Chapter 15
Isla
A s wonderful as dinner with Vera was, Isla was more than excited to get back to her house to finish the evening. Isla kept her eyes on the road as she gripped the steering wheel and tried not to focus on Vera’s fingertips running along the inside of her thigh. Which was easier said than done.
“Are you trying to drive me crazy?”
“Maybe,” Vera laughed. “Is it working?”
“Um, yeah. Obviously.” Squirming in her seat, Isla playfully swatted Vera’s hand off her leg. “We’re almost there.”
“You’re telling me.”
“I don’t want to wreck before we get there.”
“Fine.” Vera dramatically put her hands in her lap as she faced forward “I’ll be a good little girl.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And I need to kiss you.”
Isla tightened the grip on the steering wheel yet again. By the time Isla parked in the driveway, she was more than ready to have her lips all over Vera’s body. She followed Vera up to the front door and waited impatiently for her to fumble with the key.
Once they were inside, Vera dropped her bag by the front door and Isla did the same. It didn’t take long for their lips to meet again. But it was different this time; more intense and passionate. Isla ran her hands through Vera’s hair as she backed her up against the staircase banister. She moved her lips from Vera's mouth to her neck to her ear.
“I've never done this before,” she whispered in her ear.
“Kiss a woman?” Vera asked with rapid breath.
“Kiss a woman I’m falling in love with.”
Vera pulled back slightly, putting her hands on either side of Isla’s face. “Please tell me Mason is spending the night at Maggie's.”
“She is, but not because I was expecting this to happen.”
“You left me no choice when you showed up here in that black dress.” Vera closed the space between them once more and kissed her. “My bedroom is upstairs.”
The next few hours were nothing but sheer bliss for Isla. No one had ever loved her body like Vera did. Vera wanted to know and touch every single inch of her, and Isla was more than willing to let her. Even though it was her first time having sex with a woman, Isla didn’t feel intimidated or nervous. Vera made her feel loved and Isla hoped the feeling was mutual.
As she lay in bed cuddled up beside Vera, Isla again realized how safe she felt with her. Vera had a quiet strength about her that drew Isla to her like a moth to a flame. She wanted to stay in Vera’s arms forever, soaking in the safe feeling she hadn’t ever felt before.
“Thank you.”
Vera chuckled as she nuzzled her nose against Isla's neck. “I should be thanking you. Are you sure that was your first time with a woman?”
“Why?” Isla felt her heart rate quicken. “Was it bad? Did I do something wrong?”
“Baby, no.” Propping herself up on her elbow, Vera gently tucked Isla’s hair behind her ear as she smiled down at her. “You were amazing. That was amazing.”
“Yeah?”
“Totally. No one has ever, nor will ever, compare to what just happened here.”
“Well,” she felt a smile play on her lips, “what can I say? I did learn something from my marriage.”
“What’s that?”
“How to please a woman.” They both laughed as Vera let herself fall back onto the pillow. “I always wanted an orgasm like that but I never knew how to ask for it. It didn’t seem like my place with…” she hesitated, “him.”
“You can always tell me what you want. Always.”
“Back at you.”
“You know what I want right now?”
“Hmm?”
“Sleep.”
“I heard that,” Isla yawned.
Pulling the sheet over their naked bodies, Isla happily settled into Vera’s embrace. A quick kiss goodnight was all there was time for before they were both fast asleep. Isla could have stayed there all day if her bladder hadn’t protested before the sun rose.
Isla carefully climbed out of bed as she made her way to the bathroom. After having two kids, she rarely went a whole night without having to get up. Not that Isla cared; she’d do anything for her kids. But as she caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror, she paused to take in the sight.
Although she hadn’t let herself go, necessarily, she hadn’t been keeping up with exercising or healthy eating like she had before everything went to shit in her life. Even with Mason’s birth four years prior, she still had yet to lose some of the baby weight. Her ex had commented on it more than once when they were together, but Vera never said a word. Instead, she’d placed kisses along her stomach and her thighs that weren’t the same as they were prior to having kids.
Turning off the bathroom light, Isla made her way back to the bed. She could tell by Vera’s methodical breathing she was still asleep, so she carefully got back into bed beside her. But despite her carefulness, Vera stirred awake and rolled over to face her.
“Hey.”
“Hey, sorry,” Isla grimaced. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s okay.” Vera leaned in and kissed her lips. “I’d rather look at you than the inside of my eyelids anyway.”
“Damn, Forsyth,” she chuckled, “you have a lot of game for so early in the morning.”
“Well, when you wake up to a beautiful woman at your side, how could you not?”
“I hear that,” she said with a yawn, which made them both laugh.
Isla had no idea how much longer she slept, but when she woke up again, she was alone in bed. She buried her face in Vera’s pillow to take in the smell of her once more before climbing out of bed. There was a robe sitting on the nearby chair, and Isla put it on. As she tied it closed, she made her way down the stairs in search of Vera.
