Capital Wives by Rochelle Alers Read Free Book Online

“Nothing.”
    â€œAre you pregnant?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhat’s the matter?”
    Closing her eyes, Marisol exhaled an audible sigh. “Nothing, Mami. I’m just a little tired.”
    â€œYou’re as skinny as a stick. And wearing black makes you look flaca. ”
    â€œI’ve never been gorda, ” Marisol countered, mixing her English with Spanish. What did her mother expect? She was five-three and her weight fluctuated between one hundred eight and twelve.
    â€œYou’re still too skinny.”
    â€œ Sí, sí, sí, Mami,” she intoned.
    â€œDon’t yes me, Marisol Pilar Rivera-McDonald,” Pilar shot back. “Bryce said he was going to take us out for dinner, but I’ve just decided I’d rather stay home. Go upstairs and relax while I fix you a good Puerto Rican home-cooked meal. I already checked out your refrigerator, so you don’t have the excuse that you have nothing in the house.”
    Marisol closed her eyes and gently massaged her forehead “How do you just come to my house and take over?”
    â€œEasy. It’s because I’m your mother and I’m worried about you. I know you’re still having those headaches because you’re rubbing your forehead. You work too hard, don’t eat enough and the result is you’re a bag of bones. Remember, m’ija. No man wants a bag of bones in his bed.”
    â€œBryce has never complained about my weight.”
    â€œThat’s because he loves you.”
    Movement caught Marisol’s eye over her mother’s shoulder. The topic of their discussion had come out of his office. Her gaze softened when her eyes met a pair that werea shocking baby-blue. Bryce McDonald was the epitome of preppie, from his conservative haircut to his button-down shirt, cuffed slacks and wingtips. During the summer months he spent hours on the water aboard his parents’ yacht. The hot sun turned him into a golden statue with his sun-streaked light brown hair and slim, toned body.
    Marisol lifted her chin for her husband’s kiss. “How’s it going?” she asked.
    Bryce smiled, revealing a set of straight white teeth. “Pretty good. I hope you don’t mind that I invited your mother to hang out with us for the weekend.”
    Marisol placed a hand on Bryce’s back. “Of course not.”
    â€œI’m going to call the Equinox and see if I can get a reservation for three.”
    â€œMake it for tomorrow,” Pilar said. “I’m going to cook tonight.”
    Bryce stared at his mother-in-law. “Are you sure?”
    Pilar smiled. It had been six years since she’d become mother of the bride and Pilar was still shocked that her little girl had managed to marry one of Washington’s most eligible bachelors. “Very sure. Go and relax with your wife and I’ll call you when it’s time to eat.”
    Reaching for Marisol’s hand, Bryce led her into his office while Pilar walked up the staircase to the second floor. As soon as he closed the door, she rounded on him. “Why didn’t you call me to let me know my mother was coming down?”
    Cradling her face, he touched his mouth to hers. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”
    Marisol’s fingers went around his wrists. “It was more like a shock than a surprise. You know I didn’t schedule anything for this weekend because I wanted to be alone with you.” What she hadn’t told Bryce was that she was ovulating and ifthey were lucky, then they could look forward to becoming parents before the end of the year.
    Bending slightly, Bryce picked her up and carried her over to the leather sofa. He sat, bringing her down to his lap. “We’ll have many more weekends to spend together after she leaves.”
    Resting her head on his shoulder, Marisol inhaled the lingering scent of her husband’s aftershave on his lean jaw. Although he worked