Nathaniel #3
Samp tried to hop up but Yzzy pressed him back down in his seat. Resigned to being unable to chase after me he pointed his finger with the promise of fucking me up the next time she wasn’t around. “Bucky, I will toss your ass into a hole on Mac’s land if you keep on.”
“Anyway, you’re thinking of this woman and her comfort. I’m sure you’re here to tell us to be nice to her and for me to be even more welcoming. I bet you’re going to have the same conversation with Reece when you see her.”
“She needs a social circle, Yz.”
“And it’s your job to provide it for her?”
“Yes.”
Yzzy sat forward grinning and put her hand on her chin as her fingers tapped the side of her face. “Interesting. Wanting to be a provider looks good on you.”
I could only sigh because the two of them were going to be on me about Charisma like buzzards on a carcass. “Yzzy, not you too.”
Sampson nuzzled the side of her neck in a way that televised I needed to get the fuck up outta here. I leaned up preparing to do exactly that but his words halted my leaving.
“Leave my wife alone. You spent all that time giving me hell behind her, get ready to reap what the fuck you’ve sown.”
If anyone walked up on me right now pacing the way I was, I’d never live it down.
I’d battled my nerves all morning even getting up to ride at dawn but it did me no good.
I felt like a kid on the first day of school who had his clothes pressed and laid out the night before and was too excited to see his friends.
I barely knew anything about Charisma besides the fact that she could probably swing the hell out of a beer bottle and her energy was electric. And I needed more of it. Was already addicted to it and was waiting for my supplier to make her arrival so I could get my hit.
Which is why I was pacing out in front of my damn house like I didn’t have any sense.
“You gone wear a hole in the damn porch with all that walking, Bucky.”
I looked at Doc and wondered why the hell he’d chosen today to bring himself over to my place.
My feet had stopped under their own volition but the embarrassment I thought I’d feel at having been caught didn’t register.
Instead annoyance washed over me because he was going to have part of Charisma’s attention.
Yep, something was really wrong with me.
“Why you here, Doc?”
He strutted over in his well-worn overalls with the pocket watch he always wore dangling. His white hair was low cut with his waves swimming.
Did this nigga fix himself up to check out Charisma?
“I can’t come visit? You getting new staff and I can’t check things out?
” He sat down on the rocking chairs that Yzzy had purchased for the house.
It was a big Spanish-style house filled with arches and stucco.
The large front porch area was apparently perfect for decorating according to Yz, but I don’t know what the fuck she thought I was gonna be doing out here.
Those chairs had been the only thing on the porch for months and would probably stay that way.
“Oh, you came to spy? Which one sent you over here?” I leaned against the porch column somewhat happy to have this distraction as I waited for the guest of honor to get here.
“I’m not about to rat out my family behind you being chicken shit behind this girl.” The teasing smile on Doc’s face meant my mama had put him up to this shit. She wasn’t even in town but I’m sure a bunch of people had told her about Charisma’s arrival.
“Why is everybody over here thinking there is something more than what it really is?”
“Because we know you, Bucky. You not gonna sit around and sing the praises of some girl without it being something bigger than you know. So, I’m here to be nosy.
You think that after all the ribbing between you and Sampson was gonna be the end of it?
That nobody was going to wonder about this lil lady?
Besides, you the one who said that we were supposed to be nice to her.
Why can’t I come out here and introduce myself? ”
“You doing too—”
I didn’t have time to keep fussing because her car was pulling through the bank of trees that led from the gates and I couldn’t help but stand up to my full height.
Doc was laughing but I shot him a look that did nothing but make him laugh harder.
Being old he had seen too much of life and knew that I wouldn’t harm a white hair on his head.
Times like this, I wish our family wasn’t so damn close knit.
Doc stood as her car came to a stop and walked closer to me.
My eyes refused to leave her form that I could make out through the windshield but I could feel him next to me.
“Yep, another one bites the dust.”
Doc was teasing, and at this point I didn’t give a damn.
Her door was opening and her hair with the amethyst tips was the first part of her I glimpsed.
