Chapter 46
Hot, angry tears pushed their way up Ava’s throat as the words “selfish” and “sensitive” rang through her pounding head.
Never mind that she’d gone out of her way to squash down all her emotions so as not to inconvenience anyone else with them,
or that she gave and gave and gave, until she had nothing left for herself.
It wasn’t good enough. Nothing she did would ever be good enough.
Be good, Ava .
She was going to put it on her tombstone. Here lies Ava. She tried to be good, and eventually, it killed her.
When they reached the ballroom, she let Roman propel her into the backstage area, past the AV team setting up equipment for
speeches and karaoke. To the right, there was a large supply closet, its door propped open by a box filled with wires and
cords. Roman kicked the box aside on their way in. The second the door shut behind them, Ava began to tremble with rage.
“Do you see now?” She stabbed a finger toward the door, indicating what they’d just overheard. “That right there is why I
don’t want anyone in my family to know about you.”
Roman pushed both his hands into his hair and let out a long, slow breath. “Jesus. I’ve never wanted to fight an old lady before. Relatives of yours, I presume?”
“My great-aunt Nereida and her daughter, Marta.” Ava crossed her arms, hugging herself. “That was mild. They can be a lot
worse.”
He dropped his hands. “Look, I get it. You’re not exaggerating about your family. But we’re too old to be sneaking around
like teenagers, worried about what our parents are going to say.”
She released a strangled laugh. “If only it were just my parents. They’re a lot more reasonable than everyone else.”
“Great, let’s tell them about us. Introduce me to your dad tonight.”
She blanched. “No! He’ll tell Olympia.”
“Your mom then.”
“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, and the 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. I want to 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, for myself . In the past year, the only times I’ve felt like I was truly living were those stolen moments when we were together. I want to stop hustling and finally enjoy the fruits of my labor.” His fingers tightened on hers, and his tone deepened. “I want to live , Ava. With you .”
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 trust me to 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 facade, 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?”
He gave a little shrug. “We wouldn’t even be having this conversation if you didn’t. You’d have run away a long time ago.”
Her laugh sounded waterlogged, even to her. “You’re probably right.” And then she sighed. “I’ll tell Jasmine about us after
her honeymoon. I promise. After that... I just need time before I tell anyone else.”
His jaw worked, like he was thinking about something, and then he shook his head. “Ashton is going to tell Jasmine tonight.”
Panic sliced through her. “No!”
“They’re about to be married,” he pointed out, not unkindly. “It’s not fair to ask him to hide this from her.”
He was right, but anxiety had her in its grip. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
He sighed. “I probably should have, but I didn’t want an ultimatum to be the only reason you opened up to your cousin.”
Ava pulled her hands away so she could pace. “What if this ruins her wedding? What if she hates me?”
“She’s not going to hate you.”
“You don’t know that.” She was verging on shrill. “When this ends, it could destroy my relationship with her.”
He shook his head slowly, never taking his eyes off hers, and his tone contained barely concealed exasperation. “Ava, why
do you still think we have an expiration date?”
“Because...” She bit her lip. Because all of the relationships in her life did. It was something she knew in the core of her being, but she couldn’t figure out how to explain it in a way he’d understand. She just hugged herself tighter and didn’t finish the thought.
“Let me guess,” he said conversationally. “Your ex left, so you think I will too.”
That’s exactly right seemed like the wrong answer, so she kept her mouth shut.
“And if you tell Jasmine about us... what? She’s also going to abandon you? Is that it?”
Ava glared at him. He’d hit the nail right on the head, but he didn’t need to sound so smug about it.
“Is this why you work your ass off like you’re Cinderella?” he continued. “Because if you don’t, your family will cast you
out?”
Okay, now he was making her sound ridiculous.
“Yes, goddamn it,” she snapped. “You’re right. About all of it. Happy now? You heard my great-aunt. All I have ever done is
put everyone else’s needs and feelings first, but what am I? Selfish and too sensitive . My parents didn’t want me, my stepmother treats me like a servant, and according to my grandmother, I’m difficult and spoiled
because I won’t get myself knocked up. No matter how hard I try, nothing I do will ever be good enough for any of them.”
