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“Wow, Harp. I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“I have my moments.” She pointed at her before lifting her tea. “Now don’t waste the moment. Take my words to heart.”
“I will, but as for Nolan and I… it’s too late. I got my second chance, and I blew it. I doubt he’ll ever forgive me. I know I wouldn’t.”
The door opened, and Milo came into the diner. He spotted them immediately and plopped in the spot next to Harper. “What’d I miss?”
Harper kissed his cheek. “Nolan and Isla drama.”
“The good stuff.” Milo picked up a piece of Harper’s bacon and took a bite. “Have you talked to him at all?”
Isla shook her head. “Not since I accused him of being in love with someone else.”
“Yeah, not your greatest moment.” He tapped the table with his fingertips. “But you should know, Nolan was offered his old job back with a lot more perks this time.”
Everything inside Isla deflated, and a pit landed hard in her stomach. “Is he taking it?” she asked, scared to know the answer.
“He asked for time to think about it. Honestly, he’d be nuts not to. It’s everything he’s ever wanted and then some.”
“Oh.” Isla tried not to let the utter disappointment seep into the one word, but her tone was unmistakable.
Even if she apologized to Nolan, why would he stay?
Harper elbowed Milo in the gut. “Milo!”
“What? It is. I’m just being honest.”
Harper shook her head and took a sip of her tea. “Unbelievable.”
“You should talk to him,” Milo said.
“I’m probably the last person he wants to talk to.” She’d once again betrayed his trust. How many chances was he supposed to give her?
“You won’t know unless you try, and I really think you should try.”
“Maybe.”
The conversation steered toward Harper’s studio, and Isla was happy to have the attention off of her. She listened to her friends and added to the conversation every now and again, but her mind was once again stuck on Nolan and the absolute mess she’d made.
Chapter 28
Isla sat outside on the porch, staring at Nolan’s house. She wanted to talk to him, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to go over there. She felt like such an idiot for jumping to conclusions again. When he had first moved back, she wanted to convince him that she’d changed. That she wasn’t the girl he’d left behind, but instead she wound up proving that she was exactly the same girl.
Despite being able to finally go through Grandma’s things, fix a pipe and paint a wall, she hadn’t changed at all. She wanted to, though. She wanted to put her complete trust in Nolan because she did trust him. She trusted him more than she trusted anyone.
Her insecurities were her own, and she accepted that, but with a guy like Nolan it was hard to believe that he could love someone like her, even though he proved to her time and time again that he did. She could be crazy, and her brain could be over imaginative, but he had loved her despite it all.
And if by some miracle, he still loved her—God, she hoped he did—she wouldn’t for a second think any differently. She would cherish his love, trust him completely, and be grateful for her chance at happiness.
She heard Nolan’s front door open, and her attention swung to it. Nolan stepped out, donning a pair of navy shirts and a white t-shirt that made him look too damn good., and he was holding a duffel bag…
No, no. He can’t be leaving. Not yet. Not before she had a chance to talk to him.
She swore she heard Grandma yellgo to him! But she was scared. What if he rejected her? What if he was done with her nonsense? She hadn’t exactly made it easy to love her.
With his cellphone pressed against his ear, he made his way to his car. She shifted to listen.
“All right, I’ll see you on Monday, George.”
