Kissed by a Carrington. Linda Hudson-Smith

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      Since turning off his wondrous thoughts was impossible, Houston phoned Dallas. Once he got his brother on the line, he dialed Austin’s number. This situation called for a three-way.

      Austin answered the phone, sounding drowsy. “You sound out of it,” Houston remarked. “Dallas is on the phone, too. I initiated the call, but we can do this later.”

      “No, man, it’s cool,” Austin assured his brother. “I’ve been awake a few minutes. What’s happening in your world, Houston? What’re you up to?”

      “Up to my neck in thoughts of Kelly Charleston! You won’t believe this…” Houston said.

      “What?” Dallas asked, yawning.

      “The beautiful lady is under contract with the Cyclones,” Houston revealed.

      Austin whistled. “Signed on in what capacity?”

      “A sports medicine physician. When Max announced it just before we met her, I nearly fell out of my seat. Did you know she was a doctor, Austin?”

      “Not a clue. Sounds like you’re cornered, my brother.” Austin chuckled under his breath.

      “That’s not the half of it. I asked her out on a date, after I hurt her feelings.”

      Dallas gave a disgruntled snort. “What did you do or say to offend her?”

      Houston told his brothers about the offensive remark he’d made about fulfilling his lunch date obligation for Haven House.

      “Ouch,” Austin exclaimed. “That’s my fault. I guess you know by now I lied to you about why you had to accept the date.”

      “It’s a little too late for regret now, don’t you think? I told her I’d been lied to, but not by whom. She took serious offense to my comment.”

      “Houston, you’re way too sensitive to do something like that,” said Dallas. “This girl is already getting to you.”

      “I agree,” Austin seconded. “Asking her out on an official date, especially after putting up such a fuss about the lunch, is also very telling.”

      “A classic sign of falling hard,” Dallas remarked. “I suggest you go with your feelings.”

      “Who said anything about feelings or falling hard?” Houston shouted.

      “You just did,” Dallas responded loud and clear. “There are definitely some feelings happening here, whether you want to admit it or not. I can’t recall the last time you had a follow-up date with any sister. Maybe you did in high school or college but certainly not lately.”

      “I like her, Houston,” Austin confessed. “She seems like a nice person. She’s real, man.”

      “Very real,” Houston said, blowing out a breath of frustration. “I mentioned taking her to our family dinners.”

      “Make it happen soon,” Austin recommended. “Is she under contract to travel with the team?”

      “No.” Houston was quick to respond. “I can’t say I’m sorry about that. Things could get complicated under that scenario. I don’t want my teammates getting wind of this. If they do, they’ll ride me like a bucking bronco.”

      “The guys will definitely find out if this relationship progresses into something serious,” Dallas advised. “You know how our teammates sniff out any hint of rumor or innuendo.”

      Houston sighed hard. “There you guys go again, always jumping to conclusions. We haven’t had a next date, but you’re both talking like we’re already deep into something.”

      “I hate to let you in on this, bro, but you are in deep,” Austin cautioned Houston. “You just won’t let go of the tight control on your silly commitment notions. Let yourself feel this woman. But we won’t harass you. Just don’t take too much time to make up your mind.”

      “Yeah, man, we’re with you,” Dallas assured, knowing they’d harass Houston at every turn, more so if he decided to keep Kelly at arm’s length. “Make sure you know what you’re doing. You don’t want to hurt her. Maybe it’s time to let loose the Doberman inside you, the one guarding your heart. No one ever knows the beginning from the end, but finding out what’s in between can be a beautiful experience.”

      “Dallas is right, Houston. Now that I have you two guys on the phone,” Austin said, “there’s something important we need to discuss.”

      Seated in the cavernous kitchen inside Austin’s ranch-style home, Houston looked tired. He had gotten up earlier this Saturday morning than he’d intended. It had been hard to get out of bed. After talking with his brothers about Kelly last night, he’d lain awake until the wee hours of the morning thinking of the lady doctor.

      The conversation had ended with Austin calling a meeting to discuss plans for Angelica’s birthday. The brothers wanted to do something extraordinary for their mother, their biggest supporter. It was a daunting task since they showered her with special gifts all year long.

      “Dining in a fancy restaurant is old hat,” Houston drawled lazily. “We do it all the time.”

      Dallas’s fingers raked through his dark, satiny curls. “We need to do something original, something we haven’t done for her yet. Mom deserves the best.”

      Pushing his coffee cup around in circles on the table, Austin looked thoughtful. “We know that much. We’ve given her everything but the sun. This gift has to be extraordinary.”

      Houston’s eyes lit up. “What about a cruise?”

      Austin pumped one fist in the air. “Great idea! She’s talked about going on one but hasn’t done it yet. What do you think, Dallas?”

      “Works for me. Dad would love it. Old Beaumont will have a fit if we send Mom away without him. They’re extensions of each other—where one goes the other follows.”

      Austin and Houston laughed at Dallas’s old reference to their dad. They all did it from time to time, but never in his presence. They had the utmost respect for their father. He was the man who’d named the triplets after various cities of his native Texas, the person who’d taught them to become strong, independent, upstanding black men. Beaumont led by example. His boys had followed along in his footsteps without getting lost in his oversize footprints.

      Looking a bit concerned, Austin stroked his chin. “We can’t be gone for too long. Since Ashleigh’s in her third trimester, a three- to five-day cruise will work best for us.”

      Dallas nodded. “The time frame is cool with me, big brother. We can sail to Cozumel right out of the Port of Galveston or the Port of Houston.”

      Austin, the firstborn triplet, was a born leader. Houston and Dallas looked up to Austin and also went to him for sound advice on personal guidance and growth and life in general. Dallas was the money man, sought out for discussion on financial issues and relied on heavily for his recommendations on various investments. Houston was the knowledgeable one, referred to as a walking encyclopedia. Black history was his favorite subject and he СКАЧАТЬ