Celine had been escorted from the Thornton residence by some men that the Escalante brothers had called all hush hush, she'd screamed and cursed a blue streak but those guys made the secret service look like puppets, no expression on their faces not even a twitch.
I didn't even try listening in at the door because Chase had promised to tan my hide if he ever caught me doing that.
When I reminded him about the baby he told me there were ways around that, I stayed away.
When I didn't show much interest in their vendetta against Joann and Carl he said it was okay because he had enough hatred for both of us, I wish he would listen to me, I know he thought he was doing this for me, but he doesn't realize he had already given me more than I'd expected out of this life.
He'd given me himself, his love, his care, our child and now this, a whole new family who saw me so differently from the other, they really loved me. So was it fair for me to be hiding away from them when all they were doing was showing me that love?
"I'm going to help them make a mess, I'll force them to let me help."
"Go get 'em tiger."
I walked into the kitchen a few minutes later not quite sure what I'd find.
"Ah, there she is, come sit here child." Santino pulled out a chair for me, I tried to ignore the orange liquid splashed over every available surface on the island or the line of carrot pulp that led from one end to the other.
"What are you doing uncle?"
"We're making carrot muffins from this book." He looked at the book like it was a snake. His two accomplices were arguing measurements over a bowl that had flour and sugar in it.
"How about I read it off and guide you guys, I won't move a muscle I promise."
"Splendid idea, she gets that from me." My father gloated, I think he liked to rub it in that he was the one with a daughter and a grandchild on the way, but the other two didn't seem to take offense,
"I say Tessa sent her, or came back or something, because she's all of Tessa. We have such stories to tell you about your aunt, such a sweet girl." Rocco got melancholy and teary eyed.
I knew that they'd had a sister who died when she was very young from pneumonia, they'd shown me pictures and I have to say, there wasn't much difference, had I not known I myself would've thought someone had snapped a photo of me unawares.
"I can't wait to hear all about her."
And so it began again they talked over each other trying to be the first to tell me, arguing some point or the other, trying to one up each other. I could only laugh, after all Chase had told me these men were cutthroat scions of the business world, who would believe it of them in their kiss the cook aprons?
Chapter 16
CHASE
I'm extremely happy for Delia, her and her new found family. My godfather and honorary uncles have made me so proud the way they so readily accepted her, thank heaven she looked like her aunt, that made the need of any blood tests unnecessary, it was good that they accepted her without question although her mother was a chronic lying bitch.
Delia on the other hand had insisted that they have the test done and it was only yesterday they'd gotten the results back. No surprise there, she was without a doubt most definitely his.
The three nuts that had taken up residence in our house thought this was an excuse to throw a party, poor Delia was knee-deep in party planning with my mom, Paulina and a party planner. A party in her honor was a novelty to her and she was in turns excited and overwhelmed.
I kept on top of her making sure she didn't overdo because when the Escalante brothers weren't overseeing their empire they were busy driving my wife crazy.
She'd already started meeting with their henchmen as she called them. Every morning as I was leaving, their goons in suits would be at the door ready to stretch her poor brain with all she needed to know to take over the vast holdings, hopefully that won't be for many years to come.
It was a jump for someone who'd been studying to be a schoolteacher, she was a trooper though and these days it was hard to find the girl who'd been so beaten down by life and the people around her.
In her place is a beautiful, vibrant woman who shone, who owned her husband heart and soul. This afternoon I'm stealing her away for some one-on-one time. She was flourishing under their care along with my family's love and affection but it felt like I haven't been alone with my wife in forever and even though our sex life hadn't really suffered any I was feeling selfish I miss having her all to myself.
So I'd stolen her away just leaving them a note letting them know she was with me.
Instead of heading to the condo I went instead to a hotel, room service sounds good right about now.
My baby was all excited to have her man to herself for the first time in weeks. All the way there in the car she clung to me, her head on my shoulder.