Breakfast on Tuesday

Bonus Chapter 3

Soft Spanish music serenaded me in the background as I focused on Dante's perfectly sculpted lips. I wanted to crawl back into his lap and kiss him until the sun came up again.

He knew all about my shortcomings and past trauma, and yet, here he was nine months later telling me that his heart belonged to me; that he would always love me.

This moment right here was the first time in nine months I didn't feel like I had to live in a bubble of sadness for the rest of my life.

Eduardo's family had buried him, believing the fabricated story that he was a drug dealer. But I knew the truth and I would carry it with me forever.

Despite everything that happened, I believed that Eduardo wanted us to be happy. When I looked at my friends, everyone was getting there except for Madeleine. She was on antidepressants and didn't seem to be improving much.

"What's for dinner?" I asked, leaning back in my chair. The small appetizers were delicious and they opened up my stomach for more food.

Dante grinned. "Your favorite, but this time I hired a special chef to make it for us."

I smiled and rubbed my hands together gleefully. "You have outdone yourself. Thank you. I can't wait to dig in."

"Anything for you, baby."

My heart jumped in my chest knowing that he meant it.

I smelled the food before I saw the blond chef carrying a large paella pan to our table. Behind him, Samuel followed with another bottle of wine when the first one wasn't even done yet.

Samuel seated the second bottle in the ice container that he had not too long ago refilled with new ice and then helped to make space on the table for the steaming pan.

The chef bowed slightly after placing the mouth-watering dish before us. "My name is chef Andreas. Tonight I made you a traditional seafood paella. The real deal, no shortcuts." He motioned to the ocean around us. "And there's no better setting to eat this than here, in the middle of the sea with salt in the air. Buen provecho."

"Thank you, Andreas." Dante nodded curtly. "I will never forget the days when my mother used to invite you over to our house just so you could make your delicious paellas for us." A small smile danced on his lips at the fond memories. "I'm looking forward to the day when you will do the same for our family."

Dante looked at me and something shifted in his eyes. There was an intensity there I hadn't seen before.

"Anytime. You have my number. I wish you and your lady all the best. Don't forget to invite me to the merienda. I will be happy to cook up a feast."

Samuel and chef Andreas took their leave and Dante could barely look me in the eye.

"Merienda?"

"It's a get-together of sorts that Spaniards keep after a baby is born to celebrate the birth."

"I know what it is. What I don't get is why he's bringing it up. I'm not pregnant."

"Not yet." He grinned devilishly.

"Dante, I just turned twenty. I don't think-

"He's talking about the future, cariño."

I reached across the table and laced our fingers together. "It's not that I don't want to have a baby with you..."

"You're too young. I get it. We'll wait a couple more years." The impulsive lazy stroke of his thumb sent butterflies soaring in my stomach. "What about two years from when we met?"