Page 27 of After the Red Carpet
“My pleasure. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have them stay here? There’s plenty of room.”
“My mother thought we should have privacy this of all weeks,” Ella explained. “But maybe after dinner tomorrow, we could invite them over for a nightcap and to see the house, if they’re not too jet-lagged.”
“Sure.”
“And then they’re still planning to come over the night before the wedding for dinner with us and your parents.”
“Are you sure they really want to cook?” Finn asked. “It’s not too late to have Joyce handle it.”
“It’s their way; they love to feed people Spanish food. We bought all the ingredients so they can make their famous saffron paella and squid ink paella.”
“My parents will love it. I picked up a few special bottles of Rioja to go with dinner.”
“Thank you.”
He noticed her fidgeting with her hair, so he asked, “Is everything okay, sweetheart? You seem nervous. Not cold feet, I hope.”
Ella smiled. “Not in the slightest. I’m just a little anxious about seeing my mother.”
“I always had the impression you two are close.”
“We are. Very close. The whole single mother and daughter thing is tough to explain, but we were kind of everything to each other—family and best friends. It’s just . . .”
“What? Tell me.”
“I want you to like each other.” She took a moment to consider her words. “I’ve only ever said good things about you, but I visited her in Valencia about a month after Sweden, and I wasn’t exactly doing well at the time. I told her how much I wanted to get back together with you, and . . .” He smiled and rubbed her hand. “She wasn’t exactly optimistic that it would work out.”
“Given the situation at the time, I can understand that. Surely now she can see that it has worked out.”
Ella sighed. “I hope so. To her, maybe it’s a little like a fairy tale and it’s hard for her to believe it’s real. My mother doesn’t have a lot of faith in marriage. She doesn’t think it lasts, which is why she’s never been married. After her affair with my father, the way he strung her along and then bailed on us both . . .”
“Don’t worry,” Finn said, taking her hand. “I’ll do everything I can to show her how committed I am to you, even if I have to spend the next fifty years proving myself to her.”
Ella smiled. “She’s happy for me, really. I’m just not totally sure how she feels about us getting married. I’ve been afraid to go there with her.”
“As long as you know howyoufeel about it, everything else will work itself out.”
“I do.”
“Just make sure you remember those two little words for our wedding day.”
She giggled.
FINN PULLED UP TO THE CURB INfront of Avra and noticed several paparazzi standing outside the restaurant. He turned to Ella and said, “This is the price of eating in Beverly Hills. I’m sorry in advance. Don’t get out until I come around to get you. We can zip inside.” The valet opened their doors, and Finn came around and took Ella’s hand. They ducked their heads and hurried inside, paparazzi snapping away and hollering, “When’s the big day?”
Before they could say a word, the hostess said, “Good evening, Mr. Forrester. Your party is already here; please follow me.” She escorted them straight past the bar, up a few stairs, and into a private room that could easily seat a party several times their size.
“Mom!” Ella called as she made her way to the table. Carmen and Alejandro both rose and hugged her affectionately. “Mom, Alejandro, this is Finn.”
“I’m so pleased to meet you,” Finn said, extending his hand. “I see where Ella gets her beauty. You look so much alike, like sisters.”
Carmen smiled, leaned in, and gave him a peck on each cheek. “Well, you certainly are charming. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Finn and Alejandro shook hands, and they all sat down.
“I hope the hotel is okay. How have you been settling in?” Finn asked.
“Very well, thank you. The suite is lovely, and we enjoyed a relaxing day at the spa. Thank you for taking care of everything for us. We feel positively spoiled,” Carmen said.
