by SJ McCoy
She blew out a sigh and took another sip of her coffee. She was expecting to run into him today. Apparently, he was staying here at the lodge again, too. She’d expected that he’d be flying up here with them yesterday; she’d steeled herself for that, planning to be fun and flirty with him—to keep up their initial banter and hope that he would go along with it.
It’d turned out she hadn’t needed to worry about sitting next to him on the plane. Ted told her that he’d come up on Thursday because he was house hunting. The realization hit her that he would probably move up here, and so would Audrey and Ted at some point. Diego would still get to be an everyday part of his best friend’s life while she was going to lose Audrey.
She felt bad, even thinking it. It was a selfish thought, and it wasn’t like her. She was thrilled for her friend. She really was.
Even now, though, she knew that things were changing—and it was only as it should be. Last time they’d been here, Izzy had called Audrey first thing and gone to her room to chat before they went down for breakfast. Today, she wouldn’t call her. She didn’t want to intrude on her time with Ted. The two of them would be waking up together and would eat together when they were ready.
She picked up her cup and took it back inside. She’d have a shower and then go down to get some breakfast by herself.
~ ~ ~
Diego buttered a croissant and scrolled through his emails. He was looking forward to today. Austin had three houses lined up for him to look at. He couldn’t wait to have his own place here. He’d had dinner with Zack and Maria last night, and when the conversation had somehow turned to babies, he’d learned that they were eager to start their family once they were married. The thought of grandbabies made his eyes fill with tears. He couldn’t wait! He’d love to be a grandpa, and he wanted to be a part of their lives in a real way—by living here, not by showing up on the weekends and coming over for barbecues on Saturday afternoon.
He looked around the dining room. It was getting busier now. He’d come down early and taken his time, but he should get going, free up his table. He started to get to his feet and then sat back down again when he saw her.
Isobel. He’d known he’d run into her this weekend. His heart raced in his chest as he watched her. He’d tried to convince himself in the last couple of weeks that she wasn’t that special. Tried to tell himself that he’d let a great set of breasts turn his head. He smiled. He wasn’t wrong about that part—her breasts drew his eye again this morning. But above them, her face was so beautiful. The rest of her was just … breathtaking. Not in a physically perfect way, there was something more to her than that. She seemed to bounce along, filled with good energy. He watched as she smiled at the woman beside her and let her go ahead of her.
She took her time getting cereal and fruit and coffee. Then she turned to look around the room, searching for a place to sit. He resisted the urge to raise his hand and wave her over. He wanted to, but instead, he chose to wait—to see what she’d do if she saw him.
He was rewarded when her gaze met his. Her eyes widened in recognition. He relaxed when she smiled and started making her way over to him.
“Hi. Do you mind if I join you? It’s busy in here.”
He smiled through pursed lips. “You only want me for my table?”
She held his gaze for a long moment and then laughed. “I want so much more from you than that.”
His heart leaped in his chest, but he got a grip quickly. He had to remember that when he’d been offering more, she’d turned him down—in favor of her young boyfriend.
He raised an eyebrow, and she laughed again and picked up a packet of butter from his plate. “I want this, too.”
He had to laugh with her. She’d won that point.
“So, how have you been?” She was friendly, bright, and breezy—and judging by the way her nipples were pointing at him through her blouse, she was still interested in him, no matter what she might say.
He gave her a sad smile. “Heartbroken, but I struggle on.”
She stopped with her spoon mid-air and looked at him. Then she laughed.
“You’re so full of it.”
He gave her another sad look. “You turn me down. You break my heart. And then you tell me that I’m full of it?”
“Because you are.”
He shrugged. “I have been well, thank you. And you? How have you and your boyfriend been? Is he with you?”
She pursed her lips. “He isn’t.”
Diego got the impression that he didn’t go anywhere with her. But he decided against asking. He was still enjoying playing with her, but he didn’t want to risk having her tell him that actually, things with her trainer boyfriend were serious.
“Anyway. How about you? I hear you’re moving up here?”
“I’m looking for a house here. I want to be close to my boy.” He smiled. “I want to be here for when they start their family, you know?”
His heart sank when he saw her expression. Of course, she didn’t know. She couldn’t. She didn’t have children. And so, she would never know how wonderful it would be to have grandchildren. He couldn’t help it. He reached across the table and took hold of her hand. “I’m sorry. That was insensitive of me.”
She gave him a bright smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Not a problem. It’s just not something I can relate to.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you.” Part of him wanted to ask if she wanted to come house hunting with him. He didn’t like to think of her at a loose end while Ted and Audrey did their thing.
She removed her hand from his, and he thought better of asking. What was he thinking? She wasn’t interested in him. He’d do better to stay out of her way. Being around her made him want more, and she couldn’t have been clearer that she wasn’t interested.
He checked his watch. He needed to get going soon anyway. He had to drive around to the other side of the lake to meet Austin. He was going to look at houses in town, on the water, near Zack.
