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The older woman, who looked like she could be Thiago’s twin, allowed herself to be kissed on the cheek and given a brief hug from Miguel. Then he moved past her into the house. She spun on her heel and followed Miguel inside. Jasmeka was left to half hold up Thiago while gathering her bags. She sighed.
Someone whistled. She wasn’t sure who, and a couple of ranch hands appeared out of nowhere to gather the rest of her bags. She found her hands empty except for Thiago, who wobbled beside her.
“He hates me, Jazzy.”
She patted Thiago’s shoulder. “No, he doesn’t hate you. He loves you. I bet Miguel is just grieving in his own way. After all, he has been gone so long, and he might be feeling worse because he didn’t get to see David before he was gone.”
Her voice cracked on the last bit, but she pulled herself together. Thiago seemed to take her words to heart. “You’re right. We have to make him feel better, Jazzy. Make him want to stay. I can’t lose another boy. I can’t do it. You understand, don’t you?”
She clenched her jaw a minute and then released it. “Yes, I understand, sir, but we can’t control what Miguel does. I doubt any of us can influence him in any way.”
“He’s a Torres. We’re as stubborn as they come.” Thiago sounded proud of the fact.
Jasmeka dropped off Thiago at his favorite chair in his private study, and she headed to the kitchen. She wondered if she should go find Miguel to see what his preferences were when it came to food or if he was hungry right then. After considering his attitude with his dad and his aunt, she decided to leave him to his own devices.
When everyone heard he was coming home, mutterings started flying around the ranch at record speed. The staff was mostly indifferent, but the family, the ones who should have been happiest that he was coming had gone from occasional tears over David’s loss to snapping at each other and her. That greeting outside told her tension in the house was about to climb to new levels, and it was up to her to try for some unity. Maybe with a little of her usual magic, she could bring the Torres family together again. First, she would have to get to know Miguel better. That might not be such an easy task, but she was more than up for the challenge.
* * *
Antonio reached for a roll, but Jasmeka shook her head, frowning at him. “Not yet. We have to wait for Miguel.”
“Why should we?” Antonio grumbled. “If he can’t come to dinner on time, then that’s his problem. The rest of us shouldn’t suffer.”
Jasmeka scraped her chair back. “It won’t hurt to wait five minutes, Antonio. Let me go knock on his door again.”
Before she could stand, Miguel appeared in the dining room doorway. His gaze took in every detail of the room, lingering a second or two on the twins before moving to her. “You eat with the family?”
Antonio laughed and muttered something in Spanish Jasmeka didn’t hear and then spoke in English. “She works for us, but we let her do whatever she wants. Her food is good. Besides, it’s none of your business.”
Angel laughed but didn’t speak. Aunt Rosa’s mouth tightened. She couldn’t comment on Antonio’s rudeness, or she would reveal she understood English very well. Thiago slapped a hand on the table.
“Antonio, apologize to Jazzy! She’s family, and you’re not going to be rude to her, boy.”
The older twin by a few minutes reddened. His jaw clenched, and he stared down at his empty plate. Sometimes, when he was like this, Jasmeka found it hard to believe he was seventeen. But that was Aunt Rosa’s fault. The boys were immature and often bratty because she spoiled them.
“Lo siento,” he muttered.
Thiago’s head bobbed up and down while Miguel took a seat. He waved over one of the maids that helped Jasmeka, and she piled his plate with food. Thiago picked up his knife and fork and waggled the knife in Miguel’s direction. He spoke Spanish, she assumed for Aunt Rosa’s benefit. “And your brother, he’s the head of the house now, so you have to respect Miguel.”
Antonio’s eyes widened. “I’m the head of the house! He’s not family. He left a long time ago, and we shouldn’t have even told him about David. What does he care?”
“Antonio!” Jasmeka looked at Aunt Rosa, but she was busy directing the maid to fill her plate. Neither she nor her brother ever helped themselves. The twins might be spoiled, but they never waited to be served. They fixed their own plates. David had done the same.
Miguel shifted his shoulders and began serving himself as well. He didn’t appear to be offended by his brother’s claim. “I agree,” he said.
Jasmeka gasped.
A dark and dangerous gaze met Antonio’s, and the teenager shifted in his chair before straightening his back and raising his chin. Miguel continued. “I am not the head
of the house. I don’t understand why there would be any question since Thiago is still around.”
“Oh, you don’t know,” Jasmeka blurted. “Thiago signed the ranch over to David eight years ago.”
Miguel paused with a forkful of mashed potatoes and gravy on the way to his mouth. Shock registered in his expression, and he looked at his dad. “Why?”
“Don’t worry. Eat, eat!” Thiago encouraged him. The older man belayed answering any further questions by stuffing his own mouth with grilled chicken. He chewed noisily and downed a can of beer before demanding another.
Miguel said nothing but concentrated on his meal.
