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“Can’t or won’t?” I ask.

“Can’t,” Imani says decidedly. “Even though it looks like she doesn’t want to. But she’s definitely in love with you, and that tells me all I need to know.”

“Guys, come on.” I throw up my hands in despair. “What would I even say to her?”

“Unfortunately, we can’t tell you that.” Juan smiles apologetically. “But Imani and I think if we can get you and Nora in the same room, it will spark something in her. She’ll see reason, or be more inclined to, at least.”

“What does that mean in Nora’s case? Seeing reason?” I don’t want to do this. Not that I think it’s imperative Nora comes to me, or that I think it undignified for me to go her. It’s not about that. It’s whether Nora even wants to see me again. I have boundaries, too. I’m not looking to get the door slammed in my face again.

“She’s in crisis mode right now. She can’t think straight to save her life, even though she’s probably convinced she’s making the only possible decision there is: shut you out and pretend you and her never happened,” Imani says. “Jay and I can’t get through to her, but we think you might. Just to snap her out of this downward spiral.” Imani smirks. “But I get that it’s probably too much to ask of you.”

“Why would I consider doing this? She kicked me out and it’s not the first time she tried to. I’m not into that kind of fickleness.” I remember what Jennifer said to me on Thanksgiving about Nora being single because she can’t allow herself to be loved.

“Because…” Juan extends his hand to me. “Sometimes, in life, you have to go the extra mile for someone, even if they’ve treated you like shit.”

Way to tug at my heartstrings. I glance at his open hand. I have nothing to lose by putting mine in his.

“Like you’re doing for Nora now.” I give Juan’s hand a squeeze.

“Nora’s our girl. We’d walk through fire for her.”

“We’re not asking you to do the same,” Imani says. “But we are asking you to look beyond what you can see right now. To trust us that Nora is someone you can love, and who can love you, even though she’s doing everything in her power to make you believe the opposite.” Imani puts her hand on top of mine.

“One of the reasons I love Nora so much is because I feel deeply connected to her. We’re very different, with different backgrounds and life stories, yet, on some level, we’re also exactly the same.” Imani swallows. “I haven’t always fitted in seamlessly everywhere. Feeling like a fish out of water was my natural state of being for a long time. Regardless of her reasons, that’s how Nora feels a lot of the time—and I understand that feeling like no other. It eats away at you. It corrodes your soul.”

She pauses. “Jay and I are not innocent in this. We’ve let her get away with too much. We’ve allowed her to retreat deeper and deeper inside herself. But to see her fall in love with you was like witnessing a miracle, Mimi. You have no idea how exceptional this is. Which is why we’re here. There are no guarantees, but we can’t give up because we want this for her so much. We’re begging you to give Nora one last chance. Please.”

“Nora doesn’t know the half of how lucky she is.” I glance at my hand that’s sandwiched between theirs. “To have friends like you.”

“She knows,” Juan says and looks me straight in the eye.

“I’ll do it,” I say. “I’ll go to her.”

CHAPTER35

NORA

Someone knocks on the door of my trailer. My muscles tense. I can only throw my weight around so much. Demanding the head of our production company be banned from set is not an option. So there’s a chance it’s Mimi.

“Yes.” My voice is all unwelcoming tightness.

“Only me.” Stella pops her head in. “Here you go.” She comes in and hands me a Tupperware. “I know you won’t eat it, but my mom insisted I give you some leftover pecan pie. That’s my daughterly duty done.”

“Thank Mary profusely for me.”

Stella sits down. “How was your Thanksgiving?”

“Just, um, normal,” I mumble. “Yours?”

“Kev and Bridget came home with all the kids. It was a loud, chaotic, utterly gorgeous Flack family feast.” She sighs contentedly.

Ironically, Mimi should be proud of me, because I called my mother on Thanksgiving—I didn’t have much else to do.

“Did you celebrate with Juan and Imani?” Stella asks.

“Just Imani. Juan has basically been adopted by his future in-laws already.”

“By Mimi and her family?” Stella nods, then chuckles. “About Mimi… is there something I should know?”