Love, Accidentally Read Online Free PDF

most dangerous parts of a flight were the takeoff and the landing.
    “Fine,” she said. She clutched the armrests as the plane entered a thick cluster of clouds, making it impossible to see what lay ahead. “So we’ll all have drinks together.”

     
    FOR THE FIRST time since they’d met, Ilsa felt a distance between herself and Grif. He hadn’t moved in with her yet, since he still had to finish out his lease, and between her job and his class schedule, they were apart more often than they were together. He was consumed with school and his tutoring, and Ilsa was spending a lot of time with Corrine, who hadn’t resolved anything with Bruce.
    Ilsa knew Grif was upset by what he perceived as her lack of trust, but she couldn’t help it. She hated the thought that Elise was e-mailing him, maybe referencing private jokes and moments and bringing back memories of all they’d shared. On a rational level, Ilsa understood that some of her insecurity stemmed from the fact that she’d followed in her big sister’s footsteps so many times in the past. Still, she was desperate to meet Elise, to see how she interacted with Grif—and equally scared to.
    On the night that Elise came to town, Ilsa left work early and hurried home to change. She’d combed through her closet the previous day, rejecting a black sleeveless dress as too formal and jeans as too casual. Finally she’d pulled out the ice-blue sundress she’d worn when she met Grif, for luck, with a pretty sweater on top.
    Ilsa slipped into the dress, freshened her makeup, then drove to the bar and parked down the block, waiting for Grif to pull up next to her so they could walk in together. She was checking her reflection in the rearview mirror when her cell phone rang.
    “Hey, babe,” Grif said. “Listen, I’m going to be another twenty minutes or so. I’m sorry. The traffic’s horrible. There’s an accident up ahead; I just heard it over the radio.”
    “You’re kidding me,” she said flatly.
    “I’ll text Elise and let her know,” he said. “Just hang tight and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
    “Fine—no!” she said. “Don’t text her. I’m not going to wait. I’ll meet you inside.”
    She didn’t want to delay another minute; she’d been anticipating this for too long already. She took a deep breath, opened her car door, and walked down the sidewalk. As soon as she entered the bar, she spotted Elise, sitting alone in a small booth. She was slender, and wore a black skirt and a simple cream-colored top with a V-neck. Ilsa took in her sleek, dark hair, almond-shaped eyes, and full lips, which naturally curved up into a slight smile.
    She was beautiful.
    Elise caught her eye and mouthed, “Ilsa?”
    “Hi.” Ilsa walked over and slid into the booth across from Elise. “Sorry I’m a little late. Grif got held up, but he’ll be here soon.”
    “Oh, okay,” Elise said. They stared at each other for a beat too long. Did Elise notice it, too—how different they looked? No one could accuse Grif of having a type, Ilsa thought.
    “Would you like a—”
    “Should we get—”
    They laughed uncomfortably as their words overlapped.
    “Go ahead,” Elise said.
    “I was just going to ask if you wanted a drink,” Ilsa said.
    “God, yes,” Elise replied, and the way she said it made Ilsa laugh again, a true laugh this time. She hadn’t realized Elise might be anxious, too.
    “What would you like?” Ilsa asked as she started out of the booth.
    “Let me,” Elise said. “Please.”
    “Um, sure. A margarita on the rocks, no salt?”
    “Coming up,” Elise said.
    Ilsa toyed with her napkin until Elise returned. Even though she’d been taken aback by Elise’s beauty—photos didn’t do her justice—she felt better than she’d expected. Anticipating this night had been far worse than experiencing it was, she realized.
    “A toast,” Elise said, handing Ilsa her drink. “To your engagement with Grif.”
    “Oh!” Ilsa said. She