by Paula Kay
Was she good with it? With Natasha? Not really. But for now she just wanted to enjoy lunch with her best friend.
Chapter 31
Isabella came around the dining room table to adjust the last plate setting, admiring the job that she and Jemma had done in terms of making the apartment look festive. There was a small tree lit up in the living room, a big fire going, and Christmas music playing quietly in the background. The smells coming from the kitchen reminded her of her childhood, although unlike her mother, who’d spend hours preparing their holiday meal, Isabella had picked everything up from the local shop with the only instruction being how long to heat the turkey in the oven. She smiled as she stood back to observe the results of her efforts.
“We need one more, right?” Jemma came out of the kitchen holding a set of cutlery and a plate.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? Natasha can’t make it.” Isabella tried not to look too pleased as she relayed this information. Of course she’d invited both Thomas and Natasha to their London Christmas dinner. She and Jemma were leaving in two days for Tuscany and it was the last chance she’d have to see Thomas for a while.
“Really?” Jemma looked surprised. “No, you didn’t tell me this little tidbit of information.”
“Yeah, Thomas texted earlier that she’d come down with a headache.”
“And she’s okay with him coming on his own? Or do you think it was all about getting him to stay home with her?”
“Oh, I don’t know. But he’s still coming and that’s what counts.” Isabella grinned. “He did tell me that he wouldn’t be able to stay late, but whatever.”
She was relieved actually when Thomas had said he was still coming. At first she’d wondered the same—if he was going to cancel on her to stay home with Natasha. She wasn’t sure of what her plans would be after the holidays, and not seeing him before they left would have really bothered her, especially because she couldn’t wait to give Thomas his gift. She smiled as she placed the wrapped book under the Christmas tree. He had no idea that her book had already been published—she’d been keeping it a secret for weeks now and she couldn’t wait to share it with him.
The doorbell rang and she checked her reflection in the hallway mirror before answering. She and Jemma had gone shopping together the day before, wanting to pick up the perfect dresses for their holiday in Tuscany.
Isabella had loved her dress so much, she’d decided to wear it this evening—for Thomas—but she’d not even admitted that to Jemma when they were getting ready earlier. She loved how the red fabric hugged her curves, the low neckline revealing just a bit of cleavage—something that was definitely rare for her. She’d even spent time putting on some make-up and going over her hair with the flatiron, also both rare occurrences. As she looked in the mirror now, she was glad that she’d taken the time.
The doorbell rang a second time.
“Bella, are you getting that or do you want me to?” Jemma called out from the kitchen.
“Nope. I got it right now.” She crossed the room to open the door, taking in the sight of Thomas looking very handsome in a suit jacket and slacks. “Hi. Merry Christmas!”
Thomas stood there, holding flowers and gifts in his hands. He stared at her with a grin on his face and Isabella smiled at his reaction, waiting for him to speak.
“Wow! Let me put this down so I can hug you, you gorgeous creature.” He laughed as Jemma swooped in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and take the packages out of his hands.
“Thomas, the flowers are beautiful. I’ll just get them in water so we can enjoy them during dinner,” Jemma called over her shoulder from the entrance to the kitchen.
Isabella felt awkward all of a sudden as Thomas continued to stare at her, finally pulling her in for a big hug. “Iz, you look really beautiful. I mean—wow!”
Isabella laughed. “I’m not sure if I should be flattered or offended. I must look hideous every other time you see me.”
“No, not hideous—never hideous.” Thomas laughed, and Isabella didn’t miss his eyes taking in her whole body before landing on her face again. “I just—I don’t know. I guess I’m a little speechless. You’re really beautiful, Iz.”
“Thanks. You’re sweet to say that, and you look pretty handsome yourself.” Isabella turned away before Thomas could see the bright blush that she knew would be apparent on her face. “Come on in. Can I get you a hot cider?” She knew that this was something his family had every holiday season and she was happy to have incorporated it into their evening.
