable, Michael.”

  “Do I hear a ‘but’ coming?”

  “Not from me,” she said. “I just wanted you to know I have really enjoyed our times together.” They pulled up to a stand of cottonwood trees and dismounted. Michael tied the horses to a bush, and they sat in the shade. He draped an arm across her shoulders and moved closer to her. He leaned over and kissed her softly. “Mmm, you taste good,” he said. He kissed her again, with more passion. Her lips parted, and he moved his tongue over hers. He explored her mouth from within, pulled back and traced around the edges of her lips with his fingers.

  She wrapped her arms about his neck and initiated a soul warming kiss. This was followed by slow shivery kisses. She felt her knees weaken and shifted her position so her head was against his chest. He dropped his hand to her breast. She had a burning sensation through her shirt and bra. With his fingers, he unsnapped one of the snaps and moved his hand to the smooth, tender skin of her breast. She had a sharp intake of breath and covered his hand with hers. He kissed her with an intensity that left her mouth burning.

  Abruptly, he withdrew his hand and looked into her sparkling blue eyes. “I don’t want to mess this up by moving too fast. I think we have the makings of something special here.”

  “What a gallant thing to say. Thank you. I do too, and I was not offended.”

  “All the same, let’s be heading back, it’s going to be hot out here pretty soon.”

  “I noticed it was getting a bit warm,” she said as they wandered slowly back toward the mansion.

  She went with him to take care of the horses. She said, “I’ll take care of mine.”

  “Well, look at you.” They wet the horses down, and Michael put some grain out for them and turned them out to the pasture and watches as they galloped off.

  “Come on, I want to show you my special place,” and walked around to the back of the house. There was a nice shade tree with a swing hung from one of the branches.

  “Papaw has one of these he hung for me when I was about seven or eight,” she said.

  “Mine has a spare tire to sit in. I used to try to swing high enough to touch the clouds. I never made it, but I scared Papaw to death.”

  “Where does your grandfather live?”

  “He and grandmama have a ranch near Rosenberg on the Brazos. They don’t do much on the ranch. They have some cattle and Papaw has a foreman that runs the ranch. Dad wants him to move closer to Sugar Land or Houston so they are closer to medical facilities. They both are eighty and healthy as a horse.”

  “Is there oil on their ranch?”

  “Oh yes. I don’t know how much of it is active but I would go with Papaw when I was little. We would ride out on horseback. I loved to watch the pumpjacks.”

  “Sounds as if you had a happy childhood.”

  “I did. I had no idea what was going on in the real world, but it was fun. When school was out I would go to work with Daddy. I even had my own hard hat.”

  “I did just about the same thing with my Dad, but he didn’t get his hands dirty by then. It was a good life. I was lucky. Dad wanted me in the business, but I was more of a numbers person.”

  “Are you going to stay in banking, then?”

  “Banking and investments. That’s where the real money is, and it’s fun digging out the good ones. I seem to have a knack for it, and I love it.”

  “Michael, as enjoyable as this has been, I need to get back. I have some work to do.”

  Michael took her in his arms and held her closely. He looked down at her and reflected, “This is one smart, and special girl. I want to share her life, and her to share mine” He tilted her chin and brought his lips to hers. They tasted of warm honey and cream. They shared a long and tender kiss.

  When they broke it off, she said, “That was nice and sweet. I enjoyed it, but I have to go. I want to thank your mother for the lunch. That was very thoughtful of her.” They went into the house. She went
to his mother, and hugged her and thanked her for the picnic lunch.

  Michael walked her to her car and held the door for her.

  “Talk to you tomorrow, Michael?”

  “I hope so.”

  “Bye, and thanks for a nice day.” With that, she closed the door, waved goodbye and drove off.