Vignette: 3:33 am

Vignette: 3:33 am

Midway through the witching hour he stirred, fighting off the recurrent nightmare that plagued him around this time nightly. Lying on his back, he let his breathing and heart rate slow, and reached to his left, where his wife slept. He would stroke her silken thigh; she would stir and scoot into the middle of the king-size bed so he could hold her. Without awakening, she would lay her head on his shoulder, press her body against his, purr, and sleep like that until dawn.

The feel of her silky skin and her cuddling reassured and calmed him, although the combination of his hand on her thigh and her body pressed against him sometimes led to the kind of sleepy middle-of-the-night sex she loved and needed. They worked long hours at demanding jobs and had children, so the desire for sex at bedtime was too often overrun by fatigue. But after a few hours of rejuvenation, desire would win out, and they met their needs before returning to sleep for a few more hours and then starting another day in their little paradise.

Archie's hand landed on the cool bed sheet, not her warm thigh, so he stretched his arm and reached to find her, but didn't. Confused, he raised his head: she wasn't there! His heart raced, and he sat up; was he still asleep, adrift in the nightmare? Was this just a new way for his unconscious brain to torture him?

Or had she just gotten up to use the restroom? The thought relieved him, and he lay still, waiting for her return. When her side of the bed remained empty, he arose and went looking for her. She wasn't in the bathroom or the kitchen, so he wandered into the living room, and then to the vacant bedrooms meant for their children. Perhaps his tossing and turning was keeping her awake and she moved to another bed. No: all three were empty.

He walked through the house and looked out at the carport; her car was sitting in its place beside his pickup and the van was in its place in the third stall. He stared at their vehicles for a moment, and then the events of the night came flooding out of his sleepy confusion.

Even though he had to travel to the city tomorrow to make an important presentation, Robin had insisted they go to the Wild Horse Saloon to hear a hot regional band she was crazy about. He was reluctant, knowing he needed to be fresh and on top of his game, for the sake of his company and those who worked for him. There were millions at stake, and, although he seemed to have the inside track, it wasn't a done deal. This was that golden opportunity he couldn't mess up.

They had argued, then negotiated, and arrived at an agreement. As usual, she got her way, but not before she agreed they would leave by midnight so he could get at least five or six hours of sleep before he had to get up. The city was about 90 minutes away on a normal Saturday and the meeting was at ten, so he needed to be up by 6:30 so he could be on the road by 8:00.

The problem was, at midnight she was heading for the dance floor with her umpteenth partner of the night. He stopped her, reminded her of their agreement, and she flippantly replied, "It's early! Just a few more dances and we'll go."

"Robin, I need sleep! That meeting is huge for the company, and for us; I can't blow it by being sleep deprived! Old man Jameson is going to challenge me personally and question our ability to get the work done! I have to be on top of my game! It's not just our family's future - a lot of jobs depend on this!

"Please - you agreed to leave at midnight!"

She stood there, still holding her next partner's hand, with a resentful look on her face, and he could tell she was going to argue, or even say something vindictive that would degenerate into a screaming match.

It was embarrassing enough that everyone at the table was listening to them squabble, but if her reply was as nasty as he feared, she would leave him no choice. And she was just drunk enough to jump into bitch mode and start it.

And then her sister saved him, and her. "Archie, we'll get her home after the band quits at two. You know how much she loves to dance to this band, and how headstrong she gets after a few margaritas! You go get the rest you need so you can go get that contract and keep all of us employed!"

Robin's spiteful bitch face dissolved, replaced by a pleading look. She grabbed his arm and squeezed. "Please, honey! I'll get up and make breakfast before you leave!"

This was the best compromise possible under the circumstances, the circumstances being his need to rest versus her drunken desire to dance, tease, and flirt, but he didn't like it.

Their table had grown and grown over the course of the night, from the original three married couples to twelve people, only six of whom were married. The unmarried number included a notorious cock hound and his two brothers, and they had been monopolizing her conversation and dancing. In fact, it was Harry Cockhound's hand she was holding, and he didn't miss the smirk on his face.

Still, it was trusting Clarice to get her home or have a drunken row in front of God and everybody at the dance, so he nodded and said, "I'll expect you at 2:10, and not a minute later." As he turned to leave, he looked back at Clarice, caught her eye, and got a nod of acceptance.

A glance at the table showed the smirks on the faces of the other Roberts brothers, and a surge of anger made him pause and step toward them. He might or might not whip all three, but he would certainly wipe the sneers off their faces!

His brother-in-law read the situation, got up, and stepped in front of him. "Ignore those assholes. We'll get her home safely, and you can get your rest. Okay? Believe me, we all want you at your best in the morning!"

Arch took a deep breath, nodded, and walked away. He heard muted laughter and Jim's voice say, "Something funny? I'm pretty sure he could kick all three of your fat, out-of-shape asses by himself, but you fuck with that man you fuck with me and the rest of the decent men at this table, so shut the fuck up - before we fuck you up!"

When Harry and Robin were returning after their dance, Willie and Rob met him on the way and told him to come with them to the bar so they could buy a round for the table. He seated Robin and then joined them at the bar. "What the hell?" he asked angrily. "I've got that little slut hot and ready; why did you pull me over here?"

Red explained what had gone on at the table. They quickly made plans and then returned with the round. They were all 'good old boys' after that, doing nothing to upset the other men, and spreading their dances among the women. But each had something complimentary and sexy to say to Robin, and each danced her into the corner farther from the table before feeling her up. She didn't have the biggest boobs, but the rest of her was the best in town, and they planned to find out if fucked as good as she looked.

The key to that outcome was booze, and they made sure she had a full drink waiting when she returned to the table. Even then, and with all their effort, they would have failed save for Clairice getting a message from the babysitter that their youngest had fallen, cut his head, and needed to be taken to the ER.

They hurried to the truck and sped home, without giving any thought to their promise to Archie.

When he awoke in a cold sweat at 3:33, they were sitting in a hospital room after Little Jimmy had his head sewed up and was being watched for a concussion. Of course, Archie didn't know that and was mortally pissed at his sister and brother-in-law when he finally determined his wife was not home.

He was too wired and worried to go back to bed, so he paced. As four neared, he said 'fuck it,' put on a pot of coffee, and finished packing. The coffee was hot and strong, and it jarred him into a state of anger he hadn't felt in a very long time. They called him Berserker in high school for his legendary temper and refusal to back down when engaged with an enemy, be it on a sports field or court, a boxing match, or a street fight. Robin had calmed him over the years, but tonight Robin was the object of his anger, which she had never felt, and only observed once.

