Relax. You’ll see Ginger this weekend.
I opened the door to my penthouse, threw my suitcases onto my bed, and headed straight for the shower. I loved a hot, steamy shower after a long flight. I closed the glass door and allowed the water to drench my body. After washing myself from head to toe, I wrapped a towel around my waist and plopped onto the sofa.
Just as I finished the rest of my latte, which had started to get cold, my cell phone went off. Usually, I’d let it go to voicemail after such a long flight, but I thought it might be Ginger. Maybe she saw me walking inside right as she was pulling into the parking lot.
It was Ria.
As soon as it stopped ringing, I turned it off and chucked it onto my bed.
What have I gotten myself into?
3
Ginger
There must have been several hundred guests at my party that night, which far surpassed my expectations. When I asked how many people Guadalupe and Yuslan had invited, she insisted that I not worry about anything other than having a good time. I pleaded with her to keep it low-key and only invite my family and friends, but of course, she didn’t listen to me. Nearly every client of Lavender Dreams Spa was there to celebrate my MBA and promotion.
Everyone in Miami Beach loved Guadalupe and Yuslan, and it showed.
Even though Miami was a pretty large city with plenty of spas for people to choose from, Lavender Dreams Spa was known as one of the top five in the area. We catered to everyone from regular, blue-collar people to celebrities who either lived in Miami or were in town visiting. And while I didn’t see any famous people that night, I did notice a few managers of actors who I had every intention of meeting one day. That was one of the perks of working in that type of industry.
While I was thrilled to see so many people there celebrating with me, I focused on Margo’s massive engagement ring. “I can’t believe you two are getting married! When did Chase propose to you?”
Margo’s eyes lit up as Eva and I studied it. “This morning, over pancakes and while I was feeding Joanna!”
Eva’s eyes bugged out as she looked up at Margo. “Are you serious, Margo? He proposed over pancakes? Why does that sound so romantic?”
I knew my brother all too well, though. “That doesn’t surprise me one bit, guys. Chase has always been an ‘in the moment’ kind of guy, and I bet he saw you feeding Joanna and just knew it was the right time.”
Eva ran her fingers over the stones, no doubt thinking about how her ex-boyfriend used to always say that she was “the one.” “You’re so lucky to have found someone, Margo. I’m so happy for you.”
Margo and I knew better than to bring up her ex-boyfriend, though. “You and Chase were meant to be together,” I said as Eva took a long sip of her champagne and eyed the room, probably looking for a guy to flirt with.
We’ll make that jerk wish he’d never broken up with you.
Tears came to Margo’s eyes as she smiled and nodded at me. “It was such a passionate speech, you guys. But I don’t want this to take away from your night. That was my first thought after I accepted his proposal.”
I wrapped my arms around Margo’s neck and pulled her in for a tight hug. “Margo, the fact that we’re going to be sisters-in-law is all I care about right now!”
As her enormous ring dug into my shoulder, I overheard one of our regular client's screech while rushing toward us. “Margo, you’re engaged! Oh, honey, isn’t that wonderful? I’m so happy for you!”
Alona was an over-the-top, eccentric, middle-aged woman with a heart almost as pure as Guadalupe’s. She often referred to us as her daughters too. I embraced it, although her shrieks often went right through my head. She was the reason I started keeping ibuprofen on hand.
As Margo told her all about the proposal, I casually sipped champagne while looking at the door. People were still making their way into the party, but there was no sign of Jorge. I tried acting nonchalant by smiling at people standing near the door, pretending as though I were simply paying them some attention.
And I had every intention of staying in that spot until Yuslan tapped me on the shoulder. “Would you care to dance, dear?”
I couldn’t turn down a dance with a man who was like a father figure to me, especially after he went to such great lengths with the party.
The two of us danced around the ballroom while the live band played, his hands resting on my hips as Guadalupe watched with a smile on her face. I let him lead, even though I craned my neck every time he turned us around and I was facing the doorway.
My stares didn’t go unnoticed by him, either. “What’s his name?”
I give up.“Nothing gets past you or Guadalupe, does it?”
Yuslan flashed his usual ‘I know you too well’ smile at me. “So, what’s his name?”
Just as I was about to tell him the whole Jorge story, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and stopped dead in my tracks. There was Jorge, smiling down at me and looking sexy as hell.
