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Ava,” he softly said.
    A few hours? She shook her head as she backed her convertible out of the driveway and headed toward her office. Oh, no. Mateo Ortega was delusional if he thought she was going to go along with his crazy charade.
    **
    Mateo hesitated outside of his grandfather’s bedroom. He’d left Ava’s house moments ago resolved to come clean about his sham engagement. The stunned look on Ava’s face as she’d left the house filled him with remorse. He had no right to drag her into his world. Or his problems. It had all seemed so much simpler in his mind, his imagination that is, before he’d seen her. But he’d been wrong and now he had to make it right.
    He knocked softly on the door and entered when his cousin Elena waved him in. After a quick hug, he glanced over and saw that his grandfather was asleep. “Rough night?” he whispered.
    Elena nodded. “But his spirits are good. He’s looking forward to tonight.” She smiled. “We all are. Congratulations.”
    Mateo forced himself to smile. “Thank you.”
    Elena followed his gaze to their grandfather. She motioned for him to follow her into the hallway. “Mateo, listen, I know it’s painful to see Abuelo like this. It is for all of us. But, we want you and Ava to be happy. This is such a special time for you both, so it’s really okay to let that show. You look miserable, and that isn’t how a newly engaged man should look.”
    “I’m not miserable,” Mateo lied. He was. But his misery was of his own making. “I’m sad.”
    “We all are.” Elena slipped her arm through his. “But the blessing is that Abuelo is still here to witness your joy. So be joyous.”
    Mateo nodded but couldn’t speak. He knew what she was trying to say and he felt like a traitor to the family for setting up this whole farce.
    “Did you want me to give Abuelo a message when he wakes up?” Elena asked. “Or did you want to wait awhile until he wakes up to talk to him?”
    “No.” He took a deep breath. “I’ve got to get to school. Just let him know I was here.”
    “I’ll tell him that you and Ava will see him tonight,” Elena added.
    Mateo nodded. “Right.” Or wrong. That all depended on Ava.

Chapter Five
    Ava’s meeting was successful. When she finally ushered her clients out of her office, she had a nice size retainer and profitable contract in hand. After the door closed behind her new clients, she slumped against the door frame. It was still only eleven in the morning but she was mentally wiped out.
    “Can I get you something, Ava?” her office manager asked. “I can make a caffeine run if it’ll help.”
    Ava smiled but shook her head. Coffee wouldn’t solve her problems. Or ease the guilt that threatened to overwhelm her. “I’m okay, Marti,” she said. “Thanks though.” She dropped the file she was holding on Marti’s desk. A small white box with her name on the outside caught her eye. “What’s this?”
    Marti picked it up and handed it to her. “Right, I almost forgot. A messenger dropped this off while you were in your meeting. Since you hadn’t mentioned you were waiting for a delivery, I decided not to interrupt your meeting.”
    “Good call.” Ava examined the box in her hands. It looked big enough to hold a coffee mug. She had no idea what it could be, perhaps a thank you gift from a grateful client. Her curiosity was aroused but she forced her attention back to work matters. “There’s a check in that folder that needs to be deposited if you don’t mind swinging by the bank after your lunch.”
    Marti nodded. “Sure. Speaking of food, there’s a Danish in the break room if you’re hungry.”
    Ava shook her head. “Breakfast was quite enough for me.” Not that she’d eaten much of the spread Mateo had laid out. Now she was so wrapped up in knots she couldn’t think of eating. “Thanks anyway.”
    Once in her office she dropped the mystery box on her desk and sank into her chair. Trying to concentrate was