by Reeni Austin
No. Marcy would take her chances. If all else failed, she could soothe her broken heart at home in New Jersey where she would hopefully forget about him quickly.
Hopefully…
CHAPTER 25
On Sunday, the order of the day was cleanup. Even though Ramon paid some of his employees to work overtime to help, the job was obviously too much for them. There was garbage strewn everywhere, both inside and outside the house.
Everyone pitched in, including Victor and Armando, who were anxious to show Ramon some brotherly love by helping him clean the property. And, truth be told, they just wanted to spend time with him.
None of them brought up their discussion from the previous night. The fact that Ramon showed up for breakfast with a smile on his face was all the confirmation they needed that they had gotten through to him.
But of course, it didn't hurt that Ramon spent the night with Marcy… a fact everyone knew but no one dared talk about.
All seemed right with the world, at least for now. Ramon was staying in the house again. Victor and Armando knew a bit more about their family history than they knew twenty-four hours earlier. Isaac finally had his race car. The next big upcoming event was Victor and Cara's wedding. And hopefully Henry would be back in time for that.
As the brothers picked up trash in the yard, Isaac zoomed around them in his tiny vehicle, anxious to prove himself worthy of a promised speed upgrade.
Around noon, they thought they had found the last used paper plate until Victor spotted something in some bushes near the front of the property.
"Geez, Ramon," Armando said, dragging a heavy garbage bag behind him. "Who the hell were all those people and how'd they manage to trash these bushes?"
Ramon sighed. "It's not that bad."
When they took a closer look they saw the insides of a pinata scattered on the ground near the bush, and the head of the pinata stuck amidst the branches like a dragon was peeking out.
Ramon laughed. "That's kinda funny. I wondered where the other pinata went."
As they bent down to pick up the candy, they heard the buzzing of Isaac's car. He turned it off and jumped out. "Is that candy? Can I have it?"
Victor smirked at him over his shoulder. "It's dirty. It'll make you sick."
Armando chuckled. "Isaac, bud, I don't know how you're not already sick from all the food you ate yesterday."
Nodding, Victor said, "Yeah, I think the last thing you need is more sweets."
"Nuh-uh!" Isaac ducked around Victor's legs, watching him pick up candy. "I want my buthday evewy day."
Victor held his arm out, blocking Isaac. "Did you remember to thank Ramon for the nice party?"
Isaac almost knocked Armando down as he ran to Ramon. "Thank you fuh the pawty! Can we do it again next weekend?"
Groaning, Ramon lifted a brow and said, "You're welcome. And I think next weekend's a little too soon. We'll have a big party when your mommy and Victor get married, then—"
"No." Victor glared at Ramon as he bent down. "It'll be small with no surprises. Right?"
Ramon simply gave him a smirk.
"I'm serious," Victor said.
As their friendly bickering continued, Isaac walked to a ditch nearby, staring down at an oddly colored rock. "What's that?"
Ramon knew immediately. To Armando, he said, "It's blue paint from that old truck."
Armando nodded with familiarity, thinking about the accident he and Ramon had in high school, and the scars that were still visible on his body. "Ah." He flinched like a chill passed through him. "How could I forget that? First time I ever saw my entire life flash before my eyes."
Victor rushed over to take a look. "Is that where the grill hit the ground?"
"No, those are roots from that tree right there," Ramon said.
"What?" Isaac asked, confused.
Ramon let out a proud sigh and said, "This is where your Uncle Armando and I almost jumped over a ditch in a truck."
Isaac's eyes lit up.
Armando shook his head as he walked over. "Almost? There was no almost. There was just me screaming and you driving us head first into a ditch at seventy miles an hour."
Snorting, Ramon narrowed his eyes at Armando. "Woulda made it too but you were weighin' me down. I did it just fine without you a couple days before that."
Victor and Armando both laughed. Victor said, "No one believes you jumped over this ditch in that truck or any other vehicle."
Isaac stared at Ramon, his mouth gaping in wonder. "You jumped ovow that in a twuck? Can I do it in my wace caw?"
