Chapter 64

I reach for the doorbell and stop myself. When I agreed to the idea of bringing Ellie to a Sunday lunch at the Muñoz house, it sounded nice in theory. My family wanted to celebrate my girlfriend returning to Lake Wisteria, most likely because they no longer have to put up with my grumpy ass now that she is back.

“If they start annoying you with all their questions, let me know,” I tell her.

Ellie laughs. “I think I can handle it, but thanks for the offer.”

“Lily and Dahlia may team up to get information out of you about us.”

“Who says they haven’t already tried?”

I stare at her.

She pulls out her phone and shows me a group chat they share called The Silver Vixens, most likely named by none other than Dahlia since it’s her favorite show.

I groan. “It’s already starting.”

“Yup.” She laughs. “Don’t worry, though. When they asked if we were thinking about a church wedding, I took the bullet for you and said my family isn’t religious.”

My eyes bulge. “You what?”

“Kidding!”

I exhale. “Thank God. I think my aunt and Rosa would both pass out.”

“I mean, I wasn’t raised going to Mass like you, but I suppose I’d be willing to make a sacrifice when it’s time for us to tie the—”

I struggle to breathe properly.

She swats my shoulder with a chuckle. “Will you relax? No one has asked me about marriage or babies or whatever else makes commitment-phobes like you anxious.”

“I am not a commitment-phobe.”

“No?” Her eyes glimmer.

“No. I’m just not interested in talking about any of that with anyone who isn’t you.”

She smiles. “So you are open to getting married?”

“If you keep trying to send me into cardiac arrest, we’ll never make it to our wedding day.”

Her smile grows wider. “That’s not a no.”

“No, it’s not.” I kiss her softly before ringing the doorbell.

Rosa opens the door to her house with a bright smile that both Muñoz sisters inherited. “Ellie! You’re here!” She completely ignores me and pulls Ellie into her arms. “It’s so nice to see you again.”

Rosa drags my girlfriend inside without sparing me a second glance.

“Nice to see you too,” I call out.

“Shut the door before all the AC leaves.” She drags Ellie down the main hall toward the kitchen.

“¡Papi!” Nico runs down the hall.

“At least someone is excited to see me.” I catch him in my arms. “How was your sleepover at Julian’s?”

Nico tells me all about his night while I follow him into the house. Everyone is too busy fawning over Ellie to even notice me. I expected as much when I told them she was coming today, but watching it unfold in front of me is a different story.

While I know my family liked Ellie when they got to know her as Nico’s nanny, I want them to love her as my girlfriend. They are important to me, and so is she, so I hope they mesh well.

After Lorenzo’s rough reception as Lily’s fiancé two weeks ago, I’m a bit nervous, although it only takes me twenty minutes to realize I was overreacting.

Ellie is fine. Actually, she is more than fine. She happily sticks to my aunt’s side while she prepares her beloved espagueti verde recipe, and they swap tricks for some of Nico’s favorite recipes.

I hang out in the kitchen with them and take diligent notes on Ellie’s phone for her. I’d usually be watching a game in the living room, but I’d rather avoid sitting with Julian, Lorenzo, and Lily, who refuses to leave my cousin and her new fiancé alone.

“Your secret ingredient is baby spinach?” Ellie stares at my aunt with wide eyes.

My aunt grins. “How else would I get Nico to eat his veggies?”

“Oh my God.” She looks over at me. “Did you know this?”

I zip my lips and toss the invisible key over my shoulder, earning a chuckle from Dahlia and her mother.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Ellie places her hands on her hips and stares at me with the cutest scowl.

I shrug. “It’s top secret.”

Her eyes sparkle. “Does that mean you’ll have to kill me if I tell someone?”

Tía bumps her hip into Ellie’s. “He wouldn’t, but don’t count me out. Julian says he has the perfect place to bury a body should I need it.”

“Did you hear that, Lorenzo?” Julian asks from the living room, earning an eye roll from Dahlia and a laugh from Ellie.

Tía sighs. “I told him to behave.”

“He’s just hangry,” Dahlia offers.

Ellie and my aunt wrap up making lunch together while Rosa and Dahlia prepare the table. It’s obvious Ellie fits like a missing puzzle piece, perfectly falling into place with our family like she’s always been a part of it. In some ways, I guess she has, but I had never paid much attention to the relationships she had with my family outside of Nico.

With every question they ask her, I can tell they gain a bit more respect for her, only for that respect to double when they catch her instinctively passing me her plate with a few forkfuls of green spaghetti. Dahlia’s brows rise, my aunt’s eyes water, and Lily hides her smile behind a fist. Lorenzo, her fiancé, has a look of disgust on his face as his gaze bounces between Lily’s smile and my plate.

Take some notes on a real relationship, asshole.

Even Julian, who has a professional poker face, seems taken aback.

Ellie, on the other hand, doesn’t even notice as she continues telling Rosa some story about her mom and the music shop.

