“Shh!” Mark admonishes them.
“I love you too, baby,” I say truthfully. She presses her lips together, her eyes still wary. “I don’t care about the offer,” I add, reassuring her. “I just care about you.”
“Aww,” Alejandra sighs.
I glare at my family who have all stopped every damn thing that they are doing to gawk at us. All they need is popcorn.
I turn back to Callie. “Keep adventuring with me, Cal. Please.”
“Yes,” she whispers on an exhale. Her eyes widen and then brim with tears. “Yes, Gage.” A smile rolls over her mouth until she beams at me. “I want everything with you. All of this.” She gestures to my family. “I love you,” she says it again, and my heart nearly bursts.
I grin back and lift her chin, before dropping my mouth to hers. I kiss her slowly. Deeply. Completely.
“Thatta boy, Tio!” I hear Jake holler.
Cheers and claps erupt from my family.
“Quick! Someone call the priest!” Mom jokes.
“Mom! Be cool,” Jessica chastises.
Callie and I pull away slowly. Her eyes are awestruck, and I know I’m staring back at her with a goofy grin on my face.
“You’re it for me, Gage. I just wasn’t ready to admit it. Good ol’ Gutierrez,” she murmurs. I give her a look and she giggles, placing her fingertips to her mouth. “It’s nothing. I mean, it’s everything but?—”
I pull her in for another kiss.
We’re interrupted—again—by my family.
This time, it’s Pop clinking a fork against his glass.
We turn toward him. He lifts his champagne flute in the air. In a matter of moments, the servers have distributed flutes to my entire family. We move in closer to hear Pop over the breeze.
Behind us, the tables are being set with Valencian salads, cheese and meat platters, and warm olives.
But right now, we all lean in to hear Pop’s toast.
He beams at each of his children, their significant others, his sister, his nephew, all the grandkids that round out our family, and my mom, the love of his life.
“You’ve made every one of my dreams come true,” he tells her. “Fifty years, half a century, and look at the life we’re living.”
“The best life,” Mom agrees, tears in her eyes.
Beside me, Joe reaches for Svetlana’s hand. She laces their fingers together and wraps her other arm around Jake.
Pablo and Martina sway with Jorge and Nico between them.
Our family huddles together, brimming with endless respect, admiration, and love.
“The greatest adventure,” Pop continues. “I wouldn’t want to be on it with anyone but you. And having all of you here, along for the ride…” He pauses to glance at each of us. “Makes every moment more worthwhile. Thank you for giving your mother and me the family we once prayed for.”
“Happy Anniversary, Pop and Mom,” Alejandra says, lifting her glass higher.
“Happy Anniversary,” the rest of us echo.
Callie clinks her glass with mine. She’s nestled under my arm and already, I never want to let her go.
“One day, this can be us,” she murmurs, almost as if she’s telling herself.
