Come What May

“I have known for a long time,” Lety says.

“What? Did Mateo tell you?” Hurt pinches my heart. I mean, I wouldn’t fault him for telling her, I just wish he would have clued me in.

“No.” She parallel parks in front of Dilly’s like a boss.

“Then how do you—”

“A mother just knows.” Lety kills the engine. “This baby is a good thing. A blessing. I am excited. Let’s celebrate.”

“Now?”

Desi clambers out of the car, with Lety hot on her heels. I rush to follow. “Yes! Now!” the younger Reyes crows.

Her grandmother grins conspiratorially. “Cake—we will order cake!”

I loop my arms through theirs. “I do like cake.”Chapter Thirty-ThreeMateoI walk to my truck with a spring in my step and an anticipatory smile on my face. I’ve got a plan in place and all that’s left to nail down is the timing.

But before I can figure out any of that, I’ve got lunch plans and a different kind of bomb to drop.

Though, I guess bomb isn’t really the right word—unless it’s a confetti bomb or something—because I know without a doubt Mamá is going to be happy.

Ecstatic even.

She’s been wanting more grandkids since Desi was born.

Something tells me Des is going to be on board as well.

The whole way to Dilly’s my mind bounces back-and-forth between the baby and the other thing. I’m ninety percent confident, but damn if that ten percent doesn’t freak me out.

“One thing at a time,” I murmur to myself as I park across the street.

A small smile unfurls when I walk past my mother’s perfectly parked car. Swear, the woman parallel parks with robot-like precision.

I step into Dilly’s and instantly find Mamá, Desi, and Seraphine at a table toward the back. My daughter and my mother are seated facing me; they’re talking, laughing, and carrying on like they’ve known Seraphine forever.

The sight of it warms my heart.

Mamá sees me approaching; she nudges Desi but says nothing.

“Hopefully I didn’t keep y’all waiting,” I say, dropping my hands onto Seraphine’s shoulders.

She jumps and twists around in her seat. “Oh, my God! You snuck up on me.”

“I’m sorry,” I murmur. “What’s got y’all giggling like schoolgirls?”

Seraphine starts to reply, but Mamá speaks over her, eyes twinkling with mischief. “We were discussing wedding plans, mijo.”

Desi slaps a hand over her mouth to hold in her laughter while Seraphine looks distraught.

“Wha?” she twists back to face my mother so fast I think even I have whiplash.

Mamá shrugs innocently. “Wouldn’t a Christmas wedding be nice?”

“Oooh, yes!” Desi agrees. “We could do a cocoa bar!”

Seraphine slumps forward, covering her face with her hands. “Mateo,” she cries my name. “I swear, we we’re not talking about wedding plans!”

As an internal debate wages within be me, I pat my pocket and decide to go for broke. “Do not hide from me, Seraphine.”

“I’m not hiding,” she says—clearly hiding. “I’m just—”

“Turn around,” I tell her, sliding the velvet box from my pocket as I drop down to one knee. “Turn around so I can ask you to be my wife.”

“What?”

From the corner of my eye, I notice Desi is filming the whole thing while Mamá texts furiously, no doubt texting my tía Sofia.

“Turn around so I can tell you that I want to start and end each day with you at my side.”

“Is this real?” Her voice quavers.

“Turn around, mariposita,” I urge her. “Turn around and find out.”

“Yeah, Spaz! Turn around already!”

In what feels like slow motion, Seraphine turns toward me. “Mateo,” she whispers.

“Marry me?”

Her mouth opens and closes a few times, but no words ever come out.

“Marry me and make me the happiest man on the planet.”

“Are you…are you serious right now?”

“Do I look serious?” I pop the lid on the ring box, revealing the blinding diamond nestled in a twisted halo rose gold setting. “I never thought I would get a second chance at the kind of happiness you’ve brought into my life—much less at love. Say yes—make us a family, take my name, you already have my heart.”

Random patrons yell for her to say yes, but Seraphine is frozen with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Finally, after what feels like eons, she nods.

“Yes? Is that a yes? I need to hear the words, mariposita.”

“Yes, of course. I love you, yes!”EpilogueSeraphineSucking in a sharp breath, I pause in the doorway, letting Desi and Magnolia trail ahead of me.

Lety’s backyard looks like a winter wonderland. Rows of string lights twinkle overhead, casting a magical glow. There’s garland, crimson ribbons, and twinkling lights wrapped around the deck rails and poinsettias line the steps leading down into the grass.

Prettier still is the huge wreath suspended between two shepherd’s hooks under the pergola in the yard.

But the most catching sight of all is Mateo standing under the wreath in a pitch-black suit with the most handsome lopsided grin on his face. Simon and Arrón stand with him.