“I can’t believe you did this for me,” I sobbed, and tried to wipe my tears. “No man has ever made me cry so many happy tears. How?”
“My parents have connections, which are my connections, too. I had to ask Carlos to come with me. Who was going to push the buttons?”
I snorted. Oh God! I thought some snot flew out. “Oh, Matthew. You’re too much.”
Matthew rewarded me with a loving, warm smile. He slipped down to his knees again with his arms wrapped around my waist and unexpectedly kissed my stomach. “My little one, you make me feel this way, too. Please be strong for Mommy and Daddy. Don’t let anything happen to you or your mommy, okay?” Matthew caressed my stomach, as if he was touching the baby. “I promise to do whatever I can to make sure you are healthy and make sure nothing bad happens to you, but I need your help. I can’t do this alone. You need to fight and grow big and strong. We don’t even have a name for you, and I haven’t even held you in my arms, but know that I love you with all of my heart, and my love will grow as you grow. You have a family waiting for you. You even have a cousin that will be born around the same time, so please don’t let anything bad happen.”
I inhaled a deep breath. I felt the depth of Matthew’s love and his worries for our unborn child for the first time. It meant the world to me to know how much he already loved our baby. He’d never expressed how he felt, so a part of me had doubts. Whatever the reasons before, it was clear now. I felt it at that very moment. Matthew was just as scared as I was. He wanted our child as much as I did.
There was a big possibility that there would be dangers ahead, but Mathew and I would get through this. We’d be each other’s strength. We’d hold on to hope. We’d ride out the storm. As long as we had each other, come what may. Matthew and I would make it. We had to.
Chapter 28
Jenna
We walked inside Grand Del Mar after our luggage was secured with the bellman. The first thing I saw was a wooden table in the center of the lobby with a huge bouquet of colorful flowers. Past the lobby was where the sun shone through the glass doors. I could also see the black grand piano and the elegant yet modern furniture. The decor all around was exquisite and very much to my taste. I knew I would love it there.
“This place is amazing,” Mom exclaimed.
“We should check in,” I said, clicking my heels across the marble floor to the receptionist, who was smiling at me.
After we checked in, a nice gentleman walked us to our villas. Max had told me that he had reserved all of them; not just for us, but for our guests as well. Though we didn’t need to rent all of them, he didn’t want strangers near us.
“This is our room,” I said to my parents. Max and I agreed that we wouldn’t spend the night together until after we got married. “Becky, you’re right next door. Let’s get unpacked. Either I’ll stop by or you stop by in half an hour. Sound good? I also need to check in with the wedding coordinator.”
“Sounds good to me. We can do our own thing before we meet up with the rest of the party. Dinner is at six, right?”
“Yes,” I replied. “Max will fly in since we need the plane to get to Paris.”
“And Matthew will be driving with his parents,” Becky added.
“Perfect. See you in a bit.”
The bellman placed our luggage in our rooms. After I tipped him, he left.
“This place is too big for the three of us. It must cost a fortune,” my dad commented. “I can’t believe the Knight family reserved all of the villas.”
“It’s for a wedding after all,” my mom said, smiling at me. “They’re very generous.”
I nodded and smiled to agree.
The Brisa Villas were about 4,500 square feet with three bedrooms. What I liked the most about the place was that it felt like home, yet it provided the conveniences and amenities of a world-class hotel. These charming Mediterranean-inspired estates were adorned with European antiques. It even had an expansive gourmet kitchen, media room, and state-of-the-art audio systems.
I walked to the dining table and picked up a pamphlet to read. The list of an array of exclusive amenities was long: unlimited golfing on a private, secluded area, passes to San Diego parks, complimentary wireless Internet, and wine, soft drinks, waters, and organic iced teas refreshed daily. This was fantastic, though I wouldn’t need most of their services. Since we were getting married here, Max and I had special bride and groom amenities, the room Max would stay in until I joined him after we got married.
After we unpacked, Dad went to play golf. Mom, Becky, and I walked around to explore. While passing through the bakery, Becky and I bought chocolate chip cookies. I didn’t know if they used a special ingredient or if it was due to me being pregnant: but whatever the reason, it sure tasted mouth scrunching delicious.