9. Izzy

"Can you believe it? This man basically waited for you. He is interested in everything you want and has exactly the same boundaries." Yara and I were now lying on my bed in our comfiest clothes. She wore a t-shirt and sweats. And I wore my notorious Mumu. This one was bright fluorescent pink and incredibly soft. So comfortable. I needed all I could get with the hangover still threatening to take hold.

Drinking just gets more and more painful with age, and at twenty-eight, I was lucky if I only needed one day of recovery.

I refocused on our conversation and paused the trash TV we were watching. Something about how if you're in love, you never lie to your partner. The premise itself was a joke. "Honestly it sounds great but like, almost too great. Isn't that a red flag?"

Yara laughed and rolled until she lay on her side, facing me. "I know what you mean, and a girl can never be too careful, but Izzy, he checked out. Background check, references, the whole shebang. I also cross-checked the name with anyone that you might have run into or know, and he came back clean."

I still had an uncomfortable feeling deep in my gut that I knew better than to ignore. "And, you're sure? You met him too, right?"

Yara's face sobered as she realized the extent of my anxiety, she lifted a hand up and hauled me to her in a hug. Yara was more a sister than my step-sister had ever been, and I allowed myself to soak in the comfort she provided. It calmed some of my worries, but I couldn't ignore that there was something deep in the recesses of my consciousness that was screaming something wasn't right. But it could just be my return here. And the man I had done my best to forget about.

"I promise, I did every check known to mankind and I made sure he had nothing but green flags. He seems to be an average sexy Joe, but with a plethora of desires he is looking to fulfill."

I pushed aside my worries and allowed myself to genuinely believe she might be right. "But he waited for me, why? Isn't that weird? I first tried this over a YEAR ago. No man waits that long for any woman. Especially one he hasn't met. Especially me."

Yara let go to punch me lightly on my shoulder. "Correct! Especially you. I"m sure the man has gotten his dick wet but from my conversations with him, he seems to have been stuck on you. Because, again, you are gorgeous! Stop with that self-deprecating bullshit."

I swallowed thickly. "I just got cheated on, I'm sorry my self-confidence isn't at its highest."

Yara's expression turned sympathetic. Her golden locks were spread across the bed and if it weren't for knowing her so well, I would almost think her an angel. She didn't understand what it felt like to not be the standard image of beauty. I was more of an acquired taste, I knew I was beautiful, but I felt I had to convince the world. Every. Single. Day.

While I had not been in love with Harry, I felt trapped in the relationship, and it still hurt when he betrayed me as he did. My mother didn't help in the matter, she suggested I get on a diet and show him what he was missing out on. That my step-sister had done me a favor.

The thing about cheaters, though? I could have been the sexiest woman in the world, and he still would have cheated. They always had an excuse ready to go. My brain knew this, but my heart still felt a bit bruised. As did my ego.

"Also, I don't want you to be caught off guard, but I checked on the site last night to see who all RSVP'd to the reunion." I knew where this was going. "And Hallie is coming." Yara paused, watching my expressions closely. "She's bringing a plus one."

Ching, ching, ching. I guessed right. No doubt my step-sister would be bringing Harry as her plus one. "Hallie sure does love to rub anything in my face that she can."

Yara crinkled her nose. "Hallie certainly hasn't changed since high school."

A knock sounded at the hotel door.

"Buuuuuut onto better and brighter things. I took the liberty of ordering us food while you showered."

"You remember…" I began.

"That you're allergic to shellfish. Yes, I let them know. I did get myself shrimp, but I made sure to request separate orders and that they would be liable for your death if they fuck it up."

"Dramatic." I watched Yara as she got up and grabbed her food from the person at the door.

All I saw was a giant form before she shut the door with an odd look on her face.

"You good?" I questioned, sitting up on the bed.

Yara's face shifted. "Yeah, I just thought I recognized him from somewhere, but I must be seeing things." She opened the cover off of the food container, shrimp. "Looks like this is mine, I'll sit over there and eat it." She pointed to a table in the corner as far from me as possible.

I gave her an exasperated look. "You know I'm not deathly allergic, right?"

"Sure, sure." Yara was clearly still preoccupied, but another knock sounding distracted my thoughts. I stood up and went to the door for my food.

The delivery boy was very nondescript and could barely be a day over 20. I signed the receipt, adding a tip before taking the food and thanking him. "Not sure if it was the same one, but I didn't recognize whoever it was."

Yara gave me a reassuring smile from across the room and I repositioned myself back on the bed. Raising the cover on the plate, I found a cheeseburger and fries. "How did you know I needed the greasy food?"

"Easy, you were on a plane today." Her tone softened. "You ever going to tell us why you suddenly became deathly afraid of heights?"

"Nope," I replied, popping the p aggressively. I lifted the burger to my lips and felt the greasy wonder immediately lift my spirits.

Yara raised an eyebrow but continued her own munching. "I wish I could find a man that looked at me the way you're making eyes at that burger."

I swallowed my bite. "You going to tell me about your newest beau?"

"Nope." Yara threw back at me, popping the p around a shrimp tail.

"Touché."

Yara threw a shrimp tail in my direction. "You better watch yourself! Death by flying tail isn't what you want on your gravestone."

We both died laughing at that.

We spent the rest of our evening snuggled in the bed, drinking wine, and watching trash TV.

Fuck, I missed Yara.