Page 175 of Brooklyn Cupid

11:55

Becky: LUUUUUUU! Come back!!!!! There are like a hundred people here, following the tweet!

12:20

Becky: It’s madness! Lu! Our opening failed, but this is an epic after-party!

12:40

Becky: Tito and Jamie showed up. They and Roey are at the door, stopping people from coming in. Four paintings are sold. That lady’s tweet was retweeted forty-five times.

12:50

Becky: The reporters fromArt Weeklyjust showed up druuuuuunk AF. They want an interview with you! You should be here! Luuuuuu! I hate you! I love you! Where the fuck are you????

There’s a picture from the gallery. It’s packed. There’s no room to stand.

I gape at it in shock.

Becky: We sold half of the paintings and had to lock the door. It’s madness! The publicity will be insane! You owe me, babe. What the hell are you doing with Jace? Byyyyye. Muah!

Lu meets my eyes in disbelief. “Jace, what’s happening?”

I smile, pulling her naked body into mine. “It’s you, Lu. You are talented, and you deserve it. You trust people so easily. You should learn to trust life. It always works out in the end.”

“Does it?”

Her dreamy eyes are on me as she traces my nose and eyebrows with her forefinger like she’s painting a portrait.

I close my eyes, smiling at her touch.

“And tell Becky to thank Roey,” I murmur, then open my eyes. “I have a feeling Roey might’ve redeemed himself tonight. Knowing Roey, I have an idea what kind of thank you he’ll want.”

Lu laughs, grabs her phone, and types something real quick. “Knowing B, she might just feel grateful enough to go with it.”

She tosses her phone aside and comes back into my arms.

“You missed your big night because of me,” I say, cuddling with her.

“Youare my big night, Jace. I get excited about nights with you more than anything else. And evenings. And mornings.”

“You’ll be famous one day, and I’ll be your bodyguard.”

Lu throws her head back in laughter. “Deal. You know what happens in all bodyguard romance stories, right?” She wiggles her eyebrows.

I kiss her nose. “Let me guess. HEA?”

She bursts into another fit of laughter, nuzzling my neck. “You are so sneaky, Jace Reed.”

“Lu?” I palm her face. “I’m so crazy in love with you.”

That’s not the right word. It’s so banal that in no way can it explain the way I’m falling. No, not like a rock. Like a feather carried by the wind, with all the powerful pulls and tugs, stronger and weaker, up and down, left with no thoughts, just this—feeling. Her. Her closeness.

My love is like a bullet ripping through the air, shooting for its destination, finally lodging a fatal shot in the heart. Hers.

Iama motherfucking Cupid.

“Me too.” She kisses me so happily that the bullet explodes like a grenade. With fireworks. “I love you, Jace,” she whispers. “But you already know that. You’ve read about it.”

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