“Really? You know I’d love some.” He grinned, poking his head in the kitchen. “And when the heck did you two learn to cook? It smells amazing!”
Jemma eyed Isabella, probably waiting to see if she was going to fess up or make out like they’d become fabulous cooks overnight.
“Okay. We won’t lie. It’s from the shop. And it does smell pretty fantastic.” Isabella laughed, taking Thomas’s hand to pull him in toward the living room. “Come sit. Enjoy our lovely tree and dinner will be served momentarily,” she said in a very fake British accent.
Thomas obliged as Isabella hurried away and then came back with two warm drinks, to sit across from him.
“How’s Natasha doing? I’m sorry she couldn’t make it.” She tried to make her face match her words as she noticed that Thomas was not taking his eyes off her.
Was he turning red now? She knew it was entirely possible that Natasha wasn’t ill at all, yet it did surprise her that she’d be okay with Thomas coming for dinner on his own. It wasn’t like they were alone, though.
“She’ll be fine. You know, she’s just exhausted, I think from so much work. It’s slowing down now in a few days, though.”
“Well, I’m glad it didn’t change your plan.”
“Iz, of course not. We’ve celebrated every Christmas together since we were teenagers. You can’t think I’d miss it—well, as long as we’re in the same city, I mean.” He smiled at her and his words instantly caused her to flash to so many Christmases as children. Typically, they’d spent the actual holiday with their families separately but then the next day would be just for them. They’d go out for a meal, exchange gifts, and then ice skate or go to the movies or just hang out all day at one of their houses.
“What are you smiling at?”
Thomas’s question interrupted her thoughts.
“I was just remembering our youth.” Isabella laughed. “Christmases together.”
“Good memories, huh, Iz?”
He was still looking at her very intently and she was trying to match his gaze, but she kept having to look away—afraid that he’d see something written on her face that she wasn’t sure she wanted him to see.
“Dinner is served, kids.”
Saved by Jemma. Isabella stood up to make her way to the dining room, where Jemma already had all the food arranged.
“Jemma. I’m so sorry. I should be helping.” Isabella walked toward the kitchen, Jemma stopping her by putting her hand on Isabella’s arm.
“Don’t be silly. Your job is to entertain our guest.” She gestured toward Thomas. “Who’s looking mighty fine, I must say.” She laughed. “Besides, everything’s all ready. Let’s sit down.”
“It looks wonderful—as do you.” Thomas leaned over to give Jemma a hug before sitting down across the table from Isabella.
“Okay, okay. Enough with the compliments. Let’s dig in before the food gets cold,” Jemma said, handing Thomas the knife to carve the turkey. “Would you do the honors, please?”
Thomas took the knife and carved a good portion of the turkey, and the three piled their plates high with a Christmas dinner that even their mothers would be proud of.
Chapter 32
Isabella pushed her chair back from the table. “Wow. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m stuffed.”
“Me too,” Jemma said, getting up from the table to collect the plates.
Isabella and Thomas both stood to help her.
“You two go on. Go make yourself comfortable. I can handle this,” Jemma said.
“No. I can help. Or a better idea—let’s just get the food put away and you and I can do the rest of the cleanup in the morning. We have presents to do.” Isabella smiled, catching Jemma’s eye.
“Now that is an idea I can get behind.”
Isabella laughed because she knew how much Jemma loved presents—especially the ones she’d been creating over the past few months.
Thomas put his arm around Isabella as they made their way from the kitchen to the living room. He acted as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do, which totally caught Isabella by surprise. She felt her eyes go wide as she noticed Jemma’s expression.
“Okay, I’m going to get this little party started by giving you your present,” Jemma directed to Thomas as she scooted around the corner to grab the gift that she’d hidden away.
Isabella grinned at Thomas. She loved all of the paintings that Jemma had done, and this had been the last of the ones she’d finished while in London.
