Peering out the window of AJ’s uncle’s car, I took in the surroundings of Guadalajara. While AJ sat up front rattling along in Spanish to his Tio Diego, Abby was smooshed between me and Jake in the backseat. Rather than a hotel, we were staying with AJ’s abuela who had a house in the heart of the city. From what I gathered, she had a soft spot for AJ like Mama Sofia had had for me. While I was thrilled to be staying with her and meeting all of AJ’s family, I was a little intimidated by the fact that Abuela didn’t speak English.
Turning to Abby, I asked, “So what do I do to not look like the out-of-place gringa?”
She giggled. “Just kiss both their cheeks and say ‘mucho gusto’.”
I nodded. “Okay, I think I can do that.”
“And I promise to let you know if anyone is talking smack about you. Okay?”
I laughed. “Yes. Please do.”
We turned onto a street with houses in rows pressed so tight together they even shared a retaining wall, rather than the townhouse approach I was used to back in the states. Since the house was practically on the street, we pulled into small garage. The moment I stepped out of the car, I was ambushed by AJ’s relatives.
“This is my mom, Mari,” AJ introduced, patting a woman with a shoulder-length bob haircut. With a curvy frame, she was a lot shorter than AJ, and I assumed he’d gotten his height from his father.
Mari’s arms were immediately around me, squeezing me tight. “Oh Mia, it’s such a pleasure to meet you.”
“It’s a pleasure meeting you, too. AJ has told me so much about you.” With a smile, I added, “Especially about how you like to spoil him.”
She laughed as she pulled away. “Yes, I’ve probably set him up to be utterly taken care of by you.” She wagged a finger. “But don’t you dare let him get away with that,” she instructed.
AJ snorted. “Yeah, I don’t think that will be a problem.”
Mari and I laughed. “No, I don’t think so either.”
A tall man, who could have been an older version of AJ, stepped forward. He gave me a warm smile as he offered me his hand. “I’m Joaquin.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Before I could say anything else, a handsome, muscular guy stepped in front of me. “Mucho gusto,” I began. But when I leaned in to kiss his cheeks, he jerked me to him and then proceeded to lay one on me. I squeaked against his lips before pushing my hands against his chest. When I stumbled back, the guy grinned at me and winked.
AJ huffed a frustrated breath beside me. “And that would be my dickhead brother, Antonio.”
Relief momentarily flooded me that this was AJ’s gay brother and not some overly amorous relative who had ideas of girlfriend swapping. “Uh, nice to meet you.”
“Admit it, Mia. I’m a better kisser than this douchebag.” When I widened my eyes, he laughed. “Just teasing you.” He then leaned in to bestow a chaste kiss on my cheek. “It’s a pleasure meeting the mother of my future niece.”
I gave him a sincere smile. “Thank you.”
He then grabbed AJ in a bear hug. “Glad to see you, big brother.”
AJ grunted. “I just saw you yesterday when I came by the house, twatcake,” he huffed. But I noticed he did squeeze Antonio tight.
“Where’s Cris?” AJ asked.
With a roll of his eyes, Antonio replied, “Miss Cristina took the kids up the street to the market for some sweets.”
AJ’s brows furrowed. “You mean Abuela didn’t make a cake?”
Antonio grinned. “Of course she did. It’s just Cris’s kids are too Americanized from having a gringo for a father.” He jerked his chin up at me. “Just like your daughter will probably turn her nose up at most of our food.”
I laughed. “Well, in her defense, she has been fed the majority of Italian food the last four and a half months.”
“Is she going to be back for lunch? I really wanted Mia to meet everyone.”
“I think she and the gringo mentioned taking the monsters to the zoo.”
I grinned at Antonio’s summation of his nephews, Jase and Luke. AJ had told me the five and seven year olds were a handful. I also knew from some comments AJ had made that Cris was the most Americanized of her family. I could tell he didn’t like how she distanced herself from her roots.
