Page 81 of Make Room for Love

“When something good happens in your life, you know you can just let it happen, right? That’s what I’ve been learning over the last two years. Life is hard enough already without you looking for more reasons.”

Isabel looked out the window. The flurries were thickening. A memory drifted to her: Mira—soft, kind, strong, brave, wonderful Mira—kissing her goodbye this morning, her coconut-scented curls brushing Isabel’s face as she lay on the couch.

Maybe she didn’t have to desperately cling to Mira. She could just let herself be held. For now, even if it wasn’t forever.

Her little sister was full of sage advice these days. “I get what you’re saying,” Isabel said. This kind of sincerity was not her strongest suit. “Anyway, I want to support you and Kevin. If there’s anything I can do?—”

“Don’t you dare offer to help pay for my wedding. Kevin and I have money saved up, and his parents are pretty rich and are helping him out.” Isabel was going to have to figure out something else to do with the thousands she’d saved up, then. “But since you asked, there is something you can do for me.”

“What is it?”

“You can be my bridesmaid.”

Isabel teared up. “Of course,” she said, voice shaking, overflowing with relief and love. Grace came over, kneeled by the couch, and hugged her, and Isabel hugged her back as well as she could with one arm.

“I’m still a little mad at you,” Grace said, squeezing her tight for emphasis.

“Fair enough.”

Grace got up and plopped herself on the other end of the couch, making herself at home. “I’m telling all the bridesmaids to just wear whatever red dresses they want. You still have that navy suit, right? You can wear a red tie.”

“I’m going to look like a politician. You want that at your wedding?”

Grace rolled her eyes. “You can wear an all-red suit if you want. I’m not stopping you.”

Isabel snorted. It was unbelievably good to laugh with her sister again. They sat in an easy silence, watching the snow fall. Then Grace said, “I never thought I’d get married without her being there, you know?”

“I know what you mean.” Isabel paused. “Well, I don’t. But knowing I’ll never introduce her to Mira has been hard for me.”

Grace turned to her. “I’m glad you’re going to be with me. Kevin is as supportive as he can be, and I’ve talked to Cat and to Mom about it, but I don’t think anyone else really understands what it’s like.”

Isabel nodded. She had sensed the mutual understanding return between them, too, like a lost piece of herself being put back into place. She had thought she was broken. Maybe she would never be entirely whole again, but she was closer to it than she had been in a long time.

“What you said about Kevin earlier reminded me…Mira did that for me,” she said. “On the anniversary. She made dinner for me and let me talk about it.” Isabel was getting choked up again. “She’s really special. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that, no matter what happens.”

Grace raised her eyebrows. “Wow.”

“What?” Even this was a relief, that they were ribbing each other.

Grace’s look was piercing. No one else could give Isabel that look. No one else, aside from Alexa, had known her this well for two decades and counting. “You’re really serious about her, aren’t you?”

When Mira arrivedat the front door to her building, a familiar-looking woman came out. The third sister in Isabel’s photo. This was Grace.

“Oh, hi, are you Mira?” she asked. Mira nodded. “I’m Grace, Isabel’s sister. Good to meet you.” She extended her hand.

Grace was an entire head shorter than Isabel, with a full face of makeup, but she had the same immediately recognizable no-nonsense demeanor. Mira was startled. Isabel constantly referred to Grace as her little sister, but this woman was clearlyan adult, slightly tired-looking, with an engagement ring on her finger.

Mira shook Grace’s hand. “Nice to meet you too.” Grace and Isabel must have talked, but Mira had no idea where they stood now. “Is Isabel okay?”

“She’s still in pain, but she’ll get through it. She’s tough.” Grace smiled. “We had a long talk. It was about time.”

Mira smiled back. Hopefully that was good news. “Thanks for checking in on her. She’s been having a hard time.”

“Of course. She’s my sister, even if she’s a huge pain in the ass sometimes.” Grace rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She was acting familiar with Mira already, which was unexpected but reassuring. “I heard she was giving you a hard time, too.”

“I don’t know if I would say that. I think she and I need to have a talk too.”

Grace gave her a knowing look. “Well, she loves you a lot. But don’t let that stop you from doing whatever you need to do. It’s fine if you’re still mad at her. I still am, a little.”

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