"Oh no," Victor said under his breath. To his brothers, he said, "Let's not put ideas in his head." Then he cleared his throat and walked closer to the ditch, kneeling down to Isaac's level and motioning for him to come closer. When he did, Victor pointed at the big rock that still had a streak of blue paint, and explained to Isaac that what Ramon did was dangerous and stupid, and it could have ended very badly for both of his uncles. When Victor finished, he said, "You promise me you won't try to do anything stupid like that, okay?"
Isaac pouted and said, "Okay."
Victor took a long look in Isaac's eyes. "Okay then. Your Mommy and I would be very sad forever if you got hurt. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Isaac said quietly. "But I wanna go fastow! You said I could!"
"Yes." Victor nodded. "When you prove you're responsible. Remember? We had a long talk about this."
Isaac stomped one foot. "I want it now!"
Victor continued trying to reason with Isaac until they were interrupted by Ramon growling in agony.
They all turned to him at once.
Ramon spit something out of his mouth. He caught himself before cursing in front of Isaac, instead saying, "Dang it, that hurt."
Armando squinted at the wrapper in Ramon's hand. "Did you eat candy from that pinata?"
Shrugging, Ramon said, "Yeah. So?"
Armando sighed. "What's wrong? You break a tooth?"
"No." Ramon flexed his jaw. "Second time that's happened today. Think I got a cavity."
Victor smirked at him. "Let me guess. You haven't been to the dentist in a while. No time for it. Am I right?"
Ramon shook his head, his voice soft. "Yeah.. maybe…"
Armando asked, "How long's it been?"
"Shut up," Ramon said.
* * *
Two days later, Marcy got to drive Ramon's car for the first time when she brought him home from the dentist. Because he needed so much work done, and he claimed his teeth were sensitive, he spent almost three hours in the dentist's chair under sedation. He drove them to the dentists's office, but she had to drive home.
"I can't believe you had four cavities." She said, wincing, as she eased onto the gas to pull out of the parking lot.
Ramon was coherent but a little groggy, his mouth numb. He croaked out a hazy, "Yeah."
"The receptionist told me you were lucky they could squeeze you in so soon."
"Uh-huh."
"Does it hurt?"
Ramon's eyes closed, his head resting against the seat. In a weak voice, he said, "Told you, I'm fine. Just tired."
"Okay." Marcy glanced at him, then down at the dashboard as she shifted gears. "Well, let me know if you need anything—"
The engine made a grinding sound and came to an abrupt stop.
Ramon's eyes flew open as though the anesthesia had suddenly worn off. "Damn it woman! You told me you could drive stick!"
"I can." Marcy changed gears again, then shot him a glare as the car moved forward.
"You need to look at the road, not at me," Ramon said.
Rolling her eyes, she looked at the windshield. "There's no need to be so rude." She tried to cut him a little slack due to his altered state.
Ramon's eyes darted between the road and the steering wheel as they headed toward a stop light. "I don't like this. Pull over and let me drive."
"No! I'm fine." Marcy brought the car to a stop, her eyes fixed straight ahead.
>
But when the light turned green, she pressed the clutch and shifted into first gear, producing a loud thunk as they lurched forward.
"Damn it!" Ramon brought his fist to his thigh, his anger muted slightly by the anesthetic. "You got no clue what you're doin'."
She gritted her teeth, threw him a quick sideways glance, and said, "We're moving, aren't we?"
Ramon craned his neck down to get a good look in the side mirror.
"What are you doing?" Marcy asked. "There's no one behind us."
"I know." His eyes narrowed at the reflection. "Wanted to see if there was a transmission layin' back there in the road. 'Cause if there is, it's mine."
"Oh, stop! That's not possible." She gave his knee a light smack.
She looked at him and he flashed her a grin that alleviated her frustration.
Marcy focused on the road. "Okay, there's an intersection. Which way do I go?"
"Straight. Next stop, you take a left on Cuervo Road."
