The Wedding She Always Wanted (16 page)

“He said I didn’t have what it took to be a good husband, that I’d never stuck with anything in my life, and when the going got tough, I was the first to get going.” And when he hadn’t been able to keep his promise to Stephanie, when he hadn’t been able to handle the stress of running the restaurant, he’d been so sure his father was right—about everything.

“Oh,
mijo
.” Sorrow and regret filled Maria’s eyes as she ran a lined hand over the back of one of the chairs. “You would think a man who could do such work would have patience but…” She shrugged. “He was a perfectionist, carving away until the piece matched the picture in his head. Maybe it works with wood, but with people, it is not so easy.”

Javy recalled his father’s pursuit of perfection in his work. How many times had he seen Miguel toss aside a carving he didn’t think good enough? After their fight, Javy had felt like
his father had done the same to him. “I know he was disappointed in me.”

Maria shook her head. “We were worried. Stephanie was trouble, and you were both too young to get married and run off to chase some dream. But that was then. A long time ago, when you were just a boy. I am so sorry your papa isn’t here to see you now. To see the man you’ve become. He would be proud of you, and he would be so ashamed of me. That is why I had to leave last night. I couldn’t face what I had done.”

“He would never be ashamed of you,” Javy argued.

“I should have listened when you asked to change the restaurant. I should have seen you weren’t my little boy anymore, but I was still seeing my
chico pequeño
. But this…” Maria waved a hand around the restaurant. “All the hard work you’ve done, all the time you’ve spent, I have no choice but to see the man you are now.”

All he’d done…all the time he’d spent…Like a smack upside the head, Javy realized now where he’d gone wrong. “It’s not your fault. I should have realized it would take more than words to prove I’ve changed.”

And that was where he’d failed Emily. He’d told her all his grand plans. He hadn’t even bothered to
ask
her to marry him, telling her instead about the future he already had planned, brushing aside her hard-won independence as if it meant nothing.

Was he really surprised that she saw him as no different from Todd Dunworthy or her parents, pushing her into what he wanted, into what he thought was best without asking what she wanted?

“But I still should have let you change the restaurant,” Maria insisted. Lifting her chin bravely, she said, “It’s not too late,
mijo
. We can still remodel, to make the place what you want it to be.”

What he wanted, but not what his mother wanted…

For the first time in years, Javy could sense his father’s presence beyond the shadow of their final words to each other. He could hear his boisterous voice in the echo of the laughter and music from the night before, see his strong, work-roughened hands in the carved furniture’s painstaking detail, feel his love and pride in the restaurant Maria had preserved in his memory. And he understood, too, why his mother couldn’t bear to change anything.

“No, Mama. That wouldn’t be right, either.” Taking a deep breath, he voiced the idea he’d refused to even consider for so long. The idea he’d never even had the chance to tell Emily about. “I want to look into opening a restaurant of my own. Another Delgado’s, with the kind of bar and patio I’ve always pictured.” Seeing his mother’s eyes widen, he added, “It wouldn’t be around here. Somewhere across town.”

“Oh, Javy. It was always your papa’s dream. That is why it was so hard for him to hear you wanted to leave. He knew you would need to run your own place. But me, I was selfish. I wanted you here. After Miguel died, I
needed
you here. But now it’s time for you to grow up. Time to prove yourself to the girl you love.”

Javy pulled back in surprise. “How did you know?”

“A mother always knows, and I did not think Emily was right for you. I thought her too much like the other girls, who made it too easy for you to walk away. But she is different.”

“Yeah, she’s different, all right.
She’s
the one who walked away.”

Reaching out, Maria pushed her index finger against his chest. “Then it is up to you.”

“Up to me?” Yeah, okay, maybe he’d handled things badly with Emily, rushing forward when he should have taken things
slow, but he’d poured his heart out. What more was he supposed to do?

“It’s up to you,” Maria repeated, “to give her a reason to come back.”

