Chapter 24

Fresh out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around my waist and grabbed my phone off the bathroom counter. I had heard the chime announcing a new text message while I was rinsing out my shampoo. It only took a second to see it was from Isadora.

Perking up, I opened the message and read her words with a growing smile. Are you free tonight?

I didn't hesitate to reply, typing out my response eagerly. "I'm not about to start charging you for it," I wrote back. "I'd love to see you."

Her reply was swift. I can be ready in an hour, funny man.

I smiled, already formulating a plan in my mind. "I have the perfect idea," I replied. "Dress casually."

I tossed my phone onto the bed and hurried to get dressed. I was going casual as well. No suit tonight. I put on jeans and a light button-down, opting for comfortable yet presentable attire. I couldn't wait to see her.

There was still so much I wanted to learn about her. What had she been doing the last fifteen years?

I sent another message to Isadora, letting her know that I would be picking her up shortly. Tonight, I wanted to be completely focused on her, so I hired a driver. My normal driver was busy, but at least I wouldn't have to focus on driving. It was going to be all her.

The driver was waiting for me when I stepped onto the sidewalk. I quickly got in the car and texted Isadora once again to let her know I was on the way. Part of me worried she was going to change her mind. When we were a few minutes away, I decided to push my luck a little. She said her night was free. Did that mean she was alone in her apartment?

"Can I come up?" I texted.

Her response came almost immediately, catching me off guard. I'm already waiting outside.

I sighed, shaking my head. She was serious about keeping me out of her house. One of these days, I was going to find out what she was hiding. Maybe she was a hoarder.

I opened the car door and stepped out, just as she walked out of the lobby. She took my breath away. I smiled at the sight of her. No matter what she wore, she always looked beautiful. Tonight, she was dressed in nice jeans and a loose sweater. She could seriously wear a paper bag and look fantastic.

"Hi," I greeted her.

"Hi," she replied. "I hope you didn't already have plans."

I shook my head. "Nope. Even if I did, I would drop everything for the chance to be with you."

"Thank you, that's very sweet."

I opened the door for her.

"Thank you." She smiled and got into the backseat.

I ran around the other side and got in, needing to be near her. I couldn't resist the pull to draw her close and capture her lips in a tender kiss. I wanted to feel her, to savor the moment of being reunited with my first love. First and only.

We lingered in the kiss for a few precious seconds before reluctantly pulling apart. "Are you hungry?" I asked, my voice soft as I gazed into her eyes.

She nodded in response. "Yes, I could eat."

"We're ready to go," I said to the driver.

"What do you have planned?" Isadora asked, a curious smile on her face.

"It's a surprise."

"That sounds intriguing." She smiled, leaning against me.

"I'm glad you have a night to yourself," I said. "And I'm glad you thought to call me."

She nodded. "It was a busy day. Sloane had a swim meet. Then she got invited to a friend's house, and here we are."

"She's a swimmer?" I asked.

"She is. She's really good, too. She won today."

"That's wild," I said. "I used to swim."

"I remember," she said, nodding. "Did you swim in college?"

"First two years, before I got working on the business idea," I replied.

"Is swimming really competitive in college?" she asked.

I smiled, remembering my time on the team. "Yes, it can be. There were a lot of Olympic hopefuls at the college level. But it's also a lot of fun. We had a strong camaraderie. We were like a family."

"Why did you stop?"

"Because I wanted to focus on school more and developing the company," I replied. "Between all that and trying to take care of my mom after my father died, swimming had to take a backseat."

She nodded and placed a gentle hand on my arm. "I'm so sorry for your loss. That would be difficult."

"You lost your mom, too."

"Yeah, but I didn't have to take care of my dad." She shrugged. "Quite the opposite. He wanted me away from him."

"That's not how I remember it," I said softly. "How old is your daughter?"

"Barely a teenager," Isadora said with a shrug, offering no specifics. "But already growing up way too fast."

I couldn't help but wonder about her reluctance to share more about her daughter, but I pushed the thought aside as we arrived at our destination.

"We're here," I said.

She frowned and looked around. "Here?"

I laughed and got out of the car. She scooted across the seat and got out on my side. I took her hand and led her inside. She looked around, clearly uncertain about the place. We quickly found an empty table and sat down.

"It's very casual," she remarked. "We didn't even have to wait to be seated."

I couldn't help but chuckle. Isadora was a bit of a princess. She had lived a privileged life since birth. "Have you ever been somewhere so laidback? Is this too casual?"

Isadora's playful laughter echoed around us. "Just because I grew up with money doesn't mean I'm snooty," she retorted, her words accompanied by a playful smirk.

"Then why do you look so uncomfortable?" I asked, grinning.

"Shut up, I'm fine." She laughed again.

