After the Win

After Mike left to run home and dress for his date with Anne, his fiancé, Steve looked around his new home until he found the Master Suite that was now his. It was very pretty in a distinctive southwest style much like the rest of the house, with dark wood furniture and trim. He checked his new closet and found a few things that looked familiar to him and many that did not. When had this happened? Why had it happened? Oh, well, under the circumstances he was not going to question anything that happened around here as there was way too much happening way too fast.

Steve did vow to get a rope and an anvil and tie it to Mike in an effort to slow him down somewhat. How much time and effort had he put into doing these things for Steve? He knew there was a brotherly love there, but this went way the Hell beyond any of that. This was special and he wondered how he could ever repay mike for these efforts. Money?? Not hardly. Mike probably had three or four times as much as Steve did. Land? Not even. Him and his father owned what might pass for a small state in other places. Women? Mike was engaged to what Steve had always thought was the most wonderful woman in the world and was quite jealous of them. Tall, willowy, beautiful, smart, and a wicked sense of humor. She had long dark hair that framed her face wonderfully, creating what Steve thought was a total package.

Mike and Anne's wedding was scheduled for about 6 weeks from now. Humm...maybe that is it. I could pick up the tab for their honeymoon, maybe a nice cruise in the Mediterranean through the Greek Islands. Anne's father was supposed to pay for the wedding and Steve thought he might subtly ask how their finances were and could her father afford the type wedding she wanted and deserved. He would have Christie find out. Should not be a problem going girl to girl that way. He still thought that paying for the honeymoon was a good idea though. He would ask Christie about the idea. What?? Wait a minute here... Yesterday he had not even thought of Christie for ages and then some, and now I am counting on her to help make decisions that involve heaps of money. Something is so wrong with this whole thing, and yet something feels so right about it at the same time. This next few days could be interesting. Scary as Hell, but interesting.

As it was almost supper time, Steve toured the kitchen but found no food anywhere then remembered that the house had been vacant for month or longer and that he was to meet with his new cook in the morning, so he decided to either get a cheeseburger someplace or maybe find a small mom and pop type family restaurant and get a chicken fried steak with fries and gravy. Yes, he thought, not healthy but damn good none the less. This caused him to think about his new cook. This should be interesting. He hoped she could cook his way, or the way he liked his food and wasn't some health nut that he would have to get rid of right after he whipped up on Mike again. Again??? Like that had ever happened in the first place. Thought about, yes, but that was all it ever was, a thought. Hell, he had had several of those already today, hadn't he? Steve did not bother to shower or dress to go out. Hell, this was ranch country so people had much different views on proper attire in restaurants here than they did in the city. He was sure glad of that, too. Heck, if he found the proper place he would bet that about half the customers had manure on their boots. Some would probably be wearing spurs as it was early enough to still be able to get some work done after supper if one desired. Then he thought that some people just never took their spurs off. He had known several people like that as they spent a lot of time on the back of a horse working cattle.

Steve did find a wonderful little family type place a couple of miles from his ranch that served good food and lots of it. He made a mental note to remember this place and to visit it from time to time and to get to know some of what looked to be either cowboys or ranchers. None of the drugstore time, either. He could not stand those phony's and usually called them 'Rexall Rangers,' and did not mean it as a compliment, not at all.

After Stephen returned to the ranch from supper, he mixed a healthy drink and sat to ponder the happenings of the day and the future, possibly one with Christie. Did that sound interesting? Yes, he thought, it damn sure did and he could not wait to see her tomorrow and get things started. Maybe 'just nature take its course' might be a better statement.

The next morning Steve was up early and was dressing to go for some coffee when the doorbell rang. When he answered it, he found a middle aged couple standing there that he assumed was to be his new cook and her husband, the gardener and handyman. He invited them in and introduced himself and apologized for not having any coffee or anything else to offer them except water, and he thought he probably had plenty of that.

