“Well, I have missed you too, chérie. But I can tell there is something more going on with you. What is it?”
Joanne smiled, color rising to her full cheeks. “I’ve met someone. A really great guy, Mommy!”
Her mother smiled back. “Oh, chérie! I can’t wait to hear all about him.”
As the two women looped their arms and headed toward the baggage claim area, Joanne leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder.
“Happy Mother’s Day,” she said softly. “Happy Mother’s Day!”
Chapter 9
It had been one very long week since their excursion for pie. Luke had been anxious to see Joanne again, impatient for her to return from her extended trip with her mother. Anticipating her return he’d left her a voice mail message, and then two, hopeful that she would give him a call.
When that return call finally came, Joanne was inviting him to join her at a neighborhood tenants’ meeting. Her clients had been displaced by the landlord’s failure to maintain his property to city code and needed support. Luke had been more than ready and willing to join her.
Joanne had greeted him warmly, her own excitement spreading like wildfire across her face. “Luke, hello, it’s good to see you again.”
Luke smiled brightly. “I’m glad you called, Joanne.” He leaned to kiss her cheek. “I missed you,” he said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper.
Joanne blushed profusely, having no response as she ushered him into city hall.
Inside the large conference room the atmosphere was tense, tenants fueling the air with fear and anger. With their apartment building condemned, families had suddenly found themselves rudely evicted with nowhere to go. The community center had stepped in to find them housing and represent their interests.
The meeting had been emotionally challenging, and afterward tension painted Joanne’s face, her whole body shaking from the experience. Sensing that she needed a few minutes to vent and unwind, Luke suggested they take a short walk, hoping it would help to alleviate some of her stress.
Side by side they maneuvered their way through the rose gardens of the Historical Park, the public haven blooming full and bright with summer flora. The air was scented with the light fragrance of freesia and roses, and above their heads the blue sky had been bright and clear.
“Do you go to many of these meetings?” Luke asked, his eyes flitting easily across her face.
“Too many of them,” Joanne muttered, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. She met his gaze, a slight smile pulling at her mouth. “But when we can accomplish something that benefits our clients, I know there isn’t anything else I’d rather be doing.”
Luke nodded his head. “So, tell me about your design business.”
A wide smile filled Joanne’s face, the energy gleaming in her eyes. “Now, that’s my passion. I love creating wearable art for women who look like me.”
“I can see where clothing beautiful women could be appealing.”
Joanne chuckled softly. “Most especially women of size.”
Luke’s eyebrows rose with amusement. “We men love us a well-dressed woman with luscious curves now!”
“I just bet you do,” Joanne laughed warmly.
Laughing with her, Luke snaked his hand over hers, clasping her fingers between his own. Swinging their arms between them, he tossed her a wide grin. The smile Joanne gave him back took his breath away.
Hand in hand they continued to chat easily, Joanne sharing her experiences with navigating a new business as Luke listened intently. Walking her back to her car, he was less than thrilled to see their afternoon end. The more he learned about the delightful woman, the more he wanted to know. He was discovering just how truly special Joanne Lake was.
The next day Luke rose early, the morning air teasing his senses. His sleep had been unsettling, Joanne Lake haunting his dreams. Luke had never before felt for any woman what he found himself feeling for Joanne. The woman excited him, making him feel like a giddy teenager. Joanne had a way of reaching deep into his spirit and pulling the best from him. He loved that when he was with her he wanted to be a better man.
As he made his way across town, he couldn’t shake the memories of their time together from his mind. Pulling his car around the circular driveway of Briscoe Ranch he heaved a deep sigh, thankful for a distraction.
Luke couldn’t miss the wealth of activity spinning around the ranch as the site was being prepared for the annual Black Rodeo event they were hosting. The ranch had become a second home to him and his brothers when John and Marah had merged their two families. Luke couldn’t begin to imagine his life without them, or the homestead. Stepping out of his parked car, he turned to stare out at the landscape.
Briscoe Ranch was some eight hundred acres of working cattle ranch and an equestrian center. It also housed an entertainment complex that specialized in corporate and private client services with two 20,000 square-foot event barns and a country bed-and-breakfast. Central to Austin, Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth, Briscoe Ranch had made quite a name for itself.
Last year John and his wife had acquired controlling interest in the property under the Stallion umbrella and it had become his brother Matthew’s pet project. Newly instilled community outreach programs and a mentoring program for at-risk youth had broadened the scope of how they did business. John frequently said that as their investments went, Briscoe Ranch was clearly the best decision they had ever made. Not one of the Stallion brothers would disagree.
Edward and Juanita Briscoe both greeted him at the door, Edward pulling the structure open as Luke stepped onto the porch.
“Well, good morning there, young fella’,” the man chimed. “How are you this morning?”
Luke grinned. “Just fine, sir. How about yourself?”
The man’s head bobbed up and down. “This woman is about to drive me crazy, but I’m surviving!”
“Good morning, Aunt Juanita!”
Juanita rolled her eyes. “Luke, baby, don’t pay this fool no never mind.” She leaned up to kiss his cheek. “Breakfast is just about ready. Go on in. Everyone’s in the back.”
