Page 33

D ALI

The last few weeks had been so hectic, between saying goodbye to the guys and getting settled into my new position at my family’s business, that I hadn’t had much time to myself.

A strong work ethic had been drilled into me from a very young age.

I’d watched my parents work from sunup until sundown while raising me and my brothers.

Of course, with that much time spent working, I’d grown up knowing how to do every job imaginable, from sweeping floors and stocking groceries, to checking out customers and building a rapport with people in the community.

This job would entail all of that with the added bonus of being able to bring all of the businesses into the modern age with wonderful things like inventory software and accounting programs. When I made my first call to my cousin Conrad, who had a degree in business accounting and a team of people who helped him do payroll and taxes, and talked to him about the different accounting programs I thought could be helpful, I thought I could hear tears of relief in his voice.

While Navy worked to catch up on his own work-related ventures, I immersed myself in learning everything I could about inventory and buying programs and had meetings with my cousins about marketing and ways to keep the businesses within the family company relevant in modern times.

By the time Uncle Bayani was back on his feet and ready to get back to work, the store had changed drastically.

At first, he was irritated, but I had to give him credit for keeping an open mind while we explained the changes and then embracing them once he realized that we had everything under control and his hard work through the years had paid off.

We even convinced Uncle Bayani, Aunt Amihan, and Aunt Ligaya to drive up the coast with me and Navy to visit my parents for the weekend.

Usually, at least one of the siblings would stay in Oceanside to watch over the businesses, but now that they trusted that everything was in good hands with their children, they felt more comfortable letting go of the reins for a day or two.

What surprised me most was that they decided to extend their visit for a while so that Navy and I could drive back to Oceanside alone.

I had just closed my laptop when I heard voices on the stairs and smiled when I realized that my friend Corrie was finally home from her extended vacation.

She was smiling when she walked out onto the rooftop terrace.

I hurried over and met her halfway with a big hug and tears of happiness at the thought of being so close to her again.

When she finally pulled out of my embrace, she pinched my arm and asked, “Did you have something to do with Navy keeping us out of town for so long?”

“How did Navy keep you out of town? He said James was taking you on a surprise honeymoon cruise.”

“Surprise is right! A few days ago, James confessed that he’d been keeping me away at Navy’s request but said that it was safe for us to come back home now.”

“It’s been a crazy few days.”

“Few days? Girl, it's been almost a month since we left.”

“That can’t be.”

“I assure you it has. I’ve developed permanent sea legs and am so happy to be home that I walked around my condo professing my love to all of my furniture before I sat in the middle of my bed and swore I’d never leave again.”

“Has it really been that long?” I asked, more to myself than Corrie. When I realized she was right, I gasped and said, “Holy shit! It has!”

“What have you been doing since I’ve been gone? I peeked into the guest room and saw you’ve already found a place of your own. I was going to call you after I came up to check the garden.”

My eyes got wide when I remembered that Corrie had no idea what had happened in the time she was away.

“What’s that look for?”

“I didn’t find my own place.”

“Then where’s all your stuff?” Corrie asked.

I bit my lip before I admitted, “I moved in with Navy just a few days after you left.”

“You what ?” Corrie screamed. She started jumping up and down in excitement as she squealed in happiness. By the time I got her to calm down, James had come up to the roof to see what was going on.

When she composed herself enough to explain what I’d said to James, he shook his head and turned around to go back downstairs before he called out, “Take your time catching up, ladies. I’ll order dinner and bring it up when it gets here.”

Corrie and I got comfortable in the shade of the umbrella, and then I spilled the details of everything that had happened since the day she left.

“If I’d have known how sad you were about coming home, I’d have never left you here alone.”

“I was just drifting, Corrie. There really wasn’t anything you could have done other than commiserate and get a hangover right along with me.”

“You and Anthony are a couple,” she said for at least the tenth time since I’d told her.

“Yes, we are. He said he wants me to stay with him, which is great, because I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be.”

“It’s so romantic.”

“I knew you’d be happy for me. Even though it’s been a long time, you have to remember how I felt about him when we were younger.”

“When we were younger? You mean last year? And the year before that?”

“Something like that,” I admitted.

“And now the two of you are in love.”

“We haven’t said those exact words, but it’s early yet and . . .”

“I can tell by the look on your face that you love him.”

“I do,” I admitted. “The crush I had on Anthony was completely different from the love I feel for Navy.”

“I understand.”

“You do?”

“He’s not crazy or anything, but he is two different men. There’s the computer dork who stays up way too late at night playing on his laptop, and then there’s the hard ex-con who rides his motorcycle and doesn’t give a shit what the world thinks about him.”

“Exactly,” I agreed.

“But he cares what you think about him.”

“I’d hope so since he said he was never going to let me leave,” I joked.

“I think Anthony has been so invested in making sure that the world is a safer place for kids like I was back then that he never let himself imagine having the life he deserves.”

“Do you know about . . . Has he told you . . .” I looked away, hoping I hadn’t already said too much. Surely, Corrie didn’t have the same questions about what Navy did on those nights when he went off by himself, and if she didn’t, then I certainly wasn’t going to put them in her head.

“What do you mean?” Corrie asked.

“It’s nothing.”

“Bullshit,” she said as she studied my face. “We may not have been attached at the hip for the last ten years, Dali, but I know you better than I know myself. I can tell there’s something rattling around in that big brain of yours.”

