Love, Texas Style 01

Love, Texas Style

A.J. Roye

Copyright 2020, All rights reserved.

Chapter 1

"Your new swimming pool is beautiful, Terry. Thank you for inviting us to break it in."

"Cathy, I always enjoy your company," Terry replied to his sister in law. "Anytime you and Richard want to come back... to relax a little... call me. The two of ya'll are always welcome."

"You're spoiling us, Terry," Richard mused. "These quick weekend trips you offer. Flying us in your jet to and from our home. Thank you."

"You're welcome. It's no trouble though. I picked ya'll up on the way back from Florida and as soon as I get fuel, I'm going to Kansas City on more business," Terry replied. Then, he paused. He tilted his head a little. "It's me that should be saying 'thanks.' It's been lonely since Mary died. Cathy, you know you remind me of her so much, and... Well... it's very nice to be around you. I hope you understand."

Cathy stepped forward and hugged her brother in law with a firm and loving hug.

"I know it's been tough, Terry," she whispered in his ear. "It's been tough on all of us. Especially me. It was hard to lose my sister. Sara and Bobbi Jo feel the same way." She released him and took his hand. "I know you mentioned you haven't been seeing anyone, but... it's been three years, Terry. Try a little harder, OK? Find someone. Someone who makes you happy. Don't tell me some women haven't tried to get your attention. You're too handsome to ignore."

Terry dipped his chin, squeezed her hand, and nodded his head gently. He didn't reply with words.

"Thanks again, Terry and happy birthday," she said, as she caressed his cheek.

"You're welcome. And, thank you. Bye Cathy... Richard, thanks for visiting me this weekend."

They nodded and turned to leave the FBO (Fixed Based Operator) building.

"Mr. Woods, your Citation M2 is fueled... Jet-A."

"Thanks, Bill," Terry replied, as he turned to the fuel loader for Premier Aviation. "Pay at the desk?"

"Yep. Say, those winglets you added look great. What's your fuel savings?"

"It's almost 25%. Big savings for my company. I'll see you on the next stop."

"You bet."

Chapter 2

"Good morning, Mr. Woods."

"Good morning, Lynn. Is everything going well for you here?" Terry replied, as he stopped at her desk to visit. "You've been with us for nearly two months now."

"So far, so good. Ms. Morrison makes it easy to work for her."

"Great. Any drama around here I need to know about?" Terry arched an eyebrow and tilted his head.

"Nothing juicy," Lynn giggled. "I did overhear Ms. Morrison speaking with Jim Garrett yesterday. The dealerships are at 97% of goal and the apartment occupancy rates are at 88%. The beer distributor in Omaha set a record for March."

"Nothing juicy, huh?" Terry mused, with a wide grin.

"My ears are open," she replied with a wink.

"Traci's expecting me?"

"Yes, sir. She said to go right in."

*****

"Terry! You look great!"

"Thanks, Traci. You look better than ever. I love your dress and shoes. New?"

"Yep, and thank you. Have a seat and let's talk."

As Terry took his seat, he did think Traci looked better than ever... Thirty seven year old divorced mother of three, MBA, Summa Cum Laude, University of Pennsylvania business school. Quick as a cracked whip. Pretty. Blonde. Blue eyes. Full lips with pink lip gloss this morning. A smattering of cute freckles across her cheeks and nose. Five feet four inches, about 130 pounds. Curvy. In just the right places, too. She turned heads of both men and women when she entered a room.

She had returned to Kansas City after her divorce and she had applied for a job with Terry after the birth of her third daughter. When Terry found out her husband cheated on her while she was pregnant, his first thought was... idiot.

Traci was gorgeous when he hired her at 32. How could anyone cheat on her, he thought. He hired her as a junior executive for the car dealerships he owned in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. Within two years, he promoted her to manage all his business interests in the quad state area. Within six months, his revenues, expenses, and profits improved. And, have been steadily improving since.

Today, she was wearing her hair in a messy pony tail, as usual, and she looked gorgeous with that style. She was wearing an off red, short sleeve sheath dress and matching pumps. Silver necklace and matching earrings.

"How did you spend your birthday? The Big Five-O. I hope you had fun," Traci offered, as she sat next to him.

"It was fun," he replied. "I stopped in Fort Worth to pick up my sister in law and her husband, before returning to Brenham. I told you earlier, but, I had a swimming pool installed. It looks great. Cathy and Richard broke it in for me." He chuckled. "Now, with Terry, Jr. and Emilia with children, I figured the grandchildren would enjoy it, along with other family and friends."

