Part of me was worried I’d wake up, and the morning sun would shine regret down on me, but the regret never came.
Despite everything I had to go through to get to this moment, I wouldn’t change a single thing. Every hard lesson, every heartache, every one-night stand that never went further than that… all of it led me here, to Mateo, as crazy as that sounds.
Mateo saw me for me.
He picked me.
And he continues to pick me day in and day out.
I was never a just-for-tonight.
I was never an afterthought. Or a second choice to him.
Mateo showed up, a force to be reckoned with, and turned out to be absolutely everything I never knew I needed.
I don’t know how our new chapter looks, but I do know I’m excited to find out.
40
MATEO
Six Months Later
“We should skip it,” I grumble while I continue to fuck with the bowtie around my neck that I can’t seem to get right.
Travis is in the bedroom getting dressed. I hear him chuckle before his head pops into the ensuite. “Mateo, we cannot skip your sister’s wedding.” Tugging on my shoulder, he spins me around until I’m facing him before helping me with the fucking bowtie I can’t get to work. “Not only are youinthe wedding, but you know Ally would slaughter you—and me—if you didn’t show up. It’s going to be fine.”
I roll my eyes, scoffing. “Easy for you to say.”
Tonight isn’t the first time my mom is meeting Travis, but it is the first time she’s seeing us as an actual couple. When she originally met him, it was at Ally’s engagement party as my date, but this feels different.
Travis gets the material tied together in no time before reaching up and cupping my cheeks. “It’s going to be fine, Matty. It’s going to be such a huge wedding anyway, so I doubt there will be much opportunity for you two to spend any long amounts of time together.” He leans in, brushing his lips against mine. “And besides, she’s at least been trying lately. Maybe she won’t be so bad.”
I wish I held his level of optimism.
Although, shehasbeen trying. I’ll give her that. I don’t know what caused the shift, but a few months ago, she started reaching out more. Even if it drives me nuts, she calls about once a week to check in, and even though it seems like it pains her to do so, she even asks about Travis sometimes. Old habits and ways of thinking die hard, and logically speaking, I know most of the hate came from my father, as she simply was a bystander. But it still stings that she was never there for me. That she never made an effort to understand me better—even after my dad died.
The part of me that’s still the rejected teenage boy yearning for his parents’ acceptance thinks she’s only been making an effort because the wedding was coming and she didn’t want to let Ally down. But the rational part of me thinks that would be way too much effort for one event. Travis agrees with the latter.
We both finish getting ready before heading to the venue. Travis sits in the front row with my mom, his mom, and his sister while I walk Ally down the aisle, giving her away, before taking my seat beside him.
Travis and I unknowingly forced our sisters to become friends a few months ago. Ally and Scottie were looking to buy a house, and since Charlotte is a real estate agent, we passed her info along to Ally. I’ve never seen two people become such fast friends. They arealwaystogether, hanging out, and if they aren’t, they’re texting back and forth. Most days, I don’t know if I regret introducing them or not. Charlotte ended up finding them a house, and Ally invited her to the wedding.
The ceremony is beautiful. Scottie cried before Ally did. My mom cried. Even Travis got a little glassy eyed by the time they shared their first kiss. I’m surrounded by a bunch of saps. After the ceremony wraps up, we head to the reception, and even though I’m still feeling on edge, I’m eager to be by Travis’s side again.
Because Scottie’s family can never do anything normal and not over the top, they have some well-known, impressive chef preparing the meal for us. Servers in penguin suits pass out our first course as we all sit around huge, round tables. Of course, we’re at the same table as my mom. It’s too quiet for a few minutes, but luckily, I have a hand to hold and a stiff drink to sip to get me through.
“Camila, Ally looks so beautiful in her dress,” Travis’s mom, Evelyn, says, cutting through the awkward silence. “Charlotte mentioned that it was your wedding dress?”
Glancing over at my mom, she smiles, and it brightens her whole face as she wipes her mouth with her napkin. “Sí. Alondra made some changes, but it is the same one I wore on my wedding night.”
“Well, it is gorgeous,” Evelyn gushes. “I’ve gotten to know both Mateo and Ally over the last several months, and they are incredible and kind people. You must be so proud.”
Her compliment squeezes something in my chest. It’s true; since Travis and I decided to make our relationship official six months ago, we’ve spent a lot of time with Evelyn and Charlotte. Travis is close with both of them, and while I’m close with Ally, it’s interesting seeing the way he is with his mom and sister.
From the very beginning, Evelyn has treated me like family. It was something that took a lot of getting used to. Charlotte has also been very welcoming when it comes to me, despite her knowing the shitty way Travis and I met. I wasn’t sure if she’d like me. Although, I should’ve known it would be okay when she agreed to help me with Nova when I took Travis to the cabin. It’s crazy to me how simply and how quickly his family has started to feel like my own. His mom was immediately accepting of our relationship, taking me in with open arms, literally. She’s a hugger, that one, but I can’t say I don’t love it.
It's bittersweet. My whole life, that’s all I ever wanted from my actual family. And sure, I got that from Ally, but who doesn’t want their parents’ unconditional love?
