Page 28 of All Mine (The All Mine #1)

Isabella

Back at the flat, the two women sat at either end of the sofa, their toes touching in the middle, cupping a large coffee each and both wearing huge grins at being reunited.

There had been periods in their lives when they’d seen each other every day, when they were young and Gabi moved in to live with Isabella’s parents for a while when her own parents divorced, and most recently when she moved in to get Isabella through the tsunami of her breakup.

But there’d also been times when they didn’t see each other for months on end.

Gabi’s job took her to far-off places and film sets all around the world.

One of the best stuntwomen in the business, she had appeared in a dozen box office hits, not that you’d recognise her.

Standing in for the leading ladies, the stunts Gabi performed were normally at such high speed that you’d miss her on screen if you blinked.

She earned mega money and had to go where the work was.

But it didn’t matter how long they were apart, they were connected. They were family.

‘So, tell me what you think of everyone. . .’ Isabella was keen to know if Gabi liked the new crowd as much as she did.

‘Rosie and Wren are the cutest. Real-life couple goals right there,’ Gabi started first.

‘And Amber seems so determined to do things on her own and be a good role model for Jayden. She’s a lot like you in that way.’ Gabi inclined her head at her cousin. ‘She’ll be great to have at the restaurant.’ She paused, considering.

‘I didn’t get to talk to Walker. But he looked good!’ She grinned. Walker had been called back to work almost as soon as Gabi arrived, so she’d only had a hello and a goodbye.

‘Oh, Walker’s great. He was the one who introduced me to Millie, the girl needing help with Italian?’ Isabella clarified and Gabi nodded, piecing the puzzle together.

‘And the silver Fox is the hot daddy,’ Gabi said. ‘Shame I’m not the mummy type.’

‘Still not feeling the maternal urge?’ Isabella asked.

It had been a topic of conversation for years between the two cousins.

Isabella had always known that she would want to try to have a family one day, although that seemed further away than ever.

Whereas Gabriella had always said she thought she might not have a maternal streak.

‘Nope,’ said Gabi, scrunching up her nose. ‘Plus, I don’t think I could throw myself off a burning building if I were six months pregnant.’

‘There is that,’ Isabella agreed. And then, as casually as she could, ‘What did you think of Etienne?’ She shut her mouth firmly after the question, conscious even to say his name, knowing she’d called it out loud several times in the last week in her bathroom, her bedroom and even on the sofa where they now sat. Damn that photo.

‘The guy opposite you?’ Gabi asked.

‘Hmmm,’ Isabella said, playing for time.

‘Looks dangerous to me,’ Gabi said. ‘Too gorgeous for his own good.’ Isabella slumped, not sure what to say, but then decided on the truth.

‘It was a good job you turned up when you did, otherwise I might have started humping his leg under the table.’

In the space of a minute, Gabi had swapped their coffees for glasses of wine and sat herself back down.

‘Right, tell me everything.’

Half an hour later, it was all out.

‘What do the girls say?’ Gabi asked. ‘They obviously know him.’

‘That’s just it,’ said Isabella, ‘everyone knows him. You could say he has a bit of a reputation.’

‘A player?’

‘Sounds like it. A series of one-nighters. No relationships. There’s even a local phrase– have you been Etienne’d? ’

Gabi eyed her sternly. ‘Do you like him?’

‘No, it’s not even that.’ Isabella rolled her eyes. ‘It’s that my body goes into some kind of sexual frenzy whenever he’s around. I can’t think straight.’

‘So have a fantastic one-night stand and get it out of your system!’ Gabi said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. Isabella felt a stomach tug of lust in response, but something still held her back.

Gabi had never been left so publicly that she couldn’t show her face in the local shops.

Gabi had never had to build herself up again from not wanting to get out of bed in the morning.

And Gabi had never felt the need to prove herself successfully single.

She’d worked her way up the stuntwoman ladder since she left college– all on her own, without any help from anyone.

‘But what about my promise to myself?’ she said.

‘Break it.’

Isabella couldn’t believe it could be that easy. She could go across the road and ride Etienne round every room of his restaurant. And that would be the end of it.

But she knew it didn’t work like that. If she had sex, that was breaking half of the promise. What if it jinxed the other half? What if she couldn’t make the restaurant a success?

No. She’d made herself a promise. Given herself the luxury of time to be single, with no sex, and make a success of things. That was what she’d been telling herself for months.

‘No. I think I should stay away. Stick my year out,’ she said grimly. ‘It’s only a few more weeks. . . and it wouldn’t be worth breaking my promise on something that’s just a bit of fun.’

‘Probably a good plan,’ Gabi said. ‘Especially because you’ve just heard the news about Daniel’s engagement. You don’t want it to be a knee-jerk reaction.’

‘I think it would make my knees weak, not jerk,’ Isabella said. Gabi snorted and topped up their glasses.

Isabella wondered briefly if she should delete the photo on her phone. But then decided sometimes life was all about small pleasures and she saved it to her favourites instead.

Mia Famiglia WhatsApp group

Isabella : Look who came to surprise me! (uploads picture of Gabi raising a glass in cheers)

Mamma : Gabi! Looking beautiful!

Papà : My favourite niece.

Mamma : You’re not supposed to say that!

Papà : Don’t worry, I say it to all my nieces.

Isabella : I love you, Papà. You’re adorable.

Girl Gang WhatsApp group

Amber : Gabi’s so cool!

Wren : Rosie and I were just saying the same!

Isabella : She loved you guys too!

Rosie : Do you think she’d like to Bolthole next time we go?

Isabella : Definitely!