Nodding, Luke made his way into the home, shaking his head as the duo fussed at each other about a tent that wasn’t being placed where Juanita thought it should be. He smiled warmly as he turned to stare back at the couple.
Juanita had helped raise him. The woman had been his parents’ best friend, stepping in to give John a hand when their mother and father had been killed in the automobile accident. Luke had only been eight years old. Just weeks before John and Marah’s wedding, her father, Edward, had married Juanita, further merging the two families into one. Luke was the first to admit that he loved how their little family had grown.
Continuing down the hallway, familiar banter greeted him at the entrance to the large kitchen and the family room at the rear of the home. His brothers were already there, the trio sitting at attention as they waited for the morning meal.
Marah and her twin sister, Marla, were flipping pancakes on the stovetop, the two women engaged in debate over a recent bill passed by the Dallas board of education. Marah’s older sister, Eden, and her husband were reviewing the proof for that weekend’s program, anxious to get it to the printer right after the meal. The rest of the family was chatting and laughing, enjoying their weekly ritual of camaraderie and fellowship.
Entering the space, Luke called out a warm greeting. As if they’d practiced it to perfection, the group greeted him in unison like a backup band in perfect sync. “Luke!”
He leaned to kiss Marah and Marla’s cheeks and then moved to hug Michelle and Eden. Slipping into the seat between John and Marla’s husband, Mike, the men gave each other a fist-bump hello.
“How’s it going?” John asked, reaching for a large glass of orange juice.
Luke shrugged. “I’m making progress.”
John sipped his drink. “Progress is good. Any problems?”
“None yet.”
“Even b
etter.”
“Hey,” Michelle chimed loudly, “you two know the rules. No business discussions at the family breakfast.”
“Who’s talking business?” Marah questioned, looking across the room toward the table. “John Stallion, I know you did not bring up business at that breakfast table.”
John’s amusement gleamed in his wide smile. “Not me, baby,” he said sheepishly.
Luke laughed, mumbling under his breath. “You are so busted!”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Matthew chuckled, as Mark laughed with them.
Marah and Eden placed platters of pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and assorted breakfast foods onto the table.
“We’re ready to eat. Where did Daddy and Juanita disappear to?” Marla queried.
“Something about a tent,” Luke responded. “I’ll go get them,” he volunteered, moving to his feet.
Matthew gestured for him to sit back down. “I’ll do it. I have to take this call,” he said, palming the cell phone that vibrated against his belt.
“No business!” the women all chimed in unison.
Matthew rolled his eyes as he moved toward the door and exited the room. Minutes later, Edward and Juanita strolled hand in hand into the space.
“Y’all need to set another plate,” Edward chimed cheerily.
“Who’s here, Daddy?” Eden queried.
“Miss Vanessa just pulled up outside. She and Matthew said they’d be here in a minute. Had something they needed to discuss.”
“Hey, anyone else notice that those two have gotten awful chummy lately?” Luke asked. His eyebrows were raised suggestively.
“Define chummy,” Michelle said as she passed a plate of buttered toast.
“Didn’t I just say that?” Mark said excitedly. “I told Mitch just the other day that there was something going on with those two. Didn’t I say that, Mitch?”
Michelle nodded her head. “You did, honey.”
“Oooh! Good gossip!” Marah exclaimed.
“Not at this table,” Juanita interjected. “You all know better.”
John laughed. “All of you act like there has to be something going on just because…what? The two are friends? Vanessa’s been friends with us all since forever. There is nothing going on with her and Matthew.”
“Well, it sure does look like something,” Michelle said, gesturing toward the expansive picture window.
The whole family turned to stare where she pointed. Matthew and Vanessa stood toe to toe in deep conversation. Vanessa was clutching the front of Matthew’s shirt with both palms. Exuberance filled her face as she stared up at the man, her awe-filled stare intense.
Juanita shook her head, moving over to the enclosure. She rapped her knuckles against the glass until she got their attention. When Matthew and Vanessa turned in her direction to see where the noise was coming from, she tossed up her hands, gesturing in the direction of the dining table.
Edward laughed. “I declare. If it’s not one thing with you kids, it’s something else.”
Juanita’s expression was scolding as she moved back to her seat. “If there is something going on, you all will scare them right from it. Leave ’em alone, and no teasing when they come in here, either.”
“That’s not fair, Aunt Juanita,” Mark said. “If Vanessa is changing her ways, I want to be the first one to give her some static.”
Juanita met his gaze, a reprimand at the tip of her tongue. She shifted that stare around the table. John stalled the admonishment with one of his own.
“I’m telling you people, it’s nothing. Just let it drop before you make Matthew mad. You know how he gets when we tease him. He’ll pout for days.”
Mark chuckled. “Okay, if you say so. It’s nothing.”
“Oh, it’s something!” Luke teased. “Y’all can act like you don’t see it if you want to, but I know better.”
Edward changed the subject. “Mitch, you done passed by the good food. I hope you ain’t on one of them fool diets you young girls seem so fond of, ’cause this here is some good food.”
Michelle shook her head as everyone turned their attention to her and her plate. “No, sir. I just haven’t had much of an appetite lately. I think I might have picked up a mild stomach bug or something.” She pushed at the fruit salad on her plate with her fork.
