Page 28 of Love Arranged

“You’re hiding something.” She crosses her arms.

I do the same. “I’m not.”Outside of keeping our situationship a secret, that is.

“Then why can’t I say Lorenzo’s name without you turning two shades pinker?”

“It’s nerves.”

“Since when doyouget nervous?”

I shrug.

“Do you like him?” she asks without any prelude.

“No.” I sound genuine, but my incriminating face doesn’t help matters.

“Hm,” she says unconvincingly. “Doeshelikeyou?”

I can’t help laughing at the absurd question. “Isn’t that the million-dollar question.”

Her brows hike toward her hairline. “What if that’s why he wanted to fix your car?”

I shake my head, not trusting my voice. I never told my sister about Lorenzo and the dating app, and I don’t intend to share our story now, especially not when she is this concerned about him liking me.

Imagine how she’d react if she learned I like him back.

Liked. You liked him back.

I bite down on my tongue.

Julian steps out of the station with a scowl directed straight at me. He stays rooted in place, giving Dahlia and me space to finish our conversation.

I look back at my sister. “Can you go calm your boyfriend down before he strains a neck muscle or something?”

She doesn’t move from her spot. “He can wait.”

Great.

“If you’re interested in Lorenzo, you can tell me. I won’t judge you.”

Consider me surprised. “Really?”

“Of course. I want you to be happy.”

“Even if I’m happy with Lorenzo?”

She doesn’t look too excited when she nods, but maybe her strained expression has more to do with Julian drilling a hole into the sides of our faces.

“Don’t worry.” I spare her from answering my question. “I don’t want anything to do with him.”

She exhales. “Thank God. That would’ve been complicated.”Tell me about it.“You know how Julian feels about him.”

I force a laugh. “Isn’t it kind of silly for Julian to still be upset with Lorenzo? All he wanted to do was buy a few properties your boyfriend was interested in.”

“I think Lorenzo also beat him in an elementary school spelling bee once.” She chuckles to herself.

“They weren’t even in the same grade, so it wasn’t a fair fight.”

“Okay, you’re right. That one is ridiculous.”