Page 84 of Along Came Amor
Roman’s brow creased, like he didn’t understand why she was upset. “You were on the phone. I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Telling me the tasting had started wouldn’t have been bothering me.”
“If I’d known you were letting your stepmother badger you into doing emotional labor, I would have interrupted.” For the first time, a hint of irritation threaded his words. “My apologies for thinking your call wasimportant.”
He was right, but the way he said it got her back up, and she wasn’t going to let him steer this conversation toward her unhealthy relationship with her family. “I don’t just mean now. You’ve been doing this the whole day.”
He shrugged and glanced at his watch again, which infuriated her even more. “Well, we already settled everything, so don’t worry about it. It’s time for us to get going.”
Ava had spent too much time around children not to know when mischief was afoot, and the way he kept checking the time made her teacher’s Spidey sense tingle. “Why couldn’t you wait for me? What’s the rush?”
“The chefs had other things to do,” he replied vaguely, with a quick look at his phone.
She narrowed her eyes. “Theyhad other things to do oryouhave other things to do?”
He didn’t answer immediately, which told her all she neededto know. The pieces clicked together, leaving her with a growing sense of outrage. “This is about what you said on the plane.”
His expression was carefully blank. “What did I say?”
She planted a hand on her hip. “You planned something for us. That’s why you’ve been rushing through everything with Belinda. That’s why you didn’t wait for me to come back for the tasting.”
As he chewed the corner of his mouth, she expected him to deny it, but he nodded. “You’re right.”
She exploded. “I knew it. What is it? Some kind of fancy dinner? A cooking class with the island’s top chef?”
His sigh sounded annoyed. “A private sunset cruise.”
She barked out a humorless laugh. “I don’t believe this. I’m here to make sure my cousin’s wedding is perfect, and you’re here to get laid.”
His dreamy brown eyes flashed, not with anger, but with hurt. “After all this time, you think that’s all you are to me? You think I’d fly to Puerto Rico just for that?”
Even as she’d lobbed the accusation, she’d known she was being unfair, but she was too tired and irritable to feel bad about it, and the pounding in her head had increased in tempo. Besides, she was nursing her own hurt feelings, and she was too wound up to let him off the hook. “Well, I don’t think you’re here out of the goodness of your heart to help Ashton.”
“Of course I’m not.” He scoffed. “I wanted to spend time with you, and this is the only way you’d let me.”
Her heart gave a little leap at the words, but the scornful delivery made her throat tight. “If I mean so much to you, why have you been talking over me all day, refusing to give me a second to think or ask questions?”
“I washelping. That’s what I’m here to do. Help make decisions for the wedding.”
“You weren’t helping, Roman. You weredoing. And you completely cut me out of it.”
His brow creased in genuine confusion. “If you wanted to ask something, why didn’t you?”
“Because you never gave me a chance!” The words burst out of her, and any other time she would have been embarrassed at her lack of control, but today, her emotions were too close to the surface, and she couldn’t tamp them down if she’d wanted to.
And for once, she didn’t fucking want to.
“Look,” she barreled on. “I get that you’re an expert at throwing galas or whatever, but I’m an expert on Jasmine. She’s been looking forward to her wedding for practically her entire life. We can’t just make all the decisions based on what’slogical. It has to beperfect.”
Deep down, a little voice whispered,Are you sure you’re not just trying to make up for your own imperfect wedding?Ava smacked it down viciously.
She couldn’t explain why she felt like this was a do-over for her. Why Jasmine’s wedding had to be as perfect as she could make it.
Why she felt like just maybe, if she did this part right, Jasmine would have not just the perfect wedding, but the perfectmarriagetoo. Ava might have blown it in the happily-ever-after department, but by god, she was going to ensure her cousin had the ultimate happy ending.
Even if the combination of fierce family loyalty and bitter jealousy kept her up at night.
“I’m getting us through these meetings quickly and efficiently.” Roman gestured at the planner tucked in the crook of her arm. “You’ve told me you’re trying not to overthink things anymore. I’m doing you a favor. Not everything requires extensive preparation.”