Jemma set the large gift on the table in front of Thomas. “I hope you like it. I realize it’s big for traveling but I figure you can ship it home to your parent’s house—if you end up leaving Natasha—leaving London, I mean.” Jemma turned bright red as soon as the words had left her mouth.
Thomas and Isabella looked at one another and burst out laughing.
“Yes, for sure. I can send it to my parents, no worries.”
“Or he’ll hang it in Natasha’s apartment.” Isabella winked at Jemma.
Thomas ripped the paper off and held the painting of the London city skyline up in front of him. “It’s great. Isabella told me you were a great artist, but this is really spectacular.” He set the painting back down on the table and walked around it to give Jemma a big hug. “Thanks so much. It’s perfect.”
Thomas turned and bent down to retrieve his gifts that Jemma had placed under the tree. He handed the larger one to Jemma and the smaller one to Isabella.
“Oh, very nice.” Jemma exclaimed over the high-quality artist’s pad and specialty colored pencils. She stood up and walked to where Thomas was standing by the tree to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I love it and it’s perfect for traveling.” She gestured toward Isabella’s gift, still unopened in her lap. “Go on, Bella. Open yours.”
Isabella grinned as she tore the paper away from her gift, her fingers going across the fine leather that was the cover of the beautiful new journal that Thomas had gotten for her.
“I’m sure you already have one that you’re writing in, but maybe it can start off the new year for you. I read recently how important journaling is for writers, so it’s meant to be something that will support your wildly successful career as an author.”
“It’s perfect, and thank you for supporting my somewhat wacky career changes.” Isabella laughed and walked over to give Thomas a big hug. “Speaking of wacky career changes…” She grinned over at Jemma, still sitting on the sofa watching them, as she bent down to pick up her gift for Thomas.
He took the present from her, smiling as he felt around the edges. “Hmm, is it that new thriller novel I said I’ve been wanting to read—that new fantasy novel that you wanted me to read or—”
“Just open it!” Isabella laughed as she stood beside him waiting and watching his face as he started to peel back the paper.
“Her Mother’s Eyes…” His eyes scanned the whole cover and then turned toward Isabella.
She knew she was grinning like a madwoman, and she loved the expression on his face.
“Iz. Your book! Why didn’t you tell me? Wow, it’s so great. I’m so unbelievably proud of you.”
The look on Thomas’s face meant everything to her—it was the look he’d given her when he first saw her at the door earlier times ten. It was a look that made her heart beat fast, and before she even knew what was happening he’d grabbed her in a big hug, pulling away for a second to look into her eyes before she felt his lips squarely on her own, tentative at first and then with an unexpected burst of intensity.
The kiss must have only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like longer. It felt like everything she’d ever wanted, everything she’d ever needed from another person.
As their lips found their way apart, she could feel his heartbeat against her, the scent of him making her feel dizzy for wanting another taste of his lips on hers.
A sound from the coffee table brought Isabella out of the daydream she seemed to be caught up in. She opened her eyes, thrilled that she was, in fact, in Thomas’s arms. She took a slight step back, putting her hands gently on his chest as she looked up into his eyes.
He reached over to push her hair back away from her cheek, his eyes not leaving hers.
She was afraid to breathe for fear of breaking the spell that they both seemed to be under.
“Wow.” Thomas smiled, pulling her back to his chest.
She nestled her face against the sweater he wore. She fit so perfectly in his arms. Did he feel it too? How had they never realized this before?
Finally, Thomas seemed to notice that Jemma had moved from the living room to the kitchen. He squeezed Isabella to him one more time and took a step back. “Wow. I’m not sure where that came from,” he whispered. “I hope we didn’t just make Jemma feel too incredibly awkward.”
“She’ll be okay.” Isabella could barely get the words out as she willed herself to act normal.
“Thank you for my present,” he finally said, holding the book in his hand as he started to walk toward the door. “I should probably be getting home.”
