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As we pulled out of the parking garage, I called Vee and asked hiht “I’d be happy to look after the lovely Leota,” he said, “but when you get back, I’ht in a roith Lorenzo”

“It’s not like that I , so we decided to stay in town”

“You can’t let such a hotto juh

We chatted for a fewup Lorenzo said, “You didn’t mention the movie”

“I refuse to tell anyone until I have a signed contract into call theet their hopes up I’d done that to them way too many times over the last decade, only to watch it all fall apart

Chapter 4

After a quick stop at a grocery store, we drove to West Hollywood Our destination turned out to be a four-story apart that could pass for a nice hotel Lorenzo had a set of keys to one of the apart, and when I asked about it, he said, “I lived here for several years before I went to Mexico City, and then I moved back in when I returned to the US I didn’t last very long the second time I lived here, but Sam insisted I keep the keys He hopes I’ll h I’ve told hi to happen”

“Didn’t he rent out your room when you left?”

“No His parents own the building, so he doesn’t actually need a roommate He just likes my company”

As I followed hieous apartment Why didn’t you want to stay here when you came back to California?” It was spacious and sunny, with a jewel-toned color sches

“My foruy, but he loves to party He and this place hadn’t changed at all during the four years I was in Mexico, but I was a completely different person when I returned It felt like stepping back in ti here anymore”

Those years in Mexico City hen Lorenzo fell in love, then lost his partner to cancer No wonder he’d had a hard time with his party boy roommate when he returned to California That would have been the last thing he needed while he was in

We reached the royal blue and white kitchen and unpacked our grocery bags, which contained ingredients for dinner, snacks, alcohol, and a few essentials for spending the night, like toothbrushes and sha basket, but that had seemed presumptuous