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Lola’s tanned olive skin flushed with color. “I mean, it’s as close to an honorable woman that I can get you before I meet your parents in like six days.”
Her blood was rushing over her eardrums, obscuring her hearing and annihilating her ability to think. “You know, you really don’t have to meet my parents. You can just come as my—”
“I want to meet them,” Lola said resolutely. “If they’re going to hate me and we’re going to break up, I’d rather know ahead of time.”
Shaking her head, Carmen wrapped her arms around Lola’s neck. “Are you trying to lock this down and preparing to dump me in the same breath?”
Lola laughed, eyes bright and grin wide. “Contingencies. They’re really—”
“Shut up,” Carmen said before pushing Lola onto the bed and holding herself over her.
“Make me,” Lola countered with mischief dancing in her eyes.
“I plan to,” she said before capturing her bottom lip with her teeth and pulling on it until Lola moaned. She didn’t want anyone other than Lola, who the hell could ever compare to her?
CHAPTER51
In a red,ruffled Gaurav Gupta one-shoulder, side-slit evening gown that moved more like art than fabric, Lola wrestled with the overwhelming desire to run.
No.
To pull over, throw up, and then run. She’d insisted on driving by herself for this very reason. She needed a last-minute escape route in case she finally talked herself into accepting that this was all a terrible idea.
Gripping the steering wheel, she forced herself to join the line of luxury cars pulling up to the valet. Once she turned into the botanical garden’s grounds, she wouldn’t be able to turn back. Not without being conspicuous.
While waiting her turn to drop off her car, Lola talked herself into a state closer to nuclear incident than full meltdown.It’s better to know now, she reminded herself again.Her mother will get one look at you — remember you’re the lunatic with a temper that was relegated to an imposter’s anger management class and spent thousands of dollars carving phallic topiaries on her daughter’s front lawn — and tell you to kick rocks. Oh, and everyone in your family is a different flavor of miscreant. Wait until they realize that. You’re perfect, exactly who they want to welcome to their pristine family rolling in accomplishment and clout.
Lola’s empty stomach clenched, sending a spasm all the way up her throat.
One embarrassing night. That’s all it’ll be and you’ll just move on with your life and turn your back on the kindest, smartest, most incredible person to ever look your way. One willing to accept you with all your damn mommy issues.
If Lola hadn’t spent a fortune on her hair and makeup, she would have slammed her head against the steering wheel. This was going to suck.
“Good evening, ma’am,” the valet said when Lola reached the front of the line and opened her door. “Welcome to an enchanted night in the garden.”
Lola tried to smile, but she was too queasy to sell it and her mouth was so dry her lips stuck to her teeth. Handing him the keys and cash tip she’d grabbed for the occasion, Lola accepted his helping hand out of the car. Not because she was suddenly some snob who couldn’t stand on her own — but because her new Manolo Blahnik heels were so high and so tight and she’d turned to jelly from the waist down.
Even in early October, the Miami night was warm and sticky. Moving on shaking legs she was hoping wouldn’t fail her, Lola wished for a breeze to dry the thin layer of perspiration creeping over the small of her exposed back. Her dress was way too expensive to sweat in.
The botanical garden had been turned into some kind of enchanted forest for the night, and as Lola took hesitant steps toward the massive banner welcoming them to an annual fundraiser for sick kids, Lola finally realized that she truly did not belong with this crowd.
Local politicians, lawyers, judges. The people milling toward the banner weren’t her people. She couldn’t even talk shop with them for meaningless small talk. She didn’t have a purpose here. She didn’t fit in. This was such an atrocious idea.
Before she could look back to see if her car was still there, she caught sight of Carmen standing by the entrance. In a strapless white gown, light brown hair long and ironed dead straight, Carmen was captivating.
Lola lost control of her legs as she slowed to a stop a few feet from her. Carmen was a Grecian goddess who’d made herself mortal just for a night. Just to be with her.
“You look incredible,” Lola whispered when Carmen neared, smile wide on her red lips and eyes scanning the dress she’d put on her credit card.
In front of the sea of guests rolling by them, Carmen wrapped her arms around Lola’s waist and held her close. It was like she didn’t care who saw them. Like she wanted everyone to see her when she placed the softest kiss on Lola’s lips.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Carmen said when she pulled away.
“Me too,” Lola replied, surprised to find it was true.
“What do you think?” Carmen slipped her hand in hers and turned toward the garden entrance. As they neared, Lola realized that there were three paths to take. “Do you want to avoid my parents or get meeting them out of the way?” Her hazel eyes — made greener by the emerald shadow painted around them — peered into Lola.
There was a right answer, Lola was sure, but she didn’t know what it was. Instead of guessing, she took the route she was most comfortable with — head on.
