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Best Wishes,
Isa
What in the actual fuck? Does she think she can just leave me like that?
I hear the door open, and I race downstairs hoping to find Isa has returned.
“Wow, so much excitement to see me!” Bastian laughs as he shuts the door. He glances back out front. “Plow came early. I know, I know, I’m as shocked as you,” he adds as he reaches into his bag and pulls out his phone. He pauses when he looks at my face.
“You alright?” Then he frowns. “Where’s Isa?”
I feel anger rise in me. We had a deal. She promised to stay. Did she take the books? “She left.”
“Oh…OK, then. I’m going to the kitchen,” he says as he scurries away like an injured animal afraid I’ll make it worse.
I walk in long strides back into the library and look up at the bookshelf containing my collection of first editions. Untouched. She didn’t take them. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. She didn’t take what she came for and she didn’t stay. I shouldn’t care. I should let her stay away. After all, that’s what I was trying to do yesterday. I should close the door on whatever happened the last three days, but something inside me can’t. Something inside me still wants her, needs her. I swallow at the realization of what I’m about to do. I’m going to make her see me again, and these books are my collateral.
I hear Mrs. Potter’s voice. I press the call button on the intercom.
“Good morning, Mr. Wellington. I just arrived. Ben cleared the path for us this morning. Can I get you something?” she answers, her gentle, soothing voice is like balm on my soul.
I let myself take a deep breath. “Can Mr. Potter ready Apollo? And have Bastian send some carrots down to the stables,” I ask.
“Of course, Mr. Wellington,” Mrs. Potter replies.
“What? Carrots? What is this Oregon Trail?” Bastian’s voice breaks in from the background.
“Thank you, Mrs. Potter. And fuck off, Bastian,” I reply.
“Oh, uh, of course, dear,” she replies and I hear the swatting of a towel against what I assume is Bastian who curses. Shit. Do I never thank her? I sigh as I head back to my room to get my riding clothes on. Time to go find Ms. Garren.
CHAPTERTWELVE
Isa
“And then, I just left,” I finish as I drink my coffee. Elisha leans her elbows against the small bistro tabletop.
“You didn’t even say goodbye?” Max asks with raised eyebrows.
I shrug. “Why bother?”
I’ve left out the whole sex-with-Adam part of this story, but I’ve shared everything else, including that we kissed.
“Shit. I owe Bastian fifty bucks,” he says as he leans back in his chair.
My friend Ella Foster is standing wide-eyed by the door. She’s been threatening to leave for work for the past thirty minutes. “Wow. I wish I could stay longer and hear more, but I’m already late. I’ll see you all later,” she says as she waves goodbye.
Elisha rolls her eyes at Max and looks back at me. “Honey, what about the books?”
I shake my head as I feel tears well in my eyes. “I…I didn’t take them.”
Elisha squeezes my hand and looks at Max. “We can get Bastian to bring them here?”
Max purses his lips. “Maybe. I can ask…I just…Adam is not going to like that you just left.”
I narrow my eyes at Max. Since when is he an expert on Adam Wellington, we’ve barely ever discussed Adam. “Does it look like I care?”
He shakes his head, pressing his lips together. “Well, I’m going to head over to the restaurant. I need to make sure our new sous chef has all his paperwork filled out.” Max stands. “Later, ladies.”
