Page 151 of Along Came Amor
“She’ll tell Michelle’s mom, who will tell Jasmine’s mom, who will—”
He held up a hand to cut her off. “Ava, I’m not entertaining this line of thinking anymore. We’ve gone at your pace, and it isn’t working, so now we’re going to try mine. You like lists, so let me make this simple.” He held up a finger for each point. “One: I love you. Two: I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And three: I’m stepping down as CEO so I can do just that.”
Ava stopped breathing. Her heart was stuck on the second point, but her brain was working overtime to make sense of the third, and coming up with nothing.
“You’re doing what?” she croaked.
His expression was placid as he repeated himself. “I’m stepping down as CEO. It’s been in the works for two weeks, andthe transition should be complete by the end of the year. I wanted to tell you sooner, but it’s been impossible to get you alone for any length of time in a place that isn’t a closet or a bathroom.” He gave the shelf of industrial-size rolls of toilet paper a pointed look.
She took a shuddering breath, and against her wishes, fresh tears sprang to her eyes. “Roman, you can’t.”
“Why not?” He stuck his hands in his pockets, the pose deceptively relaxed.
“This is a huge decision, and someday, whether it’s tomorrow or ten years from now, you’re going to look back and realize that I’m...” She stopped. The next part wasn’t going to go over well.
“You’re what?” His words carried a dare, like he was already prepared to pick apart her reasoning.
She swallowed hard and said it anyway. “I’m not worth it.”
His eyebrows rose slightly. “No? I have an entire spreadsheet that says you are.”
That both thrilled and terrified her. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
The corner of his mouth quirked. “I never joke about spreadsheets.”
“Roman.” She rubbed her temples. “I can’t ask you to do something like this for me.”
“You didn’t. Iwantto do this. For us, yes, but also... for me.” He took her hands in his, his expression open, reminding Ava of the first time she’d seen him all those months ago, showing off his tricks behind a bar.
“I’m tired of working every second of every day,” he went on. “Of not having time for my family, for my friends, formyself. In the past year, the only times I’ve felt like I was truly living were those stolen moments when we were together. Iwant to stop hustling and finally enjoy the fruits of my labor.” His fingers tightened on hers, and his tone deepened. “I want tolive, Ava. Withyou.”
Her heart melted at the earnestness in his voice, at the love shining in his eyes.
Believe him, a little voice inside her begged.Trust him.
“I’m scared.” It came out thin and ragged, drawn from somewhere deep and dark. Even that small admission felt too vulnerable, but he deserved that much, at least.
There was an unlimited depth of kindness in his gaze. “Of what, mi amor?”
“Of how much I want this to work...” She forced herself to voice the fear. “And how sure I am that it won’t.”
His eyebrows drew together and something like pain flittered over his face. “You don’t trust me not to leave you.”
She shook her head. “I don’t trustmeto keep you here. My own parents didn’t even want me. Why should you?”
“Ah,” he said gently. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”
And they were. It wasn’t just the divorce, Ava was starting to understand. Yes, Hector’s departure had hurt, but hadn’t it also confirmed what she’d already known about herself? It was why she tried so hard to be the perfect wife, daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, friend—everything. Because she knew that underneath the façade, she was just a huge inconvenience for everyone around her. And it was only a matter of time before they all realized it.
“Ava, I know you think you’re difficult to love.” The tenderness in his expression made her want to weep. “But for me, falling in love with you was the easiest thing in the world.”
The words cracked her open and healed something inside her, all at the same time.
“See?” she said, her voice raw. “You say things like that, and if I weren’t already completely in love with you, that would have done it.”
A rueful smile twisted his lips. “I knew you loved me.”
The tears she’d been holding at bay finally spilled over. “How?”
