Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Isla
Bright green eyes.
Unruly brown hair.
A straight nose and an angular face marked by the faint scar on his jaw. A scar he got when he fell out of a tree chasing me when we were twelve.
Chad.
He’s really here.
He stares back at me with an uncertain smile on that familiar face. He’s waiting for me to say something, but I’m still trying to make sure he’s real.
My gaze drifts over his lean frame clad in a long-sleeved T-shirt and black grungy jeans—classic Chad.
“Isla,” he says, and there’s no mistaking it. He’s really here.
“Chad…” I finally find my voice. “Um…hi. Hey, there.”
His brows lift slightly, like he was expecting a better welcome.
Mom joins me, and I’m glad for her presence. Because I feel like I might just wither away.
“Mrs. M,” Chad says with a smile that grows wider. “I’m so sorry to hear what happened to John.”
Mom places a hand to her heart. “Thank you, dear. He was so fond of you.”
“I know. Losing him was such a tragedy,” Chad replies softly.
“Come here, sweetie. It’s good to see you.” Mom opens her arms and pulls him into a hug, offering a far warmer welcome than the one I managed.
They pull apart, but she keeps her hands on his arms. “How long are you in town?”
“I’m back,” he says, then glances at me.
My heart skips.
Back? As in…he’s not going back to Australia?
“That’s great,” Mom chirps, glancing back at me with a worried look in her eyes.
“Yeah… that’s great,” I echo, just to say something. It would look terrible if I stood in silence after hearing news like that.
“I got a promotion and an offer to transfer,” Chad explains. “Figured it was time to head home.”
“Well, you know what they say—home is where the heart is,” Mom chirps.
“I agree.” Chad nods, his eyes softening as they trace my face, like he’s memorizing what he once had. There’s longing there, gentle, unspoken, and threaded with the same quiet hunger that used to undo me.
The look hits like déjà vu, sharp and unwanted. Mom notices and flashes me an awkward smile, one that says his timing couldn’t have been worse. Now that I’m about to marry Knox.
“Why don’t I let you two get reacquainted?” Mom nods. “I’ll whip you up some milkshakes.”
“Thanks, that sounds great,” Chad replies with a smile.
“Mom, you’re supposed to be going soon,” I cut in before she can say anything more.
“I will. Don’t worry about me. There’s a lot you can fit into fifteen minutes. Go grab a seat. You should talk to Chad.” She says his name with emphasis. And she’s right. I should talk to Chad.
“Sure.”
She flashes us one last smile and saunters away, leaving me alone with him.
I glance back at Chad, and he gives me a nervous smile. “Sorry to show up unannounced,” he says. “I can see you’re not overly thrilled to see me.”
“It’s not that. I’m just… shocked, is all.”
“That’s understandable. I remember how you hate surprises.”
It wasn’t that I hated surprises. I just hated when they were done badly. Some surprises could be good. I’m just not sure which kind this one is yet.
“It’s good to see you,” I tell him, feeling a flicker of guilt.
“Does that mean I get a hug?” he asks, searching my eyes.
“Of course.”
I hug him, and it’s strange. I don’t feel the warmth he used to give me. I never thought that would disappear just because he left. Especially since we were friends for so long before we ever became something more.
We pull apart, emotions scattering at my feet.
“How about we grab our usual booth, if it’s still open?” I suggest.
“Sure. I’d like that.”
We head out to the restaurant floor and find our old booth, which happens to be available. We slide in opposite each other, and a wave of nostalgia sweeps over me.
This could almost be six years ago, when we sat here talking about our plans for college.
We were both heading to Brown, and I thought that was the start of forever.
If someone had told me we’d be here six years later—not together—I never would’ve believed them.
And I definitely wouldn’t have believed that I’d feel… nothing.
I never hated him. Well, maybe a little. Maybe for the first year after he left. But once I moved on, those feelings went, too, leaving something else in their place. Something neutral.
I always wondered what I’d feel if I ever saw him again.
Now I know—it’s neutral.
“So, I’m glad I decided to stop by,” he says, breaking the silence first. “I thought I’d find you here.”
“You know me. I love this place. I’ve been helping my mom out since my dad passed.”
“How are you both holding up?”
There’s so much I could say, so many ways I could answer, but it’s best to give the simplest reply. “We’re doing the best we can.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. Your father was a good man.”
I can’t even tell him the truth—that my father was nothing of the sort. So, I just say, “Thanks.”
