Her collection of things was on a chair in the corner. She shoved them into the bag then lifted it over her shoulder. “Thanks for letting me shelter at your place.”
Another frown. His eyes were darkened with emotions but she couldn’t understand why. Surely all he felt was relief? After all, he wanted her to go. He couldn’t wait for that, right?
That thought spurred her forward. She stopped right in front of him. “Don’t walk me out; it’s not necessary.”
He didn’t react at first. “I don’t have your phone number.”
She lifted her brows. “You’re not going to call me.”
Several seconds passed; Isabella held her breath.
“I will. For the car, and your suitcase. I’ll need it to arrange the logistics.”
Damn it. She closed her eyes for a second, her hopes for a clean getaway obliterated by the realities of her situation. She should be grateful he was going to take care of those tasks for her – or staff them out to someone who would.
“Right.” She bit down on her lip as he reached for his phone, handing it to her. She pressed into a new contact form, but instead of typing her phone number, she put in an email address, then handed it back to him.
“That’s not your number.”
“No,” she agreed. “Email will be better.” She didn’t think she could hear his voice again. Pain was lashing her now; she needed to get out. “Obviously I’ll pay for any expenses incurred.”
“Di niente. Do not worry about that.”
“It’s not your problem,” she said firmly. “I’m not your problem. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but you can get back to your own life now.”
She spun away from him, hoping, desperately to be able to keep her tears at bay.
To her chagrin, Gabe followed her towards the door.
Of course he did.
“Seriously,” tension flared in her voice. “Go back to your family. I’ve already taken enough of your time.”
“What the hell, cara?”
It was the first time the nickname had bothered her. Dear. Darling. It was a lie. She flinched, paling visibly.
“It’s no big deal. I just don’t want to take you away from your celebrations.” Doing her best to appear nonchalant, she lifted up onto the tips of her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. It was a chaste kiss, like one might offer an acquaintance on the street, nothing more, but Gabe turned his face, his mouth finding hers, demanding more from her, as though he sought the truth through the kiss.
Anger flared in her belly. She kissed him back but it was a kiss of resentment now, of fury in fact. She wanted to shove him with her hands, to push him against the wall and throw her feelings in his face; to tell him she loved him and he damn well didn’t want her, just like everyone else in her life. But damn it, she had too much self-respect, and she loved him too much to burden him with any more guilt. It wasn’t his fault that she’d fallen for him. In fact, he’d all but spelled it out to her that she shouldn’t.
She’d shrugged off the likelihood back then, but he’d been right.
Biting back a sob, she pulled away from him, her eyes holding a silent warning.
She stared up at Gabe, his face already etched into her memory, her soul withering in a way she suspected might be permanent, and then she walked towards the door.
“Goodbye, Gabe.” She wrenched it open, the warning look still heavy in her eyes.
He looked as though he wanted to say something. She hesitated a moment, just in case, but when he remained silent, she turned and left, walking the whole way to the gate as though she didn’t have a care in the world. It was only when she was slumped into the privacy of the car’s back seat that she gave into the tears that had been cloying at her throat. Then, they ran down her cheeks unchecked.
15
“YOU’RE IN A VILE mood.”
Gabe stared at Nico. “I’m fine.”
“Bullshit.” Max came and straddled a backwards facing chair, reaching for a crisp and crunching down on it. “I don’t suppose your storm cloud has anything to do with a certain blonde cook and her recent departure?”
Max was closer to the money than Gabe wanted to admit. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Isabella since she’d left two days earlier. But that had less to do with Isabella and more to do with the abruptness of it all.
Her mood had been off from the minute she arrived in the salon and announced she had to leave. It hadn’t made any sense.
Right up until she walked out the door, something had been different about her. He’d felt like the real Isabella was there, but not there, buried deep inside a stranger.
But these were personal reflections. Gabe was used to keeping the world out of his head and heart, so it was easy to push back against Max’s observation. “For the hundredth time, she meant nothing to me. Just let it go, for God’s sake.”
Max and Nico shared a look.
Frustrated, Gabe stood up. “I know you mean well, but I wish you’d all butt out.”
She’d been fine on Christmas morning. Better than fine. He could tell she’d been living out a fantasy, and he’d been glad he could give that to her – the exact Christmas she’d fantasised about so often. It was why he’d brought her to Villa Fortune.
He’d got caught up talking to Nico by the pool, and when he’d come back in, Isabella was gone. She was missing for a long time – over an hour – then she’d walked in with Lauren.
Across the room, Lauren was reading a book. Clenching his teeth, he moved to her, not giving
