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.
Thank you for reading and reviewing.
Stephanie POV
I shook my head and listened again. Nope. "Lu, can you listen to this message and tell me if you hear crazy or if it is just me?" She takes my phone and listens to the message. She whistles.
"Listen, Girl, your man sounds like his Mama is trippin on him. I know we agreed not to get pregnant any time soon, but I will support you on the whole adoption thing. My friend Rachel is a social worker and she can make some calls for you." Wow, I love Lu.
"Isn't it too soon, Lu? I mean I am only going to be 24 this year." She rolls her eyes at me.
"That is what happens when you get married. Now let me make the call and get the ball rolling. Don't you act like you agree right away neither. That man needs to be trained. What nerve! Sending you a voice message like that. He needs to go on a private walk with you and give you flowers and buy toys and all of that to convince you first. Plus, let his Mama butter you up. I heard she likes to cook, Girl."
I smiled and hugged Lu. She was right. Mateo was not getting off the hook about this any time soon. Besides, if we did the legwork, it would get done right. I called him and he answered the phone like he was chasing someone.
"Hello, Mitch. Did you get my message?" Wow, he is really high strung about this.
"Sure, Mateo, but did you really ask me about adoption?" He sighs.
"Baby, I am twenty seven years old and I have been thinking that we could be good parents. Once the building is completed, the guys will move out and we have the space. What do you think?" Nope. Not good enough.
"Let me think about it, Mateo. How are things going over there?" He talks about the furniture and the offices and that he is hiring his sister to be their in house lawyer. That's nice.
"So, Mama called about this weekend, Mitch. She wanted to make sure that you would come as well." Of course I was going, is he high?
"Yes, Mateo, I will be there. How is Miss Larissa and Mr. Cristobal?"
"They are fine, baby. I miss you. Can we talk about adopting more later? I cannot stop thinking about it." He is so cute like this.
"Sure, Mateo, we can discuss it later. I have another client coming in so I have to go. See you later. I love you." I hang up and an older black woman barges into my office with Lu following her.
"I don't need an appointment, Girly. Edna told me to come and see her little grandbaby about fixing up my store. I have taken over Pleasure Treasures and I want to change the image to a more understated theme. Give me some ideas. I brought some cookies." I like her already.
"Well, Miss.." She interrupts me.
"I am Mrs. Minnie Washington, dear. Eat a cookie. The both of you are too thin. You are not on diets are you? If you are not careful, that little wedding ring will fall right on off of your finger. Now I want the ladies to know that they can come in and things will be discreet. Everyone needs some spice in their life, you know." I sit back and eat the cookies. They are delicious.
"Mrs. Washington, we will take your case and I am sure that we can come over tomorrow to look at your floor plan. Here is a contract for our services." She signs the contract and leaves quickly. She said that time is money and she is making hers. I like her. Lu just shrugs.
Next is Mr. Yusef Morgan and he owns the car washes called Sparkling Touch and Detailing. He sat down and took a cookie.
"So, what do you ladies suggest I do to make my car washes better?" I looked over his business plan while Lu worked on his logo. I made a call and Ric agreed.
"Yusef, you are now going to be the official car wash for Rangeman. Get them for security. Lu is working on your logos and we are changing your uniforms. We suggest different music at the businesses and we can do a walk through tomorrow. What time is good for you?" He smiles.
"I like y'all. My granny said I should give y'all a holler and she was right. I am cool with first thing in the morning, homegirl." I handed him the contract for service and he signed it and left after he took some more cookies.
Lu sat on the corner of my desk and sighed. "Girl, I am about to leave. The guys are still here doing the installation, but me and Doctor Bob have a date." I hug her.
"No problem, Lu. I will wait here and lock up. I will attach your keyfob to your keys when I get home. Have a nice time." She laughs and runs out of the office. I am happy for her that she found someone.
Lester POV
"Ric, do you like these tricycles?" I show him a website on my laptop. He looks at it.
"Les, those are too small for us to use as a part of the fleet." I laugh.
"No, Ric. I am thinking about adopting." He sighs and shakes his head at me.
"Lester, you do not start with toys. You start with making a plan. You will have to consider daycare, security, maybe a guard or a nanny and your work schedule." He sounds like he wants to put a lowjack on my future kid.
Tank walks over. "Both of y'all are wrong. You need to talk to your wife, man. She is not the stay at home type and if she did not want a baby yet, she will not want an infant. Maybe you should get two kids. I am an only child and I did not like it. This way they will have a little homie to hang with. Can you handle two kids? Hey! We can open a daycare here on like the second floor and then it will already be secured! We can do background checks on everyone!" He runs off to call Lu. Ric just shakes his head.
"You can make them wear these ankle bracelets, Lester and you will always know where they are! Let me make a call and see if I can get miniature bullet proof vests. Our schedules are packed tomorrow with meetings. I have Hector working in procurement and we have interviews in the afternoon, but I can definitely work on this ankle bracelet idea for you. Tia Larissa will be pleased."
