Gabriella scoffs, letting herself in. “Well, it’s too late for that, we’re all here and we hustled to sneak the food Tino cooked quietly in while you two were in here.”
Now the text from my brother makes sense.
I can’t believe he went through all this trouble for me, to make everything so special.
“So can everyone come in?” Gabriella asks Tomás, but I intervene.
“Yes, but in one minute. I need to tell my husband something.”
Gabriella leaves us and concern contorts Tomás’ face. “Don’t worry it’s not bad.”
My words seem to go in and out of his ears as he started grumbling to himself, almost scoldingly, saying how he should have asked if I wanted everyone here.
I grab his hands, squeezing them to get him to snap to. “I’m not mad.” My thumb glides over his barren ring finger, where a wedding band, should be. “You know, I never wanted this.” My bluntness causes him to stand upright. His mouth moves but all that comes out is air, afraid to speak.
I shift to my tiptoes, taking a hand to his scruffy cheek. “That is until I met you.” I can’t help but laugh, it sounds so corny and like everything I swore I’d never say. Not because I didn’t want it, because I never thought I deserved it. It’s easier to protect your heart when you convince yourself it doesn’t want to be loved. That way, when it breaks, it’s a superficial tear, not a catastrophic one.
Tomás clears his throat. As apprehensive as he sounds, he encourages me to go on, needing to hear everything I have to say.
“Other than my grandparents’ marriage, I never saw a healthy one. And the one healthy marriage I did see was marred by grief. Either way I looked at it, it seemed like a hell I wanted no part of. But to be honest, life is hell. Seriously, every damn day it’s always something, and the fact that I can experience hell with you, someone who I not only like but love? That’s more than I could have ever dreamed of. Plus, you are adorableandfine as fuck, so bonus points.”
He lowers his lips to mine. “That’s your first love confession, isn’t it?”
“What gave it away?”
He kisses me, and our foreheads press together staying put afterward.
“Just a hunch.”
“It was the hell part, wasn’t it?”
“I mean, yeah. But I don’t want cliché love, I want yours, in all its sarcasm. I want what you weren’t able to give before, because that means I get you all to myself.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Why are you always one upping me? It’s like you were made to be all smooth and in love.”
“I was made for you. Enjoy me and all my smooth-talking ways.” He shoots me a Cheshire grin to which I playful pretend to gag. I may be in love with this man, but I’m not going to abandon my signature sense of humor.
“See, that right there!”
“Sorry, you make it easy to be this way.”
My brows lift, urging him to continue.
“Happy,” he adds. “Ready, Mrs. Ramos?” He takes my hand, leading us to the now crowded doorway. If I thought my heart was on the verge of exploding before, it definitely is now as a sea of familiar faces enters the room including my all my siblings. All so excited to officially wish us congratulations.
Everyone I care about is here except for my parents. I haven’t spoken to either of them since we left Colorado. And to be honest, I’m not as sad as I should —or was expecting— to be. It took a long time to accept, but I’ve realized, with the help of my husband, that family is what you make of it. It’s who comes into your life and is willing to stay in it, good, bad and all the moments in between. It’s friends who show up. It’s people who have impacted your life in ways you could have never imagined. Blood, sadly, doesn’t always factor in.
“Bendito!” Tomás’ mom exclaims, making her way first through the crowd to hug us both. Lorena following right after her.
“I’m so happy for you two.”
“Thank you, Lo, that means a lot.” I give her a big hug.
“Ah I guess now slutty Saturdays are really cancelled,” Lorena sighs.
“Slutty what now?” Tomás cuts in, interest piqued.
Lo and I exchange a look, as a grin expands my lips. “First of all, they weren’t exclusively on Saturday’s and in all fairness, they were cancelled on my part for a while. Due to a long dry spell that you cured.” I poke at Tomás’ arm.
