Antonio made an offer on the house and had been waiting to hear if the owners would accept his offer. In the meantime, while waiting for the homeowner's response, he received a phone call from the FAA, letting him know all necessary repairs were completed and that his plane had finished inspection, as well as, having the aircrafts final certificate of operation in hand waiting for him to be picked up. After work, he drove over to the airport, met with the FAA, inspected the aircraft and checked to see what all had been repaired.

While he was there, he called his personal pilot asking to meet him at the airport so they could go over everything and to make plans for their trip to Cancun. After meeting with the pilot, he drove home and looked online for where the best places to stay in Cancun would be and since it would be their first vacation together, he wanted to make sure everything would be perfect and to give her that mesmerizing smile he loved so much.

Antonio figured since Harlow wouldn't be around for the evening and was going to be out with her friends for the night, he decided he would make a special visit over to her parents' home and to have a talk with them. Ethan answered the door, letting him in. "Harlow isn't home right now."

"I know, I actually came by wanting to talk to your parents, are they home?"

"Is something wrong?" Ethan curiously asked. He could see the look in Antonio's face that he was nervous, or was worried about something.

"No, no, not at all. I just have some things I would like to talk to them about. Which means, you need to go do something and leave us be," he winked.

Ethan finally understood what he was up to after remembering the ring Antonio showed him and chuckled. "Oh, I know what you're wanting to do," he smiled. "I'll go let them know that you're here."

"Thanks."

Antonio sat on the couch while Ethan went off to inform his parents, he was there wanting to have a talk with them. He was feeling nervous and sat there taking in some deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. Ethan walked back over to Antonio and sat down next to him with a smirk. "Damn man, I've never seen you so nervous before, are you going to make it?"

"I'll be fine."

"Just do what I do, whenever I feel like I'm about to have a panic attack, I put a brown paper bag to my mouth and drink the entire bottle of bourbon I have inside the bag," he chuckled.

Antonio grinned. "Not tonight, I can deal without the alcohol for one night, especially about this."

Ethan laughed. "Are you sure? I can go sneak you a quick shot. It might help calm those nerves of yours, even though my parents are pretty cool and easy to talk to."

"Thanks, but I'm good."

"Alrighty then, good luck. They're out in the backyard sitting by the fire, they said you're more than welcome to come join them."

Antonio walked out back, found a chair and sat down next to them. "Nice night out."

"It's a very nice night, what brings you on by?" Charlotte said with a smile. "Ethan mentioned you would like to talk to us about something."

Antonio cleared his throat and sat straight. As he looked at her parents he felt his heart beating faster than what it was moments ago and began to sweat like he had bad working out in the gym. Of all the cases he ever had to deal with and to go in front of a judge, as well as dealing with his parents at times when he was younger and some of the nervous times he had with Harlow, he never had been as nervous as he was right now. He raked his fingers through his hair while telling himself to calm down. "I had some things on my mind and I wanted to talk to you about them before I brought it up to Harlow," he said stuttering.

"What would that be?" James asked, curiously. Seeing the look Antonio was giving off, he had a feeling what this was going to be about. He saw how the two were together and had noticed since they started dating how much Antonio showed his love for her. He also had a feeling a proposal would be coming soon. While studying Antonio, he noticed how nervous he looked and reached down to the ground, grabbing his bottle of bourbon from underneath his chair and handed it over to Antonio. "Here, why don't you take a bump off this."

"Oh, I really shouldn't," he said, raising his hands. As much as he wanted to take him up on his offer, he knew he shouldn't, not yet.

James placed the bottle on Antonio's lap anyway and nodded his head. "Go ahead, one bump won't hurt you..."

Antonio finally took him up on his offer after a few minutes of debating with himself and took a small bump off the bottle. "Thank you," he said, sounding calm as he handed the bottle back to James and enjoying the warm feeling that was going through his body and down into his stomach.

"You can relax now, we don't bite," James said, as he leaned closer to him.

"Thank you, sir. I will admit I'm a little nervous."

Charlotte smiled. "Please, don't be. With us, there's nothing to be nervous about," she winked and smiled as she took a sip of her drink.

Antonio started feeling a little more relaxed and figured to just get it over with. He closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath, then opened his eyes, clearing his throat. "The reason why I'm here is because... I came to ask for your blessing. Since the first time I met Harlow, there was something about her that drew her to me and just knew she was the one. I could feel it," he said while pulling a small black box out of his pocket. He looked down at the box in his hand, then handed it over to James for he and Charlotte to see. "I really would love for her to be my wife."

