The Billionaire Band Director

Chapter 27

          Landry

            Landry hoped Josie and Martha were not picky eaters.  He had been tempted to toss the food he had made in the trash and pick up a pizza in its place.  He decided instead to pick up a few different flavors of ice cream.  If they liked his cooking, the ice cream would be dessert.  If not, it could be dinner. 

            Landry rang the bell to Dalia House at exactly 6 pm.  He heard footsteps and then Martha opened the front door, smiling at him.  His heart skipped a beat.  She stepped outside and closed the door behind her.  She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a deep, sensual kiss.

            “Well hello to you too, ma chere,” Landry said when she pulled away.

            Martha giggled.  “I just needed to do that before you got inside and Josie made you join her band.”

            “Well then,” said Landry, setting down the bags he had been holding, “better do it again just to be safe.”

            He snaked his arms around Martha’s waist and pulled her to his chest.  Landry kissed her again.  He wanted to keep kissing her as long as she would let him.  As it turned out, the issue was how long Josie would let him.

            “Ahem,” said a voice from the house. 

            Josie was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed.  Landry had not even noticed that she had opened the door.

            “Aren’t you two supposed to be keeping this super duper secret?” asked Josie.

            Martha blushed, but Landry just laughed.

            “Josie, I am terribly sorry to have kept you waiting.  Please, if you will allow it, may I come in?” asked Landry.

            “I’ll allow it,” said Josie, “because I need food and a drummer.”

            They followed Josie into the house.  Landry went to the kitchen area and began unloading his bags.  The girls followed.

            “Mmmm, that smells so good,” said Martha.

            Martha’s moaning made Landry’s body want to respond in ways that were not appropriate with her cousin in the room.

            “Shrimp gumbo,” said Landry, pulling out a silver pot with a firmly fastened lid.

            Josie leaned over to sniff it.  “Is that... Cajun? Creole?”

            “Well Josie,” smiled Landry, “my father was what you’d call Cajun, and my mother was what you’d call Creole.  So, I guess you could say that this gumbo is a mix, just like me.”

            “And just like Martha!” added Josie.

            “And just like Martha,” agreed Landry.

            He unloaded the ice cream and Martha quickly put it in the freezer.

            “Awww, c’mon, Martha,” said Josie.  “What if we had ice cream before AND after dinner?”

            “I have something else for you for before dinner,” Landry said to Josie.

            “Oooo, cookies?” asked Josie.

            “Better,” said Landry.

            He reached into a bag and pulled out a vibraslap.  Josie looked confused.  So did Martha.

            “What is it?” asked Josie.

            He held the vibraslap by the metal handle that jutted out to the side.  He opened the palm of his other hand and used it to hit the wooden ball on the other end.  A quack-like rattle echoed through the room.

            “It’s a vibraslap,” said Landry.  “One of the most underused and underrated percussion instruments, in my opinion.”

            Josie laughed at the funny sound.  Landry saw Martha stifling a giggle too.

            “May I try?” asked Josie.

            “Of course!  It’s for you to keep,” answered Landry.

            “Ooooh, thank you so much Mr. LeBlanc!”

            Josie took the vibraslap and ran off.  Landry chuckled and turned to Martha.

            “That was easy enough,” he said. 

            “Sure,” said Martha with a smile.  “You just need to give her something new to play every time you see her.  What if you run out of instruments?”

            “Then I’ll invent new ones,” answered Landry.  “Whatever it takes to get a moment alone with you.”

            Landry grabbed Martha by the waist and lifted her up on to the counter.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.  Landry liked that.  A lot.  He slid his arms around her and pulled her close.  He kissed her.  Then he kissed her more.  The repeated rattle of the vibraslap rang out in the background.  Landry had never considered it to be a particularly romantic instrument, but that was starting to change.

            Eventually Landry pulled himself away so his hands could get dinner ready, but his mind was not so easily redirected.

            “Ey, uh, Martha…” he asked hesitantly.  “About what time would you say Josie usually goes to sleep?”

            Martha smirked.

            “It varies.  Probably around 9 or 10 on a school night.  But, even when she does, my room isn’t exactly private.”

            Saying this, Martha pointed upwards.  Landry walked over towards the windows at the back of the house and looked up towards where Martha was pointing.  From there he could see Martha’s bed up in the loft.  He could tell from the acoustics of the room that even if he were not looking up he’d be able to hear everything that happened up there.  He also knew, from recent experience, that Martha was not exactly quiet while participating in the activities he had in mind.

            “Well gardes don,” said Landry.  “I guess we’ll call it an early night.”

            Martha blushed a little and bit her lip.

            “You know, Josie wouldn’t mind at all if we snuck out and went to your place after dinner, just for a few hours,” she said.  She smirked. “I believe that, after last time, it’s your turn for some attention, Monsieur LeBlanc.”

            Landry took a moment to consider Martha’s suggestion.  He wanted to spend the night with Martha.  Especially after her last comment.  He just hadn’t planned to bring Martha to his house so soon.  Let her like me for me first, he had told himself, right?  Isn’t that why he’d held back when she asked about him on their first date?  But you’ve given her glimpses, haven’t you? he reminded himself.  And what’s the alternative, keep finding excuses to go to hotels?  Or keep your relationship PG-13?  Landry saw desire in Martha’s eyes.  He decided she seemed interested enough in him already.  He just needed times to make a few adjustments at his house before she could see it.

            “I would love that, ma chere.  I would love nothing more.  But, you know how it is, with the bachelor life.  My place is not fit for visitors just yet.  But just give me a day or two, ey?  Then you can come over.”

            Martha seemed a little disappointed but not suspicious.  She shrugged her shoulders, gave him a peck on the cheek, and set the table for dinner.  Landry started making a mental checklist of things to do when he got home.  Now that he had decided to have Martha over to his house, the sooner she came the better.