Page 160 of Love Arranged

Willow

Latest focus group was a shit show. He’s already assuming the polls will reflect that.

Shit.

Me

I thought he was closing the gap between him and the mayor.

Willow

He is, but I think the engagement is backfiring.

Me

How so?

My finger trembles as I hit the Send button.

Willow

People are worried about Lorenzo losing focus on the campaign.

I want to throw up. While Lorenzo had originally suggested against getting engaged, it was my great idea to up the ante because I thought people would take us more seriously.

You did try to stop him.

Yeah, but not soon enough, and now look. There is a chance his polls will come back better than ever after the debate, but there is also a risk that the engagement will set him back big time—to the point where he will never recover.

If we want Lorenzo to win, we need to think of something bigger than an engagement party, political debate, orWisteria Weeklyarticle about Lorenzo’s entrepreneurial spirit.

But what?

I decide to pass by Lorenzo’s house since he isn’t answering my calls or texts. After Willow’s earlier message, he seems like he could use the support.

He opens the door wearing only a pair of running shorts. His hair is damp from whatever grueling workout I interrupted, and his chest glistens, beads of sweat dripping down his toned stomach.

“Like what you see?”

I finally remember that I was born with the ability to speak. “Hard not to.”

“Let me know when you’re done checking me out.”

“Thankfully, I can multitask,” I joke before tearing my eyes away from his body. “Where’s Daisy?”

“Groomer,” he answers, straight to the point. “What are you doing here?” His tone might be gruff, but his actions are warm as he opens the door wider to give me room to enter.

“Willow told me about the latest focus group.”

He shuts the door. “I warned her not to worry you about it.”

“I’m more worried aboutyou.” With the debate happening this week, he needs to be at the top of his game, and the deep circles under his eyes don’t give me that impression.

He runs his hands through his slick hair until it no longer gets in his face. “My business isn’t the one at stake here.”

“It was one focus group, Lorenzo. I’d hardly hedge the whole election on it.”

He wipes his forehead with the towel he had draped around his neck. “The polls almost always reflect their comments.”