“That’s a steaming pile of crap if I’ve ever seen one. I’m sick, but I haven’t lost my marbles.” Although her words were harsh, he knew where she was coming from. Lilly had a unique way of showing affection. “You know damn well the stock market stabilized and is climbing. As for the restaurant, Nelson hired a fucking Michelin starred chef and breathes down poor Herve’s neck to make sure he keeps those stars intact. Noah is the best PR person I’ve ever met. Gosh, his dates alone would guarantee a steady income to the restaurant foryears.”
He chuckled. “True.”
“You bust your ass to make sure all works smoothly. Last time I checked, Chez Nous was quite a smash. Whatgives?”
Not ready to admit his most recent concerns, Tristan stayed on a safer topic. “Yes, the bistro is doing well, but it’s a long way from repaying my initial investment, which means no profits. We spent more than we had planned on that dirt road linking Armação beach to Matadeiro. Otherwise, people would only have access to the waterfront restaurant by boat or onfoot.”
He took a deep breath as he mulled his finances over. The mounting medical bills drained his bank account faster than the dwindling royalty paychecks coming in to replenish it. When he wrote lyrics for Izzie, other artists would also record his songs. After he left America, some continued to seek him out, but that had eventually diedout.
“Okay, I’m not exactly bankrupt, but I’m not twenty anymore either. I’ve gotresponsibilities.”
“Which weigh on your mind. I get that. Between you and me, we’ve got more than enough money, though.” She framed his face and forced him to stare into her eyes, same exact color as his. “You are hiding something. Don’t roll your eyes on me, youngman.”
“What am I going to do with you? You’re worse than a dog with a bone,” hesnorted.
“Spillit.”
“Izzie is intown.”
“She is? I want to see her. Bring herhere.”
“That’s it? You sure you didn’t lose your marbles?” He had a hard time keeping his tone light as his insides began to boil. He never quarreled with his mother and he wouldn’t start today over IzzieAnderson.
Still, he couldn’t believe Lilly was so excited about the idea that Izzie was intown.
She shrugged. “I miss her. She’s a good person. She was good foryou.”
That almost did it, but Tristan bit his tongue. “Mom, you’re not senile, so don’t bullshit me. You remember quite well what happened. She screwed me over six ways to Sunday. She used to be a great person, I’ll give you that. I fell in love with her, didn’t I? You don’t understand it, though. Showbiz changed Izzie. She’s not the same person we used toknow.”
“T, you won’t enjoy hearing this, but I’ll say it anyway. You. Are. Wrong. In my opinion, you should’ve gone after Izzie when she dumped that lowlife husband ofhers.”
“You’ve got to be kiddingme.”
“Not in the least. I get it. Neither of you knew what you were doing fifteen years ago. I mean, you were hurt, she was using. Besides, you were too young. That combination made for dreadful decisions on either part. When I read somewhere that she had gotten her act together, I kind of hoped she would come after you. Or that you would pull your head out of your ass and go after her.” She sighed. “It took her longer than I expected, but she came to your door. Now, the ball is in your court. Don’t let medown.”
He gawked at his mother, unable to decide where he should start pointing out the mistakes in her judgment. “Mom, I love you, but you don’t have the faintest idea what you’re talking about,” he admonished her, kissing her hands as he folded them inside his own. “That Izzie we knew and loved doesn’t exist anymore.” That thought saddenedTristan.
“I beg to differ.” Izzie’s soft rebuttal floated from somewhere behind the couch. Her even tone did nothing to appease his heartbeats as the vital organ thudded against hisribcage.
His head snapped around and he glared at Izzie. “How the hell did you find mymom?”
“I looked her up. Elizabeth Knight isn’t a popular name in Brazil and I found only one in the Florianópolis metropolitan area.” Sheshrugged.
Words escaped him, partially because he was caught off-guard, in part because of the ideas his mom and Bruna sowed in his head. But, mainly because the X-rated scenes that had populated his dreams the previous night now popped up in his head to haunt him. He battled the steamy images, but it was an epic failure. All it took to set his blood on fire was a sweep of his eyes over Izzie’s curvy figure in a floral knee-length sundress whose waist was accented by a thin brown leather belt. She looked stunning. Almost as irreproachable as she oncewas.
Dragging his stare away, he set aside the many ways he would love to bunch the ample skirt up and fill his hands with what was hidden beneath it, or how the silken material would feel against his naked skin as Izzie rode hiscock.
He gave himself a mental shake and turned to Lilly. “I guess your wish just came true. She’s come to visit.” He kissed his mother’s hollowed cheek before he stood to leave. “I’ve got togo.”
He scuttled away and, if he were to be honest, rushed to escape Bruna’s and his mom’s words as they echoed in his head. His efforts were useless as the words haunted him. He refused to believe he still had feelings for Izzie like Bruna had pointed out. Or that Izzie could go back to being the free-spirited and kind woman she used to be as his momdefended.
The woman he had fallen in lovewith.
“No way!” He muttered as he backed out of the parking space, maneuvering toward theexit.
7
Izzie
