Page 53 of D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding

D’Vaughn nodded and quickly swiped at an errant tear that fell from her right eye. “Yes, ma’am.” Turning back to my father, she met his gaze. “Is that okay with you?”

“Yes. Gracias, mija.” His voice was infused with a satisfied sort of gratitude that made my chest swell with affection for D’Vaughn. In retrospect, it was a small thing, but the way she had immediately worked to make sure his interests were served just showed me how well she fit with my family.

Pushing back his chair, he stood to his feet and walked over to us. Standing between mine and D’Vaughn’s chairs, he leaned down to kiss first D’Vaughn’s cheek and then mine. Afterward, he stared at me for a moment.

“You know that I only want the best for you, yes?”

Throat thick with emotion, I nodded quickly. “Lo se, pero you do so much already, Papi.”

He cupped my cheek and smiled. “And yet I always feel that I could do more.”

This guy.

I slid out of my seat and walked right into the arms that he’d already spread in anticipation of my next move.

“I love you, Papi,” I whispered.

“¿Cuánto?” he asked as he patted my back, something he hadn’t asked since I was a teenager.

“Con todo el mundo.”

“And still, I love you more.”

Burying my face in his shoulder, I wept. There was no way to stop it. He tightened his hold on me, murmuring comfort in Spanish. As he went from patting to rubbing my back, I felt another pair of arms encircle me from the side and cracked my eyes to find Mami had joined us. Her cheeks were wet but the smile on her face said that they were the result of happy tears. Moments later, I heard the sound of several chairs scraping against the carpet and then my siblings all piled onto our family group hug.

“Well?” I heard a muffled voice ask. “Get up there.”

“This is a family moment, Mama.”

“Ain’t you about to be family?”

“Mama, please.”

D’Vaughn’s voice was low, but even with mi gente surrounding me, I heard her as clearly as if she was standing in front of me. I started to move, shifting my body back and forth until they got the message and began to loosen up. When my limbs were free, I sat in my abandoned seat, scooted the chair over to hers, and grabbed the backs of her knees.

“Let this be the last time you mention my family and don’t include yourself, aight?”

Her eyes widened and I opened my mouth to reiterate when Papi clapped me on the shoulder. I looked up to catch his approving nod before he returned to the other side of the table and reclaimed his seat. Turning back to D’Vaughn, I raised my eyebrows.

“You gon’ answer me or nah?”

She blew a soft breath through her nose and cast a quick glance around the room before bringing her eyes right back to me.

“What do you want me to say, Kris?”

I observed her. Her leg was bouncing in my grasp and her shoulders were tense, so something was up, but I couldn’t fathom what would make her react that way. My confusion only fueled my determination to get to know her better outside of what was required for the show. Squeezing her legs, I leaned closer to her.

“I want you to say that if I pull you into the next family group hug, you’ll come willingly.”

Her shoulders fell marginally, but enough for me to know that my answer was better than whatever she’d been expecting.

“That’s it?”

“Yeah. Can you do that for me?”

She nodded, a soft smile making its way onto her face.

“I think I can manage that.”