Chapter 9
Chapter 9:
A small glimmer of hope sparked inside me at Isla’s words. Maybe I still had a chance.
Sandra waved her off. “You don’t know that yet, Isla. You’ll only know if he’s your type if you try dating him p>
God, couldn’t she keep silent for one freaking minute?
Isla didn’t answer, and as if on cue, Ethan grabbed Sandra’s hand and led her toward the reception desk, probably to ask about packing up the food.
Isla wrapped her arm around mine, tugging gently. “Let’s go, Asher. We’ll wait for them by the car p>
I simply nodded, and we walked toward the door.
“Hey, meet us at the car with the food!” I called out to Sandra and Ethan before Isla pulled me outside.
We headed toward my car. Steve met us there and handed me the keys.
“I did some cleaning on your car, sir,” he said brightly, a broad smile on his face.
“Thank you, Steve.” I reached into the left pocket of my shorts and pulled out a few dollar bills. I didn’t bother counting them and handed them to him.
“Thank you so much, sir.” he smile beaming even wider.
“Thank you too, Steve,” I replied.
He smiled wider and turned around, stuffing the dollar notes into his pocket. Well, every good turn surely deserved another.
“Hey,” I heard Isla say, poking my arm. “That Steve boy looks cute p>
“I’m sure he’s not as cute as Dominic p>
God! What was wrong with me? Why had I blurted that out?
Isla’s mouth opened as if to reply, but she was interrupted when Sandra came out yelling in her usual high-pitched voice. Ethan followed behind her, along with one of the resort staff carrying a white box that I was sure contained the food and wine.
“Miss Isla, we added one extra bottle of champagne to celebrate your birthday with you. Compliments of the house,” the staff member said, handing the box to Isla.
“Wow. Thank you.” Isla’s face lit up with her breathtaking smile as she accepted the box. The guy smiled back, and I caught him giving her a once-over before he walked away.
God, why were all the men today smiling at Isla like they wanted to have sex with her? I swear I was this close to bashing someone’s head in.
“Alright, guys, we’ll be going,” I managed to announce.
Sandra and Isla hugged, looking like two Siamese twins who couldn’t let each other go.
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“Break it up,” I sighed. “You two have all the time in the world to hug each other’s brains out p>
Isla and Sandra glared at me, and Isla slapped my arm. Ethan and I hugged too, though it lasted barely five seconds before Sandra yanked me away from him.
“That’s what you get for talking trash about me hugging my baby girl,” she snapped.
I laughed. God, Did Ethan managed to cope with Sandra’s drama. But the answer was simple. He loved her. I guessed we could all cope with a lot when it came to the people we loved—simply because we loved them and accepted them for who they were.
I took the box from Isla and placed it in the backseat of the car before heading to the driver’s seat. Isla climbed in and closed her door at the same time I closed mine.
I started the car. Isla waved at Sandra and Ethan, who stood holding each other like the lovebirds they were. I stuck out my hand and waved at the star couple before pulling out of the resort premises and onto the road.
Isla and I drove in silence, the quiet atmosphere broken only by the soft music playing from the car’s radio. She was still clutching the card Dominic had given her, and I caught, from the corner of my eye, the way her fingers traced over the numbers engraved on it. When I sensed her lifting her face, I quickly looked away, focusing on the road ahead.
The next time I glanced at her, she was gazing out the open window, the evening air whipping her her hair back over her collarbone. Did she thought, though a large part of me feared she thought about Dominic.
Isla had never truly dated anyone before. Back in college, she’d had a couple of summer flings here and there, but nothing serious. She had never been in a relationship.
Even now.
I didn’t know why. And though Did she would give this Dominic guy a chance, a huge part of me desperately prayed she wouldn’t.
I didn’t want her to. Not when she was still oblivious to how madly in love I was with her.