Love Unwritten (Lakefront Billionaires, #2)

by Lauren Asher

ELLIE

My mom and stepdad live at the southern tip of town, close to Nico’s school and the town’s fairgrounds, which host Lake Wisteria’s famous festivals celebrating all four seasons. Our area is run-down and far less glamorous than the rest of town, but my mom has done her best to turn the dilapidated three-bedroom house into a home worth visiting every week. My stepdad, Burt, opens the door with the biggest smile. “Ellie Sophia Sinclair. What a nice surprise.”

“To what do we owe this random drop-in? It’s not even Saturday.” My smile falls. “I got fired.” His gray brows pull together. “Who do I need to speak to?” My laugh comes out more like a sob. “Oh no. Not the tears. I don’t handle those very well.” My stepdad pulls me into one of his famous bear hugs. They always make me feel like a little kid again, even after outgrowing him by a few inches once I turned twelve. “Beatrice! Come quick. Our daughter needs your help while I go murder her boss.” “Ex-boss.”

Burt softly pushes me in my mom’s direction. “Keep an eye on her while I go searching for my ax.” “It’s in the garage. Bottom left shelf next to the paint cans.” “Mom.” “What’s going on?” She cradles my head between her palms before kissing my forehead. “I’ll tell you, but first you need to convince Burt not to murder Rafael.”

When I was a kid, I used to think it was gross that my mom had a crush on my music teacher–turned–tutor who gave me free lessons because he liked her too, but now, I can’t get enough of their love. It’s nice to know that my mom is with someone who cares about her as much as I do, especially after the train wreck of a marriage she had with my biological father.

Funny how a year ago I was sharing a small Los Angeles apartment with Ava and Willow, spending my days songwriting and my nights waitressing to cover the bills while I waited for my big break. Now, I’m back in my childhood bedroom like I never left.

Burt cracks a smile, along with the tension, when he asks, “What do you say we play some music together while your mom does her thing?” “I don’t know…” “Come on. I even got a new guitar for you to test out.” My lips press together. “Did I mention how I found it while thrift shopping at Another Man’s Treasure? Turns out it was signed by Cole Griffin and Phoebe Montgomery.” “You’re joking.” “Nope. The shop owner confirmed that it’s real.”

The space brings back many fond memories of us spending hours together while he taught me how to play the same instruments I’m teaching Nico. Taught Nico. My throat constricts, along with my heart. Deep breaths, Ellie.

“Oh no.” “What?” “I forgot my guitar at the Lopez house.” Burt’s face pales. “Do you want me to get it for you?” “No,” I say in a rush. “I don’t mind the drive. It might be nice to see how the other half lives.” “They’re not the other half. They’re the .0001 percenters.” “Why use math when you can just say filthy rich?”

RAFAEL

I try three separate times to start up a conversation with Nico during the ride to my aunt’s lakefront house near the northern part of town. I was hoping he would weigh in on what summer camp he wants to attend or what flavor cake he would like for his birthday party, but he completely ignores me. He even goes as far as putting on his superhero-themed headphones while I’m speaking.

“He had an accident last night and had to go to the emergency room.” “I wasn’t talking about his stitches.” She stares at me with a perfectly arched brow and her arms crossed tightly against her chest. I release a deep sigh. “It’s a long story.” “Perfect. You can share it while I cut your hair.” She drags me into the kitchen. The sight of tamales cooking on the stove makes my mouth water and my stomach grumble. “Haircut first. Dinner after.” She pulls out a stool for me before gathering the supplies.

Sometimes, I’m tempted to ask her to shave off my short beard, but then I’m quick to shake off the thought. Once upon a time, I shaved at least twice a week, but now, taking care of my beard feels like a massive effort. If it weren’t for Nico hating when it reaches a certain length, I doubt I’d bother with trimming it. My aunt gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “No te preocupes1. I’m only using those to clean up your edges.”

Dime lo que está pasando?” 2She picks up the spray bottle. “I let Ellie go.” My aunt aims the nozzle at my face and shoots at my eyes. “Hey!” I wipe the droplets away with a scowl. “What was that for?” “How could you do that to her?” “How could I do that to her? What about what she did to me? And to Nico?” Her brows rise. “What do you mean?” I explain everything that has happened in the last twenty-four hours while my aunt combs through my hair. When I finish, I peek over my shoulder. “You’re right. She shouldn’t have kept Nico’s condition a secret.” I didn’t realize how much I needed my feelings validated until now because, with Nico treating me like public enemy number one, I was questioning if I made the right choice. “I know,” I say with a sigh. “Pero…”3 She lets the sentence hang. “Don’t tell me you’re defending her now,” I mutter under my breath.

