The Texan Quartet (Books 1-4) Omnibus

by Claire Boston

“Must get expensive.” Some of the ingredients on the menu weren’t cheap.

  “I suppose Tai believes it’s worth it. There isn’t a single person here who isn’t loyal to him. No one wants to leave, even when their apprenticeship is finished. But Tai finds them other places to go, places where they’ll be treated right.”

  “Are there a lot of apprentices?”

  “We’ve always got a couple, and the busboys and wait staff are generally studying either at high school or college. Tai insists they must be getting an education to work for him.”

  That was strange. Why should he care? Especially when it meant he would have to train new people when the old ones went on to bigger and brighter things.

  Jared got to his feet. “Better get back to it. Nice meeting you.”

  After Jared left there was a stream of people coming through for their break. Some came two at a time, but Tai always served them their meal almost as soon as they sat down. They all sang Tai’s praises.

  A girl in her early twenties walked in and took a seat. She smiled at Piper and said, “I’m Rayen.”

  “Your earrings are gorgeous.” The woman wore silver earrings with turquoise teardrops hanging from them.

  “Thanks! The design is traditional Queche.”

  It was the opening Piper was looking for. “I noticed there are a lot of Native Americans working here,” she said. “Does Tai advertise locally?”

  Rayen nodded. “I grew up on the rez like most of the others here. There aren’t a lot of jobs available and so Tai trains us and gives us hope.”

  “Jared mentioned all the wait staff are students as well,” Piper said.

  “That’s right. It’s a condition of employment.” Rayen smiled. “Many of my people can’t afford a higher education. They get blue-collar jobs either waitressing or laboring. Neither pays well and so they’re stuck in the cycle like their parents before them.

  “Tai gives us jobs, but makes sure we can move on to better things. I’m studying education and will go back to the rez to teach when I’m done. One of the other waitresses is studying medicine, and Ralph has got a scholarship at a school nearby. He stays with his aunt and this job gives him a little bit of pocket money and keeps him out of trouble.”

  “Is Tai from the reservation?” How did he know all these people?

  “You’ll need to ask him,” Rayen said and got to her feet. “I’d better get back to work. My break’s over.”

  Piper added some notes. Tai had asked her what she thought he was doing for the city and she’d given him an answer, but there appeared to be a whole lot more to it than she’d been able to find.

  Most people liked to crow about their achievements and their philanthropy, wanting people to congratulate them for their work.

  Tai wasn’t most people.

  He came into the room carrying two plates of food. “Thought you’d be ready for dinner now,” he said, putting her order in front of her.

  “Thank you.” It smelled delicious, but her brain was too busy thinking to eat. When Tai sat next to her she asked, “Is it your break?”

  He nodded. “Everyone else has eaten.”

  “So you have the last one?”

  “The dinner chef has the last one,” Tai corrected her.

  “I’m told not all restaurants have dinner chefs,” Piper said as she took a bite of her meal.

  “No, they don’t. I believe if I’m going to ask my staff to work demanding hours, the least I can do is provide them with a decent meal.”

  “One of your apprentices finishes at the end of the month,” Piper said, checking her notes for a name.

  “I’d like to keep her on, but I don’t have the space,” Tai said.

  “But she said you’d found her a place nearby.” The meal was delicious but she was too focused on her questions to really savor it.

  He nodded. “The industry is quite close. I asked around and found out who was hiring.”

  It was very generous of him. He could have left her to fend for herself. As it was, she was starting in another five-star establishment as soon as her apprenticeship ended.

  He continued to eat as if unconcerned about the questions. This restaurant was his domain; perhaps that was why he was so relaxed.

  “Your wait staff are all studying,” Piper said. “Isn’t there a risk they’ll all find new jobs and you’ll be left with no one?”

  Tai chuckled. “No. Their courses finish at different times. Sometimes my staff find part-time jobs in their chosen fields before they finish their study but I’m always happy for them. It makes sense for them to move on to a job which will further their career. There are always people looking for work.”

  “People from the reservation?” Piper asked.

  His gaze sharpened on her, but he didn’t tense. “That’s right.”

  Piper hesitated and then said, “Can I go off topic for a minute?”

  He nodded.

  “While I was researching you for the interview, I read some statistics about the reservations and the quality of life there. Their wealth varies according to where they are and what their income is. Do you know much about life on the reservations?”

  “I grew up on one. What do you want to know?”

  His admission surprised her.

  She’d considered herself a well-informed individual. For some reason she’d assumed people who chose to live on the reservations did so because they wanted to live a traditional life. It hadn’t occurred to her they might leave.

  Which was silly really.

  “Which one?”

  “The Queche reservation. It’s not far from Houston.”

  Piper hadn’t realized that. She wanted to know more but she focused on her original topic. “The statistics I read don’t make sense. They talk about the lack of housing, the percentage of people living under the poverty line and the lack of education. Then there’s the suicide rate which is number eight in the top causes of death for Native Americans.” She threw her hands in the air. “If things are that bad, why aren’t we doing anything about it? Why is there no focus or reporting, highlighting the situation?”

