Love Arranged (Lakefront Billionaires, #3)(121)

After this morning’s therapy session, I head to the gym before stopping by Rose & Thorn with a lunch I prepared for Lily, which is a habit I picked up two months ago. Providing for her in the smallest ways scratches an itch I didn’t know I had, and it hardly costs me anything at all to bring a smile to her face each day.

Once we eat, Lily and I walk over to the high school, where we both vote. She jokes about having no choice in the matter, and all the volunteers working the booths laugh, accusing me of voter intimidation after I kiss Lily hard on the mouth.

She slides behind the curtain with the goofiest smile on her face and blocks everyone, including me, from seeing her while she fills out her ballot.

Thanks to the computer systems Lake Wisteria had invested in during the last presidential election, results could come in as early as tonight, but Willow told me not to expect any updates until tomorrow morning.

The wait will be torture, but Lily is committed to distracting me in the best ways possible until tomorrow. We hole up in my house for the next few hours, only leaving my bedroom for food, water, and to take Daisy outside.

If I had it my way, Lily wouldn’t have to leave at all, but she is still committed to following her mom’s rule.

“You can’t leave,” I say when she starts collecting her clothes from the floor.

“I can’t sleep over.”

I lean against the headboard and stretch, temporarily distracting her with my toned stomach. “But we’re engaged.”

“You know my mom’s rule—no living with a man until you’re married.” She mimics her mom’s voice, and it’s surprisingly accurate.

“We can easily fix that problem.”

“Sure, in a year and a half. Maybe two.”

My mouth falls open. “What?”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Two. Years?”

“It’s not like we’ve been together for very long.”

“So?” I ask, still shocked by her timeline. “My dad married my mom within two months of knowing her.”

She pauses in the middle of fixing her dress. “What? I didn’t know that.”

“It was quite the scandal back then. No prenup either, not that it mattered since they walked away from the business.”

I know Lily is far too interested in hearing more stories about my parents, so she pauses her plan to leave and climbs back onto the bed. She fits perfectly in my arms, and I enjoy the feel of her body pressed to mine.

She looks up at me with a grin. “Tell me more.”

I share my parents’ story, or more so, the tame version they told me since I was a kid. Back then I thought it was crazy, but now I see that my father’s idea had some merit.

He loved my mother, so of course he wanted to marry her so they would always be together.

“Cute,” she says after I describe their quick wedding.

“Want to keep up the family tradition?”

She giggles. “Nice try, but nope. I’ve been dreaming of my wedding for a while, and nothing you say or do will convince me otherwise.”

I maneuver my body so I’m on top and have her trapped beneath me. “Nothing at all?”

She raises a brow. “No.”

I kiss the corner of her mouth. “Don’t make me wait two years.”

“You’ll be so busy with your new job as mayor, time will fly by.”

“Being your fiancé sounds like a better job anyway.”

Her lips curl with a tease of a smile. “Be serious.”

“I am. I’ll always make time for you, no matter what.”

Her eyes glimmer like two round jewels. “Promise?”

“You have my word. You come first. Always.” I seal the vow with a kiss, and she returns it with vigor.

All thoughts of her leaving disappear, and we spend the rest of the night tangled in my sheets, right where Lily belongs.




My hand shakes as the phone vibrates against the bathroom counter. Willow already called once, right as I was rinsing off my toothbrush, but I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

Just like I can’t now.

My heart beats wildly in my chest, and a sick feeling has spread through my stomach, sending acid climbing up my throat.

Lily enters the bathroom wearing one of the new dresses I bought her. “Is that Willow?”

“Yes.” I tear my eyes away from her reflection and look down at the phone.

“Do you plan on answering her?”

I nod, yet I don’t move to do so.

Lily reaches for my hand and spins me around so my butt is leaning against the counter.

“What’s up?” she asks.

“What if I lost?”

She nods. “If you did, it’s okay.”

“How can you say that with your entire business on the line?”

“Because you gave it your everything, and that’s all that matters. I couldn’t be prouder of how hard you worked, and I’m sure everyone who knows you would agree.” She presses her hand to the side of my face, lending me some of her strength. “You should be proud of yourself, and I know if your parents were here, they’d be saying so with me.”

My vision blurs, and I shut my eyes until I’m able to formulate a response.