Page 68

There’s a large pergola above the area filled with dancing couples. Lanterns are burning around the outdoor space, brightening the area with romantic light. The DJ is playing an upbeat song and the dancers are laughing and having fun. Salvador begins to dance and I sway to the beat of the music. He places a hand on my waist, but keeps an appropriate distance between us, which I appreciate.

Sal asks me a few questions about myself, having to yell over the music. We end up chatting the whole time we’re dancing, laughing and having a good time together. I’m not attracted to him at all. He seems like a little brother… a really tall one. Maybe I should give him Lily’s number.

But even if I was dancing with someone my own age, or any of the attractive and well dressed men on the terrace—men that are most likely successful and have really cool accents—none of them could make my heart flutter the way David does.

And I’m positive none of them could make me want to lose my mind and fill their yard with plastic flamingos and cement geese.

Chapter twenty-eight

David

Day six of the break: my yard looks boring without flamingos.

Day seven of the break: food has lost its taste… the sun has lost its warmth.

Day eight of the break: my house is lonely, I’m considering getting a cat.

Day nine of the break: I met with a client today and he told me I look like a love-sick puppy.

Day ten of the break: I can't live without Isabella Romero.

Closing my stupid, pointless journal, I prop my elbows on the dining table where I’m sitting and thrust my hands into my hair, grabbing it with my fingers and not caring if I rip it all out. I’m officially going mad.

With a groan, I swipe my phone off the table and send a text to the family group chat.

Windell family group chat:

David: Does anyone know a good real estate agent? The one I use only deals with commercial properties.

Madden: What do you need a realtor for?

Brooks: Finally. He’s going after his woman! *gif of Ross from Friends yelling, we were on a break.*

Sophie: Oh my gosh! You’re going after Isa?? *gif of Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe from Friends jumping up and down and squealing*

Mom: Does anyone know if the Find My Friends app works internationally??

Dad: I know a great realtor, I’ll forward his number. Heading into surgery now, please stop texting.

Dad texts me the number. I stand and dial it right away, walking to the large window in my front room as it rings.

“Hello, this is Ken Kase,” a deep voice answers.

“My name is David Windell. My father, Ted, gave me your number. I need to put my house on the market.” I look over at Isa’s now empty house and feel an emptiness inside of myself. This house I loved so much when I bought it now feels pointless without her living next door.

“I can help you with that, when can we meet?” I hear a rustling of papers in the background as if he’s making notes.

“Do you have any time today?”

There’s a pause before he responds, “I can make time.”

We agree on a time for him to stop by my home this afternoon and then say our goodbyes.

Next item on my list: stop at Abuela’s and have a chat with Isa’s father, then call all of my finance clients and let them know I’m moving to a different time zone.

Chapter twenty-nine

Isabella