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Isabel wasn’t ashamed to say her heart skipped a beat or two. He was probably one of the prettiest damn men she’d ever seen in her life.
The door to Ellison’s room opened—she knew by the abrupt change in the music. It was louder, no longer so muffled.
Rising, Isabel shifted and she saw Ellison swing around the railing of the stairs just as she heard Brooklyn calling her name out.
“Listen, I’m sorry, okay?” Ellison said. “I’ve had a rough few weeks and I don’t need to be taking them out on you. I’m sorry—”
“—Bella, I remembered my question!”
Brooklyn crashed into her and wrapped her arms around her leg.
Ellison sighed and crossed her arms but made a go-ahead gesture toward Brooklyn.
Looking at the little girl, Isabel asked, “What was your question?”
“When is Mr. Travis coming back?”
Fuck.
Both Mari and Ellison went tense.
“Ah, I’m not sure, sweetie, but I’ll let you know once I have a better idea,” Isabel said, managing a neutral voice ... somehow. “Hey, why don’t you take this up to Storm and have her order pizza ... double, no ... tell her to triple my normal order. The regular place.”
She fumbled her debit card out and pushed it into Brooklyn’s hand, hoping the smile on her face didn’t falter.
Fortunately, Brooklyn was so excited by the idea of pizza that she didn’t notice anything.
“Remember, tell her to triple the order,” she called up as Brooklyn pounded up the stairs, shouting for Storm.
“Judging by how eager you were to get the kid out of here, I don’t think we have toaskif it’s acoincidencethat there’s a guy namedTravisinvolved,” Ellison said, her voice tight.
Mari came off the steps, eying Isabel warily, although she said nothing.
“Tell me I’m wrong, Izzie,” Ellison said, falling back on the old childhood nickname. “Tell me you haven’t hooked back up with somebody who fucked you up like he did.”
Chapter 26