Thankfully, the smell of bacon told her exactly where to find her. Leaning up against the archway to the kitchen, Isla took in the sight of Vera. She was wearing a matching blue plaid pajama set with snowmen on them and was dancing and singing along to Faith Hill playing quietly on the radio. When she used her spatula as a microphone, Isla laughed, which caught Vera’s attention.
“No, don’t stop.” Isla walked toward her. “I love this side of you.”
“My dorky side?”
“The morning after sex side.” Wrapping her arms around Vera’s waist, Isla kissed her. “Although the dorky side is super cute, too.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
Breakfast with Vera felt as natural as making love with her. Isla had always heard that when someone found their soulmate, things would click. She had written that off as untrue when she met Ben. Yes, she loved him and, yes, she was thankful for the time she spent with him because it gave her Mason and Blake. But being with Vera was so different.
Ben never made her breakfast. He never made her feel beautiful by loving her body. And he sure as hell never would have danced around the kitchen to Celine Dion and laughing.
If Isla had any doubts about her feelings for Vera, there was no denying it now. She was in love with Vera Forsyth. And she wanted to spend every morning and every night with her. But could she tell her that? Was it too soon?
Isla had no idea. All she knew was that she had to tell Vera those three words before she exploded. As they danced around the kitchen to whatever song came on the soft rock station, Isla waited for the right moment. When she heard the intro notes to a Richard Marx hit, she knew it was time.
Pulling Vera into her embrace, Isla kissed her. Her cheeks were slightly red from all the singing and dancing, and Isla assumed hers were as well.
“I love you.”
Vera's smile widened as Isla continued.
“This last year hasn’t been easy, but ever since you came into my life, there’s been sunshine again. Even with all the darkness around me, you came into my life and Mason’s life and made us happy. I never,” her voice hitched with emotion, “thought I’d find happiness again. But you’ve shown me it’s possible.”
“I love you, too.” Vera leaned in and kissed her quickly. “I know it may seem crazy, but I feel like I was meant to find you right now.”
“I feel that way, too.”
“You’re my soulmate, Isla Mackenzie.”
“And you’re mine, Vera Forsyth.”
As much as Isla would have loved to stay with Vera the rest of the day, Isla had promised Maggie she’d pick up Mason by ten. But Vera seemed to not want the date to end either, and invited Isla and Mason back over for dinner later. Isla gladly accepted the offer as she kissed Vera goodbye.
“I’ll see you tonight.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Bring a change of clothes for you and Mason.” Vera winked. “That way you don’t have to leave.”
Waving goodbye, Isla got into the car and headed for Maggie’s house. She could have floated across town to the oceanside house. Aside from her girls, no one had ever made Isla as happy as Vera did. As Isla parked the car in Maggie’s driveway, she was greeted by a waving Mason looking outside the front window.
The front door quickly opened as Mason ran out without her jacket on to meet Isla. Isla picked her up and swung her around before kissing her cheek.
“Hey, baby girl. I missed you.”
“I missed you too, Mommy.”
“Did you have a fun sleepover with Maddie and Emily?”
“Yep! We finger painted! I’ll show you!” Jumping out of Isla’s arm, Mason ran inside with Isla following behind her. Maggie met her at the door, holding Mason’s jacket, and shrugged.
“I tried to get her to put it on but she was gone before I could catch her.”
“Welcome to my life,” Isla chuckled. “Literally. When she was born, the midwife didn’t even have time to catch her. Hell, I barely did,” she laughed along with Maggie.
“I’ve been there. That’s how my last one was. I think I sneezed and he was born.” Maggie’s eyes softened as she crossed her arms over her chest. “So, how was your date?”
“It was,” Isla searched for the right word, “wonderful.”
“That’s good. I’m glad.” Although Isla didn’t know Maggie very well yet, she could tell she wasn’t saying something. Isla was about to ask what was on her mind when Maggie said, “You look happy.”
“I am. Really happy.”
“Women of the Cove will do that to you,” Maggie said with a wink as Mason came back into the room carrying her hand-painted drawing.
“Mommy! Look!” She handed the paper up to Isla, who studied the brightly colored image. There were three people in the picture, one smaller than the other two. “It's me, you, and Vera at the park. Do you like it, Mommy?”
Isla swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. Kneeling down to Mason’s level, she wrapped an arm around her shoulder and hugged her tightly. “I love it, Mason. As soon as we get home, it’s going on the fridge. Now, go on and get your bag so we can go home, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy!”
As Mason scampered off, Isla stood and continued to stare at the picture in her hand.
“You three make a pretty family,” Maggie teased in the way only a mother could, even if Isla wasn’t her kid.
“I can’t say I disagree,” she laughed nervously. She ran her fingers over the image as she imagined showing it to Vera. Vera would love it, Isla had no doubt.
When Mason came back with her bag, Isla helped her into her coat as they headed out to the car. Maggie followed behind them, putting Mason’s bag in the backseat as Isla strapped in Mason. Isla closed the back door and smiled at Maggie.
“Thanks again for watching her.”
“Anytime. She’s a delight, and the girls love her.”
“That’s good to know.”
“And Isla?”
“Yeah?”
“Happiness looks good on you.”