that it would bother her. Wasn't she seeing Thomas, after all? Parker stood from the couch. "I have to leave anyway. My tour bus is waiting on me around the corner and we're leaving as soon as I get back on." He said, somewhat solemnly and walked to the door with Bella following him. "I'm sorry about what you saw tonight, but while I'm gone, maybe you should try to figure out why it upset you so much."
Isabella looked at the floor and nodded. She knew that he was right, and she hated that. Trying to find the reason she was upset would be a great idea, but not something that was easy to do. "Have a good tour, and be careful." She told him, finally looking back up at him. She couldn't dwell on all the thoughts swimming through her head at the time.
"Thanks, I will." He smiled. "Don't work yourself to death while I'm gone. Take a break to enjoy life once in a while, ok?" He smiled at her and watched her nod her head, tears forming in her eyes. He took her face in his hands, rubbing his thumbs softly over her cheeks. "Hey, I'll be back before you know it, and then you'll be wishing that I'd leave again." He told her with a small smile on his face. A tear rolled down her cheek, and he leaned in and kissed it away. For good measure, he kissed her other cheek too. Then before either of them knew what was happening, their lips connected, opening to allow them access of the other's mouth, their tongues passionately dancing together. They were both lost in the kiss, only aware of the sweet sensation coursing through their bodies.
Reality hit them like a tidal wave though, when Parker's cell phone began to ring. Isabella backed away, quickly wiping her mouth, and again running her hands through her hair. Parker answered his phone with frustration, then flipped it shut after a few, brief words.
"I have to go." He told her apologetically.
"I know." Bella nodded.
"I'll see you soon." He told her, touching her cheek again lightly. Before she knew it, he had disappeared out her door, though she could still almost feel the touch of his hand on her face.
She sat down on her couch, feeling her exhaustion engulf her. Not only was she going to have to figure out why it bothered her to see Parker kissing that woman, but she also needed to try to understand how she could hate him one minute, then have completely opposite feelings the next. And the kiss? It was all too much for her to think about. She needed a good night's sleep before she could make heads or tails of any of it.
*****
Over the next few weeks, the restaurant seemed to be busier than ever, keeping Isabella constantly on the go. And on top of more customers, she was also busy training her new staff members and opening the banquet room to the everyday, casual diners. She was finally able to fall back into all of her daily routines, with minimal interruptions.
On occasion, she would go to the theater with Thomas, or attend a charity function with him, but for the most part, her life was back to normal, and for that, she was grateful.
Her relationship with Dylan was getting back on track too. For a while, it seemed as though he was getting annoyed with her, and her lack of presence at the restaurant. But ever since Parker's tour started, their friendship was mending.
The one thing that bothered Isabella about Dylan lately though, was his never ending need to bring gossip papers to work with him. Every trashy magazine he bought had a story about Parker in it. Most had his picture displayed on the front, exposing his latest flavor of the day. A lot of the girls looked the same, and they were always in some sort of compromising position. Dylan always made sure that Bella saw the pictures, and often read the articles to her. Little by little, it was eating away at her. She knew that Dylan and Parker weren't the best of friends, but Dylan didn't need to keep pointing out how wrong Parker was for her.
With every picture and every article, it was more and more evident to Isabella
Isabella looked at the floor and nodded. She knew that he was right, and she hated that. Trying to find the reason she was upset would be a great idea, but not something that was easy to do. "Have a good tour, and be careful." She told him, finally looking back up at him. She couldn't dwell on all the thoughts swimming through her head at the time.
"Thanks, I will." He smiled. "Don't work yourself to death while I'm gone. Take a break to enjoy life once in a while, ok?" He smiled at her and watched her nod her head, tears forming in her eyes. He took her face in his hands, rubbing his thumbs softly over her cheeks. "Hey, I'll be back before you know it, and then you'll be wishing that I'd leave again." He told her with a small smile on his face. A tear rolled down her cheek, and he leaned in and kissed it away. For good measure, he kissed her other cheek too. Then before either of them knew what was happening, their lips connected, opening to allow them access of the other's mouth, their tongues passionately dancing together. They were both lost in the kiss, only aware of the sweet sensation coursing through their bodies.
Reality hit them like a tidal wave though, when Parker's cell phone began to ring. Isabella backed away, quickly wiping her mouth, and again running her hands through her hair. Parker answered his phone with frustration, then flipped it shut after a few, brief words.
"I have to go." He told her apologetically.
"I know." Bella nodded.
"I'll see you soon." He told her, touching her cheek again lightly. Before she knew it, he had disappeared out her door, though she could still almost feel the touch of his hand on her face.
She sat down on her couch, feeling her exhaustion engulf her. Not only was she going to have to figure out why it bothered her to see Parker kissing that woman, but she also needed to try to understand how she could hate him one minute, then have completely opposite feelings the next. And the kiss? It was all too much for her to think about. She needed a good night's sleep before she could make heads or tails of any of it.
*****
Over the next few weeks, the restaurant seemed to be busier than ever, keeping Isabella constantly on the go. And on top of more customers, she was also busy training her new staff members and opening the banquet room to the everyday, casual diners. She was finally able to fall back into all of her daily routines, with minimal interruptions.
On occasion, she would go to the theater with Thomas, or attend a charity function with him, but for the most part, her life was back to normal, and for that, she was grateful.
Her relationship with Dylan was getting back on track too. For a while, it seemed as though he was getting annoyed with her, and her lack of presence at the restaurant. But ever since Parker's tour started, their friendship was mending.
The one thing that bothered Isabella about Dylan lately though, was his never ending need to bring gossip papers to work with him. Every trashy magazine he bought had a story about Parker in it. Most had his picture displayed on the front, exposing his latest flavor of the day. A lot of the girls looked the same, and they were always in some sort of compromising position. Dylan always made sure that Bella saw the pictures, and often read the articles to her. Little by little, it was eating away at her. She knew that Dylan and Parker weren't the best of friends, but Dylan didn't need to keep pointing out how wrong Parker was for her.
With every picture and every article, it was more and more evident to Isabella
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