He walks away from me. I don't even have the kids yet or my wife's consent and the guys are excited. Antonio and Ram are over at their building doing the install or I know they would be giving me their input as well. I love my wife and I just hope she agrees to this.
At the end of the day, I go to collect my beautiful Mitch and I find her dancing with Antonio and Ramsey. I give them the raised eyebrow and they hug her and leave. She looks so pretty still. I know she had a long day.
I hug her. "Hey there, beautiful lady. Are you ready to go home?" She smiles and we kiss.
"Sure, Mateo. Let me lock up and grab my bag." We had carpooled today. I know we cannot do that tomorrow because we both have meetings. I take down her hair and she blushes at me.
"Mitch, please will you consider adopting children with me?" She blinks at me.
"Children, Mateo?" Oh boy.
"Yes, so that they can be a team and not be alone, Mitch." She smiles at me and we get into the car.
"Mateo, we need to consider whether we are ready. I mean we have not spent much time together yet. There is daycare to think about and I do not want to be a stay at home mother. That means that the kids would come to work with me sometimes." I smile because she did not say no.
"Mitch, I know that the process will take time and I just want us to get started. Yes, my Mama gave me the idea, but she is right. There are children out there that need homes. I promise to do my part in this and not to take you for granted. Let's change our clothes and take a walk before dinner. I will even cook!" She giggles at my enthusiasm and we go to change our clothes. I feel good about this.
Lula POV
"Lu, Baby, I want you to know that I have enjoyed spending time with you and I know the building is just about ready for us to move in." Really? He is moving out on me? Is he breaking up with me? I will cut him.
"Yes, things seem to really be coming along, Bobby." I stop walking and prepare for him to give me the rest of his speech. I am strong, I can take it.
He grabs my hand. "Will you please allow me to stay with you permanently? You are so wonderful and I love you, Lu."
Wow. I was not expecting this. He is a handsome and intelligent man. He had tried to go on our runs with us, but I told him that it was my time with my girl and he could go and chase his own friends. He even understood that and Juliet liked him. Why is he frowning? Oh!
"I love you, too, Bobby." He grabs me and we kiss for a long time right there in the park.
"Girl, I thought you did not feel the same way. I was getting worried." I lean into his embrace.
"Hell no! I love your sexy ass. Yes, you can move in and we can split the bills and all of that. I will give you my lawyer's and accountant's information. If we are going to do this, then we will do it right and besides, the house is a tax shelter." He kissed my cheek.
"I love that you are so smart, Lu. Now let's go home. How do you feel about meeting my parents next week?" Good boy. I was wondering when he would bring that up. I have to call Granny Bea.
"I will call my Granny Bea so she can come and visit us and yes I will meet your parents, Bobby." We hug again and drive to the house.
Steph was going to be so happy for me! I ain't getting married yet like her crazy silly self, but she did get her a good man. Nope, when I get married, I am having a big wedding so everyone will know that this man, my man is off the market permanently. Maybe I should start planning now. It can be a winter wedding! I will have to think about this.
Ranger POV
I knocked on her door and she cracked it again. She knew I was coming. "Password?" She kills me.
"Funnel cake, Madison." She smiles and comes out wearing another yellow dress with brown wedge heels and her hair down. I take her hand and lead her to the car.
"Where are you taking me for dinner, Ricky?" I smile at her.
"I am taking you to Bella Mariposa. It is owned by my cousin Diego." She stops walking and stares at me.
"Are you crazy? If we go somewhere that your family owns, then your family will know that I am dating you. Are you ready for that? I know Latin mothers and I am not ready for yours to be pressuring me on top of my own. She calls me every day lamenting the fact that I am not married yet and why won't I just date her friend's son Nino."
She makes a good point. Maria Manoso was a force of nature, but I mostly tune her out when she calls. She has my sisters to nag and she is glad that I am back home safely, so she might give me another month or two before she starts with me. Who am I kidding? Diego's brother Juanye would tell my mother all about Madison. I really like her, though. I take a deep breath.
"Madison, I really like you. Maybe we should make a pact. We will face our mothers and tell them that we will get married when we are ready and that we are just dating right now. You are strong; I know you can do it." She smiles at me and jumps me. We kiss right there in front of her house. I pull away and look at her.
"Fine, Ricky, but you had better hold up your end of the deal. I am not getting engaged yet, so do not ask me. I will let you know when I am ready. Come on and take me to the family restaurant. Do not do that staring at me thing. People will think you are smitten or something." She is so cute with her feisty self.
"Maybe I am smitten, Madison." She smiles and gets into the car. I fasten her seatbelt and kiss her gently.
"Maybe I am smitten, too, Ricky. Don't let it go to your head." I won't. I get into the car and drive us to dinner. I really like this girl.