Hot & Wild (De La Cruz Saga) (31 page)

Javier turns the corner. He stops when he sees
Gabriella. “Feliz cumpleanos, Gabriella,” says Javier, giving her a hug and a
beso on her check.

“Gracias, Javier,” replies Gabriella, smiling at him.

“Primo, so you knew she was toda una mujer,” asks
Christian, looking at his primo’s reaction and amor in his eyes?
Hmm, what’s
going on or better still what went on? I need to look into this. It’s ok if
he’s serious, but if he’s playing, no way in hell will I allow that
.

“Si, primo, Gabriella is all women. She’s going to
college to be a Medical Assistant,” says Javier, smiling. “She knows what she
wants.”

Jose Enrique and Jessy walk up to them. They see
Javier greet Gabriella with a beso on her cheek and a hug. They didn’t hear the
exchange until they approach them.

“Hola, primos,” says Jose Enrique, looking at Gabriella.

“Hola, primos,” says Christian, observing Javier still
holding Gabriella in his arms, not realizing that he still does.

“Hola,” says Monique, smiling, watching Gabriella and
Javier
. I wonder if Javier is interested in my hermana. It would be great. I
know he’s a gran hombre. He looks like he doesn’t want to let her go,
thinks Monique.

“Hermano, Jessy, this is Gabriella Acosta. She’s
Monique’s hermana,” says Javier, smiling, looking at his hermano. “It’s her
cumpleanos today.”

“Gabriella, this is my hermano Jose Enrique, and his
bella novia Jessy,” says Javier, grinning.

Jose Enrique walks over to her. “Mucho gusto,
Gabriella, and feliz cumpleanos,” says Jose Enrique, giving her a hug, stepping
back.

Jessy goes over to her. “Feliz cumpleanos, Gabriella,
mucho gusto,” says Jessy, giving her a hug and a beso on her check.

“Gracias,” says Gabriella, blushing.

“Okay, let’s go inside and have lunch. We need to
celebrate,” says Christian, smiling, entering the restaurant.

Jose Enrique walks over to Javier. “Hermano, we’re
going in,” says Jose Enrique, smiling at Gabriella. “I’ll give you a few
moments.”

“Si, hermano,” replies Javier, smiling at Gabriella.

Jose Enrique and Jessy went into the restaurant. They
follow Christian and Monique.
Damn, this is real complicated because they
can’t hide their feelings. I know that Christian and Monique noticed it. Maybe
I need to get them on board
, ponders Jose Enrique, with concern.

They take their seat around the table leaving the
other two chairs for Javier and Gabriella.

“Primo, did you notice that Javier appears interested
in Gabriella?” asks Christian, looking at his primo.

“Si primo, will that be a problema?” asks Jose Enrique,
looking into Christian’s eyes to evaluate his reaction. “I think that Javier is
sincerely interested in Gabriella. He wants to be her novio.”

Monique is pleased with this information. “I don’t see
why it should be a problema. They’re both young and single,” says Monique, smiling.

“Si, if Javier is sincerely interested in a serious
relationship as her novio, I don’t think there will be any problemas with my in-laws,”
says Christian, smiling, nodding in agreement.

“I think that he’s interested in Gabriella. I think
that we should be supportive,” replies Jose Enrique, smiling.

“Okay, I agree. I only need to confirm that he’s
serious,” says Christian, nodding. “He still needs to talk to my in-laws. My in-laws
is traditional.”

“Si, I agree. Then when he’s finished with his duty in
the Navy, he can go and speak to her padre’s,” says Jose Enrique, smiling at
Christian and Monique.

“Primo, I see your point and I think it will work
until he is out of the Navy. When he’s out, he will need to talk to my in-laws.
I don’t want any problemas,” says Christian, looking at Monique. “My Cielo,
what do you think?”

“Baby, I think that if they love each other, we should
support whatever they want. I know that my hermana is a little young, but she’s toda una mujer. She is going to
college. I know that she knows what she wants. I don’t have any issues as long
as she doesn’t get pregnant. My padre will be pissed about that,” replies
Monique, smiling. “I don’t know what’s going on with them, but I will find
out.”