"How is Emilia? She just had her son, didn't she? And Terry has three children now, right?"

"Yep... Four grandchildren." Terry paused and dipped his chin. Mary entered his thoughts and Traci knew.

Traci leaned over and touched his arm. He looked up and she nodded with a big smile on her face. "Cathy is Mary's twin sister, right?" she offered, with a whisper. He nodded.

"She was there this weekend on purpose, wasn't she?"

"Yes... I planned it. Cathy is so much like Mary. I just needed... Well, I really don't know what I need."

Traci paused to let Terry reflect.

"Want something to drink? Your usual... bottled water?"

Terry nodded. "Thank you. You called me here for a reason. You usually don't do this unless its serious."

Traci passed the bottle of water off and sighed as she sat down.

"Terry, I'm about to take action on some employees who are stealing from you."

Terry had just pulled a gulp from the bottle of water. He swallowed with a tilt of his head. He quickly reflected he had heard this numerous times in the past, so he wasn't too surprised at Traci's announcement.

"OK, and?"

'It's the Chevrolet and Cadillac dealership in Overland Park. The parts manager and several employees are selling parts out the back door. Literally... the back door."

He nodded. "Continue."

"An accountant here found suspicious figures there about 3 months ago and took the issue to Bill Wheeler. They brought it to me that day. I compartmentalized immediately, Terry. I took Bill out of the loop, and Carrie, the accountant that found the discrepancies, began working on it, reporting directly to me. When I decided the figures were suspicious I hired a detective agency that specializes in this. They set up a false fire alarm system in the parts department. Cameras, microphones, that sort of thing. The video and audio were sent wirelessly to a computer and DVR in the mechanical room. The detective in charge would come in every three days and download the surveillance. We have faces and license plate numbers from those buying at the back door of the parts department. Everything appeared to be cash purchases."

Traci paused to allow Terry to digest the information. He sighed and then nodded.

"It's about $1.75 million, Terry. According to Carrie's figures."

"OK. What else?"

"I told the detective to begin working with the Overland Park Police to make arrests. They're doing it this afternoon right before the parts department closes. Only me and the detective know this. Now you."

"Damn," Terry sighed, as he leaned back into his chair. "Good work, Traci. I want to see Carrie and thank her, too, before I leave today."

"I know this isn't the birthday present you expected from me," she sighed.

Terry rose from his seat and waved Traci off with his hand about the birthday gift comment. He walked over to her floor to ceiling office window and peered out over Kansas City from her 5th floor office.

A moment or two later Traci stood next to him looking out the window, too.

"I would love to take you to lunch. For your birthday. Please?"

Terry nodded while still gazing out the window.

Traci waited a few moments before speaking again. "I have a prospect on a strip shopping center in Omaha. Also, a good opportunity for a Pizza Magic franchise in Kansas City, Columbia, Des Moines, Iowa City, Ames, and St. Louis. A John Deere dealership is for sale in Lincoln. The books look good on that one. We can go over them after lunch."

"Sure... That sounds good. You know... I'm thinking," he said, as he turned to her. "Would you and your daughters like to come to my home for a swim? Bring a guest if you like."

Traci's eyebrows flew up, not expecting such an invitation. She had only been to his home once before.

"I would love to, Terry. Any date in mind?"

Terry squared himself up to Traci to address her question. "This weekend. Pick you and the girls up Friday afternoon on my way back from Denver. Return Sunday afternoon. I need to be in Nashville on Monday morning."

Traci looked at him to try and read him. This wasn't like Terry to offer personal invitations to his home.

Terry saw her look and nodded. "To relax. Me too." He turned and peered out the window. "The house sometimes gets lonely and I think it needs three girls and their mother to make it noisy. We'll sleep late, swim, cook out, go into Brenham and have ice cream. Ride horses. Drive my tractor. You'll be my first guest. I'm acting on Cathy's suggestion to move on from Mary. I'm tired of being sad."

Traci nodded her head. "I'm happy for you, Terry. I'd love to be your guest. The girls would love the pool, the horses, and the ice cream. Thank you."

"No... Thank you, Traci," he replied, with a sincere tone. Turning to his pretty and brilliant employee. "You're helping your employer move on. To reboot, so to speak. You'll be helping me crack out of this protective shell I've placed around myself for three years. Now, tell me how Lynn has been working out for you and then let's go to lunch. Bring Lynn and Carrie with us."

