Page 62 of Along Came Amor
Willow took one look at their great-aunt and grabbed Ronnie’s daughter from Ava’s arms. “I’ll take her back to Ronnie. See ya!”
Titi Nereida cornered Ava. “¿Y el chocolate fountain?” she demanded.
Ava blinked. The non sequitur was so out of left field, even for Titi Nereida, that Ava couldn’t guess what the older woman meant. “Huh?”
Her great-aunt gestured impatiently. “¿Por qué está apagado?”
Ava glanced at the table where the chocolate fountain was supposed to be flowing like something out of Willy Wonka’s factory. Sure enough, it was off, and a ring of disappointed children poked halfheartedly at the thickening chocolate.
Turning back to her great-aunt, Ava pressed her lips into a tight smile. As much as she wanted to point out that there was an event planner in attendance, she didn’t dare. If Ava was rude to Titi Nereida, she’d never hear the end of it.
“Don’t worry,” Ava assured her great-aunt. “I’ll fix it.”
Stepping away, Ava grabbed a crab puff on a toothpick and popped it in her mouth as she navigated the packed ballroom. She skirted the dance floor, looking for the doors she’d seen the catering team slipping in and out of.
At least there was no risk of running into Roman while she was here. The engagement party was being held at the Echo Luxe SoHo, not one of the Dulce hotels. Thank goodness for small favors.
Although if theywereat a Dulce, she could ask Roman to fix this chocolate fountain business.
Ava was on her way into the kitchen to grab someone from catering when her grandmother pulled her aside.
“Ava, mi amor. ¿Estás bien?” Esperanza asked in a hushed voice.
Ava offered her grandmother a confused smile. “I’m fine, Abuela. ¿Qué pasó?”
Realization dawned on Esperanza’s lined face, and her gaze darted to the side. “Nereida didn’t tell you?”
“That the chocolate fountain isn’t working?” Ava nodded. “I’m on my way to the kitchen now.”
Her grandmother’s dark brown eyes went wide and she started to back away. “Oh, never mind then. No es nada.”
Ava’s own eyes narrowed in suspicion and she caught her grandmother’s shoulder. “Esperate. What did you think Titi Nereida told me?”
Esperanza waved it away. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s clearly not nothing, Bwela. Díme.”
Esperanza sighed, and her eyebrows dipped in resignation. “I thought you already knew, nena. Lo siento.”
Now Ava was really worried. Her grandmother almost never apologized—for anything. The old woman was loving and affectionate, but she could also be critical and mean. If she was saying she was sorry, it must be really bad.
Anxiety blossomed as Ava took her grandmother’s hands. “Please just tell me. Is everything okay? Is someone sick?”
“No, nothing like that. Pero... you know Nereida is neighbors with Gloria, sí?”
Ava froze at the name of her former mother-in-law, then forced herself to nod.
“Well, Nereida told me...”
Ava waited silently, gaze glued to her grandmother’s face, but inside she was screamingJUST SAY IT.
Esperanza let the rest out in a rush. “Hector is getting married.”
Ava’s lips parted, but nothing came out.
Her first ridiculous thought was to correct what her grandmother had said. Notmarried, butremarried. Hector was gettingremarried. Because he had already been married before. Toher.
But now... Hector was getting married to someone else. Someone who wasnot her.
