Page 65 of Along Came Amor
“I have to take this,” Roman said.
“Almost time for the announcement,” Ashton warned.
“Don’t worry, I won’t miss it.”
“Jasmine will hunt you down if you do. She has a whole song and dance planned.”
“Wait, literally?”
When Ashton only shrugged, Roman stepped aside and took the call.
While he listened to Camille’s updates, he imagined what Ava would say if he asked her to be his plus-one to Ashton’s wedding. She’d probably decline and remind him of her rules. But he’d ask anyway, just to test the waters.
All he had to do was get through this party. Then he’d take her in his arms and show her how much he’d missed her.
Chapter 20
After extracting a promise from the catering manager that he would personally fix the chocolate fountain, Ava left the kitchen, only to be drawn up short by Jasmine and Michelle lying in wait outside the door.
Ava gave them the warning look she used on her students when she could tell they were about to act foolish. “Please, don’t do this now.”
Jasmine did her best impression of sad puppy dog eyes—which, considering her profession, was pretty damned good. “Can we hug you at least?”
Ava swallowed hard. If her cousins hugged her now, she was going to lose her grip on her rapidly fraying self-control. She wasn’t sure what she’d do—scream, cry, throw up—but either way, it was bound to be messy, andshe did not do mess. “I would really prefer that you didn’t. I’mfine.”
“Whatever you say, prima.” Michelle’s tone was dubious. “We totally believe you.”
“I mean it,” Ava said firmly. “Hector is not my problem anymore. And anyway, it’s almost time for the announcement. We should get going.”
Jasmine tucked her arm through Ava’s. “Marry You” byBruno Mars played overhead as they wound their way through the crowd.
“Let’s get together after the party,” Jasmine suggested. “We’ll open a few bottles of rosé and talk.”
Ava thought about the text she’d just sent Roman. He hadn’t replied yet, but she knew he was back from Japan, and she was mentally crossing all her fingers and toes that she’d be with him tonight.
“Maybe,” she hedged, instead of saying that Hector was the absolute last person she wanted to discuss.
On their way to the front of the ballroom, they were stopped every two feet, either by celebrities who wanted a selfie with Jasmine or family members who kissed Ava’s cheek and murmured, “Lo siento, muchacha.”
It was the longest walk of Ava’s life.
When they finally reached the stage, Jasmine sent Ava a look full of worry. “Are yousureyou’re okay?”
Ava plastered a serene smile on her face and nodded. “Yes. Totally okay.”
She was not even a little bit okay. She was hanging on by her fingernails.
A quick glance at her phone showed there was no response from Roman. Granted, it had only been a few minutes, but if she knew she could see him tonight, that would at least give her the strength to get through the rest of this party.
Jasmine’s sister Jillian joined them, and from the corner of her eye, Ava spotted Ashton and his dad, Ignacio.
When Jasmine took the mic and launched into her prepared speech—which included jokes and singing, because Jasmine was nothing if not an entertainer—Ava tucked her phone into her pocket and resorted to her Resting Pleasant Face. She smiledand laughed at the appropriate moments, but she didn’t hear a single thing Jasmine said. It must have been good, though, because her cousin had the assembled partygoers eating out of her hand.
Inside, Ava’s brain pinballed between images of Hector standing at an altar with some nameless, faceless woman, and thoughts of kissing the hell out of Roman when she next saw him.
She didn’tcareabout Hector. She really didn’t. It had been two years, for god’s sake. But her family didn’t know she’d moved on. They thought she was alone. Not that things with Roman were serious, but they had... a companionship, of sorts. It didn’t feel right to keep him in “booty call” territory now that they were texting about things that had nothing to do with sex. Were they friends with benefits? That sounded too juvenile, considering their ages and Roman’s level of success, but she couldn’t say theyweren’tfriends. Fuck buddies? Ugh, that sounded terrible too. Anyway, it didn’t matter what they were called, because the only person who knew about him was Damaris.
If her family knew about Roman, maybe they wouldn’t be gazing at her now with undisguised pity.I’m not alone!she wanted to scream.I have an amazing, sexy man in my life, and I never even have to pick up his dirty socks. But they didn’t know, and they never would.