Marla tapped Marah on the leg, the two women cutting their eyes at each other. Across the table, Eden’s eyebrows were raised sky high as she looked from one sister to the other.
“Baby, do you think you might be—” Juanita started before Matthew and Vanessa came into the room, their presence interrupting the conversation.
“Good morning!” Vanessa chimed. “How’s everyone doing?”
Matthew moved back to the seat he’d vacated earlier. He ignored the looks his brothers were tossing him, their amused expressions shooting him quiet messages and silent questions.
Vanessa was still rambling as she took a seat at the other end of the table. “It sure pays to know where to find a good meal,” she was saying as she reached for a platter of hotcakes. “And I’m famished!”
“Eat up, honey,” Edward chuckled. “There’s plenty to go around.”
Luke laughed. “You people are too funny to me,” he said, pulling a forkful of eggs into his mouth. “If y’all won’t ask, I certainly will.” He leaned forward, looking toward Matthew. Before he could fix his mouth to get the words out, Matthew interrupted him, stalling the query.
“So, Luke, have you found a date for the banquet yet?” he asked, his expression smug. Mischief shimmered in his gaze.
“Don’t tell us you don’t have a date yet, Luke,” Marah intoned, her neck snapping as she turned to stare at him. “Luke, we have you confirmed as a party of two.”
“And I know you didn’t wait until the last minute to ask someone. Your date would have less than a day to find a dress,” Marla added. “You know this is the biggest event in Dallas.”
“Um, I have a date,” Luke said, his voice dropping ever so slightly.
“Who? Someone you know well, we hope.”
“You’re not bringing one of your casual flings, are you?” Matthew asked, egging the situation on. “That really wouldn’t be cool, bro.”
Everyone’s focus suddenly shifted to Luke.
Luke glared at Matthew, the man’s smug stare reminiscent of when they’d been little and Luke had always gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar, big brother giving his secrets away. In a fraction of a short second, Matthew had managed to put him under a microscope with the Briscoe-Stallion women biting at the bit to examine and dissect his personal life. His eyes widened in fright.
“You are bringing someone special, aren’t you, baby?” Juanita asked.
“How about your friend Leslie?” Michelle queried. “She’s very sweet.”
“That girl Tanya would be good for you, too!” Vanessa chimed in with her two cents. “And she is way cute!”
“Really, guys, I have a date already. A very lovely young lady. I can’t wait to introduce you all to her,” he said, trying to sound convincing.
There was a quiet pause as the ladies studied him. John and Mark both burst out laughing. Matthew and the two men high-fived each other.
Marah shook her head. “Well, we hope so,” she said finally. “This event is very important. And you know if you didn’t have a date you could have let me and Eden know earlier. We could have fixed you up with a lovely escort for the night.”
“And don’t forget that you are confirmed for two,” Juanita repeated.
Luke nodded as he dropped his eyes back into his plate. He pretended to be focused on the fried potatoes that topped his dish. Just like that, the conversation shifted again, Juanita putting Edward on the hot seat over something he’d forgotten to do.
As Luke’s gaze moved around the table, he met Matthew’s stare. His brother grinned, winking at him. Luke smiled back, chuckling softly to himself.
As he sat there, enjoying his family
, his mind was racing a mile per minute. First thing on his agenda, he thought, was to find him a date before the sun set. He knew with total confidence who he wanted to ask, but went through the motion of mentally checking off his list of female friends. He was suddenly nervous, the short notice for the formal event being an issue.
This was a special event. This was truly a family affair. He couldn’t ask just anyone to accompany him. He would much rather attend solo than have some casual acquaintance show up on his arm. As he ticked off name after name of possible dates, only one name kept surfacing to the top of the list. If anyone was special enough to fit the bill, she was, he thought as he reached for his cell phone. Suddenly Luke could only imagine himself celebrating the occasion with one woman. Joanne Lake.
Chapter 10
Joanne dropped her cell phone to the desktop. Her hand was shaking, nervous excitement rushing through her bloodstream. Luke Stallion’s call had been an unexpected surprise and a very nice beginning to her day. Most especially after the previous evening they’d shared together.
The walk through the park had been a pleasant distraction. Joanne had needed that time to unwind, her nerves frayed from their encounter down at city hall. Neither she nor Luke had wanted that time to end as he had walked her slowly back to her car. Joanne drifted back into the moment.
“Can I interest you in dinner?” Luke had asked. His expression had been hopeful.
Joanne had glanced down to the watch on her wrist. “I don’t want to impose on any more of your time.”
“You wouldn’t be imposing. I know this wonderful place—”
Joanne shook her head as she interrupted him, holding up her hand in pause. “Stop right there. I’m not flying anywhere. Not today.”
The man laughed. “That’s not a problem. We don’t even have to leave downtown Dallas.”
Her smile was wide and full. “I can do dinner, then.”
Nodding his head, Luke gently tapped the side of her thigh, gesturing for her to slide over into the passenger seat. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll drive your car,” he said, taking full control of the moment.
Lost in a Stallion's Arms (Kimani Romance) Page 8
