“Oh my God,” she whispered.

“Izzy—”

“That’s great!” she cried.

I couldn’t stop my smile as I grabbed my moisturizer (which I also needed more of, ugh).

“Great isn’t the word,” I told her.

“Was it awesome?” she asked in a hushed tone.

“It wasn’t, it was . . .” I stopped slathering my face with moisturizer to focus on my words. “It was everything, Izzy. It was him and me and what we were doing and what we were feeling, and after, he was so hot and so sweet. He actually gave me a hug before he took off to get rid of the condom. It was just . . . no guy has ever . . . it was just . . . so Toby.”

“Yeah,” she whispered.

“He’s into me. I’m into him. He loves Brooklyn. We want . . . we want . . .”

What was the matter with me? Why couldn’t I just spit this out?

I spit it out.

“We’re doing this.”

“Of course you are,” she stated. “You’re both totally in love with each other. All I can say is, it’s about time.”

I didn’t go back to my toilette because her words blew everything else out of my brain.

Totally in love with each other?

“Is Toby who Johnny’s talking to now?” she asked.

“Yes. We synchronized our calls.”

I heard my sister laughing and felt my lips quirking, because it didn’t feel weird anymore. Instead, I realized, it was kinda funny.

I then went back to getting ready, but I did it having to make something clear.

“I’m not in love with him . . . yet.”

“You’re so in love with him,” she returned on what sounded like an actual freaking chortle. “And him you. If sex is good and you finally have some time to be alone without other people around, and you two get along, we might have a double wedding!”

I knew she was joking because she started laughing her ass off after that.

I wasn’t laughing.

“Toby’s not in love with me.”

“Doll, he is.”

“You don’t know him well enough to say that.”

“Maybe not, but Margot does and she says he’s gone for you.”

Oh my God.

Margot said that?

She totally knew Toby.

Oh my God.

“I mean,” she went on, “you two finally stopped dancing around each other and love from afar is a lot different than love from up close. But he’s perfect for you, he makes it clear you’re perfect for him, so I see good things and I’m happy. God, Addie, so happy for you.”

He makes it clear you’re perfect for him.

Okay.

I couldn’t think about this.

I wanted to think about this.

But I had a mission.

Look hot for Toby during my family Christmas decorating party.

I could not let all I was feeling mess with that mission.

So I stroked on the eye primer and said not a word, actually kinda forgetting I was on the phone with my sister.

“Addie,” Izzy called. “Don’t let that freak you.”

“Too late,” I muttered.

“Oh God,” she said anxiously. “Really, he’s a good guy. He thinks you’re amazing. He loves your son. Don’t let that freak you.”

I reached for the all-over, under-foundation primer, replying, “That part doesn’t freak me, Iz. Me doing something stupid to make him take off does.”

“You’re not going to do anything stupid. You’re awesome.”

“You’re my big sister, you’re supposed to say that.”

“You’re awesome, Addie,” she stated firmly.

“I was awesome,” I retorted. “I was fun and up for anything and partied all night and worked all day. Now I have a thirteen-month-old kid and I wear a smock to work. An ugly one.”

“Stop it,” she snapped.

I paused in putting on shadow because my big sis was not snappy.

“You’re no different now than you were then,” she declared. “Everyone’s priorities change as they live their lives. Toby’s been all over everywhere doing everything, and for the last seven months he’s been here, working at his family’s garage, because you’re here and he wanted to be around you. I don’t know what this relationship is gonna bring and I don’t know what life is gonna bring for you. I just know you two fit. And more importantly, I know you’re no less awesome now than you were two years ago. In fact, you’re a thousand times more awesome now because you made Brooks, he’s a beautiful boy, you’re a great mom, and that’s added on to what you’ve always been. An amazing sister, a fantastic friend, dependable, loyal, funny and your brand of sweet.”

I went back to my shadow and didn’t say anything.

But I felt a lot.

“Deanna says I’m white chocolate, because I’m so sugary,” she continued. “And she’s dark chocolate, because she’s sharp but still rich. Though I think she’s a truffle. But we’re not talking about Deanna. You are some of that milk chocolate that’s smooth and delicious, but it has chili powder in it, so it’s got a hint of the good kind of sting. That hasn’t changed just because you made a baby. Just be your brand of chocolate because first, it’s you and it’s fabulous, and second, Toby likes the taste.”

I was blending some smoky-eye magic when I said, “You can stop with the supportive big sister stuff.”

“There’s that chili powder.”

I nearly stabbed myself in the eye with my brush as I rolled them.

“Right, that’s done and you’re cool with it,” I began. “Now I need to ask a favor.”

“Anything.”

God, my sister just killed me.

“I’m feeling the need to share with Toby what he’s getting with me and I have about half an hour to do something it’d normally take an hour to do. This being sexy makeup and fuck-me hair. So things don’t get awkward later when everyone shows, do you mind calling Margot and Deanna and sharing the state of play with Toby and me?”

“Consider it done.”

Yeah.

My sister.

Killing me.

But she did it softly.

“Great. Thank you. Love you. Now I just need to figure out what I’m gonna wear,” I told her.

“It’s a Christmas party, so that green long-sleeve tee with the low hem that goes over your hips and the deep boat neck that shows the points of your shoulders. Plus that gold belt that looks like it’s made of necklace chains that sits low on your hips. Nothing at your neck, but those red statement earrings with all the swirls and the tear-drop crystals at the bottom. Jeans so it’s still casual. Totally red lippy. Bright red lippy.”

I was already going to do the red lipstick.

But the outfit was perfection.

“Thanks, Izzy.”

“No problem, Addie. Now I’ll let you get on with it. Love you.”

“Love you too, babe.”

“See you soon.”

“You will. Later.”

“Later, doll.”

Once we disconnected, I halted the production in order to pick up my phone and text, Izzy’s cool. She’s happy for us, to Toby.