E
mily didn’t know what she would have done without the fund-raiser and fashion show to keep her busy. She’d thrown herself into the event, coordinating the clothes, the alterations and the “models.” She’d found supporters to donate the items for the auction, as well as backers to match what money they raised.

When she’d initially balked at the suggested asking price per person for the dinner to follow the fashion show, it had been her mother who had reassured her.

“It isn’t like women my age are frequently asked to walk the runway,” her mother had said wryly. “Believe me, they will pay whatever the price to make sure friends and family are in the audience, watching.”

So Emily had agreed to the price, and they’d sold enough tickets to move into a larger ballroom.

Given the chance, she would likely have panicked at the
thought of so many people attending an event she’d coordinated, an event that could fall apart and be her second biggest, most public failure in a whole month. But she’d simply made sure she didn’t have time to think. Not about the fund-raiser’s possible failure or about the definite failure of her relationship with Javy.

Standing backstage as the women primped for the show, Emily felt a small smile tug at her lips. No use telling them this wasn’t fashion week in Paris; they were giving their one shot as models all they had.

“I still can’t believe you’ve done all this hard work, and you’re not even going to have a little fun.”

As Emily turned to face her cousin, her smile grew. Kelsey looked amazing in a strapless emerald-green cocktail dress. A few weeks ago she never would have worn such a revealing outfit, forget taking a stroll down a catwalk, but her love for Connor had given her an added confidence and a spark in her eyes, which left Emily quietly sighing with envy.

“Are you kidding? I worked with the design students, picking out perfect clothes for Lauren and the other women from the shelter to model. I don’t think I would have enjoyed anything more.”

“I know, and everyone’s raving about the job you did. Not that it’s any surprise. No one is ever better dressed than you are. I mean, look at you.” Kelsey gestured to Emily’s gown—a gold sheath with rhinestone straps and a beaded bodice that whispered down the length of her body. “So why aren’t you modeling any of the clothes?”

“I’m the emcee,” Emily protested, “although I still say we should have had Trey do the job. He’s the pro.” Kelsey’s friend Trey Jamison was a DJ who frequently worked at the weddings her cousin coordinated. “I would have rather stayed
backstage to help with hair and makeup and all the outfit changes we’re doing. I’m perfectly happy here.”

A knowing look in her brown eyes, Kelsey leaned forward to give Emily a hug. “No, you’re not,” she whispered. “But I hope you will be.”

Any response Emily might have made was prevented by the tears in her throat.

“You’re going to do an amazing job, Emily.”

She’d expected the encouraging words from Kelsey, but she hadn’t anticipated hearing them from her mother. Turning, she met her mother’s gaze. Charlene wore an eggplant suit with a fitted jacket and a knee-length skirt. With her short brown hair and makeup perfectly styled, and wearing an amazing amethyst pendant on a pearl choker, her mother looked ready to walk the runway herself…except Charlene had never offered, and Emily hadn’t asked.

Regretting the rift that still gaped between them, Emily offered a tentative smile. “Thank you, Mother. And thank you for coming.”

“Kelsey, I’d like to talk to my daughter for a moment if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not, Aunt Charlene.” With a final hug and whispered encouragement, Kelsey slipped away.

“You’ve done a remarkable thing here, Emily.”

“Thank you. I’m really pleased—” and amazed “—with how well everything has turned out.”

“You should be. After all, you did this all on your own,” Charlene said, and for the first time, Emily realized her mother wasn’t worried or exasperated or afraid she would fail. Instead, Charlene was hurt at being pushed aside.

“I’m sorry, Mother. I didn’t mean to exclude you, but I guess I was afraid.”

“Of what?”

“That you would think I was doing everything wrong and take over.”

Charlene sighed, ready to brush aside the words, but Emily refused to be dismissed. “You’ve done it my whole life. Why couldn’t you let me make my own decisions? And my own mistakes?”

“I suppose it was because
we
were afraid.”

Expecting a denial, Emily didn’t know what surprised her more—that her mother had answered or the answer she’d given. “Why?”

“We were afraid of losing you.”

Emily shook her head. “You weren’t going to lose me.”

