Page 89 of Love Arranged
“So can I.” He looks so smug after saying it, and I instantly know something is wrong.
The vet then walks into the room, cutting our conversation short. At first I’m grateful for the interruption, but the longer I have to wait to ask Rafa what he meant, the larger my concerns grow.
Relax, I chant, trying to find my inner yoga voice and failing miserably.
When the vet leaves the exam room after promising to return with some results, I can’t take Rafa’s smugness anymore.
“What did you mean?”
He pauses in the middle of stroking one of the kitten’s bellies to look over at me. “What?”
“When you said you can keep a secret. What were you referring to?”
“Oh. That.” He goes back to playing with the kitten.
“Rafa,” I say with a groan. “Come on.”
He stands to his full height and crosses his arms. “I know the truth.”
My whole world tilts as I come to terms with Rafa knowing about my big, bad secret.
“How?” I ask, although I’m certain Ellie is the one who said something.
And people thinkIcan’t keep a secret?
I can’t believe Lorenzo gave me a whole speech about not telling my sister and Julian about us when he should’ve been worrying about Willow talking to Ellie.
But I’ll deal with that issue later.
Rafa rubs his stubbled cheek. “I don’t get how you landed yourself in this…situation.”
I can’t look at him head-on, so I pick up a kitten and cradle it against my chest. “It’s a long, uninteresting story.”
“I’d rather be the judge of that myself, if you don’t mind.”
I’m the one grimacing now.
“Come on, Lily. How can you go from wanting to find the love of your life to faking a relationship with Lorenzo?”
I drop my gaze. “I have my reasons.”
“I’m sure, and I’m not trying to judge them.” He exhales loudly. “I just want you to know I’m here if you need any help. Anything at all. You know that, right?”
My bottom lip quivers. “Thank you.”
“I hope you’re at least talking to Dahlia about all this.”
“No.”
He pulls back, appearing stunned. “You’re not going to tell your own sister? She’s your best friend.”
I bite down on the inside of my cheek. “Lorenzo and I decided against it.”
“Why?”
I explain Lorenzo’s reasoning, including his reservations about Julian, before saying, “One day I’ll tell her the truth.”
“But not soon.”
