by Holly Martin
He spotted Bella standing in the middle of it all, wearing a green beach dress and her beloved red Converse, her gorgeous red hair tumbling down her back in curls. She looked beautiful. And after having visited his house, or the remains of it, while he had been walking the dogs, she was just what he needed right now.
He went over to her, placing a hand on her back to let her know he was there. She jumped and whirled round and then sighed in relief when she saw it was him.
‘You OK?’
She seemed jittery.
‘I’m OK, slowly losing my mind but I’m OK,’ Bella said.
‘Can I do anything to help?’
She wrapped her arms around him and leant her head on his chest. He hugged her back, holding her tight. ‘Just this,’ Bella said.
He realised she was trembling slightly and he held her tighter. ‘Hey, are you OK? Did something happen?’
‘Yes, but I’ll tell you later. I think I’ll end up being a blubbering mess if I tell you now and I need to hold it all together for the fair.’
He pulled back from her slightly to look at her face. Her eyes were wet with tears.
‘Forget the fair. Everything is perfect and as you said, these guys have done it a hundred times before. Let’s go home and we can talk.’
She hugged him again, burying her face in his chest. ‘I’m fine, really. This is more than enough right now. I’ll talk to you later, I promise.’
He held her tight, placing a kiss on top of her head. ‘Whatever it is, I’m here for you. Always.’
She held him tighter. ‘Don’t make promises you can’t keep.’
He pulled back slightly to look at her. ‘I don’t intend to.’
She smiled up at him then frowned. ‘Are you OK?’
He smiled that she could read him so easily. ‘I went by my house this morning, it was just a little upsetting to go back and see it for the first time since the fire.’
‘Oh no, Isaac, you shouldn’t have gone back there alone. I would have come with you.’
‘I didn’t even think about it really. I wanted to switch the hot tub on so we could relax in it tonight after the fair; it was only when I walked up to the cottage that it hit me again that I’ve lost everything.’ He held her hand over his heart. ‘Well almost everything. I’m fine, really. We’re alive, Rocket is alive. Things can be replaced.’
Bella nodded. ‘Things can be replaced, people can’t.’
Isaac frowned slightly; it felt like she wasn’t talking about the fire.
A man suddenly walked up to them. ‘Sorry to interrupt but Bella, I just wanted to check something with you before the fair opens.’
Bella smiled at him. ‘Of course, I’ll be with you in just a second.’
She turned back to Isaac and reached up and kissed him briefly, then pulled away. ‘I need to go and check everything is ready, the fair starts in one hour. Can you go and see all the food stalls and make sure they are OK and duck into the WI cake tent and check they have everything they need too?’
He studied her, sensing her need to move on from whatever had upset her for now. ‘Yes, of course. Then I believe you owe me a giant teddy which you’re going to win for me at the coconut shy.’
Bella laughed and he was relieved to see the smile back on her face. ‘Definitely. My coconut shy skills are good. One giant teddy coming right up. I’ll catch up with you later.’
He watched her go. He was determined he was going to get her to talk to him later but for now he would do everything he could to make sure the fair ran smoothly.
The fair couldn’t have gone better. Bella strolled through all the stalls as the skies darkened above them and the lights of the rides lit up the park. Squeals of delight and laughter echoed around the park, the smells of candyfloss, chocolates and sweets wafted around them. The weather had been glorious and it promised to be a warm dry evening for the fireworks later. Best of all it seemed that every single person who lived on the island had turned up either to support her or just to enjoy the festivities. In fact, quite a few of the people who had passed her evil looks or snide comments over the last few weeks since the embezzlement scandal, had come up to her to say what a great job she'd done with the fair. Maybe this would be a way that she could move on from those rumours and the doubt that shadowed her once and for all.
Isaac was walking next to her, his hand in hers, not caring who saw them together. He was carrying a large cuddly hippo in one arm that she had won him on the coconut shy and seemed utterly content to be walking around the fair with her.
She should be blissfully happy and there was a huge part of her that was, but despite everything going well in her personal and working life, she couldn’t escape the feeling that her life was about to unravel and she couldn’t do a thing about it.
There had been no sign of her parents all day, something she was beyond relieved about, but she knew she would have to deal with these feelings they had stirred up with their visit to St Mary’s.
At the moment, though, she just wanted to enjoy the fair.
‘Let’s go on the ghost train,’ Isaac said, tugging her towards it.
She smiled and let herself be led onto the ride.
‘Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,’ he said as he paid the ride operator and sat down on the train. He put the hippo next to him and slung an arm round her shoulders.
The train took off, juddering down the tracks, and she snuggled in closer to him. As they rounded the corner and they were plunged into the darkness, Isaac kissed her on the head.
‘Don’t be scared,’ he whispered. ‘Sometimes facing your fears is not as scary as you think it will be. And when you come out the other side you feel better and stronger because of it.’
She looked up at his silhouette in the darkness, knowing he wasn’t talking about the ghost train.
‘And I’m here to hold your hand,’ he said.
