Chapter 55

I ran from the man cave before they started the inquisition and headed to where I knew I'd be safe. I got to the top step and took in the scene. Star was in the kitchen with Momma G. She was showing her something with dough, they hadn't noticed me. Maureen was talking to Chris asking her if she could help her make calls tomorrow she was making a list of who she needed to contact regarding Star and Jake and Carol was sitting pretty on the stool looking like she was posing like a pin up girl and my baby came running up to me and tried to jump up on me. I laughed.

"Oh it's just you I thought it was Luca. So where is that tall drink of water and how did the 'talk' go?"

I scratched Beast's head and he flopped to the floor wanting more. I told him to go down with his daddy and he trotted down the stairs.

I came close and noticed something familiar, "Hey isn't that my favorite pink sweater and how the last time you borrowed it you almost forgot to give it back."

Maureen smiled, "No if I recall we went to her house for a sweater rescue since she kept saying it wasn't there and we found it in her spare closet."

Carol went to the mirror, "Come on CJ you know I don't have anything else to wear and I wanted to make a good impression on our new family. Are you going to make me take it off?"

I smiled. I knew someone who would love that. Her with no sweater on. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Only if you promise to get it dry cleaned and back in one piece. So what else have you been up to?"

Chris came over to me with her hands on her hips, "Not so fast there lady we have to talk, don't you ever do what you did today I swear Will was about to lose his mind and he was so scared that you would put yourself in danger it was hard to see him deal with it and for me I swear I had to use all my relaxing techniques with him and they did help me too but you can't do that again you aged me and the only other time I felt like this was when you were gone those 7 days and CJ I can't afford to get older I am still looking for Mr. Right and working with you two is not any good for my social calendar."

I looked at her and she looked like she wanted to cry, "I'm sorry Chris it's been a hell of a day can you forgive me Will has and I think all of my sisters too. So how about a glass of wine? I could really use it."

Maureen grabbed the bottle on the counter, "Wait why do you need wine? Oh no, did Casanova screw up? I swear all he had to do was tell you he's loved you since the first day you two met and it would have been settled."

She asked who wanted a glass and all of us raised our hands, even Star. I shook my head and she rolled her eyes grumbling she was almost an adult. Maureen went to get the glasses and Momma G turned to her and started to wag her finger.

"I don't think so young lady you have 7 years before alcohol should be touching those lips of yours I am so glad you ladies are here to help me out, she is a handful and will probably take all of us to raise."

Star put her arm around Momma and gave her a kiss. "You still love me, you can't help it I am a precocious impressionable girl."

Momma laughed and swatted her backside.

We all toasted to Love and Carol asked, "CJ did cowboy screw up oh dammit did you come by yourself I could have sworn I heard all of you talking downstairs did you stop to talk to the fellas before coming up here?"

I smiled, "He did but he made a spectacular recovery Star he used a song he heard in the car with you earlier and lucky for him I liked that song. He bought the CD Player from an ice cream vendor since he happened to be playing the song on a CD. Oh no I left the player on the truck I need to get that back."

"Wait the 38 special song? Yeah I said it reminds me of you two, he listened and he agreed. Glad I could assist Boss Man from what I hear he needs all the help he can get."

I nodded, "We walked over with Luca and Devin. They are here and are downstairs talking to the rest of the men folk. It was getting a little hairy down there so that's why I escaped. So did I cover everything?"

Maureen rolled her eyes, "Nope. That's not everything I think you are leaving some things out sis. What do you mean he recovered? How could he screw that up? Jeez all the man had to say is I love you to the moon and back and you'd fall into a puddle of goo and you two would kiss and make wedding plans and we'd have babies by the end of this year so what's so hard about that?"

I spit my wine out and some landed on my favorite sweater.

"Oh no I am not paying for dry cleaning if you're the one that messed it up. Darn CJ what's got into you?"

What had got into me? Hearing Maureen plot out my future with Houston? Wedding, could it be possible? Babies oh my that was a lot to take in but not something impossible now. Right?

"Earth to CJ comeback girl you didn't tell us what happened, the way he dragged you out of the bar earlier it looked like he was upset what set him off, Popeye wanted to go teach him some manners and Uncle Roy was asking Tiny if he could help him and he said something about feathers? Oh and Will said he betted Too Mean that he would finally get it right. He's a romantic at heart, why didn't you tell me about him calling you Sunshine?"