“Alejandro!” a voice called, cutting through the noise of who I assumed to be AJ’s aunts, uncles, and cousins behind us.
We whirled around to see a petite, elderly woman, with her flowing white hair tucked back in a bun, coming toward us. She wore a multi-colored housedress. When she got to him, AJ bent down so she could bestow two kisses on his cheeks. “Mijo,” she cried, before wrapping her arms around him. He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her grey head. All the while he spoke softly to her in Spanish. An aching burn rippled through my chest at the sweet sight before me as my mind went to Mama Sofia. It was times like these when I saw true maternal love at its finest, I realized just how much I dearly missed Mama Sofia. It was hard not becoming teary watching AJ with his abuela.
When Abuela pulled away, her gaze immediately honed in on me. I shifted nervously on my feet as she stared at me, sizing me up. “Abuela, ella es mi novia, Mia.” He turned to me and smiled. “This is my grandmother, Isabella.”
Trying to break the tension, I stepped forward. “Mucho gusto,” I said, before kissing both her cheeks. I gave her a quick hug. After I pulled away, I said to AJ, “She knows she’s part of the reason why we’re naming the baby, Isabella, right?”
He nodded and then translated to her. With a nod of her head, she then began rattling away in Spanish to AJ. When she was finished, she moved on to speak to Abby, who began conversing fluently with her in Spanish.
“What did she say?” I whispered.
“That you’re a gold-digger, and I should run away while I still can.” He shook his head. “She wonders if Bella is even mine.”
My eyes widened in horror while my hand came over my mouth. “Oh my God!”
AJ busted out laughing. “Jesus, Mia, would you get a grip? I told you no one in my family would ever think badly of you.”
“You stronzo!” I cried, smacking his arm.
“Easy killer,” he teased.
“So what did she really say?”
“That you were very beautiful, and that she could see you had a good soul and a loving heart.”
I gasped. “She really said that about my soul and heart—like my anema e core?”
AJ smiled. “Yes, she did.”
“I can’t believe it. It’s like fate.”
Leaning down, AJ bestowed a tender kiss on my lips. “I would say the same thing.”
The telephone rang, and Abuela went to answer it. “Come on guys, I’ll show you where we’re sleeping.”
We followed AJ down the hallway to the bedrooms. He stopped at the first door on the right. “So you and Abby will be in here,” AJ said to me, before pointing into the room with a queen sized bed.
As he sat down my suitcase, Jake, Abby, and I all exchanged an open-mouthed, wide-eyed look of shock before turning to AJ. “Wait, what?” Jake demanded.
AJ grimaced. “My abuela, she’s hardcore, man. I mean, serious on the old-school catholic stuff.” He jerked his thumb to the silver crucifix over the door and then motioned to the one over the bed. “So needless to say there’s no sleeping together when you’re not married.”
“That’s understandable,” Abby replied, sitting down her bag.
Jake’s brows shot up so far they disappeared into his hairline. “Oh hell no, my dick doesn’t understand that shit at all!”
AJ stood toe to toe with Jake. “You think I like it any better than you do? Mia and I just got back together yesterday after my four months of fucking blue-balls celibacy. But when we’re in my abuela’s house, we respect her and her rules. Got it, Ese?”
After staring him down for a moment, Jake finally nodded. “Yeah man, I hear ya. Sorry for being an asshole.”
Abby threw her arm over my shoulder. “I look forward to snuggling with you, Mia.”
Knowing it would drive the guys wild to tease them, I nodded. “I really like to spoon. Hope you don’t mind since it’s so hot down here, I have my really skimpy pajamas.”
Biting on her lip to keep from laughing, Abby nodded. “Oh totally. I’ll probably just go with a tank top and panties, if that’s okay with you.”
“It’s fine. I’m not modest at all. You can go naked if you want.”
When we turned to look at the guys, drool practically oozed onto their chins. We couldn’t hold back our laughter any longer. “Gotcha,” we said in unison.
