The Cowboy Loves Curves

 Catalina woke up to the morning sun shining in her face as she prepared to start the day. She got up early this morning to relieve her mother of cooking breakfast for everyone. Catalina may have been just twenty-two years old but she had the soul of someone older. She also knew that her brother and sister were bringing their family over for the Family Breakfast that they had every other Saturday. She had bacon frying in the pan as she cracked eggs to be scrambled.     "What smells so good in here?" Maire asked as she went into the kitchen. Even though Maire Montgomery had three children, a person could never tell just by looking at her. She was a beautiful woman and small in size and stature with caramel-colored skin and medium-length black hair with very little grey showing. Her oldest, David, was happily married to his high school sweetheart, Natalia, with two children. Then there was Claire, who's married to Keith McBride and expecting their first child. That only left Catalina, who's very shy and still lives at home with her parents.     "I thought that you needed a little more rest, so I started cooking breakfast. I hope you don't mind." Catalina took the bacon out of one frying pan and added the eggs to another.     "I don't mind at all!" Maire said as she chuckled.     "Good." Catalina smiled.     "Did you know that someone finally moved into that house across the street?" Maire asked as she started toasting bread.     "No mom. When did they move in?"     "They moved in yesterday. About time someone bought that house. It's too beautiful to go to waste." Catalina agreed with her mother on that as they continued their task of making breakfast for the family.     "Do you know who it is yet?"     "No, but maybe it is someone you can become friends with.You really should get out more and have a little fun."     "I do get out mom. I read to the children at the library every Tuesday and I work at the day-care center regularly too. That is enough fun for me." Catalina knew that her mom wanted her to get out more because she was self-conscious about the way she looked. She was always labeled the fat girl all through school.     "You need more fun than that!" As her mom was getting started on the subject, her dad walked in.     "Leave her alone, Maire-bear. Today's not the day to start on the subject again." Even though Jack Montgomery was a big muscular man, he was sweet as a teddybear. He was fair-skinned with blond hair and was still just as sexy as he was when he was younger. He came up behind Maire and lovingly kissed her on the neck. At that moment, the rest of the family came into the house.     "Get a room you two!" David laughingly said as he came through the door. He was a younger version of his dad and just as handsome.     "Breakfast is almost ready everyone," Catalina said as she continued to scramble and fry the last of the eggs and bacon. Her mother had already made a stack of her famous waffles and was now setting the table.     "Set out another plate, Mrs. Montgomery. I hope you don't mind, but I invited a friend to join us for breakfast this morning. He has just moved into town and is staying in the house across the street from you."     "Oh my! I don't mind at all! I was just telling Cat that I wondered who was staying there." Maire got so excited about meeting the new neighbor.     "Is he married? Have a girlfriend?"     "He is not married and hasn't had a girlfriend since the last time I saw him, Mrs. Montgomery, and I think it will be just him staying there." It took only a moment before Keith realized why she asked that. He instantly felt sorry for Catalina as he saw the reaction on her face to her mother's questions.     "Mom, please don't start today." Claire begged her. She knew that she was going to start in on Catalina again.     "Don't start what?" Maire tried to ask innocently. Just then, there was a knock on the door.     "I'll get it." Keith said as he headed toward the door.     "Just in time. Everything is ready." Catalina said as she ignored her mother. She always dreaded it when someone came over because her mother always tried to play match-maker. She didn't understand that Catalina felt that it was destined for her to be alone. Just then, Keith came back in with the most handsome man she had ever seen.     "Everyone, I would like you to meet my good friend Kerian Peterson." Everyone said Hi with smiles on their faces except Catalina. She chose not to look his way because meeting new people, especially men, made her even more shy. To distract herself, she turned to the stove and made sure everything was turned off and the food was ready to go.     "To start off, this is Mrs. Maire Montgomery and her husband, Jack. Then we have my brother-in-law, David, and his wife, Natalia. And finally, my sister-in-law, Catalina. The little ones are David's children, Emily and Michael." As soon as Keith finished, he went back over to where Claire was at. "You have already met Claire." He said as he smiled down at her. Before Maire could open her mouth to speak, the phone rang.     "I'll get it." Catalina said as she hurried out of the room. Six minutes later, as everyone sat around the table, she came back in. "Sorry about that mom. Mrs. Davidson was looking for me so I told her that I would come by later today."     "Isn't today your day off?? I thought you were going to have a little fun today?" Maire couldn't believe that she was doing this again.     "I never said that I was going to work. I just said that I would stop by for a few minutes. You already know that I'm the only one that can actually understand what little Penelope says." She rolled her eyes heavenward. Maire blushed, feeling embarrassed for the first time that morning about her outburst.     "I swear you are doing wonders with those children there, Catalina. The children are always bragging about the beautiful songs you sing to them. I tell you, Michael and Emily told me that I needed to ask you to teach me how to sing like you." David laughed as Catalina started to blush.     "Oh my. That would be a fun thing to try seeing, as you have such a deep voice and all. Should I try and help you now?" She asked him as she raised an eyebrow. Everyone laughed even harder as the children started shouting, "Do it daddy!" Even Maire sat back and waited to see if he would go for it.     "Just repeat what I sing." Catalina opened her mouth and sang very sweetly "La la la la la la la la la." Everyone looked as David cleared his throat.      "La la la la la la la la la." Everyone laughed as David tried to sing the words just like Catalina with his deep voice. He even batted his eyes as he tried, without really trying, to sound and act like she did.    "It is such a shame that you are still single," Maire said when the laughter died down. Everyone instantly got quiet and before Claire could say anything, Catalina said, "Thank you so much mom for informing everyone of that. So that explains why there is not a wedding ring on my finger." With that, she looked down at her hand as if studying it with puzzlement. Claire was the first to laugh and then the rest joined in while Maire looked even more embarrassed.     "Wow. My sister has got some spunk since I have been gone." Claire laughed as she said that. That comment just made Catalina blush and Claire laughed even harder and said, "I love making you blush little sister. It is so much fun." Catalina laughed and then stuck her tongue out. The rest of breakfast passed without anymore outbursts from Maire. Claire and Catalina started putting away the dishes while the men talked and Maire listened when there was a knock at the door. When Maire answered it, a beautiful tanned woman with long flowing red hair walked in.     "Hi everyone. Cat! I need to talk to you sweets!" She said in a rush with a big smile on her face.Catalina came out of the kitchen to see what all the shouting was for.     "Oh my. I seem to be popular today. What's going on?"Claire covered her mouth to hide the fact that she was laughing, but it was too late because she snorted.  "You mean to tell me that you forgot what you said you would do for me today? I'll remind you then...A certain someone asked you to go to her swimming party. You said you would and, quite frankly, I think you spoil that girl too much." Catalina looked puzzled for a second before she realized who she was talking about.     "Oh darn. I did forget about that. I was distracted when she asked me that and didn't really know what I agreed to do. Ummm...I can't go." She wrinkled up her face as she said that. She was not about to wear a swim suit in front of some children, let alone admit that she couldn't even swim.    "Well, why not? You agr...." She paused as she spotted Kerian sitting on the couch. "Surely you don't have plans with this sexy man here. Hi cutie, my name is Vivienne." She looked at him with lust in her eyes as she forgot all about Catalina standing there. Maire and Claire rolled their eyes as Vivienne continued to stare while trying to stand more properly with her breast raised to the air. While she stared at Kerian, he was looking at Catalina as she rolled her eyes too and sighed, then crossed her arms.     "That's our new neighbor, Vivienne...Vivienne!" She said as she snapped her fingers to get Vivienne to turn back to her.     "Tell your DAUGHTER that I can't make it after all. I have some very important things to take care of. I'm sure you can handle her without me."     "Oh, I'm not going to be there. Her nanny's with her, so she's fine. I'm going to the spa. I work hard at staying beautiful." With that being said, she glanced in Kerian's direction again. Catalina started to cough and Vivienne turned her head sharply in her direction.     "Sorry. Must be getting a cold." She looked innocently at Vivienne as she cut her eyes at her.     "Well, must be off. I don't want to miss my appointment. Toodles everyone." She started blowing kisses at everyone and then she went out the door.