He learned that their names were Judy and Kenneth, Ken for short. He was retired from the military and loved doing work around the places like this and loved to care for yards and gardens and watch stuff grow. Both things of beauty to look at and things to eat.

Steve asked Judy about her cooking experience and was impressed with her answers. He was so impressed with both of them he had to wonder why they were out of work. The answer was simple... They had worked her for several years when the old man had died and they found themselves out of work but rather than start right in looking for a new job they decided to take a month or so and travel and rest and just have fun. Steve welcomed them back 'home' and then asked how the purchase of food items had been taken care of before.

Judy informed him that they usually took a big part of one day and went to town and got haircuts and did the beauty shop and any personal shopping that needed to be done and then they would go to either Sam's club or a nice grocery store like Fresh Market and stock up for the next week. Meat always came from the ranch as they normally had a steer or two fattening in a feed lot. Judy told him that they had always had debit card and checkbook for a household account and that regular deposits were transferred into it by the bank so something would need to be done like that and right away, too. Steve gave Judy one of his debit cards to use until they could set things up the next week and asked her to please make a quick inventory of the needed kitchen items or equipment and then go get them. He told her that the inventory shouldn't take long as there was nothing at all in the kitchen, so she could just plan on getting everything, even if it took two trips to do so.

Judy kind of took him aback when she asked what he thought the perfect cook might be. He thought a second and said, "Half Mexican, half Chinese, raised in Italy with a Cajun husband and a barbeque pitmaster boyfriend. This got a huge laugh from both Judy and Ken. Steve then told them that he was really just a country boy and had been raised that way and saw no need to change. He did say that did not think much of French or British style foods but pretty much everything else is fine, as far as I know.

"Judy, you just use you own discretion and keep surprising me. If I find something I don't like, I will mention it to you. Deal? Now, I will be having a guest arrive tomorrow afternoon and she will be staying for a while, but we will be going out to eat tomorrow night so you both can sort of chill and rest from all your purchasing. Uh, did you also do the liquor buying?"

Judy answered, "Most of it. Mr. Andrewes never had the time to shop but he did like to have a variety available for when there were guests. There was always a stocked bar in the pool house and in the study and den plus what we use in the kitchen. Please make a list of the kinds you like and we will get everything. What about wine with your meals?"

"Sometimes I like wine. I am not an expert and tick some people off by liking white wine mostly. This is something we can deal with as we move along, so just get whatever you thing we might need for now but do get an assortment. Can we get it wholesale? Shucks, didn't think so". He said after she shook her head.

Now, folks, I need to start getting ready for an important evening so I will let you get started on your tasks. Ken, you probably already know, but you have authority to get anything you need to keep this place up and running. Did you also have an account and a debit card or what?"

Ken told him that he had normally just used Judy's debit card for everything.

Steve thought for a second and said, "Ken, next week when we set up Judy's household accounts, I think we should get one for your job, too. I might need to keep separate expense reports for when we entertain for business. Speaking of which, Judy, did you have to do that also?"

"Sometimes, but in the event of a major meeting or anything, Mr. Andrews usually took the guests out to the club or Angelo's. Why are you laughing?"

Angelo's is where I am meeting my group tonight. I just thought it was funny. The food is great there. Prices aren't though? Have you two ever eaten there?"

"No, Sir. Not really in our budget but that's all right."

"I will set up a full dinner for you two for a night a couple of weeks from now. You need to experience it and deserve a nice night out together. Hush, that's enough on it. Done deal."

"I think we are going to love working here, even more so than when Mr. Andrews was alive. Thank you beforehand for all that you are doing. It means so much and makes for a happy workplace. Honey, we need to unpack the van and hit the road to start shopping. I still have my keys, so don't worry. In case we do not see you before you leave for your dinner, have a nice time and enjoy your meal."

Damn, this pair was a class act. He would have to learn more about them as he had been greatly impressed with them both.

