Isabella (The Mitchell/Healy Family #2)(12)
Author: Jennifer Foor

For the first time I saw something different in this stranger. We could relate, obviously from secrets that we both kept, but it was enough to catch my interest. “I agree.”

It was quick, but I could have sworn that I saw a smile form in the corner of his lips. As fast as it was there, it disappeared. “Noah tells me that you visited your family this weekend past. How did that go?”

It was small talk, and for the time being it was okay. “Fine, I guess. I saw people that I missed a lot.”

“I bet it’s hard being so far away from them. I heard you crying the night you came home. Was it because you wish you were home with your parents?”

Immediately I was offended. He’d listened to me crying and now he was prying. “That’s none of your business. Look, I agreed to have dinner tonight because you obviously took the time to cook it, but we’re not friends. I’m not goin’ to sit here pretendin’ we’re friends. You work for my family. That’s it.”

I stood up and rushed toward the kitchen door. He came after me, meeting me inside. “Isabella, I didn’t mean to -.”

I cut him off. “Just stop.”

“What? What did I say?”

“First, you can stop calling me Isabella. It’s weird. Nobody calls me that.”

“Okay. What do you like to be called?”

I threw up my hands. This guy wasn’t getting it. Couldn’t he take a hint that I was damaged and not interested in being buddies? “This is pointless. Thank you for dinner, Rusty. Just leave the dishes in the sink. I’ll clean them in a little while.”

I began to walk away when I heard him talking. What he said stopped me dead in my tracks. “I hated hearing you cry. It reminds of something in my past. I wish I could talk about it, but like you I know I can’t. Sometimes we need to walk away from what we want. I guess it’s part of life, even though it feels like torture.”

I turned around and tried my best to relate to whatever he meant. “Look, we don’t know each other. You seem like you’re a nice guy. If I was lookin’ for a friend this might have gone differently. Right now my life is too messed up to even consider it. I enjoyed dinner. None of this is about you, Rusty. I’ve got demons that I’m tryin’ to get rid of, and so do you obviously. A friendship between us would just add fuel to the fire.”

He went back outside, only to come in to put his plate in the sink. I watched him walk outside and start cleaning up again. A part of me wanted to apologize. He seemed like I’d offended him, and I probably had. For someone that didn’t want to be a jerk, it was exactly what I was being.

Rusty stayed away from me after that night. Shalan came home and things got back to normal. We were planning her wedding, which was keeping me busy enough to not dwell on my ex. Noah was finally off my back, and for the most part I felt better about everything that was happening in my life.

I’d seen Rusty in passing, but with the exception of a couple waves from him, he’d steered clear of me. I didn’t blame him after I’d been such a bitch. Honestly, nothing would ever come out of a friendship with him. I knew my family, and what they’d say if I got involved with someone like him. Since I wanted them as far out of my business as possible, I chose to push him away. Sure, he was handsome, even for being ten years older than me. His almost black hair and gray eyes were very easy on the eyes, especially when riding by and seeing him shirtless. Just because he was good to look at didn’t mean I wanted to hang out.

Before I knew it two months had gone by. Noah had built a house for Shalan, and they were about to move in it. I was actually looking forward to taking over the house, and redecorating. The deer heads were cool when we were kids, but Noah’s once bachelor pad needed a makeover.

Everyone on the ranch came to lend a helping hand on moving day. My aunt Van and my grandma Karen came to help make food for all of the men while they did the heavy lifting. I was carrying one of the last boxes over to the flat bed trailer when I spotted Rusty walking toward me. I sat the box down and stood up straight to face him. “Noah sent me over here to grab this stuff. Is this all of it?”

“This is it.” I pointed to the boxes.

He wiped beads of sweat off of his forehead. “Do you mind if I have a glass of water? They picked up some beer, but I don’t drink.”

I’d noticed that, but been afraid to ask him at the time. “Sure. Be right back.” I ran inside and got two bottles of water. After handing Rusty one of them I stood there quenching my own thirst.

“It’s hot as hell out here today,” he said before finishing off the water. Then he wiped his face with his shirt. I caught one glimpse of a rock hard stomach before he saw me. With nothing to say to get out of it, I changed the subject.

“So, how come you don’t drink?”

“Personal reasons. For the most part it’s because I grew up around alcoholics.” When he didn’t get into further detail I knew I had to back off.

“That’s understandable.”

We stood for a moment in complete silence. When it got to be too awkward Rusty handed me his bottle. “Thanks for the water, Iz.”

I opened my mouth but nothing would come out.

He smiled, as if he knew that name was special to me. “Is that okay? I mean, you told me not to call you Isabella.”

“I guess. Only my father calls me by that.”

“Have a good afternoon then.” He left me standing there, and I wasn’t sure if I liked it. It was as if he was giving me the cold shoulder. I certainly deserved it, especially after the way I’d been cold to him. Still, each time I was around him things were weird. I was determined to figure it out, even if it required me to have more conversations with the mysterious man. Little by little he was revealing things about himself. If I gave him the chance, I might be able to get to the bottom of it.

Knowing that it was going to require me to be nice, I decided that it was as good as any time to change my attitude. I’d been withdrawn for too long.

Getting to know Rusty a bit more would help me make that push I needed to be able to go out and consider dating again. One day I’d find someone that cared about me, who wouldn’t ever want to be with anyone else. I had to stay positive and believe that it would happen.

In the two months that I’d gone without talking to Tate I was starting to finally be able to accept that we were never meant to be together. My pain was replaced with resentment and hate, which I was finally okay with feeling. He’d hurt me in the worst way possible, and even though he’d always be my first love, I knew he wouldn’t be the last. No matter where he was in the world no longer mattered to me, because my future was mine to make.