Hot & Spicy: De La Cruz Saga (4 page)

I only have a few hours left of mi leave and I want to enjoy every minute of it
, thought Chris as he stops to give his mama and tias un beso.

“Mis niños, you two make sure to have lots of fun y make sure to be safe,” said Tia Maria. Las tias gave them their blessings.

“Paty are you ready for the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration?” asks Alex as he sits down between Bella y Paty, looking at Jose Enrique.

“Si primo you know it,” said Paty. “Bella, Erica, y yo went ayer to get our dresses fitted.”

“Si hermano we got our dresses fitted, and of course mi dress is the prettiest,” said Bella with a grin at Paty.

“Well I think that Erica is supposed to have the prettiest dress this time,” said Alex as he looks at his sweet hermana.

Bella and Paty are always trying to take the spotlight, but Alex always thought that Erica is the hottest of la familia primas.

“Oh hermano you always say such sweet things,” said Erica as she looks at her bella prima y hermana. “You know that Bella and Paty are the hottest,” said Erica smiling taking a bite of her dinner.

“Erica you’re just as bella as la prima y hermana,” said Alex as he looks at Jose Enrique for some help as he kicks him.

Jose Enrique looks up from his meal to look at Erica. “You know angel you are just as bella as las primas,” said Jose Enrique with a smile. “You have lots of great qualities that will make tu esposo muy feliz someday.”

“Yeah, hermana,” said Bella. “We cannot all look the same. We are all different, but we are all bella y unique.”

“I agree with los primos, Erica. I don’t know why you’re so quiet but, I know that your muy bella,” said Paty. “I know that there are a lot of chicos waiting for you to notice them at work.”

“I’m not quite. It’s just that I’m not as rowdy y loud as you guys are,” said Erica as she smiles at all los primos.

I know that los primos worry about me
, thought Erica. “I will be fine, y I will dance all night at the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration with the SEALs that Chris will be bringing.”
Oh boy. Now I really have to dance with the SEALs
, thought Erica.

“Erica, Bella, Paty. Come and help clean up,” calls out Tia Maria.

“Coming tia,” said Paty. Bella y Erica also stands up to go help.

Jose Enrique turns to look at Alex. “Why are you so concerned with Erica? Do you really think that la prima is too quiet y shy to attract un hombre?” asks Jose Enrique looking at Erica walk away.

“No,” answers Alex as he looks at las primas walk away. “I just think that maybe she is often by herself when we are all together, and I think that we need to involve her more,” said Alex.

“I see. I will try to pay more attention to what’s going on with la prima Erica. Maybe Chris’s SEAL bud will be a good candidate for Erica. Chris has already mentioned his SEAL bud to me. Chris thinks his SEAL bud y la prima Erica will hit it off for some reason. You know sometimes we see something that other people don’t see,” said Jose Enrique shaking his cabeza.

“Yeah, you’re right,” said Alex. “You look like you’re feeling better. You looked y acted like shit on Friday primo,” said Alex as he looks into Jose Enrique’s ojos with relief.

“Well, primo on Friday I was a little stress out with la familia expecting to meet mi novia. Mi novia had to go out of town on business. I was just a little upset,” Jose Enrique explains as he takes a drink of his Corona.

“Okay, that is understandable,” said Alex as he stands up to help clear the tables.

“It looks like los primos disappeared before we can get them to help us clear the area,” said Tony as he limps back from la casa.

“That’s what you get for tormenting las primas all the time,” said Alex shaking his cabeza as he arranges the chairs.

“Oh, but it’s so much fun primo,” said Tony. “We don’t get to torment the las loca bebes very often.” Tony grins as he starts to throw away the cerveza bottles y soda cans.

“One of these days primo all las primas are going to get you at the same time y don’t expect me to help,” said Alex as he walks away.

“Tony I need you to have all the plans ready for our client in the morning,” said Jose Enrique as he walks up to his tios “Adios familia.”

“Mi hijo wait,” said Jose Enrique’s papa. “I want to ask you a few things,” catching up reaching out to catch his brazo. Jose Enrique stops y smiles at his papa.

“Si papa,” said Jose Enrique.
I wonder if it has anything to do with mi novia. I know that he heard mis primos making bets y joking around. Mi papa just wants to know if it is true or not.

“Mi hijo I heard that you have una novia, that she is the one that you intend on marrying. Why haven’t you informed us on tu intentions? Jose Enrique, tu mama y yo always believed that you would come to us to discuss marriage. We thought you would discuss your intentions of taking such an important step en tu vida. Are we going to have the pleasure of meeting tu novia before the wedding takes place?” asks papa Francisco gazing into his hijo’s ojos.

I’m so troubled that Jose Enrique has lost todo el amor, respect, y faith en su mama y yo
, thought papa Francisco.
I can see that he is realizing that he has neglected to keep us in the loop about a very important step he is contemplating on taking. Gracias dios mio, I can see he did not intend to, and what a relief this is.

“I’m sorry papa. I didn’t mean to keep you y mi mama out of mis plans. This is all transpiring so quickly. I haven’t had an opportunity to speak to you y mi mama. All I did was make a comment to mi loco primos, y the next thing I knew, everybody knows. Of course I will bring mi novia over to meet you y mi mama soon,” said Jose Enrique grinning, “I promise it will be soon. Then you y mi mama will be running after sus nietos before you even know it.”

I just cannot keep from laughing. Oh boy. What if mi novia did not work out? I think that la familia will understand if it comes to an end. All relationships are a risk, and maybe this will work out. It will of course. I am confident, because of what Paty has disclosed to me about mi novia. I truly have a feeling mi novia is special. Paty was real excited when she informed me about her.

