by Carla Luna
As soon as she got off the phone with June, Victoria mulled over her plan of attack. Rather than call Missy, she sent her a lengthy text. With any luck, she’d have results soon.
She considered putting on her business armor but decided against it. Instead, she’d face Missy as is, dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and leggings, her hair in a messy braid. Rather than worry about carbs or calories, she toasted a sesame seed bagel and smeared it with cream cheese. When her phone pinged with a series of texts from Missy, she didn’t reply. Her message had included Connor’s address. She wanted to hash things out face-to-face.
Within twenty minutes, she was gratified at a pounding on the door. She opened it and invited Missy inside.
Unlike Victoria, Missy was dressed to impress—pearls, heels, and a pink cashmere sweaterdress that showed the slightest hint of a baby bump. Her blond hair fluffed around her like a righteous halo. She strode into the room radiating fury, like one of those yappy little dogs that bark at the slightest provocation. “What the fuck! You can’t quit.”
Though Victoria had originally planned to beg for Missy’s understanding, she realized she’d get better results if she faced her rival as an equal, not a subordinate. “I turned in my notice yesterday afternoon. But I’m sure June will do a good job. Providing she can find a new caterer.”
“You were supposed to find another caterer.”
“Sadly, I had no luck.” Victoria ambled over to the coffee maker. “Can I offer you some coffee?”
“I can’t drink coffee, you petty bitch. It’s not good for the baby. And that June woman is a joke. When I called her this morning, she didn’t have a replacement for Tres Hermanos yet.”
“Well, it might be a challenge, seeing as how the wedding’s tomorrow.” Victoria shook her head as if to chastise Missy. “Ben never should have fired Rafael.”
“Seriously? Ben had every right to fire that bastard. Rafael threatened him.”
Despite her fury at Ben’s lies, Victoria kept her cool. “That’s not what happened. When Ben showed up on Wednesday night, he was drunk. He pushed me up against the wall and tried to kiss me. All Rafael did was tell him to leave.”
Missy circled around her, like she was playing the role of a TV detective. “Now we have it. The real reason you quit. You’re so desperate to get Ben back you’ll do anything to sabotage the wedding. It’s not going to happen. He doesn’t love you. He never did.”
Victoria no longer cared what her ex thought of her. All she wanted to do was make things right for Rafael. “You’re right. He doesn’t love me. But his actions bordered on harassment. If you don’t believe me, we can check the security footage from Wednesday night.” At Missy’s shocked look, Victoria gave her a sly smile. “You think we didn’t have security cameras? That’s a 1920s ballroom in pristine architectural condition.”
Missy took a step back and smoothed her hands over her stomach. “Ben had too much to drink, that’s all. He’s been under a lot of stress, what with the baby coming. It doesn’t mean he wants you back.”
Why did Missy keep pushing this agenda? “I don’t want him back either. I’m involved with Rafael.”
If Missy was surprised by her confession, she didn’t show it. She let out a snort. “And you fed me all that bullshit about being professional.”
Victoria gnawed on her lip, genuinely contrite at the lies she’d spun. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you.” Not only to Missy, but to everyone. “But my love life is none of your business. Nor is it any concern of Ben’s. But on Wednesday night, when he found out, he got so upset he fired Rafael. Which means he screwed over everyone at Tres Hermanos. They didn’t deserve that after all the work they’ve done. That’s why I quit.”
If Missy had any semblance of a heart, she’d realize the damage Ben had done. But on the off chance she didn’t have a heart, Victoria had another card left to play.
“Another thing. All those craft projects you had us do? Since you never paid the Sanchez family for their labor, you won’t get to use them.” Victoria gave a wistful sigh. “Maybe we’ll donate the gingerbread houses to charity. They turned out beautifully.”
Missy gritted her teeth. “That’s a shitty move, and you know it.”
As much as Victoria enjoyed playing the role of a heartless villain, goading Missy served no purpose other than sheer, vindictive pleasure. And she needed to wrap this shit up. She dropped the cool facade and tried to engage Missy like an actual human being.
