Page 67 of Love Arranged

Only because my heart does this little jolt every damn time she uses it.

Lily

Good. Now I love it even more.

I don’t get ten minutes to myself the next morning before my doorbell goes off. A quick glance at the security app makes me consider ignoring the visitor, but then Willow yells, “Open up, or else I quit!”

I open the door to a red-faced Willow.

“What the hell, Lorenzo?!” she shouts.

I shut the door before any of my neighbors can hear us. “I can explain.”

She barrels into my home like a hellhound, banging into the entryway table and nearly tipping over the vase with one of Lily’s bouquets. The pink clashes with all the earthy tones in my house, but it reminds me of my mom and all the fond memories I have of my father surprising her with weekly bouquets.

The memory makes my chest tight, and I slip my hand into my front pocket and start counting the numbers on the dice to calm my racing mind.

“Lorenzo?” Willow waves her hands. “Are you even paying attention to me?”

I’m dragged out of the mental fog. “What?”

“How did you ever get Lily to agree to being your fiancée?”

“Girlfriend,” I correct. “At least for the next two months before we begin Phase Two.”

“There are phases now?”

“Apparently so.”

Her lips purse. “You know what? I don’t care what you label it. Just tell me how it all went down and why she would ever agree to being your fiancée after the Eros app incident.”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” She sounds as surprised as she looks. “What do you mean?”

Willow isn’t going to let this go easily, so I lead her to my living room, where we both take a seat on chairs across from each other.

I tap my fingers against my thigh. “She mentioned not liking the Ludlows, but we were interrupted before I had a chance to push for more information.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

Willow’s lips thin. “I don’t know if I believe that.”

What if she’s doing this to get revenge?The worry grows like a virus, making me feel sick in the head.

I can’t think of a better way for her to get back at you about the Eros app.

She’s like a Trojan horse, destined to be the downfall of your campaign. Don’t trust her.

I’m aware there are some pitfalls to having Lily play the role of my fake fiancée, but I will fight to always stay one step ahead of her.

Willow asks the same question I’ve had since I left LastCall: “What else could you have that she possibly wants? It’s obviously not money.”

“No. She didn’t even bring it up.”

“Power?”