Kaia chuckled softly, kissing my damp hair. “It’s ridiculous how much I love you, Asher Williams.”
I bit her shoulder lightly. “Lucky for me, you love me enough to marry me. But probably not as much as I love you.”
She tipped my chin up with her thumb. “I still feel like a teenager with a crush, in case you doubted it.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “No doubts. But my crush on you has always been bigger.”
Kaia huffed, and I grinned. God, I loved teasing her.
I loved knowing I’d get to tease and love her for the rest of my life even more.
***
“Ash. Mi niño.”
I reached for the voice, eyes still closed. “Peque.”
“We need to go, sleepyhead,” Kaia said, tossing the sheet off me.
I sat up, blinking. “Go where?”
She was already dressed in a pink sundress, looking so fucking beautiful it stole my breath. My gaze fell to the ring on her finger, and color spread across her cheeks.
“Somewhere we need to be,” she said. “I’ll drive.”
I winked. “Give me five minutes to shower.”
When I came out, she was waiting behind the wheel. I kissed her before buckling into the passenger seat.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked as she started the car. “Let me guess, Grandma called.”
Kaia chuckled. “I called her. She was so happy for us. I promised we’d have lunch with her and Dawson. Maybe Ale will stop by too.”
I sighed. “And here I was hoping to keep you in our bed all day.”
Her smile softened into something more serious. “I hope you don’t mind if we visit someone before Maricarmen’s.”
I didn’t. What I didn’t expect was that she meant my dad.
At his grave, Kaia slipped her hand into mine. “I thought he’d want to know we’re getting married.”
Tightness swelled in my throat. “Gracias, peque.”
Thanks to her—and my weekly therapy—I’d come a long way with grief. I visited Dad’s grave every time I was in El Puerto, but Kaia’s gesture cut deeper. Smiling, she caressed my cheek, then reached into her white purse.
My breath caught at the small velvet box.
“I didn’t want to steal your thunder yesterday,” she said. “But I bought this ring for you a while ago. In case you ever doubted my crush was bigger.”
Emotion clogged my throat. “Peque, peque,” I whispered. “I’ve had your ring for over a year.”
An adorable blush erupted on her cheeks.
“Anyway.” She pulled a platinum band from the box and took my hand. “Will you please marry me at some point in the future?”
“Sí, mi amor. Tomorrow if you want. Grandma knows the whole town—she’d have us married by noon. Now give me my ring.”
“Not tomorrow. I want a pretty dress, and Alba and Javi need time to get here from Madrid.” She slid the band onto my finger. “But soon.”
