Page 204 of Love Arranged
“Thanks. She’s part of my strategy today.” Lily winks.
I quirk a brow. “How so?”
“She’s an attention magnet, so all I need to do is sit in the park and people will come up to me in no time.”
I chuckle under my breath. “No one will be able to say no to talking to you—with or without Daisy.”
“Good! Because we all made a bet to see how many people we can get to talk to us today, and I can’t lose.”
“A bet?” I ask, amused by the idea of them competing against each other.
“Yes. Winner gets to pick a car from your collection and drive it around for a day. Loser has to wash dishes for the next four Sunday lunches.”
“Did you…”
“Also invite Manny and his mom to participate because he’s always asking to drive your Ferrari? Why yes, I did.”
“Lily…” I warn.
“You need all the help you can get!”
“I’m going to kill you.”With orgasms,I say to myself. Many, many orgasms, some of which will be delayed because what was she thinking, offering up my car collection like a prize on one of those game shows?
I fake a lunge, and she darts away with a squeal.
“See you later!” She disappears out the front door of the office with her clipboard, leaving me with the biggest smile on my face.
She’s lucky I love her, but not nearly as lucky as I am to be lovedbyher.
Halfway through today’s canvassing, I take a break and head to the Muñoz house so I can meet up with a delivery man. I couldn’t have planned today better if I tried since Lily is going to be occupied for most of the day.
“Sign here.” He passes me the clipboard.
I sign the invoice while his team carries the last item intothe backyard. I show them where to place it and take a photo of the garden, now that it is complete, and send it to Rosa, who has done a good job keeping Lily away from the backyard.
Thankfully Lily has been so busy with work and the campaign that she hasn’t wandered outside yet, and Rosa has assured me that she’ll make sure she doesn’t until the engagement party, which Lily still thinks is taking place at my house.
This entire plan, which has been on my mind for a while, feels more special now that Lily and I are finally on the same page.
I hope my actions leave no room for misinterpretation this time, because there is no question in my mind that I love Lily Muñoz, and I’ll spend forever making sure she never doubts that—or me—again.
54
LILY
I’m in the middle of reorganizing my closet—my pastels are back, along with all my accessories and expanding shoe collection—when my sister shouts my name.
“Lily!”
I come out running, only to skid to a stop when I find Dahlia sitting on the living room couch, with one hand in a bag of potato chips and the other holding the remote.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Hold on!” She presses a button, and I watch as she rewinds to the beginning of an ad playing on the TV.
It takes me a total of five seconds to realize it’s a political one that was paid for by Trevor Ludlow.
“Who is Lorenzo Vittori?” An ominous voice plays in the background.