He stuck his hands in his pockets. “So stop trying.”
She gave a cynical laugh. “You say that like it’s so simple.”
“It’s not. But you have to start somewhere. Trust me, I understand the guilt of being a first-generation immigrant kid. But
you are allowed to live your own life. You don’t have to keep doing what your family expects in order to earn their love.”
“I do.”
“Why?” When she didn’t answer, he pressed on. “Because if you don’t, they punish you for it?”
He was right, but she didn’t want to admit it. “I wouldn’t exactly call it that.”
“No?” Roman raised a sardonic eyebrow. “What else do you call the snide comments and histrionics? Maybe it’s not intentional,
but the messaging is clear: do what’s expected, or they’ll make you regret it.”
“Fine!” She threw her hands up. “Yes, I am trying to earn their love. But they’re my family . What do you want me to do?”
“Marry me.”
The words, stated so casually, stole the breath from her lungs. Ava stared at him, absolutely sure she’d misheard. Because
it sounded like he’d proposed to her in the middle of a fight.
She had to clear her throat twice before she could respond. “Are you serious?”
He stood there with his hands in his pockets, cool as could be... and shrugged.
He fucking shrugged .
Ava’s face grew hot, and her body went numb. Everything inside her screamed, Yes , but Scared Ava was not to be deterred. “I tried being married,” she said. “It didn’t work.”
“You haven’t tried being married to me .”
He said it like it was the most reasonable thing in the world, and she sputtered out a reply.
“Marriage isn’t something you keep trying until you acquire a taste for it. It’s not olives .”
“I don’t know what you have against olives, but fine, we’ll table the topic of marriage for now.” His voice had taken on that bargaining lilt that made her wary. “Counteroffer. Let me kiss you, tonight, in the middle of the dance floor.”
“In front of my family? No way!”
His tone softened. “Then walk out of here, right now, holding my hand.”
She swallowed hard as her pulse throbbed in her throat.
“Ava.” He held out a hand toward her, palm up. “What would you do if you didn’t have to be perfect?”
Warmth spread through her as she remembered the first time he’d asked her that question. The roof. The pool. And everything
that had followed, all leading up to this sweet, charming, handsome man offering her everything.
All she had to do was let herself take it.
Her fingers twitched. Her hand started to rise.
The door burst open behind her. They both jumped, and Ava spun around to see Gabe standing there with a wild-eyed expression
on his face, taking up the whole doorway. Gabe’s gaze bounced around the closet and finally landed on the box Roman had kicked
aside earlier. Lunging, Gabe reached a hand inside, rummaged around, and came up holding a microphone.
A microphone... with a green light.
Ava sucked in a breath.
No .
Gabe flicked a switch on the mic, and the light turned from green to red. He shot Ava a look full of sympathy. “Sorry. No
one knew where it was.”
Roman strode forward, his expression grim. “Did everyone out there hear our conversation?”
Gabe grimaced. “Yeah.”
Ava mentally replayed the things they’d said. God. How much had they all heard? Panic swelled within her like a balloon about to burst.
Roman turned to her. Slowly, he extended his hand.
“They already know,” he said quietly. “You have nothing to lose.”
Didn’t he see? She’d already lost everything.
She stepped back and saw the moment Roman realized she wasn’t going to take his hand. His shoulders slumped slightly. His
arm fell to his side, moving as if through molasses. Like he’d still been hoping...
Chest tight, she turned and ran for the door.
Gabe, who was built like a linebacker, danced out of the way as if Ava’s hair were on fire, giving her a wide berth as she
charged into the hallway.
She heard the men talking behind her, but she didn’t care what they were saying.
Why should she? Her life was over.
Her family would never forgive her for this. There weren’t enough dishes she could wash or diapers she could change to make
up for a disaster of these proportions.
She’d committed the biggest sin of all: she had embarrassed them.
Now she really was going to lose their love, just as she’d always feared.
There was no way out except through the ballroom. With dread pooling in her belly, Ava pushed the door open.
And stepped out into chaos.