As the clock moved toward the five o'clock hour and dawn's first tendrils, he loaded his business car and began writing a note to his loving wife. He would save his ire for his sister until he was with her and she had explained, but he couldn't think of any reason for tonight turning out as it had,

When 5:00 became 5:30 and it grew light outside, he turned off all the lights, locked all the doors, and got in his car. He backed out just as a vehicle cresting the hill turned off its lights and slowed down as it approached the house. He turned in that direction and drove slowly toward the old pickup, which, even in the dim light preceding sunrise, he recognized as Harry's welding truck. Just before the vehicles met, the truck stopped, and he got a good look at the three occupants of the front seat.

Harry, the driver, looked worried; Robin, in the middle, looked horrified; and Red, on the far side, had a smirk that validated his suspicions. Harry held his hand out the window with his palm up, signaling him to stop. He continued rolling slowly but held his left hand out the window with his three bottom fingers curled, his index finger pointing, and his thumb raised. He pointed that finger at Harry and dropped the hammer on his 'pistol' and then did the same to Harry's two passengers.

When he was even with Harry's door, faces were clearly seen and he watched concern morph to fear. Then he was behind the truck so he couldn't see Robin, but he could hear her scream "NO! Archie, please!" He sped up and sped away, headed to San Antonio and a new destiny.

Harry coasted the half-block to Robin's house and pulled into the driveway. She stopped screaming and began crying hysterically. He tried to comfort her while Red boasted that he wasn't afraid of 'that pussy-whipped queer' and would kick his ass if he didn't like sharing his wife! Harry let him rave, and then asked, "Did he shake a fist at us, or point a pistol, dumbass? You enough of a badass to take a.45 slug between the eyes and still whip his ass? We're in deep shit - that is one crazy mutherfucker when he's pissed!"

"I'm not scared of that pussy! He's a tired, fucked down househusband who can't keep his wife satisfied! I'll beat him into a puddle of piss and then make him watch me fuck his pussy on his marital bed!"

"Wasn't that something the Armstrong boys declared a few years ago? Remember how that turned out? They were the ones lying in the piss and blood, and he was standing over them trying to kick their ribs in and their balls off when the deputies tazed him three times! And their offense was only grabbing his drunk wife's ass a few times while dancing and then making fun of him when he intervened!

"How do you think he's going to take this, Brother?"

Archie turned onto the interstate to SA and began considering his options and obstacles. His business wasn't a concern; his lawyers had constructed it in such a way that she would never get a dime of it. The salary he drew was enough to keep them living in a nice house driving nice cars, taking exotic vacations, and spoiling his wife with clothing, jewelry, and spas. He didn't ask much in return: respect and fidelity, as she had pledged in her vows.

It was his future that tempered the desire to kill the four adulterers, or file for divorce without concrete proof of her infidelity. There might be an innocent explanation, though he would bet his company that her coming home at dawn with those three pricks was anything but innocent. However, if he named the Roberts brothers without proof, it might cause two more divorces.

Not that he gave a damn right now, at 6:33 am driving 75 toward San Antonio and a meeting that could steeply increase the trajectory of his business, which was already the largest employer in the county. The thought of the ten am meeting with the snarling, combative 'Old Man' Marvin Jameson, recentered him. He began reviewing the critical parts of his presentation and the probing questions he expected to have thrown at him, and the miles hummed by.

****

"And those, Gentlemen, are reasons our company can best serve your current needs. But I'd like to add a couple more, starting with our ability to anticipate and prepare for your future needs. You may feel this is superfluous, but our research and development division is tops in the field. With you as our largest client, we will devote an appropriate share of our time and effort to you, and that includes identifying other areas into which you might expand. Your market share in your core businesses is already so high it will be hard to increase it year after year, but we feel there are other areas into which you can look in order to continue the remarkable growth of your company. Additionally..."

His audience had seemed receptive to his presentation, but now he was getting mixed signals. Had he gone too far afield? Marvin Jameson's face was as devoid of emotion as he expected; his sons looked receptive but some of his closest advisers didn't, and the old man had yet to speak up. When he finally did, he didn't ask questions; he banished Archie to the conference room down the hall and said they would bring him back after they considered his proposals.

It had already been the most stressful nine hours of his life, and the last ninety minutes was the capstone. He had never seen or heard of Marvin Jameson holding his thoughts or hiding his disregard for a presenter. In fact, he had skewered young Archie the first time he made a presentation to him, so summarily dismissing him like this had his heart rate in the triple digits.

The only ninety minutes of his life that felt longer had occurred after 3:33 this morning, and that had not ended well!

By the time Marvin, Jr. came to get him, he had lost all hope. He was normally an optimist, but maybe the combination of his wife's infidelity and Jameson's unexpected actions had trampled that, leaving the normally ebullient Archie on the verge of depression. But when summoned, he put his jacket back on, straightened his tie, and accompanied the silent Junior. They might hang him, they might use a firing squad, but he would not blink. This was his company, his presentation, and he owned his work!

Archie read a room as well as anyone, but all he saw were erect individuals, hands folded on the table, with blank faces; with great effort, he assumed a pleasant demeanor and took the seat to which Junior directed him. The owner/CEO was the first to move and to speak, "Young man, we've been keeping an eye on you and your businesses. The last time you were here, you were full of ambition and big dreams but I didn't believe you were ready to provide the services we needed. That has changed, and you have changed.

"Even back then, I wondered if I made a mistake, because you seemed quite capable of accomplishing your dreams, with sufficient maturity and experience. You aren't even thirty yet, but you've built a company you can be proud of, and as to the contract you have offered, our CFOs and attorneys will need to squabble about a few things, but we have an agreement! I know you are like me and my sons in that an agreement is as good as a contract, minus all the squabbling over legal terms and decimal points to the ten-thousandths.

"If you agree, we can all go enjoy a steak at my expense and allow you to return to your family to enjoy the rest of the afternoon."

"Yes, Sir, you have my agreement and my word, unless the legalese and decimal points all go against us."

The entire table chuckled. Jameson rose and approached a very relieved young man with his hand outstretched, and his sons were waiting for their opportunity to do the same. A dozen handshakes and a half-dozen clasped shoulders later, they went to eat at Jameson's favorite steakhouse, located in a nearby private club. The food and setting were everything they were reputed to be, and he actually enjoyed being hurrahed about Mr. Jameson making him sweat.

After goodbyes and before he climbed into his company car, he tossed his jacket and tie into the back seat and said a prayer of thanks that something had gone well today. He drove south, but at the first truck stop he carried his leather travel bag in, paid the minimal fee for access to the truckers' locker room, took a shower to erase the nervous sweat, and changed into boots, jeans, and a denim work shirt. About 12 miles north of home, he turned off the highway onto a Farm to Market Road and followed it to the dirt county road that went past his ranch.

