Her chest ached unforgivingly. She swallowed against the tightness in her throat, tears stinging the backs of her eyes. “I wanted to tell you. So badly.”
“Well, now you have,” he said.
“What can I do or say to help fix this?”
He gripped the steering wheel. “I don’t know. I just need to be alone. You should go.”
“Are you sure?” She rested her palm on his firm chest. He winced and shook off her touch, causing her to reel back.
Instead of breaking her heart even more so, it simply grew another layer of protection. Because that’s how her heart worked. It was the only way she could protect it, the only way she could survive.
“Please, just go.”
And she did—listening to and respecting his words but not at all unscathed by them. She jumped down from the truck and shut the door. Within seconds he backed out of the parking lot, leaving her shivering and enveloped in a plume of exhaust smoke.
Chapter Eighteen
Leo
As soon asIsabella shut the door of his truck, Leo took off out of the parking lot of O’Henry’s, his tires sliding on the ice, and headed in the direction of home.Hishome. He needed to be surrounded by his own things. He needed a reminder of what he’d worked so hard and tirelessly for. The life he created after his mom pushed him in the direction of pursuing his dreams right before she passed away.
He couldn’t fathom his mom pushing him in the complete opposite direction of Isabella. But had she? His mom always wanted him to be happy; she told him a million times. And she knew Isabella made him happy. So no, he couldn’t believe Isabella. He wouldn’t.
Leo eased up the long asphalt driveway covered in several inches of snow, revealing the amount of time he’d been away. He hopped out of the truck, the snow reaching the height of the top of his boots.
Gazing at the log house, an aching anxiousness filled his chest. Usually, when he arrived home after being out of town on a job, he felt an overwhelming sensation of relief. Tonight he only felt confused. He could’ve had such a different life. Was he even where he was meant to be? Or had this path been carved and crafted by other hands? Without him even realizing it?
He stomped the snow from his boots and unlocked the front door. Glancing around, he found everything in its place, things he’d once shared with Talia. For a while, he imagined having a dog run to greet him every day when he’d come home, but since he did so much traveling these days, owning a dog didn’t make sense.
He and Talia had talked about getting a pet when they were married. Leo told her a dog would keep her company when he was away. But a dog as a companion wasn’t enough. Talia apparently needed male companionship. Someone who would let her make all the decisions and who would take her along with him on jobs, not leave her home alone.
They should’ve never gotten married. He just wanted to be happy again. He wanted to share his life with someone. If he was being honest, he didn’t really care who with. But even then, even though he tried to deny it, he’d had an Isabella-shaped hole in his heart that eclipsed all else.
Leo flipped on the lights and strolled into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and found an old takeout container of Chinese food, a box of leftover pizza, and a six-pack of beer with only one bottle remaining. He snatched the beer and popped it open, making his way into the living room where he loaded the wood stove with newspaper and a few logs. Kneeling, he used his free hand to strike a match and held the flame to the paper until it lit and caught the wood on fire.
He reclined on the sofa, taking a long pull from his beer. The prints in frames surrounding his vaulted wood-lined walls mocked him. They reflected mountainous landscapes from all over the country. Incredible places he’d been. Landmarks that were unforgettable because they were that picturesque. A knock sounded on his door. He went to the front window and spotted the Hoffman and Son’s truck in the drive.
It had to be one of two people.
He swung the door open, not at all surprised to find Dad standing on his welcome mat. Dad pulled his hat from his head and shook it out before coming inside. “I thought I might find you here.”
“What’s going on? Everything okay?”
“I brought this for you.” He handed Leo his black canvas bag that held his camera gear. “Thought you may want it. Though I'm not sure why you didn’t stop by the house first to pick it up.”
“Thanks.” Leo took the bag and carried it to his desk positioned underneath the wide A-frame windows in the living room. “I hadn’t planned on coming here,” Leo called over his shoulder to where his dad still stood in the front entryway.
“Yeah, that’s kinda what I figured.” Dad ran his rough hand over his wrinkled forehead and graying dark hair.
Leo left the bag on the desk, his fingers itching to unzip it and hold the camera in his hands. He propped his hands on his hips. “I’d offer you a beer, but the fridge is empty.”
His dad waved him off, glancing around inside the house but not stepping too far from the entryway. “I’m fine.”
Leo’s brows knitted together. “You got something on your mind?”
His dad nodded a few times before ultimately giving in, his shoulders slumping as he shuffled toward the sofa, not bothering to remove his boots. “Mind if we sit for a minute?” He sat, leaning forward and holding the hat in between his hands, resting his elbows across his thighs.
Leo walked over and perched on the edge of the leather armchair, running his palms over his jeans. “What’s up? You okay?”
