Chapter Twenty-Five Lily
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Lily
S ince we’re all supposed to meet in an hour for dinner, I can’t go very far, so I decide to explore some shops nearby. I need some time to cool off because I’m afraid of what might happen if I can’t get out of this mood.
Caring about Lorenzo is frustrating, and it feels like a losing battle. He is hot and cold, making me think he cares one moment and leaving me confused and upset in the next.
There is no use denying that I like him. That’s why his reaction back in the hotel room hurt me, because I took a chance and offered my support, only for him to reject me yet again.
No more though. I want to be chased, not be the one doing the chasing.
As if Lorenzo can read my thoughts from a mile away, he surprises me with a text.
LORENZO
Where are you?
ME
Went for a walk.
I’m impressed by my own maturity because I’d rather ignore him altogether.
LORENZO
Send me your location.
ME
I want to be alone.
LORENZO
Now I’m concerned.
I tuck my phone into my purse and head inside a store without answering him. More texts come through, but I ignore the notifications, instead flipping through the clothes on the racks.
I don’t allow myself to check my new messages until five minutes have passed and I’m moving on to another store.
LORENZO
Tell me where you are.
LORENZO
I’m about to call your sister and ask her to find you.
LORENZO
Please send me your location. I promise to only check it when absolutely necessary.
I snort at the last one.
ME
Define absolutely necessary.
LORENZO
At least three times.
ME
A day?
LORENZO
An hour.
I don’t notice I’m smiling until I catch my reflection in one of the store’s mirrors. With a frustrated groan, I’m about to toss my phone back into my purse, but I pause when a new text comes in.
LORENZO
Lily?
ME
Why are you acting like you care about me?
His answer takes too damn long. I nearly give up on a reply, but then my phone vibrates.
LORENZO
You’re important to me.
ME
Because of our arrangement?
Three dots appear, disappear, and reappear again before a new message pops up.
LORENZO
No.
Who knew one word could say so much?
Lorenzo isn’t done putting my heart through the ringer though, and his incoming text does an impeccable job of confirming that he does care, even if he doesn’t want to.
LORENZO
If you refuse to send me your location, then at least give me proof of life.
I send him a photo of me blowing a kiss to the camera before dropping my phone back into my purse. I’m not sure what possessed me to send such a picture, but it’s too late to turn back now.
While I’m scanning a rack of clothes, I grow increasingly frustrated with Lorenzo and the way he shut me out earlier, to the point where I shoot Rafa a text. If anyone can give me some much-needed insight, it’s him.
ME
Quick question.
He answers immediately, which is promising.
RAFA
What’s up?
ME
How did Ellie get you to open up?
My phone buzzes from an incoming call, and I answer.
“Hey,” I say to Rafa.
“So much for a quick question.”
I laugh. “I was curious.”
“Because you’re interested in doing the same?”
I pause in front of the window display. “Maybe. No.” I pause. “Ugh. I don’t know. I’m on the fence about it.”
“Part of me wants to warn you against trying, but then I think of someone giving Ellie that kind of advice and how my life would’ve turned out if she had taken it.”
My chest clenches. “Are you trying to make me cry?”
“No, definitely not, and don’t you dare start, or else I’ll hang up.”
“Bruto.”
“Brat.”
I chuckle under my breath. “I hate to speed you along here, but can you please hurry up? I have to get back to the hotel soon.”
“Is Lorenzo there?”
“Yes.”
“Are you avoiding him?”
“Oh yeah. He deserves it.”
“Good. Let him sweat it out a bit.”
“Is that part of the strategy?”
“That and making him realize what life would be like without you in it.”
“I can’t exactly break up with him.”
“No, obviously not, but you can talk about what the future will look like after the engagement is over with. Talk about your dreams. Talk about wanting to get married for real. Paint a picture that’s so vivid, he knows if he’s not the one making it happen, then you’ll find someone else who will.”
A bitter laugh crawls up my throat, but I swallow it. “And where am I supposed to find this future husband of mine?”
“He’s standing right here.”
I turn around with a gasp. “Lorenzo.”
Rafa chuckles against my ear. “Best of luck. And don’t forget what I said.” He hangs up.
“How did you find me?” I ask, nearly missing the way Lorenzo’s eyes dart over me while I slip my phone back into my purse.
“There was a sign in the photo.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh .” He tucks his hand into his jeans. “Who were you talking to on the phone?”
“Rafa.” I leave the store and start walking toward a store a few blocks down. Lorenzo follows beside me, blocking me from the busy street. It’s such a small gesture, but it’s the littlest ones that always send my heart into a tailspin.
“What did he want?” he asks while we’re walking.
“Just checking in.”
“Why is he so interested in your dating life?”
I shrug.
He pulls his hand out of his pocket and grabs mine.
I roll my eyes. “You don’t need to hold my hand without an audience.”
“Maybe I like the way your hand fits in mine.”
The only reason I let his comment slide is because, damn, that was a great answer.
Neither of us says a word as I drag him into the next store. I expect him to let go of my hand once we get inside, but he keeps our fingers laced together until I escape into a dressing room with a few outfits in hand.
“So, about this future husband…” he says aloud, acting like there isn’t a curtain blocking us.
“Yes?” I ask, my breath catching.
Was Rafa right? Is it really that simple?
“You’re not thinking of jumping into a relationship right after we call off the engagement, right?”
I pause in the middle of taking my shirt off. “Why are you asking?”
“I didn’t think much about it before.”
There’s no way it’s this easy to make Lorenzo see reason, right? There has to be some kind of catch, or maybe Rafa is an outlier in this situation.
“Why wouldn’t I move on? It’s not like this is real .”
He doesn’t speak for a few beats. “Shouldn’t you wait at least a year for optics purposes?”
Make him realize what life would be like without you in it.
“And waste more time? No. People will understand after you broke my heart and called off the engagement.” Thank goodness he can’t see my face right now or else he’d know something was up when he saw my smile.
“I think you should reconsider.”
“Why?”
He pauses, the brief moment feeling like a minute. “It doesn’t seem like a good idea.”
I’m sure it doesn’t.
I almost feel bad for Lorenzo, because he won’t know what hit him until it’s too late.
Like Eros, I’ve set sight on my target, and I won’t stop taking shots at Lorenzo’s heart until he has no choice but to face the truth about his feelings.