Page 100 of Worth the Fall

And now, as I sit at my desk finishing up some notes, I can’t help but smile. The wedding chaos is still lurking in the background, but Miguel, Linda, and now Becca and Taylor have turned what felt like insurmountable obstacles into manageable tasks.

The next day, I meet Becca and Taylor at our favorite café. Becca, as always, is immaculately put together, her navy blouse crisp and her hair perfectly curled. Taylor, on the other hand, is sporting a casual blazer over a T-shirt and jeans, her energy as magnetic as ever.

"Mia!" Becca calls, waving me over to the booth they’ve snagged near the window. "We’ve already ordered your chai latte."

"Thank you," I say, sliding into the seat across from them.

Taylor leans forward, grinning. "So, Mrs. Soon-to-Be-Ramirez, how are we feeling? Excited? Nervous? Ready to elope and skip the whole thing?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "I’m… a mix of all three, honestly. It’s been a lot."

Becca raises an eyebrow. "You’re handling it better than I expected, considering last week’s meltdown over the flower and cake situation."

"Don’t remind me," I groan, covering my face with my hands.

"No need," Becca teases. "That’s what we’re here for. To make sure you don’t spiral again."

"Exactly," Taylor says. "Speaking of which, Linda deserves a medal for finding you a new bakery on such short notice. Did you see the pictures on their website? Their cakes are gorgeous."

"I know," I say, my mood lifting. "I can’t wait to go taste-test this afternoon."

"And the flower situation?" Becca asks, sipping her coffee.

I sigh, but it’s more relieved than frustrated. "We decided on ranunculus. They’re beautiful, and Darlene at the florist swears they’ll look amazing in the arrangements."

"Crisis averted," Taylor declares, raising her glass of iced tea like it’s champagne.

I laugh, clinking my latte against it. "For now."

The conversation shifts, and I notice Taylor practically glowing as she talks about her new job and her latest adventure in cooking.

"So," I say, giving her a sly smile, "how are things with Austin?"

Taylor’s cheeks flush slightly, but she grins. "They’re… amazing, actually. Better than I ever expected."

"Good," I say. "Because you deserve it."

Becca leans in, smirking. "Don’t leave out the juicy details. You know we’re dying to know."

Taylor laughs, rolling her eyes. "Fine. If you must know, we’re ridiculously happy and stupidly in love, and I’m having the best sex of my life."

Becca gasps dramatically. "The best? You? You’ve had some… adventurous relationships."

Taylor shrugs, her grin turning smug. "What can I say? Austin’s full of surprises."

I laugh so hard I nearly choke on my latte. "I’ll never look at him the same way again."

"Don’t worry," Taylor says, winking. "I’ll spare you the details. For now."

The laughter carries us through the rest of our coffee date, and by the time we leave, I feel lighter, like I can actually breathe again.

When we get to the bakery, the smell of sugar and vanilla greets us like an old friend. Linda had really outdone herself finding this place—every display case is filled with intricately decorated cakes and pastries that look like art.

"Ladies," a cheerful woman behind the counter says, smiling at us. "You must be Mia. Welcome! We’ve prepared a few samples for you to try."

"Thank you," I say, my excitement building as we’re led to a small table.

The samples are laid out in neat little rows—vanilla with raspberry filling, chocolate with hazelnut ganache, and a lemon cake that looks almost too beautiful to eat.

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