AJ rolled his eyes and wiped his mouth. “So not funny.”
Abuela poked her head in the bedroom. “Alejandro, conmiga arriba.”
“Si, Abuela.”
Abby grinned at AJ before reaching over to ruffle his hair. “Look at you being all ‘yes ma’am’ to your grandmother.”
He shook his head. “Hey, nothing pisses her off more than bad manners. Let’s go upstairs. We can check out where Jake and I will be sleeping. Then we’ll have lunch on the rooftop.”
After we left my and Abby’s room, we followed AJ down the hallway to a door leading outside. The steps up to the rooftop consisted of a circular, wrought iron staircase. When we got to the top, I gasped. The entire top of the roof was actually like a floor, and it had gold tiles with mosaics of colors swirled into them. The walls were decorated with Mexican art and porcelain. A fence ran the length of the top. The air was cooler, and you could see for miles in the distances over the roofs. “Wow, this is amazing.”
AJ grinned. “Even though the views would have been better from the bedroom up here, Abuela didn’t like the idea of you on these stairs too much.” His hand reached out to graze my belly.
My heart swelled with her concern. “Really?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s sweet.”
He leaned in for a quick kiss before taking me by the hand and leading me over to the table. His parents, along with the rest of his family, were already seated. “Right here, Mia,” Antonio suggested patting the seat next to him.
Instead of giving his brother shit, AJ eased me down next to Antonio and then squeezed in beside me. Abby and Jake found places at the head of the table. My eyes widened at all the food while my stomach growled with hunger pains.
After piling on some tamales and beans and rice, I glanced down at the plate that Antonio passed me. “What’s this?” I asked AJ.
He grimaced. “Cow tongue.”
My eyes widened. “T-Tongue?”
“It’s kinda a delicacy. They know how much I love it.”
Even though I was starving, just the mention of tongue, along with the sight and smell of it, caused my stomach to turn. Fearing I would throw up, I clamped my hand over my mouth. I almost knocked my chair over as I stumbled out of it before racing into the bedroom off the roof. Glancing wildly around, I searched for the bathroom. Finally, I saw it and raced inside, slamming the door behind me. When I got to the toilet, I heaved just twice before my stomach started to settle. I had just finished gargling some mouthwash I’d dug out from under the sink when a gentle knock came at the door. “Mia?” AJ questioned.
After I spit, I swiped my mouth and then reached over to unlock the door. He ducked his head in, his brow creased with worry. “You okay?”
“My stomach is fine, but I’m mortified that I just did that in front of your family. God, what a nice impression.”
“Aw, amorcito mio, they don’t give a shit about that. You’re pregnant—shit’s gonna bother you more than normal.”
I grinned up at him. “I gotta say that pregnant or not, that tongue woulda freaked the hell outta me.”
AJ laughed. “So you’re telling me you Sicilians don’t eat weird shit?”
“Yeah, I’m sure they do back in the old country, but not in Atlanta.”
When my stomach rumbled between us, AJ grinned. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“Would they be really offended if I went to lie down instead of being at the tongue table?”
AJ shook his head. “No, I mean, let’s really get out of here. I’m getting my Baby Mama some American food.”
“But I don’t want—”
AJ silenced me by bringing his lips to mine. When he pulled away, he cupped my cheeks in his hands. “Quit worrying about pissing off my family. They love you just for having my baby.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Your illegitimate baby.”
“Hey, we can always legitimize her while we’re down here.”
“If that’s a proposal, you need to step up your game.”
AJ laughed. “Come on, let’s go.”
When we stepped back onto the roof, everyone’s gaze honed in on me. I tried not to blush and cower behind AJ. He held up a hand. “She’s fine. I’m going to take her for some fresh air.”
His mom nodded and then translated for his relatives. “Sorry,” I said.
She smiled. “Don’t worry about it, honey. It happens to all of us. Just feel better.”
“Thank you.”