“No. What she did was wrong, but I’m sure she had a good reason to risk her job for a secret like that.” I shake my head in disbelief. “No reason will ever be good enough.” “For you, no, but for Nico, it probably was, which is why he asked her not to say anything.”

The Kids’ Table group chat I share with Julian and the Muñoz sisters chimes from three new text notifications.

Lily You fired Ellie?! Dahlia What? No way. Lily Yes. Me Who told you?

“What are you going to do?” “Find someone to replace her after we come back from our trip.” “Hm.” “What?” “Are you sure the trip is still happening?” “Why wouldn’t it be?” “Because Nico sent me a text not too long ago asking me if I was free and interested in going to Hawaii. I thought he was joking, but now it all makes sense.” I scrub my face with a curse. “Whose phone is he borrowing?” “Ma’s.” My drawn-out sigh is one only a parent can muster. “I told her to monitor him for a reason.” “Yeah, but you know how she likes to be a cool grandma.” My cousin laughs. “Anyway, Nico also let me know that his birthday party is canceled until his nanny is rehired.” “He did what?” “Dahlia and Lily got a text too. Oh, and you might want to check if his mother got one as well. Not that she was ever going to come anyway since she hasn’t made it to his last two.” The base of my neck throbs from an incoming headache. “Fuck me.”

Much to my annoyance, it turns out Nico isn’t the only one missing Ellie. I do too, although I never thought I would. Despite my best efforts to forget about her, it’s impossible with all the little reminders she left around the house. A hoodie forgotten in the dryer. The stainless-steel water bottle, which she called her emotional support bottle, left to dry on the dish rack. Her guitar abandoned on the coffee table, untouched since Nico’s accident.

Perhaps if I get rid of the very reminders of her, then the guilt weighing on my shoulders will disappear as well, which is why I make a split-second decision to text her. Me You left your guitar and a few things here. Do you want to meet me somewhere so I can give them to you? I spend the next five minutes waiting for a reply, only to find myself annoyed when she leaves me on read. Me Nico claimed your water bottle as his own now, so good luck trying to get it back. I groan at how pathetic I sound.

checking my phone for any new messages. While the Muñoz-Lopez group chat has twenty missed texts and the Kids’ Table group chat has ten additional unread ones, my text thread with Ellie remains quiet. I have no right to feel disappointed at her ignoring me, but I do, and I’m not entirely sure what to do with that.

RAFAEL

My son’s resolve is admirable. I’m sure I’d be impressed by the lengths he has taken to make me reconsider Ellie’s position if I wasn’t so frustrated by his silent treatment. First, he canceled his birthday party and asked my aunt to contact the amusement center a few towns over to refund my original deposit. Then, he called my assistant, Ariel—a number I gave him for emergencies only—and requested our family trip to be postponed until further notice.

People say we shouldn’t negotiate with terrorists, but what happens when the one causing terror is my eight-year-old son? Do I give in to his demands, or do I stand strong despite feeling uncertain about my original choice to fire Ellie? Is there a point where I swallow my pride, throw in the towel, and say screw it, Ellie made a mistake, and I should forgive her for it?

“¿Papi?” Hearing Nico’s voice after his self-imposed silence startles me. I drop the paintbrush I was using and look up from the miniature villain I was working on. “What’s up?” I keep my tone casual as I lean back in my chair. “I need to talk to you.” “Really?” Excitement bleeds into my voice, giving my emotions away.

“What’s going on?” He stares at the folded piece of paper on his lap. “I’m sorry.” I blink. “What for?” “Keeping my eyes a secret.” “It’s okay.” “No, it’s not.” He unfolds the paper. Bile crawls up my throat as one of Nico’s tears splashes against the photocopied page Ellie made of my high school yearbook. There is a rip down the center of the page, splitting my face in two. I was so focused on hating Ellie’s stupid smile tracker that I missed how much it meant to my son. Another way you failed him. “I just wanted you to be happy.” The paper shakes in his hand. “I am happy.” I ditch my seat and kneel in front of his so we can be at eye level. “No, you’re not.” He shakes his head. “You’re sad and angry and scared, but never happy. Not really.”

“I’m my happiest when I’m with you.” My voice cracks. “Never doubt that.” “Are you really?” His bottom lip trembles. I tap a finger against the photo. “Just because I don’t show it like this anymore doesn’t mean I’m not.” “Even if I make you cry?” “Huh?” I question if I heard him right. “What are you talking about?” “I heard you,” he whispers to himself. “I saw you.” A chill shoots down my spine. “When?” “At the doctor’s. In January.” Oh fuck. I’ve had plenty of low points in my life, but that day made it into the top three.

