Page 68 of The Seemingly Impossible Love Life of Amanda Dean

“I feel like I’ve missed so much.” Isa’s gaze continued to sweep the room.

Mandy wasn’t sure how she was supposed to take that. Did it mean that she missed seeing Mandy working on all these projects? Staying up late, pulling her hair out trying to get them all just right. Or was she trying to say that she missed Mandy? “I mean, it’s not like you haven’t been busy, Dr. Jiménez.”

Isa grinned, but she didn’t smile. Mandy knew the difference. “Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it. I mean, I know it is, but the long hours, and no sleep, and Boston is great and all but…”

“It’s not home.”

“Exactly.”

Something passed between them. Understanding. Or maybe something else. Mandy wasn’t sure, and she wasn’t sure she even wanted to try to name it. This was the first time since the last time things felt like they could be okay, but it was all still so fragile—one wrong move and…crack.

“How’s Tally?” Mandy blurted, because breaking things was what she did best.

“We broke up.” Isa said it so matter-of-factly, without even the slightest hitch in her voice.

“What? Why?” They had been together forever. Tally had even stayed in Boston with Isa for her residency, leaving behinda job she had gotten in her hometown. She gave up her dream for Isa, something Mandy couldn’t do.

Isa shrugged. “It just didn’t work.”

Mandy wanted to press. She needed to know what happened and why. Didn’t Tally do all the things a girlfriend should do? Hadn’t Isa told Mandy how much she loved Tally? And if this were another time, and the things between Isa and Mandy never happened, she could’ve asked all those things, but not now, so all she said was, “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” Isa stood there, shoulders back, head high.

While things between Mandy and Isa had been fraught lately, Mandy was familiar with this look. It was the same one Isa had when she didn’t win secretary of their seventh-grade class. The same look she had given to Mandy before she left for Europe years ago. It must’ve been really bad. All Mandy wanted to do was pull Isa in for a hug, and before Mandy could overthink it to death, that’s exactly what she did.

One moment she was in front of Isa and the next, Mandy’s arms were around her, her face pressed against Isa’s coconut-scented hair. For a second, Isa’s body tensed, her arms dangled at her sides, and then a second later they were around Mandy just as tight if not tighter than the way Mandy held her. Isa’s chest hitched against Mandy’s, and soon tears ran down Mandy’s shoulder.

Mandy clenched her jaw tight. She didn’t know what Tally had done, but in that instant, if she had been there, Mandy would’ve probably killed her. Okay, maybe not full-on murder, but Mandy was pissed enough to contemplate it. How dare anyone treat Isa this way. She was brilliant, and caring, and wonderful.

The crowd around them didn’t seem to pay any attention; they all seemed to go along with their evening, enjoying the libations and conversations they were involved in. The fact that a woman was sobbing in the middle of an art show didn’t seem to matter to any of them, and even if it did, Mandy didn’t care. She held on to Isa for as long as she needed. Until the sniffles started, and Isa pulled away.

“I’m sorry about that,” Isa said, wiping her eyes and making a mess of her mascara.

“Don’t be,” Mandy tried to reassure her.

“It’s a special night for you. You’re supposed to be celebrating. I don’t even know what came over me.”

A server appeared with a few napkins and handed them to Isa. So maybe someone was paying attention after all.

Isa mumbled her thanks before the server strolled away, and dabbed at her eyes.

“Let me.” Mandy held out her hand, and Isa gave her one of the napkins. It was already damp from the tears Isa had mopped up, and Mandy gently cleaned away the streaks of black from under Isa’s eyes.

“Oh my god, your arm.” Isa started furiously wiping Mandy’s shoulder.

“It’s fine.” Mandy didn’t care about the black streaks; if anything, they were proof to remind her later of this moment. Of when she got to hold Isa. And how she would give anything to be able to do it again. “I’ve missed you.” Her words were clear, but her voice was low—tentative. She couldn’t mess things up—not again.

“We should talk more often,” Isa responded, and Mandy’s heart practically jumped for joy. Oh, how she had missed herbest friend. How she had dreamed Isa would say these very words. Mandy almost pinched herself to make sure it was real, but when she let her hand fall her new ring slipped, and Mandy’s heart slipped too. She was engaged. Isa was here, and Mandy had just gotten engaged.

Mandy hesitated. “Tacos?”

Isa’s lips twitched. “Don’t you need to, like, stay and mingle?”

All the paintings had been sold. Mandy could strip naked and run through the room, and Aziz wouldn’t bat an eye, nor would any of the remaining guests, from the looks of it. And even if none of that were true—if she hadn’t sold a single painting, or if her career hinged on her being there until dawn—she’d give it all up for the chance to just be with Isa again. “Nope.”

“Tacos then?” Isa asked this time.

“Tacos,” Mandy confirmed.

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