Love Arranged (Lakefront Billionaires, #3)(48)

But I’m also a teeny, tiny bit sad—not for him, but for myself. Because how many years have I spent longing for a person who talks about me the same way?

I’ve been on dates. I’ve joined every matchmaking app. I’ve given men multiple chances because I wanted to be sure they weren’t the person I could see myself spending the rest of my life with.

Then I met Lorenzo, and I thought he was that person for me. I was so confident about it that I wished for him to be.

Just like my dad said to.

I shove the painful memory away and focus on Rafa telling me another story about his trip. By the time we arrive at the animal clinic, the kittens are meowing like crazy, so the secretary shows us to a private room where we can let them loose while we wait for the vet.

“So, you and Lorenzo…” Rafa says as he plucks the one with the pink collar off the floor.

I reach for the kitten and place her back with her brother and sisters. “What about it?”

“How’s it going?”

I laugh. “I mean, as good as can be expected after hiding our relationship for nearly a year.”

His eyes turn to slits. I brace myself for a judgmental comment, but he surprises me by saying, “I’m sure that was hard on you.”

“Yeah…but I feel so much better now that people know.”

“I’m curious—how did you both keep it a secret for so long?” He stares at me instead of the kitten currently destroying his shoelaces with its tiny claws.

“Why are you asking?”

“Because you’re the last person anyone tells anything to.”

My mouth falls open. “That’s so uncalled for.”

He shrugs. “But true.”

“I can keep a secret.”

“So can I.” He looks so smug after saying it, and I instantly know something is wrong.

The vet then walks into the room, cutting our conversation short. At first I’m grateful for the interruption, but the longer I have to wait to ask Rafa what he meant, the larger my concerns grow.

Relax, I chant, trying to find my inner yoga voice and failing miserably.

When the vet leaves the exam room after promising to return with some results, I can’t take Rafa’s smugness anymore.

“What did you mean?”

He pauses in the middle of stroking one of the kitten’s bellies to look over at me. “What?”

“When you said you can keep a secret. What were you referring to?”

“Oh. That.” He goes back to playing with the kitten.

“Rafa,” I say with a groan. “Come on.”

He stands to his full height and crosses his arms. “I know the truth.”

My whole world tilts as I come to terms with Rafa knowing about my big, bad secret.

“How?” I ask, although I’m certain Ellie is the one who said something.

And people think I can’t keep a secret?

I can’t believe Lorenzo gave me a whole speech about not telling my sister and Julian about us when he should’ve been worrying about Willow talking to Ellie.

But I’ll deal with that issue later.

Rafa rubs his stubbled cheek. “I don’t get how you landed yourself in this…situation.”

I can’t look at him head-on, so I pick up a kitten and cradle it against my chest. “It’s a long, uninteresting story.”

“I’d rather be the judge of that myself, if you don’t mind.”

I’m the one grimacing now.

“Come on, Lily. How can you go from wanting to find the love of your life to faking a relationship with Lorenzo?”

I drop my gaze. “I have my reasons.”

“I’m sure, and I’m not trying to judge them.” He exhales loudly. “I just want you to know I’m here if you need any help. Anything at all. You know that, right?”

My bottom lip quivers. “Thank you.”

“I hope you’re at least talking to Dahlia about all this.”

“No.”

He pulls back, appearing stunned. “You’re not going to tell your own sister? She’s your best friend.”

I bite down on the inside of my cheek. “Lorenzo and I decided against it.”

“Why?”

I explain Lorenzo’s reasoning, including his reservations about Julian, before saying, “One day I’ll tell her the truth.”

“But not soon.”

“No.” I shift my weight while trying to hold eye contact. I do my best, but when he doesn’t stop staring at me, I cave and look away.

“Ellie mentioned you’re getting engaged. Is that still true?”

“Uh…yes.”

“Fuck.” He spears his hands through his hair, and the shorter strands stick up. “A fake relationship is one thing, but an engagement? What are you thinking?”

Words evade me.

Rafa’s eyes follow the flush toward my neckline. “I’m going to come out and ask: do you like him?”

“No!” I say too loudly, startling the kittens playing by my feet.

“You sure about that?” he asks, my face turning redder.

“Okay.” I sigh. “Listen. I did like him once. Past tense. But that was nearly a year ago.”