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He laughed, and it was a warm, pleased sound. “I can’t wait to do this forever with you,conejita.”
I took his hand again. “Then, let’s get a move on.”
CHAPTER39
Omar
“Don’t let go of my hand, okay?” Lyse asked, squeezing my fingers with hers.
I lifted her hand to my mouth and kissed her knuckles, dropping an extra kiss on the new gold band on her ring finger. “I won’t,” I promised. I wanted to tell her that this had nothing to do with us — we were just here to welcome home the new baby — but I didn’t. Angel and I hadn’t shared more than a handful of words with each other in months. Lili and Emma had been the ones who relayed messages back and forth. I knew that Angel was coming around to welcoming Lyse into the family, but it was a slow process.
We found our family gathered in the dining room, waiting for Angel and Emma’s arrival home. Lili put her arms around me. “I’ve missed you.”
I snorted but returned her hug. “You could always get on a boat,” I pointed out. “Take a weekend vacation.” I motioned at Lyse. “You two could go swimming.”
Lili looked at Lyse. “You’re learning?”
She shrugged. “I figured it was time.”
Lyse never told me what, exactly, happened to shift her and Lili’s relationship, but apparently the two were texting buddies now. The thought warmed something in my chest. It still wasn’t perfect, but it was a start toward accepting the woman I’d decided I couldn’t live without. And with a family like mine, that was about all I could ask for. Lili’s eyes landed on the ring on Lyse’s hand, and she grinned. “You made it official?”
I shrugged. “This was the first time we’ve been back to the mainland; I wanted to make it count.”
She looked at Lyse. “Tell me it was more romantic than that, I beg of you.”
I wrapped an arm around my wife. “It was perfectly romantic,thank you.”
Lili grabbed Lyse’s hand. “Blink once if you need help.”
“Ha ha,” I said, dropping the smile from my face. “Let her go now.”
Lili rolled her eyes. “You’re such a freak.”
Before I could come up with a response, we heard the front door open, and everyone seemed to tense in anticipation. Angel came in, arm wrapped around Emma, who was carrying a tiny bundle in her arms.
Babies had always been a way of life for our family, but I’d never really paid attention before, not until my numerous cousins reached an age where they might be put on the security detail, and I had to deal with them personally. But seeing Emma holding my nieceknowingthat in a few months, Lyse and I would be in the same boat, it hit me square in the chest.
Emma looked around at our gathered family and smiled. “This is Miri,” she said, turning the baby a little so that we could all get a look at her. She was squishy and red and just a little ugly in that way that brand-new babies usually are, and she was absolutely perfect.
“You named her after Madre?” The question was out of my mouth before I could stop myself, and Angel looked at me for the first time in five months. His expression, which had been soft with adoration, cooled considerably.
“Is that a problem?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No, of course not.”
“Stop being an a-s-s-h-o-l-e,” Lili sniped at him, putting her arm through mine.
I looked down at her. “You know the baby can’t spell, right? And she can’t understand what you’re saying.”
Lyse smacked me on the arm. “Just because you couldn’t spell your way out of a paper bag…”
The room went quiet and distinctly hostile. I threw my arm around Lyse’s waist and drew her close to my side. “Myconejitahas fangs,” I said proudly, leaning down to brush my lips against her forehead.
The tension in the room didn’t ease, but everyone’s attention shifted back to the guest of honor when Emma put the baby into Manny’s arms. The teenager stared down at little Miri with something akin to awe on his face. “She’s so tiny,” he said. “How much does she weigh?”
Angel snorted. “A whopping nine pounds. Almost ten.”
Tía Angela, who was half-corked as it was, hooted. “Fat babies mean healthy babies! I want to hold her next!”