I let AJ lead me over to the stairs. Once we were back on the main floor, he grabbed a set of keys off the hook. I followed him out the front door as he popped the lock on one of the cars on the street. After we buckled up, he floored the engine, and we pealed out of the spot.
“Um, are you insane?” I asked as we flew around the narrow streets.
“Sorry, amorcito mio, but this is how we drive down here.”
“And I thought Atlanta was bad,” I muttered as I cringed.
At the sight of the Golden Arches a few minutes down the road, I gasped in pleasure. “You guys have McDonalds?”
AJ chuckled. “Contrary to popular opinion, this isn’t some third world country. We even have a Wal-Mart.”
“Everywhere has a Wally World.”
“Whatever,” AJ replied as he eased up to the drive thru.
I longingly eyed the burgers and fries on the menu. Still worried about gaining too much weight and being undesirable to AJ, I knew I shouldn’t get anything really fattening. With regret, I said, “I’ll have the chicken salad.
AJ rolled his eyes and ordered us both double cheeseburger meals and fries. He had them add an apple pie as well. “What was that about?” I demanded as he began to pull forward.
“That’s about you and your neurotic weight shit.” He cut his eyes over to me. “I want you to eat what you want to eat.”
I snorted. “Fine. When I get as big as Shamu—”
“I’ll love every inch of you,” AJ countered, with a determined look in his dark eyes.
My heart melted at his words, even though it was hard to believe him. “Whatever,” I mumbled, but I did lean over and kiss him. After we got the food, he pulled the car into a parking space and left it running. After he handed me my burger, I hurriedly unwrapped it and shoved in a bite. “Augh, this is terrible for me, but so fucking good,” I murmured through my mouthful.
AJ laughed. “I’m just glad to see you’re eating for you and Bella.”
“Hey, as long as you don’t give me tongue, I’ll be fine.”
“We’ll get you some ‘Mia friendly food’ later at the local market.”
After wiping my mouth with my napkin, I planted a kiss on AJ’s cheek. “My hero.”
“You’re welcome.”
When we were finished, AJ tossed the trash bag in the back seat and cranked up the car. “Come on, let me show you my city.”
“But what about your family? Won’t they be mad at me for keeping you gone so long?”
He shook his head. “Once I tell them you wanted nothing more than to learn everything you could about your second home, Guadalajara, you’ll be putty in their hands.”
I laughed. “If you say so.”
“We have two weeks with my family, Mia. Stop worrying.”
“Okay,” I said with a smile.
Once we got to the historic downtown part, we abandoned the car in a parking deck, and AJ began his tour on foot. At the sight of an empty horse drawn carriage on the street corner, a thought popped into my mind. After everything we had been through, we needed a little romance, and what could be more romantic than a carriage ride?
“Can we do this?”
AJ eyed the white and pink carriage with disdain. I guess the fact the overhanging had pink fringe didn’t help matters. “Seriously?”
“Please.”
“I’m going to look like a fucking pansy tourist in that thing.”
I poked my bottom lip out. “Do it for me and Bella.”
He snorted. “Like she gives two shits about a Pepto Bismol covered carriage ride.” But even as he was arguing, he was getting his wallet out. He stepped forward and spoke to the driver. Taking my hand, he helped me inside before hopping in to sit beside me. On the back of the carriage, there were two heart-shaped cut-outs for windows. I nestled closer to him before jerking my head back. “Oh, look. It’s all romantic.”
AJ shifted in his seat. “Let’s not mention romantic shit, okay?”
My anxiety at his comment kicked into overdrive. “But I thought we could use a little romance.”
He grinned. “I’m all for romance, but considering I won’t get to have sex with you as long as we’re at Abuela’s, I think we need to nix anything that might make me even more sexually frustrated.”
Relief flooded me at his real reason for shooting down my romantic vibe. As I gazed out the carriage, I peered at the surroundings. “Then I think we better find a hotel that we can duck into from time to time.”
He arched his eyebrows in surprise. “Really?”
