As he lifted her gently into his arms, he murmured, “Oh my goodness. Does heaven know they’re missing an angel?”
The little two-year-old smiled up at him, showing that she’d inherited the flirting gene from her father. Like with the other kids, she was impossible to resist. There wasn’t a single kid in that room that he hadn’t rocked to sleep or played with on the floor at some point in their lives. Kids were easy.
Her mother had dressed her in a frilly, ruffled lace dress, and patent shoes which were now terribly scuffed. The little hellion must’ve had a busy afternoon, as her big yawn attested to. She looked about ready to conk out as the sun began to set.
“Did you miss your nap this afternoon?”
Her mother, Maria, came over to check on them and patted Angelina’s back as she laid her head on Chris’s chest. “I couldn’t get her to lie down earlier. She was too excited about seeing her cousins.” Maria paused to look up at Chris and softly said, “It’s good to see you looking so happy, Chris. Gwen seems very nice, though I haven’t been able to get a word in edgewise. She’s got spirit and style. I like that.”
Chris put his arm around her and gave her a hug. “Thank you. I got lucky.” It was on the tip of his tongue to say he fell in love with her at first sight but he didn’t. Maria might mention it to his mother, who might repeat it, and from there, everyone would know. If Gwen was still planning on leaving in March it was best to not share that detail.
“Good thing we’re staying here tonight. You okay with holding her for a while?” Maria asked as she smiled at her daughter who was now sound asleep. “Let me finish and I’ll get her from you in a few minutes.”
“Sure, sure. Take your time.” Chris made his way over to the unoccupied recliner next to his father’s and carefully sat down with her and got comfortable.
His father smiled and said, “Little Angelina was like a tornado earlier. I see she’s finally worn herself out.”
“Looks that way.”
His father looked at him speculatively. “I like Gwen. She seems very savvy about her profession. I imagine she’s closer to your ideal than one of the girls from home.”
Chris sighed inwardly as he settled back with the toddler sound asleep in his arms. His father had suggested on numerous occasions that it was time to settle down and that maybe he should consider rejoining the family business, visiting back east, and finding a nice Italian girl. It was like something out of a Lifetime made-for-television movie.
“Dad, Texas is my home. I was born here. And yes, she’s pretty close to my ideal.”
“You think she’ll hang around? That you might fit into her world?” The doubt was in his tone. He thought Gwen was out of Chris’s league. Additionally, Gwen wasn’t a quiet, meek girl. His father didn’t think she would stay for the long haul. Chris really didn’t know if she would or not but he didn’t need his father matchmaking for him.
“Dad, I don’t know if she’ll hang around. Or if what we have will last. I can’t read the future. But I know I like her and she likes me. We enjoy spending time with each other.”
His father frowned. “We just want you to be happy. I can’t picture someone like her fitting in with this family. If you found a girl back east, one who was…”
“What?”
“Accepting?”
“Just say it, Dad. You mean more accepting of my appearance, because I don’t have the family good looks in my favor?”
“I wouldn’t put it that harshly. I just think that women like your girlfriend are really big on appearances.”
“That’s a pretty broad brush you’re painting with, Dad. Gwen sees past that.”
“You think so now.”
“I know so,” he replied, raising his voice enough that the baby shifted in his arms.
His father held up a hand in surrender. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt, son. That’s all.”
“At thirty-six years old, I can look out for myself, but thanks, Dad.”
They didn’t speak further and after a few, stilted minutes, Maria claimed Angelina from him and he went in search of his woman. He was feeling just about ready to leave.
He found Julián who told him that Gwen had gone off to talk privately with his mother and grandmother.
“I wonder what they wanted to say.”
“They didn’t look ready to rake her over the coals or anything like that. I heard one of them giggle as they left the room and they seemed almost conspiratorial. I wouldn’t worry, Chris. Here, I just got this from the fridge. I’ll get another,” he said as he handed Chris another beer and exited the room.