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Isabella heard a knock at the front door before her mom’s familiar voice called out, “Knock, knock.”

“Hi, Mom,” Isabella replied. “Come on in.”

“I’ll be sure to knock from now on out of respect for you and Kelsey,” Marti said, pulling out a stool and joining Isabella at the island.

“In just a couple of days she made her place in this house and now it feels like it’s missing something,” Isabella said, setting a mug of coffee in front of her mom.

Marti smiled and sipped her coffee.

“I am head over heels in love with her.”

“It feels incredible, doesn’t it?”

Isabella narrowed her gaze. “Why didn’t you tell me it was supposed to feel like this? I don’t remember ever feeling this way with Spencer.”

Marti shrugged. “You had to find out for yourself, honey.”

Isabella smirked and took a sip of her coffee. “I never understood the love of my life or soulmate thing until I fell in love with Kelsey. I always thought that was in the movies or unrealistic. I get it now.”

“But now is the hard part,” Marti said. “You can’t let what people say or do scare you away.”

Isabella nodded. “I wish you could’ve seen the boys when I told them. They were so happy. It didn’t seem to faze them.”

“That’s because they see how happy you are,” Marti said.

“Spencer is coming over and I’m planning to tell him,” Isabella said.

“Why? He never warned you about any of the women he’s been seeing since you moved out,” Marti said with a bite to her voice.

“I’m a nice person, that’s why,” Isabella said, widening her eyes. “I’d rather tell him and talk about it instead of having him find out because the boys say something to him. You know they will.”

“Uh oh,” Marti said, gazing towards the front door. “He’s here.”

Isabella got up to answer the door and Marti followed her.

“I can stay,” Marti offered.

“Thanks, Mom, but I’ve got this,” Isabella said confidently and opened the door.

“Oh,” Spencer said when he saw Marti. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Marti replied, walking onto the front porch. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, Mom,” Isabella said with a smile.

Spencer walked into the house and took a quick look around the room.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?” Isabella asked.

“No thanks,” he replied. “Is your friend still here?”

“No, Kelsey has gone back to Denver,” Isabella said. “Have a seat.” She sat down on the end of the couch and waited for him to join her.

“What’s up?” he asked, sitting in a chair perpendicular to her.

“I wanted you to know that Kelsey is not just my friend. She’s my girlfriend,” Isabella began.

“What?” He shrugged. “Your girlfriend? Like best friend or something?”