Page 191 of Before Dawn

I chuckled, feeling a rush of affection for him. “I want you to meet my dad.”

He paused, then nodded. “I’ll arrange the details with my flight crew.”

I grinned, knowing full well that whatever I needed, he would give it to me. “Next week. The Friday after your parents leave.”

Mikkel laughed, his joy infectious. “It’s a plan. But for now, let’s sleep.”

We woke to the glow of streetlights streaming through the windows. Stretching with a yawn, we shared a sleepy smile before slipping out of bed, showering, and heading downstairs.

“Buenas Noches,140” Valeria greeted us with a warm smile. “Did youaves del amorhave a good rest?”

“Love birds,” Mikkel whispered, “Aves del amormeans lovebirds.”

Pink stained my cheeks as I replied, “We did. Thank you.”

Manuel looked up from the kitchen counter, his eyes perceptive. “I hope you’re ready for game night. We brought a few special games from home to show you,nuera.141”

“Please tell me we haveDominó?” Mikkel asked, excitement spreading through his eyes.

“We do. Get ready to lose,hijo,142” his dad joked.

“In your dreams,Papá.”

We moved onto the rooftop deck, where a large table was set up with various board games, cards, and dice. His parents explained the rules of each game with enthusiasm, their love for these traditions evident in every word. A spread of snacks covered one corner of the table, from bowls of chips to plates of cookies and sandwiches.

The first game we played wasDominó, a traditional Dominican game similar to dominoes, but with unique twists that made it faster-paced and more competitive. We paired off into teams: Valeria and I against Mikkel and Manuel. To our surprise, we won two consecutive rounds, which had me grinning ear to ear.

“Didn’t expect that, did you?” I teased, feeling a small spark of pride.

But Mikkel just flashed me a confident grin. “Lady’s luck,mi reina,143” he said with a playful smirk. “Papáand I are winning the next round.”

Sure enough, they insisted on a best-of-five. We were determined, but they were relentless, with Manuel’s sharp strategy and Mikkel’s calculated moves. The next few rounds were a blur of fast plays and laughter, with every point feeling like a mini victory, even when it didn’t go our way. In the end, they took the win, but it felt like we’d had our fair share of triumphs too.

Next, we playedLa Vieja, a variation of tic-tac-toe played on a large board with colorful pieces. The simplicity of the game belied its strategic depth, and I found myself deeply engrossed, trying to outwit Mikkel’s father, who was a master at it. Seriously, the man never lost a game and if he did, he was determined to get the final win.

I could now see where Mikkel got his competitiveness from.

Finally, we gathered in the living room forEl Juego de la Silla, a lively game of musical chairs that had us darting around, laughing breathlessly as we fought for the last seat. My breasts put me at a clear disadvantage, but the infectious joy kept us going. By the end, we were all panting, grinning, and completely spent.

I loved tonight and I loved bonding with his family.

Chapter Forty-three

Mikkel

“A loving heart is the truest wisdom.”

~ Charles Dickens

Iwoke to an empty bed and made my way downstairs, where I found my love and my mother making breakfast and baking Bizcocho dominicano—a fluffy cake with pineapple filling. My heart warmed at the sight, relieved that everything was falling into place as I had hoped. The thought that she could ever feel unloved pained me; I loved every part of her, even the parts she hated.

The day quickly picked up speed. I had three meetings—two went smoothly, but the last was a challenge, tangled in legal issues that needed to be resolved. Morison and Sapphire’s trips to Miami and Seattle had been successful, and our expansions were progressing steadily.

I also had two virtual interviews—one with The New York Times about Elite Rides’ expansion, which went well, and another with GoodMorning America, where Jasmine kept straying off-topic. Frustrated, I wrapped it up, got ready, and told everyone to do the same.

In between, I spent half an hour on the phone with Emilia, trying to convince her to join us. As expected, she found excuse after excuse. I let it go but warned her not to be surprised when Mamá and Papá showed up at her door before they left. She sighed but didn’t argue.

Just as I set my phone down, another notification lit up my screen—this time from the group chat.

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