42. Chapter 42
Ames
Saint climbs over the barrier again and helps me across. He jumps down to the field and helps me down to the bench first, then the grass.
I expect him to take my hand and lead me away, but he surprises me with another kiss. Another wide grin and extra glorious dimples.
Whatever anxiety I still carried inside dissipates into the air. It's mist under the noon sun. The warmth of a giant star bursts in my chest, vaporizing everything but knowing that Saint and I are in this together. Nothing else matters but this.
Happiness is too big to contain. I kiss him again. He laughs, the sound echoing my own joy. With crinkling eyes, he takes my hand and leads me to his family.
Belatedly I see the cameras pointing in our direction. Who knows how much of our moment is making the rounds on TV now, but this doesn't matter either. They can show what we feel to the world. Then everyone will know we're this kind of happy.
Some of his teammates pat us on the shoulders. More than one heavy handed congratulation has me shaking, but it's a good feeling somehow. They welcome me with big smiles and more than one joke about catching their receiver .
I would tell them he caught me first, but that's for him and us and the people we love.
He squeezes my hand again and leads me deeper into the crowd.
He takes me to those who know us best. I don't need him to explain who the four people in front of us are.
I smile at his family and study them with the same curiosity they do me.
Saint is a blend of his parents. They all share the same complexion, but the waves in his hair are his mom's, while his dimples are his dad's.
The shape of his eyes are the same as hers, while the eyebrows are a carbon copy of the older man.
Both smile at me with wide grins, shifting between inspecting me and giving their son a pointed look.
I think they're pushing Saint to introduce us already.
He doesn't just yet. Saint puts a hand on one of the twins' shoulders and smiles at them.
The two must be identical, though they don't dress the same.
One is in jeans and a graphic t-shirt, with her hair in a ponytail.
The other wears leggings and a skirt, her hair in a braid.
They're wiry and tall for their age, and look at me with shock more than anything else.
I press my lips together to hide a giggle. Glancing to the side is meant to give them some privacy as they pull themselves together. Locking eyes with my brother is an accident.
Pablo stands next to Saint's parents. He's staring at us with a dumbfounded look, worse than the twins'.
I bit my bottom lip. I'm pretty sure it doesn't do anything to hide my grin.
"Hey, so," I start. "I'll say hello first to Saint's family, okay?"
He doesn't respond. Saint glances at Pablo but doesn't do much else.
Saint clears his throat and turns to the twins. "Mis divinas, I'd love for you to meet Ames."
Closer to them now, I catch a few extra details.
Both of them already have the marks of dimples on their face, even as they frown at us.
They have streaks of blue in their hair, though they have it in different places— one has it at her left temple and up to her ponytail, while the other only shows down the braid.
Silver threads mix into them, shining in the stadium lights .
I didn't expect the nerves in my stomach.
"Hi there," I smile. "It's lovely to meet you. Great job with the Hypersquare board, by the way."
"Hi. I'm Aixa," the one in the skirt says. "This is Maribel."
"Thank you." A tenuous smile appears on Maribel's face. "We love making the board. It means Saint has to think of us while he's away."
"Something tells me he would think of you even without the board," I say.
We're in a tight group, the field is so full of people. Someone walks past us and we come a little closer.
"Are you his girlfriend?" Maribel asks.
"Mari!" Aixa exclaims. "We shouldn't ask that!"
"But it's the first time we meet anyone he's kissing out in public like this!" Mari fake whispers.
I don't know what to say, so I say nothing. No one can take the grin off me, though.
Saint glances at Pablo, then his parents.
"Yep." He presses his lips together, but his dimples show deep and sweet. "Ames is my girlfriend."
Pablo's eyes grow wide, but he still says nothing.
Saint's mom opens her arms. "Can I hug you? It's the first time I meet— tú sabes. A girlfriend."
She seems flummoxed.
"Mom—" Saint tries, but I step into her arms.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." I automatically kiss her on the cheek like we do in Uruguay.
"Will you come visit us with him?" She puts her hands on my shoulders. "I have so many questions."
"Oookay." Saint calls for his dad. "We're not pressuring her into that right now. Papá? This is Ames. Ames, this is Patricio. "
"Call me Pat." He shakes my hand. "I didn't know my son knew the word girlfriend existed."
I laugh.
"Oh, and I'm Juliana," his mom says. "You can call me Julie. And whether or not Gael is prepared to bring his girlfriend to our home, I am inviting you now. You can come without him."
"Mamá," Saint says while I laugh again.
