Page 21 of Say It Isn't So

Allie rolled her eyes. “Please, save it, sister. We all know that you get your flirt on, and you have a certain penchant for British men.”

“Yeah, and French,” Perla jested.

“American, German, Italian,” Maria continued listing them.

I couldn’t stop laughing. “Okay, point made.” Then I darted them each a look. “But I’m notthatbad.” I sighed, and went on, “Plus, do you really want me blowing up our group chat?” Not that I probably wouldn’t anyway, but still.

Maria gasped and waved a hand in the air. “Oh, please, no. It was bad enough when Perla and Frankie were figuring things out.” She put that last part in air quotes.

Perla shifted sideways and tossed a pillow at her, feigning insult. “Hey! I wasn’t that annoying.” Then she turned back. “Was I?”

Allie and I looked at each other and laughed, knowing better. “No!”

Eyes wide, biting her bottom lip, Perla shook her head from side to side. “Oh my goodness, I was, wasn’t I?”

I shook my head and patted her shoulder. “Of course not. It’s just. . .” I remembered those days.

“Just, what?” Perla pushed, standing now, pacing in front of the couch. “Come on, out with it.”

I threw my hands up in the air. “Fine! You resisted that man for way too long. Happy?”

That got me a pillow to the face.

“Well, I’m still upset with you for leaving me roommate-less,” Allie chimed in.

Perla cringed. “I’m sorry. I can’t believe you still haven’t found one. It’s such a nice place.”

See, Allie and Perla had been roommates until Frankie came into the picture and they got married for convenience purposes. It was supposed to go back to normal once the jig was up, but it turned out to be the real deal, so Allie lost her roommate.

She shrugged. “Truth be told, I haven’t been looking. But I plan to. The rent is choking me, so I have to. Soon,” she said, as if promising us when really she was making a promise to herself. “And I’m not taking any handouts from Dad.”

I nodded. “No one’s suggesting that.” While we could’ve very well run to him and asked for money for this and that, we were always self-sufficient, especially Allie. She liked her financial independence, and nothing was changing that. Not that anything should.

Then Allie eyed me knowingly.

“Oh, no!” I said, shaking my head profusely. I knew where this was going, and I wasn’t interested. “I’m perfectly happy where I am.”

“Living with Dad?” she questioned and threw her hands up. “Come on, you have to move out eventually. And why not move in with me?” And with that, the full pout came out, puppy dog eyes and all—it was a Morelli trademark. “Please,” she said, holding up prayer hands now.

Even with all that, I wasn’t budging. I had lived with my sisters for long enough and living with Dad basically meant I lived alone. And, it turned out, I liked basically living alone. In that great big house. “Maybe one day, but not now.” For now, I had company only occasionally and it was nice. Besides, someone had to look after the old man now that Mom was gone.

She groaned. “I just dread the prospect of finding a roommate.”

“Sure,” Maria said, “I can see that. You don’t want someone like Eddie.”

“Ew!” I shouted and then covered my mouth with my hand, realizing I could’ve woken Isabella up. “Sorry,” I mouthed. Then I whispered, “Maria is right, though. Chandler did not get lucky with Eddie.”

“Although, he was cute,” Allie said, wetting her lips.

I scrunched my nose. “Stop, you’re not serious. He’s so. . . he’s so. . .” Unable to put it into words, I shuddered. “Just no,” I finally decided.

That made us all burst out laughing.

Perla, now sitting on the floor in front of the couch, grabbed the remote from the table and swayed her head from side to side. “Well, I vote we watch a certain movie about a runaway bride. What do you say?”

I clapped my hands. “Yes, please! Let’s do it.”

Allie rolled her eyes. “Fine, but next time we watch the better Julia movie.”

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