I need a subject change. I don’t want to talk about my father. “How’s your family?”
“They’re doing great.” He grins. “My parents are traveling around Europe, and my sister just started at NYU.”
“Wow. Time really flies. I can’t believe Sarah’s in college already.”
“I know. Makes me feel old.”
I chuckle. “You’re not old.”
“Maybe not, but I feel it.”
Silence creeps in again, but Mom saves me when she arrives with two tall glasses of milkshake.
“Two double chocolate chip hot fudge sundae milkshakes,” she announces with a grin. “A delicious treat for my favorite people.”
I smile up at her. “Thanks, Mom. This looks amazing. It’s the best thing I’ve had all year.”
“Agreed,” Chad says, smiling.
“That makes me super happy. Enjoy, you two. I’ll see you both later. I’m heading home now.”
“Thanks, Mrs. M. Good seeing you.”
“And you, Chad. Good night.”
Mom leaves us, and as we sip our shakes, my mind spirals. It’s strange—having Chad here again. His presence throws me off balance. What do I tell him? What do I hold back?
He sets his glass down and smiles at me. “Perfect, as always. I missed this.”
He’s giving me that look again.
“How come you never mentioned you were coming back?” I ask.
He sighs, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “I should’ve said something when I last messaged you. I guess I got nervous when I didn’t hear back. You always used to reply straightaway.”
Great. The one time I didn’t, and it turned out to matter. “Sorry. Time got away from me.”
“That’s okay. It’s not a problem.”
“It’s great you got that promotion. I have to admit, though, I thought you were set in Australia for life. You did say so.”
“I did. But things change.” His gaze drifts across the table, lingering on me. “I changed.”
I notice the shift in his tone and study him carefully. “What does that mean? Did something bad happen?”
“Yeah,” he admits quietly. “Something bad did happen. I left you—and I shouldn’t have.”
I blink several times, wondering if he really just said what I think he said.
“I can admit when I’m wrong,” he adds. “And I know when I’ve made a mistake. Leaving you was the biggest mistake I ever made.”
God. Black hole, swallow me now.
Of all the things he could ever say to me, I never expected that.
“Chad—”
“Wait.” He holds up a hand. “Please. Let me finish.”
“Finish what? What do you want me to hear?”
He gives me a barely-there smile. “Me asking you for another chance.”
His words hit like a punch to the gut. My heart slows. My lungs lock.
All I can do is stare.
“Australia was great… until it wasn’t,” he continues. “Everything was perfect. Until it wasn’t. And that was everything. Then I realized it was because I didn’t have you.”
“You just left, Chad. I didn’t even know you were leaving. That’s not how you treat someone you want in your life, much less someone you claim to love.”
“No, it’s not. But I was a coward. I didn’t know…” His voice trails off.
“You didn’t know how to tell me,” I finish for him. “You wanted to leave, and you didn’t want to take me with you.”
His silence is enough. The perfect answer.
An unexpected wave of hurt grips my chest. It annoys me. Because it messes with my moving-on flow.
Maybe it’s because I know he didn’t want to take me with him.
And from his socials over the years, I already knew why. Month after month, there was always a different girl. Which told me everything: he wanted other people. Women who weren’t me.
“Look, Chad—”
“Please.” He cuts me off again. “We’ve been friends forever. Believe me when I say I won’t make the same mistake twice. When I got the job opportunity here, I took it with both hands because I planned to get you back.”
I need to tell him I’m getting married. I need to set him straight before he goes any further.
“I just want you to think about it.” He gives a small, hopeful nod.
“Think about what?” A harsh voice answers for me. One that’s haunted me since last week in William’s office.
The voice came from behind me, deep, clipped, and edged with something dark.
I freeze. God, that can’t be who I think it is.
Knox is supposed to be in L.A. until tomorrow. Sheila told me I’d be meeting him at the Astoria, the venue hosting the engagement party.
Chad’s brows shoot up as his gaze shifts past me, his expression flickering from confusion to unease.
Slowly, I turn. And there he is.
Knox stands paces away, a storm in human form, draining the air from the room.
His Grim-Reaper-black suit hangs off his body like a shroud of darkness, and his eyes bore into Chad like a warning.
“Knox…” My voice sounds too small. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” he says evenly, but the muscle ticking in his jaw betrays his calm. His gaze flicks from me to Chad, then back again. “Thought you’d be at home at this hour, but I didn’t realize we were entertaining guests. Who’s your friend?”
