Big Tex (9 page)

            "Yeah, we were always inseparable anyways, so Mom just did the natural thing by taking her in and helping her out."  Willow added.

            "Wow, I knew Lauren was nice, but that's above and beyond nice."  Micah said.  "I'm glad that you had someone like that in your life to help you out when you needed it Sierra."  Micah said.

            "Just goes to show you that there are nice people out there still.  Now I see where you get your kindness from, Willow."  Brody said.  "You know, Lauren is a really great boss, and I'm not saying that to suck up either.  She is well respected by everyone working there.  It's like she knows that she doesn't need to put the fear of God into everyone to make them do their work.  She draws on people's strengths to get them to perform to their best level without a struggle.  She definitely knows what she is doing, and she's going to make that firm more successful than any other in the state of Texas!"

            "Well, she's had high hopes for that firm.  She really enjoys working there.  I don't think I've ever seen her so happy.  Speaking of which, we're going to be going for a visit soon.  Sierra and I got a week off from work to go there.  We plan on seeing Mom, but do you guys know of anyone else that would like to see us?"  Willow asked.

            "Lisa?"  Micah teased.  Sierra playfully punched his arm.

            Willow groaned.  "Brody, are you going to do something about her while we're there?  I don't want her cooking food for us and have her put arsenic in it or something!"

            "Don't worry.  I'll make sure she isn't around when you are."  Brody said.

            "Oh yeah, that makes it sound like there's nothing going on between you two."  Willow said sharply.

            "That's not what I meant and you know it.  Maybe I'll give her some vacation time or something."

            "No, make sure she's there.  I want her to know that I'm there and that you're mine and she can't have you.  You told me that she has tried to kiss you a few times since we have gotten together, so maybe it’s time for her and I to have a little talk, since you won't fire her.  Just let her know that Sierra and I will be cooking the whole time we're there, so you won't need her for that."  Willow said.

            "Relax, we both know that I don't want her like that.  She just does good work, and I don't want to have to break someone new in right now.  It seems like we are always traveling."  Brody said and kissed Willow's lips.

            "So anyways, we'll be in Texas soon."  Sierra said.

            "Are you going to stay with us or with Lauren?"  Brody asked.

            "Um, where would you like us to stay?"  Willow asked.

            "I don't think you really need us to answer that question."  Micah said.

            "Well, I guess we'll stay at Mom's then."  Willow teased.  Brody reached out and grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap.

            "You're staying at our house, in my bed.  Don't even think otherwise!"  Brody said as he tickled Willow.

            "Oh the torture of having to sleep with my boyfriend!"  Willow teased.  Brody tickled her harder until she squirmed off his lap and fell on the floor.  "Ow!  Now I have a boyfriend that beats me!"  She yelled as Brody picked her up off the floor.  "I think you just made me break my ass!"

            "I'm sorry.  Let me kiss it and make it better!"  Brody apologized.

            "Ew!  Not in here!  Get a room!"  Sierra yelled at them.

            Brody picked Willow up and carried her into her bedroom.  A little after they shut the door, the phone rang.  Sierra knocked on the door and yelled, "Willow, it’s your mom.  She wants to talk to us all on the speakerphone.  Sorry to interrupt!"

            Willow and Brody came out of the bedroom, slightly flushed.  They all went over to the computer desk and put the speakerphone on.  "Hi Mom, we're all here, what's up?"  Willow asked.

            "Hi Honey, hi guys.  I just got some news that I thought you all should hear.  I got a call from Jeff Thomas of the Architectural Society, and it seems as though there is an awards banquet in New York on Wednesday, and we are all requested to be there.  I will be flying in tomorrow, and Brody and Micah, you two are going to stay until next week, if you want to.  There is no need for you to fly back here for 2 days of work.  The event is formal, so go out and get tuxes and dresses.  Willow, will you meet me at the airport tomorrow at 3:30?"

            "Yes mom, I think it’s safe to say we'll all be there.  Any reason why we all need to be there?"  Willow asked.

            "They didn't tell me, but you might want to have a speech prepared, just in case."  Lauren said.  "Well, I have to run now.  Go shopping and get something nice for yourselves.  I'll see you all tomorrow!  Love you!"

