My Beautiful Lies (Beautiful Nothing #2) by Alisha Cole

laugh and tell her the new Spanish phrase I learned and she laughs. “What does that mean?” 
    “It means I love you, my beautiful woman. Flo at the floral shop told me I needed to learn it, that the ladies love it.” I laugh, feeling kind of embarrassed. 
    “I love that. I also love that you would learn Spanish just to tell me you love me.” 
    We leave to go home and pack for our trip to make sure it’s ready for Monday morning. I am excited to leave and forget about everything—including Jake. We order pizza, not that she holds it down too well. I have to make her chicken noodle soup and crackers. I can’t wait until she gets to the doctor to get meds for it; it makes her sick all day long. We had a long day, and I know she is exhausted by the way her eyes keep closing while laying her head on my shoulder. I change the channel, flipping through, stopping on the news when I see the headline. Two men gunned down outside of a club, no suspects, and no eyewitnesses. Brad Porter and Lance Monroe. Jake killed them off. How obvious is he gonna make it? Both guys probably told him they weren’t going to help him anymore and now they’re dead. I need to tell Harry, but I’m sure he already knows. So, I shut the TV off and close my eyes, needing to rest my brain before it ruins our week ahead. 
    In the morning when I open my eyes, the light from the windows is dull and empty. I need to stop sleeping sitting up. Laney lies still asleep at the end of the couch. I get up and go to the kitchen for a cup of coffee to wake me up. Looking out the window, I see nothing but white. The ground is covered in pure white sparkles, the snow falls thick and heavy. It’s the first snow of the season, and I can’t wait to spend the day enjoying it with Laney. I know how sick she gets in the morning, so I make her a small plate of scrambled eggs and toast. It’s light and easy so her stomach should have no problem handling it. I pour her a glass of orange juice and place everything on a tray. It’s not breakfast in bed but close enough. I shake her awake and she has no problem getting up this time. Having over twelve hours of sleep must be what she needs to feel rested. I let her eat while I look online for an ice rink open for the day. 
    I find one on the west side of town, small and outside. That will do, she will love it. I use to go ice skating when I was a kid. Well, not actually skating but ice hockey, which is like the same thing. I hope she feels okay. It would suck if we got there and she was too weak to do it. I close my laptop and ask her if she’s up for it. 
    “I actually feel good today. I think eating first thing in the morning helps a lot. I mean if I’m not moving, I think I get motion sickness. I can’t wait to get something to help with that,” she rambles on, and I know we have plans for the day. I have the news of last night in the back of my mind, and I ask myself if I should tell her. It could make her happy that two of the guys who hurt her are dead. On the other hand, it could ruin our day and scare her thinking she’s next. With that in mind, I keep it to myself.
    She goes up to take a shower, and I clean up the dishes. When she comes down the stairs her hair is pulled up into a wavy ponytail, she has on grey leggings, with a long sweater. She looks beautiful. Even without makeup she shines. 
    “Have you ever been ice skating?” I ask curiously, placing the last of the dishes in the drying rack. 
    “I tried a few years ago, I wasn’t that good at it.” She giggles. 
    “Well, we are gonna try again. It’s the first snow of the year, and its lighting up outside. I think we will have a good time. Don’t worry, I will help you.” She agrees, and puts on her knee-high black boots. “Let’s get out of here then, we can have lunch there too. I read on the reviews they have some awesome cheesesteaks.” I grab her coat off the hook and help her slide her arms through, then do my own. I grab the