“Don’t make it sound so ridiculous.” Reaching out, Charlene turned Emily toward the full-length mirror. Standing over her shoulder, her mother adjusted one of the rhinestone clips holding her hair. “Sometimes you look so like your aunt Olivia, I feel like I’m seeing a ghost.”

The ghost of mistakes past
, Emily thought.

“Is that why you’ve always kept such a close eye on everything I’ve done? Because of Olivia?”

“She was such a beautiful girl,” Charlene said with enough of a wry twist to her smile to make Emily wonder if her mother had once been jealous of her younger sister-in-law. “Your father adored her. He was the protective big brother, always looking out for her. And Olivia…Well, with the trouble she liked to get into, she needed someone willing to bail her out.”

“I don’t remember her. Aileen says she has a few memories of going to an amusement park and of Olivia letting her wear lipstick to her fifth birthday party.”

“That’s probably one of the last family events Olivia attended. Your father was devastated when she ran away. He kept hoping she would return, but years went by with no con
tact, and you…” Charlene rested her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. “You were so like her.”

“I’ve seen the pictures,” Emily said, but her mother shook her head.

“It isn’t just how you looked. It was the way you acted. The way you walked and talked. How you could sing and dance…So much of that was Olivia, yet she couldn’t have had an influence on you. As you said, you were too young to remember.”

“Maybe it was something in our genes.”

“I think that’s what your father…what both of us were afraid of. That along with Olivia’s talent and beauty, you had inherited her stubborn independence, and that someday you’d leave us the same way she had. And we couldn’t bear the thought. But it was a mistake. Your father and I see that now. We were trying so desperately to hold on, we were holding you back. I hope you can forgive us. We know we have to let you go. It’s your time to fly.”

Hearing her mother’s words, Emily realized she didn’t need a parachute. Not when she was finally ready to stretch her wings.

The moment Emily stepped out onstage, she knew everything was going to be okay. Better than okay. The spotlight shone down on her like the full moon had the night of the wedding. And she felt just like she had when Javy pulled her onto the dance floor. His confidence had encouraged her every step of the way, and she refused to believe it was too late for the two of them.

She no longer needed the time she’d asked for. She was done second-guessing herself. Yes, she’d made a mistake with Todd, but the bigger mistake would be in failing to recognize that
Javy
was not Todd.

Just like her parents had built a world around her similarities to her aunt Olivia, Emily, too, had gotten stuck in a
rut of comparisons—thinking she had to protect herself so Javy couldn’t hurt her the way Todd had, focusing on Javy’s previous relationship so she wouldn’t be surprised if Javy cheated on her, like Todd had, refusing to move forward with Javy in case all her hopes and dreams came crashing down, like her hopes and dreams with Todd had.

But the one difference she’d overlooked was the most important—Javy loved her in a way Todd never had.

Hope shining brighter than the spotlight, Emily stepped up to the microphone and started the welcome speech she’d written. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the first annual Second Chance Fashion Show.”

As she introduced the models and described their outfits, she took a moment to enjoy watching the women on the catwalk as much as the appreciative audience. Kelsey strutted her stuff with a flirtatious smile, although Emily noticed her cousin’s gaze never left Connor, who sat at a front-row table. And Lauren, who had inspired the whole fund-raiser, practically floated down the runway, looking amazing in an ivory gown that had once belonged to Emily but had been expertly tailored to fit Lauren’s smaller frame.

Seeing the other woman’s new confidence made the entire evening a success regardless of how much money the fund-raiser earned.

“How about a round of applause for our wonderful models?” Emily called out as the last woman left the stage. She waited until the applause died down before adding, “The best part of our fashion show is that the clothes worn tonight will be donated to the Second Chance shelter.” Another round of applause echoed through the ballroom. “But the evening isn’t over yet. We have our auction items, guaranteed to send the bidding through the roof.”

More applause followed, and Emily went on to announce
the first item up for auction—a weekend trip to the red rocks of Sedona. She went through item after item, recognizing that her parents and their friends were pushing up the bids in an effort to outdo each other. She didn’t care; their efforts raised money for the charity, and she sensed how much her father was enjoying himself with every bid he made.

