Love Arranged (Lakefront Billionaires, #3)(53)

He pops open the mirror and checks himself out. “God. Why did I ever let my mom talk me into wearing this?”

“A little word of advice? Hold off on admitting your mom still helps pick out your clothes.”

“How else can I explain this fashion choice?”

“Town spirit?”

He claps his hands together. “Yes! Town spirit! Which is why you have to wear it as the man who’s running for mayor.”

I choke on a laugh. “Good try, but no.”

“Okay. Forget about town spirit. Do it because I’m your best friend and you don’t want to see me blow my chance with one of the prettiest girls around. Because I don’t want to be single anymore, Lorenzo. It’s lonely as hell, and I’m ready for the next phase in my life. I’ve been ready for a while, but dating here is hard.”

I stare at him without blinking. “You’re serious.”

“Of course I’m serious, but it’s not like you’d understand since you have Lily.”

Except you don’t have her, do you?

“Maybe we could head back to my house so I can change?” He checks his watch and curses. “No. Being late is even worse.” His groan fills the car.

I shouldn’t say yes. If I were anything like my uncle or cousins, I would stick to my original answer and tell him no, but then I think about what that would look like for him should I refuse to help him out.

Manny is a good guy. He goes out of his way to check on me even when I don’t do the same, and he’s decent at blackjack and poker after I taught him a few tricks. Even though we are complete opposites, I like his company, and the thought of upsetting him enough to risk losing it makes my throat tighten.

Maybe Lily was right, because the thought of being alone is more than tiring.

It’s unsettling.

When I first moved to Lake Wisteria, I never cared about making friends, but now I’m thinking about what could happen should I upset the only real one I have.

Not a risk I’m willing to take.

Selfishness has always been my default setting, but tonight I am choosing to put someone else first while receiving nothing but their company in return. All because Lily is right and I am tired of being alone.

And I have no idea what to do with that new piece of information about myself.





CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO


Lily


When Lorenzo walks into Night Cap wearing a shirt that surely can’t be his, I burst out laughing, earning the attention from other tables nearby. I can’t help my reaction, but his bold outfit is too much to bear.

I look over at Manny to find him dressed in one that looks a little too tight on his bulkier frame. Jane seems to appreciate it because I find her ogling his arms, which look more defined thanks to what I assume must be Lorenzo’s shirt.

Part of me wants to bring up the suspected shirt swap in conversation, but I’m not sure if Jane is aware of it, so I keep quiet.

Instead I jump out of my seat and throw my arms around him. “Love the outfit, baby.”

His hands find the curve of my ass and stay there, claiming me in front of the entire bar full of twenty- and thirty-somethings. “Make another comment about it and I’ll find a better way to keep your mouth busy.”

A pleasant warmth rolls through me at the unspoken promise.

For the love of God, can you control yourself?

Nope.

“What if I like the sound of that?” I brush my thumb across his bottom lip.

“You’re trouble.” His lashes flutter as his eyes start to close.

Fake. Fake. Fake, I chant, like that can stop me from feeling all warm at the obvious sign of his arousal.

At least his reaction to my touch makes me feel slightly less guilty about mine.

When I pull my hand away from his face, his eyes snap open, and like that, we’re back to playing our roles.

Manny takes the empty chair beside Jane, and Lorenzo picks the one to my left.

I give them a little privacy as I look over at my boyfriend, whose gaze is already focused solely on me. “So…strawberries?”

“Lily,” he warns in a voice that should be reserved for the bedroom, because the indecent things it does to my body are not meant for public consumption.

“What? I’m commenting on the pattern.”

“I warned you.” He reaches across the wood table, laces our fingers together, and gives me a squeeze.

Regardless of how many times he holds my hand, it always feels like the very first time—with my heart skipping and my skin prickling with awareness.

“I’m pretty sure I have a dress with a similar pattern somewhere in my closet.”

“You should look for it tonight so we can match for our next date.”

“Since when are we the kind of couple who coordinates outfits?”

“Since you forgot what the colors of the rainbow looked like.” His gaze flickers down to my plain white lace dress.

My heart comes to a complete stop—a full, achy pause before it picks back up, the pace much faster than before.

I never thought Lorenzo paid close enough attention to notice the change, let alone care enough to bring it up. I’m not sure how to feel about it or the way he looks at me like I’m a mystery he wants to solve; his comment and my lack of a response adding to his collection of clues about why I changed.