Lunar Love (74)

“I really hope you’ll be there. It’s come-as-your-animal-sign.”

“Cute,” I say, unsmiling.

He leans over. “Is everything okay?”

I put on a happy face. “Fine. Everything’s fine.”

I gave up press, potential clients, and proving Lunar Love’s efficacy for what? So that I could freely kiss my competitor? Was everything just an elaborate ruse? Worse, did I fall for it? He did work with Harper to manipulate the situation. To date me. So that he could prove me wrong? I don’t know what to think or believe anymore. Especially now that Bennett is here in front of me, shopping for buildings—including ours—for his copycat business. But hey, I’m totally fine.

“Alrighty!” Carol sings from the end of the pathway. “Thanks a billion, Olivia. We’ll be in touch.”

“Nope,” I call out after her.

“This is a fine place you got here,” Elmer says. “Maybe I saw some documents through the window, maybe I didn’t.”

“Sorry again,” Bennett mouths. “I hope I see you soon.”

I walk him to the edge of the welcome mat. “We’ll see. And do me a favor and remind Carol that we are not for sale,” I say, accentuating every last word.

I unconsciously slam the door shut, rattling a framed photo on the wall of me, Pó Po, and Auntie outside of Lucky Monkey Bakery. Our arms are wrapped around each other, and we’re laughing. We all look so young, so happy, so innocent.





Chapter 19





I’m greeted on Saturday afternoon with a delivery to my apartment. I open the box to reveal a spooky chocolate cake for Halloween and a card with the words “No tricks here, just treats. Sorry for showing up on your pink doorstep like that. Hope to see you tonight. —Bennett.”

I break off one of the chocolate gravestones and let it melt in my mouth. It’s possible I’m being irrational about him influencing me, but I can’t risk being hurt again. It’s like Mom says, “Evidence is what matters, not speculation.” As much as I don’t want to go to the party, I need to know the truth.

Several hours later, I follow signs for ZodiaCupid’s Halloween party and take the elevator up to the rooftop. With sweeping views of downtown LA and a glowing blue moon as the backdrop, the hunched plastic skeletons and spider-filled cobwebs strung throughout the space look spooky in a fun way.

Dressed as Rembrandt, I wear a vintage black cloak and beret that Pó Po was able to find in her boxes of old clothing, and I’m armed with a plastic painter’s palette. The outfit wouldn’t be complete without a stick-on mustache and mouche.

Around me, people dressed in skintight tiger costumes, snake-print jumpsuits, and Cupid outfits carry drinks and mingle. Michael Jackson’s song “Thriller” blasts from a speaker near the bar. I scan the crowd for Bennett so I know the general vicinity to hang around.

I wind through people in animal costumes and walk toward a woman with long, wavy platinum-blond hair cascading down her back. The guy next to her in a chef’s outfit lifts his toque and immediately I know it’s Bennett from the way his hair falls. My palms break out in a light sweat at the sight of him.

My steps slow as I observe the situation. I take cover behind a witch’s cauldron of punch bubbling over with dry ice fog. The woman with platinum hair smiles at something Bennett says and rests her hand on his shoulder. In my mind, I see his peony count number increasing. He’s the start-up world’s most eligible bachelor, after all. Why wouldn’t he be dating other people? Other people clearly want to date him.

I crouch lower to get a better angle of him and the woman who’s giving a solid A-effort to imitate Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons. She leans forward to better hear him and then laughs vivaciously at whatever it is he said that probably wasn’t even funny.

I’m bumped from behind by a man circling the cauldron, and he almost knocks me off balance.

“Olivia?” a voice says.

I hold my beret to my head and angle my face up toward the stars. Standing over me is the host from our live panel interview.

“Marcus?”

Marcus waves from above. What was a stylish suit at the live podcast interview is replaced by a bright red bacon strip costume. His face appears through a cutout hole in one of the pink layers.

“Well, well, I didn’t expect to see you here tonight,” Marcus says. “Especially after everything with the wager. That’s very big of you.”

“It was a last-minute decision to come. Don’t tell anyone you saw me,” I instruct as I stand to face him.

“Are you meeting your date here?” he asks excitedly. “Or rather, your love.” He squeals. “I can’t believe ZodiaCupid actually worked. Secretly, I had my money on Lunar Love.”

“Hold on.” I smile to be polite but am downright confused. “What do you mean, ZodiaCupid worked? And did you say love?”

“We were notified yesterday that a winner had been established. You both went on dates, and apparently, you fell in love. Congrats!” Marcus says with a laugh.

The pieces fall into place. Finally, I have clarity. I’ve been played.

“I’m not…I can’t be in love,” I stammer.

Marcus grins. “You’ve got the glow of a woman in love.”