Page 86 of Fair Trade

He tosses his keys at his sister. “Wait in the car, Daisy. We’ll be right there.”

She smiles mischievously. “If you’re not down in five minutes, I’m driving myself. And I won’t apologize for all the curbs I assault.” She dashes out of the suite doorway.

“Nick, seriously. We have to go.”

His lips flatten. “Fine.” He releases a deep breath, then slides his hands over my cheeks. “But this conversation isn’t over.”

I release my own breath, the one caught in my chest. “I know.”

He places a kiss on my forehead, and I pray the day never comes where these moments have turned into forgotten memories.

forty-two

She’s in love withme.

But I don’t know what hurts more.

The fact that she won’t tell me, or that she probably wishes she wasn’t.

On the drive over to Mateo’s house, I realize that it’s the latter.

forty-three

Isabella said yes.

Obviously.

Mateo and his daughter set up the first floor of their apartment with white candles of all sizes, creating an aisle made of sprinkles that led to the kitchen. That was odd, but to each their own. In the kitchen, there were hundreds of bright yellow Post-Its stuck to the wall of windows that spelled out MARRY ME as tall as the starting pitcher himself.

On one Post-It, he wrotecásate conmigo. He left that one next to the impressive diamond ring.

As soon as the couple and Mateo’s daughter were done wiping their tears, the rest of our group emerged from our hiding spots, sending poor Isabella into a crying fit.

Luisa softly wipes away her own tears as she listens to Isabella’s retelling of the day up until the moment Mateo got down on one knee.

I never got down on one knee. Luisa never got to have a moment like this.

The thought slashes through me, and I force myself to take a deep breath.

Luisa catches my eye and makes her way toward me.

My arms open, and she slides into my hold so easily.

She looks up and smiles, my hand caressing her cheek. “These are my happy tears.”

“I know.” I bend down and kiss the spot I last saw a tear. “And I want to be the person who gives you all the happy tears.” Her eyes widen, but I keep going. “And I want to be the person who’s there when the sad ones come too.”

“Nick.” She gasps quietly, most likely trying not to draw attention to us during such an important time for the newly engaged couple.

I shake my head. This’ll have to wait until another time.

I try to lift the mood, not wanting to have Luisa’s head in a tailspin for the rest of the night. “Because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m kind of partial to my wife. Although, that first night, I’m pretty sure those tears weren’t happy or sad ones. Could you tell me again what you were doing that caused you to tear up at the same time you were having trouble keeping your saliva in your mou—”

Oomph.

Her elbow to my stomach hit a lot harder than I thought she could manage from this angle. Leave it to me to never underestimate my wife again.

Her eyes hold equal parts heat and indignation. “Really, Lucifer? Here? Now?” She goes to shove me away, but I spin her in my arms and tickle her neck with my short beard, then pepper kisses against her skin. “Okay, Okay. You win. Stop. You know I’m super ticklish right there.” She wiggles her juicy ass against my front, and I release her before the little minx takes playing dirty any further.