Chapter 3

"Uncle Terry, this is Maggie. You've got a new swimming pool!" she squealed.

"Yes, I do. Water and everything," Terry replied, with a chuckle from the covered porch of his home. Beer in hand, overlooking the swimming pool and his ranch.

"Mom told me you have one. She says its huge. Do you need your niece to try it out for you?" Maggie giggled.

"That depends. How's school?" he replied, with a sarcastic tone.

"Dean's list, again," she replied, drawing out her last word. "Dang, Uncle Terry, a girl needs a little fun occasionally. Plus, you know I'm working my ass off in accounting and finance so I can come to work for you. Sooo... Can I come see you? Bring a few of my girlfriends with me?"

"Sure... When? No boyfriends?"

"No boys... Let them find their own pool. Claire, Emily, and Amy. My friends at SMU. This weekend, maybe? We have a three day weekend before finals. We'll study while we're there, too. It's quiet at your place."

"Ya'll come on, then... I'll see you Friday. You know where the key is if I'm not here."

"Thank you, Uncle Terry! See ya Friday!"

Chapter 4

"Your uncle? The rich one?"

"Yeah... He had a pool installed. Mom says it's great," Maggie replied, without looking up from her advanced accounting book and notes.

"The silver fox uncle?" Amy mused, with an arched eyebrow and a seductive tone.

"Dang, Amy. Look, I know you," Maggie replied, with a warning tone, as she turned in her chair and faced her roommate. "You keep your hands to yourself this weekend or... or else. Uncle Terry'll probably... Well, I don't know, but I doubt he'll be interested in you. Or anyone else. Mom says he's still struggling with Aunt Mary's death. So, don't go cause any drama, OK? We're going there to study and not have any distractions. Relax by his pool. Damn, you're annoying sometimes." Maggie shook her head in disgust.

"No distractions? Are you kidding? Your uncle being there will be a distraction," Amy chuckled. "Despite the graying hair, he's still hot."

"I'm thinking you may need to stay here in Dallas then. You pull some stunt and Uncle Terry won't let us return. I'll take, let's see... Audrey, instead of you. I know I won't have drama with her."

"OK, OK," Amy replied, with her hands up in defense. "No drama. Let's see, now. Hmm, I may need to go shopping for a new... bikini," she continued, with a sly and seductive tone, dragging a finger across her chin for effect.

"That's it! I'm calling Audrey!"

Chapter 5

"Good morning, Mr. Woods."

"It is a good morning, Denise. Coffee? Eggs and bacon?" Terry replied, gesturing for her to have a seat with him on the porch.

"Sure! Thank you," she replied, with a little surprise in her tone. Why?

One... Mr. Woods doesn't normally have breakfast on the porch.

Two... He typically doesn't invite Denise to join him for breakfast, or any other meal.

Denise works for Terry managing the 400 acres, his horses, and cattle herd. She lives in the two bedroom house on the property that was present when Terry bought the place 25 years ago. Twenty years old, she's an inch taller than her employer at six feet tall. Although she's slender, she has enough flesh to make her curvy. He hired her out of high school on a recommendation from an employee at the corporate headquarters in Brenham. The ranch, horses, and cattle have been well managed and Terry is pleased with her work.

"I love when the mist is thick among the trees, like this morning. A little foggy," he sighed, after taking a sip from his coffee. "A blanket of fog just off the grass in the distance there. Peaceful."

"It is," Denise replied, after looking over her shoulder toward the fog. "The eggs and bacon are great. Coffee, too."

"Thanks... Maggie will be here this weekend with a few of her friends. Can you help them if they decide to ride the horses?"

"Sure... How long will they be here?" Denise tossed a fork full of eggs into her mouth.

"Friday afternoon until Monday noon. They're coming to enjoy the pool and study for finals."

"No problem. I'm going to Brenham on Saturday night for the dance. I might stay with Mom and Dad, then return mid-morning on Sunday after church. Will that be all right?"

"Sure... A dance?" he replied, with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes, Sir. A band is playing at the old armory building. Bar-b-que at 5:30 pm... Music starts at 7:00. $30 a head, $55 per couple."

Denise could see the thoughts churning in his head.

"Old armory building, huh... Hmm."

