Isabella By the time I finished it was past the time Gustaf had told me Danny should go to sleep and I felt exhausted.Getting ready for another battle, I went to the living room where the boy was jumping on the couch." AUNTIE, NO! " What? " I was startled by his sudden reaction." Come quick, you'll get burned! " he waved for me to get on the sofa.My first instinct was to follow his instruction, climbing on the couch." What are you talking about, Danny? " The lava is very hot, it will burn you " He jumped on the other sofa." Lava? " 'Yes, the floor is covered in lava, don't you see? Lava. My mind took a few seconds to process what was happening." "Danny, it's past your bedtime, you can play tomorrow," I pondered." Now! " he laughed, running away from me.How do you get a hyperactive child to sleep? They shouldn't have left me alone with him, I don't know what to do!" A deal, if I catch you, you go to bed without complaining " I decided to try." No stepping on the floor!
Gustaf The small smile that appeared on Isabella's face was enough to light up the room. Since the first time the Monaghan's had shown me a picture of her, I had considered her a beautiful woman, but I hadn't expected her to be even more beautiful in person, as well as funny and interesting.I took an interest in her as soon as I saw her in the arrivals area, and to my surprise, she seemed to reciprocate. The tension that surrounded us whenever we were alone was almost palpable, and yesterday, before Danny arrived, I was about to silence the voice in my conscience that screamed that getting involved with her would be a bad idea.Zachary and Gwen always talked about how much they considered the young chef as a real sister, despite having no blood ties, and after what happened with Katherine almost two years ago, I learned my lesson. I couldn't put our friendship at risk one more time.But I confess that conviction was fading every time I looked at her." So, what was the problem? " Iz
GustafIzzy took longer than I expected to finish getting ready, Danny had already gone to meet Stefan when she returned, prepared to face the negative weather outside.She remained silent as we walked to the car, she continued that way for a few minutes as I drove to the Pine Tree farm outside Fairbanks, until I decided to break the silence." Are you okay? She lowered her head with a weak smile on her face." 'Will you believe me if I say yes?" 'No, but I'll understand that you don't want to talk about it,' I shrugged, giving her a brief glance.After a long sigh, Isabella looked out of the window again, staring at the darkness outside. For a moment I thought how strange it must be for her to leave sunny Miami and end up in a place where it's only four hours of light during the winter. Sometimes not even that." What was I supposed to answer him? Are your grandparents so bad that your parents would rather pretend they don't exist? That's definitely not what I took a vacation for!
Gustaf It wasn't long before we were in the car once again, driving back to the inn, with the tree already in our possession. " 'I didn't expect that guy to know me,' Izzy commented after a few seconds in silence. " 'Almost everyone here knows you. Your friends talk about you a lot," I explained. " 'None of this here is what I expected,' she admitted with a sigh. We spent a few minutes in silence, until I decided to take the opportunity to quell my curiosity about my friends' lives once and for all. " 'You said your story was a fairy tale next to Monaghan's story? For a moment I thought she wasn't going to answer me, but Izzy started narrating next. " After a few weeks after we met, Zachary started coming to my house, we always did our chores together and I also met Katherine. Like you, I thought his parents had died, so I didn't touch the subject. I held back the urge to interrupt her to fill her with questions, waiting for her to finish the story. " One day when he was at m
GustafWe spent the next few hours setting up all the scenery outside, arranging the sleigh and reindeer on one side of the inn, decorating the windows and the front porch, all while chatting about our routine in the kitchen." Then this girl made me leave the kitchen only to complain that her dish tasted unbearably of fish.Izzy was finishing decorating the balcony fence while I looked at all the snow that had accumulated on the lower part of the roof. I'd have to take care of that." And what was wrong with her plate? " I asked, tilting my head and narrowing my eyes to see better through the sunlight reflected off some frozen spots." The problem was that she hated fish and had ordered a salmon dish. " Are you serious? " I stared back at her in surprise." That's better. She asked me to take the fishy taste out of the salmon " Izzy rolled her eyes, making me laugh." I'm going to get a ladder, I need to get that snow off before it falls and hits a guest " I said, heading for the st