Suddenly, with a hiss and a cackle, a skeleton leapt out of a coffin inches from Isaac’s face. He jumped at the sudden movement and Bella laughed, papering over the cracks. ‘Maybe I’m the one who’ll be holding your hand.’
He laughed too. ‘We can hold each other’s hands; it’s a lot easier that way. That’s what being in a relationship is all about, supporting each other.’
Bella stared up at him as they zoomed around the corner. She reached up and kissed him and all the spiders, bats, vampires and ghosts couldn’t tear her away from him.
As the train emerged into the noise and lights of the fair, Isaac took her hand and led her off the train. Bella spotted Lucy and Finn over by the ‘Hook a Duck’ stand.
‘There’s my aunt and uncle, would you like to meet them?’ Bella said, before realising that Isaac probably had no intention of meeting her family this early into their relationship. ‘You don’t have to if you don’t want to, we can quickly hide before they see us.’
‘I’d love to,’ Isaac said, without any kind of hesitation. ‘Are these the ones that raised you?’
‘Yes, my real parents,’ Bella said. And before she could change her mind, Lucy spotted them and waved, grabbing Finn’s arm and dragging him over to see her.
‘Hello, my lovely.’ Lucy enveloped her into a giant hug and Bella smiled with love for her. ‘This fair is simply wonderful. You’ve done such a fantastic job. Dare I say it but I think this fair is miles better than the ones that Mr and Mrs Harrison used to organise.’
‘Thank you; don’t let Dougie hear you say that though. Lucy, Finn, this is my boyfriend, Isaac.’
Isaac stuck out his hand for Lucy to shake and Lucy ignored it and pulled him into a big hug too. Bella giggled as Isaac hugged Lucy back.
‘So good to finally meet the person who has put such a big smile on our Bella’s face.’
Lucy finally released him and he stuck out his hand to greet Finn. But if Isaac was hoping for a more reserved greeting from Finn, he would have been disappointed as Finn pulled him into a big hug too.
‘Good to meet you, son
,’ Finn said and Bella stifled another giggle at the word son, as if they were married off already.
‘It’s good to meet you both, I’ve heard such wonderful things about you,’ Isaac said, ever the charmer.
‘You’ll have to come round for dinner one night, Finn here does a little fishing on the other side of the island and if he catches something, he makes a wonderful fish pie.’
‘I’d really like that,’ Isaac said.
‘How does next week sound?’ Lucy said, clearly not one for offering a vague invitation.
‘Sadly, I’m back up in London again next week. I’ve been there this past week and I have more meetings to attend next week but I would love to come to dinner with you the week after.’
‘That would be great, let’s say Wednesday at seven?’
‘Perfect,’ Isaac said. ‘I’ll look forward to it.’
Lucy nodded, unable to disguise her grin at meeting Isaac, and then she waved at someone else. ‘Oh look Finn, there’s your cousin Bob, let’s go and say hello. Lovely to meet you, Isaac.’
Lucy and Finn waved goodbye and left them alone.
‘You’ve been accepted into the family now,’ Bella giggled and looked around to make sure that everything was still running smoothly.
Isaac pulled her into his arms and kissed her head. ‘Let’s get out of here.’
‘I can’t, the fireworks are coming up soon.’
‘Which you’ve checked on three times, everything is running smoothly, everyone is happy, you’ve done a fantastic job. And I have a hot tub that’s heating up nicely and a bottle of wine chilling in the fridge in my summerhouse. Let’s go and we can watch the fireworks while relaxing in the hot tub.’
Bella looked around – Isaac was right, nothing else needed doing. And she really wanted to make love to him now and just forget about the world, especially the unwelcome news that she had heard this morning.
She turned back to him. ‘I haven’t got my swimsuit.’
He arched an eyebrow at her. ‘I don’t think you’ll need one.’
Bella smiled and took his hand. ‘Let’s go.’
Isaac lifted the lid from the hot tub and steam billowed in the air. They were sheltered here, the summerhouse protecting them from the view of anyone walking over the hills and the trees below them sheltering them from being seen from the town. But with beautiful views over the sea, it was a perfect place to celebrate a bit of romance.
It had been hard coming back here that morning to turn the hot tub on, the first time he had been back since the fire. To see the whole place gutted and destroyed in that way was heartbreaking after all the work he had put into decorating the place. But coming back here with Bella made him feel happier. Maybe when he rebuilt the house, it would be their home together. He knew he was getting ahead of himself, it had only been a few weeks, but Bella finally seemed to be coming round to the idea of a future with him too.
He ditched his robe and climbed into the hot water, sinking down in his seat and stretching his arms out over the top of the tub so he had prime position to watch Bella come out of the summerhouse.
She came out dressed in his spare robe, carrying two champagne glasses. She walked round to the front of the hot tub and he moved so he could watch her. She placed the glasses down on the side of the hot tub and slid the robe off. His eyes feasted on her body as she climbed into the hot tub with him.
‘See something you like?’ Bella said, as she sank into the water.
‘Very much.’ He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her.
She kissed him deeply, then pulled back and swivelled round on his lap, leaning her back on his chest as she looked out over the sea. He kissed the back of her neck and her shoulder, giving her time to talk if she wanted to.
