Page 122 of Yours, Finally

I laughed. "Yep. He took a while longer, but this has been going on for years. This wasn't a rushed decision."

"It may still be hard for you to get used to it," Jake added. "I understand if you need some time."

My parents stared at each other, checking each other's reaction to Jake's words.

I frowned. "It shouldn't be that hard. He's already been like a son to you. Son-in-law shouldn't be such a stretch."

Dad arched an eyebrow at me. Through the years, Jake must have picked it up from him, because it was the same gesture on his face.

My mom laughed. "I guess this has really evolved through the years, if you're already talking about that."

I shrugged, with an echoing smile on my face. "It's a possibility. I just didn't know what else to call him in this scenario— and it fit well enough, right?"

"You know what this means, too?" Dad asked. "We made this table for ten people, thinking of each of you with your partner. We're going to have extra space now."

Mom put a hand on his arm. "It only means there's more room for high chairs."

I gazed at each of them in turn, a joke at the tip of my tongue. Mirth bubbled up inside of me, making it difficult to hide it.

"I do have news to share." I put a hand on my stomach, and waited.

Three faces looked at me with smiles frozen into shock.

"I'm starving!" I laughed, the rest of my words coming out broken up by my chortles. "I haven't had a chance to eat dinner yet!"

"Vi!" Mom exclaimed, while my dad laughed and shook his head.

"What a brat." Jake chuckled and kissed my temple. "Don't joke like that."

I still laughed, when I got up from the table and got Jake and I something to eat. We had dinner with my parents sitting across from us. They asked a few questions but, in general, seemed to take everything in stride.

Still, I could imagine them talking about it later, in the privacy of their room, still making sense of everything.

Once the dishwasher ran and everything was in order, my parents, Jake, and I stood by the kitchen island.

"We're going up now," Mom said. "We'll give you some privacy."

She hugged me, then Jake.

"Bye, Jake." Tío Raúl hugged him, then kissed me on the cheek. "I'm happy for you."

They left us in the kitchen, going away hand-in-hand.

I leaned on the kitchen island with a cocked hip. Jake watched my parents until they disappeared into the hall towards the stairs.

He turned to me with a confused look on his face. "I guess… that's it. We're good to go."

"Almost." I leaped into his arms and plastered my mouth to his. "There. Now it's sealed."

"Actually…" He glanced behind me, as if studying the island for some reason.

I started to do the same, before Jake made good use of his muscles and, grabbing me by the waist, sat me up on the stone countertop.

"Jake!"

I had never had a partner that could do something like that, and I shivered in pleasure.

He stood between my legs, cradled my head in his hands, and gave me a long, playful kiss.