“Jodie and I were almost kidnapped,” I reminded her to change the subject.

“That sucks. Obviously, you made it out of the situation in good shape. Stop trying to change the subject. What do you know?”

“I don’t know anything.”

“What do you think ?”

“About?”

“Do you ever watch the news, Dali?”

“More now than ever,” I admitted.

“Have you noticed that some things happen at the same time other things closer to home happen?”

I knew from her vague question that Corrie had the same suspicions I did, so I asked, “Do you think Navy is the one exacting vengeance on online predators?”

“I’ve never asked him, but if he was, how would that make you feel?”

“Proud,” I answered without even having to consider my answer. And then I admitted to my friend what I was almost too afraid to admit to myself, “Terrified.”

“Of Anthony?”

“Of him getting caught.”

“I scour the local and national news every day, and one thing I’ve noticed is that men like that are attacked all over the place, not just nearby.”

“Right.”

“Which makes me believe that the people who are doing those things have a plan in case one of them finds themself under scrutiny.”

“A good criminal would think of all the possible outcomes before he commits a crime.”

“You met quite a few of Navy’s friends, didn’t you?”

“I did. Almost a dozen so far.”

“And what did you think about them?”

“That they’re good men with illustrious pasts.”

“That is a very sweet way to describe devious and homicidal people.”

“I can see it in some, but not others.”

“Don’t look too hard, or you might start to agree with me.”

“A person can be two things at once.”

“Yes, they can. Just like I’m a bestie who is dying to know all the details of everything that’s happened, but I’m also a mom who needs to get downstairs and make sure the laundry gets started before I go to the store for groceries.”

“Luckily, I can help with the last two things while I answer your questions about the first.”

“I’m so glad you’re home, Dali.”

“So am I. I missed this place every day that I was gone.”

“Yeah, I’m glad you’re here, but I meant I’m glad you’ve found your home with my brother, just like I’m ecstatic that he’s found his home with you.”

“You’re gonna make me cry,” I whispered as my eyes welled.

“You need to admit that you love him so that he can admit that he loves you right back. Once that’s done, you can start planning your wedding so that we can finally be sisters like we always dreamed.”

“You’re my sister whether I’m married to your brother or not.”

“Damn right I am.”

◆◆◆

Once I was finished cleaning up, I walked back into the bedroom naked and slipped under the covers to join Navy who was propped up against the headboard with a sated smile.

“I love you.”

Navy didn’t even open his eyes when he said, “I love you too.”

“I’m going to marry you, Clark Anthony Michaels.”

He finally opened his eyes before he argued, “I have to ask you first.”

“No, you don’t. This is me asking you,” I said as I sat up beside him. I turned so that I was sitting on my heels facing him before I reached out and laid my hand over his heart. “Navy, would you do me the honor of becoming my husband and making me happy and crazy for the rest of our lives?”

“Where’s the ring?” When I narrowed my eyes, he smiled and then turned to open the drawer on the nightstand. His body was blocking my view, so I was surprised when he rolled to his back again holding a diamond ring up for inspection. “Will this work?”

“When did you buy that?”

“I didn’t. I asked my dad to give it to me the day I returned his wedding band.”

“You did?” When Navy nodded, I said, “That was weeks ago!”

“The first night I held you in my arms, I knew I never wanted to let you go. I was just waiting for you to catch up.”

As he slipped it on my finger, I said, “I want to get married right away. No big production, just something simple.”

“What’s the hurry, babe?” Navy asked. His eyes widened as he eagerly whispered, “Are you pregnant?”

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even breathe. I could only stare at him in shock at the hopeful tone of his voice when he asked me that question. Finally, I managed to choke out, “Do you want to have kids?”

It was like shutters came down, blocking the emotions in his eyes before he said, “I want what you want.”

“Don’t do that, Navy. We promised to be honest with one another, right? Talk to me.”

“I’m not sure I’d be a good father, but I want more than anything to try.”

“I think you’d make a great father.”

“What do you want?” Navy asked.

“A little girl with your hair and eyes, and a boy with your smile and attitude.”

“One of each, huh?”

“Neither of us are getting any younger, honey, so if we can figure out a way to make sure we get two at once or very close together, that would be ideal.”

“Wow. That’s a lot to take in,” Navy admitted as he pulled me into his arms. After a long, passionate kiss, he whispered, “I’d be honored to call myself your husband, and I can’t wait to raise a family with you, Dalisay.”

“We should get married this weekend.”

“I’d kind of like to take some time to plan something a little bigger.”

“Can we do it soon?”

“Why are you in such a hurry, babe?”

“Because a wife can’t be compelled to testify to anything that happened before or during her marriage.”

His brow furrowed before he asked, “What makes you think it might come to that?”

I gave him another kiss before I announced, “I wouldn’t testify against you anyway, Navy, but I’d lie my fucking ass off to give you an alibi if you ever needed one.

I haven’t spent a single moment in this bed alone since we met, and I’m never going to.

You’ve never left me here alone. Not even once. ”

“What are you saying, Dali?”

“That I love you. I love all the different parts of you that make up the man I respect and adore with all of my heart. I can’t wait to raise children with you because I know you’ll do everything in your power to protect them as well as every other kid that you can.”

“How long have you known?” Navy asked.

“I didn’t until just now, but it doesn’t matter. I love you and that’s what’s important.”

“I love you too.”