I always felt guilty about unknowingly passing the RP gene onto my son, but on that day, I hit rock bottom. I swallow despite the acid in my throat. “You told Ellie about that?” He nods. Mierda.1 Is that why Ellie didn’t want to tell me about Nico’s worsening vision? Was she trying to save me from further embarrassing myself? God. I’m ashamed and disgusted with myself for appearing so damn weak in front of both of them.

“And I’m sorry I’m all messed up.” “You’re perfect just the way you are. Retinitis pigmentosa or not.” “But if I was perfect, then you wouldn’t cry. And then Ellie would still be here because she wouldn’t have kept my secret.” I’ve never hated myself more. “None of this is your fault. Not a single thing, you hear me?” His grip on the paper tightens. “Yes, it is. She wanted to tell you, but I made her stay quiet.”

I need to put my trust issues aside and learn to forgive Ellie, or I can continue fighting my son on this issue, knowing I’m only hurting him more in the process. It will be hard for me, but I’m going to try to give Ellie a second chance for Nico’s sake since he is all that matters. My only problem? She might not want to come back.

Me Hey. Can we talk? It feels like five hours before I get a response when it was really only five minutes. Eleanor (NANNY) We don’t have anything to talk about, so please delete my number. I don’t bother playing mind games by waiting her out. Me It’s about Nico. He’s not doing well. Ellie’s name flashes across my screen, and I answer immediately. “Is he okay? Did the ophthalmologist have an update?” Her concern seems genuine, which only makes me feel more guilty. Regardless of my personal feelings toward Ellie, she cares about Nico even when it isn’t a job requirement anymore, and that’s the kind of loyalty money can’t buy.

“He’s fine, and no.” “Did he see his doctor yet?” “Not yet. The soonest we could get an appointment was tomorrow.” Her exhale makes the speaker crackle. “That’s good. Are you keeping his chin clean?” “Yes.” “And are you washing it twice a day?” I don’t notice the small smile on my face until it’s too late. “I’ve been triple-washing it every day since he’s a messy eater.” “Even better. And you’re not using hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, right? That’s bad for stitches.” “Yes.” “And did you schedule an appointment to get them taken out?” “I did.” “Good. Hopefully it heals before his trip.” “About that…”

“Are you there?” “Huh? Yeah?” “Actually, on second thought, I’d rather have this conversation in person.” “No.” “Ell—” She doesn’t let me finish. “I’m glad Nico is okay and all, but I’m not interested in talking.” “What if it means getting your job back?” She goes silent. “Eleanor?” I ask before checking if the call dropped. “I’m not working for you again.” “Not even if I apologize for firing you the way I did?” “Not even then.” “Why not?”

“Listen. Although I don’t agree with how you fired me, you had every right to do so. I might not be a parent, but I can only imagine how I would react if...

She continues, “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for keeping the secret from you. I know I should have told you, and while I don’t regret not breaking Nico’s trust, I do wish it hadn’t affected the little trust you gave me in the process.” She hangs up, leaving me to spend the rest of my night contemplating how the hell I’m going to convince her to come back.

ELLIE

“What did they offer you to participate?” Lily asks me. “A trip to Vegas.” She laughs. “Hope it’s worth suffering through the next few hours in Rafa’s presence.” “Rafael is here?” My head slowly swivels toward my best friend. Her eyes bug out of her head before she pretends someone called her name and slips away before I have a chance to choke her. “Willow!” “Remember to stick to the outfield!” she shouts before taking off to the dugout, where Lorenzo sits and stares in our direction.

She makes a face. “I know he can be…” “A grumpy, insufferable, paranoid asshole?” Her eyes widen at something over my shoulder. My neck prickles before I turn my head and look back at the man staring me down like I’m the bane of his existence. “Don’t stop on my account,” Rafael says. “I feel like you were just getting started.” All the blood in my body rises to my face. “You know what? I just realized I need to use the bathroom before the game begins. See you out on the field!” Lily gives my arm a quick squeeze before she rushes toward the other team’s dugout,

“Eleanor.” Rafael’s jaw ticks. “Rafael.” I take a step in the opposite direction. He matches my stride with one of his own. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” I bristle at his tone. “Why not?” “You hate sports.” “How do you know that?” “You and Nico bonded over it once.” My brows shoot up. “And you remembered that?” “Hard to forget someone telling a story of how they once celebrated scoring a goal in their own team’s net.” Okay, seriously though, does he remember every single thing I say, and if so, why? I take another step backward. “Well, I’m here for charity.”

