Page 158 of Love Arranged

Is she the only one?

With a smile, I reply.

Me

No, she isn’t.

Lily

Did that hurt you to admit?

Me

Actually, it was easier than I expected.

Lily

I miss you too.

Reluctantly, I lock my phone and head to my home office so I can tackle the weekend’s emails and review Willow’s notes for tonight’s mock debate. Lily is always on my mind, but I channel that fixation into my work because she needs me to win the election.

There is no other option for me because being defeated means her losing everything she cares about, and I won’t let that happen.

When I’m not busy preparing for the debate and meeting with constituents, I am working on the Muñoz garden without Lily knowing. She thinks I’m too busy to spend time with her this week, and I am, but not for the reason she thinks.

Rosa is so excited about us clearing up the garden, she nearly ruined the surprise by telling Lily, but I caught her right before she sent a photo in the Muñoz-Lopez-Vittori group chat of me working in the backyard.

Julian pretends to still be bitter about the name change, but since he is the one who added me to the Kids’ Table group chat, I think it’s more performative than anything.

“Gracias por la agua fresca, Señora Muñoz,”Manny says before chugging half his drink.

“Avísame si quieres más?*,”she says before disappearing inside.

“This is so good. I don’t get how you could say no.”

Because I’m all messed up in the head, I say to myself while taking a sip from my water bottle.

After a few more minutes, Manny and I get back to work. He hasn’t complained once, not that I expect him to after he was the one who volunteered to help me with the garden when I texted him this morning asking for the address of his cousin’s nursery.

Anything in the name of love, he declared before grabbing a trash bag.

And for the first time, I don’t deny it.

Not even to myself.

* Let me know if you want more.

42

LILY

Outside of helping Willow and Lorenzo prepare for the debate, I’ve hardly seen my fake fiancé—or should I start calling him my boyfriend? He still pops into the shop to drop off some sweets or a cup of coffee, but he has been busy, so his visits never last longer than ten minutes.

The sporadic texts he sends me aren’t cutting it now that I know what I’m missing, and while I’m hopeful that his schedule will ease up once he wins the election, I’m worried that his new job will only make our lives more difficult.

Before we admitted our feelings for one another, I didn’t think much of what would happen to us once Lorenzo became mayor, but now I hope we can strike a balance eventually.

Get through the election first, I remind myself as I walk into the Angry Rooster Café. Maria waves me down from the twoseats she saved for us in the back, and I head over there after ordering a coffee.