"Wow, it's very beautiful." Charlotte said in awe as she looked at the ring. "You have wonderful taste."

James and Charlotte both couldn't stop smiling as they looked at the ring. James felt excited for his daughter; he liked the fact Antonio came over to ask for his blessing first and to not ask her, without their approval. He and Charlotte had no problems with Antonio and loved how he treated her. From the first time they met him, they knew he was different than all the other men she had chosen to date in the past.

"Very nice." James said, handing the ring back to Antonio. Antonio felt a lump in his throat as he watched James clear his throat, then began feeling nervous again, hoping he wouldn't say it was too soon for them. They've been dating for nearly a year and felt he couldn't live another day without her and thought it was time to finally pop the question. James quietly looked over at Charlotte. She smiled, nodded her head and looked at Antonio "You have our blessing," she said happily.

Antonio closed his eyes and let out the deep breath he had been holding in. "Thank you very much, I want you both to know, she'll be in good hands."

"We know," said James.

"As you may know, I put an offer in on a house and have been waiting to hear if they'll accept my offer. In the meantime, I plan on flying Harlow to Cancun for a little vacation and I may ask for her hand while we're there. I just wanted to be sure it was okay with the two of you first, before I officially decide on when and where to ask her."

"I think this calls for a celebration toast," James said smiling. He reached for the bottle, then looked around him. "Where's that Ethan at?"

"I'm right here!" Ethan called out, walking out from the side of the house.

Antonio shook his head, knowing Ethan must have been standing nearby, listening in. Ethan sat down next to Antonio, looked at him and grinned. "What's up brother?"

Antonio grinned and began pointing at him, shaking his head.

Ethan looked away from Antonio and over to his dad. "So, what did you need?"

Antonio had to laugh, he knew Ethan knew what his dad was calling him for, but remained quiet. James then asked for Ethan to grab a couple glasses and to make his mother another drink.

"James," Charlotte scolded, knowing what he was up to.

"Ethan can have a drink with us. You can't tell me you honestly believe he doesn't drink? Even I know my boy better than that."

Ethan quickly left, then came back with a couple glasses and a drink for his mother. Giving her a devilish grin as he handed the drink to her. "Thank you, you made it weak, right?" she asked, smelling her drink.

"Yea, weaker than I make dads," he grinned, knowing he made it stronger than she normally likes.

Ethan handed his dad the glasses and sat in the chair next to Antonio. "Where's that girl you've been talking to? I figured you would have been hanging out with her tonight." Antonio asked Ethan as James was handing them their drinks.

"Oh yea, about that. Yesterday she asked me to hand her the Chapstick that was beside me, I handed it to her and she hasn't talked to me since."

Antonio's face fell. "Why? What did you do?" Antonio asked.

Ethan shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "I didn't know it, but I handed her a tube of superglue."

"Ethan, you didn't!" Charlotte squealed in shock.

"No, I do anything of the sort. I may be a clown, but I'm not that stupid, geeze... I just haven't heard from her, that's all."

Charlotte changed the subject and began asking Antonio about his parents, wondering when they were going to be meeting them. "I'd like to meet them, especially since we'll be family soon."

"As of right now, they're in Paris. I have them enrolled in English classes and am hoping to see them when they're finished with their classes. I too haven't seen them since I moved out here."

"When will that be?" she curiously asked.

"They should be done in a couple months, then I'll arrange for them to come and visit. I just want to make sure they'll be able to have a conversation with Harlow."

"Let us know when they come to town, we would love to have them over for dinner."

"I'm sure they would like that."

Antonio sat with Ethan and Harlow's parents, talking about his life growing up, how he wanted to move to America since he was a child, what made him decide to be an attorney and what made him decide on being in the property management business.

"Speaking of being an attorney, I've always wondered how they slept?" Ethan asked, cutting Antonio off.

"What do you mean?" Antonio asked, looking at him with a curious look and raising an eyebrow.

"Well, if you think about it, first he has to lie on the one side, then he has to lie on the other side." Ethan said with a straight face and shrugging his shoulders. "I would think that they're tossing and turning all night, not knowing which side to lie on."

Antonio laughed. "Funny guy, aren't you?"

"Well it's true... think about it."

"I like to take on cases where I know they're telling the truth. I know that's not always the case, but sometimes you must follow the law and prove them innocent, which can suck at times. But I have been lucky with the cases I have taken in. Now, there once was a case I wouldn't take. I knew he was guilty after seeing all the evidence, and it was a case I had a hard time dealing with, one I ended up refusing to take."

