Page 89 of Last First Kiss
I blink. “That wasn’t the good news?”
She reaches into her jacket and pulls out a check.
“You’re kidding,” I say, taking the check from her and gawking at the numbers; there are at least two more zeros than I was expecting.
“Nope.Everythingsold within the first thirty minutes, might I add. You’re officially a hot commodity.”
“God, I love your bougie little gallery rats.”
“Gallery rats?” she laughs.
I clutch the check like it might disappear. “This doesn’t even feel real.”
Isabella leans in, eyes softening to a degree her icy stare rarely thaws down to—but since Lily, her eyes aren’t as piercing as they used to be. “Well, it is. You did this. And you deserve every bit of it.”
“Then what’s the bad news?” I ask, feeling bad about flying over her compliment.
“I didn’t have one. I thought it would make it more fun if I stressed you out a little.” She winks. “It was.”
I hide a smile before glancing over at Clara, who’s watching with a proud smile that makes me melt. My chest tightens, and I exhale a shaky laugh.
I look down at the check again, still barely able to believe it’s real. “This,” I say, nodding toward the check, “this is unreal.”
Clara, Valeria, and Lily make their way back to me through the crowd. Without thinking, I lunge at Clara, and she catches me effortlessly.
“I’m so proud of you,” she says, her voice warm.
“You knew?” I ask against her neck. I pull back enoughto look deep into her eyes, the world fading into the background around us.
Clara nods and holds me tighter. “Lily was just telling Val and me, but I’m not surprised.”
“It wouldn’t have happened without you,” I whisper, my heart pounding. “Thank you for believing in me so hard and for pushing me outside of my comfort zone.”
Her smile softens. “It was all you.”
“I love you,” I whisper.
Her eyes glisten, and she leans closer, pressing her lips to my forehead, breath warm against my skin. “I love you, too,” she murmurs. “More than I ever dared to hope for.”
We stay like that, wrapped in each other’s arms, every heartbeat a steady drum of belonging, knowing this is the beginning of forever, a love meant to last beyond all time.
When we finally pull back, still a little tangled in each other’s arms, Isabella says, “Alright, lovebirds, enough of the sappy stuff!”
“Let’s dance!” Lily shouts, grabbing Isabella by the wrist and yanking her toward the middle of the dance floor.
Valeria, Clara, and I exchange a glance, shrug, and follow along, laughing as we join them.
Valeria hasn’t even set foot on the dance floor when someone asks her to dance. She hesitates, but we all cheer her on. After everything she’s been through—and continues to go through—with her ex, she deserves a little fun with a stranger in the form of a hot masc.
Lily’s trying to get Isabella to twirl, but Isabella keeps turning the wrong way, and Lily groans in frustration—I think she’s doing it on purpose. Annoying Lily is definitely her love language.
Clara wraps her arm around my waist, and in this ridiculous, messy, wonderful moment, I can’t believeleaving was ever an option, not when I’m surrounded by the people I love most.
The wedding didn’t last nearly as long as I wish it would have, and before I know it, everyone is heading back home or back to their hotel room.
Clara and I are the last to leave, aside from the brides. We’re both a little too tipsy, a little too flushed from dancing and endless glasses of champagne, but I couldn’t help it; I had every reason to celebrate.
My big sister finally married the love of her life in what was the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever attended.
