Stephanie's POV
Today is the day Carlos and I tie the knot. We've been together for five months. It's important to Carlos that we get married, so it's important to me.
Our first sexual connection was magical and solidified what we felt for each other. I want to spend my remaining life as Carlos' wife. The decision was made that night. Carlos and I planned our wedding. We're keeping it small, just the Rangeman Miami staff and Dad. My Grandpa Harry is too ill to travel. I hope everything works out for him.
Ella and I found a wedding gown perfect for the occasion. It's an off-white sleeveless dress. The simplicity of the gown is why I chose it. There isn't any sequins or lace anywhere on the silk fabric. It fits tight to my waist and chest to hold it in place. A slit extends from my ankle to my thigh, exposing my lean muscles. I know Carlos will love the dress. I'm anxious to see him in his Armani tux.
"Are you ready?" Ella asks, peeking inside my bedroom.
I smooth the invisible wrinkles. "How do I look?" My sandals peek from beneath my dress. The leather straps wrapping around my ankles are only visible when I walk.
"Like a goddess," Ella replies. I feel my face blush. Ella pins a loose curl behind my ear. She adjusts the clips before stepping back. A few wisps of hair tickle my shoulder. Carlos loves my hair. I let it grow to mid-back for the wedding. My hair is easier to manage when it's shorter.
Since Carlos had his marriage to Rachel annulled, we could get married at St John Bosco Catholic Church in East Little Havana. I'm standing outside the sanctuary doors with Dad, waiting for the music to play. I let Carlos select the song. The tones of Canon in D by Pachelbel play to cue my ascent up the aisle.
Lester winks and opens the doors. He escorts Isabel, Carlos' youngest sister, up the aisle. I met Isabel during a visit to Abuela Rosa's house. Isabel is living with Rosa as she attends the University. The beautiful woman is a female version of Carlos. Like me, Isabel loves to eat.
Carlos and I only have our best man and maid of honour. We intentionally kept the wedding party small. I see Valerie, Steve and the girls sitting in the pew with Grandma and Grandpa Plum on the left-hand side of the aisle. My eyes are on the groom. He's gorgeous. I can't believe he's marrying me.
The girls whisper my name and wave as I pass them. I spare a glance to finger wave in reply. Mary Alice grins. She's missing her front two teeth, which I find adorable. Angie is sitting with her hands in her lap. Valerie made Mary Alice wear a dress, though I see shorts peeking from the bottom hem. My youngest niece must take after me. Wearing shorts beneath a dress made it tolerable. Nobody saw my underwear, and I could run around to play like a boy. My eyes return to Carlos. His radiant smile illuminates the room.
I hear the women gasp, "She looks beautiful. Stunning. Perfect," as I pass them.
Father John speaks after Dad places my hand in Carlos's and kisses my cheek. He calls everyone to order and tells them to be seated.
Everything else is a blur. Carlos squeezes my hand when I need to pay attention. I exchange vows with Carlos and push the platinum wedding band over his knuckles. He chuckles at my shaking hands. Carlos returns the motion with my ring. I don't glance at our hands. I'm staring into my husband's eyes and patiently waiting for the priest to tell Carlos to kiss me. When the priest says, "You may now kiss your bride," Carlos kisses me chastely, keeping it safe in front of the children.
The Manosos quickly welcome me into their family. Ricardo Sr hugs me and kisses my cheek. Maria's hug was too tight. Rosa orders Maria to let me breathe. I hug Carlos' grandma next. She whispers, "You make my grandson happy."
"He makes me happy," I reflectively reply. Rosa smiles and gently taps my cheek before hugging Carlos.
It's not until Carlos and I walk down the aisle that I take in the church's beauty. I love the architecture of the arches. Everything is beautiful. We climb into the limousine waiting for us outside the church. It's strange for it to return to Rangeman headquarters, where Carlos and I are holding the reception.
Carlos arranged shuttles to drive our guests between the hotel, church and Rangeman. We hired a Cuban restaurant to cater. They provided the food buffet-style and set up the tables. I'm surprised they cooked Italian dishes for the guests, too. Angie and Mary Alice were thrilled. They never tried Cuban cuisine. Mary Alice was more adventurous than her sister and tried a few Cuban dishes, moaning in delight from the flavours.
"Does Mom know you're here for my wedding?" I ask Valerie while we're grabbing food for ourselves.
"No," Valerie replies, glancing over her shoulder. "I've asked Angie and Mary Alice to keep it secret. I'm afraid they'll tell Mom when she calls."
"Don't be too hard on them if they spill. Sometimes children get excited and repeat things they shouldn't," I say. Valerie smiles at me.
"I don't recall seeing you this happy with Dickie. Oops. I'm sorry for mentioning that asshole at your reception," Valerie apologizes. "You and Carlos are adorable together."
"Thanks." I see Steve attempting to get my attention. He points to Carlos, me than him. "Is there something Carlos and I need to know?" I ask Valerie.
"Yes. Talk to Steve. It's his idea, and we want to ensure you're okay with it before we make the changes," Valerie replies.
I set my plate at the table with Dad. Carlos raises a brow, and I nod. "Please excuse me," he says to his family. We left the conference room and entered an office down the hall.