The ranch had originally been purchased by his grandad, now deceased, but he had been forced to sell it during the last extreme drought. Archie bought it back from the absentee owner, who had grown bored with the whole 'I own a ranch in south Texas. Big whitetails, lots of dove and quail; want to go hunting?' thing.

His wealthy friends and their wives were also bored by the 'south Texas hunting' thing, and when Archie offered twice what he paid 14 years ago, he took it without checking current market value. Had he checked, he'd have learned it was now worth twice what he got. Not that he needed the money. He had paving contracts with Harris County that were more reliable and lucrative than a gold mine.

Archie put his toiletries and clothes away, changed into ranch wear, took one of his hunting rifles out of the safe, and walked out to the ranch truck. He had a phone in the little ranch house, but didn't want anyone to know where he was, so he stopped at a beer joint with a pay phone and made a call to his CFO and friend, Carl Schulze. After swearing him to secrecy, he gave him the good news about their newest client/customer and asked him to schedule a meeting of all administrative staff at 8 am Monday, and another with other employees at nine.

He bought three longnecks to go, put two in Koozies, and started drinking the other while driving east, down another FM road. A couple of road changes and twenty-two minutes later, he turned down a dead-end road that passed through the Roberts Ranch and ended at the Martin Ranch headquarters. Red Roberts was single and had a house near town, and Willie lived in town, but Harry lived in a double-wide manufactured home about thirty yards off the road. He and Willie were both married to girls raised only a few miles away, from a family with six extremely good-looking and well-built daughters. Most were country as hell, and thought shopping in San Antonio was equivalent to shopping in Paris, but Willie's was the exception. She had graduated from high school, joined the air force, and spent four years seeing the world. Japan, Germany, Italy, and an air base in the Virgin Islands.

That required doing special favors for the officer to whom she was assigned as a clerk, and sometimes to the one where she wanted to go, but she had seen the world without doing anything she hadn't already done with high school boys and other officers. Her transactional approach to sex led to her returning home four months pregnant due to birth control failure, and Willie was more than happy to take her and her spawn in, when daddy wouldn't. They were married just before the baby girl self-aborted.

After a period of mourning, Julie went to work for the county's largest insurance agency and assisted with tax returns during the season. It was good money, honestly earned, and challenging enough. Willie earned even more as a contract fabricator for Panther Creations, a subsidiary of the county's top employer, Panther Ventures, which was a subsidiary of Parr Industries; all were owned by Archie Parr.

Harry's wife was Julie's younger sister, Samantha. She was just as stacked and lovely as her sister, but naïve, country, and without the social graces Julie had learned living away from the brush country. Harry kept her on the ranch as much as possible so she would stay that way, and he bullshitted her that he was welding on distant pipelines while he was really out drinking, dancing, and chasing women who weren't nearly as attractive as his wife.

With him, it was all about the chase and conquest, which is why fucking Parr's wife was such a rush. Parr was four years younger, but his return from the east coast caused quite a stir in the community, and every business he had founded had turned into a gold mine.

Fucking Robin was mostly about the conquest of a very hot woman, but it was also about bringing the happy bastard back to earth. Getting caught, however, was not in his plan. He enjoyed smirking at men he had cucked and whose wives he and his big-cocked brothers had shared, but he didn't like confrontations, and, truth be told, being directly in Archer Parr's sights was unnerving.

He had been short with Sam since he finally got up around one pm, after explaining that he drove all night from west Texas to spend Sunday with her. For some reason - perhaps the odor of sex all over his body and clothes - she didn't seem particularly pleased to see him and was even less so when he was short with her after he awoke.

She had been in awe of the older man who started courting her when she turned seventeen, and she had quickly accepted his proposal. Her sisters and parents thought he was quite the catch, given the size of the ranch he ran for his mother, and his status as a county commissioner. However, it turned out that he could be abusive if she stood up to him, was as uncaring toward his wife as he had been caring when courting her, and he liked to fuck her with his big dick without preparation or concern for her own needs.

She had more orgasms with her finger and the vibrator she ordered online than from her husband, and she didn't appreciate his surliness and cutting words when he was home. She had gone from the love and lust of his life to someone he seemed ashamed of, just as he had become someone of whom she was afraid.

Samantha was taking clothes off the line when a pickup she didn't recognize cruised slowly by with a rifle barrel sticking out the window. The dust the stranger set drifting toward her freshly washed clothes made her angry, and she knew Harry would be furious about someone blatantly road hunting on their ranch! She hurriedly gathered the clothes and rushed inside to tell her husband!

He cursed her for no reason, cursed the road hunter, grabbed his own rifle, and took a seat on the stairs outside. The guy with the gun was either a guest of the Martins or a road hunter, and if he heard a shot, he was heading that way with pistol and rifle ready! Either way, the idiot had to pass back by to leave, since this road ended at the Martin's gate.

It was quiet and still until dusk had settled in and light began fading. He couldn't see the pickup well due to the brush he had let grow in the fence line along the road. And then he could; it was barely moving, but when it entered an opening, he saw a rifle barrel extending out the passenger window and the driver. The rifle was pointing directly at him as the old truck entered the clearing and swiveled as it drove past, so it was always pointed toward him.

The rifle sighted on him was disturbing and he should have dropped off the steps and raised and sighted his own rifle. He didn't, because he saw the driver: it was Archie Parr! He recognized his ranch truck, and the scowling visage glaring at him! The truck passed by the gate and then sped up.

Samantha was looking out the window and was surprised that her bully husband didn't do one thing with the stranger so obviously threatening him. She walked outside to ask why, and saw that Harry was a white as a sheet, as if he had seen a ghost. Surprised, she said nothing, waiting to see what he would say and do.

An hour later, Willie got in his welding truck and started west toward the ranch. Harry's phone call was nonsensical, but he felt the urgency and knew he had to respond. Normally, he would have kissed his pretty wife before he left, but she had summarily rejected his poor excuse for staying out all night and would have nothing to do with him.

He used the thirty-seven-minute drive to consider alternative stories, but he had sold the other story as best he could, including swearing it was true, so a new story now would only make things worse. Besides she had forgiven him before, and he was sure she would again. He made good money and treated her well. Other than the women he and his brothers took care of, like last night.

He was convinced he would survive this too. Unless Parr named him in his divorce papers, in which case he was going to need to leave the county! As it was, he needed to find a new job; it wasn't in Parr's nature to employ a man who had just fucked his wife!