She smiled, shyly biting her lip. She loved how he slipped into a deeper Latino accent when he said something in Spanish. "What's that mean, anyway? Cuervo?"
"Crow."
She swooned at the sound of his voice. "I wish I knew more Spanish."
"I can teach you." He placed a gentle hand on her thigh, making her shiver. "Might require you stayin' for a while."
She inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to keep her focus on the clutch as she came to a stop. And she was almost out of cute ways to imply she would stay with him after her "job" was finished. As the days went on, the thought of staying seemed more real… and more right. "That'd be nice," she said simply, then found a quick way to change the subject. "Uh… so, what's Ramon mean in Spanish, anyway? Does it have a meaning?"
In a sly tone, Ramon answered, "Yeah. It means 'suck my big dick.'"
Marcy's mouth fell open. Instead of moving forward at the stop sign, she stayed there with her foot on the brake, turning to him with furrowed brows. "Why'd you do that? We were having such a nice moment and you had to be rude."
Ramon chuckled slowly, his eyes glassy. "Ain't me, baby doll. It's the drugs."
She both loved and hated the power he held over her with "baby doll." She forced a sigh and looked at the road, intent on accelerating without making the gears grind. "Well, you're lucky it's the drugs. Otherwise I would've slapped you."
"Mmm." His voice was a syrupy drawl. "All right. But do me a favor and tie me up first."
As the car went forward without a sound, Marcy asked, "Really? You want me to tie you up and slap you? You're one of those guys?"
He shrugged. "Not really but I'd fuckin' let you do anything."
Heat coursed through her body, pooling between her thighs. She considered pulling over and climbing on top of him.
But when she glanced over, his cheek was against the seat, eyes closed like he was napping.
She took a few breaths to calm herself, letting him sleep. Thankfully they were on a road she recognized and she didn't need to ask him for directions anymore.
A few miles down the road, she was startled when she heard his tired voice utter a word she couldn't make out.
"What?" she asked. "You say something?"
"Protector. That's what my name means."
"Oh." She gave his tired eyes a quick glance as she melted inside. "I like that."
He laughed softly. "I know what Marcy means. It means 'Peppermint Patty's friend from those Charlie Brown cartoons.'"
"Please go to sleep for the rest of the ride home."
"All right." He closed his eyes, nestling against his seat. In a quiet voice, he said, "You need to stay with me. Don't move back home."
And then he was silent.
Marcy's heart thudded with emotion. She knew the drugs made him tell the truth: he really wanted her to stay.
* * *
The day of the rehearsal dinner arrived, and Ramon felt better than ever about his future with Marcy. He'd decided to take the slow and easy approach to getting her to stay. Like asking her to see a movie with him… a movie that wasn't opening for another three months. She smiled and shyly answered, "Yes."
And they both knew what it meant. It was a silent agreement, as if discussing it would jinx everything. Make it all too serious.
In the back of his mind, he wondered if he was making the right decision. They referred to each other as "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" now—a recent development. But a development that meant any kind of breakup would be devastating and painful. He couldn't just stop calling her and never see her again. She lived in his house and worked there. A breakup would probably make her move back to New Jersey.
Ramon was afraid to be hopeful. Marcy was too good for him. Too perfect. But each day that passed made him look forward to their future together. In small increments, at least. He hadn't gone to "marriage" yet, but thinking about taking her to the Christmas parade in a few months was a big deal to him.
Although each day brought new hope, it also brought fear. Maybe today would be the day he finally pissed her off enough to make her leave instead of getting her all riled up for angry sex. Or maybe today would be the day he suddenly found all of her cute little habits to be the most annoying things in his world.
But then the wedding rehearsal came, and Ramon's hidden fears all came to the surface when he shook hands with a woman he barely recognized.
"Ramon, is it?" Jocelyn's eyes were a little too perky. She stood before him, hand extended as though they were meeting for the first time.
And for that moment in the foyer, Ramon thought it really was the first time.
But there was something about her voice. Something shrill and familiar.
"Nice to meet you." Ramon let go of Jocelyn's hand, trying to remember how he knew her. "So, you're a wedding planner?"