Isabella followed him to the door, completely unsure of what to say or do in the moment. She couldn’t let him leave like that, not without saying something about what had just happened between him.
He opened the door.
Say something, Isabella.
“Thomas?”
He turned to face her, his hand still on the doorknob.
“Are you okay? Are we going to be okay after—after that?” Her voice was shaking. They had to be more than okay after a kiss like that. She knew in that instant that things wouldn’t be able to go back to normal—not for her, anyway.
He looked at her for a moment and then pulled her to him with his free hand, kissing the top of her head. “Merry Christmas, Iz. We’ll talk tomorrow, okay?”
Isabella nodded, her mind racing as she locked the door behind him after he’d gone. Before she’d even had a chance to turn around, Jemma was by her side, her eyes wide.
“Bella, what the heck was that all about?” She was smiling as she pulled Isabella by the hand over to the sofa to sit down.
“You saw?”
“Uh—hello! One minute I was watching you two unwrap presents, and the next you were lip-locked in the hottest kiss I’ve seen in a while.”
“I think I’m going to throw up.” Isabella was not exaggerating. She felt sick to her stomach wondering what was going to happen next between her and Thomas. She had the suspicion that it wasn’t going to go well for her at all.
“No. No, Bella. Don’t say that. You don’t mean that it was bad, do you? I mean, in my mind that kiss just reaffirmed everything I’ve ever said to you about how much I think you and Thomas need to be together. You were like a magnet in his arms.” Jemma laughed.
“But what now, Jem? Now I’m going to be left freaking out about our entire relationship again, and right before we’re leaving and—”
“—Wait! Stop! What did you think about the kiss? About being in his arms like that?”
Isabella looked at her friend, her hands literally shaking, and relived every instant of the kiss in her mind like a movie in slow motion. “Wow. It was really amazing.” She smiled. Dare she just enjoy the way Thomas had made her feel only minutes earlier? “It felt oddly right, like it was meant to happen, you know?”
“Duh. That’s because he’s your soulmate.” Jemma laughed, but then stopped herself, probably becaus
e of the look on Isabella’s face. “Don’t get freaked out. There’s no reason to.”
“Not yet, you mean.” Isabella sighed.
“Well, how did you leave it? What did he say when he was leaving?”
“He kissed me on top of my head and wished me a Merry Christmas.”
“Okay…”
“And well, he did say that we’d talk tomorrow.”
“Well, that’s good. I’m sure he’ll call you and you’ll work everything out. Will you?”
“You’re asking me?” Isabella felt annoyed by the question. “Jemma, just a few days ago he was telling me that he really wanted to try to work things out with Natasha—that he did have strong feelings for her, at least strong enough to give their relationship a good chance. So, I really don’t know what there’d be to work out.” She shook her head. “Oh, I can’t talk about it any more. Do you mind if I go to bed? Sorry, Jem. I just need some time to myself to think about everything.”
Jemma leaned forward to give Isabella a big hug. “Not at all. And please try not to worry. I say enjoy it.” She laughed as she got up to walk to the kitchen. “And sweet dreams, Bella.” She turned around to wink at Isabella, who offered her a weak smile in return.
Isabella got up to make her way to the bedroom, finally allowing herself a smile again as she lay on top of her bed, closed her eyes, and let herself remember every second of Thomas’s kiss.
Chapter 33
Isabella carefully refolded her pile of sweaters for about the tenth time, trying to put Thomas and the fact that he’d not contacted her yet out of her mind. It was nearly three o’clock in the afternoon, and she and Jemma were flying to Florence in the morning.
They were leaving the apartment and London, neither of them sure where they’d head after Italy. Isabella still wanted to see more of Europe—there were still places on Arianna’s map that they’d not been to yet—before she headed to Southeast Asia. That was the tentative plan in her head anyway. But lately Jemma had been talking a lot about visiting Gigi and Douglas in Guatemala, so that was a possibility as well.