"If you ask for a fork and knife to eat the pizza, I'm going to pretend I don't know you," I joked.

She shook her head at me. "Very funny. I know how to eat pizza. I don't need a butler to throw back a slice."

"Remember that place we used sneak off to?" I asked her.

"Of course, I do."

"I still remember you always used to order the same thing," I said, my eyes looking into hers and remembering the old times.

She tilted her head. "Oh really? And what might that be?" she asked, testing me.

I was sure of my answer. "Margherita, thin crust, extra basil."

Her eyes lit up in surprise. "You remember!" She clapped her hands together and gave me an excited grin.

I chuckled at her reaction. "Of course I remember. How could I forget?"

The memory of our shared meals carried me through some long, lonely nights.

"I remember you loved pineapple on your pizza." She made a gagging sound. "Choose a side. Sweet or savory. Not both!"

I scoffed. "Pineapple and ham are the best of both worlds. Sometimes I added olives."

"It sounds like you were pregnant with that combination." Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "That or you're a space alien that had never tasted human food before."

"It's the sweet and salty contrast," I explained. "Why not indulge in things we enjoy?"

"Is that still your go-to?"

I nodded. "It is. Sometimes I like to change things up, but when I'm really feeling like spoiling myself, I always go with the classic."

She looked over the menu provided. "I don't think I'm as adventurous as you."

"Are we still sticking to our preferences?" I asked, amused by the idea of us ordering the same pizzas as years ago.

She nodded. "Sure, for old time's sake. Maybe you'll let me have a nibble off yours. You might just make me a believer."

I smiled and waggled my brows at her. "You can nibble on anything you want."

We ordered our pizzas, each sticking to our traditional choices, along with a couple of beers. We talked about everything and nothing, just like old times. It felt like coming home.

She still had the same infectious laugh that always made me feel better. Isadora was still the same person I used to know, confident, caring, and charismatic, but there was a new depth in her eyes, a maturity that wasn't there before.

When the food arrived, steaming hot and fresh from the oven, Isadora bravely took a slice of my pineapple-topped pizza. No olives this time. She had to learn to walk before she learned to run.

She held it carefully, studying the challenging combination of flavors. "I just don't think this is natural," she said.

"Try it."

"I did try it before, remember?"

"Your tastes change with age," I insisted. "Maybe you'll like it now."

She took a tentative bite, her eyes closing for a moment as she chewed thoughtfully.

"Well?" I asked in anticipation.

"Okay," she admitted after a second, opening her eyes to look at me. "Okay. It's not as bad as I remember."

"See? I told you!" I said, pointing at her with a triumphant smile. "Sweet and salty is the best."

As we ate, she told me about her first year of college. I wished I could have seen her back then. I thought about her being pregnant. That would have been a sight to see. I bet she was a beautiful pregnant woman.

The conversation circled back to the one topic we kept dancing around.

"Did I do something?" she asked quietly.

"No," I answered immediately. "I know this sounds cheesy, but it wasn't you. It was me. You were perfect."

"I wasn't perfect." She sighed. "You left without saying goodbye."

I nodded. "I know. I was a coward. I didn't know how to say goodbye. I really thought it would be easier."

"But why?" she asked.

"Honestly, I don't even know why. I look back and I don't know why I did it. I'm sure at the time I thought it was something big, but I guess it's all about time and maturity. Problems when you're twenty are a lot different than problems when you're thirty-four."

She nodded. "I get it. I'm the same way. Being eighteen, the world is a scary place. And then you get into it, and you realize you don't have to manage the whole world, just your little part of it."

"Exactly," I said, smiling.

"But the past is the past," she sighed. "I'm glad we can remember the good things and forget the bad things now."

"Time heals all wounds, right?"

"Something like that," she murmured.

The rest of the evening went by too quickly. I was hoping to take her back to my place. I already knew she wasn't going to let me into her apartment. She probably wasn't a hoarder like I initially thought. Maybe she just had a lot of parakeets or something.

The pizza was gone, and our beers drained when Isadora looked at her watch in surprise. "It's late," she said. "I didn't realize how late."

The evening had been so effortless, so comfortable, it felt like no time had passed at all. This was a new chapter in our relationship, a chance to rewrite the narrative and get back on the right track.

I was hoping that path would include us naked. "Want to go back to my place?"

"I think that would be a very nice way to end the night."

We walked out of the restaurant and waited for the driver to bring the car around. Just as we got in the backseat, Isadora's phone rang.

She glanced at the screen, her expression turning to one of concern. "Just a second," she said and stepped away. "Sloane? What's wrong?"

Isadora listened to the voice on the other end of the line, her brow furrowing with concern. It was clear something was wrong.

As she ended the call, she turned to me. "I have to go."

"Go?"

"My daughter needs me. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," I said, despite my disappointment. "Let's go."