Merry Ever After

“What do you wish?”

“We should talk about that sometime when we’re not surrounded by people during a holiday.”

My heart is beating so fast I wonder if I’m going to pass out, or something equally embarrassing, in front of the man who has become a close friend over the last few months. What does he want to talk about?

“I’m going to contact a friend of mine who’s a cop and ask him to send cars by here later, just in case your ex decides to come back and start trouble.”

I swallow hard at the thought of my ex-husband causing trouble for the family that’s been so good to us. “You really think that’s necessary?”

“I do.”

“Maybe Mateo and I should just go. If we’re not here, then no one will bother your family.”

“You’re safer here than you’d be anywhere else. The people here would kill for you.”

“Would they?”

“They would.”

“All of them, or just you?”

“All of them, but especially me.”

“And why is that?”

“That’s the thing we should maybe talk about when my entire family isn’t about to arrive for Nochebuena.”

The look he gives me when he says those words steals the breath from my lungs. Nico Giordino is the sexiest man on the planet, and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. Right in that moment, I don’t care that his own sisters and cousin think he’s toxic toward women.

I just want more of him and the way he makes me feel.

Maria

I feel like I’m going to hyperventilate if we don’t get to Abuela’s soon. The flight from LA that took us to the southernmost part of Texas to avoid the storms in the Plains, seemed endless, even if it was “only” six hours. I can’t wait to see Everly.

Austin and I bonded a year after I donated the bone marrow that saved Everly’s life. With her mother not in the picture, she’s now as much my daughter as she is his, and I’ve been counting down to my first Christmas with both of them.

We’ve finally landed in Miami and are trudging through the terminal with several of Austin’s teammates and their wives or girlfriends, all of whom are as eager to get home as I am. Some of them have kids and were afraid they were going to miss Christmas with them.

As they head to the parking garage where we left our cars, Austin stops me. “We’re going that way.” He points to the left of the garage.

“What do you mean? We parked over there.”

“Just come with me,” he says, taking my hand as we say goodbye to the others. One of them is having a New Year’s Eve party that we’re looking forward to. Austin has fit right in with his new Marlins teammates, and their significant others have been welcoming to me, as well.

Because I’d follow him anywhere, I let him lead me away from where we left his BMW SUV. I don’t get why he’d want to delay seeing Everly any longer than we already have. I’m about to ask that question when he stops next to a white Mercedes G-Class SUV parked at the curb. It has a gigantic red bow on top. A man I’ve never met is standing next to it. Austin greets him with a handshake.

“Thanks again for this,” Austin says to him.

“My pleasure.”

“Uh, what’s this?” I ask Austin in a low tone that can’t be overheard by the other man.

“It’s your new ride,” he says, grinning widely. “Merry Christmas.”

I stare at the gorgeous vehicle, recalling how I said the one his teammate had gotten for his wife was cool. But that didn’t mean I wanted one for myself.

“Say something,” he says, his smile fading.