‘It’s so beautiful here,’ she sighed as she looked out over the sea.
‘It is. I finally feel like I’m home after all these years away,’ Isaac said. ‘The fair was a huge success tonight. People love you here.’
‘I wouldn’t say that.’
‘I would, the amount of people that came up to you tonight and said what a great job you’ve done with the fair, there was no animosity there. They all love you, you can see that.’
‘Maybe I do have some redeeming features after all,’ Bella said, quietly, leaning her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.
He got the sense that this was at the crux of what had upset her earlier.
‘Do you want to talk to me about what happened today?’
She didn’t say anything and she was saved from talking to him when a riot of colour exploded over the bay. Great blazes of green, silver, gold and red filled the inky sky above them and shimmered over the water. It was an incredible sight.
She turned round in his arms, straddling him, and suddenly he didn’t care about the fireworks in the sky, all of his attention was on the woman in front of him.
She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him.
‘Why did you come back this weekend when you have to be back in London again next week?’
‘Because when I spoke to you yesterday lunch time you said you wished I was coming to the fair with you.’
A huge smile lit her face. ‘That’s why you came back?’
‘I knew it was important to you. I wanted to see you anyway so it wasn’t completely altruistic.’
‘But it hardly seems worth it when you have to leave again tomorrow.’
He stroked her cheek with his thumb. ‘Believe me, it was worth it.’
She smiled. ‘God, I love you.’
Chapter Twenty-Four
His heart stilled then thundered in his chest. She loved him. God those three little words had never meant so much in his life before.
Her face fell as she registered the words that had fallen from her lips. She suddenly scrabbled off him, backing up to the far side of the hot tub.
‘I didn’t mean that. Ignore it. It’s not true, I don’t love you.’
Isaac moved towards her. ‘Bella, it’s OK, don’t look so scared. I—’
‘I’m not scared. I don’t love you. I told you I don’t believe in love. Being in love just means leaving yourself open for a whole load of hurt and ultimately rejection. Being in love means handing someone your heart and letting them stamp all over it.’
‘Wait, Bella, that’s not what love is.’
‘And you’d know, would you? Someone who has never been in love in his life. Someone who drifts from woman to woman and never commits to anyone. You’re a great advocate for love.’
Bella scrambled out of the hot tub and pulled on his robe and then ran off in the direction of the summerhouse.
Isaac stared after her for a moment as the finale of the fireworks exploded in the night sky. What the hell had just happened? It wasn’t supposed to go down like that. He had been so careful not to tell her he loved her so as not to scare her away that when she had taken him by surprise and told him she loved him, he hadn’t even said it back. He should have said it back. He would tell her. He would march into the summerhouse and tell her that he loved her, that he had never felt this way about anyone before.
He quickly climbed out the hot tub and grabbed his robe. He walked into the summerhouse but the doors that led up to the hills were flung open and there was no sign of Bella anywhere. Her clothes were still in a neat pile on the bench, her bag with all her things in was there too, but there was no sign of her. He moved to the door and looked out. She was gone, seemingly wearing only a dressing gown.
Isaac pulled up outside Bella’s house a while later to find her sitting on the doorstep, wrapped in his robe, sobbing into her hands. Her feet were bare and covered in mud from her run across the hills and it was utterly devastating to see her this way. She was always so happy and full of life, but this was what defeat looked like.
He got out the car, and using the key she had given him, he unlocked the door to her house, then knelt down and scooped her up and carried her inside. She
wrapped her arms round his neck but she didn’t look up or say anything.
Alfie came wandering out to see who was disturbing his sleep, but when he saw that it was Isaac and Bella he returned to his basket with Rocket.
Isaac kicked the door closed behind him and carried her through to the sofa. He laid her down and then lay next to her, holding her to him.
She didn’t say anything but her crying seemed to have subsided a bit now.
‘Bella, I love you. I think I have been in love with you since that first weekend we spent together. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you and what that really means, not this tainted image that your parents left you with.’
Her eyes flicked up to his and they had real fear in them.
She suddenly sat up and clambered over him.
‘This isn’t going to work between us.’
He sat up, feeling like he had just been punched in the gut. ‘What?’
‘This. It wasn’t supposed to happen,’ Bella cried. ‘I never wanted this. I was perfectly happy until you came into my life.’
‘I thought I made you happy.’
‘You do, but it’ll never last, will it. I need to stop this now before I fall any further in love with you.’
‘Wait a minute. I love you, you love me and you want to break up with me because of it?’
She started pacing. ‘I thought I could make it work, I thought about what you said about my dad never really loving my mum and that was the problem, not me, and I thought maybe you were right, maybe it had nothing to do with me. But I found out today that they got married again shortly after my mum dumped me with my aunt and uncle. They’ve been married for twenty years. It was always me that was the problem. I’m unlovable. There’s something wrong with me if my own parents didn’t want me and you’ll soon realise it too. Every other man I’ve dated has dumped me a few months after dating me and I’m sure you will too. I need to get out now. You’re the only one I care about and it will break me when it comes to an end if I let myself fall any further in love with you.’