Page 125 of Say It Isn't So

Perla:What?

Bianca:Yeah, me, too. Sorry, sis, you might be the last to know.

Perla:Maria, how can I ever forgive you? *sad face*

Maria:It’s nothing. That’s what I’m saying. You’re not missing out on anything.

Maria:And it has nothing to do with Dom. He’s not factored into everything.

Maria:Anyway, you’ve been busy being married, Perla, and I’m not even sure how Allie knows.

Bianca:Yeah, we all know Maria likes to keep things under wraps.

Perla:For Peanut, yeah, but not me. I’m sad.

Maria:Get over it. I’ll come by your office today and tell you about him.

My heart fell and I was gutted with the reminder that I wouldn’t be doing that with them anymore. It’s funny, they all said things like how it was different (this text, case in point), but it never really dawned on me until Maria had just said that, about going into each other’s office and talking.

I’d lost all that with this change, too.

I put my phone down for a minute and picked up my coffee to try to regain my composure. It was such a silly thing to get upset over, and yet I couldn’t help it.

Knox shut the lid on his laptop and looked at me. “I think we can get you on my fli—” He came to a stop when I think he really saw me. “Sweetness, are you okay?”

I swiped at my cheeks as realization washed over me. I was just in another phase of my life. It would be okay, I just had to learn to accept that things were slightly different with my sisters. It wasn’t another loss, but a gain. I was about to start an entirely new chapter in my life, one that was all about the thing I loved most—designing wedding dresses. “Mmhmm. I’m okay, forget it.”

“I don’t think I can,” he countered, his expression turning serious. The tick in his jaw when he was upset started up.

It was sweet and I loved that he cared, that he wanted to fix everything, but this was something I had to learn to accept. In that regard, the fixing was all mine to do. “Please,” I pleaded and gestured to his laptop. “You were saying?” It would’ve been better for me if he just let this one go, so I hoped he would.

He exhaled deeply, his chiseled chest rising and falling under his thin t-shirt. “You can talk to me about anything. Just know that.”

I nodded, my heart full. My sisters were right.Iwas right. Knox was the right man for me. I knew it down to my very core. “I know.”

“We can get you on my flight.”

I nodded. “Can you book it for me?” I asked, picking up my phone again, seeing as I just dropped the conversation with my sisters to cry like a baby.

Bianca:So, Maria, London, huh?

Maria:You’re back. Everything okay?

Bianca:Yeah, sorry. Knox was talking to me.

Maria:Good. Perla had to run, but yes, I’m covering London. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get out there, so I put dibs on it.

Bianca:Will Dom be home with Peanut?

Maria:That’s the plan. It’s good, too, because Dom’s walking for a designer in Milan.

Maria:Jonathon is coming with me from the magazine since it’s menswear.

Oh, I loved Jonathon! He was the Menswear Editor and the nicest person ever.

Bianca:All of that’s awesome. Tell Dom to call me in Milan. We can meet up.

Maria:I’ll let him know.

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