Page 35 of Never Finished

We stayed like that for a long time, my head leaning back against his strong shoulder, inhaling the scent of him while we looked up at the stars.

This was heaven. If someone told me a couple of weeks ago that soon I’d be in Jaime Acosta's arms, feeling desired and cared for, I would have laughed my ass off. But now that I was here, it felt like the universe conspired to make sure the two of us were in this place at this exact moment.

I dared to shut my eyes, closing out the stars and just inhaling the scent of Jaime.

"I've been thinking," Jaime said, "would you like to come to dinner on Sunday with the family?"

My heart kicked into overdrive. I’d met his family before, but this felt like a big step. What would they think was going on between us if he brought me home? We haven’t even defined what this is yet. But as doubts swirled in my head, my heart was thrilled he asked.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

He laughed. "I know they can be a lot to handle…"

"No, Jaime, that's not what I meant…" I trailed off, not knowing how to finish that statement.

I let the words hang there until Jaime answered me. "I think it's a great idea," and I could hear the stubbornness in his voice.

"Besides, we're kind of reinstating the ritual Sunday family dinner. Sofia hasn't come around much lately, and Maria and I are hoping to reconcile her with my mother."

I remembered Sofia. She had always been strong willed and very independent, and always butted heads with their mother, so I wasn’t surprised to hear they weren't on great terms. Although I wondered how Sofia could stay away, knowing time with their mother was limited.

"It's complicated," Jaime continued, "but I don't want Sofia to regret…" He trailed off, but I knew what he was thinking—not making amends before his mom passed away.

"I understand. There's nothing worse than all the things left unsaid."

He paused for a moment before he asked, "Did you leave a lot of things unsaid with your mom?"

I thought about it for a moment. At the time I hadn't, so I answered honestly, "No, my mom and I were at peace with one another before she died. Of course, we'd always been close. I can't remember ever fighting with her."

And that was the truth. We were unusually close for mother and daughter, even when I was a hormonal teenager. Most of that angst was directed towards my father.

Somehow, until I met Jaime, I'd always felt like it was me and my mom against the world.

"There's a lot I’ve wanted to tell her since, though. It would be really nice to have her guidance."

Jaime looked at me and then gazed up at the stars. "Who says you can’t still get her guidance? It might just come in another form."

I looked at him, smiling. "You always were a wise old man in a young man’s body."

He laughed. "Shower me with compliments all you want, but you still haven't answered my question."

I didn't let myself overthink it and answered from my heart, "Yes, I'll go to Sunday dinner with your family… as long as you promise I won't be intruding."

He laughed. "Come on, Emma, you know it’s a revolving door over there," he teased. "And you’re welcome at my home anytime."

I reached for him and brought his mouth to mine, sealing his declaration with a kiss.

There was so much about this that felt confusing and yet, everything finally made sense for the first time in a very long time. I didn't want to overthink it. I just wanted to fill his lips on mine and the rest of me as he leaned me back against the ground, lowering my head and kissing me passionately.

We were finally going to do something I’d dreamed about for years. I would finally get to make love to Jaime beneath the stars in our favorite place—a place where a thousand promises and secrets still existed.

Jaime

Having Emma in my arms at our sacred spot made all of my boyhood fantasies pale in comparison.

Maybe I should've taken her back to the truck—at least there was the bench seat to lie on—but it seemed fitting that we christen the spot where so many memories had been made.

I could sense Emma's conflict, but we'd fallen back into our old habits. Talking and laughing, and just enjoying each other, but when I brought up anything relating to the future, I could see a shadow cast over her expression.

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