17. Michael #3
Her eyebrows raise in skepticism, but before she can say another word, I take her hand and turn toward Sebastian. “Connor!” I call out. “Come meet my girl.” A huge smile spreads across his face as he extricates himself from my uncle’s conversational clutches.
“Really good to meet you, Vivian,” he says, holding out a hand to shake.
“I’m Sebastian,” my other friend tells her. “We’re so glad to meet the person who tamed this crazy sucker,” he teases as I groan and throw my head back. With a lot of family comes a lot of ribbing; I’d just forgotten how much.
“Pleased to meet you. And do tell me more.” Vivian’s eyes sparkle, her unease melting away at the idea of getting more dirt on me. I don’t bother trying to hide my smug grin, watching as her natural charm and humor meshes easily with Seb’s and Connor’s efforts to bring her into the fold.
The conversation flows with ease, peppered with funny and embarrassing anecdotes, including the one about alcohol poisoning on our camping trip.
Vivian laughs and jokes with them effortlessly, as if she’s always been part of the group, and I’m content to stand behind her, my arms wrapped around her waist, soaking up the moment.
I rest my head on the crook of Vivian’s shoulder, a sense of peace settling over me.
Being with her makes me feel at home, more so now that we’re standing in my old home.
Everything’s just so easy with her. Our conversations, our chemistry, and how we relate to each other and not only in the bedroom.
We don’t have to work at it; we just fit together naturally.
She’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, sure, but it’s so much more than that.
I love making her laugh almost as much as I love making her come.
She’s filled that gaping hole in my heart that was looking for its other half.
Like she was made for me. And I for her.
She’s mine in every single way. Is it too soon to propose?
I chuckle, liking that thought. But will it scare her off if I tell her exactly how I feel instead of hinting at it?
Can she not see what’s written all over my face every time I look into her gorgeous eyes?
“Michael.” She nudges me.
“Hmm, mi amor?” I sneak a kiss to her jaw and she flushes.
“They’re telling us to come say grace. For dinner?” She reminds me when I look at her blankly. It’s incredible how I keep losing my train of thought when I’m thinking about her, even when she’s in my arms. I can fully relax with her.
“Right,” I say with another quick peck.
Taking her hand, I lead her to the dining table.
Paquita nods toward the head of the table, and I feel my grandfather’s eyes on me as we take our seats next to him.
Vivian may not realize the significance of the placement, but I do.
It’s an honor to sit by the man who’s helped raise us.
And it means he probably wants to get to know my girl better.
Everyone reaches out to hold the hand of the person next to them, a tradition for as long as I can remember.
I cherish this symbol of community as we offer up thanks.
My grandfather begins to pray, thanking God for all His blessings and for providing the food.
He continues giving appreciation for what has gone well in his business this week, and thanks Paquita for preparing the food.
Just when I think he’s done, he concludes with, “Lord, we pray for an upcoming wedding for Sebastian and Amanda.” Everyone titters at the ongoing joke and my eyes crack open to wink at Sebastian, who’s flushing under the well-deserved admonishment.
Better get his act together. “And I pray Michael and Vivian will get married soon too!” my grandfather ends with a flourish and warmth spreads across my chest. The old man must’ve been reading me all night.
As the room erupts in laughter, I glance to my right to see Vivian’s reaction.
She looks like she’s in shock, mouth agape and eyes wide.
Hmm, so maybe I won’t be proposing just yet.
I squeeze her hand lightly and lean over to whisper, “You good, mi amor?” All I get is a nervous swallow as her mouth shuts.
I know it’s not the time or place, but all I want to do at this moment is gather her in my arms and tell her just how much I love her.
But her wary expression tells me it would be a bad idea to overwhelm her with my declaration.
I’m going to have to let her come to me with that one.
It’s not exactly a game of cat and mouse, more like a one/two step dance we’ve been doing.
I take a metaphorical step forward, making my intentions clear, and then wait for her to meet me.
It’s in my nature to go after what I want, and I know I can be a bit much—some have called me a bulldog.
But Vivian is too precious a goal to risk messing up, and I find myself anxiously awaiting her response each and every time.
Our first night together, I was honest when I told her I was falling for her.