“Mmm, hmm. Pregnancy makes you really horny—or at least it has me.”
He laughed. “Let me guess. You need a stud like me to take care of your needs?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Fuck yeah,” he muttered before kissing me on the lips. Considering we kept making out, I didn’t see much of the ride before AJ called the driver to stop and let us get out in the city center. AJ helped me down, and then proceeded to give me an official tour, including historical information.
As I gazed around at the architecture, I said, “This is really beautiful—it reminds me a little of Italy.”
“A lot of the design is in the similar neoclassic style.”
An imposing cathedral caught my eye. “Wow, that is breathtaking.”
“That’s the Catedral de Guadalajara or Catedral de la Asunción de María Santísima.”
“I want to go to mass there.”
“Sure, we can come back any day you want.”
“Thank you.”
He nudged me playfully. “You’ll make a big impression on Abuela waning to go to mass.”
“Really?”
“Yep. She goes every day. Usually to a smaller church close to the house.”
A tug pulled at my heart. “She sounds just like Mama Sofia. She went every day, too. She’d give me such grief when I only made it on Sunday.” I smiled at the memory.
As if sensing my grief, AJ wrapped an arm around my waist. “Speaking your Italian heritage, I bet you’d like the Degollado Theater.” He motioned across the plaza.
“Yes, I do,” I murmured as my gaze took in the intricate details of the building that looked somewhat like a replica of the Parthenon. “Do they have operas?”
He winced. “You like opera, huh?”
I grinned. “I’m Italian. The great tenors are a part of my heritage.”
“Yeah, they do. Maybe we’ll go one night we’re here.”
My brows rose in surprise. “You in a tux?”
“Hell yeah.”
“Very tempting, Resendiz. Very, very tempting.”
He laughed. “I’ll have my Tio Diego to get us some tickets.”
“That would be very sweet of him.”
“I can’t wait to introduce you to him at the Quinceañera.”
“I look forward to it.” Deep down, my feelings betrayed the enthusiasm in my voice. Although I was used to a huge family, it was a little overwhelming meeting all of AJ’s, especially since most of them here didn’t speak English. So far, even with the language barrier, they’d all been so nice and welcoming. It made me grateful that Bella would have so many people to love her.
We strolled along the streets, taking in the sights and sounds, until AJ came to a building that looked like a giant warehouse. “What’s this place?”
“San Juan De Dios—a shopper’s paradise.”
“Ooh, yes, please.”
AJ groaned. “I knew you would want to go in there.”
“I’ll make it quick, I promise. I’m getting tired anyway.”
“Okay.” As we stepped inside, AJ said, “Actually I need to make a stop while we’re here too.” He then steered me toward a jewelry counter, which caused my throat to close up. Surely, after what I had said in the bathroom he wasn’t bringing me to look at rings. This trip was about taking it slow and getting to know each other. He must’ve noticed my stricken expression because he chuckled. “Easy girl. I’m just here to pick up a present for my goddaughter. I thought with you being a chick, you might be able to help me out.”
“Oh,” I replied, before the breath I’d been holding was exhaled in relief. As we surveyed the contents inside the glass case, I peppered AJ with questions about his goddaughter’s likes and dislikes. Surprisingly, he knew more than I thought he would, and once he told me her favorite color was purple, I picked out a bracelet and earring set.
“Damn, you have expensive taste,” AJ muttered, as he jerked his wallet out his pocket.
“Come on, your goddaughter only has a Quinceañera once.” I nudged his arm. “Besides, you’re a famous musician. You don’t want to come off as cheap, do you?”
“No,” he replied, as he took his change. After we waited for them to gift-wrap the boxes, we started making our way through the stalls of clothing and blankets. “I think I’ll get a sombrero for my dad.”
AJ snickered. “Yeah, I can see him styling that at Mama Sofia’s.”
“That’s the point,” I replied with a grin.