“Monique, I’m glad that you agree,” says Jose Enrique,
with relief. “The idea behind this outing was to allow them time to talk and
see each other. Javier got her a birthday gift.”

“I see that he’s interested,” says Christian, smiling.

“I don’t see the problema,” says Jessy, looking at
them. “We know when we find our amor, our alma gemela, the one.”

“Si, but the issue is that Gabriella is a little young,”
says Jose Enrique, looking at Monique praying she doesn’t say her age.

Monique looks at Jose Enrique and realizes what he
means.
Oh damn yes, that is an issue, but we can work around it,
thinks
Monique. “Yes she’s a little young, but they can work around that with our help,”
says Monique, smiling, looking at Jose Enrique nod.

Si, I can see that Monique realized what my concern is
and agrees to help them. I will need to talk to her tomorrow at the office. We
need to come to an agreement,
thinks
Jose Enrique.

“Well, do we need to go and get them?” asks Christian,
looking out the window at them talking and smiling.

“Well, I told Javier that I will give them a few
moments,” says Jose Enrique. “I can’t see that there will be any harm with them
talking outside.”

“No, but I’m hungry,” says Christian, smiling.

“Okay, I’ll get them,” says Jose Enrique, standing. “I
hope you’re okay with allowing Javier to give her his gift,” Jose Enrique,
looks at Christian and Monique.

“I think that will be lovely,” says Monique, beaming. “My
hermana deserves everything.”

“Si, primo, I don’t have any problemas as long it
doesn’t get my in-laws mad at me,” says Christian nodding.

“Okay,” says Jose Enrique, going out to get them. “Hermano,
we’re hungry and want to order,” says Jose Enrique, noticing their frustrations.

“Okay,” says Javier, taking Gabriella’s mano in his,
not wanting to let go. They go to the table. Everybody notices that they’re
holding hands.

“Okay, primo,” says Christian, observing Javier. “Javier,
you need to spill.” He looks Javier in the eyes to evaluate his emotions.

“I want Gabriella to be my novia,” says Javier,
looking at Monique and Christian. “I want to talk to her padres.”

“Okay, primo, as long as you’re serious, I don’t have
any problema. I don’t want you to do anything that will get my in-laws mad at me,”
says Christian, seriously.

“I understand, primo,” says Javier, turning to look at
Monique.

“Javier, I think that you’re a great hombre and I
don’t have any problema. Like Christian says, I want you to be serious,” says
Monique, smiling. “Gabriella what do you want?”

Gabriella blushes, she’s feliz. “I want Javier to be
my novio,” says Gabriella. “I will not give him up. Gracias, hermana and Christian,
for being supportive,” she takes Javier’s hand.

They all notice that she’s in love even if she didn’t
say.

“Well, now we can order our lunch,” says Jose Enrique,
looking at Jessy. “Do you know what you want?”

“Si,” says Jessy, smiling, thinking what a
hermosa
couple Gabriella and Javier make
. “So, are we going to order Gabriella
something special for dessert?”

“Oh, yeah, we need to sing happy birthday,” says
Monique, smiling. She’ amused that Gabriella is blushing.

“Javier, you’re going to give Gabriella her gift? I
can’t wait to see what you got her,” says Jessy, smiling.

“Si,” says Javier, smiling. He withdraws the gift from
his pocket and hands it to Gabriella, beaming. “Feliz cumpleanos,” he leans in
and gives her a small beso.

“Gracias,” says Gabriella, smiling, taking the gift. She
looks around her blushing.
Hmmm, they all are waiting to see what he got me.
How embarrassing.
She opens the gift with care
. I don’t want to tear all
the paper because I want to save it. I can’t wait to see what my Baby got me,
thinks Gaby.

She opens the box and squeals. “Oh, dios mio, how
bello,” says Gabriella, turning to hug Javier. She gives him a hungry beso, not
caring that they see. “Gracias,” she says, giving him a hug and whispering “I
love you.”

