You Had Me at Hola(18)

Yadiel clambered down and greeted his grandfather, then went to pour himself a glass of juice.

“Well, since you’re here, I’ll go get an early start at the restaurant,” Ignacio told Ashton. He set down the newspaper, open to the entertainment page. “Looks like your friend Fernando Vargas is doing well.”

Ashton glanced at the paper and groaned. His “rival” from El fuego de amor had booked a big role in a movie Ashton hadn’t even been called to audition for.

Yadiel drained his juice and grabbed Ashton’s hand with sticky fingers. “?Ven, Papi! Come look at the castle I built in Minecraft!”

Ashton let his son consume his thoughts that weekend. They spent every waking minute together while Ignacio and Abuelita Bibi and Abuelito Gus were at the restaurant. Ashton even kept Yadiel home from Sunday mass, which did not thrill Abuelita Bibi.

Ashton set up a badminton net in the backyard, and they played for hours until they were both sweaty and hot. They swam in the pool, with Yadiel showing off how he could pick up brightly colored rings from the bottom. And they watched countless animated superhero movies, with Yadiel helpfully filling in any character backstory Ashton might be unaware of.

On Sunday night, after Ashton put Yadiel to bed, Ignacio pulled him aside before he left for the airport.

“The show is going well?” Ignacio asked.

Ashton shrugged. “Well enough.” He’d spent the whole weekend trying not to think about it.

“Ah. Does that mean you’re pulling your usual disappearing act behind the scenes?”

“Pa, enough.”

“You never used to be that way, is all I’m saying.”

Ashton lowered his voice. “That was before.”

“It was years ago.”

Ashton shook his head and reached for the door. “I have to go.”

Ignacio caught his arm and looked him dead in the eyes. “This is what you wanted, mijo. Don’t screw it up.”

In the car, Ashton reflected on his father’s words. Why had he even come here this weekend? Yes, he’d loved spending time with his son, but he would have been better served resting and memorizing his lines for the third episode.

Part of him had wanted to get away from the stress of it all. Another part had wanted to see for himself that Yadi was safe and happy. But even though he’d confirmed that everything was okay, he still felt unsettled.

Well enough, he’d told his father. Deep down, he knew he could be doing better as Victor. Ashton was too much of a perfectionist to ever feel like he’d done a great job, but he knew when he was holding back. If this show was going to catapult his career, he needed to give it his all.

It was with this thought in mind that he ran into Jasmine entering the Hutton Court late that night.

She did a double take when he approached her at the elevator bank, where she’d just pressed the up button.

“You’re out late,” she remarked, giving him a once-over while he did the same. She looked tired, but gorgeous in a floaty purple dress that showed off her shoulders and arms.

“I could say the same to you,” he quipped, exhaustion loosening his tongue.

“Just getting back from the Bronx. My cousin Ronnie’s daughter turned one.” She rolled her eyes. “Nothing says ‘baby’s first birthday’ like an open bar.”

“Your family lives in New York?” he asked, more curious about her than he should be.

The elevator arrived and the doors whooshed open. They both stepped in, and she leaned a shoulder on the elevator wall.

“Yup. And since I’m here, I’m expected to visit my parents, siblings, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, etcetera.” She ticked them off on her fingers. “Why the hell is my family so damn big?”

“I was just visiting my father in Puerto Rico,” he said, even though he definitely hadn’t been planning to tell her that.

“Really?” Her expression softened. “How was it?”

“Great.” The elevator dinged and stopped at her floor. If they were on TV, it would malfunction, trapping them in together and then . . . what? The doors slid open. He’d never know.

Jasmine straightened and Ashton pressed a hand to the frame to hold it open for her. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Right. We have the intimacy coordinator meeting before we start filming episode three.”

Episode three. The one with the kiss.

Maybe Jasmine was also thinking about the upcoming kiss, because she bit her lower lip and ducked her head, like she was suddenly embarrassed to look at him. “Um, good night.”

“Buenas noches,” he murmured as she brushed past him, leaving a sweet citrusy scent in her wake. He held the elevator open, watching her as she walked down the hall. When she looked back over her shoulder at him, he let go. The doors shut, blocking his view of her.





Chapter 9


Jasmine had a hard time falling asleep after her encounter with Ashton in the elevator, but she’d eventually managed to nod off, and only hit snooze twice the next morning when her alarm blared. Curse Ronnie and her Sunday night open bar.

At the party, she’d filled in Ava and Michelle on Ashton’s behavior, and they’d assured her she should not take his reclusive behavior personally. Ava had even looked up some Spanish-language gossip sites, which all confirmed Ashton’s rep for being easy to work with but kind of a diva.