Ethan gave him a serious look and started laughing after seeing the look on Antonio's face. "You know I was making a joke, but that's good to know."

"Like I said before, you think you're so funny."

Charlotte was feeling the effects of the alcohol and decided to go to bed. After she walked away, James poured them each another drink and stayed to talk more with Antonio and Ethan

"Hey Antonio, so now that you have an airplane, we will never have to worry about losing our luggage... yes!"

Antonio chuckled and took a swallow of his drink. "No, we'll never have to worry about that... why has that ever happened to you?"

Ethan sighed, "Yes, once. I tried suing the airline for losing my luggage too. It didn't go so well; I lost my case."

Antonio face palmed and shook his head. "Harlow was right, you do need help."

James had to laugh. "My son has been a comedian since he was about two or three years old and has always been up to no good."

"He still is..." Antonio chuckled, giving Ethan a shove. "But I like him and I'll be glad to have him as part of the family."

James poured himself another drink even though he was feeling no pain. "I know our kids are still young yet, but Charlotte and I have been waiting patiently for grandkids... out of curiosity, what are your thoughts about having kids?"

"To be honest, I love kids and since I was a child, I always dreamed of having a large family. As a matter of fact, I always told my parents I wanted as many kids that the good lord would bless me with."

James pointed his finger at him as he leaned closer and smiled. "I like you, I'm glad you met my daughter and swept her off her feet."

"All thanks to me." Ethan blurted out, reaching his glass out to James, wanting some more bourbon. "I need a little credit here. If it weren't for me, they never would have met."

Later in the night, Ethan and Antonio helped James into the house and walked him up to his room. "Thank you," he slurred.

"You're on your own now, I'm not helping you change." Ethan said, setting him on the bed and leaving him to figure out if he wanted to sleep in his clothes, or, remove them.

It was already after midnight and Antonio hadn't planned on staying this late. Hell, he wasn't even planning on having any drinks and was feeling quite drunk that he wasn't about to drive home. He tried calling Harlow, but was having a hard time speaking and was hung up on.

"She hung up on me," Antonio slurred, feeling bummed.

"I'll call her."

Ethan called Harlow and slurred while talking to her, trying to explain Antonio needed a ride home. He too was hung up on. "Damn, I think she's pissed... oh well, she's a girl, she'll get over it... would you like another one? I'm guessing Harlow either won't be coming home, or she'll come home late and will be one pissed off chickee."

"Sure, what the hell, it can't get any worse."

Ethan poured another drink for Antonio and stood in the living room talking for a while, then started singing. They were singing Family Tradition, when Harlow walked in the house.

Harlow heard Ethan and Antonio singing in the living room and walked over to where they were. What the? she muttered. Her hands went to her hips as she walked over to them and stood still while watching the two knuckleheads singing as loud as they could.

"Do you two have any idea what time it is?"

Both Antonio and Ethan jumped, turning their bodies around, with both tripping on their own feet as they tried walking over to her, falling to the ground. As they fell, both laughed and tried pulling themselves back up using the back of the couch. Antonio reached out for Harlow's hand, asking her for help. She reached out her hand, helped him up, only for him to take another tumble to the ground.

"My God, how could you guys drink like this? Especially in my parents' home?"

Ethan laughed, trying to wrap his arm around her. "It's dad's fault."

"Yeah right." She didn't believe him and threw her arms in the air as she started walking away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Ethan asked, grabbing at her hand. "I'm serious, we were drinking with mom and dad earlier, this is all dad's fault for serving us. Dad is completely wasted, we literally just brought him upstairs a little while ago."

Harlow still couldn't believe it and walked away from them, walking into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. She then started making Antonio coffee, hoping to sober him up. She looked at the counter, saw her mom's bottle of rum sitting out and mumbled, Holy shit, they're not lying.

"I think I'm in trouble," Antonio said, trying to focus his eyes. He stumbled his way over to Harlow and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry, I wasn't planning this at all. Ethan was telling you the truth; your dad was the one feeding us the alcohol."

She sighed, waving her hand in front of her face, trying to get the smell of the bourbon away from her. "Not that I care, but what were you doing here anyway? You knew I was hanging out with friends tonight."

He smiled and began caressing the side of her face. He couldn't help admire her beauty and smiled even wider when he thought how beautiful she looked upset. "I came over to talk to talk with your parents about some important things, that's all."

"What about?"

"About you, I wanted to tell them how much I loved you and to thank them for bringing you into this world, that's all. Something wrong with that?"

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!!❤❤❤❤❤❤

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