Page 128 of Love Arranged

We want to encourage people to come forward and talk about how much Lorenzo has helped their business, but money is a sensitive topic, and the few people we’ve spoken to about it all have had the same answer.

We’re grateful for Lorenzo’s help, but we don’t want people to know.

I don’t plan on giving up at the first sign of adversity, but I’m running out of time before Lorenzo goes forward with Phase Two.

At least I can rest easy knowing I still have a couple of weeks left to figure out a better alternative. That’s the only reason I’m able to relax on Saturday when Lorenzo surprises me with a spa day.

Him. Not Willow, which he specified in a text he sent me on Friday night.

My mom and sister are equally excited because he invited them as well, and we spend the day getting pampered. Our schedule is packed with massages, manicures, pedicures, and some type of body-wrap service that leaves our skin glowing. Lorenzo thought of everything, including scheduling mea blowout that leaves me looking like an Old Hollywood starlet.

Everything is so thought out, right down to the package that is waiting for me when I get home.

“What is it?” Dahlia waggles her brows at the black box.

I tug on the bow and pop open the lid to reveal eight jewelry boxes—one being a larger rectangle, and the others resembling ring boxes.

He wouldn’t…

I’m relieved when I open the first small square one to reveal a pair of pink diamond studs that perfectly match my dress.

“He really does know you!” Dahlia shouts.

“Yeah,” I say, drawing out the word. Julian must’ve told Lorenzo about the running joke because I’ve never spoken a word about it.

I open the next small box and find another stunning pair of earrings which are different from the first, with an emerald gemstone in the center that is surrounded by white marquise-cut diamonds.

“Oh my God.” Dahlia checks them out while I reach for another closed box that holds a set of gorgeous rubies.

I continue until all seven small ring boxes are opened and organized to match the rainbow—a visual reminder of the conversation we had during our double date when I asked him about us coordinating outfits.

It looks like Lorenzo doesn’t just want me to remember the colors of the rainbow.

He wants me towearthem.

I can’t even wrap my head around the gift or the sentimentalmeaning behind it, let alone whatever my sister is saying before she bumps me in the shoulder.

“Open the last one!” She hands me the larger rectangular box.

I pop open the lid to find a dainty gold bracelet with three gold beads at the center. It’s like one of those plastic friendship bracelets but with only two diamond-encrusted letters—anAand anL—separated by a diamond heart.

“What’s theAfor?” Dahlia asks.

I choke on a laugh. “It’s a long story.”

Thankfully she quickly moves on once she finds a card at the bottom of the box. “There’s a note!” Dahlia shoves it into my hand. “Read it.”

I put the bracelet down on the kitchen counter and open the card.

Put this on and never take it off.

—Laurence

“Who’s Laurence?” She gasps. “Wait. What if they made a mistake and put the wrong letter?”

“It’s a joke.”

“And an expensive one at that.” She brushes her finger over the letterA.