Our weekend in San Diego had been glorious. I was more determined than ever to move there.

But now, I was wondering how I would live without Beck and Sky.

I didn’t even know what I wanted anymore. What if he asked me to move to Pensacola with him? It wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities since he still needed a nanny. But even if he asked, I wasn’t sure I’d say yes.

I was crazy about him. Did I love him? I thought I did, but I wasn’t sure yet. Even so, I didn’t want to be a nanny forever.

Since we returned from San Diego, we had been busy with school and flying. And luckily I hadn’t heard from my mother or my uncle.

I had just cooked a huge batch of spaghetti and meatballs, using fresh tomatoes for the sauce and both pork and beef for the meat mixture.

Beck couldn’t stop raving about it and even had seconds.

But Mónica hadn’t touched her food. She was pushing it around her plate with her fork.

I knew something was wrong.

I sat down next to her. “Are you okay?”

“Yup. Fine.”

But she wasn’t fine. I could tell.

By now, Beck was sitting down on the sofa, looking at his phone. I noticed that Mónica was staring at him and biting her lip. What was she up to? 

After a few more minutes, she finally got up from the table and sat down next to Beck, a worried look on her face. 

“Beck, can I ask you a question?”

Ay, Dios mío! No! Suddenly I knew exactly what she was going to do. Something I had done six years ago when I had been her age. 

My heart hurt.

She was going to ask him to the daddy/daughter dance.

Don’t do it!

“Sure. Anything.”

Dammit. I couldn’t watch. This was a fucking train wreck.

Beck was a great man, but he was under no obligation to take my sisters to the daddy/daughter dance. I didn’t want him to feel pressured. 

“Uh, well next week there is this dance, the father/daughter dance. I know you’re not my father. But, I was wondering if you would take me and Ana María to it. If not, no worries. I understand.”

My eyes watered up, and I craned my neck like one of the goddamn people who stop to watch an accident.

Please, Beck. Please say yes.

The room went silent. I tried to read Beck’s face but I couldn’t. 

He took Mónica’s hand. “I’d be honored.”

Yes! I wanted to run over there and jump on him.

Mónica’s face brightened. “Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all. There’s one catch though.”

Oh great. What? Was he flying that day? I knew he couldn’t switch his schedule. I understood that but would the girls?

“Oh, what?”

He grabbed his keys. “We need to get you both dresses.”

God, could I love this man anymore?

Mónica jumped up and squealed. She ran into the other room and grabbed Ana María. 

I ran over to Beck, sat on his lap, and kissed him, for once not shy at all if my sisters saw us. “I can’t believe you did that. You don’t know what this means to me. What it means to them.” I paused. I had been unable to know my feelings about him until now. But they were finally clear. “I love you.”

Beck cupped my head in his hands and kissed me. “Te amo.”

He loved me, too? In Spanish no less? I couldn’t believe this was my life right now. I was in love with a totally hot, accomplished, educated, classy pilot who was a wonderful father and loved my sisters. And he had just said he loved me too. This was really happening to me. 

Ana María ran out. “You’re going to take us shopping? Can I get a pink dress?”

“Yup, let’s go.”

I wanted the girls to bond to Beck without me hanging around. “I’ll stay back here with Sky if you don't mind.”

The second they left, I burst into tears. I was so happy for my sisters. I had remembered seeing those fliers in school, ripping them up, shame burning my cheeks. Sometimes the mean girls would taunt me. “Paloma isn’t going to go to the dance because she doesn’t even know who her father is.” I would never engage with those girls, but secretly I was devastated. Even worse, they were right. 

I didn’t even know my father’s name. 

Abuela had talked about him only once. She said that Mama had snuck out of the house repeatedly and then became pregnant. Mama had never uttered his name, and my birth certificate said unknown where my father’s name should’ve been. My only connection to him was my green eyes. 

The not knowing his identity was the worst part. Maybe he wanted me. Maybe he had looked for me. Or maybe he didn't even know I existed. When I had been Ana María's age, I had dreamt that he would find me and whisk me away from my mother. But after the weeks turned into years, I had given up any hope of ever knowing the identity of my sperm donor. 

A few hours later, the girls returned. Mónica had chosen a long purple dress, and Ana María picked a sparkly pink princess dress and matching shoes. 

I helped the girls get ready for bed and returned to find Beck sitting on the sofa. I felt breathless and my body throbbed for him.

I no longer wanted to wait. I wanted him to make love to me.

I wrapped my arms around him, and we kissed passionately. Desire radiated between us.

And I didn’t need to say another word. Beck threw me over his back and carried me to his bed.