Chapter 29 – Dallas
Six months later…
“The room’s all made up for your stay this weekend. Is there anything else you’d like me to grab from the store that might make Paloma feel more comfortable for her visit?” my mom asks.
“Thanks, mom. We should be fine. She has an apartment in town that we can go to if she's forgotten anything. We're planning on laying low and I might take her down to the beach to watch the fireworks tonight.”
I’ve just landed in Los Angeles after a morning flight for the Fourth of July weekend. Dove performed the night before and is taking the rest of the weekend off to spend it with me and meeting my parents at their home in the Santa Monica Mountains for the first time.
Their house is even more ridiculously large than I remembered growing up.
Perhaps it was because I was young and didn’t know any better, or because everyone I surrounded myself with in LA was also filthy rich, but I never recalled it feeling so much like a museum and less like a home.
But the stunning ocean views and wraparound porch with a stone terrace provide the perfect setting for my plans tonight and I was excited for Paloma to finally meet the two people who were the biggest influence on my life.
“We can’t wait to meet her. Your dad will be home in about thirty minutes. He said he got caught up in filming late for the new show they are making for FKR.” She gives me a hug and kisses my cheek before retreating back into the kitchen where she’s preparing dinner.
My mom was thoughtful like this, always excited for me to bring home friends but given the fact that this was the first woman I’d ever brought home to meet her and my stepdad, she’d gone a bit over the top.
Fresh flowers on every countertop, a catered meal that required hardly any prep-work and champagne she’d flown in from Italy.
I loved her, but it was just a reminder of the privilege that I’d grown up in.
I twist my hands nervously. It’s been three weeks since I’ve seen Paloma during her last break to visit Lonestar Junction. And during that stay, we decided to pick out wedding rings.
After six additional months of exchanging letters while she toured South America, Paloma was the one to bring up that she was ready to tie the knot, even if it meant a temporary dip in her reputation and career.
She was confident that marriage wouldn’t change a thing—in fact, she believed it would show the world how love could flourish alongside ambition, especially with someone who wholeheartedly supports you.
I’d been ready to propose to her since the day we first met in the elevator, but I knew I wanted our engagement to be special.
Although we got the ring—a sleek, all-black diamond set in a row of rose gold accents—the surprise would be the proposal location and timing – what I had planned for today.
I’d arranged for the moment to unfold with my parents at our home, overlooking the breathtaking Pacific Coast sunset and culminating with fireworks along the ocean.
Between Dove’s hectic schedule and my infrequent visits to Los Angeles, she hadn’t yet had the opportunity to meet my parents despite all of the time I’ve been spending with her family in Lonestar Junction.
Prior to flying to LA, I’d asked her father for his blessing to propose.
I knew it was a bit old-fashioned, but I wanted her parents—the people who had chosen and cherished her throughout her life—to see my commitment to loving and supporting her just as they always had.
I wanted them to know that I was dedicated to accepting every part of her and her career, without trying to change a single thing about the extraordinary talent she’d been blessed with or the demands of her schedule.
Her parents meant the world to her, and mine to me, so it felt only right to propose tonight with the sunset as our backdrop, bringing together the people who shaped our lives in such meaningful ways in a town that helped both of us get our starts.
“Dallas, son, how are you?” My stepdad Jackson Roe enters the room.
He’s quite a bit older now, well into his 70s, but still the same handsome man I remember sweeping my mom off her feet when I was just four years old, shortly after my dad left us and tried to ruin my mom’s career and reputation in Hollywood.
Jackson has been a blessing to our family in more than one way. In addition to protecting my mom’s career and us physically, he eventually adopted me, and I’ve called him Dad ever since. Always supportive, showed up to any of my school activities, he was the only father I’ve ever known.
I extend a cigar to him with a grin and hand him a glass of his favorite brandy, freshly poured from his hidden stash.
“I’m nervous as hell.”
He smiles widely and nods towards the stone terrace to the side of the home where I’ll be proposing to Paloma in just twenty minutes.
“Let’s go out and talk.”
We take a seat on the chairs, reclining easily as we look out over the gorgeous view. The Pacific Ocean sparkles against the sunlight, revealing its vast beauty as the sun slowly makes its descent.
“Going to be a hot night for fireworks.”
“I’m hoping for it.”
He smiles and turns to me. “So, your mom said you’re proposing to your girlfriend tonight?”
