Page 35 of Never Again
“I do, but…” He looked deeply into her eyes. “I remember what happened before—the rift that our relationship caused in your relationship with your father.”
“I’m not a child. I wasn’t a child then, and I’m not a child now. I know my own mind, and even though I enjoy the work that I’m doing and the lifestyle I live, I’d walk away from all of it if it meant I couldn’t be with you.”
He frowned. “You would still do that?”
“Yes,” Carmen said emphatically.
“You would live with a starving artist in a one-room loft in Atlanta?”
“You’re not a starving artist, but even if you were, I’d still do it and love every minute in that loft with your cat Sofia.” She smiled. “I love you. That’s all that matters.”
Carlos gazed down at their joined hands and rubbed his thumb along the inside of her palm. “I really don’t deserve you,” he said quietly.
Carmen leaned closer. “Don’t ever say that again.”
She saw worry in his eyes and hated his doubts.
Carlos cupped her cheek. “Give me—us—a little more time to enjoy each other. We both know when you tell him about us, unless he’s drastically changed his opinion in recent years, the shit will hit the fan. I think we should surprise him the night of the ball.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Warning him ahead of time simply means having to deal with the fallout before the event. Knowing your father, he might ban me from coming.” She couldn’t argue with him about that. “A surprise is best, especially in a public place, where he’ll have to play nice. Not only that, I don’t want you talking to him on your own. We should go to him together.”
“Okay.”
Based on the conversation she overheard in the kitchen between her parents a while back, her father’s opinion of Carlos hadn’t changed, but she saw no need to mention that. She meant what she said. If her father caused problems for them or demanded she leave Carlos or be cut off, she would walk away. It would hurt not to get his approval and hurt to leave the position at Fit Body Gyms she’d grown to enjoy.
But her love for Carlos was more important than her father’s approval or her new-found career.
15
“How do I look?” Carlos straightened the bow tie on his tuxedo.
Carmen came to stand beside him in the mirror. “Handsome. Absolutely perfect.”
“And you look amazing.” He pressed a soft kiss to her fragrant neck.
He wanted to do much more because she looked so sexy in an ivory, off-the-shoulder dress, but she wouldn’t allow him to give her a proper kiss since she didn’t want to mess up her make-up. She’d flat-ironed her hair and wore bangs and long, straight extensions that fell to the middle of her back, with diamond drop earrings hanging from her ears.
She leaned against him and slid an arm around his waist. “Thank you.” Gazing up at him, she added, “You ready?”
Carlos nodded though about to walk on the emotional equivalent of a bed of nails engulfed in flames, but if that’s what it took to have a future with Carmen, he’d gladly walk on a thousand of them. “Yes.”
They left the condo together. Franklin, with his customary disapproving stare, opened the door and they climbed in the back. Carmen reached for Carlos’s hands as if in an effort to comfort him, but he believed she needed the comfort more than he did based on the nervous half-smile she sent in his direction before they pulled away from the curb.
At the venue, they climbed out of the vehicle, and Carmen’s hands tightened on his.
“You okay?” Carlos gazed down at her. She looked like someone about to throw up, and he was doubly glad he hadn’t let her talk to Alfred alone. She was so sensitive, and going against her father’s wishes was a big step, again. At least this time he was better prepared to deal with the fallout.
Carmen nodded. “Just nervous.”
“I’m here.” He squeezed her hand, which elicited a faint smile from her lips.
They entered the brightly lit venue, teeming with wealthy guests all ready to whip out their checkbooks and support pee wee soccer, little league baseball, and other sports for less fortunate kids. He didn’t like Alfred Reeves one bit, but the man was generous with his money when it came to sports—a passion he’d been forced to give up a long time ago when his professional baseball career ended.
A string quartet played a dulcet tune in the corner, and folks mingled with each other, talking and laughing as if they were old friends. They sauntered through the crowd with Carmen introducing him to some of the executive staff and business associates from other companies. Carlos smiled and shook hands but felt out of place. This wasn’t his world, but he needed to relax and accept that a future with Carmen meant attending more events like this, the same way a future with him meant attending art exhibits and festivals. If she could adjust, so could he.
He glanced at her as she engaged in conversation with an older woman and smiled to himself when he realized that he was truly thinking about a future with her. Next steps meant marriage, kids, pets, and living under the same roof, all of which he looked forward to with sudden vigor. But with him living in Atlanta and her living in Toronto, they had to figure out the logistics of their relationship.