When they catch me staring, everyone looks away, while Ellie…

She turns to me and smiles, and I swear, I fall in love with her all over again.

Later that night, when Nico and I drop Ellie off at her house, her parents invite us inside for homemade brown butter cookies and a drink. Nico was hesitant at first, but after a reassuring squeeze from me and a promise to leave whenever he asks me to, we head inside.

Nico takes some time to warm up to Ellie’s family, most likely due to him still struggling with getting close to people he just met. Burt doesn’t give up at the first brush-off, though, and it doesn’t take long for my son to become interested in hearing about Burt’s time as Ellie’s music teacher before he started dating her mother.

“So she got free music lessons forever?” Nico asks.

“Yup. She’s a moocher.” Burt winks.

I smile while Ellie’s eyes roll as she says, “I didn’t ask you to become my tutor.” She mentions needing to use the restroom and disappears down a hallway.

Burt’s eyes brighten. “I was trying to impress her mom and spend more time with her.” He then tells Nico about Ellie’s time on the drumline, and her mom scrambles to find a video of one of the performances.

Nico giggles before looking up at me. “Can Ellie give me lessons forever too?”

Burt grins. “If Ellie says no, I’ll convince her for you.”

“What am I saying no to?” Ellie reappears in the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

“Burt told me to ask you if I could have music lessons forever and ever.”

Ellie pretends to think about it for a few seconds. “Of course. You’re my favorite student.”

Nico laughs. “I’m your only student!”

Ellie looks over at me with a secretive smile. “Not anymore.”

As of last week, Ellie officially became my music tutor too after she caught me messing around with one of Nico’s guitars. She claims she is doing my ears a favor by teaching me some basic chords, but I think she wants another excuse to touch me.

Nico gasps. “You have another student? Who? You’ve got to tell me!”

Ellie shrugs. “Don’t worry just yet. They may not last long.”

Nico runs over to her and throws his arms around her waist. “Don’t leave me for someone better.” I snort, earning a dark look from my son. “This isn’t funny.”

“I’m the other student, mijo.”

His eyes go wide as they swing between Ellie and me. “You’re teaching my dad?”

“He needs all the help he can get.”

I scratch my stubbled cheek with my middle finger, which gets a laugh from Burt and Ellie.

“What?” Nico asks.

Ellie’s answer is cut off by her mother.

“I found it!” She rushes back into the living room.

Ellie looks horrified while Nico throws his fist in the air. “Yes!”

Burt helps her mother set up the TV. A shaky video of the school band starts to play on the screen, and it is easy to spot Ellie out on the football field with her blond hair and taller frame.

She stares out at the crowd with a look of pure concentration on her face while she plays the drums, and the standard band uniform and hat she’s wearing are adorable.

I can’t believe I never noticed her back then, but then again, I’m glad I didn’t because I wasn’t in the place to appreciate someone as special as her.

Life brought us together when we needed each other most, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.

“I’m hating every second of this.” Ellie’s head hangs as she covers her eyes with the palms of her hands.

“Look at your uniform!” Nico giggles.

“Don’t be embarrassed, Ellie. You were the best drummer that school has ever seen.” Burt points at the TV with pride.

“Yet.” Nico puffs his chest out. “When I go to high school, I’m going to be on the drumline too!”

I pull Nico to my side. “I’m sure you will be.”

“Ellie loved being part of the band. She even petitioned for them to play during soccer season, but it never panned out.” Her mom winks.

Ellie sinks deeper into the couch with a groan.

“Is that right?” I pull her hands away from her reddening face.

“Mom, if you love me at all, you’ll stop talking. Now.”

“What’s wrong? Does Rafael not know about the crush you had on him back in the day?” Burt winks at me.

I knew it.

“I had my suspicions.” I shoot Ellie a cutting look. “But Ellie wouldn’t confirm them.”

“Oh.” Her mom covers her mouth.

“I’m assuming you don’t know about ‘Prom King’ either then?” Burt’s cheeks stretch with his smile.

Ellie shoots off the couch. “That’s it. I’m officially disowning myself and changing my last name.”

“Good thing you’ve been practicing ‘Ellie Lopez’ since high school then,” Burt replies.

All of us break out into laughter except for Ellie, who looks about ready to grab a shovel and start digging her own grave. She mumbles something about needing to use the bathroom before rushing away.

I follow her down the hallway and find her standing at the end of it with her head in her hands.

I drag her against my chest and force her to look up at me. “No need to be embarrassed. I think it’s cute that you had a crush on me.”

“Let’s pretend this conversation never happened, okay?” She doesn’t wait for me to agree before saying, “Okay.”

I chuckle. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ve been fantasizing about me for half your life.”

She glares. “That’s not true.”

“Are you sure about that, Ellie Lopez?” I brush my knuckles across her cheek.

Her body shudders as her eyes close. “Never repeat that.”

“No promises.”

Her eyes snap open. “Why?”

“Because one day, I plan on making your high school fantasy a reality.” I brush my mouth over hers and seal my promise with a kiss.