“I’m going to be honest. I didn’t want to coordinate your wedding, and you haven’t made it easy for me. But after all the work I’ve put in, I want it to be a success. I’m not trying to sabotage anything. I’m in love with Rafael.”
Had she just said that? Rolled over and showed her underbelly to the one person who’d delight in taking her down?
She expected Missy to laugh at her, but her nemesis only gave a wry smile. “Not exactly the height of good judgment. But understandable. The man is smoking hot.”
“And he’s sweet, talented, and incredibly thoughtful. I just want him to get his job back.”
Missy let out her breath and looked up at the ceiling. But when she met Victoria’s eyes, she shook her head. “That’s not possible. I could ask Ben if he’d agree to use Tres Hermanos, but he won’t want Rafael there.”
Victoria stepped closer, getting up in Missy’s personal space. “Do you always let Ben call the shots?”
For that, she got one of Missy’s death glares. “No. Not always. I’m the one who picked Tres Hermanos in the first place. Up until now, I’ve made all the decisions about the wedding. It hasn’t been easy. You have no idea how many hours I spent on Pinterest researching Christmas wedding favors.”
Believe me, I do.
“Doesn’t bother you that Ben undid all your hard work with one drunken meltdown?” Baiting Missy was a risky game, but Victoria was willing to chance it. “If I was in your place, I’d be pissed.”
For a brief moment, an agonized expression crossed Missy’s face, but she quickly replaced it with an icy stare. “I see what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work. You’re not tricking me into crossing Ben on the day before our wedding.”
Damn. It was worth a try.
Rather than admit defeat, Victoria didn’t break. Instead, she gave a casual shrug, as if Missy’s refusal hadn’t affected her in the slightest. “Then I guess we’re done.”
“What?”
Victoria walked over to the door and opened it with a flourish. “Good luck with your big day. At least you’ll have the trees. I’m sure no one will miss the gingerbread houses or the customized hot chocolate bar or the hand-etched ornaments with the personalized calligraphy. You could always pick up a gross of candy canes and use them as wedding favors. That would be cute.”
It would be basic as hell, and Missy knew it. Her jaw clenched. “You and Rafael are a package deal?”
“You hire him back, and you get me. You’ll also get all the crafts. And my complete and utter devotion to this wedding. I promise you, it will be a winter wonderland.”
Even as she said it, a frisson of fear passed through her. Here she was, promising Missy the white wedding of her dreams when she had no idea if Rafael would come back. For all she knew, he never wanted to see her again. But his brothers might be more easily convinced.
Missy let out a huffy breath. “Fine. Get all of them back, including your boyfriend. But I want this wedding to be perfect. Got it?”
“Got it.” Fortunately, the forecast called for clear skies on Saturday, with a high of seventy-six degrees. Victoria had no doubt Missy would have blamed her for any inclement weather.
After Missy left, Victoria basked in her moment of triumph. But she wasn’t done yet.
She checked her phone. It was almost eleven, which meant Rafael and his brothers would be having their family meal at the restaurant before it opened at noon. If she hurried, she could make it there in time. As she grabbed her purse, she considered t
exting Rafael to warn him she was on her way.
But what if he told her not to come?
Better to beg for forgiveness than ask permission.
She’d need a way in, since the restaurant wouldn’t be open to the public. She texted Araceli and crossed her fingers.
Araceli responded right away. I can take an early lunch & meet you there at 11:30. Be prepared to grovel!!
Victoria would grovel all right. She was willing to do whatever it took.
Chapter 29
While Rafael was brewing a pot of coffee on Friday morning, his phone chimed with an alert. One day until the wedding!
He deleted it. Even if Martin was still under the impression Ben would come crawling back, Rafael harbored no such delusions. They were well and truly fucked. But he’d humor his brother and play along. And he’d show up for work, like always. It was the least he could do.
He wished there was a way he could fix things, but he couldn’t come up with a solution. He’d considered calling Ben and apologizing, but Martin had cautioned him against it. An apology would be akin to admitting guilt, which was something they didn’t want. Not when Rafael had done nothing wrong.
