“That’s all I want for you. You deserve to be happy, Lo. But if he ever breaks your heart, you knock on my door. Te protegeré de la tormenta. Nunca te haré daño, mi corazón.”
I study his gaze. Art leans in and kisses my cheek, but his lips linger far longer than necessary. I’m too stunned to do anything but breathe in his sweet, smoky scent.
Arturo is my boss.Arturo is a friend who just closed his restaurant for the day to cater this entire event. Arturo is ... hitting on me at my goddamn wedding?
“Haces una novia hermosa. Eres mágica. Gabriel is a very lucky man.”
“Arturo ...”
His smile is soft and gentle as he says, “I have had too much to drink. Buenas noches, mi corazón.”
He walks away and I stare after him until the festoon lights blur with my tears, and I feel as if I can’t breathe.What the fuck just happened? Did I hallucinate that entire exchange?
“Hey, baby,” Clem says, sweeping in and taking my elbow, ushering me away from our front porch and into the house. “Let’s go powder your nose.”
“He just ... I ...”
“I know, baby girl.” She looks pointedly at Chef and the few partygoers who’ve found their way inside. “Let’s save this conversation for somewhere that there aren’t all of these people around.”
She guides me through the house to the bathroom, and by the time she closes the door behind us, tears are streaming down my cheeks and my stomach churns with guilt. I can’t stop sobbing.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Marrying Gabe is all I’ve ever wanted, and here I am on my wedding day crying my eyes out because my boss essentially just told me he loves me.What the fuck? Who does that? Who tells the bride on their wedding day that they’re ... what did he say ... magic?
“What did he say?”
“He said ... I think ... Eres mágica. I think he said I’m magic.”
Clem’s brows arch toward her hairline. “That’s it?”
“No. He ... ah, he said if Gabe ever breaks my heart, I should knock on his door. I don’t know, my Spanish is not great, but he said ‘Te protegeré de la tormenta’. That’s shelter, right?”
“Oh, shit.” Clem exhales a deep sigh.
“What? What does it mean?”
“Arturo doesn’t have a crush at all. Your boss is in love with you.”
I shake my head. “I’m sure I just heard it wrong.”
“I’ll shelter you from the storm does not mean he wants to bone you in the supply closet. That’s love, babe.”
“W-why would he tell me this now?” I say around a fresh set of tears.Fuck. I can’t wait until this pregnancy is over because I’m so fucking done with crying.
“Because he’s a dick. I mean, a loveable dick who wishes he were in Gabe’s place right now.”
“Why the fuck can’t I stop crying?”
“Did you ever think that maybe you have feelings for him too?”
“What? No. That’s crazy.”
“Is it?” She shrugs. “I mean, you are hiding from your husband in a bathroom with me on your wedding day.”
“I’m not hiding. You dragged me in here.”
“Because your boss told you he loved you at your reception and you started sobbing uncontrollably.”