He reached for her hand again, and she let him take it. This time he brought it to his lips. He almost kissed the back of it, but curiosity made him turn it over. Last time he’d seen her, she hadn’t been able to hide the way it turned her on when he’d kissed her wrist. He did it again, brushing his lips against her skin in the lightest touch. He was thrilled to see her eyes widen, and a touch of color appear in her cheeks. He didn’t miss the way her breasts rose and fell as she took a deep breath.
He smiled to himself. Her boy toy trainer might get to be the one to sleep with her, but he wasn’t enough to stop her from reacting to the touch of another man—a real man.
She looked up into his eyes as he got to his feet. “It’s time we must say goodbye again, Miss Isobel.”
She nodded. She didn’t want him to go; he could tell. And that made him happy. Much happier than it should.
~ ~ ~
By lunchtime on Sunday, Izzy was more than ready to go home. It had been a great weekend. She knew that she’d look back on it as a turning point in her life. Ted had proposed to Audrey. Izzy was thrilled for her friend. It might be fast, but Izzy really didn’t think that mattered. Ted was perfect for her, and it wasn’t like they were planning to get married straight away, just engaged—and move in together. Ally and Brayden had both found work up here, and it only made sense that Audrey would want to be here, too. Ted’s family was already here.
She looked across the lobby to where Diego had just emerged from the elevator. He’d found himself a house that he’d fallen in love with. All of them were going to be moving here. All except her.
She gave herself a little shake. She was happy for her friend. Happy for the kids. Hell, she was happy for Ted and Diego, too. They were both good guys who were embarking on the next chapter of their lives. It sounded as though they’d worked hard for years to build a bank—it sounded more like an empire to her when they talked about it. And now they were r
eady to start taking it a bit easier, spending more time here with their families.
She forced herself to smile. That was what really hurt. They were all moving to be closer to their families. She was going to be left behind, and she didn’t even have a family.
Nope. She wasn’t going there.
She smiled when Brayden came to sit down beside her. They were waiting in the lobby of the lodge for a minibus that would take them all back to the airport.
“Did you have a good weekend, Aunt Izzy?”
“I did, Bray. Are you excited about your new job?”
He grinned. “I can’t wait to get started. It’s going to be awesome. Don’t you think? I mean, living up here will be different from the beach, but I think I’m going to love it. Do you?”
“I’m sure you will.”
“No, I mean, don’t you think you’re going to love it, too?”
“I won’t be coming here.”
He frowned at her. “What? What do you mean? You … you have to. Mom’s going to be moving up here with Ted. How are you guys going to run the agency if you’re not here?”
She smiled. “We’ll work online. We were behind the times if you think about it. There’s no need for us to go into the office every day. No reason to actually be in the same physical space.”
Brayden frowned. “Maybe not for work. But you two are best friends. You have to be in the same place. You always have been.”
She shrugged. “Things change, Bray.” She nodded toward where Audrey was standing with Ted. His arm was slung around her shoulders as they talked with Diego. “Ted’s going to be her best friend now, and that’s as it should be.”
Brayden frowned at her. “I don’t like it, Aunt Iz. I want you to move up here with us. Life won’t be the same without you.”
She managed to blink away the tears before he noticed them. Then she smiled. “That’s how it works, Bray. Life doesn’t stay the same. It changes, and it moves on.”
She jumped when a big hand came down on her shoulder. She knew it was him. Though how he’d gotten behind her was a mystery.
“Are you ready to move on, Miss Isobel?”
Brayden gave her a knowing smile and went to talk to Ally. Izzy steeled herself as she turned around and looked up at Diego. “I’m not going anywhere. You guys are all moving on, moving up here, starting a new chapter of your lives.”
“You could do the same.” He held her gaze as he spoke. He was getting at something, but she didn’t know what. “If you wanted to.”
She shook her head and looked out the window at the rain that had been falling for the last couple of hours. The rain always made her feel sad, and today, it was just adding to her sense of loss. She was about to lose Audrey and the kids and her job as she’d known it. She and Audrey had worked in the same office together since college. First, at a big ad agency in LA, then with Audrey’s husband, Richard, and for the last few in Audrey’s own agency in Ventura.
She looked up at Diego. For all he was the big full-on flirt, he was kind and caring, too. He smiled at her, and for a moment, she wondered what it might be like if the two of them were to get together—for real, not just for sex.
A flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by the rumble of thunder. It brought her back to her senses. Was she crazy? She shook her head sadly. “It’s not in the cards for me.”
His smile faded. Suddenly, he seemed as sad as she felt. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
She shrugged. “It is what it is.”
“Look!” They both turned to see Ally pointing out the window. “It’s a rainbow! Isn’t it beautiful?”
Izzy pursed her lips as the others oohed and aahed, and Audrey and Ally took out their phones to take pictures. Even Diego took his out and started snapping away.
He looked down at her. “You don’t like rainbows?”
She laughed. “They’re pretty enough, but they’re no big deal.”
He leaned closer, making goose bumps race down her arms. “You don’t want to fly with me to the end of the rainbow? See if we can’t find the crock of gold?”
She stepped away with a forced laugh. If he was trying to torment her, he was succeeding. She couldn’t stay that close to him and not remember the way he’d kissed her—and want more.