Doubt she realizes just how hard though.
And this may still be too fast for her. Not for me.
My heart is set. Even if I hadn’t heard those words, “By the way, there’s your wife,” spoken to me that fateful night at L’Aventura, I would have fallen for her completely by now anyway.
I don’t do anything by halves, and I am all in for this girl. This woman.
My woman. My forever. The love of my life.
She still doesn’t say a word, but when we sit down to start eating, I pull her chair closer to mine so that our legs are touching. My hand goes to her thigh, squeezing gently and breaking her out of her reverie.
“Vivian,” I murmur. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” She exhales on a shaky breath. “I’m okay.
” Her voice betrays her nerves, but she plasters on a tight smile.
Did my grandfather’s words unsettle her that much?
Does she not feel the same way I do? My chest tenses at the thought.
No. No way have I been reading this—us—all wrong. Maybe she’s just taken aback.
“Are you sure? We can go outside for a minute if this is all getting to be too much.”
“No, I’m fine, really,” she says, looking directly at me.
This time, her smile, although small, is real.
It meets her beautiful eyes now. “I was just a little shocked, that's all. Not quite what I expected when you asked me to come with you.” Her lips turn up in a lopsided grin. And I remember how to breathe again.
“I swear I didn’t know he was going to say that.
” My grin matches hers and she laughs softly.
She lightly brings her hand to mine, and I flip my palm so I can lace our fingers together.
Always need to be with her, touching her.
Her presence calms me. “He’s a sly one. Just don’t ask him about working for the Cuban government.
Or fish tales. He has fish tales to rival his own fish tales. ” I snort.
A devious glimmer sparks in Vivian’s eyes as she looks across to my grandfather. “Mr. Rivera, Michael says you have some great stories about Cuba.” Isabella and Paquita groan, my uncle rolls his eyes, and Connor and Sebastian egg him on.
“Yes! Tell us the one about when you were about to take out that general,” Sebastian says, and of course he had to pick the one that’s a doozie. We’ll be here til dessert time.
My grandpa’s face lights up as he begins his story.
I squeeze Vivian’s hand under the table, giving her a pained look when she looks my way, and the little minx winks at me before resuming her enraptured expression at my grandfather’s words.
Oh, my woman is going to get it tonight.
I settle in to hear the story we’ve all heard a hundred times before, passing the food as it comes our way.
Vivian’s completely focused on my grandfather’s tale, so I heap her plate full of a little of everything.
When she glances down at it in surprise, I nudge her plate closer.
“ Come , mi amor.” I’m rewarded with a small kiss on my cheek.
Progress , I congratulate myself. After her reprimand earlier, I didn’t think she’d be comfortable enough to initiate PDA around my family.
But maybe seeing how affectionate we all are is helping her relax.
My dad always chased my mom around the kitchen grabbing her butt when we were younger, and I always planned to do that with my wife as well. Hope Vivan’s okay with that.
Speaking of, the doorbell rings. Good. Time for my parents to meet the new addition to the family.
I hop up from the table so I can help my dad wheel my mom in, if she’s chosen to take the chair today.
He’s already got the door pushed open wide, assisting her with the walker instead.
Although she still grunts in pain, I’m glad to see her on her feet.
“Hola, mijo!” she greets me in a chipper tone.
Even a little out of breath, she pauses, presenting her cheek to me and refusing to move farther until I’ve kissed her.
“Hola, mama,” I tell her softy. “Now let me help you to your seat.”
“ Ya se !” she protests, but I still help her along as she slowly makes her way to the chair at the end of the table that’s reserved just for her, so she doesn’t have to navigate the tight spaces.
Once she’s comfortably settled, her sharp eyes zero in on Vivian.
“ Ven aqui, carino, ” my mother says in a gentle tone, motioning my lady to come over.
“She wants you to come over to her,” Isabella starts to tell Vivian, but she’s already out of her seat.
Vivian nods as she slides behind the high-backed chairs.
I seem to recall her saying that she took a lot of French; maybe there are more similarities than differences. Kinda like us , I smile to myself.
My mom’s got Vivian’s hands clasped in hers, oohing and aahing over my woman. “ Oh, que bonita! ”