Wrapping his arms around her, he listened to her easy breathing for a while before he felt himself drifting off to sleep.
35
Elias exited the florist shop with two bouquets. He placed them in the backseat before getting back behind the wheel and pulling out onto the road. He followed Eri’s instructions, and they pulled into the parking lot ten minutes later. While she grabbed the flowers, he grabbed the picnic basket and blanket, then followed behind her until she stopped in front of a headstone.
“Mom, TJ, this is my boyfriend, Elias. Babe, this is my mom, Sharlette and my little brother Tony Jr.,” she introduced.
“It’s nice to finally meet you both,” he responded.
“I would tell you some more about him,” she started, replacing the wilted flowers with the fresh ones in the built-in vases. “But I think I’ve already told you everything.”
They spread the blanket, and while he removed the food from the basket, she took the wilted flowers to a nearby trashcan and disposed of them.
“Do you think this is weird?” she asked when she returned and sat beside him.
“What?”
“Having a picnic in a cemetery, and that I wanted to introduce you to two people who are no longer here?”
“No, because they are still here as long as you remember them. And I love you. Which means I want to meet everyone you love and care about.” He gave her a soft kiss. “So you’ve told them about me.”
“Mhm, mostly good things,” Eri teased.
“Mostly?” he questioned with a raised brow.
“Well, before we started dating, I might have told them how annoying you were because you continued to flirt with me.”
Elias chuckled. “Annoying, huh? I don’t think you ever thought I was annoying. You just enjoyed playing hard to get. Besides, you talking about me even proves it.”
“Maybe, but don’t act like you didn’t enjoy working for me.”
“Every day, Amate.”
They ate in silence for several minutes. The only sounds were the birds chirping and the wind rustling the leaves of nearby trees. It was a nice day.
“Are you going to fill them in on what’s been going on?” Elias asked, and he watched her think about it.
“I usually do, but I…” she trailed off.
“Go ahead. I’m sure they want to know.”
As they had their lunch, he listened to her fill her mom and brother in on everything from the past few weeks. From going into business for herself to her contract with Koa, her run-in with Keith, and everything in between.
They stayed for an hour, and when they were back in the car and pulling out of the parking space, Elias asked, “Do you want to stop by and see your dad while we’re here?”
Eri shook her head. “I don’t want you to be late for your appointment, and my dad is still at work. It’ll be a few hours before he gets off.”
“Do you want me to drop you off, and I can pick you up after my last appointment?”
“That’s an hour of extra driving.”
“That’s not what I asked,” he pointed out. “Do you want me to?”
“No, babe. It’s okay. I’ll come see him next weekend.”
He nodded and took a left out of the parking lot, heading back to Albuquerque.
“That’s sick, dude!” the client he was consulting with said as he looked at the finished design. “It’s going to look epic. And you’re sure it’ll cover this monstrosity?” he asked, pointing to his back.
