Always (Family Justice Book 1) (5 page)

“WE’LL STOP AT THE MAIN house first, Stephanie. That way you can check in with Carmen before heading off to Drae’s.”

Stephanie chuckled and started gathering herself together now that the car had turned onto the long drive leading to the compound. “Carmen is a treasure, Alex. I hope you know that. I’d kill for a housekeeper like her.”

“No argument there,” he answered drily. “She’s part drill sergeant, part Mother Superior, and part Julie the Cruise Director. The Villa would fall apart in less than a day without her directing every little thing that goes on there!”

“She’s been texting me. Apparently, she kept notes from my visits. I nearly died!” she chuckled. “Somewhere on her iPad is a list of my likes and dislikes. No, seriously,” she hiccupped with laughter when Alex looked at her like she was full of it. “Swear to God. She even picked up a supply of my favorite English breakfast tea.”

The pithy Marquez humor made an appearance when he quipped, “Well then, I guess she won’t get fired today.”

Stephanie grinned broadly and laid down some heavy Georgia twang. “Fire her. Oh please,
shugah
!” she drawled. “That woman is more valuable than anything the doctor ordered. I’d hire her away from you right now if I could.”

“Mmmm,” he chuckled, his chest wobbling from the rumbling laughter. “What am I supposed to do with all you high-handed women invading my manly world and upsetting the balance?”

“Why, Major Marquez, you poor, poor baby! Surrounded by smart, savvy ladies who, pardon my language, take no shit and never apologize for being totally awesome. What a horrible fate for a big, strong, manly man like yourself,” she cooed while dramatically batting her eyes.

His look of panicked indecision—
was she serious or just messing with him
—struck her as hilariously funny.
Men.
She sighed and let him off the hook with an excited burble of giggles.

“Relax,
shugah
,” she drawled slowly. “I’m just saying to enjoy the moment darlin’. Don’t be a putz about handing over control now that you’re going to be a respectable married man. The women of Family Justice are a gift. Meghan will make a spectacular wife for you, Major. Will she be at the Villa as well?”

He ran his palms along his trousers again, and she quickly hid a knowing snicker. She’d known this man for some time and never in all those years had he ever put out any sort of a sexual vibe. It was something she’d come to like and respect about Alex Marquez. It was those damned manners and the fact that obviously his mama had raised her boy right. They had a business relationship first and a friendship second. This was followed by a complicated union of endeavors with her as the pushy mother and him the good guy to the rescue. And finally now as quasi-family members connected through Victoria’s marriage to one of his Justice Brothers.

But, oh dear, sweet baby Jesus, since the curvy, vivacious Meghan O’Brien had come bursting into his life, she’d been causing all sorts of havoc and mayhem. And he’d been a simmering caldron of manly virility, set on the back burner, but always one-step short of boiling over. It was amusing and damn provocative, too.
Good for him
, she thought for the hundredth time. All bullshit aside, she was fond of Alex; he was one of the good guys. It was perfect and oh so right that the universe had dropped the Irish bombshell onto his lap.

Alex sat forward slightly and peered out the car window like he suddenly couldn’t wait to reach their destination. Lord, he was adorable.

“Yeah, she’ll be waiting for us,” he murmured. “Hopefully.”

It was downright refreshing to see such unabashed joy right in front of you. Especially since she’d known the serious, businesslike, impeccably sober side of the man. Why, the second she’d mentioned his lively fiancée, he was practically chomping at the bit to go find her.
Lucky gal
, Stephanie reflected.

In another minute, the big, sleek limo slowed to a stop amidst the clutter of vehicles scattered along the driveway. As usual, the hacienda, the actual main house of Villa de Valleja-Marquez and the hub of all things Justice within the compound, was a magnificent sight. Being here was like stepping into a different world. She was coming to appreciate the raw beauty and splendor of the Southwest.

The car door opened as Ben efficiently did the honors while Alex asked, “May I help you with anything?” He sounded distracted, and this time she did laugh at him.

