Page 22 of Love You, Mean It

“I mean that if youweremy fiancée, I’d hardly bring a direct competitor into the market.”

“Oh…I guess that makes sense.”

“Which is where my proposition comes in.” I frowned as I nosed the car into the parking lot of Theo’s condo building.

“If you want some sort of tithe for getting you to the hospital safely, you’re out of luck. Especially since I’m gonna need to save all my pennies for the moment you drive me out of business.”

“Actually, I think that’s something we might be able to avoid…”

“Oh? And how’s that?” I pulled into a visitor spot near the building entrance, turning to Theo. “Let me guess, we’ll show up to your office with a tray of sandwichesso goodeven your dad’s heart will melt, and he’ll choose amazing capicola over millions of dollars?”

“Don’t be silly, Ellie, Ted wouldn’t be at the office.” Theo smirked. “My plan is much subtler. And likelier to succeed. Come on, youmustsee it.” He raised an infuriating eyebrow. I shook my head once.

“Enlighten me.”

“It’s simple, really.” Theo’s eyes sparkled with repressed glee. “Westayengaged.”

“I’m sorry…you want us to do what now?” Whatever I’d expected Theo to say, it wasn’t this.

“Come inside and I’ll explain. I think you’ll see it makes perfect sense for both of us.” Theo tilted his head toward the gigantic Greek Revival building, its central peaked roof balanced by small domed cupolas on either wing. It had been a municipal building through the fifties or sixties, its functions absorbed into the brutalist behemoth over in Andrew’s Point, a consolidation of the state that felt very visually symbolic in retrospect. They’d choppedthisbuilding up into condos in the nineties, but I’d never seen any of them. Honestly, I was a little surprised Theo inhabited one. I’d pegged him as a brand-new-build sort of guy, or maybe a gigantic-loft-apartment-with-exposed-everything type—one of those places that were obviously expensive but totally devoid of personality.

“Yeah…no. Not really how I was planning on spending the day.” Yes, Ihadproposed a very similar plan to Bella just last night, but I hadn’t reallymeantit. Besides, if Theo wanted it, there was no way it was going to benefit me.

“That’s not what you told the doctors.”

“I’m sure you can manage getting to your couch without me.”

“Humor me. After all, if you don’t make sure I’m safe and sound, I might have to call Ted. And if he has to schlep down from the house in Stowe, he might accelerate the Mangia deal out of spite. Toward me, in case that wasn’t clear.”

I sniffed in annoyance. There was no way Theo would call his dad and we both knew it; whatever their relationship looked like, it clearly wasn’t close. But beneath my irritation—it was incredible how much smug Theo could pack in around those well-formed lips—a strong current of curiosity was already springing up. If nothing else, I needed to know why Theodidn’twant Mangia. Even if I passed on the fiancée setup, there might be something there I could use…

“Fine. But only because I’m an incredibly good Samaritan.”

“I’m sure that’s the first thing everyone says about you.”

We made our way through the columned portico into a wide, airy lobby. A heavy wooden doorframe showed a glimpse of a tidy mailroom to the left. Closed doors to the right bore brass plates I couldn’t make out.

“Theo, my man! I’ve been looking for you.” A short, solidly built man in jeans and a worn work shirt emerged from a hallway at the back of the lobby, smiling broadly. He was fiftyish, with a bushy mustache and a thick shock of salt-and-pepper hair, his broad face deeply tanned and creased with the array of wrinkles you got for smiling too often. “I managed to get ahold of my buddy, he thinks he found some doors like what you wanted.”

“I knew I could count on you.” Theo grinned and leaned into the man’s handshake-cum-backpat. “Hopefully Ellie likes them as much as I do, otherwise he’ll have to resell them for me. Ideally at a profit.”

“Oh yeah?” The man looked at me with mild interest. “You a decorator?”

“Not by trade…but shedoesget final say.” Theo pulled meinto a sideways hug, smiling affectionately. “Gotta stay out of the doghouse.”

“Ahhh, so you two are an item.”

“Wait, have I really never introduced you?” Theo pulled away, feigning shock. “Mike, Ellie’s my fiancée. Ellie, this is Mike Delmonico, the best building manager in Milborough, and an excellent middleman for all things reclaimed.”

“Fiancée? Holy shit, bro, you didn’t tell me you were engaged!” Mike’s mouth fell open in cartoonish shock.

“I didn’t?” Theo’s forehead creased with confusion. “Well…I suppose it’s pretty new. At least I think that’s what you said?” He turned to me expectantly. I blinked, unsure what Theo wanted me to say.

“Don’t you…know?” Mike’s bushy brows caterpillared toward each other.

“I mean…Iwillknow, all the doctors promised me that, but…Ellie, you tell him. It’s a little hard for me to talk about.” Theo turned away, eyebrows tenting with pain.

“Oh, well…there was an accident yesterday,” I said cautiously. Theo nodded tightly, which I wasfairlysure was a signal to continue. “Theo took a pretty serious hit to the head. He’s been experiencing some memory loss.”

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