Chance on You (Pub 4)

46 - Bubbles

Isla looked at Riley and shrugged after Leo left the house. The girl smiled. "Maybe he's going Christmas shopping."

Isla frowned. He had told her he had that part of Christmas under control. Why so secretive? Maybe he went to buy a gift for her. She panicked. In all the craziness, she hadn't considered a gift for him. Maybe she should have asked Lilli.

Her friend's visit had only left her more confused. Isla knew Leo was waiting for an answer but her belly churned every time she thought of saying yes. Then the dread hit her as she realized Leo would never want a timid girl like her. He needed a bold woman. Reagan wouldn't hesitate to accept his invitation. Marcia and Helen were no help either. They both thought she should go to the party.

Isla stood at the sink and shut her eyes. When Lilli had finished her magic, she looked like an imposter. The Sisters certainly wouldn't recognize her. The dress she tried on was conservative at the neckline, but it clung to places Isla preferred to hide. Still, the big question was if she wanted to hide them from Leo. Her mind wandered to the night on her bed and she squeezed her legs together.

She had kept her mind off her decision by reading Office Secrets. Lilli told Isla about her amateur writing on the app Novelpost. Her friend even confided how she wrote it about her crush on Zach. "In my story the characters got together after a work party. You and Leo can have happily ever after."

Isla wanted what Lilli described, but she was also scared, frightened, petrified. As wonderful as kissing was, happily ever after led to more than kissing. She shut her eyes and remembered the night Leo held her in the hotel room. Isla dried her hands and walked into the living room.

"Cody, let's read." The boy was on the verge of blossoming into a real reader.

Isla jumped when she saw the headlights flash on the wall. She had expected him to shop longer. Cody jumped up, and she followed the boy to see Leo enter empty-handed. After he took off his coat and shoes, he dropped the keys on the counter. He smiled at her, but turned his attention to Cody. Their evening continued like every other and she talked herself out of hiding in her room.

Leo returned and sat down on the chair across from her. She liked when he sat next to her. She watched him as he looked at the tree.

His voice sounded distant. "I like the tree. It reminds me it's the holiday season."

"I would think the stores would do that too."

Leo turned his head to her and smirked. "Thanks to you, I don't shop often."

"I just thought that maybe you were shopping."

He shook his head. "Nope." He smiled. "Are you curious?" She shrugged then nodded. "I'm curious what you're thinking."

"Thinking?" She had been thinking about a lot of things she shouldn't.

"About being my date. We need to plan. Either I drive tomorrow or if you come, we need a babysitter."

Marcia had volunteered to watch the kids. She wanted to do her makeup, but she trusted herself with Lilli's instructions better. Lilli had bought her lipstick and mascara and said it was all she needed. Isla wasn't so sure.

"Earth to Isla. It won't be torture. I think riding the train home together will be romantic. We can leave the party in time for the eight-fifteen if you aren't having fun."

Isla had a list of excuses, but only one reason to agree, Leo wanted her to. She shut her eyes and imagined him dressed in a suit by her side.

"You are brave. You boarded a train without knowing what you would do when you arrived. I'm asking you to board a train and I'll be waiting for you when you step out of the station."