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Mary Ellen nodded. She wasn’t sure how she felt about planning a wedding again. This was different; it was Antonio, but still, it wasn’t a prospect she relished.
Antonio dropped a kiss on top of her head. It seemed he understood. “How would you feel about not making any plans?”
She looked up at him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” he looked over at her dad, who nodded encouragingly. “We could get married at our house. Have it catered, have all the arrangements made quickly and easily. You wouldn’t have to do a thing if you don’t want to. You could just go dress shopping with Chelsea and the girls.”
She grinned at him, she knew how impatient he was. “When you say quickly, just how quickly are you thinking?”
He dropped his head and looked up at her from under his eyebrows. “Next weekend?”
“Next weekend?!” She and her mom both spoke at the same time.
“Why not?” asked her dad. “If it’s what you both want, why not just do it? I never understood why planning a wedding had to take so long. You end up getting lost in the arrangements and missing out on the fun it’s supposed to be.” He looked at Mary Ellen. “Don’t you want to?”
Mary Ellen looked up at Antonio. He looked so earnest. “We can do it however, whenever you want. I’ll wait if that’s what you want, but you know me.”
She nodded. She did know him, and she knew herself too. Her dad was right. She’d get lost in the planning—like Cam had—and miss out on what it was really about. She cupped Antonio’s face between her hands and kissed him. “Let’s do it.”
Chapter Twenty
Antonio checked himself over in the mirror and smiled. He looked good.
Marcos came to stand beside him and nodded. “She’s a lucky girl.”
“No. I’m the lucky one.”
Marcos nodded. “I believe you are. She’s a great girl. I would never have put you with her, but then you always surprise me.”
Antonio met his gaze and smiled. “I’m smarter than I make out. When it’s time to play, I play. When it’s time to work, I work. And when it’s time to meet a woman and settle down, I find the best woman there is and make her my wife.”
Marcos laughed. “Yes, and you don’t waste any time about it. This time last week, you were back at home, helping me sort my mess out. If you’d have told me then that you’d be getting married in a week …” He shook his head. “If you’d told me I’d be back here, in California, I would have laughed in your face.”
Antonio gripped his shoulder. “Things don’t have to take as long as you expect, you know.”
Marcos shook his head. “If you’re talking about Molly, it’s too soon. I planned to come see her—after I’ve spent some time getting right with myself. I know she’ll be here today, but …” He shook his head again. “The timing isn’t right.”
“Maybe not, but I’m glad you’ll get to her.”
“Me too.”
They both looked up at the sound of a knock on the door. “Come in,” called Antonio.
The door opened, and he smiled at the sight of his parents standing there. “We wanted a moment with you.”
They came in and his dad closed the door behind them. “We have a wedding gift.”
Antonio raised an eyebrow. “Should we wait until later? What about Mary Ellen?”
“It’s a gift that will be for both of you once you’re married, but we wanted to do this now. With just the four of us.”
“Okay.” Antonio wasn’t sure what they might want to give him, but he smiled. “What is it?”
His dad opened his jacket and took out an envelope. “Read it and see.”
Antonio took the envelope and looked at his mom and Marcos. They both smiled eagerly.
He tore it open and read the document inside, then blew out a long breath. “Guys, you can’t do this. I mean, thank you, but …”
