Page 35 of Kiss Me at Midnight
“Aha! Youcanspeak English.” Lily sat behind Jud.
Cursing, Paulo swam toward Dotty’s jet ski.
“Shame on you for pretending to be something you’re not,” Dotty chastised. “I thought you had more class than that, young man.”
Jud brought his jet ski next to Dotty’s and put a foot on her craft’s bumper so that Paulo wouldn’t tip Dotty over while trying to get back on board.
“The jury’s still out on Paulo’s classiness,” Lily said darkly. “Is Rachel making you lie to us?”
“No.” Paulo gingerly touched his rising bruise. Despite the sun being out, his skin was pebbled with goosebumps. “We speak her love language. It is better this way.”
“Better for who?” Lily seemed just as angry as she’d been earlier this morning upon discovering that picture of their kiss.
“My bride.” Paulo gestured toward Jud. “You understand me, no? It is sometimes better not to fight.”
“Um…no.” Jud shook his head. “Not like this. You’re living a lie.”
Dotty craned her neck to see Paulo behind her. “It’s hard to fight if one person assumes you won’t understand them.”
“But yes. This. That is why I do it.” Paulo patted Dotty’s shoulder. “I love Rachel. Rachel loves me.”
Jud wasn’t buying it.
“And you don’t think Rachel would love you if she knew you could speak English?” Lily didn’t wait for him to answer. “That isn’t love.”
“I love her,” Paulo said staunchly. “We will go places together.”
“That isn’t a marriage. It’s a business arrangement.” Jud pushed away from Dotty’s jet ski. “Wasn’t that what happened with her last marriage? We should go back and tell her. She’ll cancel the wedding and then we can all go home.”
“No.” Paulo looked torn. “Please. Everything rests on our uniting.”
“Everything?” Jud was all over that. “Your heart and…”
“My contract with the Badgers.” Paulo didn’t look happy with his admission. “Rachel is good at deal-making.”
“That’s no surprise.” Lily leaned her forearm on Jud’s shoulders. “Rachel was a business major before she dropped out to star in reality TV. And I heard she was the highest paid cast member onSlaying.”
“That’s because she’s been on the show the longest.” Dotty beamed, apparently forgetting Rachel had hurt Lily this morning by selling that hot picture. “And that’s because Rachel stirs up trouble even though she tells it to folks straight, even if it hurts.”
“She’s like that in real life, too,” Lily muttered.
“I love her,” Paulo said staunchly, touching his bruise once more. “Don’t tell.”
“I won’t,” Dotty promised. “But only if I can ride around some more.”
“No!” they all chorused, even Paulo.
Dotty huffed. “I never have any fun.”
An idea began forming in Jud’s head. “I tell you what, Paulo. We’ll keep your secret–”
“What?” Lily poked Jud’s arm.
“–if you convince Rachel to stop harassing Lily.” Because that post had said more exclusive pictures of he and Lily were coming.
“No.” Lily poked Jud’s arm a few more times. “We’ll keep Paulo’s secret if he cancels or postpones the wedding.”
“Protecting you is more important,” Jud insisted.
