Bonus Scene Lorenzo
BONUS SCENE
Lorenzo
I spend the next two weeks after the election transitioning into my role as Lake Wisteria’s mayor. While my schedule no longer includes campaign-related activities, I’m just as busy—if not more.
It won’t always be like this, but since Mayor Ludlow decided to join his son in Europe for who knows how long, I’ve been left to figure out everything on my own.
Thank God.
I’ve been so preoccupied with work that I don’t notice how my schedule is cleared for the day until I wake up this morning and check the time of my first meeting. I’m still sorting through the issue with my assistant when my doorbell rings.
I check the app to see Lily standing on my front porch, wearing one of my favorite dresses—a periwinkle one that she wore to Mass. It was the first time I saw her, before I learned that she was also Ana, and I remember thinking she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
Before I can get a good look at her, she shoves a bag in my face. “Happy birthday!”
I grab it from her with wide eyes. “How did you know?”
“You’re the textbook example of a Scorpio.”
I shoot her a look, which earns me a giggle as I open the door wider for her to enter.
“You dropped a hint during our double date with Manny, so I googled it and added the date to my calendar.” She walks inside and removes her heels.
I pass her a pair of ruffled socks that match her outfit, and she puts them on before she greets Daisy with a scratch on the head.
“Willow told me you didn’t want anyone to make a big deal of your birthday,” she says softly.
I grip the birthday bag so tightly my hand begins to lose circulation. “I’ve never been big on celebrating it.” Not since my parents passed away, at least, because it reminded me of another year spent without them.
It never felt right, so I stopped mentioning it to people.
“I assumed as much since you kept it a secret.” She doesn’t sound bothered by it, which is a relief.
Still, I feel a bit guilty about not saying anything. “It’s nothing personal.”
“I know.” She bends down to scratch Daisy’s belly. “I wanted to pass by and drop off a present.”
“That’s it?”
Her smile is contagious. “Did you expect me to plan some surprise party with all your friends?”
“All three of them?”
“Four, if you count me.” She winks.
I place the bag on the floor and wrap my arms around her. “I don’t.”
She stands on the tips of her toes and cradles the back of my head. When she presses her mouth to mine, I forget all about how I wanted to spend today alone.
I want to drag Lily upstairs and continue what she started, but she pulls away.
“Now, time to open your present!” She yanks on my arm and drags me toward the living room. Daisy hops onto the couch beside us and immediately lies down, monopolizing half the space.
“You didn’t have to get me anything.” I take a seat beside Lily.
“I wanted to.”
I reach inside the bag, pushing aside the white tissue paper until I find the present. Lily is practically vibrating with anticipation as I pull the rectangular shape out of the bag. Her excitement is infectious, and I find myself smiling as I uncover the gift.
“What do you think?” she asks when I say nothing. I’m afraid if I do, she will notice how hard I’m trying to not cry. It’s a foreign feeling, the way my eyes well and my throat itches, and I’m not sure how to make it stop.
I brush a finger across the leather-bound book, tracing the embossed letters that spell out Vittori Recipes.
Lily reaches for my hand, which I hadn’t noticed was slightly trembling. “I thought…since your parents had a book…maybe we could start our own.”
I want to say thank you, but it doesn’t feel like enough.
Not when she flips it open to the first page, where she included a photo of us attending the cooking class. It’s different from the framed one I keep in the entryway. That one was more posed, while this one was taken while I was brushing flour from Lily’s face.
If anyone were to come across the photo, they could tell instantly that we are in love. It’s something about our eyes and the way we are staring deeply at each other.
Lily flips to the next page, revealing our very first recipe from the cooking class we attended. She included a few photos of our date, but one of me feeding her a spoonful of panna cotta might be my new favorite.
I look up to find her eyes on me rather than the book.
“I love it.”
Her smile widens. “Yeah?”
I place it on the coffee table and pull her into my arms. “It might be the best present ever.”
“Hold on to that thought.” She passes me the same gift bag again.
I dig inside and pull out a pair of keys.
“You got me a car?”
She breaks out into laughter. “No. Sorry to disappoint, but I did get you a car for the day .”
“Which one is it?” I’ve never sounded so damn giddy.
“So, I was able to track down someone with a Rolls-Royce—”
“Dawn Drophead?” My pitch rises.
She nods.
I blink twice. I’m completely dumbstruck because how in the hell did Lily ever find one of those? There are only three available in the US right now, none of which are in Lake Wisteria.
“Yes.” Her eyes brighten as they flicker over my face. “I remember you mentioned it once.”
“What organ did you have to sell to borrow it?”
“None, although I was willing to consider that option.”
I shoot her a glare. “Seriously. How did you get one?”
“Turns out the owners happen to be Dahlia’s clients.”
“Who?”
“Declan and Iris Kane.”
“The same ones who own the Dreamland parks?” My mouth falls open.
“Yeah. That’s who she was visiting during our trip to Chicago.”
I jump off the couch and pull her onto her feet. “Holy shit. Where is it?”
“At Declan’s brother’s house. They live not too far from here.”
I’ve stopped by Callahan Kane’s home a couple of times while canvassing, so I remember the address.
“Let’s go.” I’m so excited, I forget to put on my shoes, which makes Lily giggle.
“We have all day to enjoy it, so no rush.”
“Are you kidding? Time is of the essence.” I help her with the straps of her heels before putting on my own shoes.
“Ready?” I ask.
“Sure.” She smiles wider than ever before.
“What?” I ask.
She drops a quick kiss on my mouth. “I’m glad you like your birthday present. That’s all.”
“ Like ? I love it so damn much, I don’t think anything will ever beat this.”
I want to retract the comment as soon as I say it because there is one gift that Lily can give me that will top everything. We’re not there yet, and I doubt we will be for a while, but I know deep down that nothing will make me happier than a family of our own.
It would be the greatest gift of all, and one that I look forward to having should the time ever come.
Until then, whether it be helping Lily with her second business or single-handedly saving the bee population, I’ll keep making her other dreams come true. From now until forever. In this life and the next, I promise to always hold up my end of our new arrangement— our forever plan .