“Oh that feels good, Jasmine. Thank you.” Alana sighed and closed her eyes and drifted off. Holly motioned for Jasmine to follow her away from the sleeping woman.
“I’m worried too,” Holly admitted, biting her lip. “I can’t be for sure. I better talk to Liam and see what he thinks.”
Matt and Jasmine waited with Alana for Holly to go and talk to Liam and Noah. Noah immediately glanced at his sleeping wife, looking scared. Liam took out his cell phone and spoke to someone. Holly came back. “Liam spoke to her doctor. He said when she wakes up to let her walk around. If the backache persists she could be going into labor. With her high blood pressure he doesn’t want to take any chances.”
Jasmine wished Drake was here. He was always so strong and calm in tough situations. She went and sat next to Alana. She made sure not to wake her up. Having babies was daunting. So many things could go wrong. Would she ever want to be a mom? She had thought no before, definitely not with Grant. That should have been her first clue he was all wrong for her. With Drake she felt different. He would be supportive and helpful. She smiled dreamily and was lost in thought.
“I hope that smile is for me,” Drake whispered in her ear. She shivered slightly.
Jasmine turned and there he was kneeling by her. She threw her arms around him and nodded. She kissed his cheek and got up. She took his hand and led him away from Alana. Once they were away she kissed his cheek again. “I was just thinking of you and wishing you were here and you appeared like magic.”
Drake laughed and hugged her, lifting her off her feet. “Come and meet my parents.”
Jasmine took a deep breath. This was a huge step. She prayed for the best. Eva told her the parents were traditional people. What if they judged her by her looks? Her dress wasn’t revealing, but it had no sleeves. They would see her tattoo and her piercing.
“Mama, Papa, this is Jasmine, my girlfriend,” Drake announced proudly, taking her to where an older couple stood waiting. Mr. Lopez had his arm around his wife.
Drake looked so much like his father. Mrs. Lopez had short, curly brown hair and a friendly smile. She didn’t even blink when she saw Jasmine’s tattoo. Jasmine shook their hands and greeted them with relief.
“We are happy to finally meet you, dear,” Mrs. Lopez told her. “We hear so many nice things from Drake and Eva. And Julia says I should hire you if I ever need to redecorate.”
“I adore that little girl. She is such a character.” Jasmine laughed. “It is a pleasure to meet Drake’s parents. You have a wonderful son, Mrs. Lopez.”
She smiled widely. “That is nice to hear. Please call me Marissa and this is Drake’s Papa, Jorge.”
Jasmine looked for her aunt. “My Aunt Kate is here with me. She met Eva already at the store. I’d like for you to meet her.”
Jasmine led them over to where her aunt sat and made the introductions. Of course they knew the Garcias already. More lawn chairs were put out and they sat down to socialize.
“I promised Julia I’d dunk her in the lake. Want to join us?” Drake asked Jasmine and led her toward the lake. The water looked so cool and refreshing. There was a wooden square dock out in the middle of the lake for sunbathing.
Jasmine nodded, feeling nothing but relief now that the introductions were over. She had been so nervous and scared to meet his parents. If they hated her, she feared Drake would dump her.
“I’m wearing my suit underneath this dress,” she told him.
Drake lifted the dress off of her and looked at her emerald green one-piece. “I was worried it would be a bikini and I would have to blindfold every man here. Your body is for my eyes only, querida.”
Jasmine laughed and held his hand. She loved when he spoke Spanish words. It was so sexy. She was going to have to learn the language. “Let’s go dunk a kid into the lake.”
The three of them went into the water. It was cold but only for a minute, then it felt good on their skin. Julia was a good swimmer but she still had to have an adult with her. Eva sat at the shore with her son.
Drake lifted Julia up in the air and threw her a few times. She giggled so much that Jasmine had to laugh at her joy. “Want me to throw you?” Drake asked Jasmine.
“No way.” Jasmine shrieked when he grabbed her. She swam away from him.
“Leave her be,” Eva added with a laugh from the shore.
“It’s not scary, Jazz,” Julia assured her solemnly.
“It is, Julia. I’m not as brave as you.” Jasmine pouted.
Matt came up behind her and pulled her under instead. Jasmine sputtered and smacked his arm. “You jerk. I’m telling Holly how mean you are.”
Matt laughed. “She’s talking to Alana and Alicia but I needed to cool off.”
Drake laughed at his hidden meaning. He threw Julia in the water again. Jasmine rolled her eyes and muttered, men. She raced Matt in a lap contest and he laughed when she splashed water in his face because he won.
They stayed in the water until Julia had enough and got out. Jasmine didn’t put her dress back on yet. She found Eva and Alicia sitting with Alana, who was standing now. Dylan was busy playing with some of his toy trucks and Julia joined her little brother.