Page 15 of The Mirage Guild

I tried to trick my brain into being lulled back to sleep, but it didn’t work. Another oddity that came from being in your thirties was the inability to sleep in. I slipped on a sweatshirt and padded out to meet my mother in the kitchen. My parents’ home was one of my favorite places on earth, even if they’d converted my bedroom to a craft room as soon as I’d left.

I was lucky enough to call their five-story townhome in Gramercy Park my childhood home. I’d held many sleepovers here, snuck booze out of their basement cellar, and even stained the carpet permanently in my bedroom from a straightener I’d accidentally left on all day. I made my way down from the third floor to meet my mother in the kitchen.

Gloria Esposito was a powerhouse of a woman packed in a tiny body. Her thick, Italian accent sometimes muddied my words, and her crisp gray hair sat in a perfect bob. My unruly morning curls looked like a lion’s mane next to my mother’s hair. I eyed the small box on the counter, forgetting what I’d ordered.

Another retinol cream? Perhaps a cooling eye mask to tame my new undereye circles? I slid a knife under the flap and grinned at what lay shrink-wrapped inside. The invitations for Max’s wine-tasting event were waiting for me. I squealed as I picked them up and turned them over in my hands, reading every word on the cardstock for the millionth time.

I had gone all-out with the wine and chocolate theme, deciding on The Enchanted Vineyard: An Odyssey of Wine & Chocolate as the overall theme of the event. The invitations were a beautiful creamy chocolate color with metallic white accents. I was planning on having a courier hand-deliver the invitations to the club’s VIP members, each with a small box of chocolates.

I was meeting with the chocolatier today to set the menu of treats so Max could pair them each with a glass of wine. I hoped he could flex his wine muscles with this event and that it could give him some more confidence that he would pass his exam. I felt this weird hesitation from Max when it came to his certification. Almost like he was embarrassed by his goal, that it wasn’t enough. I hoped this event would show him how cool his job could be.

“Oh, those are beautiful, dear. Are those for the club?” my mom asked over my shoulder, and she peered into the box. Given my mom’s profession and my parents’ overall progressive beliefs, Gloria knew all about the happenings at the Prism Society. It was an unspoken family rule that we didn’t share too many details of what went on, and our parents could absolutely under no circumstances ever visit, but besides that, there was zero judgment.

“Yeah, for Max’s wine-tasting event; he asked me to help plan it.” I put the invitations back in the box, wanting to keep them clean.

“You were always so good at events, Izzy, I bet it’s going to be incredible.” My parents were two of the most supportive people I’d ever met. Heck, they didn’t hesitate when their thirty-something-year-old daughter came crawling back home after declaring she would “never live in the city, ever again.” Even if they had turned my old room into a guest room.

There were no limits to what my parents would do for both me and Dom, but it was up to us to actually try. It was up to us to set our mind on something and go forth with it confidently. Dominic had never had a problem with that part, but me, now that was another story. I gladly took the cappuccino my mother made and headed back upstairs to look a bit more presentable for the chocolatier.

After a chocolate marathon, I had my picks. Merlot-soaked cherry chocolates topped the list for their punchy flavor, a nod to the robust reds we’d be serving. The lemon-infused white chocolates were a hit too, light and zesty, just right for the lighter wines. I picked them because they either made my taste buds sing or because they were too interesting to pass up.

I ended up choosing this chocolatier because it was a spot I’d walked by a thousand times on my way to prep school, always stopping to drool over the chocolates being drizzled and dipped right behind the windowpane. Their craft had always fascinated me, and now, it was a part of our event.

Riding a sugar high, I couldn’t wait to loop Max in. I rummaged through my onboarding papers to find his number, thinking he’d get a kick out of my chocolate-fueled enthusiasm. A quick text later, I leaned back, satisfied with the day’s work and eager for what was next.

Isabella: Wanna taste some goodies I picked out for your event?

A few minutes later, my phone buzzed in my hand.

Max: Not that I don’t want to immediately say ‘yes’ to whoever this is, I want to confirm first. This is Isabella, right?

Isabella: Oh my god, yes, it’s Izzy.

Max: Just making sure. It’s not every day I get texts from strangers asking me to taste their goodies.

Isabella: I DID NOT say ‘my goodies’. I said SOME goodies. As in chocolates. I just picked out the menu for your event. I figured you might want some time to think about the wines you’ll want to pair with them.

Max: The menu? Already? Okay, yeah, I’ll be there soon. You’re still at your family’s place in Gramercy Park, right?

A slight flutter of nervousness tickled my stomach at his question. Of course, he’d been to the house before. He and Dom were close after all.

Isabella: Yeah, that’s the one. Can’t wait to show you what I’ve got.

His confirmation set a flurry of preparations in motion on my end. As I laid out the chocolates and napkins, a mix of anticipation and second thoughts danced in my head. The idea to pre-select the chocolates seemed good in theory, and I even had a list of potential wine pairings as a backup. Still, a thread of anxiety wove through my excitement, leaving me second-guessing my initiative.

I busied myself as I waited, setting out the chocolates and little napkins, and anxiously tapped my nails on the countertop. I jumped when the buzz of their doorbell vibrated through the walls.

Seeing Casual Max shouldn’t have made the little flutters in my belly go off, but it did. The way he handsomely existed in jeans and a plain t-shirt was a crime. I tugged open the arched wooden door, smiling at Max through the glass panes.

“Hey,” I said as I stepped aside to let him up the steps.

“Hey,” Max replied, raising his eyebrows quickly.

“Uh, everything’s upstairs,” I said as I turned to lead Max up to the kitchen. There was awkwardness in the air, but I didn’t know why.

“Great,” Max replied from behind me.

“Um, okay, so.” I clapped my hands together in mock cheerfulness and turned to Max. “I don’t know what you want to see first. I have the invitation here.” I placed my hand on the stack of cardstock in front of me. “And the chocolates laid out here.” I pointed to the ornate chocolates lining the edge of the counter.

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