Ah okay, so Isabella really didn’t have any selfish reasons for wanting to come on this vacation. I can see the truth that she got dragged along by Olivia.
“Tell me about it,” I ask her. Since I have a passion for my work, I know what it’s like to not get many chances to talk about careers. I really do want to hear more about what she does for a living because it’s fascinating to me.
I would love to know more.
Isabella absolutely lights up as she talks about her work. It’s clear that not only does she love what she does, putting all of herself into it, but that she’s very good at it as well. I get her to show me some of the samples of her work, and she’s actually quite talented.
The sort of talent that a copywriter at an advertising firm could use…
Notthat I can imagine having Isabella in my life when we get back home. That would be crazy. She shouldn’t even really be here with me and Olivia.
“Did you see the pool table in the bar last night?” I blurt out, because I’m trying my hardest not to think too much about what I’m doing. “Do you fancy a drink and a game?”
Isabella agrees eagerly. I thought she might shut me down, but it seems like she isn’t quite done hanging out with me either. So much so that she’s actually pushing her laptop away, giving up some much-needed time to spend on work in the evening.
That’s special. I know better than anyone how much that means.
We talk easily as we walk towards the bar. It’s hard to believe I’ve only known her for a couple of days because we get on so well. Being around Isabella is as easy as breathing, I really enjoy her company a lot.
It’s like I’ve known her forever, not like she’s my daughter’s friend. How am I supposed to keep away from her when it feels likethis?
The bar doesn’t have many people in it, thank goodness, but I don’t see any sign of the bar staff who were working last night. I know Hank is locked away and not about to cause any more issues tonight, I made the effort to find out for sure, but the staff could be irritated at me for making them do the right thing.
I just want to have a drama free evening.
I order the drinks as Isabella sets up the pool table. Even though she’s in shorts and a tight-fitting tank top tonight, which is nowhere near as obscene as the bikini I had to contend with last night. But she still looks like a snack I just want to eat up whole.
Goddamn it, why is she always messing with my mind like this? I just want to hang out with Isabella tonight, to make us both feel better about the complications with regards to Olivia. I don’t want to eventhinkabout being close to her in that way again.
It isn’t the easiest thing to shut off when she’s bending over the pool table, forcing my eyes to run all over the curve of her ass and the length of those damn legs of hers.
“Here we are.” The bartender makes me jump as he slides the drinks over to me. I try to thank him, but fucking hell Isabella has my mouth run completely dry.
I am in trouble for sure!
“Are you ready for this?” Isabella wiggles her eyebrows suggestively at me. “Because I am very competitive, so this might get ugly. I better warn you right away. A lot of people can’t handle me, so I need you to be prepared.”
“Oh, you thinkyouare competitive?” I chuckle. “Wait to see me. I can most certainly handle you, just you wait and see. It’syouwho won’t be able to handleme.”
There’s an intense heat to the challenge. One that I’m pretty sure will continue all evening long. The pool table isn’t the only game we can fight it out over. Outside, there is a ping pong table. Now I might not know how to play, but if I don’t kick ass at pool then I am prepared to give it a go.
Anything to win.
Anything to prove myself.
And what’s the prize? More time with Isabella actually. Because all the promises I gave myself last night afterthatkiss have flown out the window. I pretty much thought that Isabella and I would avoid one another from here on out, for Olivia’s sake. But since my daughter is avoiding us both, its accidentally brought us back together.
* * *
My stomach hurts from laughing. I actually don’t think I’ve chuckled so much in a very long time. Not only has Isabella turned a shitty day into an incredible night, but she’s also making me feel young and carefree again. I guess I didn’t get much ‘young and carefree’ time when I truly was younger, because I had to follow what my father wanted for me, but had I gotten to experience it, then I’m sure it would have been like this.
“So, I definitely won at ping pong,” Isabella teases as we take a walk through the sand, which is still warm despite the moonlight shining above us. “But I think you might have won at pool. It pains me to concede but I suppose that means we’re even.”
Her shining bright smile heats up my chest. I’m sure my heart isn’t beating faster just because of the laughter bubbling up inside of me. I really think it might be because of her.
Shit.How the hell am I going to stop myself from falling head first into trouble?
At this point, I don’t know if I can, and I’m not even sure I want to.