Chapter 6

"Dang, Uncle Terry. We didn't expect a banquet when we got here. Spaghetti, salad, bread, wine. Are you trying to get us to stay through finals?"

"Sit down and enjoy yourselves. Stop complaining," he chuckled, as he placed the bowl of spaghetti on the dining table. "Go to the wine rack and choose a wine for us, please."

Maggie and Emily went to the wine rack, and when they returned, Maggie removed the cork and began pouring everyone a glass.

When everyone sat down, Terry roamed the table with his eyes to appreciate the presence of his guests and nodded. It had been some time since he had guests in the house. First, he had Traci and her girls over. The girls had fun with the pool, the horses and loved the ice cream at the local ice cream plant. And now... His wife's niece and her friends. He smiled.

When Maggie and her friends arrived, they all offered thanks for letting them study at his home. All four women were very pretty.

And, Amy... Whew, he thought.

The shortest of the four, she stood out from the others. Dark hair, dark brown eyes and a dark tan. More than pretty. Gorgeous, Terry thought. He suspected she drew attention to herself often. He took note she sat on his left and smiled as she took her seat.

"Thank you, girls," he sighed. "It's been a while since this house has seen some fresh faces. It's refreshing to the soul to have guests again. Now, so long as the studying continues, you'll let me fuss over you this weekend, OK?"

"OK," chirped Amy, as she turned to look at Maggie on Terry's right. She winked at her.

Maggie squinted her eyes in reply. A warning squint.

Terry kept the conversation active by asking about school and their families. When supper had ended...

"There's a dance in Brenham tomorrow night," Terry offered. "Bar-b-que, then a dance. A live band and I have plans to attend. If you're interested, we can go together. There's generally some young men there, for dancing."

"I want to go," Emily chirped.

"Me, too," offered Claire.

"Sure, I'd like to go," Maggie said.

"Can we dance with the older men, too?" Amy asked, with a raised eyebrow.

Maggie leaned over to Amy and mouthed her words, "Not my uncle."

Chapter 7

After breakfast, Terry found himself standing on the porch, sipping coffee and peering across the yard toward the pool. It had been some time since he had seen young women wearing bikinis.

It brought back strong and emotional memories when he met his wife, Mary, and her twin sister, Cathy. He and his roommate had just moved into an apartment during college and he found the two sisters at the pool two days later. They were guests of Cathy's boyfriend, who also lived at the apartment complex.

When he spotted the identical sisters sitting in lounge chairs, he quickly deduced the twin on his left was taken, considering the young man sitting next to her was holding her hand. But, the one on his right... maybe not. He would risk it.

He walked past both sisters and gently waved at the available twin and said hello.

She smiled at him from behind her sunglasses. His roommate reported, as they sat a few feet away, that the available twin eyed him until he sat down. With that report, he adjusted his lounge chair so he could get a good view of the cute sister wearing a very hot blue bikini. She was rocking it that day. When he smiled at her, she returned his smile. He laughed to himself when he caught the other twin turning her head back and forth between her sister and himself.

Wearing sunglasses also, he couldn't help but stare at the cute and petite twin from behind the tinted glass. After twenty minutes of the cute girl tossing glances at him, he couldn't stand it any longer. He had to meet her.

He rose from his chair and approached the three. Speaking directly to the available twin, he asked them all if they wanted a beer... That he was going to his apartment to bring some to the pool. The three accepted his offer, but what surprised him was...

The cute twin rose from her chair and offered to help him bring them back. As they walked toward his apartment, he introduced himself by saying he was a new resident at the complex.

And when she said her name... Mary... he was hooked. It was the way she said it. The tone and the inflection. It was pleasant to hear the sound she made. He had never forgotten that memorable moment and could still hear her voice today.

He spent an hour with Mary that day by the pool. Getting to know her by asking questions. She was a student, like himself, at Texas Tech. She was studying marketing. He was studying finance and accounting. He was surprised he hadn't seen her before today considering they were in the same business college on campus. Then, he found out she was a sophomore. He was a junior. She was from Dallas. He was from Brenham.

When it was time for the twins to leave, he didn't hesitate to ask if he could call her. And, she didn't hesitate to give him her number.

"Good, God," he whispered, as he shook his head to return to the present. "Mary, you were one hot chick. All the way up until you got sick. I miss you so much." Tears quickly formed in his eyes, and he had to wipe them away with his hand. A few sips of coffee and a few minutes later...

"I love your pool, Mr. Woods."