22. Isabella
TheMirageGuild was a hive of activity, a symphony of last-minute preparations echoing through its ornate halls before the grand opening tomorrow. Moments like this, the calm before the storm, they were what I cherished. It was the culmination of all the overanalyzing and stress, the tangible manifestation of our collective dreams and hard work.
Andit was breathtakingly beautiful.
Ipaused, taking in the sight of our unlikely group of friends.
Emmaand Liam sat nestled together on a plush couch, a picture of a contented partnership. Liam’s fingers gently played with a strand of Emma’s hair, a tender gesture that spoke volumes, while he engaged in light conversation with Jessie. She sat across from them, her knees pulled up close, her eyes twinkling.
Thenthere was Dom, who strolled over to the edge of the tufted couch, exuding a quiet strength. His hand reached out to Jessie, his touch gentle yet firm on her shoulder. I tried to decipher the layers of meaning behind Dom’s effortless, nonchalant demeanor. He was an enigma, always keeping his emotions carefully guarded, locked away beneath a calm exterior. My gaze then landed on Natalia and Max. They were engaged in a spirited yet friendly debate. Their voices rose and fell in a dance of words, each trying to outwit the other, yet there was an underlying current of mutual respect and fondness.
Thesemoments, surrounded by friends who had become family, grounded me. Amid the chaos of planning and preparation, there was a sense of belonging, a shared purpose connecting us all.
TheMirageGuild stood as a testament to our unity, a club where our individual talents and quirks intertwined to craft something extraordinary. Standing there among this dynamic and vibrant group, I felt prepared for whatever the future might hold, knowing we would face it together.
“Okay, I think we’ve perfected everything to death. It’s time to just trust that tomorrow night is going to go well,” I said.
“What if we pre-celebrate with some drinks?” Max asked from the bar.
“Yes!” Jessie said, turning in her spot on the couch. “Definitely drinks. Also, I already analyzed our horoscopes and tomorrow is looking bright for all of us.” Jessie, with a dramatic flourish, held her glass aloft and declared, “According to the stars, tomorrow aligns with a rare cosmic convergence that promises success, deep connections, and unexpected revelations for us all.”
“Well, I’ll take whatever good luck we can get,” Emma said.
Iplopped down in one of the swivel chairs and turned to where everyone else sat around low mercury glass-topped tables. Max navigated back from the bar, each step exuding a calm confidence, balancing a tray of artfully prepared drinks. In each glass, a mesmerizing mix of purple, deep black, and gold flakes swirled.
“As the resident sommelier and mixologist,” Max announced, his tone imbued with a playful showmanship, “I present the MidnightCarousel, a concoction designed to capture the essence of the MirageGuild—enchanting, vibrant, and a touch mysterious.” His eyes shone with a mixture of pride and excitement as he distributed the drinks, his passion for his craft visible in every gesture.
Iwatched him, a smile playing on my lips, impressed by his transformation from a studious sommelier into a charismatic host. As he handed me a glass, our fingers brushed, a fleeting but charged touch that sent a subtle current running through my fingertips. My heart fluttered, a sensation I tried to quell but couldn’t completely hide.
Fromthe corner of my eye, I caught Natalia’s knowing wink. A silent acknowledgment of the unspoken electricity between me and Max. My cheeks warmed slightly, but I masked it with a sip of the exquisite cocktail, letting the rich flavors distract me from the butterflies in my stomach.
Twococktails and one Champagne toast later, we’d all kicked off our shoes and were animatedly talking about how tomorrow might go. There were guesses and bets on who might show up and what rooms certain people might try out. There were predictions for how the entertainment might go and hopes that all their members would enjoy it.
Domhad decided to oversee the PrismSociety and had since entrusted Natalia and Liam to do the same for the MirageGuild. It was reassuring knowing there could be an element of this world that I could be a part of without my younger brother and his friend’s presence. Well, except for Max.
Maxhad long since passed the blurred lines of fitting in the boundary of just “my brother’s friend.” AndI had no idea what to do with that change. I wasn’t ready to fully admit to Dom something was going on between us, especially since it was most likely a fling. Something that, especially if we kept working together, would need to come to a stop.
Iwas asking for heartbreak and trouble the longer I kept up our charade. I was at a place in my life where I needed to be looking for a partner who was ready to settle down and move into the next phase of life. There were a lot of things on the to-do list of my life that still needed to be checked off.
Idid want to get married, become a parent, move out of my freaking parents’ house.
Afew months ago, I still had all the time in the world to do those things, but for every day that goes by, that pressure gets heavier and heavier.
“Earth to Izzy.” Natalia’s voice cut through my overthinking, and my eyes refocused on her face in front of me.
“Oh, sorry,” I said, “lost in thought for a minute. What’s up?”
“We’re going around and answering the question, ‘What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t yet?’” she said.
“Oh, uh,” I said, vying for time, “well, there’s a lot of things, actually. But not enough time to do them in.” I laughed and shrugged, hoping that was a sufficient enough answer.