Jocelyn cleared her throat and straightened her posture. She glanced around at the men who were rearranging the downstairs. Then she leaned in closer. "You asked me that question last winter at the Tumbleweed but I guess you were a little too drunk to remember."
"Oh shit." I'm a slut, Ramon thought. He backed away. "I'm sorry. I remember you now." His eyes darted around, making sure Marcy hadn't wandered in. "I didn't mean to—"
She laughed, waving her hand in dismissal. "Relax. It's fine. I saw your picture a few weeks ago. It took me a second but I remembered you." Giggling, she added, "Wow. What a night."
"My picture? How?"
"Patty showed me pictures from your other brother's wedding when we met a few weeks ago." She lifted a brow. "You clean up nice."
"Huh." Ramon chewed on his bottom lip as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Did you say anything?"
"No." Jocelyn shook her head and placed a hand on his arm, letting it linger there. "I'm a professional. That was personal. Nobody knows but us."
"Good." Ramon shot her hand an angry glance, then shrugged away from her. "I've got a…" he cleared his throat and stopped himself before saying "girlfriend," then decided to say it anyway. "Girlfriend."
"Oh." Jocelyn pulled her hand away. "Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. Will she be at the rehearsal dinner? The wedding?"
"Yeah. You already know her. It's Marcy, the maid of honor."
"Really?" Jocelyn's face screwed up. "Hmm. I actually need to find her. I have her dress. Had to find a seamstress to let it out a few inches for an emergency alteration."
Ramon snorted. "Okay." He considered making a snide comment in response to her dig at Marcy's weight, but instantly decided it didn't matter what Jocelyn thought. He said, "She's out helping Cara but she'll be here soon."
Should I tell Marcy about this? he wondered. Marcy hadn't cared much about the stranger who recognized him at the mall a few weeks earlier. Why would she care now?
Still, the idea that Jocelyn could mention something to Marcy made him itchy.
"So," Jocelyn asked. "You headed to the rehearsal dinner?"
"Yeah." Ramon averted her gaze, focusing on a worker carrying
a lamp across the floor to his right, in the living room. "I guess you'll be there too?"
Jocelyn gave him a flat stare. "I told you already. I won't say anything. I'm not an idiot. I was paid a lot of money to plan this wedding on short notice. You think I'd do something to screw that up?" She rolled her eyes and sauntered off to the living room to direct the workers, ignoring him.
Ramon felt a sense of a relief. But he resolved to tell Marcy about Jocelyn the first chance he got.
* * *
After the wedding rehearsal at the ranch, everyone headed to a restaurant a few miles away. As they waited for the last few guests to arrive, Victor took the opportunity to pull Cara away down a hallway to a corner where they had some privacy.
He took her hands, looking in her eyes. "Are you feeling better?"
Cara smiled and took a deep breath, tightening her grip on his hands. "Yes. I haven't been sick since this morning."
"Good." Victor leaned forward and gave her lips a gentle kiss. When he pulled away he said, "You're going to be my wife in," he glanced down at his watch, "approximately fifteen hours. You ready?"
"Of course." Cara beamed. "I've waited my entire life for this."
Victor gazed longingly into her eyes, let go of her hands, grabbed her waist. "Me too, mi amor." His lips found hers, taking her breath away in a deep kiss. Earlier that day, they found a house they loved in Turnbrook, close to Ramon. Soon they would begin their lives there together.
As they kissed, Victor felt a small hand brush against the back of his knee. He pulled away from Cara to see Isaac standing at her feet, giving him a stern look.
His lips bunched together, Isaac said, "I'm mad at you."
Victor knelt down to him. "Why?"
Isaac's eyes widened. "You weh s'posed to give me a baby bwothow!" He hid behind Cara's leg.
Victor looked up at Cara's surprised eyes. Isaac hadn't mentioned his baby brother in a few weeks. To Isaac, he said, "I'm sorry. Remember, we talked about this? Maybe for your birthday next year."