"Steve, what's going on?" I ask, sitting on the visitor's chair. Steve and Carlos sat in the other two.
"Valerie and I would like you and Carlos to be Angie and Mary Alice's guardians if anything happens to us," Steve explains. I'm glad he gets to the point.
"It's a huge responsibility," I say as Carlos says, "We'll do it."
"You heard the man," I joke. "He says we'll do it."
Steve visibly relaxes. "Thank goodness. We had Helen and my parents as the guardians, but I believe the girls would do better under your care and guidance."
I touch Steve's arm. "I'll do anything to keep your daughters safe."
"That's all I ask. It feels like something is on the horizon especially learning Harry Mazur is sick. He couldn't fly because of the blockage in his heart. Edna told Valerie that he's supposed to have a bypass surgery soon," Steve explains.
"Dad told me," I reply. "I hope everything goes well. Grandpa loves his bacon, and the doctor told him to stop eating it."
Chuckling, Steve replies, "Valerie loves bacon too. We've switched to turkey bacon. She'll eat it, but bitches about it not being the real deal."
"I get it," I laugh. "Turkey bacon took some time to get used to. Do Carlos and I need to sign anything?"
"No. I'm filing the paperwork when we return to LA. My boss should have it ready when we get home tomorrow. In case I forget, thanks for paying for the airfare for my family," Steve says.
"You're family, and Stephanie didn't want you to miss our wedding," Carlos replies. We return to the conference room to eat.
Someone thoughtfully covered my meal to keep it warm. I sat beside Lester to dig in. He smiles and leaves the table to grab more food. Carlos watches as I eat the combination of Cuban and Italian food, mixing them in my mouth before chewing. One combination tastes off. He hands me a paper napkin to spit out the food. "For reference, ropa vieja and lasagna don't taste good together," I joke. Carlos smiles.
We're exhausted after the reception ends. I'm not sure I could have sex with Carlos to consummate our vows. My legs are sore, and my stomach is full. Our flight to Hawaii leaves at 0500 in the morning. I'm looking forward to the sun, beach and uninterrupted time with Carlos. A week in paradise isn't enough time to spend with my husband, but he has to leave on another mission soon. It's inevitable. Dad can push it back by only a few days.
Carlos and I don't bother with sleeping. We make love several times before showering and catching our flight to Hawaii. "White beaches and blue waters, here we come," I say as we get into our seats. I smile when Carlos tucks his weapons out of sight.
We arrive in Hawaii nearly six hours after flying to San Francisco to catch our connecting flight. It took almost fifteen hours to arrive at our destination. I slept during the flight while Carlos kept watch. Having first-class seating was ideal. The flight attendant for our San Francisco to Hawaii portion is professional and doesn't flirt with Carlos. But the first one from Miami was over the top in her quest to receive my husband's attention.
"Sir, we're ready to land. It's time to wake up your beautiful wife," the woman says.
I open an eye and read her name tag. "Thanks, Ariel. I'm awake," I reply.
"Is there anything I can get you before I announce the landing and take my seat?" Ariel asks.
"A number where I can report Tabitha from the JetBlue flight," I reply.
Ariel leaves and promptly returns with a business card. "I'm sorry about that, ma'am. Tabitha's hoping to land herself a rich man. Women like her make my job more challenging," Ariel quietly says. She sets the business card on the table and reminds us to return them into position. I pick up the card and notice Ariel wrote Tabitha's full name on the back. It will make it easier to report the woman.
After Ariel leaves us, she gets on the intercom, telling us the plane is preparing to land. She asks us to fasten our belts and return the tables and seats upright. "I wonder if she had to do this before," I say, tucking the card into my purse. Ariel catches my eye and nods.
Carlos and I exited the plane before the other passengers. We get through the security gate after Carlos produces his permit to carry. He tucks the gun into the belt at the back and covers it with the button-down shirt.
We go to the car rental booth and select a vehicle for the week. Our resort is for married couples, and privacy is paramount. I could only describe the buildings as huts. They're far enough apart to guarantee privacy. Carlos and I could sunbathe naked, and nobody would see us. I love having a private beach.
The week ends before we want. Carlos and I have to return home. We're fortunate to have Ariel for both flights. She passes me a bottle of water and a napkin. I noticed she left a message with me. Giggling, I pass the note to Carlos. His brow rises as he reads. "Small world," I reply. "Did you know?"
"No," Carlos replies. Carlos and I nod at Ariel. She winks at us.
"Should we tell Bones we met his sister?" I ask. "Isn't she married to Silvio?"
"Bones and Silvio prefer to keep their personal lives private," Carlos replies.
"Kind of like you," I tease.
We knew Hector hid the registration for our marriage. The Pentagon has the information and will protect us as long as Carlos is in the special operations program, probably until he retires from the military.
I'm wide awake when we land in Miami. Lester is waiting for us in the loading zone. He quickly jumps from the driver's seat to shove our luggage in the back. I hop into the backseat. Carlos follows me inside. "Don't you want to sit in the front?" I wonder.
"I want to sit beside my wife," Carlos replies. It's the perfect answer. "I'm in the back if you're in the back. Wherever you sit, I'll be beside you." His words make me swoon.