“I’ll fly back to Ventura with you. But we both know that the only thing waiting at the end of the rainbow is a crock of shit.”
His smile disappeared, and she felt bad. She didn’t mean to be so cynical, but sometimes she couldn’t help it. It seemed that this was one of those times.
Chapter Six
Izzy looked around the office. Well, it didn’t even look like an office anymore. It was just an empty space now. She blew out a sigh and picked up the last box of her belongings: the photo of herself and Audrey at the awards ceremony, the few knick-knacks she’d kept on her desk, the coffeemaker she’d kept here with her until it was time to go. It was the end of an era. She slung her purse strap over her shoulder and headed for the door.
Audrey met her there. “Here, let me take that.”
“It’s okay. I’ve got it. Why don’t you lock up?”
Audrey put the key in the door and gave her a sad smile. “It’s hard to believe that this is the last time we’ll do this.”
Izzy nodded. “We had some good times here.”
Audrey took the key out and tested the door to make sure it was secure. “And we’ll have plenty more good times, too. We’re giving up the office, Iz. That’s all. Nothing else is going to change.”
Izzy raised an eyebrow at her.
“You know what I mean. I know lots of things are going to change; they’ve started to change already, but nothing’s going to change between you and me. It never will.”
Izzy smiled brightly. She was happy for her friend. She really was. “I know! I was just having a sentimental moment, that’s all. Everything’s changing for the better. You’ve got yourself a new man, a new life, the kids are settling in at Summer Lake, and soon you will be, too. It’s wonderful.”
Audrey held her gaze for a moment. “Are you sure you’re okay with it?”
Izzy laughed. “What’s not to be okay with? My best friend is happier than I’ve ever seen her. How could I not be okay with that?”
“I feel like I’m abandoning you.”
Izzy rolled her eyes. “Come on. You know I’m going to miss you. I’m going to miss spending our days together here, but you’re hardly abandoning me. We’re still going to be working together, we’ll still see each other every day—it’ll just be on a video call instead of in person.”
“And we will still see each other in person. You’re going to come up to the lake all the time … aren’t you?”
“Of course.” Even as she said it, Izzy wondered how true that last part was. She would go up and visit, but not all the time. Audrey had Ted now. The two of them needed to build their own life together. She and Audrey had been best friends since high school; they’d seen each other through marriages and divorces—all the highs and lows that stretched over almost forty years of their lives. It was time for her to step back, and she knew it.
If Audrey and Ted were starting their new life here in Ventura, it would be a little different, but they weren’t. Summer Lake was a four-hour drive away. It wasn’t as though she and Audrey would still be able to meet up for coffee or a quick lunch. If they wanted to see each other, it would take a big chunk of Audrey’s time—whether she came back here, or Izzy went up there—and Izzy didn’t want to do that to her.
When they reached the car, Izzy put the box on the back seat.
“Why do I get the feeling that there’s something you’re not telling me?” asked Audrey.
Izzy shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Audrey blew out a sigh.
“It’s okay, you’re going to be fine.”
“I’m not sure if that’s true.”
Izzy’s heart sank. “Why? Has something happened with Ted? I thought you we
re thrilled with it all.”
“I am. He’s wonderful. I know I’m going to be okay with him.” Her smile told Izzy just how much more than okay they were; the two of them were deeply in love. “I don’t know if I can be fine without you in my life, though, Iz.”
Izzy felt tears prick behind her eyes and blinked them away rapidly. “Now, you’re just being overdramatic. I’m still going to be in your life.”
“I know, but it won’t be the same.”
Izzy gave her a hug. “Of course, it won’t; it’ll be better, because now you have Ted, too. I think you’re just worn out with closing this place down and getting the house packed up. Go on. You go home and get ready. I’ll return the keys, and I’ll see you at the restaurant.”
She stood beside her car as she watched Audrey drive away. If anything, she was more upset about this than Audrey was. She didn’t know if she could be fine without her best friend in her life, but there was no way in hell she was going to tell her that. Audrey had had such a rough ride for so many years. Richard was the biggest asshole Izzy had ever known. He’d made Audrey’s life hell. It had taken a few years after the divorce for her to find her feet again, but now she had Ted. He might possibly be the nicest guy Izzy had ever met, and he couldn’t be more perfect for Audrey.
Audrey deserved happiness more than anyone, and there was no way Izzy was going to taint it for her by letting her know just how sad she was to see her go. Anyway. She gave herself a shake and got into her car. As she’d said herself, it wasn’t as though they were never going to see each other again. Things were changing, that was all.
She cast a glance back at the office as she pulled out of the parking lot. They’d had some good times here, but they’d have more in the future, too. They weren’t closing down. She and Audrey would still work together, even if it was remotely.
She pulled out into the traffic on her way across town to return the keys to the leasing agent. After that, she was going to get her hair done before meeting Audrey for a late lunch. It was just lunch, that was all. It wasn’t a farewell. Even though they’d just closed up the office for the last time and, after they’d eaten, Ted would be picking Audrey up and taking her up to Summer Lake.