With a deep breath she walked out of her room and out into the kitchen where she could see through the window that some of the guests had already arrived. Sofia was the first to greet her as she reached the patio door.

“Congrats! Oh my God, I’m so proud of you. That was fast. It took me two full years to get my AA.”

Rose smiled as she took in all the decorations and flowers then frowned. “Yeah, but it’s just my AA. I’m almost afraid to think of what they’ll do when I get my bachelors.”

Sofia laughed. “Oh, don’t worry. Whatever they do, it’ll be huge and there will be tons of food.”

They walked out together to where Sal stood talking to his brother Alex, Sofia’s husband Eric, and Romero. They all turned as the girls walked out and smiled. “It’s the sweetheart of the hour,” Sal said opening his arms out for her.

Rose felt herself blush as she leaned into a big hug from him and then was hugged and congratulated one by one by the other men, each smelling better than the next. She had to agree with Candace. Even though they were all older, well older than the guys she and her friends would ever date, they were a handsome bunch. She only admitted it once to Grace but wouldn’t dare say it out loud since they were all married, and she loved all their wives as well, but since Angel was closest to her in age, she always got a little tongue-tied around him. The thing about this family was that they were all as sweet as they were good looking—even their wives.

She felt guilty now that she’d been so angry and resentful with Sal in the beginning when Vincent first left. He’d done so much for her since she’d come to live with them, and he really didn’t have to. Just because she was Grace’s younger sister, he’d completely taken on the older-brother role, but many times it felt more like a fatherly role with her. His brothers now acted like uncles to her, too. She’d never felt so much sincere warmth from anyone as she had from this entire family.

Rose glanced around the patio quickly taking in all the guests. Her eyes came to a stop on her mom. For the past several months she’d been in limbo staying here with them until Grace found her a suitable apartment. There was plenty of room for her to just stay here, but Rose could tell that Sal didn’t care for her mother, and who could blame him? She hadn’t changed a bit.

When she and her ex-husband Ruben separated almost a year ago, she’d begun hounding Grace about letting her move out here and work for her and Sal at the restaurant. Grace only agreed because her mother said she wanted her own place. She claimed she didn’t want to crash Grace’s marriage that was still in the honeymoon stage for the most part. But ever since she’d moved out here, she’d found one thing after another to object to with every apartment Grace and Rose had found for her.

As usual Sal was the epitome of patience. He’d even gone so far as to suggest they wait until after their second baby was born to look for a place for her mother. The last thing he wanted was for Grace to stress about this while she was pregnant. While Sal had his priorities straight—his pregnant wife’s health came first—her mother as usual thought only of one thing: herself.

Even this brought on thoughts of Vincent. Grace and now Sal and his family showered her with all the love and affection Rose needed, but Vincent’s intense and unconditional love had all but smothered any lingering hurt she felt about her mother’s blatant indifference for her: an indifference that carried into even today. Not once had she mentioned or even asked Rose if she’d be interested in moving in with her if she ever got her own place. Rose knew she shouldn’t care. She was perfectly content living with Grace and Sal. It just seemed that an invitation to have her single daughter live with her and take the burden off her nearly newly wedded daughter, who was just now starting her own family, would be the courteous thing to do: at least for appearance’s sake. Rose certainly wouldn’t take her up on it. It’d just be nice to know that being part of Rose’s life even though she was all grown up now was something that had actually crossed her mother’s mind.

Laughter and a rise in voices coming from the inside brought their attention to the kitchen window. Rose’s heart did a little nervous jump. Ben was there. She hated having to do this, but Grace was right smack in the middle of it all already, smiling big and introducing him to Sal’s parents. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Sal who smiled playfully at her. “Bring him out here. He’s gonna have to meet them all eventually.”

Alex chuckled, sipping his beer as he glanced toward Ben still mingling with his parents. “Yeah, let’s meet this guy already.”

Sofia raised an eyebrow. “You guys better behave. Poor guy.”

“Nah,” Eric laughed. “Let him pay his dues. Lord knows I had to with this family.”

They all laughed, and Rose braced herself as she walked into the kitchen. Ben smiled as soon as he saw her and reached his hand out. She slipped her hand in his and smiled big at Grace. Let the performance commence.

After chitchatting with Grace’s and Sal’s parents a bit more, she led him outside to where the guys stood wearing mischievous grins.

Sal was the first to greet him. “How goes it, Ben?” He reached out and shook his hand.

As one by one she introduced him to all of them, she was relieved that they all did just as Sofia had asked—behaved. That is until Romero started up on him.

“So I heard you’re a player?”

Alex’s eyebrows shot up as did Ben’s and Rose’s.