He and Red got to the turnoff at the same time, coming from different directions. Red pulled off the road and got out of his pickup, so Willie did the same. Red pulled an icy beer out of the cooler in the bed of his truck and handed it to him, and then asked, "What the hell was Harry going on about. I could tell Samantha was in the room and he was trying to keep her from figuring out what we done last night, but he didn't make sense? Did you get it?"

"No, but he sounded like he'd been scared shitless, so I left my pissed off wife and came out. I'm pretty sure it has to do with last night, but I couldn't make the connections."

They finished their beers and proceeded to the ranch. Just before they got there, they both saw a man sitting on top of an old pickup, holding what appeared to be a large bore rifle. He was parked about 20 yards off the roadway at an entrance to the old Amaya ranch. It was rumored that the Martin heirs had bought it, but no one really knew.

It was getting dark, he was wearing an old, beat-up felt hat, denim shirt and jeans, and neither could place him. But they did see him nod, raise his hand, and make the same hand pistol Parr had made early that morning! They were well past the opening to the road by then, and neither stopped until they got to Harry's gate - which was closed, chained, and locked, for the first time they could recollect.

Red honked, and Samantha came out holding a key she used to open the lock. She paused, and loudly proclaimed something her mother had said to her father more than once. "I don't know what or who you boys got into last night, but it sure looks like you're reaping the whirlwind."

She opened the gate, and shouted, "Your brother is out in the shed with several rifles, shotguns, and pistols. He said to tell you to come out there as soon as you arrived."

Red normally liked to complement and flirt with the good-looking little thang Harry had lucked into, but she didn't seem receptive, and he was curious about what set big, bad Harry off, so he drove straight to the shed.

Samantha closed and locked the gate and walked back toward the house. When she was sure she couldn't be seen, she snuck around the house and up to the windowless side of the shed, where she had no problem hearing the raised voices. Having confirmed what she suspected, and having heard all the details, she had steam coming out of her ears. So angry she was shaking, she slipped over to unlock, unchain, and open the gate.

She snuck back to the house, gathered some clothes and makeup, and snuck back outside to the barn where the old Suburban was parked. This was to be the mommy-mobile to carry their many children around in, but somehow, she never got pregnant. Harry claimed she was sterile, but she noticed he didn't have any kids with his first wife either, and decided he was the problem, not her.

She was hoping the loud voices would cover up the noise of her vehicle leaving, and apparently it did. Just for spite, she left the gate wide open and headed to town to tell her big sister what she had heard.

The brothers had turned to 100 proof Old Crow straight from the refrigerator, and their arguments had only gotten louder. Maybe that explained why they didn't hear the padlock on the door engage or smell the smoke, but two sides of the old building were engulfed in flames by the time they did! The old wood went up like kindling and soon smoke and heat began overtaking them!

They rushed to the door in panic, found it wouldn't open, and Red found an axe while the other two were trying to break the door down. Had he not, they would likely all have perished! As it was, they were choking on smoke as they staggered away from the inferno, and all three collapsed onto the dirt by the trailer. When he could breathe again, Harry screamed "Sam, have you called the fire department? This could spread!"

No answer, so he rushed into the house and tried to make the call, only to hear silence. He rushed back outside, where his brothers were squirting the barn with a water hose, hoping to save it from the hot cinders. He got another hose and started spraying the house for the same reason, and noticed the wind was blowing the cinders away, toward the high grass he had failed to shred. He intermittently cussed his wife, Parr, and his brothers, because someone had to be at fault!

Within a few minutes, the grass was ablaze and threatening their pickups. Red raced to his, moved it upwind, and then did the same for Willie's; Harry's was already burning, and Harry cussed God for letting this happen to him!

The brush fire trucks from the rural fire station arrived soon thereafter, and began wetting the grounds, barn, and house to keep the fire from spreading. The shed was completely gone, the remaining wood having collapsed into a pile of burning wood and coals, covered with tin from the roof. Furious, Harry climbed onto the bed of Red's pickup and looked around. That fucking Parr was probably out there laughing his ass off!

And where was his wife? He was going to beat her to a pulp when he found her!

After tossing her clothes and shoes in a duffle bag, Samantha had gone straight to town to tell her big sister what she had heard the brothers say. Now Julie was packing: no way was she staying here with that cheating bastard of a husband!

And she was going to make sure Archie Parr knew what his slut wife was up to after he left the dance! She dialed his house, and the slut answered the phone breathlessly. "Archie?"

"No, Slut, it's Julie Roberts, but as soon as I find him, I'm going to tell him everything you and our husbands did last night!"

"Julie, please, it's not what it looks like!" she cried in despair. "We were just riding around, and the truck started shaking and the engine died, and..."

"Bullshit!" Julie interrupted. "Samantha heard exactly what happened, from the mouths of your lovers! If I were you or them, I'd be trying to get out of the county, out of the state, and maybe out of the country! The Parrs don't put up with this kind of shit! People who cross them tend to die or disappear! Ever heard of the Duke of Duval? Archie is his namesake, and his machine still exists! You're a Dead Woman Walking!"

Robin dropped her phone back into the cradle and began sobbing loudly! She had heard the rumors about his family, but she hadn't given them much credence until now. If Archie really knew what happened Friday night, her marriage would surely be over! But Julie said her life would literally be over if he did!

'Oh, God, how did I get so STUPID?!'

She rushed into the bedroom and began packing! She could fly home to her parents, blame it on Arch being an abusive husband, and hope they bought it, though that was unlikely. She wasn't sure they didn't like him more than her!

Sam moved her stuff to Julie's late model SUV, and helped her sister load all their things that would fit. Julie then locked the house, removed the extra key from the garage, and got the hell out of Dodge! She had friends who had settled in San Antonio after they left the Air Force, and she was sure they would put them up. The only problem was, she needed gasoline, and she was already miles out of town. She headed further up the road to a little icehouse (beer joint with bar food) that had a gas pump.

She pulled in and got out to fill up. "Hey, Sam, how about ordering us a beer and a burger. We can eat here, but then we'll need to hit the road.

About halfway to the door, Sam froze in place as a man walked outside. He looked at Sam, looked at Julie, grinned, and asked, "What are you Marley girls doing up here in my country?"

"You!" Sam charged! "You were road hunting on our ranch this afternoon! You pointed your rifle at Harry when you rode by!"

Julie looked over the pump at her sister and the man she was accosting, and laughed at the innocent look on Archie's face as he questioned her allegations. "You sure it was me you saw? Young little thing like you, probably couldn't even see out the windows."

