Isabella fist bumped Todd. “You know it, Langston.”
Harry Styles’s song “Two Ghosts” began and Margo squealed, pumping both fists above her head. “This is my jam.” She grabbed Todd’s hands and dragged him out of the kitchen. “C’mon, babe, let’s dance.”
Todd grinned as she pulled him away. “Hey, get out of here and have a good time,” he called to Isabella.
She smiled, her heart warming at the sight of her best friends. A few minutes later, she carried a tray of spiked hot cocoa to the living room, setting them on a small table.
She picked up a mug, swiping her finger across the whipped cream and sucking it into her mouth.
“Great outfit,” Isabella said to an acquaintance from her office, a young woman wearing barely-there lingerie. Man, did she ever feel self-conscious dressed in Leo’s old hockey jersey and a plaid pair of men’s boxer shorts.
“Thanks. It was either this or the matching family pajamas my mom gave me for Christmas with a big Santa hat on the front that says,Dear Santa, They’re the Naughty Ones. Since I decided to go cold turkey and delete my dating apps, I’ve gone through a dry spell and figured I’d have better luck with the teddy.” Her gaze caught the attention of a muscled, shirtless, blonde wearing only boxers. “Ooo, I’ll catch up with you later.” She sauntered away.
“Get it, girl.” Isabella snorted.
Shuffling through the crowded living room, Isabella made small talk with a few people before the stuffiness and boom of the bass got to her. She slipped out onto the patio that had an unmanicured roof garden. The crisp late December air bit at her bare legs and arms and she inhaled a deep breath. An early-season snow had already melted so she padded across the concrete barefoot.
Four floors up, Isabella leaned against the railing, taking in the view of the inky, foggy night. The brightly lit Christmas lights draped across the buildings, the lamp posts shining and lining both sides of the street. Come this time tomorrow, the Christmas decorations would disappear, not being returned until next Thanksgiving. It normally didn’t bother her, seeing the holiday end, but this year, it saddened her. She wanted to hold onto Christmas just a little bit longer.
Her phone buzzed and she slid it from inside her bra, glancing at the screen.
Norah: Happy New Year’s! Wish you were here!
There was a picture attached of Norah, Landon, Finn, Nina, Ricky, Kelsey, and baby Charlotte at O’Henry’s. The instant smile on her face slipped into a frown.
The obvious void of Leo tripped in her mind. Her heart ached, pinching with regret. Each day since she’d returned from Pineridge she stressed over if she’d done the right thing, not staying, not sacrificing everything.
Even now, as she gazed at the beauty of New York, of people celebrating with loud noise makers in the streets, the place that had crept into her heart and became home, she contemplated if she made the right decision.
The noise from inside the apartment drifted outside when the patio door opened. Isabella glanced over her shoulder. Todd strolled toward her, a box underneath his arm.
“Hey, Langston.”
He leaned against the railing and bumped a shoulder into her. “I thought I told you to dance and have some fun?”
She shrugged. “Would you believe me if I told you I tried?”
“Not even a little bit.” He pushed his hand through his wavy blond hair. “I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine.”
He looked at her, incredulous, pushing up his glasses.
“Okay…I will be fine.”
“You better be. You’re the glue that holds the three of us together,” he teased.
She snorted. “If that’s true, you guys are in trouble.”
He chuckled. “Here.” He held the box out to her. “This came for you a few days ago and I forgot to give it to you.”
“What is it?” She frowned.
“Not sure. Didn’t open it. But the return address is from your hometown.”
Isabella stared at the shipping label—LH Photography.
She didn’t even have to open it. Just seeing his initials, knowing he’d thought of her, knowing he was alone, it all hit her in a crashing wave.
