He circled her, showing off his stellar moves. “Nope. Remember, I sort of own my own business.”
She didn’t take her attention away from the ice when she spoke. “Oh, that’s right. So your business must be doing well to afford a house in the mountains?”
He shrugged, clearly downplaying his accomplishments.
Her mind went to his marriage with Talia. Isabella hadn’t known exactly why Talia and Leo hadn’t worked out, only that they divorced. Norah had told her that Talia was somewhat greedy, of both money and Leo’s time.
“But the business wasn’t successful enough for Talia to stick around?” She was clearly prying.
“Why, Isabella Whitley, are you being a nosy Nelly?” he teased, sounding like her dad. He grinned that genuine Leo smirk, the one that used to send a vibration throughout her entire body. Maybe the one thatstillsent vibrations through her entire body.
But right now, she felt like smacking the smug grin right off his manly face. Okay, maybe a small part of her felt like kissing it off his face.
“Absolutely not. But it sure doesn’t keep everyone from telling me about you. My parents and Norah especially.” She shuffled her skates, her feet beginning to find their rhythm and memory on the ice again.
“I can’t help it if they love me.”
“And whyisthat? Why do they love you so much?”
He shrugged those broad shoulders. “I guess I’m just a lovable kinda guy, Izz.” He smiled and spun before speed skating away, ice sprinkling the air behind his skates.
Ugh. Stupid Leo. Stupid wobbly ankles. Stupid cold feet.
Norah skated up alongside her. “Hey, sis.”
Isabella planted a fake smile on her face.
“You’re hating this. I can tell.”
“You know, day three was always my least favorite.”
“For you and Landon both.” Norah gestured to where Landon sat on the bleachers. She giggled. “But I gotta love him.”
“If you must,” Isabella’s words came out sounding harsher than she intended.
“You better watch it, or I’ll trip you.”
“I guess if you want a bruised and banged-up maid of honor at your wedding, that’s your choice.”
“True.” Norah put her hands up in surrender and skated away backward. She proceeded to do figure eights.
“Show off!” Isabella yelled between cupped hands.
Norah spun and spun and spun. Faster and faster. Yep, she was definitely showing off. But for who, Isabella didn’t know. Because she could care less, and when she glanced over at Landon again, she was pretty sure he could care less, too. Instead of having his attention fixated on his fiancée, his eyes were on a pretty brunette with a totally unfair ass, bent over, slipping on her skates.
Heat bloomed in Isabella’s chest, anger brimming to the surface, but before she had time to do anything about it, she was falling—landing hard on her backside on the cold ice. But instead of ice, it felt like fire shot through her body. She groaned. And that was it. She was done. She’d spend the next few hours joining Landon and his wandering eyes on the bleachers.
Or better yet, from the cozy spot in front of the fire.
“Tough fall out there,” Landon said after she dragged herself from the ice.
“Yeah.”
“But I guess at least you’re trying. I haven’t even made it off the bleachers.”
When Isabella sat down, it hurt instantly. A reminder of the fall. But the fiery pain slipped her mind and the earlier anger toward her soon to be brother-in-law returned. Landon was checking out other women right in front of Norah. She didn’t want to imagine how he’d be after ten years or even a year of marriage.
“You know, you don’t have to be good at skating,” Isabella said. “Norah just wants you to share this with her.”