Only one time did Emily falter. Even though she knew the item was part of the auction, she still stumbled when she came across the romantic dinner for two—at Delgado’s Restaurant.

Ignoring the notes on the cards in front of her, Emily gazed out at the audience. Most of the people in attendance had been at the wedding only weeks ago, the very people whose opinions had mattered to her so much, she’d been afraid to dance with Javy, too concerned with what they might think…until he’d taken her in his arms, and from that moment on, she hadn’t cared about anyone but him.

“This next item may not be the most extravagant on tonight’s list, but it’s one that means the most to me. The restaurant belongs to Javier Delgado, and without him, this entire night wouldn’t have taken place. He gave me the confidence to believe I can do anything I put my mind to and to trust in myself and my own decisions. I let him down when I forgot that recently, and I hope I’ll have the chance to make it up to him.” Taking a deep breath to reclaim her composure, Emily said, “Now, let’s start the bidding.”

As she had throughout the evening, Emily started the bidding low, giving the audience the chance to raise the stakes offer by offer. An unexpected feeling of pride welled up inside her, bringing an unsuppressed smile to her face, as the amount continued to climb. She only wished Javy was there to see it. When a brief silence fell after the last bid, Emily scanned the audience. “Going once, going twice—”

“Ten thousand dollars,” a familiar masculine voice called out.

Excited murmurs broke out in the audience, but to Emily, the words meant nothing. She was too shocked to see Javy cutting through the tables to register what he’d said. Her gaze soaked up the sight of him like the desert in a rainstorm until all the emotions welling up inside her threatened to overflow. He looked gorgeous in black slacks and a dove-grey silk shirt, the love shining in his eyes making it impossible for Emily to look away. Her heart pounded as he drew closer, but he didn’t stop at the edge of the stage. He hopped up, his long, confident strides closing the distance until the flimsy podium was the only barrier between them.

Emily would have gladly pushed it out of the way, but she wasn’t sure she could stand on her own. Her hands gripped the wood tightly enough to leave dents, and even though she’d talked almost nonstop the whole evening, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

Good thing Javy seemed to have his own speech prepared. “There is one condition,” he said, his dark eyes never leaving Emily’s. “You have to agree to have dinner with me.”

“Dinner?” Emily echoed.

“Well, yeah.” His grin held a touch of vulnerability, which went straight to her heart. “Not much of a romantic dinner if I’m eating by myself.”

“But…you donated dinner at the restaurant. You don’t have to bid on it.”

“It’s for a good cause, and I won’t rob anyone else of the chance to try our food. I’ll donate another dinner for the auction, one that can be redeemed at our current location now or at our second location, which will be opening by the end of the year.”

Emily was vaguely aware of more applause from the audience and realized Javy was close enough to the microphone that the crowd could hear their conversation, but she honestly didn’t care. “You’re opening a second restaurant?”

“With a huge sports bar area and a patio, just the way I’ve always pictured—”

“And your mother gets to keep her restaurant exactly the way your father made it.”

Javy nodded. “We both get what we want…just the way it should be.”

Emily read the promise in his expression, one that had nothing to do with his mother or the restaurant and everything to do with
them
.

“Besides,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at their audience, “if I’m willing to pay ten thousand dollars for dinner at my own place, you know the food’s gotta be good. But it’s the company that will be worth every penny if Emily will agree to have dinner with me.”

“Ten thousand…” she whispered, her voice trailing off in disbelief. “You can’t—”

“I want to, believe me. I’ve been trying to repay that money for years. Connor won’t take it, and neither will your dad,” he said wryly. “This was the best thing I could think of to do with it. But there’s still my condition.”

“To have dinner with you?”

“Just dinner,” he emphasized. “I love you, Emily. I was afraid if I waited too long, you’d slip away and I’d lose you. But I held on too hard. I moved too fast, trying to push you into what I wanted when really all I want is to be with you. So what do you say?”