Surprisingly enough, Martin wasn’t angry at him anymore. He even admitted he was impressed that Rafael had owned up to his fling with Victoria rather than trying to hide it. But Rafael still felt guilty as hell. If he’d behaved professionally, none of this would have happened.
By now, everyone in his family knew about him and Victoria. He’d told his brothers, they told their wives, and once he let Araceli open the vault, everyone knew. Though Ernesto and Dario ribbed him about his “secret” hookup, they weren’t mad at him. Even Mamá called to offer sympathy. Family stuck together, through good days and bad.
When he arrived at Tres Hermanos, his cousins Yesenia and Inez—who worked as servers—were setting up the ten-person table at the back of the restaurant for the family meal. Once they were all seated, the oversize table overflowed with staff members—Rafael, his brothers, his Uncle D, Yesenia, Inez, the prep cooks, and the busboys. After they said grace, they feasted on enchiladas suizas and arroz con pollo, while sharing jokes and gossip. They had almost finished their meal when the door to the restaurant flew open.
Araceli came barreling into the main dining room, her heels clacking on the tile floor. Trailing behind her was Victoria, who looked shaky and pale. Dark circles under her eyes. Hair in a messy braid. Dressed like she’d rolled out of bed.
Once he recovered from his shock, Rafael almost pitied her.
No mercy. She could have called you at any time.
“Listen up,” Araceli said. “This one has something to say.” She dragged Victoria by the arm and shoved her forward.
Even if Victoria wasn’t dressed in her business garb, Rafael expected her to revert to her formal persona once she opened her mouth. But her voice trembled as she addressed the family. “Um…hi, everyone. I was hoping to talk to Rafael alone. Or maybe just him and his brothers?”
Yesenia stood and crossed her arms. She tossed her head, sending her dark curls cascading over her shoulders. “Whatever you need to say to them, you can say to us. We’re family. We know what you did to Rafael.”
Victoria stepped back. She resembled a scared rabbit, ready to bolt at any minute.
Rafael couldn’t imagine how anxious she must feel, facing a sea of hostile faces. He kept his voice low so as not to frighten her off. “Go ahead, Victoria. We’re listening.”
“So…um…Rafael? I’m sorry Ben fired you.” She scanned the group. “I want all of you to know none of this is Rafael’s fault. He was trying to look out for me, but he didn’t do anything inappropriate.”
Though his brothers had believed him, Victoria’s testimony lifted a weight off his shoulders. He knew he hadn’t been out of line. But he hadn’t realized how much it would matter hearing her admit the same thing.
Yesenia, however, was unimpressed. “Tell us something we don’t know.”
“Senny, zip it,” Araceli snapped. “Let the girl speak.”
Yesenia plopped down in her chair but continued to glower at Victoria.
“Anyway…” Victoria twisted her hands together. “I should have stood up for you. Or threatened to walk if Ben didn’t hire you back. But I was too much of a coward.”
“I’ll say,” Yesenia muttered. The rest of the family nodded in solidarity.
Rafael had to hand it to the Sanchez clan. Even if they thought he’d screwed up—and he was certain they did—they were solidly in his corner. He was grateful they were with him to offer support. If he’d been facing Victoria on his own, he’d find it too easy to forgive her. To excuse her mistakes, just because she looked so vulnerable.
“Rafael?” Victoria cleared her throat. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you right away, but I was trying to salvage the wedding. Then I decided it wasn’t worth it. So, I quit. I’m done working for my father. And I…um…I moved out.”
He stared at her, too stunned to reply. An apology was one thing, but he didn’t expect her to blow up her entire life, just for him. Standing up to her father must have been excruciating.
“So what if you quit?” Yesenia said. “How does that help Rafael? Or any of us? Maybe you stuck it to your father, but you still screwed us over.”
“Yesenia, please. Let her finish.” As Rafael met Victoria’s gaze, he reminded himself to stand firm. “I’m impressed you stood up to him, but Yesenia’s right. It doesn’t change the situation for us.”