“Well, this reunion has been fun and all, but I should head to the dugout to get ready. Build up the team morale and all that fun sports stuff.” I turn on my heels only to freeze as Rafael’s fingers wrap around my upper arm. He spins me around to face him again. “Can we talk for a second? Please.” I yank my arm free of his hold, hoping he didn’t notice the goose bumps spreading across my skin. “I’m a bit busy.”

“What about after the game?” “Sorry. I have plans.” The tiny tic in his jaw gives his emotions away. “Fine. What about tomorrow?” “Fully booked as well. In fact, my calendar is slammed until the new year.” “It’s June.” I flash a fake smile. “I have so many things to catch up on now that I have a lot of free time. Not that I expect you to understand since you’re self-employed and all.” “You could at least hear me out.” “Oh, like you did the night of Nico’s accident?” I might not like confrontation, but if Rafael pushes me hard enough, he will get one. “I told you it was all a mistake.” I steel my spine. “Well, your mistake was my wake-up call.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” I gather up some courage with my deep breath. “Things were never going to work out. You didn’t value me or my time enough, while I valued your family way too much. It would only get worse with time, so you firing me just sped up the process.”

Nico has been my shadow for months, so to no longer have him around feels like I’m missing a vital organ.

Some women suck in a breath as Rafael walks past our bleachers and heads toward home plate. He wipes his face with the hem of his shirt, giving them all a good look at what lies beneath. His abs, which I had never seen before, give me eight more reasons to stay far away. What Rafael lacks in personality as of late, he makes up for in spades physically. The man could have marble statues made in his likeness because his body is that sculpted to perfection. As if he senses my eyes on him, he looks up, and our gazes connect. Something sparks in his, and I’m quick to look away, my cheeks burning at being caught in the act.

Mom leans in and whispers, “I now understand why you had a crush on him all those years ago.” “Mom.” I shush her. “What? You had good taste, even back then.” “I didn’t have a crush.” I look around in a panic. “Are we pretending that you didn’t use to write Ellie Lopez all over your math notebook? Or that you didn’t write ‘Prom King’ about him?” I drag my hand across my throat in a silent request for her to shut the hell up, but it’s too late. Like sharks scenting blood in the water, Gertie and Suzette turn to glance at us. “Ellie. It’s so nice to see you.” Gertie pats my thigh. I always wear leggings and pants for a reason, but they don’t stop me from worrying about whether people can notice my scars through the material. Mom has assured me they can’t, but I still panic from time to time, especially when someone touches me there.

RAFAEL

The only reason I wanted to attend today’s celebratory happy hour at Last Call was because I overheard someone saying Ellie was coming. After she hung up on me the other night and then refused to hear me out today, this might be my best chance to speak with her, and I’m not about to blow it because of Julian’s bruised ego.

“We lost, no thanks to you, by the way.” “I told you that I didn’t want to play.” “Doesn’t mean you needed to let the other team win.” My teeth grind together. “I didn’t.” “Then explain why you always let Ellie steal an extra base while you stood around looking like you had never seen a woman before.” “I was…distracted.” “By what? Her ass?” With an impressive burst of speed, I punch him in the arm hard enough to make him wince. “Cállate.”1 I look around to make sure no one heard him. I didn’t intend to get distracted by Ellie, but her ass stole my attention every time she ran by me with a look of sheer concentration on her face.

“I’ll be right back,” I say before heading past a group of people waiting for an open spot near the bar. I do a quick search for Ellie but come up empty, although I do notice two people I never expected to be seen together. Lorenzo is whispering something into Lily’s ear that has her nostrils flaring and her cheeks turning red. I know she can hold her own when it comes to men, but my protective instincts rear their ugly head. Before I have a chance to interfere, she shoves at Lorenzo’s chest, which only makes him laugh. He reaches for the hand that pushed him and plants a kiss across her knuckles. I pretend not to notice the way she teeters on her sneakers. Just like I act like I don’t see Lorenzo’s eyes sparkle when he catches the same move a second later.

“What about giving her a raise?” “I have a feeling her pride costs more than any offer I’m willing to make.” “Then you’ll just have to play dirty. I’m sure Nico would be more than willing to shed a few tears if it meant getting Ellie back.” “I’m not about to use my son like a pawn on one of your chessboards.” “It’s not using if he is willing.” “That’s so screwed up.” “So was firing Ellie without giving her a second chance. She was the greatest thing that happened to Nico in a long time, and you can’t deny it.”

“Stop poking around for answers you’re not getting.” His brow arches. “Sorry. Hard not to pry when you’re looking a little green.” “I’m not envious.” “Next time, try saying that without twitching.” I release a heavy breath. “Fine. Slightly, but I’m working on it.” “Why would you be envious in the first place?” “Because if someone asked Nico to pick between me and Ellie, I’m not sure I’d like the answer.”