One year later
KIRI WALKED ALONG the beach, watching as Alejandro jogged ahead, chasing after Gervaso, who was toddling at full speed through the sand and the surf. Against all the odds and his preemie start, their little fighter had mastered first walking then running around the time of his first birthday.
He was thriving a year after his heart transplant, though Kiri knew he might have to go back on UNOS again one day. Just like Alejandro.
Alejandro was good about going to his appointments and taking care of himself. He was on the list, but so far with close monitoring there had been no further heart failure.
So Kiri just lived every day to the fullest, enjoying the time she had with her family.
She couldn’t believe that she’d been married to Alejandro for a year already. Shortly after they’d married Kiri’s parents had descended from New York City to meet their new son-in-law. Her parents were thrilled that she’d gotten married but not that she’d gotten married at City Hall.
So while they’d been in Miami Kiri had married Alejandro again for a second time in a traditional Hindu ceremony, which her parents had always wanted for her.
And Alejandro had teased that there was no escaping him now.
The newlyweds and Gervaso had taken the painful trip to New York City to visit the grave of the child they’d lost, which had allowed Alejandro to mourn and to mourn with her.
And on the anniversary of his parents’ deaths she’d gone with him to the graveside to pay her respects to the people who’d raised four strong, proud men.
She still missed her family and friends back in New York City, but after becoming a Valentino and adopting Gervaso she became part of an even larger family.
It was what she’d always wanted.
“Come back here,” Alejandro shouted, interrupting her thoughts as he playfully ran past her after Gervaso, who loved splashing through the little waves that broke on the shore. Kiri grinned as little footprints appeared on the sand before the waves washed them away.
The little boy was laughing and screeched when Alejandro closed in on him then hefted him up and swung him around. Gervaso sported a crop of dark curls and had the bluest eyes that Kiri had ever seen. The scar from the heart transplant was barely visible over the top of his T-shirt, but that didn’t stop the precocious boy from running amok. It didn’t slow him down one bit.
One of Gervaso’s first words had been spoken when he’d pointed to his scar and Alejandro’s scar and said, “Same.”
“Mami!” Gervaso cried out through fits of giggles.
“I’m coming,” Kiri called out, but they’d gotten so far ahead of her she had a hard time catching up.
Unfortunately she was moving a bit slower than those two were.
She looked down at her belly. She was seven months along and she was apparently carrying an elephant. Once she’d found out she was pregnant she’d had her cervix sewn up and had been put on a light workload up until last month, when she’d been told she should no longer work.
Which was fine. It was harder to stand for long periods of time now. Not with what seemed like a gigantic child growing inside her.
Her sister-in-law, Saoirse, had warned her that Valentino babies were large.
“Big heads!” she’d teased.
Kiri had laughed then, but now she believed it.
“I have to sit down,” she shouted over the laughter. She grabbed one of the many beach chairs along South Beach and sank down into it. It was heavenly, though she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to get out of it again. Still, it was nice not to be walking around so much.
They’d spent the day house hunting in South Beach, because Alejandro wanted to live near the ocean and they were outgrowing the one-bedroom condo that Kiri owned. They’d sold Alejandro’s condo to pay for Gervaso’s heart-transplant surgery, but not long after they’d paid the hospital bill Mr. Snyder had been booted off the board for giving a bad reputation to Buena Vista and the pro bono fund had been reinstated.
It seemed the press had got wind that a surgeon had applied to adopt an abandoned baby to save the baby’s life when the hospital had threatened to turn him away.
And since Alejandro was a renowned pediatric transplant surgeon the press had eaten it up. It had been a small victory, but worth it.
Buena Vista was now the kind of hospital they could both be proud to work in.
Kiri leaned back in the chair and put her feet up. The sun was setting over the ocean and the nightlife on South Beach was starting to kick up a notch.
Alejandro came back with Gervaso on his shoulders. “You know, on second thought I think we should expand our search area.”
Kiri cocked an eyebrow. “I thought you loved the ocean. And Gervaso clearly loves the ocean, he’s absolutely soaked.”
“I know. Sorry about that, but he loves the waves. For what it’s worth, there’s a huge wet spot on my back.”
Kiri chuckled. “I have no sympathy for you. So why do you want to widen the house hunting? I though you loved South Beach.”
“I do, but we can go outside Miami. We could go to an island even.”
“No way, not an island. I’m not driving over a large bridge every day.”
He shrugged. “You do it now.”
“Yes, but at least South Beach and Miami Beach are hard pieces of land and not islands that could flood.” She shook her head. “No islands.”
“How about a yacht?”
“No yachts. Besides, all your stripper money is gone, yes?” she teased.
He glared at her. “I could always go back to it.”
“I don’t think so. You’re mine.”
Alejandro bent over and kissed her. “So where were you thinking?”
“There’re a lot of nice houses down by Vizcaya,” she suggested. “On the mainland.”
Alejandro grinned. “A good school district too.”
“Exactly.” She rubbed her belly again. “I’m really dreading having to trade in for a minivan soon.”
He laughed. “You’ll look good driving a minivan.”
“You’re driving it, buster.”
“I don’t think so,” he teased. Then he set Gervaso down beside her. He curled up against her belly, rubbing his baby.
“Baby,” Gervaso said. “Mine.”
Alejandro placed a hand against her belly and the response was a strong kick. “Not long now. We’d better speed up our search. I want to be in the house before the baby comes.”
“I agree.” Kiri laid her hand over Alejandro’s and the baby kicked up at them, as if knowing that they were talking about him or her. Kiri hadn’t found out the gender as she wanted to be surprised.
It was a miracle she was pregnant, but she’d heard tell of women who spontaneously conceived after adopting and that’s exactly what had happened. Seven months ago when all the final paperwork had come through, announcing they were finally Gervaso’s parents, they’d celebrated in style that night.
And now they were on the fast track to a family. If they could only find a house that would suit them both.
“Did you ever think that you’d be here?” Kiri asked. “You were so adamant about not having kids.”
He shook his head. “No, I never did, because I didn’t think I’d live to see this.”
“You’re a transplant surgeon—people beat the odds all the time.”
He grinned at her. “I knew I shouldn’t have walked up to you in that bar in Vegas.”
“Well, you told me that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. And look where we are,” she teased. “It certainly didn’t stay in Vegas.”
“I’m glad of it, mi tesoro.”
“Are you?”
He gave that charming smile as he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. “Absolutely.”
* * * * *
If you missed the first story in the HOT LATIN DOCS quartet look out for SANTIAGO’S CONVENIENT FIANCÉE by Annie O’Neil
And there are two more fabulous stories to come!
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Amy Ruttan
UNWRAPPED BY THE DUKE
TEMPTING NASHVILLE’S CELEBRITY DOC
Keep reading for an excerpt from THE DOCTOR’S DIAMOND PROPOSAL by Annie Claydon.
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