Page 87 of The Seemingly Impossible Love Life of Amanda Dean

“We need bananas for the bananas Foster,” Isa said.

“Wait. Since when are we making bananas Foster?” Mandy asked. “I’m not sure we should do anything with fire after the Thanksgiving incident last year.” It seemed innocent enough, the package had come with strings to help lift the turkey out of the pan once it came out of the oven, but when Mandy had gone to take the bird out, one of those strings hit the heating coil at the bottom andwhoosh. She’d never seen anything catch fire so quickly.

“It’ll be fine,” Isa assured her. “I got a special torch thingy.”

“Well, if you have a thingy, I’m sure it’ll be great.”

Isa gave Mandy the very-funny look, and Mandy laughed at her own joke.

Luckily the produce section was right near the bakery, so there was a chance they could still get out of there before all their refrigerables spoiled.

“How about these?” Mandy held up a bunch of six bananas.

“No, the best ones are underneath.” Isa bent down and started pawing through the boxes of bananas that hadn’t already been set out. At this rate, they might be there all day.

Mandy put her bunch back.

“Check the list to make sure we got everything.” Isa’s hand appeared, a slip of paper clenched in it, and Mandy took it from her.

If they were going to remember the list, next time they should also bring a pen to check items off as they went along. As she visually marked off each thing, Mandy did have to admit thatbringing the list was a lot more helpful than leaving it stuck to the refrigerator at home. “As soon as you pick out the best bananas the store has to offer, we’re done.” Mandy turned toward Isa, who still hadn’t gotten up from the floor, but she was no longer searching through bananas. Isa was staring up at Mandy on one knee, holding a small box in her hand. Mandy’s heart raced.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about how I was going to do this,” Isa started. “I wanted it to be special because you’re so special to me. And I wanted it to be memorable. But if I did it somewhere unique, you’d only think about this moment if you were there. And that’s why I decided to do it here. So every time you come to the grocery store, you remember just how much I love you, and how even when we aren’t together, I’m always thinking about you.” Isa’s beautiful brown eyes filled with tears. “Amanda Dean, will you marry me?”

Chapter Forty-Two

April 2019

This was it.

Mandy stood staring at herself in the full-length mirror. She shouldn’t recognize the girl standing there without black yoga pants—an activity she didn’t actually partake in—or paint on her cheek and under her nails, wearing a formal white dress. But for some reason shedidknow that girl. Her hair might have been swept up in elegant curls and her fingernails may have been painted all the same shade of pale pink, but it was still her. She was even a little glad her mother talked her into a veil. It was simple and easy to put on and take off, but it did complete the look. But best of all, it actually made her feel like a bride—not just a girl in a pretty dress.

Everything that had gone wrong that day didn’t seem as important right then. Standing there, looking into the eyes of the girl in the mirror, Mandy felt invincible. Today she was going to marry her very best friend in the entire world. The person who made her complete. Mandy had spent the entire day worryingabout anything and everything that could go wrong, that she hadn’t taken a moment to consider everything that could go right.

Today was just the first day of the rest of her life.

No matter what went right or wrong, in the end, it didn’t really matter. All that did matter was that her future was starting, and it was one she was excited for.

Mandy did not wear the heels her mother wanted her to wear. They had somehow mysteriously vanished somewhere between the car and her dressing room. She would have to thank Candy and Austin for that later. Not that she could see the Chucks from under her gown, but she knew they were there. She wouldn’t slip and fall in them, and she was comfortable. No pinched toes.

Like Mandy, Isa had kept her attire for the day a secret, so she would likely tower over Mandy in her own high heels, but Mandy couldn’t have cared less. Isa could walk down the aisle in a potato sack and Mandy would still think she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Soft, romantic music from the string quartet they had hired played in the distance as their guests arrived. While it meant that they would be starting any minute now, Mandy breathed easily.

Mom and Dad had gone out to make sure everything was going okay, and to help greet their guests, so Mandy took the moment of quiet to gather her thoughts.

A soft knock on the door, and Candy poked her head in. “Ready?”

Mandy gave herself one final look in the mirror, and then without hesitation replied, “Absolutely.”

The guests were already standing at attention when Mandy exited the main building on Dad’s arm and headed through thetunnel of twinkling lights hung among the trees. He wasn’t giving her away. Because Mandy was her own person, who made her own decisions. She didn’t need his permission or even his blessing—though she had both—but she still wanted him to walk her in. It was still the dream leftover from childhood that she didn’t want to let go of.

As Mandy and Dad came around the last aisle of chairs, she got her first view of Isa. Mandy’s breathing stopped, and everything around her faded, leaving only one person. Isa was stunning! She wore a simple off-white dress that curved with the shape of her body, and a rhinestone belt. Her dark hair was swept up to one side and held back with a rhinestone clip, and like Mandy, she had a simple veil that tucked in under her curls in the back. But really, the one thing that made Mandy’s heart pound louder than the thunder that had come with the rain earlier that day was Isa’s smile and the way she looked at Mandy. A look Mandy knew with her whole being.

Mandy couldn’t focus on any of her guests as she passed them, although she was sure Sophie, Nikki, Grace, and every member of the Jiménez family was there. All she could see was Isa.

This was really it. And Mandy could hardly wait a second longer.

She hadn’t been to many weddings, but standing up there listening to their officiant speak of love and faith and commitment, Mandy was sure this was the best wedding of all time. Her hands were steady in Isa’s as they stared into each other’s eyes ready to finally exchange their vows. When they had decided they were going to each write something, Mandy knew exactlywhat it would be, and today she would finally get to share those words with the person she loved more than anything.

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