Page 54 of Enemies, Lovers & A Valentine's Baby

“I don’t think we need to see anything else,” he cuts me off.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. I can’t imagine we’ll find anything better than this, Lila. It’s the perfect place to bring the ball to life. I’ve been toevery one of them and I can tell you with all certainty that with this venue, this will be the very best one yet.”

I pause for a second, completely stunned by his words. I didn’t think Cole Matthews had it in him to say any kind words to me, but I guess I was wrong. An unfamiliar warmth blossoms in my chest, and I can’t help the smile that pulls at the corners of my lips, his words tugging at my heart strings.

“Well, would you look at that? You and I, finally agreeing on something. I never thought I’d see the day,” I chuckle.

“Me neither, yet here we are,” he smiles, gesturing with a flourish around the empty hall.

“Here we are,” I nod.

“Maybe working on this event together won’t be the worst thing after all,” he smirks.

My smile instantly drops at the reminder of our mission here. I have a mission of my own. I told Sue to trust me, and I can’t let her down. I’ve gotta figure out a way to find out what Greg has been up to.

“I wouldn’t go as far as that,” I say, my voice strained once again.

Now that we’ve got the venue checked out, we can move on to other things.

“Let’s get out of here,” I mutter, already walking out of the hall before he can say another word.

Chapter 20

Teamwork

Lila

“So now that the decorations are ticked off, what are we working on next?” Cole asks, staring at the folder in his hands. I sit across from him watching as he studies my list with a pensive frown on his face. I always make a list just like this one when I’m working on a project, to make sure that I don’t miss out on any of the elements I’m including into the project.

“Well, I think we’ve already established that this gala has to stand out from anything Sue and I have done before. We pride ourselves on each one being unique—it’s our magical night where everything comes together in the best possible way. That means the best of everything, from the décor—”

“Checked,” he nods, ticking that off the list.

“Venue.”

“Double check,” he grins.

“Yes, we’ve got a stunning venue that I think will surpass everyone’s expectations. I think the food and drinks are pretty much figured out, but we’re going to have to come up with a signature drink. Something unique, memorable. Last year, we came up with this cocktail that seemed like a crazy idea in the beginning,” I chuckle, unable to help myself as the memory bubbles to the surface of my mind. It took a lot of tries before we found the perfect combination.

“In the end, it was a hit. Everyone’s still talking about it. This year Sue isn’t here, so I’m not sure—”

“We can do it,” he shrugs.

“What?” I ask.

“No reason we can’t do it. I’ve had my share of cocktails from the hundreds of parties I’ve been dragged to over the years. How hard can it be?”

“No offense, but it wasn’t just about making a cocktail. This has always been about a bonding moment between me and my best friend.”

“I get it, but there’ll be other times to bond with her. Right now, the most important thing is making sure that this event is everything you and Sue hope it will be. You want to give people a night they’ll never forget, just like you’ve done in the past, right?”

I nod slowly, staring at him quizzically.

“Then we’re going to pull out all the stops, and include every single tradition that you and Sue have started in these galas, including—”

“The signature cocktail,” I finish for him.

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