Natalia’sraised eyebrows told me otherwise.
“Come on, you’re in a safe space, like what?” Emma asked.
Itook another sip of my cocktail, hoping for a bit of clarity. “Well, there’s this little brownstone in WashingtonSquare that I’ve had my eye on to redesign, but that would involve actually moving out of my parents’ guest room.”
“I didn’t know you were looking at buying,” Dom said.
Ilaughed. “I’m not. I’m not in a place where it makes sense to do so, it probably won’t happen.”
“Why not?” Jessie asked.
Myeyes darted around the group. What was this, grill Izzy hour?
“It doesn’t really make sense for a single woman to buy a place meant for a family,” I said, knocking back the rest of my drink.
“Well, it would make a great spot for a family one day,” Natalia said.
“Come on, Nat, you and I both know the odds of that ever happening, I don’t really make the best choices when it comes to the men in my life, now, do I?” I said.
Natalia’seyes widened at my admission.
Shit, Max was right here. He must know I don’t mean him. Even though I kind of do. We both knew we were just keeping each other company until we both found someone better suited for us.
Idared a glance his way and immediately regretted it.
Notjust for the look of confusion on his face but because Dom was looking his way too. In a way, that told me he was apologizing for my behavior. That meant Domdid know something was going on between us. Realizing that Dom might know about us felt like being doused with cold water.
Myinitial embarrassment about the situation with Max morphed into a deeper discomfort, knowing my brother might be privy to my personal life in ways I hadn’t intended. The thought of Dom judging me for engaging with someone younger, especially someone as close to him as Max, knotted my stomach. It wasn’t just the age difference that made me uneasy. It was the fear of being seen as irresponsible or flippant in my brother’s eyes, someone whose opinion I valued deeply. The potential for his disappointment added a layer of anxiety to an already complex mix of emotions.
“Well, I personally think that women can make whatever investment they choose to make with or without the excuse or desire of a family,” Emma said, saving me from the awkward silence that filled the air.
“Yeah, maybe,” I said.
Therest of the group went around answering the question for themselves. Even as my ears buzzed with embarrassment. My brain picked up on tiny details as they spoke. Jessie had always dreamed of going to the Himalayan salt caves for a retreat, and Liam mentioned something about rescuing a specific kind of dog.
Sittingthere, my mind whirled with conflicting emotions, the words I’d uttered hanging heavy in the air. Max’s posture had stiffened slightly. Was he hurt by my words? Disappointed? Or was I reading too much into it? I shifted my focus back to the group, trying to engage in the conversation and laugh at the right moments. But my laughter felt hollow, my smile forced. I couldn’t shake off the sense that I’d inadvertently created a rift, however slight, between Max and me.
Finally, I stood and gathered up a couple of empty glasses to take to the bar. I dumped the ice down the sink and pushed the glasses on the water spigot to rinse them before turning to load them in the dishwasher. Dom’s body blocked me from opening the stainless steel door.
“I’m going to cut some of the awkwardness that I’m sure you’re feeling,” he said.
“Gee, thanks, bro,” I said.
“I know that you and Max have been hooking up,” he said, not making eye contact with me. “And that’s whatever, but I wanted you to know that I knew so you would stop being all weird about it. And maybe you could actually give it a real chance since I don’t have a problem with it.”
Myface was warm. I didn’t know, and didn’t need to know, how Dominic had found out about Max and me. But did his knowing help make my feelings about Max any clearer?
“It’s not just that, Dom, he’s . . .” I glanced over at the group, who were all huddled over Jessie’s phone as she showed them the inside of the caves she wanted to visit. “He’syounger.”
Dom’seyebrows scrunched in a scowl. “Oh, I was waiting for you to say more.”
Irolled my eyes and scoffed. “That’s plenty of a reason, you know. Ifhe were dating someone seven years younger than him, it would be no problem, but for me?”
“Listen, I’m not going to pretend to understand the ins and outs of how age gaps are different for men and women,” he said. “I’m going to trust that you’re the expert on that, but if that’s the one thing holding this up, I think that’s a pretty weak argument.”
“There’s a lot to it, Dom,” I said.
“Have you actually shared about these concerns with Max?” Dom asked. “You know, talked about them?”
Ifixed my eyes on Dom.
“Thought so,” he said, shaking his head. “You always do this, Iz, you make assumptions about what everyone else is thinking and feeling so you can make the choice for them. That’s not fair. Talk to him.”
“When did you become so introspective?” I grumbled.
Domgrinned back at me, shrugged, and headed back out to the lounge. IfDom was bringing this up, that meant he actually didn’t have a problem with us dating or whatever we were doing.
Wasn’tthat the hangup I’d been dreading? And now, if that’s not a problem . . .
Ishook my head to clear my thoughts. Dom was right. All of this should be a conversation with Max. But having an intentional conversation about whatever was going on was admitting that there was more to the hookup.
Thatmaybe I did want more.
Andthat was a hell of a lot scarier than I wanted to admit.