Norah's eyes widened slightly. "What's wrong with Sara?"
Gonzalez's voice was deep. "Lorelei made a pointed comment about us going out at night. You don't need to explain anything to Sara. First, I have absolutely no relationship with her; in my eyes, she's just your classmate. Second, I don't like her. Just because she likes me doesn't mean you can treat me as her property. Remember, you have no obligation to explain our relationship to her."
Norah stared blankly, but she understood what he meant.
He continued, "We're all out here to have a good time this weekend, and I don't want to ruin the mood. When we get back, I'll find a chance to make things clear with Sara so she doesn't waste her time on me."
Norah frowned and muttered softly, "Why does that sound so familiar?"
Gonzalez's heart skipped a beat. He remembered saying the exact same thing to Norah before. A wave of bitter ache washed over him, and his voice softened. "You've heard it? Do you remember where?"
Norah gently shook her head.
A flash of disappointment crossed Gonzalez's face, but his gaze grew even more intense. "Just remember what I just said."
Norah asked, "Are you really not going to consider Sara?"
They had spent the last two days together; Gonzalez should have gotten a sense of Sara's personality by now.
A dark glint flashed in Gonzalez's eyes, his voice turning even huskier. "What about you? Do you really want me to be with her?"
Meeting his fathomless gaze, Norah's heart raced. For a moment, she had no idea how to answer.
Looking at her soft, delicate cheeks, Gonzalez felt the urge to reach out and caress her face. But he didn't push her further. "Stop thinking about it. I don't like her. You don't need to play matchmaker for us."
Norah gave a slight nod. "Then you should clear the air with her as soon as possible."
She turned to look out at the lake, watching as Adrian reached out from the boat to pluck a lotus flower, only to get a handful of water splashed in his face by Sara. The two of them playfully bickered, and Sara's laughter echoed from across the water.
After lunch, the four of them began the journey home.
*
During a rest stop, Gonzalez turned to Norah. "Get in my car later. I'll take you straight home!"

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