The Promise

Chapter Fifteen

Tom had woken before everyone later that morning and decided to go for a run. He had been so preoccupied with Isabella since they met that he hadn't really stuck to his routine and he felt a sudden urge. Even early mornings here were hot and muggy, but he enjoyed the change of scenery. Isabella's parents lived in a quiet, family-oriented neighborhood and he waved to the precious few people who had been out already. A few smiled and waved cheerfully and others just stood in shock at seeing Tom Hiddleston in their little Florida neighborhood. Running always did him good. He enjoyed the pace, the sound of his footfalls as they hit the pavement. It allowed him to breathe and focus. The last week had been one of the craziest in his entire life. He had managed to meet, fall in love and meet the parents of an amazing young woman who he probably never would've met had it not been for extraordinary circumstances. If people thought his short romance with Taylor was crazy, what would they think of this? He hoped he'd be able to shield Isabella from the worst part of being a celebrity, but the media was treacherous. They would get to them no matter how well they tried to hide it. She had been a trooper so far, especially after being bombarded as she had been the other day.

She was strong on the outside, but he could see the vulnerability behind her expressive brown eyes. She had layers of hurt, exacerbated by the loss of the most important person in the world to her. He felt an almost obligation to her now, to help her heal. His sudden love for her was almost suffocating as it tried to explode from his heart. If he was being totally honest with himself, he'd admit that he was a little scared of his feelings for her. He'd never felt so much so fast and he knew from previous experience how that can blow up in one's face. But at least this time, he knew that she felt the same. It felt real. He wanted to move mountains and the heavens above for her. Surely there was a line from Shakespeare to accurately portray what he was feeling at this moment?

Finding himself back at the house, he walked back in to the sight of Isabella sitting at the table, wearing her cozy pink robe and nursing a cup of coffee. She had a lazy smile on her face as she looked at him.

"Good morning," she said with a cheerful expression. She looked relaxed. Such a difference from when she woke up in the middle of the night, terrified and sobbing.

"Good morning, darling," he said, leaning down to kiss her on the lips.

"You're all sweaty."

He used his shirt to wipe his face. "Sorry, I've just come back from a run."

He could see the way her eyes widened at the sight of his briefly exposed chest. He simply shook his head and laughed.

"I didn't say I was complaining," she said back to him with a smirk.

He gave her a side-eye and a wink as he walked over to the coffee pot to pot to pour himself a cup.

"Can you guys take that into the bedroom, please. I'd like to keep my breakfast down please!" Lana yelled back from the couch as she watched TV.

They both rolled their eyes at her turned back.

"Besides... wasn't last night enough for you?" Lana said, looking back at them with a leer, referring to their activities from last night.

Tom gave her an admonishing look. "You told her? Already?"

Isabella shrugged her shoulders. "Thomas, she's my best friend. She knows my freshly fucked face."

Lana let out a sharp laugh as she turned back to the TV and Tom looked around alarmed, hoping her parents weren't in earshot.

As if reading his mind, she nodded her head towards the backyard. "My parents are sitting on the back porch. They can't hear us. Joe is still sleeping like the lazy slug that he is. We're pretty open around here, but I'd never say anything like that in front of my parents! By the way, my mom cooked you some food, it's on the stove."