I nod, “I've loved her for a long time. I can't imagine my life without her in it.”
He smiles, “I’m proud of you. You’ve always excelled at everything you put your mind to, and it’s been incredible to watch you grow.
Your mother and I have cherished every moment of it.
But one thing I’ve never had the pleasure of witnessing is the vulnerability that comes with giving your heart to someone and trusting them to protect it.
I’m happy to see you’ve found that now. Love can be a scary thing, can't it?”
"In the past, I might have shared that sentiment, which is probably why I never pursued it out of fear that it might be the thing that I fail miserably at. But with Paloma, it’s never frightened me, not even for a moment since we've gotten together. I’m as confident in our relationship as I was when I signed up for the Marines.
It’s a confidence that tells me embracing this will lead to transformation, and not pursuing it just isn’t in my nature. ”
He smiles and retrieves a cigar from his pocket before lighting it. He inhales a few puffs before passing it my way.
“You’ve found a good one, then.”
I nod, feeling a surge of warmth from his approval, even though I know I don’t need it.
I’d always admired the relationship he and my mom had—the quiet confidence they shared, each being their best selves individually and becoming even better when together.
That’s what I knew Paloma and I already had built, and I couldn’t wait to see the way it matured as we grew closer together over the next several decades.
I hear the doorbell chiming through the open doorway and listen as my mom moves to open it. The quiet voices of Paloma and her chatting excitedly filter onto the terrace where I sit nervously waiting.
“Hi!” Paloma finally greets, rushing into my arms as I stand and squeeze her tightly to my chest. She fits perfectly there, just as she always had.
“Hi,” I kiss her long and hard before we finally break away, my arms still wrapped protectively around her waist.
“Dad, this is Paloma Hart, my girlfriend. Paloma, this is my dad, Jackson Roe.”
My dad stands, his eyes narrowing slightly as he moves to greet Paloma in a hug.
“It’s so wonderful to meet you both,” Paloma says her eyes shining brightly as she looks between my mom and dad with joy.
“We’re thrilled to have you here this weekend. I can’t believe it’s taken us this long to finally get together,” my mom says, settling into the seat next to my dad. I pull Paloma onto my lap, making room for us both in the chair so that we can be closer.
She giggles as she rests against my chest and looks out at the view. “The tour has been crazy...I haven’t had many breaks but I’m so glad my manager finally gave me this week off. Wow, this is an incredible view.” She sits forward, taking in the last rays of the west coast sunset.
“It is beautiful tonight,” My mom says as she pours Paloma a glass of the champagne and passes it across the table.
My dad nods wordlessly as he continues to stare at Paloma curiously, “You know, Dallas, you never told us how you two met?”
“Oh, that’s a funny story,” Paloma starts, “I wrote a letter trying to find my birth mom and mailed it to your address. Dallas answered it instead.” She giggles and nuzzles into my neck.
“I was bummed at the time, but I’d say it was a good mix up.
It led us to writing to each other for years until Dallas enlisted. ”
My dad’s eyes widen, and I notice a slight tremble ripple through his hand causing a few drops of brandy to spill over the rim of his glass and onto his impeccably pressed white shirt.
“Are you alright, dear?” my mom asks concerned as she presses a gentle hand on his arm.
My dad doesn’t meet her gaze as he continues to watch Paloma intently.
“Why did you mail it to this address?” he asks, without answering my mother.
“Apparently, my birth mom wrote it on the hospital admission paperwork." She shrugs, "I have no idea why. I figured she picked a random address in Los Angeles because she wanted to remain anonymous.”
I watch my dad closely, understanding covering me as I realize now what he knows. No amount of Marine training, predicting every possible scenario, or experience navigating the unknown could have ever prepared me for this moment.
I gaze at Paloma’s beautiful side profile, the final seconds where she’s blissfully unaware of such a life altering realization that will change everything for her.
For us.
My dad leans forward, his focus locked on Paloma with a piercing intensity that makes me feel as if we’re facing a firing squad, vulnerable and on the brink of losing my heart.
“What’s your birth mother’s name?”
Paloma perks up, finally realizing that my father may know something of value to her.
“The hospital paperwork said Margarita.”
He closes his eyes for a long, heavy blink before reopening them. The caramel brown shades of his irises catch the last rays of the setting sun, and I wonder, how is it possible that I've never noticed the similarity to Paloma's before...