            "Love you too Mom!  See you tomorrow!"  Willow said.

            Everyone else said goodbye to Lauren and they hung up the phone.  No one really knew what to say at that point.  Willow spoke up first.  "So, do you guys think you can put up with us for another whole week?"

            "Hmm, it will take some persuasion, but I think we can be talked into it."  Brody said.

            "Yeah, twist our arms and all."  Micah laughed.

            "So, are we going shopping?"  Sierra asked.

            "Well, as much as I'd like to finish what he had started, I think we're going to need all the shopping time we can manage."  Willow replied, then looked at Brody and gave him an apologetic smile.

            "I agree, though I'd much rather continue where we left off."  Brody teased.

            "Oh gross!  You guys never come up for air, do you?"  Sierra asked.

            "Hmm, does this ring any bells… 'Oh Micah!  Oh yeah, keep going, just like that!  Uh!  Uh!  Oh Micah!'  So don't talk to me about coming up for air when that's coming from your room every night."  Brody teased, mocking Sierra's cries of passion.  Sierra turned bright red and smacked Brody's arm playfully.

            "Fine, let's just go!"  Sierra said and left to get her purse to avoid any more embarrassment.

            "Can you really hear her like that?"  Micah asked quietly.

            "Um, yeah.  Try music next time.  It always works for us…either that or put a pillow over her head, right Willow?"  Brody said laughing.

            "The music works for me!"  Willow said, shooting Brody a look telling him to watch what he says or else he won't need any music because there will be no sounds to drown out.  Brody backed off and grinned at her innocently.

            Shopping for the awards banquet went well.  The girls both found dresses in the second store that they went to, and the guys found tuxes in the first.  The girls wouldn't let the guys see their dressed because they wanted to surprise them, so in turn the guys wouldn't let the girls see the tuxes.

            The next day, the two couples ventured to the airport to pick Lauren up.  Sierra and Willow hadn't see Lauren since they had moved her down to Texas, so they were both anxious for her arrival.  They waited for her at the gate, and as soon as they saw her, they both made a mad dash towards her and practically tackled her with hugs.

            "Oh Mom!  I have missed you like crazy!  It's so sad that my boyfriend gets to see you more than I do.  How are you?  How was your trip?  You feeling ok?"  Willow fired off the questions in rapid succession.

            "Willow, slow down honey.  I'll be here for a few days.  I'll have plenty of time to answer them all."  Lauren laughed.

            "Hi Lauren.  It’s so good to have you back here for a little while."  Sierra said and hugged her.

            "It's good to see you to honey.  Now, where are my two favorite Texas architects?"  Lauren asked.

            "Hi Mrs. Fox.  We're over here, trying to avoid being trampled by Willow and Sierra as they ran to attack you."  Brody said.

            Lauren walked over to Brody.  "I am so disappointed in you dear.  None of this Mrs. Fox shit.  You know I tell everyone to call me Lauren, and just because you have captured my daughter's heart, that is no exception for you to call me anything other than Lauren."  She said and gave him a hug, as he stood there stunned.  When she pulled him closer, she whispered in his ear so that no one else could hear, "But in the future, you can call me Mom."

            Lauren broke the hug and Brody blushed.  Lauren moved over to Micah and gave him a hug.  "Hi Lauren.  Good to see you again.  Break any hearts on the plane ride here?"

            Lauren laughed.  "Oh, Micah.  You know me too well already!"

            "Mom, are you staying at our apartment or did you get a hotel room?"  Willow asked as they went to baggage claim.

            "Oh, honey, I got a hotel room.  There is no way I was going to interfere with the current sleeping arrangements that look like they are working so well.  It’s about time I see some smiles on my girls' faces!"  Lauren said and Willow and Sierra blushed.

            Brody got Lauren's bags and they all started walking to the exit.  "Oh, by the way, our limo should be right outside."  Lauren said.

            "You got a limo?  Wow, making the big bucks now, huh?"  Sierra said.

