Chapter 35

Isabella heard a knock at the front door before her mom's familiar voice called out, "Knock, knock."

"Hi, Mom," Isabella replied. "Come on in."

"I'll be sure to knock from now on out of respect for you and Kelsey," Marti said, pulling out a stool and joining Isabella at the island.

"In just a couple of days she made her place in this house and now it feels like it's missing something," Isabella said, setting a mug of coffee in front of her mom.

Marti smiled and sipped her coffee.

"I am head over heels in love with her."

"It feels incredible, doesn't it?"

Isabella narrowed her gaze. "Why didn't you tell me it was supposed to feel like this? I don't remember ever feeling this way with Spencer."

Marti shrugged. "You had to find out for yourself, honey."

Isabella smirked and took a sip of her coffee. "I never understood the love of my life or soulmate thing until I fell in love with Kelsey. I always thought that was in the movies or unrealistic. I get it now."

"But now is the hard part," Marti said. "You can't let what people say or do scare you away."

Isabella nodded. "I wish you could've seen the boys when I told them. They were so happy. It didn't seem to faze them."

"That's because they see how happy you are," Marti said.

"Spencer is coming over and I'm planning to tell him," Isabella said.

"Why? He never warned you about any of the women he's been seeing since you moved out," Marti said with a bite to her voice.

"I'm a nice person, that's why," Isabella said, widening her eyes. "I'd rather tell him and talk about it instead of having him find out because the boys say something to him. You know they will."

"Uh oh," Marti said, gazing towards the front door. "He's here."

Isabella got up to answer the door and Marti followed her.

"I can stay," Marti offered.

"Thanks, Mom, but I've got this," Isabella said confidently and opened the door.

"Oh," Spencer said when he saw Marti. "Hi."

"Hi," Marti replied, walking onto the front porch. "I'll see you later."

"Bye, Mom," Isabella said with a smile.

Spencer walked into the house and took a quick look around the room.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?" Isabella asked.

"No thanks," he replied. "Is your friend still here?"

"No, Kelsey has gone back to Denver," Isabella said. "Have a seat." She sat down on the end of the couch and waited for him to join her.

"What's up?" he asked, sitting in a chair perpendicular to her.

"I wanted you to know that Kelsey is not just my friend. She's my girlfriend," Isabella began.

"What?" He shrugged. "Your girlfriend? Like best friend or something?"

"No. Well, yes," Isabella said. "She is my best friend, but we're also in a relationship, Spencer."

He stared at her. "I told you the boys shouldn't be around her," he said, pressing his lips together in anger. "She's gay, Isabella, and now you're telling me you are too?"

Isabella took a breath. "What I'm telling you is that Kelsey and I are making a life together."

"You are not taking my boys to Denver!" he exclaimed, hitting his hands on his thighs.

"That's not what I'm saying," Isabella said calmly. She sighed and tried to choose her words carefully, but finally she blurted out, "I love Kelsey. Wyatt and Gus love her, too. She's part of our lives now and I thought you should know."

"Where is this coming from?" he asked. "You couldn't be like the other wives and stay at home, raise the boys and go to the fucking country club or whatever they do?" He stood up, waved his arms, and began to pace in front of the couch. "Oh, no! You had to work and then start your own business. I didn't say anything when you started these monthly trips and now you're telling me you're gay." He stopped in front of Isabella and stared down at her. "I won't have my boys around her."

"Are you finished?" Isabella asked as she stood up and stared at him.

He exhaled loudly and sat back down.

"Our sons live with me and we share custody," Isabella said, sitting back down. "I'm telling you about my relationship with Kelsey out of courtesy, Spencer. We agreed not to introduce the boys to anyone new in our lives until it was serious. We also agreed to have a conversation if either of us want to move out of North Carolina. Do you remember?"

"Yes, Isabella. I remember," he replied acerbically.

"The boys are happy here. There's no reason to change that right now. They come first and I will always do what is best for them," Isabella said.

"People are going to gossip about you and that will affect Wyatt and Gus," Spencer said.

Isabella scoffed. "They aren't going to gossip about me any more than they did when we split up. I have to hear about every one of the women you date."

Spencer squirmed in his chair. "The boys haven't met any of them."

Isabella simply looked at him.

"All your friends will drop you," he said.

"What friends?" Isabella said. "You've made it so awkward that most of them don't talk to me anyway." She stood up and walked back to the island. "I've got work to do."

"So that's it," he said, following her into the kitchen. "No discussion."

"We just talked about it," Isabella replied. "There's nothing else to discuss. I love Kelsey, she loves me, and we're together from now on."

She walked to the front door and opened it. Spencer stared her down one more time then stopped in front of her. "We'll see how long this lasts."

"It's a forever thing," Isabella said with a smile.

Spencer left and Isabella shut the door. She walked over to the island and was still smiling when she called Kelsey.

"This is going to take us up the mountain," Dana said, stopping in front of a four-seater ATV.

Gus squealed and hopped into the front seat on the passenger side. "Let's go!"

"Uh," Wyatt said, holding up a finger. "There are six of us and four seats."

"It's okay, Wyatt," Kelsey said, resting her hand on his shoulder. "Your mom and I will stay down here."

"If you'll follow that trail just into the woods, there's a bench with a nice view. We won't be long," Dana said. "Buckle up, buttercup," she said to Gus as she went around to the driver's side.

Gus giggled then he leaned over towards Dana. "I know what they'll be doing."

"What's that?" Emma asked, getting into the back seat with Wyatt.

"They'll be holding hands and kissing the whole time we're gone," Gus said.

"Yuck!" Emma exclaimed.

Gus turned around and laughed. "You didn't mean that."

Kelsey couldn't keep from smiling at their playful banter. As soon as Isabella and the boys had landed in Denver, Dana and Emma had made sure the boys were having a good time.

