Chapter 35
One Month Until the Wedding
“All right.” Ashton gestured with his hand. “Díme. What happened while you were in Puerto Rico with Ava?”
They were in Roman’s living room sipping rum negronis. Ashton had come back to New York from Vancouver before Jasmine because
Yadiel was going to spend a week attending a computer camp in Westchester. At the moment, Yadiel was in the TV room playing
video games with Mikayla.
Roman opened his mouth to answer, then broke into a wide smile.
Ashton narrowed his eyes. “What does that smile mean?”
Roman touched his cheek. Yup, he was grinning like a fool. “It means... I love her.”
Ashton dragged a hand down his face. “Ay Diós mío.”
“I really do, man.”
“Didn’t you two just meet a few months ago?”
“We met in October.”
Ashton blinked in surprise. “I didn’t realize it had been that long.”
“I only told you about it once it... progressed.”
“Progressed to what?”
“Feelings?”
Ashton reached for his drink. “Jasmine is going to murder me.”
Roman grimaced. “It gets worse.”
“How could it?”
“Ava knows that you know.”
“Cono. How did she react?”
“Let’s just say she’s not thrilled about it.”
Ashton grunted. “I bet.”
“She doesn’t want anyone else to know about us until after your wedding.”
“Of course she doesn’t.” Ashton leaned forward, his expression serious. “Let me explain something. It was a thing when Jasmine moved to Los Angeles. It was a thing when Michelle quit her job. But it was the biggest thing of all when Ava got divorced from that pendejo. Now, I’ve heard about all this secondhand, but you need to understand where
she’s coming from.”
Roman mulled that over. “She told me about her family’s reaction to the divorce.”
“Then you know why she wouldn’t want to introduce anyone to them again. And now that they already know you...”
“I mean, I get it, but...”
But he wanted to tell everyone. He wanted to buy a fucking billboard in Times Square.
“Mira. Jasmine moved across the country to escape. Michelle, she’s like a cactus or... ?Cómo se dice puercoespín en ingles?”
“Porcupine,” came Yadiel’s voice from behind them.
They both turned to see the boy rounding the sofa.
Ashton sighed. “What have I told you about eavesdropping?” To Roman, he added in an undertone, “It’s been a problem lately.”
“I heard that.” Yadiel grabbed a handful of cashews from the tray in front of them. “And I wasn’t. I just overheard .”
“A technicality,” Ashton muttered. “?Qué pasó?”
“Nothing, I’m just hungry.”
“Don’t you and Mikayla have a ton of snacks?” Ashton asked.
Yadiel shrugged. “I don’t want those snacks.”
“Help yourself to anything in the kitchen,” Roman told him.
Yadiel’s dark eyes lit up. “ Anything ?”
“Sure,” Roman said, missing Ashton’s look of alarm until it was too late.
Yadiel whooped and raced toward the kitchen, clearly excited by the thought of unfettered access to Roman’s pantry and fridge.
“No alcohol and no caffeine!” Ashton called after him. When Roman sent him a quizzical stare, the other man shrugged. “We’re
in a boundary-pushing phase.”
Roman made a noncommittal hum and sipped his drink. There was that word that Ava liked so much: boundaries . Maybe Roman was in a boundary-pushing phase too, because he didn’t want any barriers between them.
Their time in Puerto Rico had been perfect. Okay, maybe not the first day, but afterward. He didn’t see why they couldn’t
have that at home.
And yet, he could already feel her putting distance between them. It had started during the flight back, and while she was responsive when he called and texted, he hadn’t seen her as often as he’d wanted. Granted, he’d been extra busy making up for the time he’d been away, but he couldn’t help wishing she were here waiting for him when he dragged himself home in the evenings.
She was finally coming over tonight to meet his mother and sister, after weeks of making excuses.
“Anyway,” Ashton said. “My point was, Ava’s family is very important to her. She always puts them first, even over herself.”
Which meant she wouldn’t put Roman over her family. “Got it.”
Ashton’s expression was still troubled. “I’m just saying, if she won’t even tell las primas poderosas...”
“Then she’s never going to tell the rest of them,” Roman finished.
“I don’t like being in the middle of this,” Ashton went on. “You’re the closest thing I have to a brother, and Ava has become
like a sister to me. And you both have me keeping secrets from my wife .”
“You kept that kid in my kitchen a secret from everyone—including me, I might add—for years. This should be easy for you.”
“It’s not the same.” Ashton sent him a dark look. “And it’s not a matter of if Jasmine finds out, it’s when. And when she finds out that I knew about you two, estoy jodido.”
They would all be fucked if Jasmine found out. Roman had known her long enough to understand that, at least.
“I just don’t get why Ava won’t tell her cousins. Her parents and everyone else, sure. But why not Jasmine and Michelle? They
seem supportive.”
Ashton shrugged. “The three of them are weird about relationships. When Jasmine and I got together, Jasmine didn’t tell Ava. And when Michelle started seeing Gabe, she didn’t tell Jasmine. I don’t try to understand it.”
“Ava seems to believe that her family will mess things up with us if they know.”
“Maybe. They’re very...” Ashton frowned as he searched for the word. “ Involved . And they treat Ava like she’s Cenicienta.”
Roman searched his brain for the English translation. “Cinderella?”
“Sí, ella.” He gestured with his glass. “She’s always in the kitchen at parties. She gets there early to help and leaves late
because she stays to clean up. I was going to tell Jasmine not to let Ava go to Puerto Rico for us, but then you jumped in
and I didn’t want to cockblock you, even though I have a sneaking suspicion you’re going to ruin my wedding.”
“I agree that Ava’s taking the maid of honor role too seriously. And I’m not going to ruin your wedding.”
“So you say.” Ashton’s tone clearly conveyed his skepticism. “But if you or Ava don’t tell Jasmine what’s going on with you
two, I’m telling her. You have until the wedding ceremony. I’m not going to speak my vows knowing I’m hiding something from
my wife.”
“That’s fair,” Roman grunted. It was at odds with the promise he’d made Ava about waiting until after the wedding, but Ashton
had a point, and Roman was anxious for Ava to stop treating their relationship like a dirty little secret.
Ashton gave Roman’s knee a swat then rose to his feet. “Vámanos. We need to make sure my son isn’t lying on your kitchen floor
in a sugar coma.”
Roman set down his glass and followed Ashton to the kitchen, reviewing everything his friend had told him.
Ava’s fears weren’t unfounded, and the likelihood of her deciding to tell her family about their relationship was slim. So what did that mean for their future together? Did they even have one? She couldn’t keep him a secret forever, could she?
He was afraid the answer was yes.