I looked at Maureen aww. Maybe there was a love match there, she would be so good for Will and Will had an open mind and wouldn't feel threatened by a woman that could be smart and sexy.

I looked at all of them. I would give them some of the details but I really needed to tell them about my feeling of being watched and what had happened at the beach. They could be in danger and I could not live with myself if anything happened to any of them.

"Hey boss lady, did he use any other songs?" Star asked as she took out a tray of Lasagna from the oven and placed it on the counter behind her. My stomach growled.

Carol quipped, "Why do we have an appetite sis? Hmm did we seal the deal? Did we finally do the horizontal mambo the Texas twostep…"

"Carol shush we have a minor here, Star go to your room."

"Are you serious Carol I'd have sand in places that I don't want sand in and in public nope, I believe that was you in Mexico remember our trip to Acapulco."

Star looked confused at Maureen, Momma and me.

"I technically don't live here so what room Maureen? Momma, what did she mean by seal the deal and horizontal mambo and CJ why would you have sand in places you didn't want? Beast did that to me and yeah very uncomfortable, oh and what did Carol do in Acapulco?"

Momma gave Carol and me a stern look and then to Star, "you really going to ask me this missy? After hearing you and that mouth that needed to be washed out with soap the last time you and Sarah were together? Oh and finding out how old you really are? Don't let that innocent face fool you ladies, she is smarter than she looks."

We all agreed and I asked how much longer for dinner that I was starving. Momma G said soon and asked how we met up with Luca and Devin?

I looked at them and knew I had to tell them about what I felt at the beach. I stood up and looked at the patio door wide open and easy for anyone to come in and try to harm my family.

I walked over and closed the curtains. Carol followed me, "Why are you doing that, it's a beautiful night and the breeze that's coming off the water feels great in here, you love having the doors and windows open what gives sis?"

I pulled her back to the rest of the girls, "I need to tell you guys what else happened at the beach and how we met up with Devin and Luca."

"Did Boss man and Popeye fight? Oh no I want them to get along, they are so alike and I don't want any fighting in my new family."

Star looked like she wanted to cry. Momma placed her arm around her but looked at me. It felt like she could see right through me. It reminded me of Uncle Roy when I tried to hide something from him.

"CJ that's not it is it? What's going on those men got awfully quiet after you came up here and I'm surprised Luca isn't up here trying to get your sister there to marry him so what's going on?"

Chris came closer as did Maureen.

"Momma please he needs to date me before I'll even consider marrying him but he's got a good chance. I can tell he's special, not like the guys I've dated before. He makes me feel like I am the only woman in the room in a room full of people."

I smiled so maybe she would let him in. Carol was so guarded and afraid to believe in love growing up with parents that made it a habit of marrying and divorcing partners like it was a contest. She had vowed she'd never get married and would devote her life to her career.

I put my arm around her. "He is really smitten with you sis. You should have heard him on the way over here asking for any details regarding you and I wanted to talk to you before I gave him too much information so are you going to give him a chance?"

"The odds are in his favor and that body of his is just an added bonus."

Maureen covered Star's ears, "Minor jeez Carol, no more wine for you, we have to be proper in front of her, we need to set a good example."

"I can still hear all of you and eww Carol you're talking about my Brutus stop it ick!"

"Brutus what wait you call him Brutus, why oh wait because of Popeye right? So you can't be Olive Oyl?

Star smiled, "he calls me Sweet Pea. I thought it was a pet name but he rented some Popeye the Sailor man cartoons to show me why he calls me Sweet Pea, he says it's because Popeye always takes care of Sweet Pea and makes sure Sweet Pea is safe, even though he pretends I know he always keeps an eye out for me right momma."

I bit my lip and looked at Carol. She was speechless.

"Damn the man is too good to be true, oh my heart."

Chris asked, "So momma are you Olive Oyl and who's Wimpy?"

Momma laughed, "Wimpy has to be my Tiny. I am not Olive Oyl, that would be Popeye's special girl and sadly he doesn't have anyone. Maybe you two could get together Chris, you will like him a little bit of a grump but once you peel all the layers you couldn't ask for a better man."