“Oh, good Lord, Alex. Go find your woman and stop fussing over me. I’ll be along in a moment. You can be sure Ben will see to everything. Run along now.”

He leaned over and heartily kissed her cheek with a loud smooch. “You fucking rock, Ms. Bennett,” he chuckled. “Damn glad you’re here. We’ve got our work cut out for us, h
mmm
?”

She smirked in agreement and gave him a mild push out the car door. “Go find that wicked redhead to kiss.”

He laughed and then quite literally bounded from the car like an anxious puppy longing for his master. She watched in astonishment as Alex hurried along the walkway and flung open the heavy, wide Spanish door. She could just barely make out his booming voice as he called out, “Where’s my woman?” Wow. Was it petulant and bitchy to be jealous of someone else’s happiness?

She was leaning against the side of the car, absorbing the quiet natural beauty and the glory of a desert autumn day as Ben unloaded her luggage when she heard Carmen approach.

“Holà, Stephanie,” the Latino woman boomed. “Welcome back.”

She smiled warmly at the gregarious woman and grabbed hold for a genuine hug. Stephanie loved Carmen. A decade her senior and from a completely different culture, they’d become fast friends due more to their similarities than differences. Each was tenacious about family, doing the right thing and giving more than taking.

“It’s so good to see you, honey,” Stephanie gushed with a good dose of Southern drawl. Stepping back to smile broadly into the housekeeper’s face, she waggled an eyebrow and quirked a crooked grin. “Had to escape the kissing booth, h
mmm
?”

They both roared with laughter. Carmen nodded her head at the house and crowed in a conspiratorial whisper, “Still have the air conditioning on. From the heat. Wink, wink,” she finished with a hilarious exaggerated wink.

Wrapping her arm through Carmen’s, the two friends ambled up the walk, taking their good ol’ time so the young lovers could have their moment.

“Ah, true love, yes?” Carmen uttered on a sigh.

“Indeed,” Stephanie replied, hugging the other woman’s arm close. “Speaking of which, how’s Gus doing these days? Still behaving himself?”

“Oh, shhh!” Carmen gasped, her eyes darting around to make sure no one heard the comment. Lord, the lady was priceless. Didn’t matter how young or old you were when love appeared on your doorstep, well…

“Don’t you be shushing me, darling. That old coot finally take his head out of his butt and start wooing you or what?”

Speaking low, in a hushed whisper, Carmen said, “A little of both. Men, is that right?” she asked in that cute way she had when her emotions straddled two cultures.

“Yes, my friend. Men!”

They laughed and stopped right outside the door to the Villa. In her very best majordomo voice, Carmen waved her inside graciously and announced, “Welcome to the Love Shack.”

STEPHANIE WAS COMING DOWN OFF the emotional welcome at the Villa as she sat silently in the motorized cart on her way down the private road to the St. John homestead. Ben, as usual, was chatting away as he drove along. The bulk of her luggage had already been delivered from the limo so Tori and Draegyn knew she’d arrived and was on her way.

At the Villa, Meghan had been every inch the perfect other half to Alex’s old-world charm, greeting her with warmth and social grace like she’d been born to the role. She really liked the ladylike redhead. Alex’s fiancée had that va-va-va-voom quality Stephanie saw a lot of at work. But this lady was the real deal.

Friendly and outgoing, she had a delightful way of putting everyone around her at ease. Alex, of course, barely took his eyes off her. He positively radiated a chest-thumping male satisfaction at his choice of mates. Was there perhaps something in the water here that made so much love possible? Everyone, it seemed, had paired off. Even Gus and Carmen.

After a brief chat, Meghan let her know a family barbecue was on tap for the next day. Stephanie said her good-byes, conferred briefly with Carmen about her accommodations at Draegyn and Victoria’s house, and headed off into the late afternoon shadows.