After a quick shower and shave, Steve splashed on a bit of expensive sounding after shave he found in his dressing area and then dressed in khaki Dockers with a light blue oxford button up shirt and tan tassel loafers. He debated about a tie and decided to slip on a red, blue, and green tie that he could pull off in a heartbeat. Finally, he took a dark blue blazer off a hanger to take with him. He would have much preferred boots and jeans and maybe even his Stetson. Maybe next time. After all, if Christie was going to be a lady rancher, then she would have to get used to looking the part and chuckled softly.

Steve gave himself another look see in the full-length mirror and headed out the door. As he passed the stand in the front hallway, he noticed a set of keys and a note. The note said that the keys were for the car outside and for the building and grounds and that the radio controller for the front gate and the garage and house doors was clipped to the sun visor on the driver's side. He opened the door and found a pretty, new, and shiny black Cadillac Escalade sitting there in the drive. Not his pickup, but it would do he thought as he got in and fired the SUV up and headed for the airport.

Never having been around private jets before, Stephen had no idea where General Aviation was located or what they did, but he at least had heard the name before someplace. When he saw the sign on a fence beside the gate he turned in. Not very fancy for something so important, but then maybe the people that used it wanted to keep a low profile for some reason. To each his own, he thought.

Shortly there was a light in the sky that seemed to be descending right towards where he was so he watched it. The landing lights were super bright here in the early evening. Sure enough, it was a smallish private jet with swept back wings and a small engine mounted on each side of the tail fin right above the horizontal fin. He thought that with his new-found wealth and station in life that he might should wrangle a ride in one of those someday just for the heck of it, along with the experience factor.

Sure enough, the little jet taxied right up to where Steve was parked and the door behind the cockpit started to open downwards to reveal a set of stairs. Steve waited a moment to make sure that Christie was the occupant and not some stranger. Sure enough, in just about a minute a familiar figure he had remembered but had not seen in years appeared in the door that could qualify for every man's wet dream. Tall and beautiful beyond belief with more curves than a mountain road with a head of honey blonde shoulder length hair. When she started down the stairs he jumped to get there to assist her before she hit the bottom step. She stopped and looked at him and smiled broadly and said softly, "Very good. You won't be hard to train at all." And laughed at his expression. He looked at her strangely and asked about her luggage and was told that it would be delivered to his house soon and that they needed to hurry to get to the restaurant and meet up with Mike and hopefully Anne if she could get there in time from her trip to London.

As soon as they had pulled out of the parking lot, Christie loosened her seatbelt and turned kind of sideways towards Stephen and asked what he really thought about what was going on. He asked her what she meant and she laughed and said that she could have guessed that it would be a surprise for Stephen. Stephen slammed on the brakes and pulled quickly to the side of the road and turned to look at Christie and said, "So, I am being played for a fool by those that I have loved so hard for so long?" He had tears in his eyes as he said it as he simply could not believe that his friends and family would do something like this to him.

Christie placed her first two fingers together and kissed them and then touched Stephens lips to hush him. She whispered "No, My love. You are not. Not at all. I was not supposed to know any more about these going ons than you do and it was to have been kept from the both of us forever. We were to fall in love, get married, and save half of Texas and lots of Wall Street in the process and maybe even produce a herd of Texas tornado style children. I found out about it just a couple of days ago, via my PA who is now wondering if she still has a job or not. She does as she is the best ever, but I need to let her sweat for a couple of weeks. How about you?"

"Christie, I was only told about it yesterday and it came right out of the blue, as they say, and at this stage, I do not know what I can or should say. There are some things that have been mentioned that could likely cause a stir in the stock market and hurt some nice and some not so nice people. Therefore, I think we should wait until after a good supper and then wipe the smile off that grinning apes face for him."

Christie looked at him and said that she agreed and said that they would play it lose for now and leaned on over and kissed him on the cheek and told him to drive. Steve was beginning to think that this woman possessed a devious mind behind that beautiful face and that he should watch his step--every step. But, damn, she was pretty. And built. And sexy. And smart, and wise, and, and, and, and he was evidently out of his league big time with this one. Way out of his league.

