Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Benicio was sitting up against the pillows when Rose returned to the bedroom.
“Did you get lost on the way to the kitchen?” he teased, removing his glasses.
It was late, and he was still on a high after the Oscars. He and Rose had talked to Ignacio for a few minutes soon after the award show ended, and Benicio had fielded calls from family and friends, proudly answering questions and accepting congratulations as if he had won the awards himself.
He set aside the magazine he had been browsing while he waited for Rose to return.
“No.” She turned off the light and slipped off her robe before joining him in bed. “Skye was in the kitchen when I went downstairs, and she had questions about an issue she was having with Angel. I gave her advice on how to handle the situation.”
Skye’s parents had died in a tragic accident when she was a teenager, and Rose had become like a mother to her from the time Skye started seriously dating their eldest, Ethan.
Ethan and his family and Bruno and his family were spending the night, which meant they’d be able to see their grandbabies tomorrow at breakfast.
“Is she all right now?” Benicio asked.
“She’s fine.”
Benicio fluffed the pillows and lay down on his back, and Rose settled against him, one hand resting on his chest. Some days he couldn’t believe he was back in his home with the love of his life, and he vowed he would never do anything to jeopardize this type of happiness again.
He lay down in comfortable silence for a while before broaching the topic uppermost in his mind. “Did you make a decision about the venue for the engagement party?”
Rose didn’t answer right away, which meant she was about to disagree with him.
“I don’t want an engagement party.”
“We need to have an engagement party, mi amor. Our friends and family want to celebrate with us.”
“We don’t need to have an engagement party, and people can celebrate with us at the wedding and reception.” He heard the obstinance in her voice.
“Do not be difficult.”
“I’m not the one being difficult.”
“Yes, you are. Think of how much fun it will be to have all our friends and family celebrate with us.” His voice gentled. “It is one day out of the rest of our lives.” He kissed her forehead.
“I hate when you’re being reasonable. You make me sound like an emotional old fool,” Rose grumbled.
“You are never an emotional old fool,” Benicio said.
The room became quiet, and he waited for a moment, but he wasn’t known for his patience. “Well?” he prompted.
She sighed, her breath stirring the hairs on his bare chest. “We could have the party here, I guess,” she said reluctantly.
They had a sunroom at the back of the house which they used to host large parties. They called it the party room.
Benicio smiled. “You have made the right decision,” he said with satisfaction.
She huffed out a sound that sounded somewhat like a laugh. Lifting onto her elbow, she looked down at him in the darkness.
“How many people are you thinking of inviting?”
“I am putting together a modest list.”
“Define modest, Ben.”
“Family, of course.”
“Yes,” she agreed.
“Close friends, and perhaps a handful of people I have done business with over the span of thirty or so years.”
“Oh my goodness.”
He rolled onto his side. “Many of these people are like family. You know that.”
“We only have so much space to accommodate guests, otherwise, we’ll have to move to a different venue. Rent a ballroom, maybe.”
“If we must...” He shrugged.
She pursed her lips at him. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Give me anything I want.”
“I don’t think so. I need your list, or at the very least an estimate of the number of people you plan to invite.
Then I and the event planner will determine if the party room is big enough.
One thing I will not do is have our guests crammed into a small, uncomfortable space.
There needs to be enough room for everyone, the food, and maybe a little dancing. ”
Benicio didn’t say a word. She was already thinking they would need a space bigger than their party room, and he was perfectly fine with that.
Rose rested her head on his shoulder again.
“What did you think of Jasmine?” he asked.
“She seems nice,” she said carefully, as if still forming an opinion of the young woman.
“Did you hear what Maxwell said in the kitchen? That she was his only girlfriend?”
“I did.” Rose lifted her head again to look at him. “Were you as surprised as I was?”
“I think everyone in the kitchen was surprised.”
“She must be something special.”
“Based on my conversation with him, she is. I think she will be good for him.”
Though he had been proud of Maxwell’s dedication to becoming a doctor and doing work to improve the world on his own terms, he had not been as pleased with the way he handled his relationships.
As a matter of fact, he had been concerned from time to time that the games Maxwell played could backfire and cause problems.
“You’re quiet,” Rose murmured. She rested her head on the pillow and watched him.
“I am thinking about Maxwell. All of our other kids have found their life partners. He is still young, but I wish the same for him.”
“He’ll find his way eventually. You did.”
He stroked her soft cheek with a finger. “I was foolish to ever let you go.” He paused. “Do you remember the first time I asked you to marry me?”
She smiled sweetly. “I thought you were crazy, being willing to take me on with my three children.”
“I knew you were the right woman for me, and that hasn’t changed. When I think of everything we have, my greatest happiness is related to our family. All of our grandchildren and the success of all of our kids in their endeavors. We did a good job, don’t you think?”
“We did a fantastic job.” She tucked herself back under his arm.
“Are you ready for the next thirty years and what they will bring?” Benicio threaded his fingers through hers.
“I’m ready for anything, as long as you’re by my side.”
Rose briefly kissed his mouth, and he kissed the tip of her nose.
“I love you, mi amor.”
“I love you too.”