Page 80 of Nacho Boyfriend

“Um, Ignacio?” Olive says. “You’re down on one knee.”

Oh, for goodness’ sake.

“Were they watching us this whole time?”

She shrugs.

Every one of them are hooting and hollering, ambling toward us—Mom reaches us first and gathers Olive in a hug as I rise to my feet.

“Oh, I’m so happy. I prayed this would happen.”

“Congrats, man,” says Nate, slapping my back.

Sebastian and Mateo echo his congratulations and turn to Olive, welcoming her to the family. Francesca and Edmund exchange a look, but then Francesca plasters on a smile and hugs me.

“This is big news. Wow! Another wedding.”

She elbows Edmund, jolting a smile out of him. “Mozel Tov,” he says, rubbing the spot on his arm where my sister jabbed her bony elbow.

Olive and I are shaking our heads, trying to tell them it’s not what it seems, but the Precio family is too noisy in general, let alone when they think I just proposed to my girlfriend. Dad and Tío Enrique are shouting “Felicidades,” while Bernadette quietly mouths, “Congratulations,” from outside the mob of people surrounding Olive and me. Memo manages to reach a long arm over my other brothers to pat me on the head.

“Gratulationes,” he says in Latin.

I’m so caught up in the craziness of it all, I almost say thank you, but no. Just no. Meanwhile, I still have the scorpion to deal with.

“Ring! Let’s see the ring,” Mom exclaims.

“There’s no ring,” I cry.

She points at my Altoid tin. “But…”

“Yo tengo el anillo.”

Abuela holds a box above her head as she ambles up the path from the house. Abuelo is right behind her, rolling his eyes. My brothers and uncles rush to help her, but she’s so determined to get to Olive and me, their efforts are futile.

“Mijito. Guardé este anillo para el mayor de mis nietos, pero Memo no lo necesitará.”

She passes the box to me, urging me to open it.

“What’s all this?” Olive says tentatively.

“She says she’s saved this ring for her oldest grandchild, but since Memo won’t need it, I’m the next in line.”

Abuela opens the box and Olive gasps. Inside, there’s a dazzling topaz ring.

“Ya no le cabe a mis dedos de salchicha,” Abuela says with a wink.

“She says it no longer fits her sausage fingers,” shouts Mateo from behind Dad.

“Yeah, I gathered that,” says Olive.

Abuela pushes the ring at her. “Take.”

“Uh, no thanks?” Olive says with a forced smile.

“Abuela,” I say. “Ha habido un error. No hay…” I look around for help. “How do you say engagement?”

“Compromiso,” Dad supplies.

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