I do not own JE's characters. I just like to play with them.
A/N: This a new story. Brace yourself, Babes, this is a TART. I welcome your reviews and input. The rating is for some scenes and language. This is where my muse took me today.
This is just a quick chapter to let you know I am not abandoning the story. Thank you for reading and reviewing.
Stephanie POV
I was trying really hard to focus on work, but it was proving an exercise in futility. I had a wonderful wake-up call this morning. My husband would have gotten all tens from the Olympic judges if I let them into the bedroom. It had started out as a sneak attack that had me begging him for release. He had just ramped up the torture and showed me a few new tricks.
Our enthusiastic morning activities were halted by Lu who told me that she would come in and get me if she had to and that she had left her man on simmer, so I needed to get my bony butt out of bed. I was thrilled that she called me bony and I had left Mateo panting while I dressed in sweats and sprinted out the door. I know I am marked below my neckline and surprisingly, all over my back, but hey, at least I know my husband loves me.
At our building, we had one whole section for the kids to use as a learning center with laptops and dry erase boards and books. This area overlooked the play area which was the entire floor. We designed it to resemble a forest. The kids could get into teams and play laser tag. The office was also on the upper level, but a person needed to get past security to get into the office. Lu and I decided to hire Madison because she had lots of energy and she could supervise the kids that were playing.
Currently we were doing signups for the children and they were coming in with their parents and grandparents. There were a surprising number of grandparents signing up their grandchildren. It was kind of weird. Lu just laughed and told me that they did not want to be babysitters anymore and they wanted to have fun, too. We limited the number of kids that could come to 35 until we hired more help and according to our business plan, that should be around October. I was not worried. Things were going smoothly and I really think we should be good for an August opening.
As far as our consulting business, we had appointments with several local businesses this week and our first clients were arriving soon. I was wearing a suit with a short skirt and it was grey with a bright blue blouse and blue heels. My hair was in a loose bun and Lu was in a red suit with a white stretchy blouse. Her hair was pinned up with chopsticks. We were both still armed. There was a knock on the door and Ranger came in with Tank following him. They were dressed in blue and silver suits and they had briefcases.
I led them to the seating area and offered them drinks. Ranger sighed. "Steph, why are you making us do this? When can I send the guys over to install your system and cameras?" I smiled at him.
"Perception in everything, Ranger. People will see you leaving here looking all polished. You are good advertising for us." He smiled at me.
"So, why didn't you make Lester do this?" I grinned at him.
"Mateo in a suit would not be good for business because I would be all over him. You will notice that Bobby is also not here. Now leave and smile at people on your way out. Send the guys over to do our system. I think you guys should use grey, black, white and turquoise as your color palette." They nod again and leave giving the waiting ladies a thrill, especially when they smiled and held open the door for them. Heh heh. This was almost too easy.
Lester POV
I love my wife. She is adventurous and loving and damn she is good in bed. Mitch said that I could not come to her fake business meeting today because she would jump me, but that is alright. It gives me more time to help the guys with our building. Things were really taking shape.
The guys agreed with me that we should let Mitch and Lu observe the people we want to hire so that they could help us to weed out problem people. I know the girls can handle themselves and that they could probably pass our fitness tests, too. My wife was very flexible. I am such a lucky man. I smiled again as I thought about this morning. My phone rang and it was Mama.
"Si, Mama?" I know that Larissa Santos does not make calls for no reason.
"Are you really coming this weekend to the fiesta, Lester?" Yup.
"Sure, Mama, and Mitch will be there as well." She already agreed.
"Listen, Lester, you are my son and I love you, but you are not doing your duty to la familia." What was she talking about?
"Ma, I am married and I do not do drugs. I am partners in a business and along with my wife, I own my own home. We even have a dog. What are you talking about?" She never just gets to the point.
"When will you try for bambinos?" My mother is crazy.
"Mama, I cannot tell you that because I have to discuss it with Mitch. We will make that decision together. Now I just got home two weeks ago, what is your rush?" She sighs.
"Your aunt Florencia called and she is expecting two nietos, Lester!" I laughed. Is everything a competition with her? She must have already called Alicia and been turned down. Leesh would not be rushed. She was a corporate lawyer and she was into her career. She was a year older than me and it was starting to drive my mother crazy.
"What about adopting, Lester?" She wants grandchildren badly.
"Mama, I promise to bring it up with Mitch, but we were going to wait a year at least." She sucks in a breath and then I hear her saying Hail Mary's. Now she was sobbing.
"First you go away on some James Bond thing and I cannot talk to you and Maria cannot talk to Ricky. Then you come back and say surprise I am married. Now you want to be a workaholic and I will never get to make little baby blankets and booties and take pictures of my nietos! I need grandchildren, Lester. Make it happen! Your father says hello and to make it a boy. I told Cris that he can do the same things with a girl. Please adopt, Lester. It is faster. Tell your Estefania. Okay, bye."
She hung up. I sighed and called Mitch. Her phone went to voicemail and I left her a message to let me know if she wants to adopt a baby or a small child with me. She was going to flip when she called me back. I just hope she can help me to talk my mother down off of her ledge.