I love this ease we have with one another. Something that I don’t even have with people who are related to me.
I used to think I was broken. That my mother’s bad luck in love had automatically spilled over to me, and I was doomed to repeat her mistakes.
But I’m not my mother, and her mistakes are not my own.
I can do this. I can have this new life in New York.
With my new career waiting for me.
With Amelia and her loving family that has accepted me as their own.
With Tony. And whatever it is that’s blooming between us.
I sigh as Tony gives me a funny look. “What are you thinking about, Nicolette?”
“Just that anything is possible.”
And in that exact moment, movement from my right catches my attention. I release Tony as a wobbly-legged Amelia makes her way out of the bathroom with two of her cousins flanking her.
“Amelia!”
“Amelia?”
Tony and I say at the same time.
Wait, what?
“How—”
“What—”
Amelia throws her arms around both of us. “Ah! My favorite people are here! I can’t believe it. It’s a Christmas miracle.”
“It’s New Year’s Eve, Amelia.” Her cousin chuckles.
She waves her comment away. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”
Tony speaks before I get the chance. “Amelia, you know Nicolette? Or is this some drunk girl bathroom bonding situation? If so, I’m gonna need you to take your hands off—”
“Nicolette,” Amelia mocks. “Who are you, the IRS?” She bends over, laughing while my love coma brain is trying to connect the dots. She straightens and locks our arms together, turning me to face Tony. “This, my lovely brother, is Nikki. My best friend who’s moving to New York with me. Duh.”
Brother.
No.
This can’t be.
“Wait, no. Amelia, you said Antonio wasn’t flying in until tomorrow. So this isn’t him. Antonio isn’t in Miami. This isn’t Antonio. Thiscan’tbe Antonio,” I say frantically as Tony stares at me.
He clears his throat. “I texted Evan that my flight got canceled, so he offered to fly me down on his jet, since he was flying out to California anyway.”
Drunk Amelia speaks. “Uh, Miami is nowhere on the way to California, genius.”
Tony rolls his eyes. “He was bummed he couldn’t make it due to work, so he wanted to make sure I was here for you. He got pretty sappy about it. But that’s beside the point.”
“Wait, you guys know someone with a private jet?” I gasp.
“Nico—Nikki. Focus. Why didn’t you give me your real name? Or mention Amelia?”
