Rocky Mountain Hero (To Love Again Book 3) (8 page)

He leaned forward in his chair, eyes searching hers. “Don’t you see, Isabel, that it was you that inspired my confidence? Your easy acceptance of me, who I was, the way I did things. I realized that who I was, just the way I was, was enough.”

“It’s more than enough, Tray.”

“Then let me into your life. Imagine having this, what we had on the weekend, imagine having that in your life everyday-”

“Having bears and caves in my life everyday?” She laughed, feeling the tension ease between them.

“I’m falling for you, Isabel. I think you might feel the same.”

“No… no. It’s not real. What we have is just… good sex. And a lot of dressed up notions of romance and fantasy so we’ll feel better about the sex.”

“Speak for yourself. That may be a woman’s way to survive, but it’s not mine. I-am-falling-for-you.” Tray accented each word, slowly piling them up into an unfortunate accident that Isabel wanted to pull her eyes away from.

She rose and grabbed her handbag. “Not going to happen. It was nice meeting you, we had fun, but let’s leave it there.”

She strode out of the restaurant, vaguely aware of Tray throwing money on the table behind her. As she hit the street, she realized a taxi might be hard to come by but she didn’t want to go back inside to use the phone. She dug through her handbag, fished out her cell and started punching in the numbers.

Tray grabbed her arm and stepped in front of her. “You don’t need a taxi, Isabel. Let me drive you home.”

“It’s fine. I can get home on my own.”

“Of course you can, but I’ll be happy to drive you.”

“I can get there myself,” she cried, pulling her arm free and waving frantically at the taxi in the outside lane.

“Don’t leave like this, Isabel. Please…”

“It’s fine, Tray. Just leave it.” She stepped into the taxi, as he held the door open for her.

She gave the driver the address and Tray leaned down close to her face before closing the door. As the driver pulled away from the curb, his last words were still ringing in her ears.

“You may be a great sex therapist, Dr. Chapel – but you know squat about life.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

You know squat about life.
The words continued to ring in Tray’s head as he tossed and turned through the night. What the hell had he been thinking?

He’d been angry and hurt, but could kick himself for being so blunt with Isabel. It was true though, that for such a smart woman, she did seem remarkably obtuse about life.

It hadn’t been his intention to deceive her about his age, but sometimes lying could be the absence of truth. She hadn’t asked, and he’d let her believe what she wanted to believe. More than that, he knew, he had played into what she wanted to believe.

He kicked back the covers and paced his tiny studio apartment. Four-thirty. He knew sleep would not come this night, he might as well get up and try to do something productive. Anything to take his mind off their disastrous parting.

He’d promised not to get emotionally involved, and then, in the heat of the moment, over dinner, he couldn’t keep it to himself any longer.

He wasn’t sorry. It had been time to speak his truth.

Just his luck to be falling for a woman who was determined not to get involved. He could name ten women who would be happy to fall into relationship with him at the drop of a hat. But where was the fun in that?

Isabel was exactly the kind of woman he needed in his life. He couldn’t lose her now. Smart, funny, sexy. He felt a stir in his groin as he remembered their last love-making session.

Taking charge had taken him out of his comfort zone but there’d been no other way. Isabel had to see him as other than an inexperienced school boy. Her moans of ecstasy echoed in his head and pulled at the desire growing in him. He knew, in the deepest fiber of his being, that he’d succeeded. Now she would see him as a man, a lover, an equal worthy of her respect.

Except she didn’t. She’d reacted in a way that he hadn’t anticipated at all. He prided himself on being a good chess player and always being a move or two ahead, but in this case he hadn’t seen her reaction coming at all.

Maybe he’d never understand women. He shook his head sharply. No, he understood Isabel. And he knew what the problem was. She was scared.

Good old fashioned fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of taking a chance. Fear of falling in love again. He’d like to get his hands on her ex-husband Chet. Chet the cheat. He’d obviously wounded her more than she was willing to let on. Why else would a woman like Isabel insulate herself for the last three years?

Her career was important, and she’d needed time to raise her kids, but it didn’t add up. She was a warm, loving, responsive woman – not the type of woman that should choose to live her life alone.

He dug through his briefcase and fished out a couple of text books. With exams in the next few days, he might as well start studying now. He flipped through the pages, seeing nothing, the highlighter left unused on the table.

All his courses in psychology. He should have known better. Isabel had been like a deer in the headlights when he’d tried to reveal his feelings for her. He’d seen the signs and charged ahead anyway. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Now, he may have lost all chance with her.

She seemed like a woman who, once her mind was made up, wouldn’t change it easily. In one painful, quick moment she’d cut him out of her life.

Not that he had ever been in her life, but they had come through a lot in just a few days. He felt closer to her than any woman he’d ever met, and he knew – he just knew – that she felt the same.

A part of him even understood her reluctance. He’d also been overwhelmed by the intensity of his feelings, but the chance to be with her made it worth risking it all. He’d been ready to leap off the cliff, leap into the unknown. Leap into what he wanted his reality to look like. He should have taken more time trying to figure out where Isabel had been on the cliff. She, apparently, was not even near the edge.

She’d been so accepting of him, now he would have to return that gift. If she needed time, he would give her time. If she never came back, he would have to respect her decision and learn to live with that, too.

Pushing his books to the side, he stood abruptly and grabbed his running jacket from the back of the door. Dawn was just breaking over the horizon as he stepped into the street and broke into a run. Like a man chased by demons, he sprinted away from his home.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Dr. Cormier on line two, Dr. Chapel.” Heidi’s voice echoed across the intercom. Isabel stared at the phone, she hadn’t heard from Ned since one of his referrals had walked out of her office after only one session. Just yesterday she’d met with another couple he had referred to her. She picked up the phone slowly, certain they were to be his last referrals.

