agreed that we’re moving forward with the original concept. Now, for the St. Louis and Pasadena projects set for early next year, I’m thinking—”
“So we’re back to a mall?” Enzo asked, surprised.
“Yes.” Dan nudged Enzo. “After we scare all the rats out of there we’ll have this deal closed. It’ll be easy to sell it to the big guys at that point. Then we’ll just tear it all down and begin construction. We’ve been scared of building while there’s still gangs all over the place spray-painting—I think they call it ‘tagging.’ It may scare off the private investors and upscale retailers we’re vetting. Not to mention the cost of having to fix everything that those thugs destroy after we start building.”
“And you’re building a mall?” JL asked.
“The biggest mall in South Florida. We already have major retailers onboard.”
JL had had enough. She slammed her glass onto a nearby table more forcefully than she had intended. “Have you ever stopped and looked at the art?”
The man snorted. “Art?” He shook his head and chuckled.
“Yes, what you call graffiti. It’s actually street art.”
Dan laughed, not registering JL’s shift in tone. “That’s art? You’re yanking my chain, right?”
“I am completely serious. It’s art,” JL said.
“Jamie Lynn, I think it’s time that—” Enzo took her arm, but she yanked it away.
“It’s nothing but vandalism. Have you met the people who do this so-called art?” The man leaned in. “They are the dregs of society. Most live in the trailer park down the street. They are full of tattoos and piercings and they probably do drugs. I bet most are homeless.”
Enzo knew it would happen before he saw it. JL pushed the sleeves of her gown up on her arm, revealing her tattoos. “Oh, like this?” JL asked. Enzo tried to reach for her, but JL sidestepped him. “Those lowlifes that you had arrested? They are not homeless drug addicts. I know, because I’m one of them. The others are my friends. They’re hardworking people. Good people. Some with families.” Her eyes watered, which surprised Enzo. “They are good people,” she repeated. “They are artists.”
“Lorenzo, does your father know that you are dating—”
Enzo wanted to punch the man in the face, but he also wanted to explain to Jamie Lynn that all of this had been planned before he’d started spending time with her. That he’d already changed his mind. That he’d been working on stopping the machinery that had already been set in motion before she’d agreed to date him. Before he’d fallen in love with her.
All JL saw from Enzo was hesitation.
“Your father doesn’t know about me, does he?” After the briefest of pauses she answered for him. “Of course not. You’re ashamed of me, aren’t you?” A tear slipped from her eye, and she swiped it quickly away.
“Of course he is.” Marianna had heard the commotion and arrived just in time to witness her meltdown.
JL looked around. She was surrounded by rich, elegant people who thought she was trash. Her tears weren’t helping. It was high school all over again. Except in high school she’d been prepared for the fallout.
Usually she did what she wanted and made no excuse. Usually she was true to herself. But not tonight. Tonight she had tried to be someone else, and she felt ashamed for it. Trying to be something she wasn’t just to impress a man was out of character. It went to show just how deep her feelings for Enzo were. The hurt she was suffering was immeasurable, but she wouldn’t give any of them the satisfaction of seeing her break. She pushed Enzo out of the way and walked out with her head held high.
Marianna reached out and gripped Enzo’s forearm. “You’re not going to go chase her, are you? Look around, Lorenzo. She already made a scene. You’ll lose our opportunity to wrap up this deal for our fathers.”
He yanked his arm away so fast that Marianna teetered on her high heels, almost falling flat on her face. For a split second he thought about how she would react to falling in front of these socialites. She wouldn’t feel even half as humiliated as Jamie Lynn probably felt. “Don’t touch me. Don’t you ever touch me again,” he snarled.
“Lorenzo, think about what you are doing.”
“For the first time in my entire life, Marianna, I am thinking about what I’m doing. I am doing what I should’ve done a long time ago.” He took a step forward. “You are nothing but a toxic,