Page 33 of Curve Ball
Gael must sense my unease, because he squeezes my hand reassuringly. “Adriana, these are my Tías, Rosa and Carmen. And you’ve already met cousin Bianca. This is my mom, Junia.” He motions to the bench, urging me to sit.
“It’s nice to meet you all. I’m Adriana.”
His Tías exchange glances, then push his mother down the bench so they can sit. “We’re so happy to have you in the family,” Rosa says, her voice warm and genuine. “Twins! That’s such a blessing. I don’t think we’ve ever had twins in the family.”
Carmen nods in agreement. “No, never. Are there twins in your family? How exciting!”
I feel a lump form in my throat, touched by their warmth and enthusiasm. “Uh, I have cousins that are twins, actually. So I guess it runs on my side.”
Junia, still looking shell-shocked, finally manages a small smile. “Well, this is not what I thought we’d be talking about today.”
Gael grins, clearly pleased with himself. “Yeah, Ma, I know. Isn’t it great, though? More Mendoza boys in the world.”
Junia rolls her eyes but can’t hide the twinkle of pride in her eyes. “You give me more problems than any of your brothers, Gael. But if you’re happy, then I’m happy. Wait, did you say boys? Twin boys?”
“Yep.” He leans back, draping his arm around my shoulder. “I can’t wait.”
“Okay, okay. How about we eat… You said that you had a meeting today.Adriana, ¿tienes hambre? Puedo prepararte lo que quieras.”
“Whatever is fine with me. I’m not picky.” His Tías get up and the three of them head back and start cooking. The aroma of freshly madechili verdeandcarne asadafills the air, making my mouth water despite the nausea from the pregnancy trying to start up.
Gael’s family is loud, opinionated, and incredibly welcoming. They tease Gael mercilessly, but it’s clear they adore him. And now, they’re welcoming me into their fold with open arms. My family is pretty small since it’s just my mom’s side and I can only think of how our boys are going to have such a big family to love them.
They are going to be so loved.
Bianca sits down and signs something to Gael, who translates for me. “She wants to know if we have any names picked out yet.”
I shake my head, laughing. “Not yet, but we have some time to think about it. Do you have any suggestions?”
Bianca signs something else, and Gael chuckles. “She says anything but a junior.”
I laugh, loving how welcome I feel here. “Agreed. Having a junior brings nothing but trouble.” His mom and aunts bring plates of food out, and as we eat, the conversation flows easily, filled with laughter, stories, and well-wishes. I can feel the tension from earlier melting away, replaced by a sense ofcontentment and happiness. Gael’s family is everything I could have hoped for, and so much more.
Gael leans over, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. “See, Mama? Everything is gonna be just fine.”
I smile, feeling tears prick the back of my eyes. “It really is. I love you, Gael.”
“I love you too, Adriana. All three of you.”
16
GAEL
Iwalk into the clubhouse, the familiar scent of leather gloves and fresh-cut grass filling my nostrils. The guys are already suited up, going through their pre-practice rituals. I spot Kai, Jackson, and Andres in the corner, reviewing the practice plans. Right before I join them, I pull out my phone and send Adri a voice message.
Gael
Mama, I can’t wait to see you tonight. I have some plans for that beautiful body of yours. I’m going to fuck you so good when you get home. I want you to think about that all day. Think about my cock inside you, stretching you, filling you up. I want you to be so wet and ready for me. I love you, and I can’t wait to see you.
Putting my phone in my bag, I head to join my teammates. Kai looks up and grins. “Gael, Papi! Ready to show me what ya got today?”
He jumps on my back and starts air humping me. I shakehim off me, laughing hard. “Always ready. But first, I gotta tell you guys something.”
Kai raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “Oh yeah? What’s up?”
I take a deep breath, the words practically bursting out of me. “So I’m keeping this to the short version since we’re about to go out on the field. I hooked up with Isla’s friend Adriana.”
Kai’s demeanor shifts, and he stares me down. “Uh huh, why do I feel like there’s an ‘and’ coming?”
