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Chapter ten

Isabelle

I’ll be honest. When I got the text from Willow inviting me to join her and some of the other players’ partners for dinner and drinks tonight, I almost turned her down. I’m already falling in love with the city and frequently catch myself comparing its beauty to Italy’s.

Adding more friends into the mix will only make leaving that much harder.

Especially since Gianni and Paul have already joined ranks with my mother in campaigning for me to consider moving here.

But as I push open the door to the restaurant where Willow said to meet them, I feel my lips curve up. Okay, maybe I am a little excited to meet the other women.

I spy Willow instantly, seated at a table with two other women, who if I had to guess are about the same age as me.

One has blonde hair like my own, only hers is up in a high ponytail, and is wearing a casual-looking off-the-shoulder sweater.

The other, a redhead, has glasses and looks formal in a buttoned-up blouse, but her smile is warm and easy.

“Isabelle!” Willow stands up, moving around the table to pull me in for a hug that surprises me.

We’ve only met a few times, and I didn't realize we were at the hugging stage already, but I’ll take it.

“I’m so glad you came. This is Sadie, she’s engaged to Maverick King, who plays third base” — she points to the redhead —“and Lark. Her baby-daddy-slash-husband is Dan Montgomery, the catcher. Ladies, this is Coach Stirling’s new stepdaughter, Isabelle. ”

I take a seat between Lark and Sadie and try to mask my grimace. “Just Isabelle is fine. It feels super weird to call myself someone’s stepdaughter.”

“That’s what I said,” Lark exclaims, throwing her hands up. “It is weird. You’re not a kid. He’s not your new dad.”

I shake my head emphatically. “Nope, definitely not.”

“Fine. Moving on. Wine?” Willow lifts the bottle in the middle of the table and I nod. “So, Isabelle. Tell us everything about yourself.”

My brow furrows. “Is this a job interview or dinner?” I quip with a smile to show I’m teasing. They all laugh, but Willow just shrugs unapologetically, clearly still waiting for my answer. “What do you want to know?”

Sadie turns to me. “Don’t mind Willow, she’s nosy. She mentioned you’ve been living in Italy? What’s that like?”

The question makes me smile fondly. “It’s amazing. I never planned on moving there, but it’s easy to fall in love with the country. And my father’s entire family is there, so it’s home in a lot of ways.”

“I’d love to go there someday.” Lark sighs. “When I’m not a milking machine.” She grimaces, then flashes me an apologetic look. “Sorry. TMI. My daughter is only seven months old, so sometimes it feels like all I do is nurse her.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ve got what feels like dozens of cousins. It seems someone is always pregnant or has a newborn.” I give her a reassuring smile. “I’ve been around breastfeeding mamas, pumping mamas, bottle-feeding mamas and papas. It’s all good.”

“Okay, enough about Lark’s boobs. More about Italy.”

I stifle a laugh. Willow reminds me so much of Maria, it makes me miss my cousin fiercely. I can’t help but feel like she’d fit in perfectly with these women.

“I went there for the first time eight years ago. And without getting into all the dirty details, I ended up staying. My father’s family all lives in the same area in the northern part of the country, close to Venice.

My dad’s best friend Vito owns a restaurant and I started working there part time shortly after I decided to move to Italy.

” I smile, thinking of the homey, family-style restaurant that is basically my second home.

“I love to cook, and now I run the kitchen with him.” It’s a condensed version of my situation, but I don’t know these girls well enough to give them the full version.

“Wait, you’re, like, a chef?” Lark leans forward. “That’s so freaking cool.”

There’s one thing I love talking about more than anything, and it’s food.

“Yeah, I’ve always enjoyed cooking. When I first went to Italy, my grandmother and I bonded in the kitchen.

She taught me Italian, and I taught her English, while we cooked together.

I never thought I’d make it my career, but here we are. ”

“Tell me more about Venice,” Sadie interjects, changing the subject. “I’d love to take a canal boat through the city.”

“It’s not quite as magical as you might think.” I chuckle. “Parts of Venice are still lovely, but the touristy bits are crowded and dirty.”

“Sounds like Vancouver at times,” Willow adds. “I love our city, but dang, the shine wears off in February when it’s grey and wet and gross.”

The other women all nod in agreement, and a server shows up with two plates of appetizers they must have ordered before I arrived.

We eat and drink more wine, and the more I get to know the ladies, the more I like them.

When our plates are cleared and we’re each savouring one final glass of wine, Lark turns a mischievous look my way.

“Okay. I have to ask. There’s a rumour going around that you and Kai Yamaki know each other. He must love that you’re a chef now. I swear that guy eats more than anyone else I know. Damn him and his fast metabolism.”

I wish I’d swallowed sooner. Instead, I cough on my mouthful of wine, snatching up my napkin to cover my mouth as I try to recover.

“Are you okay, Isabelle?” Sadie touches my shoulder, concerned.

“I’m fine,” I manage to choke out, then force a watery smile. “Just went down the wrong way. No big deal.”

But Willow and Lark are looking at me as if they can tell it wasn’t just my inability to swallow. I’ve gotta think fast to cover up.

