Isabella (The Mitchell/Healy Family #2)(27)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“No!” Her alarming expression let me know that we definitely were not on the same page. “I can’t do this, okay?”

“But you and I…”

“There is no you and I, Rusty. There can’t be. I’m pregnant with another man’s child, and I can’t even begin to grasp what’s to come. I need to be able to make the right choices, and last night was obviously not the kind of choice an expectin’ mother should have made.”

“So what?” I was going to fight to prove my point. “You’re just going to deny this attraction, and pretend that last night didn’t happen at all?”

Isabella got up and walked into the kitchen. When I followed she leaned her hands against the kitchen counter facing the cabinets. I wanted to her to look me in the eyes as she let me down, but she refused. “I know what happened between us. That’s why this is so hard for me. We were both so emotional. Things happened because we were in a fragile state. I’m not goin’ to make it out to be somethin’ it never was. Last night two people came together to comfort each other. It wasn’t about attractions, or feelin’s.”

“You’re wrong. At least, that’s not what it was for me.” I couldn’t deny how hurt it made me feel when she said these kind of things to me. She was forgetting that I was in that room with her. I know what I was feeling was mutual. “You can sit there and act like this was a one-night stand, but we both know that ain’t true.”

“Please don’t do this.” She turned around and rubbed her eyes. “ Don’t make this harder than it already is.”

I walked over and put my arms around her waist, waiting to see those eyes looking up at me. This wasn’t just a fight to change her mind, it was also my happiness hanging by a thread. While waiting, I brushed the long blonde hair away from her cheek. Slowly, she raised her head and looked at me with tears falling down. I let my lips come down, almost to where they brushed over hers. “I want to -.”

Before I could finish the door was flying open and I was being shoved across the kitchen. Noah looked from me to Isabella. “What the f**k? He pointed toward me. “I told you to steer clear of my cousin, didn’t I?”

I threw my hands up, trying hard to defend myself. “I-.”

“He was just leavin’,” Isabella announced.

I didn’t know how to react. My job wasn’t more important than finishing our conversation, but she’d ended it for me.

“You heard her. Get out, before I say somethin’ I might regret.” Noah was my boss, and I had to be respectful since this ranch belonged to his family.

I turned to Isabella, noticing right away how hurt she seemed. Her forehead was creased, and one hand was over her mouth. I nodded to her and walked out of the house. Even when I made it onto the long lane I could hear him yelling at her. As sorrowful as it was, I knew I had to keep walking. She’d pushed me away, and he’d made sure I’d gone.

For the first time in forever I wanted a drink, so that I could numb myself from feeling anything at all. I’d opened my heart to her, and showed her a part of me that I’d kept hidden. In the end it had only gotten me exactly back where I started.

Alone.

There was no use tryin’ to avoid Noah, when I knew his next move was to locate me and let me have it. I took a quick shower, and sat down at my kitchen table waiting for him to arrive. When he entered it was without a friendly knock. He could do it that way because he owned the place. The chair across from me made a loud screech as it was being pulled out to allow him room to sit down. He cleared his throat before beginning. “I want you to be straight with me, Rusty. What’s goin’ on with you and my cousin?”

I considered telling him everything, even about the life I’d given up. “It was nothing. I was simply inviting her to share a meal with me and I crossed a line. I’m sorry, boss. It won’t happen again.”

Some guys my age would have had a problem dealing with a younger boss. At the end of the day it wasn’t Noah that I had to answer to, well not completely. His father still ran the show. “Listen, I’m not tryin’ to be some hard ass. I get that you think she’s pretty, and you’d like to get to know her more. I’ve seen and heard it all before.”

I put my hand up in the air. “Noah, I wont go near her, okay? It was a mistake.” The lies were piling up. Every second with Isabella wasn’t a mistake. I only wish I had the strength to tell him how I really felt about his cousin. “I meant nothing by it. I just figured we could enjoy a meal with conversation instead of eating alone. That’s all it was.”

He raised his brow for a moment like he didn’t believe me. When I didn’t flinch, he finally calmed. “Whatever. If you need company than get a dog.”

“You really care about your cousin. I can appreciate the way you’re always looking out for her. If I had a cousin I think I’d be the same way.” I was trying to get back on his good side. There was no telling how long Noah had been watching us, but from what I gathered it hadn’t been long. If anything he saw us standing face to face, and from the angle of the kitchen door he wouldn’t have been able to tell if we were close enough to kiss or not. Plus I think if he’d had seen that he would have come after me and things would have gone from bad to worse.

Instead he was being cordial, calm almost.

“I’ve been raised like that, Rusty. Family is the most important thing in life. I don’t know much about you, or your upbrinin’, but it’s just how ours is.” He stood up and tapped the table with his hands. “You do a lot for me and my dad, and we appreciate it. I’d like to keep you around for a while.”

He was warning me. I supposed I should have taken heed, but instead I felt offended. Perhaps if he heard my story he’d back off. At any rate I knew I had to keep calm and let him leave in a good mood. I liked living on the ranch, and there was no way I was willing to give up being able to see Isabella everyday. If I had to go back to being a creepy stalker to get her attention that’s what I was going to do.

Chapter 17

Isabella

It was extremely difficult looking into my cousin’s eyes and telling him that there was nothing going on between Rusty and I. It was even harder lying to myself about it. In my head I knew that being alone was the right decision, yet my heart ached to feel that attention he’d given me.