Page 14 of When Love Changes Everything

There’s a pause. “Lisa’s car?”

The question throws me for a second. “Yeah… you know her?” I ask, locking eyes with Lisa.

“Sure do,” Carter replies, a casual familiarity in his tone. “We’ve gone out a couple of times.”

A strange, unexpected feeling twists in my chest. Lisa looks away, her patience thinning by the second, and suddenly, I feel a prickle of something uncomfortably close to jealousy.

"Thank you," Lisa whispers after I hang up the phone. "But that still leaves me stranded."

"Take Lily's car," I say, offering her the keys. "Just drop me off back at the house."

Chapter 5

Lisa

"Thanks for letting me borrow the car," I say, breathing a sigh of relief as I pull into the driveway to drop off Mateo.

"Your car should be ready by the time you get back," he says. "Carter assured me he’d move you to the front of the line."

"That’s... really thoughtful of him," I reply, a bit surprised. "We only went out twice. I can’t believe he still remembers me."

Mateo’s eyes capture mine, a flicker of something deeply enticing igniting in his gaze. His voice drops, low and steady. "We've never been out on a date," he murmurs, his faint smile almost daring, "but somehow, you’re already etched into my mind... forever."

My heart stumbles, fluttering unexpectedly, and I can’t help but smile back. "There’s that infamous charm," I tease, though I can feel the tension simmer between us. "Everyone warned me about it, Mateo."

His eyes darken, a flicker of mischief dancing in them, and his voice drops to a low, magnetic rumble. "They warned you, huh?" he says, leaning in, "But I bet none of them told you just how much you'd enjoy it." His smile deepens, and a thrill races down my spine when he reaches across and brushes his knuckles against my cheek. I lean into the sensation, letting the scent of his cologne and the warmth of his touch ignite something deep inside me, an electric spark that steals my breath as he leans just a bit closer. I close my eyes as his lips brush against my cheek, an infuriatingly familiar move that stirs both longing and frustration. Once, twice—each time slower, lingering, edging closer to my mouth. My pulse quickens, every nerve attuned to the possibility of what might come next.

But he doesn’t kiss me.

Instead, he pauses, his lips a breath away from their mark, the tantalizing closeness making my skin hum. His voice curls through me like a promise I don’t yet understand. "See you later,hermosa."

I barely manage a reply, my shaky voice betraying the longing inside me. "I’ll see you later."

I watch as he steps out of the car, his every movement deliberate, like he knows the effect he has on me. For a moment I’m frozen,my fingers brushing the place where his lips had lingered, the memory burning into me. I can’t stop wishing—aching—that just this once, I’d dared to tilt my head just enough to taste the kiss I’ve craved for far too long.

***

"Dad, over here!" I call out, waving my hands in the parking lot to catch his attention.

"Where's your car, Annalisa?" The way he uses my full name makes my skin prickle. He’s the only one who does, and every time he says it, I remember exactly why I go by Lisa instead.

"It's in the shop," I say, bracing for what I know is coming.

He lets out a sigh. "I hope you don’t handle your business the way you handle that car, Annalisa."

"It was running just fine," I reply defensively. "It just broke down this morning."

"I'm sure it warned you," he mutters, unimpressed. "You probably ignored the signs."

As his voice sharpens, he launches into a tirade about my so-called irresponsibility, suggesting I'd be better off taking public transportation. His words sting, and frustration simmers beneath my calm exterior.

"Dad," I say firmly, cutting him off. "The car’s getting fixed. And as for my business, I’m doing just fine. I have two employees I pay every month, and I manage it all efficiently. I haven’t had a single complaint."

He crosses his arms, unmoved. "I'm sure Aaron Baldwin has kept an eye on things for you, so he doesn’t lose his investment."

I bite back my frustration. "Aaron’s my business partner, Dad, not my boss. I handle everything myself."

The ride home is thick with tension. I keep my eyes on the road, gripping the wheel, while Dad sits beside me, finding fault in everything from my driving to my failure as a daughter.

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