Sam was lighting back into him when Julie intervened. "Samantha, this is the infamous Archer Parr. As much land as he owns, he wouldn't need to be road hunting on the Roberts Ranch. Unless he was up to something. Were you up to something, Archie?"

"To quote your husband, Sam, 'one never knows, does one?' Maybe it was me road hunting, maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was me up to no good, maybe it was your husbands."

Julie chuckled at her confused sister, and asked, "Are you leaving, or greeting us?"

"Why would a codger like me leave such lovely company? I was coming out to offer to buy your supper. Unless you're in a hurry to get somewhere."

She read the question behind the statement, and said, "We are, but we'll eat if you're buying."

There was no one there but the bartender, cook, and them, and 'a beer and burger' turned into seven beers, a burger, and a lot of laughs. But when Sam told him what she heard and started detailing her husband's threats to her, into tears.

Julie knew driving to San Antonio wasn't feasible as she would definitely be Driving While Intoxicated, and Sam was drunker than she was. So, she batted her long eyelashes at Archie, leaned closer, and asked, "Where are you staying tonight? I hope it's close and we can stay with you, because I don't know how far I can drive!"

He winked, stood, and told them to follow him. He went to their car and asked Julie for the keys. When she asked about his pickup, he replied, "I've got the keys; it will be safe here, and you can drop me back here tomorrow. And don't worry about me; seven beers is a lot more for 110-pounders like you Marley girls than a 200 pounder like me. I'm fine."

He might have not been so confident had their destination been San Antonio, but seven miles down a lonely dirt road he knew like the back of his hand wasn't a problem. They got there safely, and he showed them the two guest rooms and his bedroom.

"Of course, either or both of you are welcome to bunk with me, if you need someone to help you make it through the night," he offered with a grin. Samantha looked hopeful, but Julie demurred for both, so he moved their luggage into their chosen rooms.

Samantha bathed first, while Julie talked to Archie. She might be a little bit drunk, but she knew he was taking it all too well. Whatever else she was, Robin had been the light of his life since he brought her with him from the east coast, and it had to hurt to have her act as she did. So far, though, he had refused to acknowledge his true feelings.

"Look, Jewel, she was always a flirt and tease and frequently a source of embarrassment to me. Last night ended that, as well as any feelings I might have for her. She moved on, I move on. Simple as that."

His statement gave her something to think about when her turn to bathe came. Was the answer for her cheating husband that 'simple'? While bathing her delicates, her thoughts equivocated between her husband's betrayal and his teasing invitation.

Maybe the 'simple' answer for the three cheated-upons was to cheat! Get even! She had a thing for Archie anyway, going back to the first time they met, at a Halloween party. He was a Comanche warrior with a bloody knife and scalps that looked like toupees. More importantly, he was wearing a leather breechcloth and moccasins, and his nearly naked body and scowl excited her.

When he threatened to drag her sexy cowgirl persona to his tipi and extract revenge for the crimes of Cowboys, she got wet panties and wanted to offer herself as a sacrifice - in the nearest bedroom! She tried to be coy, but she could tell he knew.

They had been at a lot of parties and dances after that, and had become friends, of sorts. There had been alcohol, and alcohol fueled teasing and flirting among the party goers and dancers. It was usually light flirting, but sometimes, as the night wore on, it got more serious, and his wife was frequently involved when it did. People who knew him knew better than to indulge her, but three brothers didn't, and it turned out badly for them.

Julie had been propositioned any number of times by other men but had always laughed it off. Archie had never gone beyond letting his hand slide a little too low on her butt and pulling her tightly against him while they were dancing. Shameless hussy that she is, she responded by grinding on his hard cock, and once, when they were in a dark area, she brought his lead hand in, put hers on top, and pressed his on her substantial tit.

Robin had done far more, with far more people; she saved her sluttiness for one man, and he had just invited her to spend the night in his room.

Those memories caused one hand to linger on her tender breast, and the other to rub the little button at the top of her vagina. She forced herself to stop and pay closer attention to cleaning herself. If she were going to have the delectable Mr. Parr tonight, she wanted to be clean everywhere his mouth might go, inside and out!

Julie hadn't grabbed a sexy nightgown when she tossed clothes in the suitcase, so she picked a pair of pale blue bikini panties and a white tee shirt that almost covered the panties. She kept herself well-groomed at all times, so that wasn't a concern, but the hard pebbles were poking holes in the tee shirt, and she couldn't make them calm down. Oh well - she intended to seduce him anyway; her nipples would only make it more obvious.

Little sis was fascinated by the suave older man who was flirting with and teasing her, and even her pajamas weren't hiding the hard little pebbles that had caused. She knew from a dozen sisterly talks that Julie had a thing for him, but he had invited 'either or both,' so perhaps big sis would share, if nothing else. She was quickly developing a thing for him, too.

She was sitting propped up on his bed in her shorty pajamas giving Archie a good look at her shapely legs. Julie entered in her white tee shirt with her blue panties showing, with nipples as hard as her own, and sat down on the bed with her legs crossed in front of her. That was such a sexy pose that Sam tried it, and Archie couldn't decide which legs, puss, and tits to look at.

"You two stay right here and make yourselves comfortable," he commanded, "and I'll grab a quick shower."

He scurried off and the sisters giggled at the bulge in his jeans he had displayed when he stood up. "Sis, I've only had Harry for a lover, and I really, really want to try Archie!"

Julie smiled at her and said, "He doesn't know it, but we aren't leaving tomorrow, and maybe not for quite some time. No one I know in San Antonio can accommodate you and I like this, and none look like him! I really think I should go first so I can manipulate him into letting us stay, but we can flip for first if you want."

Before Sam could say "Let's flip," the object of their lust returned wearing only a pair of sleeping shorts. "Hey, I didn't say it earlier, but you guys are free to stay as long as you like. I have plenty of room, and I do love the company! If you don't leave tomorrow, I'll show you around the ranch and we can grill steaks. What do you think?"

'Well, that was easy,' Julie thought before responding, "Are you sure we won't be a bother? We'll do our share and take care of things that need taking care of."

"You two are hardly a bother!" he replied while blatantly eyeing them from head to toe. "And I'm sure we can arrive at some acceptable division of labor."

His impressive cock was hard again. It touched the waistband of his boxers, and he had a warm pink glow to his impressive upper body. It was as if he was thinking that using their bodies for carnal purposes was part of the division of labor, though they considered it a privilege. Julie blushed with delight at the thought, but Sam just stared at the second cock she'd ever seen this close. Harry's cock was too big to take all the way inside her, but this one looked like it would be a good fit. She raised her eyes and Archie winked at her.

