Page 37 of When Love Changes Everything

"Marian," I cut her off, my tone calm. "I hope you’ll make the most of your time here by spending it with Davey."

"David is still in school, Love," she says, her English accent as beautiful as she is. "My mornings are free, and so are my nights."

I immediately catch her meaning. The thought of being with anyone but Lisa is unthinkable—like a betrayal, not only to her but to the person I’ve become since those reckless days with Marian. "I’m not interested, Marian," I say, my voice sure and steady. "Whatever you’re hoping to accomplish here, it’s not going to happen."

"Why not?" she asks, her hazel eyes searching mine as her fingers skim lightly over my chest. "What’s changed since the last time we were together—the time we created a life together, remember?" The mention of the baby she lost is a cruel reminder of what I lost too, but I force myself not to react. "I’ve changed," I reply simply, my tone firm with a finality I hope will be enough to convince her and make her leave.

Her smile falters, but she quickly recovers, tilting her head in that familiar, calculating way. "Oh, Mateo," she says, her voice almost pitying. "People like us don’t change, darling."

Why do her words feel so true, unraveling everything I’ve worked so hard to believe over the last six months?

"If you'll excuse me," I say, without flinching. "I have a wedding to plan."

Her laugh rings out, sharp and dripping with sarcasm. “Who’s theluckygirl?” she asks. The way she emphasizes lucky feels like a deliberate mockery—not just of me, but of my determination to commit to one woman for the rest of my life.

"I am." Lisa's sweet, loving voice jolts me out of the web of self-doubt Marian has so intricately and effectively spun around me. I tear my gaze away from Marian and meet Lisa's eyes, surprised to see her standing just a few feet away. A flicker of worry crosses my mind—how much of this conversation did she hear? But it doesn’t matter. She smiles, and in that moment, the world steadies itself, grounding me in my new reality with just one look.

Chapter 15

Lisa

Marian glances over her shoulder at me, her eyes widening in brief shock before her expression hardens. She turns back to Mateo for what I’m certain is one last glare before striding toward me, her high heels sinking into the thick grass. As she brushes past, I half expect her to shoulder-check me like something out of a middle school showdown. But to her credit, she doesn’t need to. The look she throws my way is just as effective—sharp enough to unnerve even the toughest opponent.

“We’ll see about that," she murmurs, her tone making it clear this isn’t over.

"How much of that did you hear?" Mateo asks as soon as Marian is out of earshot.

"Enough to get the full picture," I say, meeting his grin with a smirk of my own. "And for the record, I’m not above eavesdropping when it’s necessary."

"Come here," he says, reaching for me. As his arms encircle me, I melt into his warmth. I close my eyes and breath in the masculine scent of his cologne.

"Do you still think she's just misunderstood?" I ask, tilting my head to meet his gaze. "Because she scares the hell out of me."

He inhales deeply, his arms tightening around me. "What scares me," he says, his voice low, "is the fact that we're so much alike."

"That's not true," I say firmly, my hand smoothing slow circles on his back. "She's cold, calculating, cruel, selfish, and a total—"

"Hermosa," he says quickly, cutting me off. "The only thing that sets me apart is having people in my life who I love enough to make me want to be better."

"She has a son," I say. "And let’s not forget—she walked out on him and Noah without a second thought."

"How about we change the subject?" he says with a smile. "I’m ready to talk wedding venues, cake flavors, and party favors."

I laugh, fully aware that most men would rather swing by city hall on their lunch break to tie the knot than invest time, money, and energy into an elaborate celebration.

"Let’s have a small wedding," I suggest. "Everyone I need there can fit in one room."

"The Linders," he says softly.

I nod, a warm smile spreading across my face. "The Linders. And my parents." As the words leave my lips, a pang of sadness tightens my chest because I know my father won’t be there.

"Don’t be sad,hermosa," he says, as if reading my mind. "Something tells me your father will be there with bells on, ready to walk his only child down the aisle."

I can't help but hesitate at his certainty. How can he be so sure? I don’t ask. Instead, I smile at him. And then, as if he’s read my mind again, he leans in and kisses me. Slowly, tenderly, and oh so sweetly, he makes me believe—in him, in his words, and in a happily ever after.

***

As I try to concentrate on cataloging the contents of a bedroom for an estate sale I’ve been commissioned to handle, a wave of nerves begins to rise. A quick glance at my watch confirms it—Lily and Noah must be home by now. It’s only a matter of timebefore Mateo sits down with Lily to tell her not just that we’re together, but that we’re engaged—and getting married in just a few weeks.

---