They’re surprised to see Gabriella give Javier such a
hungry beso.
Well she does want him
, thinks Christian, smiling.  

Hmm, I see that she is toda una mujer like my hermano says,
even if she’s young. She loves my hermano and that’s all I care about,
thinks Jose Enrique, with pleasure.

Si, my hermana is in love and I’m feliz it is with
Javier because she deserves him
,
thinks Monique.

“Gaby, let me see,” says Monique, smiling, taking the
bracelet as she hands it to her. “Wow, dios mio, that’s a gorgeous bracelet.”

“Si, muy lindo,” says Jessy, smiling. “Put it on,
Gaby.”

“Si, Hermana, put it on,” says Monique, handing it
back.

Javier takes it and snaps it on her wrist with lots of
amor and care. He looks into her eyes, smiling.  

“Gabriella, I love you,” says Javier, not caring that
they’re listening.

“Si, Baby, I love you,” replies Gabriella, smiling,
looking only into his beautiful green eyes.

The waiter returns to get their orders. Everybody is
talking about bowling and Javier going back to school.

“Si, primo, Javier and you will be the
Construction/Purchase Managers. It is working out great because we need to have
the familia handle all of the Management positions. Javier will go back to
school for a Business Management degree. He will be working part time until he
finishes,” says Jose Enrique, happily. “You will be out early also?”

“Wow, primo that sounds great. I was thinking that I
was going to need some help. We have a large amount of constructions going up
at once and that would be too much for me. Javier will be great. We all know
how to manage these areas since we were in high school,” says Christian,
looking at Javier.

“Si, primo, I wanted to ask you about the steps I will
need to do to get out early from the Navy,” asks Javier, turning to look at
Christian.

“Primo, you need to ask for terminal leave which is
taking the remainder of your leave prior to your separation from the Navy. You
will need to have all of your out processing from the service accomplished
prior to your terminal leave,” replies Christian, nodding. “If you have thirty
days, you can take them at the end of your separation.”

“I see, primo. I have about seventy-five days,” says
Javier, smiling. “That means that I can take terminal leave starting in January
17. I have to make sure that the out process is completed prior to my
separation?”

“Si, primo, that’s the way it works. Manana, you
should talk to your CO and start the process. I think you do have time,” says
Christian, nodding. “That’s only a few months away.”

“That’s right, hermano, January 17 is only few months
away,” says Jose Enrique, smiling.

“Oh, how exciting,” says Gabriella, smiling at Javier.

“Si, it is exciting. I need to make sure I have my
classes. I will see if I can get a liberty pass next week to enroll and talk to
the counselor,” says Javier, smiling, thinking that everything is working out.

“Primo, you’re going back to CSU San Bernardino?” asks
Christian. “You had only one more class for your general education?”

“Si, primo, I’m going back to CSU San Bernardino. I needed
one class to complete my general Education. That’s why I wanted to discuss it
with Jose Enrique and you to see what would be beneficial for la familia,” says
Javier, nodding.

“Oh, Baby, we will be going to the same college,” says
Gabriella, hugging him with excitement. “That’s where I’m going. I was
accepted.”

“This is great,” says Javier, looking into his
Chiquita’s excited eyes.

Jose Enrique and Christian looked at each other.
Oh
boy. Is it good or bad
, contemplates Christian, observing Jose Enrique is
concerned.

“Hermana, remember you need to focus on your classes
and so does Javier,” says Monique, smiling. “That is part of being adult and
responsible.”

“Si, hermana,” says Gabriella, smiling giving Javier a
small light beso.

“You two still need to follow our customs and behave
in school,” says Jose Enrique. “We don’t need any problemas with Gabriella’s
padres.”

“We will,” says Javier, thinking.

Their meals arrive and they start to eat. They talk
about bowling. They all enjoy their meal. Monique asks the waiter to have them
sing happy birthday to Gabriella and to bring the desert.