"What do you think about that, Baby Sister: we agree on an acceptable division of labor and you two stay here with me? Or do you want me to take you home?"

"No, not back to Harry! Please! I agree with whatever you and Julie think is right, and I'll do my share and more! But I never want to go back to that cheating bastard, and if I do, he'll beat me black and blue all over!"

"Has he beat you before?" Archie asked quietly. "Many times," she replied plaintively, "and most of the time I hadn't sassed him or done anything wrong! He'd get drunk or come home mad and take it out on me! He even beat me once because I've haven't gotten pregnant with his son! I haven't been taking birth control pills or nothing, and his other wife never got pregnant either. I think it's him, not us! But if I said that to him, he'd most likely kill me, like he did Dora!"

"He killed Dora?" Archie asked incredulously. "Everyone said she ran off to Mexico with her lover."

"Maybe she did, but I pissed him off once when he was drunk, and I was working in the yard. He dragged me through the brush by my ponytail to a clearing and threw me down in the weeds. He kicked me and yelled, 'You sass me again, girl, and you'll be pushing up daisies like Dora there! You understand me, you barren little bitch!'

"So I don't know if she's buried there or not, but I didn't want to be pushing up weeds, so I begged and pleaded, and he let me run back to the house. Anyway, I ain't got no proof, but I believed him."

Archie stared at her for a moment, then looked at Julie. "She told me about it right after it happened, and I believe her. He's a mean SOB when he's sober, and a brutal bastard when he's drunk! Dora didn't take no shit off him, so who knows? Unless someone digs up that clearing, we'll never know."

Archie looked at the two of them sitting cross legged on the bed with their panties showing and their nipples poking their shirts. Julie seemed composed but was fidgeting nervously; feisty little Samantha looked defiant, yet afraid. This wasn't the night to separate them so he could fuck Julie, or Sam either; they didn't need sex, they needed to feel safe.

His job was to make them feel more secure, have some hot chocolate, and get a good night's sleep. But first, another way to throw anyone looking for them off track.

Archie called the San Antonio hotel he had checked into before the meeting to get cleaned up and changed before the business meeting. He hadn't checked out before he left, so it was an active booking. "Please renew my room for another two nights, please, and use the same credit card for payment. Oh, and bring more sheets for the couch bed; I have two guests staying with me.

He got up, looked out the window, and said, "Julie Roberts and Samantha Roberts. Yes, 2015 Ford Explorer, Texas license plate WWZ-104. Yes mam, thank you!"

"Ladies, you seem a little bit concerned about your husbands catching up with us. If they should, in spite of the three locked gates they have to go through, we have plenty of rifles and shotguns, lots of ammo, and you are both good hunters. Let me show you where those are, the station each of us would take if we had to fight someone off, and then we can discuss sleeping arrangements."

****

Fortunately, Julie had to pee at the same time he did, so he could roll after her rather than try to get out of the middle without waking both. She used the commode, and he peed outside. Julie closed the bedroom door quietly to let Sam sleep longer and joined Archie in the kitchen. He was clutching an XL mug of coffee to his mouth, but pointed her to the cups, coffee, sweeteners, and creamers. "Sleep well?" she inquired with a grin.

"Hell no, and you know it! Why I made that stupid pledge I have no idea, but I wanted to break it a dozen times last night, on either side of me!"

"I didn't take it seriously, and I know Sam was hoping you'd jump her bones before we even went to bed. She tried to talk me into sharing you and letting her go first, because she's only had sex with Harry, and she knows it's bound to be better than that with you. Or with anyone else, probably. Apparently, he thinks stabbing a woman with his big cock is supposed to get them off, but Sam said it only hurt, and she hated fucking him."

He looked at her lasciviously and when she grinned, he said, "To be honest, you're a big girl and you and I have been engaged in foreplay of sorts for several years. What I wanted to do was pull that tee shirt off, rip those panties off, and try to nail you to the mattress while alternating sucking those juicy teats you like me to squeeze in front of God and everybody at dances!

"But Samantha looked scared, and I didn't want to sleep with her without you, so I came up with the not-so-bright idea of sleeping between you but not trying anything. By tonight though, you two need to come up with the sleeping arrangements, or at least who's going first, because I can't stand blue balls two nights in a row!"

She giggled, promised they would, and then grew serious. "What about my work? I need to call in sick by Monday, and I don't think JC would ever rat us out, but what if someone overhears?"

"I'll take care of that when I get to town Monday morning, so don't worry. I know I don't need to tell you, but don't let Sam use this phone to call anyone who might recognize the number and keep your cell phones turned off. We're safe as long as they don't know where we are, but I'd like to avoid a shootout if we can, and I don't want to call for reinforcement. Those guys that work for Dad lack subtlety, and we can do without a body count.

"Although Harry is a real candidate for their attention, based on what Sam said, and I can still see Red's smirk when I passed them that morning at 5:30.

"I'm going to erase that smirk Monday morning, and Bill and Harry's too! But I don't want them to be pushing up weeds either, so let's all be careful."

Sleepy Sammi came wandering in, wiping her eyes with her knuckles like a little kid. She looked so adorable that Archie chuckled and mumbled, "Lord, she is so cute! How could anyone beat her?"

Julie turned, saw her, and laughed. "Hey, Sleepy Head. Ready for a cup of coffee?"

She dropped her fists, squeezed her eyes shut, opened them, and replied, "Yes, but gotta pee first. Little cream and sugar if you've got it."

She had shed the pajama bottoms during the night, probably because it was so warm in bed with two other people, and her pink panties framed her exceptional butt. Archie gawked until Julie punched him on the shoulder. "Not now, Tiger. We need to drink coffee, eat breakfast, and work some things out today. And then she's gonna have to win the flip or you'll have to do me tonight!"

"Not a bad consolation prize!" he teased, while running his hand over her round butt as she turned to pour her sister's coffee. She purred and wiggled her butt and then completed the task. Was it absolutely necessary that she bend over at the waist and pick up a piece of paper that missed the trash can? No, but it gave him a good look at her covered ass and pussy, and her uncovered legs, and he responded as he had with Sam - by touching his hard cock! She grinned; he was so easy! They were going to reallyu enjoy him!

"I haven't had time to stock up on groceries, so how about we ride over to Pleasanton to HEB? The café in Charlotte has good breakfasts, so we'll stop there. I know you left in a hurry, so check and see what you need. We can stop at Walmart, or drive into San Antonio if you need clothing or something you can't get there."

