Page 2 of Say It Isn't So

“Well, he’s going to freak out about more than this dress if you don’t get downstairs to your party, Bibi,” Allie said.

I took a step forward and peered down at everyone awaiting my arrival. It was definitely a full house. Whether or not that made me lucky, I wasn’t sure, but I knew it was now or never.

I fussed my hair and smiled wide, letting Maria get the photo she wanted. When she finished I hooked my arm through Allie’s and nodded to Maria and Perla. “You guys go down. I need a second.”

As I watched them walk away first, I thought about how I’d gotten here. Being a Morelli came with expectations, some of which I didn’t think I’d ever be ready to fully embrace. The surname meant something, especially in New York, thanks to my mother’s passion and my father’s ferocity. They were the perfect duo, and together they ranBellissima, one of the world’s top fashion magazines.

You know those movies where the female works at a magazine and goes to runway shows and schmoozes with the most fabulous people? That was our lives. Well, not mine—at least, not until now. I hadn’t graduated with a degree in marketing for no reason. I was always meant to join the family business, just as my sisters were. Don’t get me wrong, though, it wasn’t a burden. Quite the opposite, in fact.

It was my—our—destiny and we’d been working toward it all our lives, even as little girls, following our parents around and helping them every chance we got.

“It’s now or never,” Allie whispered, bringing me to the present.

I shook my head. “What are you talking about?”

She tilted her head toward Joey who was walking up the stairs, obviously impatient to see me. That brought a smile to my lips. “If you don’t cut him loose now, he’ll think this is going somewhere,” she reminded me in a whisper.

I knew exactly what she was talking about, but hear me out on this one—maybe I didn’t end things with him. Joey was. . . he was a. . . okay, well, I could tell you what he wasn’t, and he wasn’t a bad guy. He made me feel beautiful and desired. And I deserved someone to worship the ground I walked on, didn’t I? Well, that was Joey.

I wasn’t like my sisters. I couldn’t just look in the mirror and see what they wanted me to see. In case you’d missed it, it warranted repeating: I saw all my imperfections. So yeah, it was nice to have someone praise me, to touch me and tell me, “You look hot, babe!” Joey’s distinctly gruff voice reached me before he did as I started down the stairs, closing the gap between us.

Allie dropped my arm and went ahead of me, shooting me a pointed look over her shoulder as she did. The look didn’t come with a verbal command, but it might as well have, because it saiddo it. As in, break up with the man who offered you nothing.

Except those words of affirmation I loved so much.

Not that my sisters understood that. As I said, they weren’t like me.

Don’t get me wrong, I knew I was pathetic, but I couldn’t help myself. It was nice to have the affections of a man. I’d learned that years ago as I grew into my own, and now it was just too late. It was an addiction I couldn’t shake.

It probably would’ve been easier if I could’ve just bought myself a magic mirror like the one that queen had, then it could tell mewhatI needed to hearwhenI needed to hear it—you’re the prettiest in all the land.Too bad this wasn’t a fairytale, it was real life.

And too bad I knew Allie was right.

Ugh, why did she have to be right most of the time? Okay, fine,allof the time.

Even so, that didn’t mean I was doing it tonight. This was my graduation party, and I wasn’t going to taint the memory of it by breaking up with Joey. So instead, as we connected, I let him pull me in close and kiss me.

When we pulled apart, he wiped his lips and smirked. “Cherry. My favorite,” he said of my lip gloss, his eyebrows wagging like a puppy’s tail when the puppy couldn’t wait to smother their owner in more kisses.

Smiling, I let him lead me down the rest of the stairs where we stepped into the living room packed with people. Surveying the room, I spotted my parents in one corner talking to a designer they knew from the magazine.

“I should make my rounds,” I admitted to Joey, who always understood.

“Catch me later. I’ll go get a beer.”

Before I could make it anywhere, though, my favorite cousins came up behind me, tapping me on the shoulder.

“Congratulations, gorgeous! Can’t believe you did it, you graduated! You must be so happy,” Vittoria beamed. “What’s it feel like?”

I laughed. It didn’t feel any different at all, not that anyone would understand that. “Great,” I lied.

Then Patrizia smacked Vitt on the arm. “Duh, she’s going to work full time with Aunt Regina, of course it feels great.”

Not able to get a word in, I let them continue. Francesca spoke next—“Yeah, you wouldn’t know. You can’t even get your schedule together.”

Vitt crossed her arms, looking insulted, her silver sequined dress pulling as she did so. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m on track to graduate in two years just like I’m supposed to.”

They reminded me of me and my sisters and I loved it. “We don’t get together nearly enough,” I finally said, throwing my arms around their shoulders, pulling them in close. “Thanks for coming.”

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