When I bought some other small souvenirs for Dee, Shannon, and some of my cousins, AJ insisted he pay for them. When he started to take the packages from me, I held them back. “I think I can carry a few bags in my ‘delicate condition’.”
He shook his head. “It’s not about you being pregnant. It’s a customary thing here in Mexico.” When I opened my mouth to protest, he replied, “Get your feminist panties out of a twist, Mia, and let me do something chivalrous, okay?”
“Fine,” I grumbled, before handing over the bags.
We were on our way out when AJ stopped at a barrel of jewelry. He fished something out and paid the lady. He then took my hand in his and slid a black, metal bracelet on my arm. I glanced down at it before shooting him a look. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“What? It’s a Saint’s bracelet.”
“Duh, I know what it is. I’m Catholic too, remember?”
“Then what’s the problem?”
I shrugged. “They’re kinda hokey now because Bella wears one of them in the Twilight movie.”
“I don’t give a shit what they wore in some sparkly vampire movie. They’re for protection.” AJ brought his hand to my stomach. “I pray for the saints to watch over you and Bella. If anything, wear it to humor me, okay?”
I fought to catch my breath at his words. Even though we were in a crowded market, I’d never felt more connected to AJ in my life. “Okay, I will,” I whispered.
“Ready to head back?”
I nodded in reply. As we started back to the car, I stared down at my bracelet. From time to time, I let my fingers graze over the saint’s pictures.
“Wait just a sec, okay?”
Before I could ask him what he was doing, AJ had crossed the parking lot to where a woman and her son sat. Shielding my eyes from the blazing sun, I saw the sign in her hand. Although it was in Spanish, I knew it must be asking for help. AJ reached in his pocket and took out a wad of money. She smiled and ducked her head at his gesture. The boy, who couldn’t have been more than seven, pointed at AJ’s head. I saw AJ grin before he took off the Braves baseball cap he’d been sporting since we left Atlanta. He placed it on the boy’s head, which caused him to beam with pleasure.
And in that moment of AJ’s kindness—when there was no paparazzi or fans to impress—I knew what a truly decent and honorable man he was. But more than anything, I knew how much I truly loved him and wanted to be with him. In that moment any doubt I had about him or about us instantly evaporated.
As he walked up to me, his smiled faded, and concern lined his brow. “Amorcito mio, why are you crying?”
“What you just did…” I said between my hiccupping cries.
“Oh that. Yeah, I—” I silenced him by throwing my arms around his neck and pressing myself tight against him. “Hey, hey, what’s this?”
I pulled away to stare into his eyes. “I love what you just did—for the mother and for the boy. I love that you pray for me and Bella. I love that you won’t give up on me, and you keep pushing me to see beyond my past. I love that as hard as I try to make you just like all the other men out there, you keep proving me wrong. I love that you wanted to bring me here to meet your family…” My lip quivered harder. “I even love that you got me fatty American food to eat.”
AJ smiled. “You’re welcome.” With his thumb, he brushed away some of the tears streaming down my cheeks. “I do all those things because I love you. You know that right?”
“I do.” I leaned over and brought my lips to his. When he tried to deepen the kiss, I eased back. “I love you, too,” I murmured against his lips.
AJ’s closed eyes popped open. “What did you say?”
I laughed. “I said, I love you, too.” At his expression of disbelief, I cupped his face in my hands. “I know without a shadow of a doubt that I love you.” Tears continued to spill from my eyes onto his shirt. “You’re my anema e core.”
AJ’s lips were warm and tender against mine. When he pulled away, he tugged my bottom lip between his teeth for a second. “You make me really happy, you know that?”
He sank down to where he was on eye-level with my belly. “You hear that, Bella? Your stubborn-ass mom finally told your old man she loves him.”
“We gotta work on your mouth before she gets here.”
He grinned up at me before pressing a tender kiss on my stomach. I brought my hands up to cup his cheeks. As the beads on my Saint’s bracelet caught the sunlight, I knew I was truly blessed.