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Met with your brother. He okayed everything I showed him. Want to talk to you before I start working, unless you are okay with a koi pond in the middle of your living room.

I chuckle.

Lux

Finding a koi pond in my living room would be the highlight of my day.

“Who’s that?”

I turn to look at Mateo. “What?”

“Who has you smiling like that?”

I could tell him it’s my family texting, but I don’t feel like it. “No one.”

“It didn’t seem like no one.” His tone is cutting and at odds with the smile on his lips.

Here we fucking go. He was the one cheating but always throwing jealousy tantrums.

Thankfully, I don’t have to put up with that shit anymore. “You know why we’re going out tonight. That was clear, right?”

His smile turns sheepish. “You’re right. This is going to be a great night. We are getting back together?—”

I hold up a hand to the side of his face. “No. You said you wanted to talk. I’m giving us the chance of a conversation. That’s all.”

“Baby.” His hand glides over my thigh.

I place my palm over it to still it and fling it away. “It’s way too soon for you to be trying this.”

His laugh is soft. “Later, then.”

I don’t correct him, because that’s how we always fall into the same pattern. I explain too much, and he finds a way to weasel himself in. Not ever again. I’m going to stay light and do what I came to do. After we talk, I’m going straight home.

When we turn onto Madison Ave and pull in front of Central Park, I don’t groan like I want to.

“We’re going to Parlay on the Park?”

“Yes, you know how much I love the food here.”

This motherfucker.

He doesn’t seem to remember what happened last time we were here. I turn to remind him, but he flips the doors open, and immediately, there’s a valet next to me, helping me out of the car. The second my foot hits the concrete, the shutters and flashes of cameras go off. I wish I could hide my face inside my jacket.

I hate that he brought us here where he knew the cameras would be. I walk fast around the car to meet him. He tries to hook an arm around my waist, but I move quickly, and his hand lands on my elbow.

“You guys together again?” someone yells.

I open my mouth to set him straight, but Mateo beats me to it.

“We always find our way back to each other.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

I smile at the paps over my shoulder. “Just two friends having dinner.” I don’t shove Mateo away like I want to, but when we’re inside the elevator, I move as far away as I can.

“You okay?” he asks, leaning toward me, his hand reaching for my face.

I step back until my back is against the wall, and I’m out of his reach. “I’m not. You didn’t have to say that. You know they’re going to run with this.”