“Kai and I went to college in Florida together.” I toy with the base of my wine glass, trying to choose how much more to share.

In the end, I don’t want word getting back to Tony that my history with Kai is anything more than friendly.

“His mom would always send ketchup chips in a care package. Naturally, I had to befriend him.” My smile comes easily as I remember the time he gave me a bag of chips from his stash, all wrapped up in ribbon.

He said it was a friend-a-versary present.

Except it was some random date, like seven and a half weeks after we first met.

“Maybe I’m a bad Canadian, but I can’t stand ketchup chips.” Lark shudders. “So gross. But that’s sweet you had each other.”

The conversation veers off track as Sadie tries to argue that ketchup is the superior chip flavour. I’m just happy to have the attention no longer on me and Kai’s history.

Except, as we’re all walking out of the restaurant, Willow slows down to walk beside me. “So, what was it like seeing Kai again after all those years?”

Once again, I weigh my answer carefully. I hate lying, but I respect the fact that it could complicate things if the full truth about me and Kai got out.

“It was a surprise, that’s for sure.” There. That’s not a lie.

“He’s a good guy. A little cocky, kinda flashy, but a good guy.”

I turn my head slightly to look at her and find her studying me. Dang, this woman sees everything. “He is. He always was. A good guy, I mean.”

She gives me one final nod but doesn’t say anything more as we rejoin the others and wait for our rides home. Willow and Lark are sharing an Uber, and Sadie’s fiancé is coming to get her.

Sadie leaves first, and then the two Ubers arrive at the same time. With a last round of hugs for Willow and Lark, I climb into the waiting car and settle back for the drive to Mom and Tony’s place.

When I get there and Mom is still awake, I’m not all that surprised. She’d do the same thing when I was a teenager, out with my friends.

“Hey,” I say, kicking off my shoes and putting them in the front closet.

“Hi honey, want some tea?” she asks from the couch. “I just boiled the water.”

“Sure.” I go to the kitchen and make a quick mug of chamomile tea before joining her in the living room.

“Did you have a nice time?”

I blow on the steaming surface of my mug with a small smile on my face. “I did.”

We sip our tea in the quiet for a moment or two before Mom stretches out a foot and nudges me with her toe. “I missed this. You. Me. Just hanging out.”

“Me too,” I reply quietly.

I hear her take in a deep breath and pause. She wants to ask me something, and I’m pretty sure I know what it is. Still, I wait.

“Do you think you’ll ever move back to Canada?”

I keep my gaze trained on my tea. Apparently, tonight’s the night for me to be asked all the tough questions.

“I don’t know. Honestly, I haven’t thought about it in a long time. I’m happy over there. But” — I pause, considering how to say this without giving her too much hope — “being here with you has been wonderful. Vancouver is a great city. A lot better than Edmonton, that’s for sure.”

We both smile at that. The cold northern Alberta city where I was born and where we lived for the first nine years of my life is not somewhere either one of us ever wanted to be long-term.

But staying with my grandparents was necessary until Mom was able to get her life together enough for us to live on our own.

“You’re happy here. With Tony.” I don’t phrase it as a question because there’s no doubt in my mind that she is. And her answering smile is so wide, it only solidifies that fact.

“I am. Happier than I ever thought possible, to be honest. He’s so amazing, and for once, I feel like this is exactly where I’m meant to be.

” She sets her tea down and shifts on the couch, taking my hand in hers.

“The only other time I’ve ever felt something was so right was the day you were born.

They handed you to me, I looked down at your little scrunched-up newborn face, and I knew I was meant to be your mom.

When I met Tony, I felt that again. I knew I was meant to be with him. ”

Her eyes are glistening with unshed tears, and I can feel my own dampening as well. Mom waited forty-four years to find love. She deserves all of this happiness, and so much more.

“You’re a great mom,” I say, sniffling back tears. “But I’m too old to be a big sister, so no surprise babies, okay?”

Mom rears back in horror, making an X with her fingers. “Dear God, no. That’s not happening. Nope, no way.” We both burst into giggles.

After we finish our tea and each go to bed, I lie in the dark, staring at the ceiling.

Mom did what she always claimed she would.

She fought her way through life, figuring out who she wanted to be and made that happen.

Then she fell in love, and instead of that love consuming her, changing her, it only enhanced who she already was.

If Kai and I had never broken up, who would we be? Would he be a star pitcher, playing in Vancouver? Would I be a successful chef with plans to someday own my own restaurant?

Or would we have had to give up those dreams for each other?

There’s no way of ever knowing what might have been. But seeing just how happy Mom is now only makes me more determined to follow in her footsteps. I can’t let myself be swayed by love, tempted to give up on my dreams.

I will be returning to Italy in a few short months. I will work to earn my way into part ownership of the restaurant there. And maybe someday, I’ll find a man to share that life with.

Turning over onto my side, I fluff my pillow, and try to work through some breathing exercises, hoping to fall asleep.

And hoping that tonight, I don’t dream of Kai Yamaki again.