Page 13 of Let Me Say It Again

“Thanks.” I stood up and walked the distance to fish it out, leaving my sister to finish her sandwich. Immediately I saw a text from Red.

Reddington:How do you feel about an engagement party at my parents’ country club?

I thought about that for a minute, and while it was in my nature to make a stink about it—every part of me fighting hard against not doing that, by the way—I typed back something else entirely.

Jade:Sure. Why not? Tell me when and where.

Then I realized he needed to know something.

Jade:I’m not having any part in planning it, though. You obviously want this party, so it’s on you.

Reddington:I had no idea you could be so agreeable.

Jade:Don’t get used to it.

Unless maybe he should because I had a feeling the only way this would work is if I learned how to just go with the flow. The very rich flow. The champagne-and-caviar flow.

Before I could toss my phone back in my bag, another text came through. This time from the group chat I had with my sisters.

And it was Maria.

Which was strange because she was sitting right behind me.

I clicked on it to open it up and see what she had to say.

Maria:Jade’s engaged. And she’s going to be our fashion editor. Sorry, Jade, but I had to.

I turned around and raised a brow as I stared her down.

“Why?”

She shrugged. “Because it’s more fun when everyone knows.” By everyone she meant her three sisters, who were also my half sisters, all younger than me (that was Perla, Bianca, and Allegra—affectionately known as Allie) since we all shared a mother (Regina Morelli). Now we could all say we worked atBellissima. Well, except Bianca, who had used to work in the magazine’s advertising department until she’d up and decided to pursue her passion and dream of being a wedding dress designer. I’d seen her designs, too, and she was talented, to say the least. I mean, I didn’t know squat about fashion, but I knew when I liked something. In my opinion, she’d made the right call.

“Where was that logic when you spent three plus years sneaking around with Dom behind everyone’s backs?” I quipped, remembering how when I’d first found out the friends had become friends with benefits, and she’d wanted me to keep their secret.

But she waved me off. “That’s different. I’m telling you, things are more fun when we use the group chat as it was intended.”

“For gossiping?”

“For sharing. Complaining. Sometimes gossiping. Oh, lighten up, Jade!” Maria smiled like her megawatt smile was the only energy source responsible for powering the building.

If only I had a fraction of the energy she had.

Another text signaled just then. Since it seemed Maria had unleashed all our sisters on me, I figured it’d be smarter if I took the phone back with me to sit down.

Perla:Congratulations!

Allegra:Who’s the man?

Maria:Her boss.

Allegra:Scandalous.

Maria:It’s all fake, though. Kind of like how you and Frankie started out, Perla.

Perla:A word of caution—watch out!

I had a feeling I wouldn’t need to watch out for anything. Red and I would never become like her and Frankie. I was very much a realist and knew when to see something for what it was, and this was one of those times.

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