  “Why would the government care when they’ve been screwing us over for centuries?” he asked, keeping his tone mild.

  She paused. She could see his point of view. “It’s not right. People should not be living in third-world conditions in the United States of America.”

  “What would you do about it?”

  She sighed. “I’m ignorant. I don’t know enough about it. There mustn’t be an easy solution, otherwise someone would have done it by now.”

  “Do you think people who live on the rez are unhappy?” he asked.

  The question made her stop. “I can’t imagine being happy living in poverty,” she said.

  “If you investigated and found issues, would you do an article on it?”

  “I know you’ll probably think I have a white savior complex, but my parents taught me to stand up against injustice. I’d like to do a whole series, but I’d need to convince my editor.” Which would be hard. “But in order to pitch the idea I need to know more.”

  “And you believe I might be able to help?”

  Piper leaned back in her chair, her cheeks flushed. “If you’re already doing so much on your own, you might want to bring the issues to the public’s attention.”

  “Do you really believe they will care? We’re drunks, gamblers, bums and drug addicts.”

  “We need to break down those stereotypes, don’t you think?”

  “Yes, I do,” Tai answered.

  Piper let out a breath.

  “Have you plans tomorrow?” he asked.

  It was her one day off that week. “Nothing I can’t adjust.”

  “I’ll show you what you want to know,” he said. “But everything you write will be vetted by me.”

  Piper hesitated. “For this series of articles.”

  Tai inclined his head.

  “All right.”

  He gra
bbed a pen and wrote his cell phone number on her notebook. Then he said, “Write down your address.”

  She did as he asked. “Where are we going?”

  “To see how rez Indians live,” he told her. “I’ll pick you up at seven. Wear sensible clothes.”

  He gathered their empty plates and left the room.

  Piper sat where she was, not quite sure what she’d agreed to, not quite sure how she’d gone from a simple interview to a whole lot more.

  But for the first time in a long time, she was looking forward to tomorrow.

  ***

  Piper was ready to go long before seven. In fact she’d barely slept since she’d arrived home after eleven, not sure what the day would bring. She’d dressed in jeans, hiking boots and T-shirt, and hoped Tai would consider that sensible clothing.

  When there was a knock on her door, she poured her remaining coffee down the sink, grabbed her satchel and opened the door.

  Tai stood there wearing black jeans, boots and a motorcycle jacket. In his hand he carried a helmet. He looked her up and down, and her body warmed.

  “Got a thick jacket?” he asked.

  “We’re taking a bike?” she asked, not sure if she wanted to be riding a motorcycle.

  “Yep.”

  “I can drive us if you like,” she offered.

  “It’s more fun this way.” He grinned at her, his face lighting in mischief, and she forgot her concerns.

  She had an old denim jacket in the back of her wardrobe that would have to do. She quickly fetched it and then followed him out to where a black sports bike was parked in the lot.

  The helmet he handed her fit. She stood while he did it up, suppressing a shiver as his fingers brushed her skin.

  “Tighten your bag so it doesn’t flap about,” Tai said as he mounted his bike.

  She did as he suggested and waited while he wheeled the bike around.

  “Hop on,” he said.

  Piper’s doubts switched to nerves but she did as he asked, swinging her leg over the seat. Where was she supposed to put her hands? She had to hold on somewhere but there was no bar on the seat and she could hardly wrap her arms around Tai.

  He glanced behind. “You’ve never been on a bike before, have you?”

  She shook her head, the weight of the helmet making her feel like one of those bobble-headed dolls.

  “All right. Slide in close, put your hands on my waist to hold on. There are foot pegs for your feet. Relax and feel the rhythm of the bike.”

  She shuffled closer and obeyed, reminding herself this was a business trip.

  But it didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the warmth from his jacket or the hardness of his body.

  Tai put his helmet on and turned the key. The low vibration between her legs wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

  “Ready?” he asked above the engine.

  “Yes,” she called back.

  The bike took off slowly but once out of the parking lot picked up speed. Piper turned her head to watch the street go by. It was an entirely different sensation than being in a car. For starters the wind rushed by, which was pleasant because the day was already warm. She felt as if she could reach out and touch everything she passed. It was invigorating.

  They stopped at a set of traffic lights near to the freeway.

  “You’re going to want to hold on real tight,” Tai yelled to her.

  She didn’t like the sound of that. Were they heading onto the freeway? She shuffled closer; when the lights turned green, Tai accelerated quickly and she forgot about not getting too close. She wrapped her arms around his stomach, holding on for dear life.

  If the city streets had been pleasant, this was terrifying. The world didn’t meander past: it flashed by in an instant. She almost shut her eyes, but pride made her keep them open. It felt like they were flying down the freeway, but they were traveling at the same speed as the cars – a speed that had never been an issue when she’d been encased in a steel cage. Now the reality of it surrounded her.

  Tai patted her hands and it was then she realized she had almost a death grip around his waist.

  Piper loosened her hold a fraction.

