As I stood out in front to the restaurant in Old Town, kneading the tortillas for all the tourists, I felt a set of eyes on me. 

I looked around the crowd but the heat from the press blew hot in my face and I couldn’t focus on any faces.

I turned my attention back to the tortillas.

Life for the past month had been incredible. My father had embraced me and my sisters. After the DNA test came back positive, he had invited us to move in with him. I had resisted at first, but he and Jill insisted. We lived in his guest home and the girls were lucky enough to attend the high rated public school in La Jolla. Jill loved the girls and has so happy to help raise them, since she had always wanted children. I worked part time at this restaurant and attended the local junior college part time. I had wanted to work full time but my dad insisted that he pay for my tuition and pay our bills. He said it was the least he could do after being gone for so many years. It was so hard to accept help, but I finally relented. I couldn’t be more blessed.

As for Beck, we had been talking on the phone. I had apologized to him for my behavior. I was dying to see him, but I knew he had been doing shows around the Midwest and unable to see me, though he would be in San Francisco this weekend. Charlie’s wife Brittney was watching Sky when Beck doing the shows. But I still felt immense guilt for not being there for Sky.

But I was hopeful for our future.

I looked up again. I knew I was being watched. The line was wrapped around the building and I almost jumped when I heard a voice say, “I’ll have two carnitas tacos.”

I knew that voice. I had dreamt of that voice ever night since I had left.

I looked up, and my handsome pilot was standing there in front of me, holding flowers with a big grin on his face.

“Beck, oh my god! What are you doing here?”

I quickly asked my supervisor for a break and ran out of the booth into Beck’s strong embrace. Though it had been months, since I had seen him, it felt like we had never been apart. His lips crashed on mine and kissed me passionately, as the now growing crowd clapped.

“Nice dress.”

I blushed. I was wearing a traditional Mexican dress with a huge colorful skirt and ruffled low cut top. And my hair was bound in braids with ribbons. 

“Glad you like it. You didn’t even get the tacos you ordered.”

“That’s okay. I’ll eat you instead.”

I blushed and punched him in the arm. “What are you doing here—you are supposed to be in San Francisco?”

“I couldn't wait to see you. Would the girls be okay without you this weekend? I want to take you somewhere.”

My heart fluttered. “They will be fine with my dad. Where are you taking me?”

“San Francisco.”

His hometown. Then it really was true. Everything he had said on the phone. He wasn’t embarrassed by me. He truly did love me. And he saw a future with me.

“I’d love to go. Should I drive and meet you there?” I said, knowing that he had to take his plane. 

“No. You’re flying with me.”

My hands shook. “Are you serious? In your Blue Angel plane?”

He smirked. “Yup.”

I wanted to jump for joy. This was just like a fairytale. “You aren’t going to do some crazy tricks are you? I don’t want to black out in the plane.”

“I’ll be good in the plane. But I’ll show you some tricks when we get to the hotel.”

He pulled me to him and we kissed again. My break was over, and I refused to lose my job. Luckily my boss understood and let me off early for the day and gave me the weekend off. Beck followed my car back to my place. We picked the girls up from school. And took them to dad’s.

Beck and my father instantly hit it off. They were like the same person.

We finally said goodbye to Jill and the girls and we went just down the street to the air station. My father accompanied us and checked out Beck’s plane.

“Wow, they have really upgraded these.”

“I’ll take you on a flight next time.”

My father said goodbye and Beck helped me into his shiny blue jet.

My nerves wouldn’t calm down. I had never flown. What if I puked all over Beck. But he took off as smooth as silk. I watched Coronado get smaller in the distance as we flew over the coast.

“You okay, babe?”

“Yup! This is amazing.”

I couldn’t believe how beautiful California looked from the Sky. To think I had lived in this state my whole life and never seen its beauty.

After an hour and a half, we landed at a base near San Francisco. Beck had a car rental waiting for him and we drove into the city.

It was so gorgeous. Old historic buildings, curvy streets, cable cars, Chinatown. San Francisco was so different than San Diego. I couldn’t wait to spend more time here.

Beck drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was even more breathtaking in person. I couldn’t believe I was finally here, a place I had never in my lifetime thought I’d see. 

The harsh waves crashed below, and the fog rolled in over the mountains in the distant. I marveled at the beauty of my home state. 

“Babe, we fly right over the top. I can’t wait for you to see it.”

I paused. The airshow in San Francisco was next weekend. I couldn't possibly stay here for another week.

“Wow, I’d love to! But I don’t think I will be able to go. I have school and work, and I mean my dad and Jill are fine with the girls but I have to get back. 

“Well, they will all be here. I’m flying them out.”

“Wait what? Why?”

Beck didn’t say anything but he had a sheepish grin on his face. We drove across the bridge and entered the rainbow colored tunnel.

“This is Marin. I grew up here.”

“It’s so beautiful. I love it here.”

“Well, maybe we could move here one day. Marin could use a great Mexican restaurant.”

“Stop, teasing.”

He laughed. and grabbed my thigh. I leaned over and kissed him. My hair blew in the wind. This was the life. I was so carefree, so happy.

He exited the freeway and told me he was taking me to his hometown. We parked in downtown Tiburon and I was charmed by the quaint little shops. The downtown area overlooked the ocean. 

We stopped in a coffee house and I indulged in a rich, velvet mocha. Since I had moved to San Diego I had developed a taste for expensive espresso. It was a treat that I didn’t have every day, but San Diego’s culture of coffee houses and craft beers had influenced me.

As I was waiting for my drink, I noticed this drop dead gorgeous girl standing next to me. She wore a long flowy dress and had perfect sun kissed hair. She posed her drink next to flowers and a book. Then she sat at a table and took out a selfie stick out and snapped a shot of herself. Wow, she must’ve been one of those Instagram girls I heard about it. I was so behind the times. I still didn’t even have a smart phone. I wondered what it must be like to make a living being pretty. 

Beck put his hand on my back and took to Sam’s Anchor Cafe, a seafood restaurant that was packed. I ordered Dungeness Crab Cioppino and Beck had a flat iron steak. 

I had never been happier than I had been at that moment. We were a normal couple. We were together. I no longer felt insecure. But I still wondered what the future would hold. I didn’t need any more guarantees.

The waiter brought dessert to the table with a cover on top. Seemed fancy for this restaurant but maybe they wanted to keep it cold. When he lifted the lid, I gasped.

There was a small black velvet box underneath.

¡Ay, Dios Mío!

I couldn't even control myself. I burst into tears before Beck even dropped to his knee. 

He took my hand and I was shaking. “Paloma look at me. You came into my life when I needed you the most. I’m proud of you. You make me a better man. You say I saved you, but you are wrong. You saved me and Sky. I don’t want to live another day without you. Will you marry me?”