Page 215 of Divine Obsession

The engagement ring Trevor had gotten me was a fifty-carat, oval pink diamond from a jeweler in Hong Kong – which just so happened to be one of the most expensive stones in the world due to the color. It spoke to me; tous. Not the price, or the carats, or the rarity. But the thought that went into picking it.

I knew the ring Zach had gotten would speak to Maria. It was to die for. And exactly her style.

“When did you get it?”

His eyes darted to mine before shifting back to the ring.

“Zach.”

“A while.”

“What’sa while?”

He shrugged, snapping the box shut and slipping it back into his pocket. “Couple months.”

I gasped and smacked his arm. “You’ve had it this whole time? No wonder you can’t stop thinking about proposing!”

“I thought it’d take the edge off, you know? Knowing I had it and could ask whenever I wanted. But… It’s killing me, Nat.”

I leaned over and pulled him into a hug. “I know you’ll put Maria first and do the right thing. The same way you always do. She’ll say yes when the time is right.”

Pulling away, he nodded, his tension easing a little. “I hope so.”

“You know I’m right,” I said with a wink.

For the first time since he’d sat down, a genuine, relaxed smile spread across his face.

It was around four in the afternoon when Trevor and I walked Maria and Zach to the door, the afternoon sun spilling through the townhouse’s large windows. We’d lingered over lunch, the company making time slip by faster than expected.

“Wait,” Trevor said, as Zach reached for his jacket. He turned to me, his hand intertwining with mine. “Now’s a good time, don’t you think?”

I nodded, smiling as I looked at Maria and Zach. “We wanted to ask you both something important.”

Maria tilted her head, curiosity sparking in her eyes as she zipped up her black puffer. “What is it?”

“We were wondering if you’d do us the honor of being our baby’s godparents.”

Trevor and I shared a connection to Catholicism, though his ties to faith were more casual than mine. His upbringing was shaped by a mix of cultures and traditions – his mother, Cuban and Catholic, while his father’s Japanese heritage introduced him to Shinto beliefs.

Despite his father being largely secular after growing up in the States, Trevor and his sister had still learned about their roots and respected those traditions. It created a beautiful balance in his life, blending faith and culture without being bound too strictly to either.

Maria’s jaw dropped, her hand flying to her chest. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely,” I said. “There’s no one else we’d trust more.”

“We would love to!” Maria turned to her man, her excitement palpable. “Right, Zach?”

Zach’s face softened as he looked at her. “Of course,hermosa. We’d love to,” He finished, turning to us.

Maria let out an excited squeal, launching herself into Zach’s arms with such force it made him stumble back a step. He laughed, holding her tightly as she clung to him.

“I love you guys!” She smiled, still half-bouncing as she disentangled herself from Zach and threw her arms around Trevor and me.

“We love you, too,” I said, hugging her tightly.

Maria crouched down, her hands resting gently on my bump as she spoke softly. “Bye, baby. You’re already so loved, you know that?” She leaned in and placed a soft kiss on my stomach. I couldn’t help but tear up at the tenderness in her voice.

Zach stood beside her, his gaze lingering on Maria as she stayed crouched in front of me – his usual cockiness softened by gratitude; the kind that spoke volumes without words.

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