They pulled into Angelino's restaurant, probably the best Italian food in Texas if not the entire Midwest. Moguls, executives, celebrities, and mob types flew in from all over in their Citations and G5's and 6's and such with such regular visits that they were hardly even noticed these days. They never bothered anyone and no one ever bothered any of them either. Of course, the presence of 7-foot-tall 350 pound bodyguards might have had something to do with that but no one was for sure.

As supper was ending, Christie leaned over to Mike and told him to bring his fiancé and to come to Stephen's place to visit and get reacquainted again. Stephen had no idea at all of what was going to happen. He just hopped he was smart enough to follow along and fast enough to duck.

They started to leave and upon exiting Stephen almost choked when he heard Christie under her breath say, "Let the party begin." and chuckle. What now?? When they got to Stephen's new home, they all went inside and Mike fixed everyone a glass of chilled wine since he was probably the only one that knew where the glasses or anything else was. When everyone was seated and the drinks passed out and toasts made, Christie looked over at Steve and said "Steve, Honey, Mike is in a hurry for us to get married and have a passel of kids. What do you think?"

"I don't know. What say we just live together in sin for a few years and see how the kids turn out. I think we can turn them in at the fire department until they are about 7 with no questions asked. After that who knows."

The sudden looks on the faces of Mike and Anne were beyond hilarious. Then Anne slowly smiled and looked at Mike and said "I think the cat is out of the bag there, Sweets. Now what??"

"I have no idea, Honey. This was so carefully thought out and planned at every step. It could never have failed. What happened?"

Christie ended the show by saying that her wonderful PA who was still in New York wondering about her job, I'll call her sometime Monday, left a drawer open and I entered her office looking for something and saw some documents that she did not need and I pinned her down for the information and after getting it, swore her to secrecy. It really wasn't a bad plan, guys. It really wasn't and it would have worked. At least from this end it would have. They did get one thing right Steve. I have loved you forever. From just about the first time we met. I do hope you don't hate me. I could not stand that." Said Christie.

"Christie... I don't hate you. I could never hate you, girl. I have strong feelings for you and about you. What those feelings are I do not know. It could be love or it might only be like or lust. I will know very soon and let you know. I think I know, but I have to be sure. It won't take long, I promise you." This from Stephen with a very serious look on his face.

"Okay, people. What do we do now?" Asked Stephen.

"I am not sure, but I think we need to get all our ducks into a row, and folks, I do mean all our ducks. These people may be kin folks, acquaintances, friends, business associates, or whatever, but they are each and every one crooked, slimy, dirty, and hopefully soon to be convicted felons. I am sure that they will do whatever it takes to save their own skin up to and including sacrificing one of us or even their own to save their own bacon. Not one word can be believed. Only the US Attorney and the Justice department can make legal deals. If we should make a deal with one of them, I see it as the same as taking a bribe from them. Once this starts, it goes all the way to the end. No exceptions and no exclusions. I guess that me and Christie have the most to lose along with my father if this plan fails, as we are the closest family and nearest to it all. We are going to be shunned and spit upon. Spit back is all I can say if you can handle it. It would be a whole lot better for all of us if we could brush it off and continue on as if nothing happened, but I fear that is will be impossible. Does anyone have anything to say?" Mike finally asked solemn faced.

"When are we going to do this?" asked Christie.

"I am to call my father in Houston tonight. Grandfather is also in Houston and preparing for an important board meeting and then a stockholders meeting. It will be a mixed emotion to break up both meetings. Since we are all involved, I think we all should go and attend as a solid front on this." Michael stated firmly.

"Mike? I agree fully with everything you and the girls are saying, but at this stage of the game, I am only an interested bystander with no legal or moral rights to attend those closed-door sessions and demand or even suggest anything. I think Anne is in the same boat except she is a CPA and may have some legal rights as your representative. Perhaps I should just sit this one out at the hotel and keep a cold drink handy for you all." Steve said.