Your decision sucks. Make a new one.
What if it were really that easy?
Jasmine dug in her bag for her phone.
“What are you doing now?” Michelle’s voice was heavy with suspicion.
“Canceling my flight.”
Riley let out an enormous sigh of relief.
Some part of Jasmine’s brain must have known she was overreacting, because she’d gotten travel insurance on the flight. While she navigated the cancellation on the airline’s app, her mind whirled with everything her cousins had said, including some wise words from Ava...
Is it so unreasonable that he didn’t tell you he had a son?
At the time, yeah, it had seemedcompletelyunreasonable. How dare he keep something like that from her? She’d shared openly with him about her own life.
But the truth was, she didn’t have any secrets nearly as big as his. Hell, her business was already splashed all over magazine covers. And Yadiel was a secret Ashton had fought hard to protect for good reasons. As much as it stung to admit, it made sense that he hadn’t told her. She shouldn’t feel entitled to every part of him, especially not so early.
They’d said some awful things to each other, but all relationships had ups and downs, right? She had minor tiffs with her cousins and siblings all the time.
Make a new decision.
What if she did things differently this time around? What if, instead of throwing herself in headfirst, they took things slow? She’d get to know his family, since they were clearly so important to him, and he could... well, he could meet hers, but she wouldn’t be offended if he didn’t want to spend a lot of time around them. She sure didn’t.
But as she looked over at her cousins arguing over the flower arrangements, she knew that wasn’t entirely true. Sure, Ava and Michelle were her best cousins, her Primas of Power, and she trusted them in all things, but when it came down to it, she knew the rest of her family would have her back. And her parents loved her, even if they didn’t always understand her.
She would get through the party and try to enjoy herself. Then, when it was over, she’d have a meeting with Riley about next steps. It was time to let her agent in on the Leading Lady Plan. Knowing Riley, she’d happily turn it into a spreadsheet.
And after that... she’d call Ashton. She’d apologize, and then... well, she’d see where it went from there.
She picked up the flowers Ava dumped in front of her and got to work.
Chapter 39
Ashton’s nerves were out of control by the time he arrived at the party venue in the Bronx. He’d imagined a small gathering at someone’s casa, maybe a community center, but this was...grand.
Marina Del Rey sat right on the water, overlooking the Long Island Sound. The exterior was all sand-colored stone, with fountains and archways and columns, and lined with trees and well-trimmed shrubs.
“Is it a wedding?” Abuelita Bibi asked as Ashton helped her out of the rental car.
“They must have weddings here,” Abuelito Gus replied, then he elbowed Ashton and winked. “In case you really want to make this a spectacle.”
“Is there gonna becake?” Yadiel leaped out of the car and bounced on his toes.
“I’ll park,” Ignacio said. “Wait for me.”
They all walked in together. A few people in the entranceway gave them odd looks, but Ashton channeled Victor and strode forward, Yadiel’s hand tucked into his.
“Are you going to stand on a stage and tell everyone how you feel?” Yadiel asked in a mock whisper.
Ashton remembered how Victor brought Carmen up on stage in the final episode. But Ashton wasn’t like Victor. If anything, Jasmine was more like Victor, and he was more like Carmen. And Carmen... she’d do this differently.
“No, mijo. I don’t think so. I only need to tellher.”
Abuelita Bibi patted his arm approvingly and whispered, “Tengo un buen presentimiento.”
Taking heart in Abuelita Bibi’s good feeling, Ashton led his family into the main hall. His mouth immediately went dry.