Samantha tried to control her excitement at being free to do normal things like eating in cafes, going grocery shopping, and going to Walmart, that she practically bubbled over all day. Archie was so caught up in her excitement that he insisted on taking them to a dress shop in south San Antonio that's open on Sundays. He bought them three nice dresses each, with matching shoes and costume jewelry, and bought Sam a sundress that she insisted on wearing with her new sandals. Archie hid his hardon, but the girl was too damn cute and sexy!

For Julie they were nice additions to her dressy wardrobe; for Samantha, they were her wardrobe - not including Rustler jeans, and Walmart shorts and tee shirts.

Rudy's Seafood was close, so they had fried seafood platters for a late lunch. In the course of their conversation, Arch mentioned that historic San Francisco de Espada Mission was nearby. Neither girl had seen it before and both wanted to, so they did. He had never seen such childish curiosity and excitement about something four centuries old, and Sam wanted to go see the Alamo, San Jose, and other places he mentioned, including the zoo. He promised they would visit those on other trips and started for home.

Neither missed him making future plans that included them, and they winked at each other. The misfortune of Friday night could turn into good fortune for all.

Like little kids, they were asleep within the hour, so he drove to the ranch in silence, planning tomorrow's announcement and intermittently considering his sleeping options for tonight. He dang sure wasn't chastely sleeping between the two of them again, but he was afraid either one he slept with would fuck him all night and he would blow the big announcement in the morning. Even worse, if they both slept with him and he fucked one, the double team would last all night, or until he died, and he would miss the big announcement either way.

So he faked being exhausted, which they actually were, and tucked each in her bed before going to his and relieving his balls to a kaleidoscope of Marley girls.

****

Monday was a huge day for Parr Industries and Transportation, and for all their subsidiaries. Archie shaved, showered, and got dressed in his new pinstriped navy suit, black boots, and black Resistol hat. Jameson's people had alerted south Texas media outlets to important news being divulged today when the Parr owner spoke to his employees, so media owners and representatives would be covering the meeting. He needed to look good to his people, to his new partners, and to the folks who will see portions of the coverage on the evening news. A lot of money was in play, and this would make a splash far beyond south Texas - if Parr was the winner, there were also losers.

"As you know, the freezer and icebox are filled with food; eat whatever you want," he told Julie as he filled a to-go mug of coffee. "As I said before, my advice is that you stay on the ranch, and don't call anyone on the phone that might disclose your whereabouts. We don't want your boss worrying, so I'll talk to him personally on the way to work. I trust him completely, so if he needs to talk to you, he will call, hang up after the first ring, and immediately call again. Same with me. Any other calls, ignore.

"Any questions before I go?"

"I hear your speech will be covered by the local radio station, and we'll be listening. Is today the day you drop the bomb on anyone named Roberts?"

"No, just on three men named Roberts who think it's fine and dandy to disrespect me. I don't want Sam to know, but I plan to force her ex-to-be to either leave south Texas to get a job, or make the ranch pay. It could, if he had any management skills and wanted to work, but he doesn't and he won't. And if he stays, a well-funded opponent will be waiting in next year's election for county commissioner."

"What about Willie and Red?" she asked.

"They both climbed into Harry's boat and set out on a voyage to disrespect and cuck me, so they are going to sink or swim with him. And, by the way, my sister and brother-in-law need to have a damn good reason why they didn't keep their promise to me Friday night, or they will also be looking for jobs!"

"Clairice has never been drunk enough to do that to the older brother she worships, and Jim's never been drunk enough to let her. Talk first, then fire."

"Good advice, Honey," he replied in response to her wifely response. "Don't I get a kiss before I go to work?"

"If we start kissing, you won't go in to work!" she responded with a lasciviously grin.

"Okay, see you girls after six. Unless you get stupid and go back to the bastards - or let them find out where you are."

"Na huh," she replied, waving her finger. "We'll see you at six."

Knowing James Charles was already at the agency and had a pot on, Archie stopped by.

"Good morning, Mr. Parr!" JC said as his friend and biggest client entered. "Hear you have an employees' meeting this morning. Good news to share, we all hope."

Instead of the jovial and triumphant response he expected, Archie walked quietly to the pot, poured a cup, took a sip, and said, "There aren't likely to be too many disappointments, but there will be some. I guess you've heard about the Friday night debacle?"

"There have been some stories, but I haven't sorted them out yet. The only thing I'm sure of is your nephew fell and had to have stitches above his eye, so your sister and brother-in-law left the dance without further consideration, but your demeanor makes me believe there is some credibility to the other stories."

"Let's just say that your favorite employee and her sister are in custody, having fled from their husbands after overhearing a conversation Saturday. So, she won't be in today, or maybe all week. I'll keep you informed, but they cannot learn where they are. Comprende?"

"I get it, but I wouldn't tell those cocksuckers anything anyway. So, is the story that Robin loaded her SUV and fled north on I 35 true as well?"

"Couldn't say - I haven't been home since early Saturday morning, and she wasn't there when I left."

"Does your family know?" JC asked, dread obvious in his voice.

"Not from me, but you know how well connected they are. I'm trying to keep them out - my dad and my uncle tend to overreact when they're pissed at someone.

"And that said, I've got to get to work. Call the ranch using our regular code if you need to, but don't tell anyone I said that."

"I won't, and have a great day, Mr. Parr!"

It was still over seventy minutes until the plants and offices opened, but an unusual number of vehicles were on the lots. Arch walked to the door with his briefcase in hand, opened the door, and was met just inside by his sister. "Archie, I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be. How's my favorite nephew coming along?" he asked as they walked down the hallway.

"Oh, he's fine - you know how tough he is! But I heard what happened, and I'm just so sorry!"

"What she did and who she did it with wasn't your fault. She's a grown woman, and she knows how to keep her panties on. Anyway, I hear she packed up and drove north Saturday. What was it grandfather said - 'Good riddance to bad rubbish?' She promised me she'd be home as soon as the dance ended, and she wasn't there when I woke up at 3:33, or when I left at 5:30. She's toast."

"You know if Dad and Uncle Sam find out, that will be literally true."

"I'm a big boy - I can handle my own messes. They need to stay out of my life, and yours, for that matter."

"I know, and I certainly haven't told them, and I won't. Just reminding you."

"If she's got a lick of sense left, she was on a plane to Boston by noon Sunday, and her dad is almost as bad up in Beantown as Dad and Sam are down here, so there's a small chance she'll survive," Archie replied as he set his briefcase down to unlock his office door.

"Now, tell me what happened? Did you get it done?" his sister asked excitedly.

