Chapter Fifteen
Isaac is, of course, gorgeous in the black suit, white shirt, and tie. He’s classic and gorgeous, and when he finds me across the room at the table of my brothers, I see him swallow hard. His lucky hat is pulled down, black tufts of hair sticking out at the bottom.
“Why is he wearing a—?” Jude starts to ask, but Porter shushes him and leans his elbows on the table to watch.
“It’s his lucky hat,” I say, not looking away from Isaac. My heart swells just seeing him. He, however, doesn’t smile or wave at me. He waits by the door for me to come to him. Asking permission to talk or being a little stubborn—maybe both.
I set the pitcher of beer on the table, exchanging a quick look with Ryerson, and head toward Isaac. He shoves his pants in the pockets of his suit, lowering his eyes when I pause in front of him. For a moment, I see the shy guy I meet weeks ago. But then he lifts his eyes to meet mine, and it’s an arrow straight through my heart.
“The wedding?” I ask, still not even sure why he’s here.
“I left as soon as they cut the cake,” he says. “Then flew home in this suit, grabbed my lucky hat, and raced to your bar.”
I swallow hard. “Why?” I ask.
He watches me a long moment, and then sniffs and looks away. “Based on that question, because I’m an idiot, apparently.”
I’ve hurt his feelings, and before I tell him how I really feel, he turns and pulls open the door. He walks out onto the sidewalk.
Wide-eyed, I look around the room for help. Claire must be in the back, and then Ryerson and Porter get up, cross to meet me.
“We’ve got it for a little bit. Go after him,” Porter says, motioning toward the street.
“Yeah, Pheebs,” Ryerson says, hiding his smile. “Go get your boyfriend. We’ll watch your bar.”
He and Porter are both trying not to laugh at the fact that I’m about to embarrass myself. Still, I pull off my black bar apron and toss it at them, and run out the door.
I get out there just in time to see Isaac click the locks of his Ranger Rover that’s parked a little ways down at the curb. He’s leaving. He’s leaving me.
“Wait,” I call before I can think better of it. Isaac stops, and turns around. He’s stunned, but he doesn’t rush to me in some romantic gesture. He’s unsure of my intention.
“Why did you leave the wedding?” I ask.
He goes to lean against the passenger door of his Range Rover, hands in his pocket. “I didn’t leave the wedding,” he says. “She’s my sister, after all. But I left the reception.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to come home,” he says, and there’s a touch of sadness in his voice. Loss.
I hate that I’ve hurt him. I walk toward him, my boots clacking on the sidewalk. Main Street is empty, and the lights of my bar casts a red glow over our skin.
I’m not even sure what I want to say, or how to say it. I stand next to Isaac, leaning my hip on his car as he looks sideways at me.
“You called it home,” I say.
“This is my home,” he returns immediately. “This town. This street. This girl,” he adds in a whisper, motioning to me.
Chills run down my spine, and I’m so madly in love with him.
“I’m sure your sister didn’t appreciate you leaving early,” I say, wanting to know if he’s wrecked his family for me. Guilt already climbing into my chest.
“She’s the one who told me to go,” he says with a shrug. “Once I explained to her that I was in love with you, she felt like shit, honestly. And she told me I’d better get here and fix her mistake. She’s sorry, by the way,” he says with a nod. “She thought she was looking out for me—she’s had to in the past. But the minute she saw me, she knew she fucked up. Expect her out here after her honeymoon to apologize. She’s insisting.”
“She doesn’t still think I’m trash?” I ask, and the words sting.
“No,” he says. “But, Phee… you realize I never cared what anyone thought. Why wasn’t that enough for you?”
I swallow hard, and look over at him. “Because I was scared,” I say quietly. “I was scared you would leave, and then I was scared you wouldn’t because of me.”
Isaac licks his lower lip, his face beautiful in the light. “I got a job offer,” he says. “A damn good one.”
“With my brother.”
He laughs. “Yeah. I met him at the party and he called me to interview. We didn’t mention you once, so… if you’re going to try to find a deeper meaning in that, don’t. I’m qualified.”
“He’s a fan,” I say, stopping him. “All of my brothers are, honestly.”
“And you?” he asks. He pulls off his hat, his black hair messy. Sexy. But his eyes are glassy and brimming with hurt. “Because, Phee,” he says. “I want you to love me because I’m going crazy. And if you don’t… that’s, well it’s awful, but I’ll accept it. But I think you do.” He furrows his brow, studying my expression. “Do you?”
He’s wearing a suit at the corner bar on Main Street. He flew home from his sister’s wedding to talk to me. He even wore his lucky hat.
I lower my eyes to the curb, considering everything. Everything I want. Everything I feel. I didn’t think I had time for love, but it found me anyway. Especially when I wasn’t looking. Hell, I was running from it.
But then there was Isaac, and now he’s mine. He’s my heart. My lip shakes a little when I look at him. He puts his hand on his chest like it hurts him to see me start to cry.
“Yes,” I say, my voice cracking. “I love you. I’m absolutely and stupidly in love with you.”
He stares a moment, a tear dripping onto his cheek before he brushes it away. And then a triumphant smile spreads across his face.
“Well, good,” he announces. “Let’s stop being so fucking sad about it.”
He laughs, and holds out his hand to me. I slide my palm against his, and he tugs me into a hug, enveloping me entirely, just like the way I like it. He brings his lips to my ear.
“I missed you,” he says, warm against me. I close my eyes.
“I missed you too.”
We stay locked in our embrace, and as I slide my arms around his neck and look up at him, he licks his lips again, staring down at me.
“Hi, gorgeous,” he whispers.
I get on my tiptoes and kiss him, one peck at first. He hums out that I taste good, and then we kiss harder, longer. His tongue against mine, his hands on my hip as I knot my fingers in his hair.
Being with Isaac is a whirlwind—it always has been. It’s so much love that I can barely contain it in my chest. It’s passion. It’s everything. He’s everything.
And as we smile, holding hands to walk back into the bar, I realize how lucky I am. Because finding him, a love like this—perfect just for me—is hard to find.
The End