Page 75 of All Your Lies

“Well, let’s fix that. I’ll see that Four Senses is open for us to dine.”

“With the lights on.”

“Are you sure?” I ask with a mischievous smirk.

We sit in Four Senses ten minutes later with the lights on, to my disappointment. Alexa looks around with a smile.

“This place is beautiful. You should let people dine with the lights on.”

“Most prefer them to be off,” I mutter.

Her cheeks blush a delightful shade of red as she clears her throat and looks anywhere but at me. “The date on my necklace is in fifteen days.”

I nod. “It is.”

“Nothing’s been planned—”

“I saw to most of the planning since you haven’t exactly been agreeable.” I grin, even though her refusal of our upcoming wedding has hurt like a motherfucker.

“Shouldn’t I be in charge, considering it’s my wedding?”

A wave of relief washes over me at the thought of her finally taking our future seriously, of her finally taking me seriously.

“You always said you wanted a small wedding. Never wanting to be the center of attention. You’d rather have a lengthy honeymoon, which I’m definitely looking forward to,” I say as I lick my lips.

“I want to backpack through Europe. Visit medieval castles and run through rolling hills of tulip fields, hence the lengthy honeymoon. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Fine. We’ll get married at my parents’ house, in Mom’s rose garden, as you once said you wanted... unless that’s changed?”

“What about...?” She moves her hands around, attempting to find words before whispering, “The fat that was trimmed, or whatever Mr. Gualtieri said.”

“The house was cleaned, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“It won’t bother you to be there?”

“Not in the least.”

“Okay,” she says with a whimsical smile. “I loved being in that garden when I was younger.”

“How could I forget? The dancing, the screaming...”

“You watched?”

“I watched you a lot.”

“So you’ve been stalking me your whole life?”

“Something like that.”

“That’s pretty creepy, Gage.”

I lean forward, across the table, which now seems too large and creates too much space between Alexa and me.

“I don’t think you mind it.”

She licks her lips before looking down at her half-eaten plate.

“And what about all the other details?” she asks.