Page 27 of Love Arranged
I rub my temple. “He didn’tstealmy car.”
“Technically, he did take it without your permission,” the sheriff clarifies.
“You’re not helping,” I mutter before speaking louder. “He was trying to do something nice for me.”
Three sets of eyebrows rise, and instantly my plan to pretend that I hardly know Lorenzo goes up in flames, and he has no one to blame but himself.
4
LILY
There aren’t many people inside the police station, but my face heats from the ones looking over in our direction as Julian slowly turns his body away from the front desk and faces Dahlia and me. “Since when does Lorenzo care about your car?”
“He saw me struggling with it and came over to help,” I answer.
My sister rubs her forehead in confusion. “Which led to him sending it to the mechanic without you knowing?”
“Yes. It’s a sweet thought, right?”
Her mouth presses into a flat line, as if to sayNo.
“What was he doing at Rose & Thorn anyway?” She switches up her interrogation, and I scramble to keep up.
“He comes by every week to pick up his flowers.”
“What flowers?”
I look down at my shoes. “The two bouquets he orders.”
“Oh my God.” Her eyes bulge. “He’s still doing that?”
“Yes?” It comes out like a question rather than a fact.
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are they for another woman?”
“They’d better not be.” My tone is a hint too icy, and my sister frowns.
Julian scowls at the visible sign of her unhappiness. “I didn’t know he was bothering you, but I’ll talk to him.”
“He’s notbotheringme, and no, don’t you dare make a big deal out of nothing.” My cheeks feel hot.
The sheriff and the secretary working the front desk pretend to be busy, but I catch them stealing glances.
“Why is your face turning pink?” Dahlia asks me point-blank.
“Because you’re asking me a bunch of questions.”
She grabs my arm and pulls me toward the front door while Julian says, “I’ll get back to you on filing the report.”
“No, he won’t,” I call out before I’m dragged outside.
Dahlia’s nails dig into the flesh of my arm until we’re standing by Julian’s truck. “Okay. Spill. What’s going on between you and Lorenzo?”
I look at her with raised brows. “There’s nothing to spill.”
