Page 127 of Love Arranged
“There has to be a better way to get your message out there.”
“I’m working on it. I contacted the architects you mentioned, and they sent me the Lavender Lane plans.”
“Morrison and Holmes?”
He nods.
“How did you pull that off?”
His eyes remain on the road, but they harden ever so slightly. “Does it matter? I got what we needed.”
I wince. “Please tell me it was legal.”
“Yes. All’s fair in love and capitalism, and turns out they were willing to betray the Ludlows for a better contract.”
“Hold on. You plan on hiring them?”
He leans back in his seat with an exaggerated casualness. “No. And even if I had the power to, I wouldn’t, but that didn’t stop me from copying them on an email and formallyintroducing them to my cousin and recommending their company.”
“You still talk to your family?”
His smile borders on arrogant. “No, but the firm doesn’t know that.”
If there wasn’t a tight ball of emotion in my chest, I’d laugh, but worry eats away at my amusement as I think over the news Lorenzo shared.
Yes, access to the architectural plans should help our cause, but everyone blindingly trusts the Ludlows, so what if the town assumes the mayor knows best? The Ludlow family has been running Lake Wisteria for years, and our local economy has only seen massive gains.
But what if…
“How many small businesses in town have you been working with?” I ask, the wheels in my head spinning so fast, I can hardly keep up.
“A lot.”
“Rough number?”
“Fifty? I’d have to check my spreadsheet to make sure.”
My eyes bulge. “Wow. Okay. That’s more than I thought.”
“Why are you asking?”
My mouth curls into a smile. “Because I have an idea.”
30
LILY
The next week is pure chaos. Our relationship appears to be having a positive impact on Lorenzo’s numbers, so his team is pushing harder than ever to keep the momentum going.
Since Lorenzo is busy preparing for the mayoral debate, I spend my free time with Willow, who is in much better spirits about the campaign now that the numbers are looking up. We meet multiple times at Lorenzo’s place, wearing matching ruffled socks while workshopping ideas.
I try not to think too much of the basket of socks that appeared after my first visit to his house, but when Willow tells me she was amused by Lorenzo’s selection, I’m pleasantly surprised to hear he was the one who purchased them. They may vary in color, style, and pattern, but they have one element in common.
They all represent things I love.
Some socks are more surface level with flowers, hearts, and bows embroidered or printed onto the material, while others remind me of conversations we had on the app—like Halloween-inspired socks for my true crime obsession or my very favorite,The Silver Vixens–themed socks.
That pair stands out from the rest, and I hope they bring me good luck as Willow and I talk through a few ideas for the campaign.