As Ben steered them into the drive, she had to admit Draegyn’s home was spectacular. Right away, she noticed a profusion of planters in all sizes, shapes, and colors grouped in clusters along the edge of the massive wrap-around porch. Stephanie smiled. Tori’s influence, no doubt. The haphazard mish-mosh of pottery worked because of its disarray. The imperfection was the charm.

From the angle of their approach down the circular driveway, she couldn’t see the impressive addition Draegyn had designed that stretched off the master suite in the back, overlooking the desert valley. Victoria was over the moon with the new baby’s suite, sending her an endless stream of Instagram pictures.

The cart stopped at the foot of the wide-open steps leading to the massive porch. The front door flew open and a very pregnant Tori waddled forward with one hand pressed low on her back and the other acting as a sort of rudder to keep her balanced.

“Mom!” she cried out, love shimmering in her eyes.

“Oh,
shugah
,” Stephanie chirped. “Give mama a big kiss.”

She quickly swept up the stairs so her daughter didn’t have to navigate that belly any further and threw her arms around Victoria for an intense embrace.
Mothers always know
, she thought. With one hug, she felt Tori’s love, of course, but also her fear and something else.
Uh oh.
Pregnancy hormones were in full battle mode.
Damnation.

With her heavily pregnant daughter clasped tight against her chest, Stephanie looked over Tori’s shoulder and found Draegyn standing absolutely still with an expression of worry mixed with relief etched on his face. He was also giving off a sharp, expectant-father, deer-caught-in-the-headlights vibe. Recalling Alex’s statement that Tori’s husband could use some parenting, she held up an arm and motioned him to join the hug.

Noting his reaction with keen interest, she was gladdened by how swiftly he came forward. Looking down into the upturned face of his wife, he smiled, placed an arm around her bumped out waist then turned politely to Stephanie.

She was surprised when he grabbed her around the waist and warmly kissed her on the cheek. “I’m happy to see you, Stephanie.”

Returning the hug, she clasped her precious only child and the man Victoria had entrusted her life to, and tried to infuse them both with her love, affection, understanding, and support. This was her family now. Draegyn, Victoria, and that little rascal taking his sweet time arriving.

Stephanie was vaguely aware of Ben moving past them. He was making several trips to bring the rest of her travel bags into the house as the three of them hung there entangled in a tight sandwich hug with Draegyn and her supporting Victoria. Concern for her daughter was snaking along her system. She’d done her part and gotten the pregnancy into the last weeks with everyone healthy. Now it was time for Tori to sit back and quietly nest. Prepare for the challenge ahead.

Add to that, poor Draegyn himself.
Holy hairspray
. Stephanie almost didn’t know what to make of the anxious, overwrought, unshaven man. He was as big a mess, if not more so than the pregnant lady. What in the hell had she gotten herself into?

Ben came along and broke their affectionate reverie, announcing that all of her bags were in the foyer and inquiring of Draegyn whether he wanted him to take everything up to the mother-in-law suite.

“Oh, Mom!” Tori burbled excitedly as Draegyn slowly and gently got them moving toward the door. “Wait till you see the suite Draegyn designed for you! It’s so perfect and sweet with a private deck and a little meditation space. You’ll be right there, near the baby, but have your own mini-wing so you can have some privacy, too.”

Tori bestowed a beaming smile to her husband, who was guiding them along with a sheepish expression—he clearly wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of praise. Classic sign of an adult who hadn’t been the center of his parents’ universe. The lack of
atta’ boys
and
good job
high fives in his past meant Draegyn sometimes came across as cold and detached without a lot of warm fuzzies. She could only sigh.

Inside the house, Stephanie stopped and marveled at the glorious masterpiece Draegyn designed. The wood. The windows. The open spaces. The light. The stone fireplace. It was all just so perfect. So organic. It was going to be a terrific home in which to raise a family. Their child was one incredibly damn lucky baby.

Keeping a supportive arm wound around Tori’s waist, Stephanie watched, bemused as Drae and Ben commandeered her mountain of bags down a hallway next to the dining room.