"Oh no ma'am I have a boyfriend he's just out of town and I really like him."

She looked at me and had a sad smile. Before I got to stick my foot in my mouth Maureen spoke.

So can we get back to the topic at hand? One I'm guessing Cowboy and you are a thing now officially?"

I smiled, "Yes and no. I want us to take it slow, I don't want to be a distraction and I still have some reservations about how he really feels about me. He was going to get married 8 months ago and now he wants to have another serious relationship. I want to take it slow and we still don't know what's going to happen with Jake. I told him he is my top priority but we came to a compromise. In 2 months we will take that next step together whatever is happening in our lives we would move forward. You should have seen him trying to change it to 1 month. I got to give him some credit but nope, I'm sticking to my guns. 2 months and hopefully he thinks I'm worth the wait."

Carol snorted, "He will be if not my soon to be boyfriend has a grumpy friend that I know would do anything you ask him to do right Momma."

"Okay that's as much as we are going to get out of you I'm sure other things happen but in the current company we can't get into detail so why are we shutting the world out CJ?"

I stepped away and leaned on the back of the couch. "When I left Houston on the boardwalk and went to the beach to get away from him I could have sworn he was keeping an eye on me after I asked him to stay away but I knew he couldn't when we made up I asked him where was he hiding and he got quiet and started to search around and pulled me close and told me he had stayed where I left him like I asked that it wasn't him that I felt was watching me."

They all were quiet. What did I expect? I just dropped a huge bomb on them and now I had to tell them they might be targets because of me.

"Did Cowboy see anything? How about you, wait you said you've been feeling like someone's been watching you and now this confirms it. Oh My God CJ you could have been taken again."

Carol came to me and hugged me, "that can't happen again, we can't lose you. Cowboy won't survive it."

I held back my tears. I still had to give them more bad news.

"So how did you meet up with my boys CJ?"

I told them that I had wanted ice cream and Houston took me to get some and was figuring out how he was going to call for help when they happened by. Houston told them what was going on and how they did not hesitate to ensure I was safe.

"That's my boys would give you the shirt off their backs and the last dime in their pockets. I'm glad they were there to help, maybe they scared whomever was following you."

"Yes I felt safe knowing they are here. But there is another thing, Devin brought it up since they've been following me for who knows how long all of you might be in danger too. I'm sorry for bringing my situation to all of you. If I could get far away from all of you to ensure that you are all safe I would. But I can't leave him, Jake…."

I broke down in Carol's arms. I had been holding it in but I was tired. I could only be strong for so long and I wanted a good cry with my sisters and my female family members. I didn't want to do this in front of the guys. I didn't want to show them I was fragile or I'd never have a moment of peace.

"Go ahead and cry, it's been a bitch of a day and you've handled it all with poise. I'm proud of you, after all of this you are worried about us? I for one have my own bodyguard so I have nothing to worry about. My guy won't let anyone or anything harm me or my family."

I shook my head and whispered for only her to hear, "He's a really nice guy, a little flirty but I think it's his way of dealing with his nervousness and trying to keep things light. Don't break his heart Carol, Momma might have your head if you do."

They all came around us and we hugged in a circle. I knew I had nothing to fear, we would figure it out we had too much at stake.

"You are right Carol he will become your shadow, he is special please don't hurt him or I might have to hurt you."

"Don't worry momma, I for one am not going to let this damped our time together I need to go home tonight since I have work tomorrow I wonder if my guy would mind coming along and I think we should open up the doors and windows to show whoever is out there that we aren't afraid of them, they can't harm us and that's what we need to show we will not be intimidated."

Carol pulled me with her and I was hesitant, "Carol let's just wait till the guys come upstairs, okay?"

"Nope, we are going to show those creeps that they don't scare us. Come on sis, let's open up the drapes and have a dance party on the balcony."

Star squealed, "Dance party? Count me in, CJ where's Boss man's stereo. We need music."

I didn't move and Carol rolled her eyes. She went to pull the curtains away and went to stand on the balcony pulling me with her.

"Star where's that music!"

Before I could pull back two shadows came over the balcony one had grabbed Carol's wrist and the other was coming at me.

The last thing I remember was me screaming and an arm pulling me into the darkness.