“Mi hijo don’t tease us. Tu mama and I have been waiting a long time for more nietos,” laughs Papa Francisco shaking his cabeza. He rubs his neck as he glances over at his adorada esposa Queta.
I know that mi Queta is going to be extremely feliz when Jose Enrique’s bebe is finally here.

“Okay papa, I’m going to rest. Mañana is a busy day y I want to be rested. Okay, I love you,” said Jose Enrique giving his papa a hug y his mama a smile, “buenas noches.”

“Que dios te bendiga, mi hijo,” said papa Francisco as he blisses his hijo.

CHAPTER FIVE
 

WHAT
A
HERMOSO
DIA
,
THOUGHT
Jose Enrique as he starts the carro. I think I will drive to work with the convertible top down.

He backs out of drive way whistling to his favorite song on the stereo.
I know that mi novia is showing up today. I hope that she is as bella as Paty
states.

Jose Enrique arrives at la familia compania parking garage. He parks his baby in his special parking spot. He then walks to the elevator. Jose Enrique runs into Tony.

“Tony you’re ready for the meeting with our clients?” asks Jose Enrique pushing the button for the elevator. “You know that they are very special y real demanding. I know that you have been working hard on this project. They should be here in an hour.”

“Si the project is ready for the presentation,” said Tony as he pushes the button inside the elevator. “The presentation should be over by noon,” said Tony, walking into the elevator.

“That sounds great Tony. I have a meeting with mi novia y Paty at one. Mi novia will be here today to present a project for the interior design for our office buildings,” said Jose Enrique with a grin stepping into the elevator.

I know that this information will spread quickly y that the entire familia will know in about five minutes, thought Jose Enrique. Maybe I should tell Ms. Jones that la familia will be calling, and to advise them that I am busy at meetings all day. I can just see all their caras.

“You’re kidding! Tu novia will be here today?” asks Tony as he glares at Jose Enrique. “And you’re just telling me now? You know that I have a very important meeting with our clients from New York this afternoon. You did this on purpose. You don’t want any of la familia to meet tu novia, do you?”

“La familia will meet mi novia,” said Jose Enrique calmly with a smile.
I know this is killing la familia.

“You better advise Bella y Ricky not to even try to walk into the meeting. I will have the door locked. I will introduce you to mi novia after the meeting, okay?” said Jose Enrique in his firm CEO voice.

“Okay, I will keep Bella y Ricky away from tu office. I will tell them you will introduce tu novia to us after the meeting,” said Tony very displeased. “I don’t know why you’re being so secretive. You have never kept any secrets from us before. You have been acting very strange lately.”

Jose Enrique turns to look at him with a smile. He then walks away toward his office as soon as the elevator doors open waving at his primo.

Jose Enrique starts whistling as he enters his office. He turns around to close the door y puts his briefcase on the floor near his desk.

Great, nobody is waiting for me. Maybe I can get a little more information from Paty before the first meeting starts thought
Jose Enrique. He picks up the phone to call Paty. Wow, just before he starts to dial, Paty runs into his office all excited and flushed. She looks like she is in a hurry. She closes and locks the door as soon as she enters the office. Paty always gets flush cheeks when she’s excited.
I wonder what she is up to now
. Jose Enrique laughs shaking his cabeza.

“Paty I was going to call you. What’s up? Why are you running and locking mi door?” asks Jose Enrique, laughing at her.

“Bella just called me. She said that she will be here in a few y wants some answers,” whispers Paty. “I don’t want her to find me, y you know what she wants to know.” Paty turns to look at her hermano with huge light brown ojos. “Oh hermano you look so guapo. What did you do different?” asks Paty as she blinks.

I know I look good. I took extra care in dressing this morning.
“I don’t know what you mean. I look the same as always,” said Jose Enrique, looking secretive y confident.

“Well, I don’t know what you did, but I like it. I can see that you took extra care to meet tu novia. Just make sure you are ready at one. Please don’t be late. Tu novia is exceedingly nervous as it is,” said Paty in a thoughtful tone.

“Paty, I think you need to tell me a little about mi novia. I need to know her name. What’s she like? How long have you known her? Do I know her? Come on, Paty. Today is the day. I am not going to change mi mente in meeting her. Is that what worries you?” pleads Jose Enrique with his hermoso green ojos reflecting how worried he truly is.

“You know that our padres are especially worried about mi novia. Papa asked me last night after dinner if I am okay, and if I have lost faith, confidence, and amor for them. He wanted to know why I have not sought out their consejos y support. Do you know how sad he looked, and how cruel I felt?” asks Jose Enrique. He sits into his favorite comfortable deep burgundy leather office chair. Paty sits down in one of the other leather office chairs across from his desk.

“Jose Enrique I did not realize that our padres are worried. Neither one has approached me or made any comments on their concerns. I am sorry. If I had known that being so secretive was going to cause so much trouble, I would have told you sooner. Then you would have had the opportunity of telling la familia exactly what you wanted them to know,” said Paty. “Si, hermano, you do know her, but I do not think that you will even remember or recognize her when you see her. She is mi best amiga and she was always over at our casa hanging out. I know you never even looked at her. You were always busy at college or at la familia’s company,” said Paty with an impish grin.

“Okay, Paty, I want to meet you in the conference room at one. I have to go. Tony and I have a meeting with some clients for a presentation,” kissing Paty on the cheek as he picks up a file.

Walking out of the door he turns around, “Paty, stay in mi office. Bella is looking for you,” whispers Jose Enrique closing the door as he leaves.

Paty can hear him whistling down the hall after he closes the door behind him.