Law #1: Never Bet on Love: A Sweet Billionaire Love Story (Laws of Love) by Agnes Canestri (the beginning after the end novel read .TXT) 📗

you’ve just described yesterday. Somehow, I just couldn’t hold up my act with Eva. She saw me and my actions for what they truly were. Still, she refused me.”

Marjorie scratches her temples pensively, and her fingernails leave three light white lines on her skin. “Maybe she did. But I’m sure she’s built up some curiosity about you. We women just can’t help it. I think the third time will be your charm.”

Marjorie’s warm smile and encouraging words nurse back my confidence. A small flicker of hope invades my chest. Perhaps I can still win this bet.

At the same time, an eager anticipation settles in my limbs about seeing Eva again. I interpret this as a good sign. It means I’m fully dedicated to my task. “Okay, Auntie, I might test your hypothesis then.”

Yes, I’ll meet Eva one more time and count on my luck and honesty. I just have to decide how best to go about it. I need to come up with a plan about how to stay spontaneous…a contradiction in its root.

But if this is what it takes to get what I want, I’ll do this and more…

Chapter 9

(Eva - Day 3)

“Ouch!”

A cry escapes from my throat, and I yank my hand back. Too late. A tiny wound has already formed on my ring finger, and a fat drop of blood is oozing out of it.

It’s early afternoon, and I’m in my florist friend Cathy’s large backyard. I came over to buy some plants to cheer up our little garden. Only my mind doesn’t seem to be cooperating and it keeps wandering. With clearly disastrous consequences.

I suck on my finger to diminish the scathing sensation.

Am I going crazy or what? Why did I need to caress this rose at all?

And if I did, then at least I shouldn’t have compared the tickling smoothness of the velvety hairs with the sensation I got touching Nathan’s skin. That’s what must have messed with my brain enough to ignore the thorn.

On second thought, maybe I do deserve this wound. It will teach me not to revisit that nonsense memory.

It. Didn’t. Mean. Anything.

Except some insane part of my brain is obviously convinced that it did. And it tries to derail my thoughts at every possible occasion. Like this morning when Abuelita asked if I had time to pop over to Cathy’s and, for some obscure reason, I thought it was a great opportunity to fantasize about how Nathan’s eye color resembles the shade of a silvery scrambling shrub I once saw in my friend’s store.

“Is everything okay, Eva?” Cathy’s blond head appears at the garden door.

Was my squeak that loud? “I’m fine, Cathy. Don’t worry. I just got a nasty thorn snagged on my finger. But these roses are beautiful.”

“Did you see the begonias yet? Those are the ones your grandmother admired the other day.” She points to some vibrantly colored plants.

The magnificent hues catch my eye immediately, and I step away from the roses I was considering buying. “Oh, these look fantastic. They could cheer up our lousy garden. Ever since Ale hasn’t been around to help, the state of our lawn has degraded. Juan isn’t cutting it regularly like he promised.”

“When is Ale getting out?”

“Only two more weeks,” I sigh.

Cathy wrinkles her nose, which shifts her otherwise almond eyes into two curvy lines. “You don’t sound enthusiastic about his release.”

I study Cathy’s concerned expression. Isn’t it crazy how people we’ve known since childhood can tune in with our moods? Cathy and I didn’t keep in touch while I lived in Silver Hills, and we only reconnected recently after I moved home. Still, she picks up on my mixed feelings. “It’s not that simple, Cathy. Of course I’m thrilled that Ale will be back with us, but I’m also worried how I’ll keep him out of trouble.”

I don’t want to see my brother locked up and in those hideous orange clothes. They make him look like a real criminal and bonier than he actually is. At the same time, I know that with his liberty, other issues will arise. Like finding him a job he likes. Or, perhaps, any employment at all. With his criminal record, it won’t be easy. Abuelita has been searching for work opportunities for him these past few weeks, but for now, she’s come up empty-handed. I’m worried that if Ale has too much free time, he might begin to hang out with the wrong people once more.

Cathy gives me a warm smile. “Ale is a smart kid. He won’t do anything stupid once he’s out. He must have learned his lesson.”

“I hope you’re right, Cathy.”

But even if she isn’t, I’ll make sure my brother stays out of harm’s way. And, more specifically, that his path never again crosses my delinquent ex-boyfriend’s.

Cathy smacks her lips. “Anyway, back to your lawn. It’s not just about mowing. If you’re not watering the grass at least twice—never during the hottest hours, though, otherwise it’ll burn—you’ll end up with a despicable yellow, no matter what.”

“Okay, I’ll take note of that.” I smile.

“If you get those begonias and plant them now, they’ll brighten your garden for months. I promise you that.”

A ring interrupts us.

I wave to Cathy. “Go take care of your other customers. I’ll choose the plants in the meanwhile. I’ll need to come back to pick them up later anyway, because I don’t have Abuelita’s car with me.”

Cathy gives me a thumbs up. “No problem. I’ll keep them for you.” She turns and disappears behind the glass door of her shop.

I kneel down next to the begonias to examine them. The lazy orange sunbeams make the narrow shop garden glimmer like an enchanted forest and reflect on the begonias. There are red, pink, and lilac shades, each more beautiful than the last. I’ll have a hard time deciding which ones will look best against our house’s decaying yellow wall and the scruffy fence I’ve been meaning to re-paint.

As I lean closer to compare two similar tones of