Page 62 of One Hotlanta Night
“Damn,” he whistles softly. “Looking at you two together, you’d think you’ve been dating for months.”
“When I saw her… well, it felt like I was looking into forever,” I muse, then shrug. “When you know, you know.”
He punches me lightly. “Well, brother, I’m happy for you. I really am. You needed to leave Charlotte and all the bullshit behind. You deserve all the best.” I might not need his blessing, but it’s all the more welcome coming from Connor.
“Thanks, man. Best damn present I ever got.” We bump fists.
“And that’s what Miguel looks like when he’s naked,” I hear in the periphery, followed by trills of laughter. My eyes fly to the women tittering on the couch, Vivian’s hand pressed to her mouth as she laughs alongside them. Blushing ever so slightly, she catches my eye and winks at me. “Better go see what they’re getting into,” I tell Connor as I rise up from my spot by the fireside hearth.
As I approach, I see my mom try to grab something out of Vivian’s lap. “Shh, don’t let him see it!” my mom says in a stage whisper and as I come closer I see why. And groan.
“Mami, tell me you didn’t.” I groan exaggeratedly.
“I had nothing to do with this, I swear!” Isabella throws her hands up dramatically, and I raise an eyebrow at her.
“What? Can’t I see my boyfriend’s cute baby pictures?” Vivian asks me in a saccharine tone, but her playful expression is more devilish than sweet.
“For you, mi amor, anything.” I stand behind the couch and tilt her face up to me, dropping a kiss to her forehead. “But I’mnot sticking around for any of the embarrassing stories.” Amidst protests and more laughter from my mom and sister, I walk out to the back porch where I know I’ll find my grandpa with a cigar.
Sure enough, as soon as the patio door opens, the warm spicy scent hits me. “Sal y siéntate un rato,” he says, patting the glider bench he’s sitting on. He hands me a cigar and clips the end off for me. “So you’ve found yourself a woman, I see,” he says as he lights it.
“Si, abuelo.” I take a few puffs, relishing the rich taste. Say what you will, the man knows how to pick ’em.
“Tell me about her.”
“Well, you already heard her talk about the restaurant she works at—”
“No, Miguel. Tell me abouther. Who she is, how she makes you feel… how she fits into your life. That’s what I want to hear.”
“She’s everything to me, abuelo. She makes me feel alive. Invincible. Like anything is possible as long as I have her by my side. It’s not just her beauty.”
“She is indeed very beautiful,” he agrees.
“She’s phenomenal. She has a best friend that she cares about more than anything in the world. And her life hasn’t been easy, even though she appears so carefree. She has her own troubles, but she doesn’t let them get her down. Did I tell you she has fibromyalgia too?”
He shakes his head. “Are you sure? She looks like she feels fine.”
“Yeah, I’m sure. I’ve seen her on her bad days. It gets just as bad as Mama’s.”
He curses under his breath. “Maldito sea. I never would have guessed. Your woman, she has good energy, a lightness to her.”
“Si. I’ve never met anyone like Vivian before. She’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met; she’s funny, determined, driven. I can’t get enough of her, abuelo. I’m always thinking about her.When I’m with her, I feel… complete.” I sigh. “She’s my home now.”
“You sound like how I feel about your grandma,” he says, patting my knee. We sit there for a few minutes, blowing smoke rings into the air and thinking about our women. “So, did I call it right?”
“What do you mean?” Although I’m pretty sure I know what he’s going to say.
“Are you going to get married soon?”
“Planning on it. Haven’t said the exact words yet, I’m waiting for the right time. And she looked a little wigged out when you dropped that bomb during the prayer,” I say with a wry grin.
“You might be surprised,mi nieto,” he tells me, eyes twinkling. “I didn’t say that lightly. I felt a nudge on my heart when I saw you two together.”
“¿Qué?’
“No le busques tres pies al gato.”
“Three legs on a cat? Abuelo, what the hell are you talking about?” His years must be catching up with him.