The next was her pretty face as she stood up from the driver’s seat.
I wanted to walk to her and get her door but I was trying not to crowd her.
Trying not to televise how anxious I was for her to get here and how calm I felt now that she was back in my presence.
Her car was packed full and I was happy she was ready to move onto the land after we got done with her introduction today.
“Good morning. This is quite a welcome.” Charisma’s smile was big as she walked toward us.
She was in a black pair of slacks and a plain red sweater to combat the cold.
This morning was chillier than expected but it was sure to heat up to remind us that cold weather was temporary.
The porch was only two steps higher than where she was but she stopped at the bottom as she greeted us.
“Good morning, little lady. Name’s Doc I’m this one’s great uncle. Pleasure to meet you.” Doc’s ass seemed to reverse age about fifty years with the way he hopped down off the porch to get to Charisma. His hand was out to shake hers and she was smiling like he’d hung the damn moon.
“Pleased to meet you, Doc. I’m Charisma.”
“You certainly are. You bout as pretty as a fresh spring flower.” This muthafucka was actually out here sweet talking Charisma in front of my face.
Not the octogenarian I thought I’d be swinging on but at least fighting this one isn’t considered treason.
“Thank you, Mr. Doc.”
“No, mister. Just Doc. It’s good that you have manners. So many of these young folks today don’t.” Doc was throwing shade but Charisma apparently wasn’t having it.
“Surely he can’t be talking about you, Mr. Chisholm-Love. Don’t ruin my good opinion of you by being unmannerly.”
“I see you two are gonna get a long just fine riding my ass. Good morning, Charisma. And like I told you, my daddy ain’t here. Leave that Mr foolishness in your bag of manners for when you meet him.”
She gave me a mock salute and turned that smile to full wattage. “Yes, sir.”
Swear to the good lord I almost nut right then and there. She winked at me as she grinned and she had to know what she was doing.
“Doc here wanted to get a head start on what you’ll be facing when you get introduced to the family. I’m glad you brought your things with you.” I nodded toward her car where I could see that her backseat and presumably her trunk were filled with her stuff.
She bit her lip like she was nervous and I felt bad for teasing her.
“I hope it was alright. I checked out this morning assuming—”
“You did the right thing. I figured we’d start off easy today.
Show you around and get you acclimated to what this place looks like.
I don’t have a script or anything but the office near the stables is fully equipped with what you might need.
The master schedule is there and I’ve already loaded up the blackout dates and times that we won’t have people out here working. ”
She was nodding and seemed to take mental notes of what I said against what she’d already planned to ask. I was glad that she hadn’t come into this unprepared seeing as how she’d been given the job so casually.
Her expression shifted and she reached into the big bag on her shoulder, digging around for something. “Before I forget, I brought my resume for you. I know that I’ve already gotten the job but I still want you to run the regular checks that you would for any employee.”
She held out the paper like I was going to take it and somehow take away everything we’d already spoken about.
I didn’t take it because I needed her to understand there was nothing on that paper that would make me change my mind. “I don’t need to do that. I can tell you’re good people.”
“You will for tax purposes. I’m not trying to have your accountant angry with me before I even meet them.
Besides, nobody wants this government digging around in their business.
The more legit everything is, the less you’ll have to worry.
It’ll give you the time to focus on training if you’ve already gotten it out of the way.
” She held it up for me again and I reluctantly took it.
“And she’s gonna look out for your business? That was a blessing that you found this lil lady.”
“He rescued me from what would’ve been a really bad situation. I wouldn’t be a terrible employee anyway but I owe Nate a lot.” The way she beamed when she spoke about me had me feeling like Doc needed to get the hell on so I could start flirting my damn self. Business could wait.
“You don’t owe me anything, Charisma. I’m happy that I was in the right place to help.
” She gave me that smile that rivaled the sun in brightness, warmth and intensity keeping me momentarily speechless.
I was thankful when Doc cleared his throat because it snapped me out of just staring at this girl.
“Come on in. I can give you a tour of the house before we get started with everything else. There’s demo going on so watch your step. ”