Oh Lord.
I straighten, trying for composure. “This is Chad Holloway. An old friend. We were just catching up.”
Knox’s eyes narrow with the slyness of a fox, and he leans forward, resting a hand on the back of the booth. “Catching up?”
“Yes, we haven’t seen each other in years,” Chad fills in, still looking confused when he looks back at me. “Who’s this, Isla?”
“Knox Vale. Her fiancé.” Knox closes the distance, his tone leaving no room for debate.
My stomach tightens like someone shoved a vice around it. I can’t believe he just said that.
Fiancé.
We haven’t even announced it yet. Only a handful of people know.
Yes, I was going to tell Chad I was getting married, but not like this.
Chad blinks at Knox, the color draining from his face. His expression holds a mixture of shock and recognition. I’m sure he’s heard of Knox—everyone has. He also knows Dad used to work for the Vales.
“Knox Vale,” he says slowly, the words sounding more like realization than question. “And fiancé?”
“Yes, fiancé.”
Chad forces a small, stiff smile and looks at me again. “You never mentioned you were getting married.”
“I was going to.”
His gaze flicks down to my left hand, which is bare of any evidence to prove I’m engaged. “You don’t have a ring.”
“It’s being made in Switzerland.” Knox’s mouth curves slightly, but there’s no warmth in it. “Women like Isla deserve only the best diamonds money can buy.”
Heat blooms across my skin.
He said it so smoothly, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. And God help me, he sounded like he meant it. For a heartbeat, I forget we’re supposed to be pretending.
The irony isn’t lost on me. Chad dumped me like I was a worthless, rotten sack of potatoes, and here is Knox—my villain—talking about me like I’m some kind of queen.
“Wow. Well, congratulations.” Chad looks from me to Knox and stands, extending his hand toward Knox. “Congratulations to both of you.”
Knox looks down at the offered hand, eyes flicking over it like he’s assessing a business deal he has no intention of closing. Then, without taking it, he asks evenly, “What sort of old friend are you, Chad?”
Chad’s hand falters before he pulls it back. He hesitates for a moment, then squares his shoulders. “I’m Isla’s ex.”
The tension in the air thickens the instant he speaks. I can feel the sting of it against my skin.
“I see,” Knox says, his tone smooth but sharp. “The thing about exes, Chad, is they belong in the past. It’s the only place they still matter.”
No way. He did not just say that.
My stomach bottoms out, and I can’t breathe.
My gaze snaps to him, lips parting, but no words come out.
“I’m sorry, what?” Chad’s jaw tightens, the color rising back to his face.
“You heard me.” Knox’s voice drops, dangerously calm. “Exes have a habit of lingering where they’re not wanted. Smart ones know when to stay buried.”
“But—”
“No.” Knox lifts a hand, silencing him. “We’re done here.
Clearly, she did better than you. So, whatever this was, it’s over.
” His tone is polite, but the warning underneath could strip paint.
“I’d hate for this reunion to run any longer than it already has.
And no, there’s nothing for Isla to think about, so do yourself a favor and leave her alone. ”
“Knox,” I breathe, my voice barely there.
He turns to me, his expression unreadable. “We’re leaving now, love.”
He extends his hand toward me, palm up. The gesture shouldn’t make my pulse stumble, but it does. It’s not a request. It’s a command.
For a second, I just stare at his hand, torn between fury and a spark I wish I didn’t feel.
Every eye in the restaurant feels trained on us. My pride screams at me to ignore him, but I take his hand anyway.
His fingers close around mine, steady and sure. The heat of his skin sears against my palm.
God, I should pull away. But I don’t.
Knox doesn’t look at me, doesn’t need to. His grip says everything—you’re mine, and don’t forget it.
And now he’s acting like I’m his prize to claim.
Chad’s still standing there, frozen, his face pale and tight.
Knox doesn’t give him another glance. He just turns, leading me toward the door with that same cool, infuriating confidence.
I follow, anger burning through the mortification twisting in my chest.
Damn him. Knox just seriously humiliated Chad. And I couldn’t be more embarrassed.
The man’s impossible. Arrogant. Completely out of line.
And yet, beneath the heat and the shame, a treacherous part of me can’t help it—I’m impressed and annoyingly grateful. No one has ever defended me the way Knox just did. I may even go as far as admitting I’m awestruck.
But not enough to tame the rage roiling within me.