Page 57 of The Nicest Thing
"For select bookish events.To let people know she's alive—and that we'll never measure up to her greatness," her sister added.
Finn looked to me for confirmation, and I shrugged."She's romance writing royalty.I heard she owns her own mountain."
"That's true," Sofie said with a nod."We've been there."
"Only to use the bathroom at the rest stop," Cleo added, "but it was still fun."
"Isla Kincaid," I repeated, and even I could hear the reverence in my voice."She wrote one of the first romances I ever read.Still one of the best."
Finn tilted his head."Isn't she the one who runs that book conference you're always talking about?"
I nodded."Romance or Die.Super exclusive, invite-only.I haven't even worked up the courage to apply; it's that intimidating."
"You'd get in," he said with so much confidence even I wanted to believe him.
But I knew better.
"It's called Romance or Die because writers have died waiting for acceptance," I explained.
Finn sniffed."Still."
"So?" Cleo repeated."What did you talk about?"
"I…she's a fan of the friends-to-lovers trope."
"Who isn't?"Sofie gestured for me to go on."And?"
"You were right.She liked Finn,"I said, giving him a soft smile."But who wouldn't?"
Finn smiled back at me, and Sofie and Cleo sighed in unison.
"She liked you, Rose," Finn said."She talked to you a lot longer than me."
The sisters said their goodbyes, but I barely heard, so caught up in the moment.After they were gone, Finn glanced at me.
"You okay there?" he asked.
I shook my head in wonder."Isla Kincaid.The woman, the myth, the legend.I was speaking to her, Finn, and didn't even know it."
"Why didn't you?"
"She doesn't let herself be photographed often.She hates pictures."
"Sounds like someone else I know," he said.
"Yeah, probably the only thing we have in common."
Finn gave me a stern look.
"Besides writing romance."
I shook my head.
"And liking a certain O'Brien."
Finn's lips tipped up."I don't know what you mean.She was far more interested in my wife."
That word again.
