Weeks after the whole ordeal, Romero had only dropped hints here and there about the ring he’d given her being an engagement ring. A couple of times she’d been asked in front of him if it was an engagement ring. Both times she’d said no, and he hadn’t corrected her. Even though each time, she’d she noticed a change in his mood. It obviously bothered him but he hadn’t actually asked her to marry him so how could she say it was.

Tonight she’d made a big dinner for him and bought champagne. She told him it was Friday and she’d had an especially good week at work so she felt like celebrating. When they finished eating and moved into the front room with their champagne, she almost lost the nerve, but after one especially long and passionate kiss she did it. “Will you marry me?”

Romero sat up, almost making her spill the champagne she held. “What?”

“Since you won’t ask me I’m asking you. Will you marry me?”

“What do you mean since I won’t ask you? I thought you weren’t ready, the way you acted any time I or anyone else brought it up. You were always so adamant that the ring wasn’t an engagement ring. ”

“I don’t know. Since you never actually asked me, I felt weird saying it was. Anyway never mind all that. Will you?”

He smiled that beautiful smile that had done her in, from the very first moment he called her sexy at the wedding shower. “You bet your sweet ass I will.”

Her heart swelled and she felt the tears fill her eyes.

He sat up and kissed her again. “You’ve never even talked about it. Are you gonna want a big wedding?”

“No not at all.” She shook the tears away smiling big. “I’m with Valerie, the smaller the ceremony the better. But I do want my family there. My mom was really hurt about Art and Sabrina eloping the way they did. But after the ceremony I just want an intimate dinner: close family and friends only. I’d rather spend the money on a nice honeymoon.”

Romero’s eyes had gone from her eyes to her lips the entire time she spoke. “You really want my uncles and Aida at the same dinner table with your family?”

Isabel laughed. “That’ll be the best part.”

“You ever heard the saying be careful what you ask for?”

“Yes,” she giggled. “But I don’t care. I’m asking for it. I want them all there. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Romero took the champagne glass out of her hand, setting it on the coffee table then pulled her down onto him, lying back. “Okay, don’t say I didn’t warn you. You asked for it.”

“And what are you asking for?”

“The only thing I can’t live without. You.”

Isabel felt that familiar lump in her throat she’d felt all too many times since she’d met Romero. But this time it was a good lump. Never in a million years would she have imagined feeling this happy. “Maybe you should be careful what you ask for because you got me, babe. Forever.”

EPILOGUE

The ceremony had gone as smooth as it was going to go. Romero had taken Manny and Max to shop for suits that didn’t make them look like pimps but they’d insisted they’d all wear matching fedoras and Romero gave in—only because he knew how much Isabel liked him in it.

They could think of no place more fitting to have their intimate dinner than Moreno’s. Since their guests consisted of only her immediate family, his uncles and Aida and of course Alex and his family who were part of Romero’s extended family, they didn’t need a banquet room. But Alex and Sal still insisted on closing off one of the smaller dining rooms just for them. And they set up small dance floor at Isabel’s request so that they could have their first dance as a married couple and she could have her father-daughter dance.

Romero had done enough coaching before the dinner, telling his uncles to watch their mouths, take it easy on the burping and not talk with their mouths open. He planned on having Isabel’s family at one table and his uncles at a separate one. He even asked Sal to try and arrange it that way when everyone was seated. But somehow, things got goofed up. Since even Gina had shown up with a date Max and Pat were the only two not paired up so to Romero’s horror, they ended up sitting next to each other.

Dinner was going well until Aida’s snorting caught Romero’s attention. Apparently, his uncle the comedian was at it again. Isabel touched Romero’s hand. “Stop worrying. Everyone is having a good time.”

Angel and Sarah, who sat across from Manny and Aida, were laughing, as were Alex and Valerie who sat at the same table. It was hard to believe they were all married now. Alex was even expecting a kid. Kids were still a scary thought for Romero, but Alex was totally stoked about it.

Surprisingly, Sal, who was the oldest, had yet to get serious with anyone. Sure he’d brought a date to dinner tonight, but she was a different girl from the one he’d brought bowling with the gang just a week ago. He always said he had too many things going on to settle down any time soon. Personally, Romero thought he was just too damn anal to ever meet a girl who’d be perfect enough for him.

He looked over and cringed when he saw Max talking animatedly to Pat with a mouth full of food. There was clinking of a glass and Manny stood up. “I’d like to make a toast.”

Romero leaned over to Isabel. “Isn’t there a rule or something for when you do the toast? You don’t just get up in the middle of dinner and—”