She quickly replayed the session in her mind. They’d come in with the usual kit of problems, but by the end of the session they were feeling positive. She’d given them a series of exercises to try and felt she’d built a rapport with them.

Since that long weekend with Tray almost a month ago, she’d felt on top of her game. Confident, in touch with her clients. The old Isabel. Surely she hadn’t totally misread the Carnes.

“Ned, what a surprise,” she said, with a cheer she didn’t feel, into the phone.

“Isabel, what are you doing over there?”

“Wh-wh-what?”

“The Carnes called me this morning, they couldn’t get over their session with you.”

“Oh, Ned, I’m so sorry, I-”

“Sorry? They praised you up and down and couldn’t thank me enough for the referral. Have you created some new rocket science over there?”

Her laugh rang through the telephone line, a wave of relief sweeping through her. “It’s just my usual charming approach.”

“I don’t mind telling you Isabel, I was a little worried after I referred the Smiths to you. They actually called me afterward asking for another referral.”

“I don’t know what to say Ned.”

“Yes you do. Things don’t always work. Clients don’t always click with their therapist. You’re one of the best.”

“I appreciate that, Ned. Let me buy you lunch soon.”

“Sounds great. Have Heidi call my assistant.”

Isabel rang off and almost lifted out of her chair with glee. It had worked. Was working. Once again, she had the midas touch with her clients. The right word, the ability to see to the heart of the problem. She, Dr. Isabel Chapel, was back in the saddle.

She rose and took a few light leaps across her office, to the wall of windows overlooking the river and Prince’s Island Park. Most of the leaves were already off the trees, but the temperature was more like late summer than late fall.

Her eyes fell on the Island Café. Crossing the office, she opened the door. “Heidi, how much time do I have between appointments at noon?”

Heidi consulted the appointment book and looked up. “An hour and a half, Dr. Chapel.”

“Excellent. Make me a reservation for two at the Island Café and get Jenny on the phone for me, please.”

“Right away Dr. Chapel.” Heidi was already punching numbers on the telephone as she shut the door and surveyed her domain. It was a small kingdom, but she was queen. And she was happy.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Jenny was decked out in an emerald green dress that highlighted her eyes. She was sipping a marguerita and smiled when she spotted Isabel crossing the room toward her.

The two women hugged briefly and then sat. “What’s the occasion?” Jenny asked. “You were a little mysterious on the phone.”

“I just felt like celebrating! It’s a gorgeous day, life is good, I have a best friend to lunch with. Who needs more than that?”

Jenny laughed and raised her glass in a toast. “I couldn’t agree more.”

The waiter arrived, took Isabel’s drink order and recited the luncheon specials. Aware of the time, Isabel chose quickly and ushered the waiter away.

“I take it work is going better?” Jenny asked.

“Not better, Jenny. Great. Work is going great. This morning Dr. Cormier called me – he received a glowing report from a couple he recently referred to me.”

“So you’re back.”

“I so am.” Isabel’s smile took over her face. She leaned back and started to laugh.

“That must be a relief,” Jenny said, mirroring her friend’s smile. She’d seen Isabel through a lot and Isabel knew she wanted her to be happy.

“I’m relieved. And exhilarated. I haven’t felt this connected to my work, to my patients for a long time. It’s like I’m waking up.”

“From a long sleep?”

“Yes, from a long sleep.”

“Maybe a three year sleep?” Jenny asked, raising her eyebrows in query.

“This is work, Jenny, it doesn’t have anything to do with Chet.” Isabel ran her finger along the salted edge of her Margarita, then popped her finger in her mouth.

“Have it your way. Let’s celebrate.”

Lunch arrived and they tucked into their salads. Isabel was grateful that Jenny had let it drop. It was a beautiful day and she wanted to focus on what was positive and working in her life. It was a day to leave the past where it belongs – in the past.

“I heard from my publisher,” Isabel said, anxious for Jenny’s response.

“Your publisher? I thought your next book was on hold?”

“It was. But that was my fault. I lost interest in it about six months ago.”

“And now?”

“She says they have a market for it, that the bookstores have been getting requests for my next book.”

“That’s wonderful, Isabel. So what’s stopping you?”

“Nothing now. I’m going to get going on it right away. I figure I’ll finish the draft and be able to polish it over Christmas. The outline, and maybe half the manuscript, is already done - it’s just sitting on my desk, collecting dust.”

“Waiting for your attention.”

“Correct. Now it can have my undivided attention.” Isabel smiled and raised her glass in Jenny’s direction. “And I owe it all to you.”

Her friend toasted her, but she had that tell tale crease forming over the bridge of her nose.

“If you hadn’t convinced me to go to the club that night, none of this would have happened,” she rushed on, explaining.

“True…” Jenny said quietly. Apparently, she wasn’t going to let her off the hook again so easily. “I had a part to play, but what about your young student?”

“Tray?”

“Oh, Tray? Come on Issy. Don’t ‘oh, Tray’ me. He had a big part to play in all of this. You told me so yourself. You’ve blossomed since you spent that weekend together in the mountains.”

Isabel fidgeted in her seat, twisting the napkin in her lap. “Yes, it’s true he helped, he did play a part in this.”

“Isabel!” Jenny let a loud laugh roll across the table between them. “Come on. I saw the difference in you after your first night together.”

“Okay, it was good for me. I won’t deny that. But he was a means to an end, he wanted a teacher and I needed some fresh experiences-”