Logan shows up with Bear on his tail. He makes a head gesture I don't understand, but Saint nods.
I gaze around us. Evie and Pen stand a few yards away. They wave at me excitedly, smiles plastered to their face and eyebrows wiggling wildly. I grin back and wave at them. With a small series of gestures, I tell them I'll find them soon.
"A sec," Saint says to Logan.
Pat and Julie continue like nothing happened.
"We waited too long for this!" Julie says. "Pat— Gael tiene novia!"
"I have to go for a bit," Saint says, "but first…"
His eyes lock on my brother. Pablo stares right back, mouth pursed.
"I have to say I'm shocked too," Pablo says in an unreadable tone. "Is this for real?"
Julie and Pat gaze at each other, then at my brother. My eyes narrow. Saint sighs.
"You guys wait here." Saint tells his family. "The stage is that way. If you see action up there, watch it. If not, you plan how else you're going to tease me now that you've met Ames. I'll come back for you guys in a bit. Pablo? Come with us?"
Saint holds my hand tight. I squeeze back. Pablo crosses his arms but follows us.
People are still packed on the field. We find a spot nearby and make our own little group. I'm not sure what Logan's sign meant or what Saint has to do next, but there's no time for that when Pablo frowns at us.
I frown back. "Please don't get toxic now at this ripe old age of ours. "
"Toxic?" he says.
"Pablo…" Saint tries for conciliatory.
I stare my brother down, never mind he's taller than me. He's not that much taller.
Saint looks like he meant to keep talking, but I take over.
I raise an eyebrow at Pablo. "It would be a pity if you go pre-historic on me now and think you can disapprove. But if you do, you have to know it won't stop me. I am with Saint now."
Saint's eyes are on me. I'm too busy holding a defiant stare on Pablo to see it clearly, but I think he likes my reaction. I confirm it when he kisses my cheek.
Pablo raises both eyebrows high. "Look— I saw the way you looked at each other in college.
I'm not a fool. But after all this time, I didn't think living together for a couple of months would change your mind.
The Saint and Ames I knew wouldn't get into something like this.
Saint— you've never had a relationship that lasted more than two weeks. And Ames, well…"
I clench my jaw. "Toxic. Medieval, at least."
My brother rethinks whatever he planned to say and closes his mouth.
Saint puts a hand on my back and adds his two cents. "You know why my parents teased me like that five minutes ago? Because I told them to not expect girlfriends, years ago. I told them I would never bring anyone home. That changed with Ames."
Saint gives me a small smile. Pablo studies him.
"Ames isn't just another short-term date," Saint tells my brother, while gazing at me. "I'm all in. And even though I haven't properly asked, the fact Ames is here says she is in, too."
"I just don't want to see you both hurt," Pablo says. "I thought you wanted different things. That's all. I love you both."
I shake my head. "We're not getting into this without thought— or without care for each other. "
Saint brings me closer but gazes at my brother. "Do you need to know I agonized over this? Because I did. I've felt things for Ames since the start. Having her close these past few months showed me just how much I feel for her. I never want to hurt her, Pablo. I hope you can trust that."
I gaze at Pablo. "All you have to do is believe us. This is right for us. We're going to make this work."
My brother gazes from me to Saint. Gears turn in his brain— I see them coming up to speed behind his eyes.
I place a hand on Saint's face and make him look my way. "Kiss me again. Maybe he needs more evidence—"
"Okay!" Pablo complains. "I saw you already. I don't need to see it again."
"You better get used to it," Saint says and kisses my temple.
"Fine." Pablo stares up to the patch of sky we can see between tall gallery structures, cables, and lights. "I believe you, but please admit this is weird."
"It's not weird," Saint argues. "It's everything I wanted."
"Fuck," Pablo complains. "You look way too happy for me to fight you on this. God forbid I'm toxic now. Pre-historic, she said."
"Exactly." Saint grins. "You wouldn't want to be any of those things. But even when I thought you might be, it didn't stop me from falling for your sister."
I shrug. "I didn't even worry about it too much."
Saint laughs and steals a kiss from me.
Pablo groans. "Fine! I got it. I'll get used to it. Eventually."
"You'll have time to acclimatize," I say.
Dom appears by our side.
"We're waiting for you, lover boy," he says. "Come on. You can charm your girlfriend later."
"I have to go," Saint kisses me once more and ignores Pablo's renewed groan. "It's time to get the trophy. I'll find you later."
"I'll be with Evie and them, and your family."
"We'll deal with LA later," he says.
"We'll deal with everything ."