“I realize that. I…I guess I wanted you to know that I took a stand for once, and it wasn’t easy.”
Even if he hadn’t yet forgiven her, Rafael knew how badly she must be hurting. She’d tried so hard to earn back her father’s respect. It must have killed her to give up now, after everything she’d been through with Ben and the wedding. But Yesenia was right. Victoria was still putting herself first.
He expected her to leave, but she stood rooted in place, still clutching her purse in a death grip. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
Araceli strode over to the table and grabbed the pitcher of ice water. She filled a glass and handed it to Victoria. “Here. You’re not done yet.”
“Thanks.” Victoria took a few sips. “I didn’t just come to apologize. I wanted to tell you that I met with Missy this morning to see if I could fix things. She was upset that I quit, especially since my replacement couldn’t find a new caterer on such short notice.”
Martin grinned. “What did I say? It’s not that easy.”
“That’s what I told her,” Victoria said. “So, we made a deal. I’d come back to work, just for this job, but only if she agreed to rehire Tres Hermanos and Rafael. I also threatened to withhold all the gingerbread houses and the other craft projects unless she agreed to my demands.” A small smile crossed her face. “She really wanted those gingerbread houses.”
Araceli pumped her fist. “Hell yeah, she did.”
Martin rubbed his hands together. “Good to hear. We thought this might happen, so we prepared accordingly. We won’t let you down.”
Though his older brother was looking smug as hell, Rafael wasn’t satisfied. Resentment flared up inside him, hardening his heart. For all the trouble that asshole Ben had caused, he wouldn’t suffer for his actions. Rafael wanted nothing to do with him.
He turned to his brother. “Tony, can you take charge? I’ll help Uncle D with the wedding in San Ysidro instead.”
Before Tony could answer, Victoria walked over to Rafael. The entire crew went silent as she placed her hand on his arm.
Her voice was almost a whisper. “Please. I know Ben treated you terribly. I know I should have defended you. But you’ve done such a great job. The wedding won’t be the same without you.”
How could he say no to her? She’d given him the apology he wanted. And she’d admitted she was wrong in front of his entire family. But she was still treating him like he was merely an employee. Like all this was a
business deal and nothing more.
At this point, he wanted more. He deserved more.
He shook his head.
Victoria stepped back but kept her head held high. She licked her lips, then took another sip of water. With shaking hands, she set the glass on the table. “I was hoping to do this in private, but I need to tell you how I feel. Even if it means completely humiliating myself. You’re not my dirty little secret. Or some guy that I…wait.” She glanced around the room. “You all know about us, right?”
“Oh yeah,” Araceli said. “They know about all of it, including Baja.”
“That’s what I thought.” Victoria took a tissue from her purse and dabbed at her eyes. “Rafael?” She waited until he gave her his full attention. “I want you to know the time we spent together meant a lot to me. I didn’t expect it to last, because I was too scared of what would happen if my father found out. But I can’t keep living for his approval. That’s why I started looking for an apartment. So I could move out and be my own person. Spend the night with whomever I want. And for the record, I want it to be you. I’m in love with you, Rafael.”
A rush of emotion coursed through him, so powerful it left him speechless. He hadn’t expected a declaration of love. But now that he’d gotten it, he didn’t know how to respond.
Victoria was in love with him. And she wasn’t afraid to admit it publicly.
Could he trust her not to screw him over again?
Open his heart to her in the hopes she wouldn’t break it?
No. She’d already hung him out to dry twice. He’d given her enough chances.
He gave her a weak smile. “I appreciate the honesty. So, if you want me to cater the wedding, I’ll be there. But after that, we’re done.” He broke his gaze from hers, effectively ending the conversation.
She stumbled back, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh…well…I…thank you. For being a gentleman. And for helping out. I should go. The rehearsal’s at five tonight, and I have a lot to do. I’ll see myself out. And I’ll text you about the schedule for the wedding tomorrow.” She turned and ran, letting the door slam behind her.