"Be careful, Dana. You're hauling precious cargo, including yourself," Kelsey said.

"Precious cargo?" Wyatt asked.

"We are precious to our moms," Dana explained.

"Oh, we're the cargo," he replied and chuckled.

"Have fun!" Isabella said.

"Bye Moms!" Emma yelled over the roar of the engine as Dana drove away.

Kelsey rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Isabella chuckled. "She loves saying that."

"Yes, she does."

"Sitting on a bench kissing you sounds like a great idea to me," Isabella said.

Kelsey put her arm through Isabella's and led them to the trail. "This has been the best weekend. I'm so glad you're here."

"It's been fun meeting your family. Your mom is adorable," Isabella said.

"She is a go-getter."

"Are you sure she doesn't mind staying with your brother?"

"No, she stays with both of us when she comes to visit. She was with me for three days before you and the boys got here and she'll finish her visit with my brother's family," Kelsey explained.

"Oh, this is beautiful," Isabella said, sitting down.

Kelsey sat next to her and reached for her hand. She intertwined their fingers then gazed out at the view.

"It's so beautiful here," Isabella said. "How could you ever leave it?"

"You're not here," Kelsey replied, looking over at her.

"What?"

"You asked how I could leave Colorado. I could because you're not here." Kelsey turned so she could face Isabella. "I want to be with you, Bella. I don't mean long distance or just when we're in the Virgin Islands."

Isabella furrowed her brow. "Are you saying you'd move to Charlotte?"

Kelsey nodded. "I have nothing keeping me here."

"What about your family?"

Kelsey smiled and cradled Isabella's face between her hands. "You're my family." She leaned in and softly pressed her lips to Isabella's. "Emma will be in DC and that's a lot closer to Charlotte than Denver. And Dana has accepted a job at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia for the next six months."

"That's only four hours from Charlotte," Isabella said with a hopeful look.

"I know you have to stay in Charlotte because of the custody agreement. I want to be with you," Kelsey said.

"It's not set in stone," Isabella said. "Spencer and I just have to discuss it if either of us wants to move."

"Do you want to move?" Kelsey asked, furrowing her brow.

Isabella smiled. "I want to live with you," she whispered, then brought their lips together again in a sweet kiss. "I didn't know how to ask you to move in with me. I wasn't sure you liked Charlotte."

Kelsey chuckled. "What's not to like? The woman I am madly in love with lives there along with her incredible sons."

"Oh, Kelsey," Isabella said, holding her close. "Will you move in with us?"

"Should we ask Wyatt and Gus?" Kelsey asked, raising a brow.

"I think they will be so excited." Isabella grinned.

"We should still ask them," Kelsey said. "I haven't told the girls because I wanted to talk to you first."

Isabella narrowed her gaze. "Our real life is beginning to look a lot like our island life."

"How about we have one big happy life?" Kelsey grinned. "With four kids," she added.

Their lips met in another kiss that quickly turned passionate. Kelsey pulled Isabella closer and her heart pounded with love.

"At times I wondered if I would end up alone in this life, but Bella," Kelsey said, her voice thick with emotion, "the love we have is so much better than I ever imagined."

"Oh, baby," Isabella said softly, touching her lips to Kelsey's. "You are stuck with me for life."

"God, I love you," Kelsey said, pressing her lips firmly to Isabella's. She ran her tongue across Isabella's lips and then slipped it inside. They both moaned and tightened their arms around each other as their tongues danced with delight.

The drone of an engine could be heard in the distance. It grew louder as it neared.

"Those pesky kids," Isabella whispered.

Kelsey giggled. "They aren't here yet." She captured Isabella's lips in another passionate kiss.

"I love you, Kels," Isabella said softly. "We're going to have a great life."

Kelsey smiled as the buzz got closer and closer.

Dana steered the ATV into the clearing where Kelsey and Isabella sat on the bench.

"I knew it!" Gus said. "They've been kissing."

Kelsey and Isabella laughed.

"Hey, Gus, let me ask you something," Isabella said. "Does it really bother you when I kiss Kelsey?"

"Nah," he replied. "I just like to tease you."

"Did you know that Dana and Emma are moving?" Kelsey asked.

"Yeah, they're moving closer to us," Gus said with a grin. "And they're coming to visit."

"Oh, they are," Kelsey said, raising her eyebrows at her girls.

Dana shrugged. "I thought you might be visiting Isabella and I could come down and see you."

"That means Kelsey will be in Colorado all by herself," Isabella said.

"Wait a minute," Wyatt said, eyeing them both. "You work from home just like Mom does, right, Kelsey?"

"That's right."

"Why can't you move, too?" Wyatt asked.

Gus gasped. "You could live with us!"

Kelsey looked at Wyatt and Gus. "Are you sure you want me around all the time?"

"Yes!" Gus exclaimed.

"Don't you want to be with Mom?" Wyatt asked with a serious look on his face.

"I want to be with you and Gus, too," Kelsey replied.

"What do you say, guys?" Isabella said, putting her arm around Kelsey. "Should we invite Kelsey to move in with us?"

A chorus of ‘yes' echoed through the woods.

"Can we come back and visit Colorado?" Wyatt asked. "Dana said she'd teach me to ski."

"We're having a summer family vacation in the Virgin Islands," Emma said. "Why not have a winter vacation on the mountain?"

"I like how she thinks," Isabella said with a grin.

Kelsey gazed over at the ATV and saw happy smiles. She looked into Isabella's eyes and saw joy there as well. "I can't believe this is happening," she said.

"Believe it, babe," Isabella said, grabbing her cheeks. "We have a whole life to share."

Isabella pressed their lips together as whoops of happiness echoed from the ATV.