Isabella (The Mitchell/Healy Family #2)(40)
Author: Jennifer Foor

Since I didn’t feel like arguing, I fell to her side and held her close. We laid there naked, and together, falling asleep in each other’s arms.

Chapter 24

Isabella

I woke up to a ray of sun coming in the bedroom window. It took me a second to realize that I wasn’t in my own bed. Rusty’s arm was stuck to my chest, and I took my time lifting it and moving it so that I could get up. I had every intention of being gone before he opened his eyes. It was better this way. No matter what he’d tried to get me to admit last night, it wasn’t going to change anything. I knew what I had to do, and as much as I wished we could be something more, I knew it wasn’t going to happen.

I’d given him one more night to say goodbye. Maybe I should have told him that’s what it was, but some things were better left unsaid. That’s why my plan was to get back to my house before he even noticed that I wasn’t in his bed.

I made it to the edge of the bed when someone started beating on his bedroom window. It frightened me, causing me to jump and lose my balance. I fell back on the bed, putting my hand up to my heart. With the curtains closed I had no idea who was knocking, but I couldn’t stand the thought of getting caught naked. Rusty reached over and I turned to look at him. He seemed tired, probably because we’d stayed up arguing, and then had sex. I was so stressed that sleeping wasn’t happening anyway. “Who the hell is beating on the window?”

“I don’t know. Help me find my pants.” I scanned the room, but didn’t spot them.

Rusty paid no attention to me being naked. He climbed out of bed and walked over to the window. The curtain opened and he shut it quickly. It was hard to not notice that he was standing in front of me without any clothes on. His morning erection was at full attention. He reached down and grabbed it, while heading for the bathroom.

I started to ask who was at the window when he made the announcement. “Your dad’s outside. You should probably go let him in.”

This was devastating. I’d made such progress with them only to be caught naked in Rusty’s bed. “Are you jokin’?”

He had already started peeing when he answered. “Nope. He’s out there pacing around. Take a look for yourself. I leaned over and opened the curtain enough to look out. His face was up against the glass. “I know you’re in there. Let me in damn it.”

I closed the curtain quickly and started rushing around the room in panic. The mirror on the bedroom door scared me when I saw my reflection out of the corner of my eye. Seeing my naked silhouette was also depressing. For a second I stood there looking at the bump that seemed to be growing every day. Rusty came in and headed for his dresser. “What are you doing? He’s really outside, Iz.”

“I just want to prolong gettin’ reamed out for a couple minutes. I’m fat as shit. Look at my stomach.”

He leaned over and nestled his head up to my neck, kissing me softly as he spoke. “You’re pregnant and beautiful. There’s a life inside of you. You’re not fat.”

“Ew, how can you say that? How can you want to be with me when I look like this? I’m just goin’ to get fatter.”

My dad beat on the window again. “I know you’re in there, Isabella Mitchell.”

Rusty dressed faster than me and headed out into the kitchen. I found him very brave to be able to invite my dad in when it was obvious that I’d spent the night. For a few seconds I felt like a teen again, who was about to be punished for months.

After I gave up on my pajama pants, and settled for a pair of his boxers, I threw on my bra and a t-shirt and walked into the living room. Rusty was making coffee, standing in the kitchen, while my dad sat in a chair near the front door.

I walked in and sat on the couch across from him, still contemplating what to say. “Hi, Dad.”

“Your mom and I got up early to take you out to breakfast. When you weren’t in your room, I figured I’d find you here. So,” He scratch his head and looked toward Rusty, avoiding making eye contact with me. “did you want to go with us, Rusty?”

I looked over at the man I’d spent the night with. His hair was sticking up, and his t-shirt was on backwards. He’d gotten dressed so fast that he hadn’t even noticed. My eyes were telling him to say ‘no’, so of course he said ‘yes’.

“Great. I’m just going to wait over at your house until you both get dressed. Van’s making a big breakfast for everyone, but I already told her we were doing our own thing. See you in a few, guys.” My dad got up and left without looking at me one time. I couldn’t believe how disappointed I felt with myself.

“Oh my God. My dad hates me.”

“He does not. He’s trying to be supportive. It’s obvious that we’re together, so he wants to get to know me. If that’s what I have to do then…”

“We’re not together, Rusty.”

“I’m not doing this with you again. You say one thing when I know it’s the opposite. You wouldn’t have stayed with me if you didn’t want to.”

I was tired of fighting with him. “I’m tellin’ my parents Tate is the father.” It was the only way to get him to stop pushing me.

The room got quiet and Rusty sat down at the kitchen table, refusing to look my way. I suppose all men were stubborn like that.

“He’s the baby’s father. It’s the right thing to do.”

“Is it what you want though? Because the way you’re acting is as if you’re choosing to be with him. Is that it? That’s what you want?”

I looked down at the old, warn, blue carpet. “It doesn’t matter what I want. The baby comes before everything.”

“Just answer the question, Iz.”

I stood up and walked toward the chair where he sat. It was unnerving how much pull he had on my heart. I closed my eyes when I answered, because I knew I couldn’t lie while looking in his direction. “I don’t love you, Rusty. I’m sorry. You deserve to know the truth.” While saying it, I lost control and started blubbering.

He turned around and looked at me with painstaking eyes. “Why are you crying then?”

“I need to leave. I’ll tell my parents that you couldn’t come.”

Rusty grabbed my arm, preventing me from exiting the house. “I’m coming with you.”

“You’re kiddin’? I just told you that I don’t love you, and you’re…”