"Tell you and everyone else at 9:00, Sis!" he replied as he stepped inside. At her worried response, he winked and disappeared into his office, shutting the door.

She cussed in frustration and walked to her office. Archie pulled up the sign in log, put a notice in the notes for the company lawyer - his uncle Elliot - to call him, and went over his presentation once more. He wasn't worried about his employees - they were going to be ecstatic as soon as he broke the news; it was the news media that had him worried, and the fact the announcement was being carried live by local radio and regional TV.

Uncle Elliot didn't call; he came straight to Archie's office. "You wanted to speak to me, Arch?"

Their conversation was short and sweet, but the outcome wouldn't be for an employee and two contractors. "All contracts between any branch or subsidiary with Harry, Red, or Willie Roberts are immediately terminated. Pay them off, get anything we own from them, and blacklist all three!"

By noon, the 4400 hardy residents of Cowtown were in celebration mode! What was good for Parr Industries and Transportation, and its many subsidiaries, was good for the town and county, so Archie's announcement was great news for every citizen! More jobs, more stability in the workforce, more business for the business owners and professionals. It also meant an increased tax base for the school, county, and city as plants were expanded and new ones built, and homes and apartment buildings were added to tax rolls.

Harry and Red got up early and headed for the job site west of Uvalde in Val Verde County. The crew knew what to do, but they needed to be on the site seeming to do shit, under the circumstances. When they got there, they were met by a Parr Industries representative who informed them it was far too little, far too late. All contracts were terminated under the morals clause, and they were fired immediately.

Red looked at the irate crew listening in and realized for the first time how badly he had underestimated the impact of their drunken conquest. He and Harry began easing back toward the pickup while being loudly cussed in two languages and a couple of dialects. Parr's representative let them be surrounded before quieting the pissed-off mob with the news he had a proposal for them, but he needed to talk to the Robert's first.

Leaning in the window, he smiled and said, "If I were you boys, I wouldn't go home for a while. Word got around what you three did to our saintly boss, who just got hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in pay and revenue from a ten-year contract with Parr's largest client ever, Jameson Enterprises.

"Also, he didn't let them, but there are bounties out on you three, dead or beat to hell! Might want to take a vacation somewhere safer for you... like North Korea!"

Back at Parr Industries, Willie was being escorted off premises with his personal possessions and given a ride into town by a deputy sheriff because the lease on the welding truck he drove had been terminated by the owner, Parr Industries. On the way in, he was given the same sage advice as his brothers were given out at Del Rio.

He gathered his clothes, got in his old pickup, and headed for Uvalde, where they had agreed to meet up if the shit did hit the fan - as if it might not after they kept Parr's wife out all night and he warned them - twice!

As good a piece of ass as the beautiful Robin was, especially after they got her properly trained for blowjobs, spit roasts, and airtight, she wasn't nearly good enough to offset the consequences. Marriage blown up, job blown up, and direct threats on their well-being... maybe their lives! Willie started watching his review mirror for someone trailing him among the oilfield traffic on this busy road.

Harry and Red went directly to The Horny Hound, found a table in back, ordered beer with vodka chasers, and began making a list of things they could do without being at home. It was a short list, but Willie still got there in time to enter the discussion and share updates.

"Remember when that fucker saw us bringing her home and refused to stop?" Willie asked rhetorically. "Remember the hand pistol? Yeah, based on what I was quietly told when I was sent packing, he wasn't fuckin' around. We have a bounty on our heads, 'dead or beat to hell,'" Willie warned. "And they somehow knew where we were meeting, so what weapons do we have? We probably need to caravan somewhere further away, but I don't want to get ambushed along the way without sufficient weapons, and all I have is my snake charmer, revolver, and bolt action 30-06" Willie complained.

Red laughed mirthlessly. "I've got an arsenal at home, but all I have here is a double barrel 12-gauge shotgun and a pistol, and going back to get the others might not be healthy. Especially since I doubt Archie is enough of a badass to let a bounty, which means his old man and uncle did it. If they did, I hear North Dakota is nice this time of year."

Ignoring Red's dire prediction, Harry said, "I'm about the same, Willie, but I know a guy out by Camp Wood who sells and trades without all the paperwork. Anyone have cash or access to cash? He doesn't take credit cards or checks."

"Depends on whether my wife has taken it all," Willie replied. "If she left some in our account, I could use the ATM at the bank drive through across the street. How much will we need?"

"Enough to stay alive with a crime family hunting us and a bounty on our heads!"

****

Archie stayed late, not so much basking in the glory as accepting congratulations and answering questions from staff, community, and media. Before he left, he called the ranch, hung up after one ring, and called again. Julie answered. "Hey, Big Shot! You look and sound good on TV, radio, and websites! Gonna grace us with your presence for supper, or do I throw it out?"

"Thanks! I'm a comin'! Be there in twentyish, and I didn't get lunch so I'm starving! What are we having?"

"Beef tips with gravy, rice, asparagus, and a green salad. Does that sound okay?"

"Absolutely! But what's for dessert?"

"We have two desserts hot and ready - your choice of which to eat first!"

"Umm - sounds delicious! And I can try both if I want?"

"Absolutely! Both are hot and ready!"

"See you in fifteen then - and I might want to eat my desserts first!"

The clunk sound of a text arriving caused him to take a peek and he saw it was from Robin. He turned onto the dirt road to the ranch and stopped to read the first response from his loving wife since he left the dance Friday night.

"I'm so sorry! So very, very sorry! I kept playing with fire until I burned myself to a crisp, and I don't have any idea why I did it! You were the best husband in the world, and I just kept pushing your limits, acting like a spoiled little bitch.

"I had no idea how highly my mother and father thought of you until I got home and confessed. They are allowing me to stay with them, but I start work in Father's firm as a receptionist tomorrow, and I start seeing a counselor they lined up Wednesday after work. They blame themselves for spoiling me, and me for being 'a headstrong idiot,' in my dad's words.

"Yes, he said a lot more, and the things my mother said were even worse! Nothing I didn't already know, though, and I called myself worse on the way to San Antonio and on the plane."

She sighed. "The Suburban is in long term parking, Lot E. You can use your other key to get it, and you can ship my things to my parents' house.

"Again, I apologize. I loved you more than anyone on earth, except me, I guess. Please call me if you have

the urge. I'd love to talk to you, but I doubt you feel the same.

"Be well and prosper. Robin, and have your father call mine. We don't want the unpleasantness to start, from either side."

That message gave him something to think about those last nine miles. As he parked, he decided tomorrow he would call his lawyer and get the divorce started. There was no reason to wait, and he had two hot brunettes waiting inside wanting to serve him dessert.