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I break off on a hiccup. Alex’s hand squeezes my shoulder, and he steps closer behind me, buoying me with his unwavering strength. “I’ll be here until the end, Lita.”
* * *
ALEX
“I appreciate everything you’ve done today, Bailey. It was no easy feat.”
Canceling all the wedding plans for tomorrow, notifying the guests, and keeping the never-ending media at bay a while longer, my stalwart assistant will most definitely require vacation days going forward.
Bailey sighs sadly down the line. “Not at all, Mr. DeMarco. I’m always here to help you, sir.”
I murmur my thanks before ending the call and take a beat to check my reflection in the mirror. My hair is in complete disarray, and my cheeks are flushed bright red. I splash water on my face, then heave a deep sigh, wishing to whatever higher power there is topleaseallow me to carry Rey’s pain for her.
My eyes slam closed when the image of how dull and drawn she’s become in the twelve hours since we arrived at Sunrise Harbor swims before my vision. She hasn’t moved from Mari’s bedside, not even to use the restroom.
“I need to be with her.”
Rey’s pain cuts through me like a fucking blunt machete. I can feel it on a visceral level; our connection isthatreal. I only wish I could bear the full brunt of it on her behalf because right now, it’s tearing her apart, and the sight iskillingme.
I exit the restroom, my eyes searching for Rey, who’s moved from her high-backed chair at Mari’s bedside to climb onto the bed beside her beloved abuela.
She’s lowly humming a familiar piece of classical music. It takes me a minute to realize it’s the piece she’d have danced to in that year she’d spent at Pearson.
The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Tears are streaming down her face, and matching ones fill my own eyes as I close the distance between us, needing to touch her, desperately wanting to share her pain.
Tostealthis wretched agony from her bowed shoulders.
I sit on the other side of Mari to clasp both hers and Rey’s hands in mine before joining in with Rey’s off-key humming. Our eyes hold while I send every ounce of courage that I can muster to my tiny dancer with the heart of a lion.
As we hum the final bars of the song, Mari’s hand twitches in mine and Rey’s entire body stiffens abruptly.
Our gazes shift to Mari’s face, finding her eyes open and focusing intently on me.
“Holy shit!” The words leave my mouth of their own volition as Rey gasps in shock.
Mari’s lips attempt to smile, only to fail miserably.
“Lita, oh, Lita!” Reyna gently kisses her abuela’s cheek, reaching out blindly to grip my hand in hers. “Iknewyou’d come back to say goodbye. My gift told me you would.”
Mari’s mouth ticks once more before she angles her head toward the old calendar to her right. She tries to speak again.
“D-dia de Juan…”
She trails off, her breathing labored. I reach forward, brushing my free hand along the side of her face while she watches me with intensity.
“To-today.”
The singular word comes out a hoarse croak, but we both know instantly what she means, and our gazes clash when the realization strikes us.
I slide a glance at the wall clock, noting that it is now past midnight, meaning that today is the eleventh of April—our intended wedding day—and so, without a word, I gently press a kiss to Mari’s forehead, cupping her cheek with a fond look before instantly jumping into action.
* * *
The room is darkened, only lit by candlelight, and even so—dressed in simple black leggings and a cropped grey T-shirt—my bride is the most stunning thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
Rey’s eyes hold mine from the opposite side of Mariana’s bed, one hand cradling her abuela’s while the other sits gently in my grasp.