  Tai squeezed her wrists and she focused on relaxing one muscle at a time so her arms still circled him but were just resting against his jacket, ready to clench again if she needed to.

  Tai pointed to something above them, calling out words that were lost by the wind.

  Piper lifted her head and saw some kind of bird of prey, circling high above them. Did it feel terror in the rush of wind, or did it feel freedom?

  Or were they the same thing?

  Chapter 5

  Eventually Tai turned off the highway and slowed the bike. They passed a sign that read Queche Tribe of Texas. They had reached the reservation. Tall pine trees lined the road, shading it from the morning sun.

  Piper had never been on a reservation before – she had no idea what to expect. She doubted there would be tee-pees all over the place, but she wasn’t certain.

  They drove into a town with some municipal buildings and a school. Tai waved to someone, but continued through the settlement and took a narrow road leading deeper into the reservation. They rode into a clearing and he parked in front of a neatly kept brick house. He turned off the bike and took off his helmet.

  Not sure what she should do, she dismounted, stretching out the kinks of the long ride, and took off hers as well.

  An older woman came out of the door and called out something in another language. Tai grinned and responded, sweeping the woman up in a big hug. He was far taller than she was and he covered her.

  Piper waited where she was, not wanting to interrupt.

  The woman stepped back and noticed her. She said something to Tai and Tai beckoned Piper over.

  The woman was in her seventies, with her graying hair braided all the way down to her hips. She had the same brown eyes as Tai.

  “Piper, this is my grandmother, Eyota. Ka’ sa’, Piper is a reporter who is interested in doing a story on our people.”

  His grandmother glanced at him with questions in her eyes, but smiled and greeted Piper. “Come in. I’ve just prepared some iced tea.”

  The inside of the house was small, but clean and tidy. Piper took a seat at the round kitchen table and thanked Eyota for the tea.

  “Tell me how you met my Tai,” Eyota said.

  “We met through a mutual friend, and then my boss asked me to interview him for a profile series we’re doing on people of Houston.”

  “What type of profiles?” The question was innocent enough but there was suspicion in her tone.

  “The series is supposed to be about what the people are doing for Houston, but many of them will have a political slant,” she said, seeing no reason to lie. “Tai’s profile will be about his restaurant and whatever else he’d like me to cover.”

  “I see.” She turned to Tai. “How are your brother and cousin? They never visit me any more.”

  “Adahy is playing lots of gigs at the moment and he and George are getting ready to release his first single. Rayen is gearing up for college to start and I’m keeping her busy in the restaurant.”

  Rayen was one of the waitresses Piper had interviewed the night before. She hadn’t realized she was related to Tai.

  “Where are the kids?” he asked.

  “They’ve gone into the forest to play, but I told them to be back in time, so they shouldn’t be far.”

  What children? Was Tai married with kids? Piper acknowledged the pang of disappointment, but didn’t feel like she had the right to ask for clarification. She wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted her to see while she was here.

  “Ka’ sa’ looks after a number of children on the weekend whose parents aren’t able to for one reason or another.” He watched her, waiting.

  She got the feeling he wanted her to ask. “What kinds of reasons?”

  “Some of the parents here work long hours; others have drug and alcohol addictions or
suffer from depression.”

  Outside a mass of voices were shouting and laughing.

  “Why don’t you tell them you’re here?” Eyota suggested.

  Tai got to his feet and headed outside. Through the window, Piper saw him raise a hand in greeting.

  “Tai’s home!” someone yelled.

  Other voices joined in and Tai was suddenly surrounded by a dozen children aged between six and twelve. Tai laughed and greeted them all.

  Piper sat back in her chair. She never would have pictured him as a man who liked kids. But this man, here and now, was definitely a child magnet. Her heart warmed.

  “You’re surprised.” It wasn’t a question.

  Piper nodded. “When I met Tai he was …” How could she put it nicely? “… reserved.”

  “Tai trusts slowly. He has been through much in his life and it has taught him to be cautious.”

  “Many people think reporters are an untrustworthy bunch regardless,” Piper said and smiled at the woman.

  The woman nodded. “What story would you like about our tribe?”

  “The truth,” Piper said. “When I was given the assignment to interview Tai I realized I knew very little about the Native American cultures. When I researched it, I learned each tribe was different and I was shocked to read about the levels of poverty and despair in some of the reservations.”

  “Statistics don’t show everything. There are positive aspects too,” Eyota said.

  “That’s what I thought. I would like to do a whole series of articles about the tribe, both the positive and the negative. I’m a firm believer issues can’t be fixed until they are identified and discussed. Sometimes people in power don’t pay any attention until enough people protest about it.”

  “Did you know that few of us identify as Native American?” Eyota asked.

  Piper shook her head.

  “I am of the Queche tribe on my mother’s side and the Coushatta tribe on my father’s. If you want to use a generic term, I prefer indigenous.”

  “Can I ask why?”

  “Native American is too politically correct. All of the horrific things that happened to us happened to the American Indian, so the name glosses over that.”

  She would have to remember that. “Have you lived here your whole life?”