“Well, your mother isn’t here anymore, Leo. Landon has Norah, and I have them both. I have the business. I have the house. I have my own life. Listen, I don’t think it’s necessary, but if you need it, this is me letting you off the hook. You have our blessing. Mine and your mother’s. If she were here, I know what she would say to you. That she’s sorry, and that you need to go get that girl.”
With that, Dad slipped into the cold night.
Leo took a few hurried steps toward the front door, wanting to scream into the night that it was too late, but Dad was already hopping into his truck.
Leo shut the door and leaned against it, running his hands over his head. His mind raced. Dragging himself to the sofa, Leo dropped down, his body heavy. Part of him couldn’t believe his mom would do such a thing. But when he thought back to that time, pieces started to fit together like a puzzle. Moments when his mother would say little things about why Isabella wasn’t there, why he was better off without her, how bright of a future he had in Pineridge.
He leaned forward on his knees, his face pressed in his palms, and let the guilt of all the hateful thoughts and feelings toward Isabella spill over him. All this time, he’d blamed her for leaving him, for not coming back, when his mom had played a hand in it, too. Isabella’s sacrifice of assuring his family stayed together and that his mom’s wish was fulfilled hit him like a punch to the gut.
He’d been oblivious. For years.
Well, no more. Isabella was here now, and while he couldn’t undo their past, couldn’t get that time back, he could change things from here forward.
Chapter Nineteen
Isabella
Isabella tookher time coming downstairs for breakfast. Not only because she was dreading seeing Leo today but also because of all the alcohol she’d consumed the night before. It left her with a pounding headache. Her tongue felt like sandpaper and her stomach was a bit woozy.
She trudged downstairs in her slippered feet, hesitant but on a mission—coffee. It could be the only thing to get her through day four of Christmas: cookie decorating.
Finding the kitchen and dining room empty, Isabella’s shoulders relaxed. Her stomach had been full of knots all night and morning, anxiety over seeing Leo. As much as he had a right to be angry with her, she wished he wasn’t. She wished there was something she could’ve done to ease the pain, to ease the tension. But she’d given him the space he requested.
Which only made seeing him more worrisome.
She poured a mug of Magical Hangover Brew, threading her fingers through her tangled hair before taking a sip.
“Morning, sis,” Norah said, strolling into the kitchen, still wearing her pajamas too. “How ya feeling?”
Isabella grunted, shuffling into the dining room and plopping onto a chair. “Been better.”
“Same.” Norah filled a mug and joined her sister. “You were so quiet last night after your chat with Leo. Ready to talk about it?”
She wasn’t. Between her pounding head and the tightness in her chest, she feared a panic attack was on the rise. But she’d wanted to confide in Norah about this for so long. Wanted to explain why she’d missed out on so many birthdays and Christmases.
“I told Leo why I never came back to Pineridge like I’d promised.”
“Whoa.” Norah’s eyebrows shot to her hairline. “This is huge, Izz.”
Isabella wiped the sleep from her eyes, anguish building in her chest. “I’m going to tell you too, but I need you to swear not to tell Landon. At least for now. He’s got enough on his plate with the wedding and moving out of Howard’s.”
Norah made an X over her heart. “Okay, I swear.”
Pinching her eyes shut for a moment, Isabella inhaled a deep breath before releasing it. “After college graduation, I came home. Mrs. Hoffman was really sick, so I went straight to their house to see her. I had planned to convince Leo to come back to New York with me, but I knew he wouldn't go without his mom’s blessing.” Her eyes burned. “And she didn’t give it to me. To us.”
“Oh, Izzy.” Norah took her hand. “I had no idea.”
Isabella swiped at a fallen tear. “You know how Mrs. Hoffman was, her family was so important to her. She was very vocal about wanting her boys to stay in Pineridge. She knew if Leo stayed with me, he’d leave.” She hunched her shoulders, her eyes filling with more tears. “So I made the decision for him.”
Eyebrows furrowed, Norah squeezed Isabella’s hand. “Sweetie, you shouldn’t have gone through that alone.”
“I was young and didn’t know what to do. Even now, I have no idea if I made the right decision. But I was trying to do the right thing.”
“I know.” Norah brushed away another rogue tear from Isabella’s face. “How’d Leo take it?”
“How do you think? He’s upset. Confused.” She shook her head.
Norah plucked a napkin from the lazy Susan on the middle of the table and handed it to Isabella. “I think if you just give him some time, you guys will be okay.”
