Page 18 of When Love Changes Everything

I can’t help but smile back, drawn to her like gravity, as if every force in the universe is pushing me closer. My hand moves instinctively to the nape of her neck, my fingers slipping into the softness of her hair. I lean in and press a gentle kiss to her cheek, a simple gesture we’ve shared before—yet this time, it feels different.

This time, it feels like an unspoken promise, the opening line of a love story I never thought I’d be brave enough to live. And as her nearness warms my skin and the steady rhythm of my heart begins to race, I make a decision.

A decision that will change everything.

Chapter 7

Lisa

Mateo has never kissed me. He pulls me to the brink every time, leaving me desperate for his lips on mine—and yet, all I ever get is a sweet, maddening kiss on the cheek. It drives me completely, categorically insane.

This time, he pulls away, mumbling something about having to run an errand. I fight the urge to demand that he finish what he started. But I let him go, my mind racing with the thought of what it would be like to kiss him. What it would be like to be his forever.

The idea consumes me, and before I can think it through, I grab my phone and call Loren, hoping she can help me make sense of the storm of emotions whirling inside me.

“Katherine’s here helping with the twins,” Loren says. “Hang on, let me put you on speaker.”

They fall silent as I recount everything, right up to the point where Mateo told my father we’re engaged.

“I don't think this is a good idea,” Loren says quietly, her sensible nature pulling me back from the clouds. “Please tell me you're not entertaining such a scatterbrained idea.”

“Now, hold on,” Katherine cuts in, her voice thoughtful, as if she’s already piecing together the puzzle. “This could actually work.”

"Lily is going to kill me," I mutter, running a hand through my hair.

“Lily and Noah won’t be back for two more weeks, maybe three," Katherine says. "Your dad will be gone by then. Lily never has to know.”

“Katherine!” Loren exclaims, her voice filled with disbelief. “You’re all insane.”

“Listen,” Katherine begins, her tone serious. “Mr. Preston needs to be treated with a heavy hand. One only Mateo can deliver.”

“What do you mean?” Loren asks.

Katherine leans into the idea, unflinching. “Mr. Preston is the only man on the planet Lisa can’t stand up to. You honor him, because he's your father, but let's be honest, he takes advantageof that respect—verbally and emotionally abusing you. We’ve all seen it. Aaron, Adam, and Dad have tried to put him in his place, but when it comes down to it, he’s stillyourdad. And there’s only so much anyone can do. But your husband-to-be? Well, that’s a different story.”

She lets her words hang in the air before continuing. “Your dad needs a hard lesson in how to treat a woman—especially when that woman is his daughter. Mateo can teach him that lesson. And I think you should let him.”

“I don’t agree,” Loren’s gentle voice breaks through. “A lie is never a good idea, no matter the reason.”

"The only thing Dad and I have in common since I left California is my trust fund. Once that’s squared away, I seriously doubt I’ll ever see him again."

“Are you okay with that?” Loren asks, her voice soft.

I take a deep breath. “Yes. I love him, but I refuse to continue putting myself in his line of fire.”

“Then Mateo’s plan is perfect,” Katherine says, her voice confident. “It’ll make your father’s stay a lot more bearable with Mateo by your side. You might owe him respect, but Mateo doesn’t owe him a dang thing. Let him gobuck wildon his—”

“Katherine!” Loren interrupts, her voice a sharp rebuke.

Katherine chuckles under her breath. "What? You know I'm right."

***

After I end the call with the girls, my stomach begins to grumble, reminding me that I haven't eaten in hours. I decide to make myself a snack, spreading strawberry preserves over crackers, the sticky sweetness a small comfort. Standing at the counter, I eat them one by one, the tart jam mingling with the crispness of the crackers as I savor each bite. But no matter how much I try to focus on the simple pleasure of the snack, my thoughts keep drifting back to Mateo. His smile, his touch, the way he makes me feel like I’m walking a razor-thin line between excitement and madness.

I’ve glanced out the window a few times to check if my car is still in the driveway. When I look again now, my smile widens—my car is gone. Which means that Dad is gone. Probably out somewhere licking his wounds. The pang of guilt I feel over that just proves how deeply I’m used to his cutting words—and how I’ve been trained to shoulder the blame for each one of them.

“Hermosa, I’m home.” Mateo’s deep, husky voice sends a rush of uncontainable excitement through me, leaving my heart fluttering wildly.

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