            "No, actually it belongs to a friend of mine, who offered it to me to use while I was going to be in New York, so why not!"  Lauren smiled.  "Ah, there it is now."  She said as she walked to a long black stretch limo.  The chauffer was standing next to it, holding a sign with her name on it.  He helped them get her luggage into the trunk, then held the door for all of them as they got into the back.

            The limo dropped them at the hotel and waited for Lauren to check in and bring her bags to her room.  When she came back down, they all went out to dinner.

            Brody was nervous about being with Willow in front of Lauren.  Not only was she his boss, but she was also his girlfriend's mother.  Lauren seemed to notice this and said, "Brody, you need to relax a little.  Don't think of me as Willow's mom or as your boss.  Think of me as a friend of the family.  Don't be afraid to kiss her or say something to her just because I'm here.  I can see how much you want to kiss her, so just get it over with!"  Lauren laughed.  It seemed to break the tension because Brody did kiss Willow at that point and every other time he had the urge to.  He seemed to become a lot more comfortable in front of Lauren, and because of this, everyone else relaxed too.

            After dinner, the limo dropped the four off at the apartment, then brought Lauren back to her hotel.  Everyone was in good spirits, especially Willow who was so excited to spend time with her mother.  When they got back into the apartment, she guided Brody to her bedroom.  "Come here Country Boy, let me show you how happy I am right now."  She said in his ear as she shut and locked her bedroom door.

            That night they needed both music and a pillow to keep their screams of ecstasy from being heard.

            When Wednesday finally rolled around, everyone was nervous and excited at the same time.  The girls all got ready at Lauren's hotel room to keep how they looked a surprise from Brody and Micah.  The limo was sent to pick the guys up first, then they went to the hotel to get the girls.

            Lauren met the guys in the lobby, and they both complimented her on how beautiful she looked, while they waited for the girls to come down.  They saw Sierra first, wearing a long black strapless cocktail dress, that was tight at the bodice, and softly flowed at the skirt.  As she walked, the material swished around her legs.  Brody hugged her first and told her she was gorgeous.  As soon as he let go of her, Micah gathered her in his arms and gave her a tight hug.  He backed away and twirled her around.  "Wow, you look spectacular!"  He said.

            "You look pretty hot yourself, cowboy."  Sierra told him.  He wrapped her in his arms as they waited for Willow to make her entrance.

            A few minutes later, Willow rounded the corner.  Brody's eyes widened as his jaw dropped.  Her dress was a pale pink color, almost white, with a strap going over only one shoulder.  It was long and straight, with a slit up the side to her thigh.  There were beads and sequins all over the dress, making her sparkle with every move she made.  Brody felt as though his heart had stopped when he saw her.  He didn't realize that she had already hugged Micah, and was standing there waiting for him to say something.  Micah had to nudge him to snap him out of it.

            "Sorry I'm late."  Willow said.

            Brody took her hand and said, "I'd wait for an eternity for you.  You look…you look…WOW!  I'm speechless.  You are so gorgeous."  He said to her.

            "Thank you.  You clean up nice too Country Boy."  She said and gave him a kiss.

            Brody leaned in towards her ear and whispered, "I don't know how I am going to manage to keep my hands off you all night."

            "I was thinking the same thing."  Willow whispered back.

            The five of them went out to the waiting limo and headed to the awards banquet.  When they got there, they were all escorted to a table up front, near the stage.

            "Well, I wonder why we're all up front?  Don't they usually save these tables for the important people?"  Brody asked.  Everyone shrugged, no one had an answer for him because they were all thinking the same thing.

            Dinner was served, and no one was able to eat much.  The food was good, but everyone's nerves were running high.  They were grateful when the MC got up and started the ceremony.  The first award presented was for 'Interior Designer of the Year', and it went to none other than Sierra.  She sat in shock when they called her name and didn't get up until Micah nudged her.  She made a quick speech thanking Willow and Lauren for always being there for her, Micah and Brody for always pushing her harder.

            The next few awards were pretty boring, so they tuned them out.  The 'Residential Architect of the Year' was announced with Brody being the winner.  He thanked the group, as well as his parents.  He sent a special thank you to Lauren for all of the help she had given him over the past few months, and to Willow for believing in him.