Page 42 of Love Redesigned

SECOND BEST

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Julian’s name on my phone has my lips curling.

JOSEFINA

To think I spent twenty-seven hours in labor for this kind of disrespect.

RAFA

This is why I’m the favorite son.

Rafa dropping a joke? Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket today.

LILY

Debatable since Julian bought your mom a house.

RAFA

Only because he beat me to it after saying we could split the cost.

LILY

You’re telling me Julian was caught being shady as shit again? Consider me shocked.

MAMI

LILIANA!

All of us grew up without much money, so to go from struggling to pay the mortgage some months to paying it off with a single check has me reeling.

It’s still hard to wrap my head around the fact that Rafa and Julian are billionaires. While I have enough money to buy whatever my family and I want without feeling guilty, I’ll never achieve their level of success.

I pick up my phone and think of a reply.

ME

Josefina is right. Julian and I are teaming up.

JOSEFINA

Yay!

MAMI

Power couple!

I let my mom’s last text slide because I don’t think she understands the label. She said the same thing about my sisterand me when we redecorated her flower shop together a few years ago.

LILY

Am I the only one who’s scared at the idea of those two putting down the sharp objects and working together?

RAFA

Nope.

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