“Girlfriend,” Pippa dabs at her eyes, “I never thought I’d hear those words out of your mouth,” she says to Ruben as Elias, Ruben’s father wraps his arm around her shoulders.
“Rosie, it’s a pleasure to have you in our home. Let’s go inside and hopefully Pippa will dry up soon.” Elias leads his wife inside and, with a nudge from Ruben, we follow.
I knew Pippa was going to be overjoyed at Ruben bringing me here, but I wasn’t expecting that kind of response. Tears!
“You okay,” Ruben whispers into my ear.
Turning more into him, I whisper back, “I’m fine as long as you stay with me.”
He chuckles. “Don’t worry Mom is the only one who is going to be displaying any tears.”
“Wait until you announce Rosie’s pregnant then you’ll get the big ugly tears,” Sebastian says, patting Ruben on the back with a huge grin on his face. When he winks at me I realize the whole room is in silence and that Pippa’s tears have disappeared.
Ruben starts laughing along with Sebastian, but I don’t really see what’s so funny about that statement. I’m not pregnant and to joke about it with his mom is wrong. Eventually Ruben notices that I’m not joining in with the humor and comes to an abrupt halt with his laughter. “Um, sorry.” He coughs into his hand as he elbows Sebastian in the stomach.
“Ouch. What was that for?” Sebastian rubs his stomach looking between his parents and me. “Oh, um, Rosie isn’t really pregnant…Sorry.”
“Sebastian, are you causing trouble again?” Carla saunters over carrying Jr. on her hip, which leaves Sebastian speechless. Anyone can see the love in his eyes for the woman standing before him and I’m guessing he likes the look of Carla with a baby in her arms. Hmm.
“He’s always causing trouble, Carla,” Ruben responds then smirks, and says, “You need to keep him at home so we’re all safe.”
“And who would help run McKenzie’s? He’d also drive poor Carla crazy if he’s under her feet all day,” Pippa adds.
“That wouldn’t happen because she’d be under me all day,” Sebastian says cheekily and is rewarded with a shove from Carla. She’s blushing right up to her roots as she passes Jr. to Ruben before dragging Sebastian out of the room.
Jr. is the image of his father, Michael, and looks to love his Uncle Ruben. As soon as he’s in Ruben’s arms, he lays his head on his shoulder with his little arms going around his neck. The picture they portray brings tears to my eyes. Ruben looks choked up as well.
“I think the little tyke’s tired.” Ruben sits back on the sofa and with one hand starts rubbing Jr.’s back while holding the other out to me. He doesn’t need to make it any clearer.
Sitting beside them, I watch as Jr. drifts off to sleep while Pippa and Elias sit across from us.
Glancing at Pippa, she has a dreamy like look on her face as she gazes at Ruben and her grandson. They make a picture. A picture, which Lucien snaps with his phone, as he appears from the kitchen, if I remember rightly from the last time I was in this house at Jr. and Charlotte’s baptism.
Ruben takes my hand and kisses my knuckles before bringing our joined hands onto his lap and leaving them there. My hearts pounding in my chest with the look he’s giving me. A look that I hope I’m not reading too much into. A look that says this is what he wants one day—a baby with me. I can’t breathe. It isn’t panic that is causing my breathlessness…it’s the look in his eyes, which makes it clear that I’m not the only one who has fallen hard.
Hearing a throat being cleared, I turn to face his mom, who is tearing up again and his dad who has a large grin on his face. Lucien is hiding his smirk behind his hand and manages to swallow it back when he catches me glaring at him.
Hmm. “So, Lucien,” he straightens, “is Sabrina around?” His eyes open wide at my question before narrowing.
“I’ve no idea.”
“Really.”
He sighs. “She’s in the kitchen with Lily.”
Pippa jumps up. “Why don’t you come into the kitchen with me Rosie? We can leave the men in here. I’m sure Ramon and Michael will join them soon and Sebastian, wherever he disappeared to with Carla. Tsk. He can’t leave the poor woman alone. I don’t know how she can still walk.”
Ruben releases my hand chuckling at his mom’s comment. “I’ll be here babe, if you need me. Go have fun with your friends.”
“Okay.”
I let Pippa drag me off into the kitchen where Lily, Sabrina and Sylvia are sitting drinking coffee, but they soon make room for us to join them.
Chapter 23 ~ Ruben