Page 103 of You Had Me at Hola
“Make what work?” she asked, still riding the high from his kiss.
“Us. I don’t know where I’m going to live, and I’ll have Yadiel with me—”
“Yadiel is an amazing kid,” she said, pulling back to look him in the eyes. “Don’t feel like you have to hide him from me. You know I want a family. Not because it will give me value, but because I have a lot of love to give. I want to be loved, too, but I also just want tolovesomeone. And I don’t know why, but something about that scares everyone—”
Ashton took her hands in his and looked her deep in the eyes. “I’m not them.”
She pressed her lips together, holding back the flood of emotion threatening to overwhelm her. “I know.”
“And I’m not scared.”
He wasn’t. She could see the difference in him now. Despite the crowd and the attention and revealing his family to hers, there was a sense of calm and contentment in him that hadn’t been there before. And it made her so fucking happy to see it.
“I love you,” she whispered, and the words were like a release. Lightness infused her heart, and a tear spilled over her cheek.
Ashton pulled her close and kissed her, then he was mumbling apologies against her lips as he held her tight.
“I’m sorry I blamed you for... a lot of things. My son falling—when really, he’salwaysfalling off things. And the tabloids, and—”
“I forgive you. You were scared. And I was hurt. I understand why you didn’t tell me about him.”
“I should have. I’m sorry I didn’t.”
“I know. But I get it. And I’m sorry I called you selfish.”
“Speaking of...” His lips curved. “I’ll have to get Yadi to call you by name.”
Her brows creased. “Why, what does he call me?”
“Pretty lady.”
She laughed. “In English?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, maybe we should correct that.”
For a long moment, they just looked at each other, smiling. Jasmine tried to note every detail, so she never forgot this moment.
“We’ll make it work,” she said in a quiet voice. “And we’ll take it slow. I think... I think we both need that.”
He nodded. “You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met,” he whispered, kissing her again.
Just then, the door from the main hall swung open. They broke apart and turned to see Riley running over to them.
Riley’s eyes were wide and she waved her phone excitedly. “Season two,” she cried. “ScreenFlix has already ordered a second season!”
ASHTON’S HEART POUNDEDin his throat. Despite everything they’d just shared, he and Jasmine hadn’t yet talked about the show. And he didn’t want her to think he’d manipulated her into making a decision.
Jasmine’s brows shot up. She released Ashton and grabbed her agent.
“Oh my god!” Jasmine said on a gasp. “That was so fast!”
“I told you!” Riley shrieked.
The two women jumped up and down, hugging, then Jasmine was hugging Ashton too.
“We got it!” she whispered in his ear.
