Page 126 of If We Never Met

"Let's get a photo with everyone," Hannah said, holding up the phone in her hand. "A selfie. Everyone squeeze in."

"Isn't there a photographer around here somewhere?" Gianna asked.

"I want one that's just us, as we are," Hannah replied as the other women crowded around, and she took the group photo. Then she turned around to face them. "You are all my best friends and having you here with me today makes it so much more special. I was never sure I'd actually get married, but here I am, marrying a guy I spent a lot of time hating."

"Sometimes you can't get out of your own way," she teased.

"Look who's talking," Hannah said pointedly.

"True, but I'm working on that." She cleared her throat as her gaze swept the group. "I told Hannah this last night, and she insisted I tell you all today, so since we have a few minutes, I'm just going to say it now. I'm in love with Dante."

"Oh, we all knew that." Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"Okay, maybe you did. But you probably don't know that I'm leaving Whisper Lake." She held up a hand at the sight of their distressed expressions. "Don't say anything yet. Let me finish. This is good news. I'm moving to Miami with Dante, but it's not just for love. The move is also going to mark the launch of my design business. I'm turning over my interests here to my managers, and I'm going to give my design dream one more shot."

"That's great," Gianna said.

"I think it will be great. And I may not be starting from zero. I got a call from Jessica Stillman's stylist, and I'm going to meet with Jessica next week. She loved your dress, Chelsea, and she has three events she may want me to dress her for."

Chelsea clapped her hands. "Yay. I'm so happy. And she would be lucky to get you."

"It's not a done deal. She still has to like what I design, but if she does, it could be very lucrative."

"Wow," Chloe said. "That is a huge change. I'm going to miss you, Keira."

"I'm going to miss all of you." She blinked back a tear. "And I cannot start crying yet."

"None of us can," Gianna said with a sniff. "I'm really happy for you, Keira, even if my face is saying something different."

"I'll be back to visit. My mom is here."

"And you're sure about this move?" Chloe asked. "You haven't known Dante very long to move across the country for him."

"I'm not doing it for him; I'm doing it for me. I've met someone I'm crazy about, and I don't want to let geography get in the way. Dante said his contract is up at the end of this year. He'll try to move close to wherever I need to be."

"That's amazing," Lizzie said. "Can he do that?"

"He says he can. We'll see how things go." She paused. "You've all been telling me for a while now that I'm spreading myself too thin, and you were all right. I couldn't seem to pick a lane, make a decision, but meeting Dante and having my home burn to the ground really kicked me out of my rut."

Hannah gave her a dry smile as she shook her head. "Not the way any of us wanted it to go."

"It's how it went. I'm really happy, which seems bizarre considering how much I just lost. But I'm in love, and I'm going after my dream again. It turns out that's all I need. Being in Miami, with no other distractions, will also help me give the design business the focus it needs."

"I think Dante will be a big distraction," Hannah said with a laugh. "But, yeah, maybe in between all the hot sex, you can design some kick-ass dresses."

She laughed. "I will find the time."

"We should do a girl's trip to Miami," Lizzie said. "Just because we're all getting married, having babies, and making big changes doesn't mean we have to lose each other."

"I'm in," Hannah said. "And I'm happy for you, Keira. Remember when the four of us used to play our imaginary games in your backyard?"

"Yes. You were the nurse or the doctor."

"I was the mom or the cook," Chloe said.

"I was the artist," Gianna put in. "And you were always making clothes and playing fashion show, Keira. We're all doing what we were meant to do."

"Really?" Lizzie asked, surprise in her gaze. "You all knew what you were going to do when you were kids?"

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