Chapter Colin Adams
COLIN ADAMS
In my room, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Hanna had said a few moments earlier.
Yeah, I heard her when she said she wished I were her dad, and I wasn’t sure lying to Isabelle—pretending I hadn’t heard anything—was the right thing to do.
I’m not the kind of man who tries to fix most of his supposed mistakes, but that didn’t change the fact that our last conversation had left me uneasy. Isabelle deserved to know more about me, especially now that I’d become so close to her and her family.
So I went with my gut and went looking for her.
She was still in the kitchen, and when she saw me, she turned away, giving me her back.
Her face was slightly puffy—something I noticed in the split second she turned around. She was clearly upset, and when I rested a hand on her back, she didn’t react at all.
“What’s going on?”
Isabelle stayed silent for a few seconds, still facing away. When she finally turned around, there was something different about her face. A deep bitterness darkened her eyes—and I knew that was on me.
“Don’t give Hanna false hope.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I don’t want her getting even more spoiled than she already is. And that’s your fault.”
I frowned, confused.
I really enjoyed spending time with Hanna, and I wasn’t doing it to get closer to Isabelle. Both of them had a place in my heart—and neither needed to compete for it.
“Why are you so afraid of Hanna getting attached to me?” I asked, stepping closer. That’s when her anger finally broke through.
“Because she’s never had a father! Damn it! She doesn’t even know what that is—and there’s nothing between us. Nothing!”
“Isabelle…”
“What happens when this thing between us ends? Do you really think I’ll enjoy watching her see you as a father when you and I are… nothing? What the hell is wrong with you, Colin?”
“I can’t get you out of my head. I want you. I need you.” My words came out raw, stripped of any defense.
“Then if that’s true,” she said, her voice trembling but firm, “you’re gonna have to be honest with me. About everything. Even your past.”
My past isn’t something I talk about—with anyone.
The problem was, I didn’t want to let Isabelle go.
I honestly didn’t know what to do, because if I told her the truth, I’d have to tell her everything—and I was sure she wouldn’t be able to accept the man I became after that accident.