Maria and her family were right on time. She filed in with her two kids and her elderly parents. Mom was thrilled to have more guests over and Amelia hit it off instantly with Jazmine and Manny. My mother and Maria’s own worked in the kitchen making an ethnic fused dinner while Dad talked with her father.
I squeezed Jake’s hand, beyond happy that he’d set everything right with her. As he’d said, this dinner felt like introducing our families to each other. Despite the happiness, Bev was a hole in our lives. She should be here with her daughter and meeting Jake.
“Are you…okay?” He asked and took my hand.
“Yeah,” I muttered, entwining our fingers. “Just, you know… I wish things were better with my sister.”
He rested his head against my shoulder. “I understand. Even now, after all my mother has done, I wish I had her in my life in some form.”
I’d promised to help him find her when he was ready. We’d talked a little more about it and he’d admitted his biggestfear was finding her alive, healthy and with a new family because all the pain of abandonment might come back. It was a tricky situation, but I’d take care of him when the time came.
Dinner was served at four and we enjoyed a feast of Mexican and American dishes. The conversation was animated, with my brother regaling our guests of strange things he’d seen abroad. Maria’s parents told us about their emigration from Mexico and jokes were made about the culture shock of coming to America.
I held Jake’s hand under the table, stroking his skin with my thumb. I was so proud of him for doing this. We couldn’t have hoped for a better day. The only thing that could have made this better was Sean being here. The day after the fundraiser, we’d met for lunch, and we’d talked like we had the previous year. We’d always be friends and we’d mutually come to the conclusion that double and triple dating was in our future. It was nice chumming it up again with him.
After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room, continuing the conversations while the kids colored drawings. I sat with Jake on the bottom of the staircase where it was a little quieter. His head was against my shoulder, a little smile on his lips as he watched the kids play.
I tipped his chin up and pecked his lips. “Love you.”
He smiled beautifully. “Love you too. Ah, do…”
“What? Tell me,” I prompted.
He blushed and shrugged. “Have you ever thought about…having kids of your own?”
“Oh, lots of times. I want to say I was sure in my position that they were not for me but Amelia being born changed that. When I held her that first time, I don’t know… something shifted. To answer your question, I wouldn’t mind being a dad.”
He bit his lip in contemplation. “I always knew I wanted kids, but I never thought I would have the opportunity. But I’dwant to adopt and give a lonely child the opportunities they never had before… Know what I mean?”
I beamed at him, supremely happy he’d opened this part of himself to me. I took his hand and kissed his palm. “We will definitely talk about this in the future, okay?”
He returned his head to my shoulder, our hands linked, and we celebrated simple things like family and friends. A bout of laughter drifted from the kitchen. From our point of view, we could see Maria leaning against the kitchen counter, laughing as my brother joked with her. Jake didn’t miss the twinkle in her eyes either because he passed me an amused glance.
“There might be a wedding in the Northcotte family, after all,” I teased.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
JAKE
The following weekend…
I ran my palm down the plum-colored Brioni shirt that covered my body, the smooth fabric caressing my skin. I was enjoying my reflection these days, not because I was vain or had developed an unhealthy need for expensive things, but because every time I looked at myself, I liked what I saw. I dabbed on a hint of cologne then arranged my mop of locks until I was satisfied. Tonight was special so some degree of dressing up was required.
I wanted to say it was all Gabriel that made me feel worthwhile, but that wasn’t the whole truth. He’d shown me the path, but I was the one walking it. I certainly wasn’t traversing it alone, however. I had so many people—Maria and the kids, new friends like Matteo, and the most amazing, sweet boyfriend helping me deal with any snags along the way.
“Fuck, you look amazing,” Gabriel said as he came up behind me. “I just want to tear your clothes off right now.”
I smiled until my cheeks hurt as he scooped me into his arms and kissed the side of my neck. Another thing that looked damn wonderful? Us together.
“You have to wait a little longer,” I said, stopping his hand before it could dip under my shirt.
He purred against me and pushed his erection into my ass. Tonight was the night we’d decided to go to Adam’s Garden. He was monstrously excited about it. It was all he’d talked about for the past few days.
“It’s safer if we just stay here,” he murmured. “Just let the word disappear until it’s only us.”
We were both concerned about how I’d react to his need for public sex. I wasn’t freaked out about seeing people fucking up close. What I was worried about was my anxiety flaring up at the wrong time. “We talked about this. The only way we will know if I can handle it is by going. And I want to share this with you.”
He hugged me closely. “I know, I’m just terrified of losing you. This is a double-edged sword for me. I’m ecstatic to let you into this part of my world, and I’m scared it will drive you away.”
