Chapter Forty-Two Lily
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Lily
O utside of helping Willow and Lorenzo prepare for the debate, I’ve hardly seen my fake fiancé—or should I start calling him my boyfriend? He still pops into the shop to drop off some sweets or a cup of coffee, but he has been busy, and his visits never last longer than ten minutes.
The sporadic texts he sends me aren’t cutting it now that I know what I’m missing, and while I’m hopeful that his schedule will ease up once he wins the election, I’m worried that his new job will only make our lives more difficult.
Before we admitted our feelings for one another, I didn’t think much of what would happen to us once Lorenzo became mayor, but now I hope we can strike a balance eventually.
Get through the election first , I remind myself as I walk into the Angry Rooster Café. Maria waves me down from the two seats she saved for us in the back, and I head over there after ordering a coffee.
If there’s anyone I can get to willingly come out to talk to the Wisteria Weekly reporter about Lorenzo and how much he’s helped, it’s Maria.
“Maria,” I say, and she pulls me into a hug before ushering me to sit beside her.
We both take a seat and make casual conversation for a bit. She shares a few stories about this week’s cooking school attendees, and I share a romanticized—or more so, fantasized —version of Lorenzo’s proposal before we finally get to the real reason for today’s coffee date.
I explain how I’d love for her to share her story with a reporter at the Wisteria Weekly . Our newspaper might seem small-time, but it’s one area Lorenzo hasn’t targeted enough, at least in my opinion as someone who still fills out the crossword puzzle every Sunday.
“I don’t know…” She looks down at her lap, where her hands are bunched up.
“I know it’s a big ask—”
“It’s not that I don’t want to help Lorenzo…” She exhales. “It’s hard to talk about how our business was going under before he stepped in.”
“I can only imagine.” Given how successful her cooking school is, it’s hard to believe that they were struggling to make ends meet, but then again, the restaurant industry has a high failure rate.
Maria holds her head high. “My husband is a proud man.”
“Of you? I sure hope so because you’re amazing,” I tease, hoping to lighten the mood.
Her lips curl ever so slightly, so I count it as a win. “Ah. I see why Lorenzo loves you.”
My blush is one hundred percent genuine.
“How could us being interviewed help him?” she asks.
“There’s no guarantee, but I’m hoping if people see that Lorenzo’s been helping this town succeed without any of them knowing for two years already, then perhaps it would help him stand out.
As of right now, everyone credits the Ludlows for Lake Wisteria’s success, and while they have helped, they’re not the only ones responsible for the growth. ”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I have a few friends who Lorenzo’s helped too, and they all talk about how he gives so much while asking for so little in return.”
I get choked up over her comment, and it isn’t because of hormones or a piece of dust aggravating my contacts.
It’s because someone sees Lorenzo as the incredible man he is rather than the villain he’s not, and hopefully, once the Wisteria Weekly article is published, the rest of the town will too.
I won’t stop until they do.
Between my job, meeting with the small-business owners Lorenzo works with for the Wisteria Weekly article, and all the election activities Willow has been planning, I’m run-down and struggling to keep up with the pace.
I don’t know how Lorenzo manages everything, but his ability to juggle his personal, social, and political life should be studied.
When Lorenzo’s campaign isn’t monopolizing my time, then Josefina and my mom are with planning an engagement party—something they wouldn’t take no for an answer on. I tried my hardest, but once they landed on a Saturday in early October, it was game over.
I’m too tired to offer much help, so I’m not sure what I’m agreeing to exactly. All I know is by the time Josefina leaves, we nearly have the entire event planned out.
I should feel relieved to be done with the majority of the planning, but then I receive a new message from Willow, asking if I want to swing by Lorenzo’s house sometime today.
She follows up with another new text before I can ask what’s up.
WILLOW
Latest focus group was a shit show. He’s already assuming the polls will reflect that.
Shit .
ME
I thought he was closing the gap between him and the mayor.
WILLOW
He is, but I think the engagement is backfiring.
ME
How so?
My finger trembles as I hit the Send button.
WILLOW
People are worried about Lorenzo losing focus on the campaign.
I want to throw up. While Lorenzo had originally suggested against getting engaged, it was my great idea to up the ante because I thought people would take us more seriously.
You did try to stop him.
Yeah, but not soon enough, and now look. There is a chance his polls will come back better than ever after the debate, but there is also a risk that the engagement will set him back big time—to the point where he will never recover.
If we want Lorenzo to win, we need to think of something bigger than an engagement party, political debate, or Wisteria Weekly article about Lorenzo’s entrepreneurial spirit.
But what?
I decide to pass by Lorenzo’s house since he isn’t answering my calls or texts. After Willow’s earlier message, he seems like he could use the support.
He opens the door wearing only a pair of running shorts. His hair is damp from whatever grueling workout I interrupted, and his chest glistens, beads of sweat dripping down his toned stomach.
“Like what you see?”
I finally remember that I was born with the ability to speak. “Hard not to.”
“Let me know when you’re done checking me out.”
“Thankfully, I can multitask,” I joke before tearing my eyes away from his body. “Where’s Daisy?”
“Groomer,” he answers, straight to the point. “What are you doing here?” His tone might be gruff, but his actions are warm as he opens the door wider to give me room to enter.
“Willow told me about the latest focus group.”
He shuts the door. “I warned her not to worry you about it.”
“I’m more worried about you .” With the debate happening this week, he needs to be at the top of his game, and the deep circles under his eyes don’t give me that impression.
He runs his hands through his slick hair until it no longer gets in his face. “My business isn’t the one at stake here.”
“It was one focus group, Lorenzo. I’d hardly hedge the whole election on it.”
He wipes his forehead with the towel he had draped around his neck. “The polls almost always reflect their comments.”
“Well, this time could be different. I met with the reporter, and she’s working on a front-page article about you and some of the businesses you’ve invested in. Those people want to help you and share their stories.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know if that will be enough.”
“It can help. Heck, learning about everything you’ve done to help give back made me see you in a completely new light, and I already knew a lot about you.”
“And what happens if none of it is enough? What if we spend the next two months trying, and it still doesn’t work out?” He shuts his eyes. “What if I lose ?”
“I…I don’t know.” A cold feeling sweeps through my body as I take in his vacant eyes.
I understand Lorenzo losing the election is a possibility. Up until now, we’ve done a good job ignoring it, and honestly I’d like to hold on to that naivete a little while longer.
Lorenzo doesn’t seem to feel the same way. “It’s a reality we have to consider at some point.”
“Why?”
He averts his gaze. “Because what if I can’t do it?”
Goose bumps break out across my skin. “Do what…?”
His lips part, but he doesn’t speak. Looks like I’m not the only one who wants to avoid an uncomfortable conversation.
“What can’t you do?” I press.
His eyes shut, cutting me off from reading his emotions.
He has enough to stress about , I remind myself.
I grab both ends of the towel draped around his neck and pull him in. “We’ll figure it out together if the time comes, right?”
He kisses the top of my head. “Sounds good.”
It should, but the waver in his voice doesn’t match the vote of confidence.
Desperately wanting to banish the last bit of heaviness from the air, I change topics. “Are you tired from your workout, or could I interest you in a little bedroom cardio—”
Lorenzo throws me over his shoulder, taking the steps two at a time.
“Gross! You’re so…wet!”
The sound of his laugh echoes off the tall ceilings, and I feel ten times better already at the sound of it.
All my other worries melt away as Lorenzo and I spend the rest of the night together, reassuring me of our ability to weather whatever storm comes our way together.
Little did I know, not everyone wants to get on the same life raft.
Some would much rather drown .