“Good wanting. Tall. Attractive,” she stated, avoiding going any additional. He’d additionally been a great listener, at the very least in the course of the quick time she informed him about Rory. Then they’d returned to Tulip, and he gave her a spacious visitor room in his large residence. She hadn’t seen him a lot previously two days—however she assumed this was what her marriage can be like. On paper solely.

“Troy. What’s his final identify?”

“Gallucci.”

Nikki appeared up on the ceiling, considering, as if she was making an attempt to position his surname. “I really feel like I’ve heard that identify earlier than. Do you have got an image?”

Lara scooped her telephone from the desk and flicked the photographs that the marriage planner had emailed her after the ceremony. She ought to have erased them—she didn’t want them. He was the one who’d insisted on that bundle to have some proof to share together with his household. However one thing felt fallacious about not having a photograph of her supposedly massive day. She held it as much as Nikki.

Nikki fanned herself and took the telephone from her. “Whew. He’s scorching. Rattling.”

“That’s why I married him immediately,” Lara stated.

“No kidding. When can we meet him?”

Apprehension squeezed Lara’s coronary heart. She hadn’t thought that far forward. However she assumed if he’d introduce her to his folks, she may do the identical. There was no means she’d be married for months with out her associates assembly her husband. “I’ll ask him when it’s a great time and set one thing up.”

“Nice.”

Lara appeared away. Shivers of worry ran up her backbone. She hoped to God that Troy was a very good actor to persuade her associates they had been in love. He needed to be, proper? In any other case he wouldn’t have instructed this to idiot his circle of relatives. Why although? Perhaps the rationale as to why he wanted a bride so unhealthy lay in his private life, and never skilled.

“Is he at your house? Or are you in his?”

“I’ve moved to his,” she stated, earlier than including the identify of a prestigious residence in Tulip. She herself had a pleasant place, a three-bedroom residence a number of blocks from the seashore that she earned together with her personal cash. However she’d agreed to maneuver to his, because it’d be simpler to maneuver on with out having any reminiscences of him in her place.

Nikki whistled. “Niiice. I can’t wait to see it.”

“He’s renting it,” she stated, remembering he’d informed her. “It’s massive and fancy, going through the ocean. Got here furnished. He moved into city not way back.”

“Oh. I get it. He’s fortunate to have you ever now so as to add a female contact to the place then.”

Lara cleared her throat. She didn’t need to contact something that would connect her to Troy Gallucci.

Lara glanced at her reflection within the mirror. She’d picked a darkish pink costume that was flattering however not too revealing. She added some jewellery and likewise hoped her stiletto heels would make her look extra assured. She’d regretted not taking drama courses in school, for positive.

“Are you prepared?” Troy requested from the opposite facet of the door, knocking on it.

She drew in a breath, grabbed her rolling suitcase and walked to the door. The room she occupied was embellished in citrusy colours, completely different tones of orange from a extra vibrant to a pale yellow. She’d assume it might be an excessive amount of, however like the remainder of the home, it flowed properly, and the top end result was subtle.

He’d informed her it was a rental, however she knew he needed to be paying a small fortune a month. Would he contemplate shopping for a house in Tulip?

She opened the door to search out him leaning on it. A bit too shut for consolation, he wore darkish denims and a jacket tailor made for his broad shoulders and vast chest. However it was the crisp white shirt beneath that obtained her consideration. Most particularly, the highest button, casually opened and displaying the muscle tissue of his neck, his tanned pores and skin, and he or she questioned if hair dusted his chest.

“Lara?” he referred to as her, pulling her from her trance of arousal. “Able to go?”

She nodded violently. “Oh, sure… I simply have loads on my thoughts, obtained distracted.”

“I perceive.”

“Do I look okay? I imply to satisfy your loved ones?” she requested, then chastised herself mentally a second later. Get it collectively, woman. The very last thing she wished was to sound needy and insecure. This wasn’t an everyday date—it was a efficiency. One that will guarantee her brother’s security.

“Sure,” he stated merely.

“You look okay too,” she stated, then lifted her chin and added a pep to her stroll as she adopted him down the steps.

In keeping with her ex, she wasn’t a goddess in mattress, however she knew she may make males flip their heads. She’d been informed sufficient instances.

Throughout the drive to his dad and mom’ place in Los Angeles, she didn’t say a lot. For a pair hours, she placed on her AirPods and listened to music. They need to have pushed earlier to overlook site visitors and get settled earlier than dinner.

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