IsabellaI was lying on the sofa, sipping a glass of wine, ignoring a movie playing on TV. Danny had been asleep for a few minutes and I had decided to save the night, even though I knew it was hopeless.I couldn't understand how I had ended up there alone after all the signals Gustaf had given me. Had I got it all wrong? His extreme reaction to my invitation clearly showed that I had.What's wrong with me? Doesn't he think I'm pretty? Or did I scare him off with all the talk about my bankrupt family? Or maybe he's one of those guys who believes that a woman should wait for the man's first move." What a nice vacation I've been on," I muttered, going back to drinking.And in the end, I'm watching one of those cheesy Christmas movies. It's not enough what I'm going through with this damn decoration. But deep down, I felt sad and lonely with my self"esteem wounded. I'd expected to spend a great time with my friends, and suddenly I'm stuck here alone with a boy of four and the only pers
IsabellaTo my surprise, despite waking up early, I felt rested. Danny insisted on eating just one bowl of cereal before going to school. I could have insisted on preparing something for him, but at that moment I could only focus on one thing. Gustaf's absence.I hadn't seen him since the fateful invitation, he hadn't shown up for breakfast as usual, and I was beginning to fear that he had run away for good. "Great, I managed to scare off the only one who was helping me "I muttered, opening the fridge.I looked at some English muffins left over from last night's dinner, deciding what to make next. I started taking the ingredients out of the fridge before putting my hair up in a bun, bending down to get a pan from the cupboard."I think I've lost my position as private chef "Gustaf's voice surprised me, sending shivers through my body.I stood up quickly, turning towards the newly closed door, where he was still standing.Embarrassment overtook me as I stared at him, remembering
GustafI watched Izzy eat her cereal, looking relaxed. In my mind I was still going over everything that had happened. I'd spent the night fighting the urge to go to her and accept her invitation, and only showed up after deciding what to say to her and making sure I'd controlled myself.And at that moment I could say that I felt lighter after clarifying everything with her. Izzy handled my situation better than I expected, and I confess that I was even more excited about spending the next three weeks by her side.Isabella surprised me in every way, and something told me that by the end of those weeks she wouldn't stop surprising me."Do I have cereal in my nose? "She frowned, bringing her hand up to her face."What? "The question snapped me out of my contemplation."When people stare at me like that in the kitchen, I either have sauce on my forehead or I'm on fire, neither of which is possible at the moment," she explained, rubbing the tip of her nose.That statement made me laugh, a
IsabelleThe ringing of the doorbell caught my attention, I rushed over, reading the order before putting it in the queue, and unlike any other time in my life, I didn't mark the order. "Anything for me, Zazie? "Gustaf asked from the other side of the kitchen we'd set up together a few months ago."No, it seems that everyone has opted for quail today "I replied, returning to the edge of the stove, concentrating on finishing the dishes I was preparing.We were in the middle of August, it had been a little over two months since Gustaf and I had managed to open our bistro together and we hadn't imagined such a movement in such a short space of time."I'm finishing my orders and I'll help you," he said, finishing a plate of salmon.Putting our financial resources together, it wasn't difficult to set up the restaurant, the physical part at least. Because when it came to the menu, we argued a lot until we managed to perfectly blend all my love of classic cuisine with the local cuisine and
IsabelleI leaned my head against the seat of the cab, breathing a sigh of relief that I was finally in Fairbanks. I couldn't believe the mess that had taken over my life in the last few days, as soon as I left the restaurant I felt lost, I didn't know what to do or what to do next, the only person I could count on in that city was my sous chef, and in a way he was involved in everything. I was alone.That's when I saw the ticket Gustaf had given me, and it wasn't hard to make that decision, especially when I started receiving countless messages telling me that someone had filmed the whole mess and the video had gone viral. I needed my family, it was the only place I knew I'd find support and I also wanted to keep a close eye on Gwen's new pregnancy.At least that was the lie I told myself when I convinced myself that this was the best way to go, but it was still Gustaf's address that I gave to the taxi driver. I loved my friends, and I would certainly talk to them next, but at tha
Gustaf"Speaking of her, have you seen the video? "I recovered quickly, ignoring my mother's questioning look at me."I think everyone saw the video," Gwen sighed.My family exchanged confused glances until my uncle decided to speak up."What are you talking about?"You remember Izzy, right, Dad? "Stefan turned to his father."Ahh the girl who stole your cousin's heart? "Brianna said in a suggestive tone, making me a little uncomfortable in front of my family's gaze.Not that I wanted to hide Izzy from them or anything, I just preferred to say that I was with someone when I had our relationship sorted out, and I hadn't heard from her for days."Do you have a girlfriend? "Greta looked at me."Not exactly," I forced a smile."Anyway, she went viral in a video yesterday "Gwen tried to change the subject."What kind of video? "Blenda wanted to know.But before I could answer, Danny, who was joking with Declan, spoke up."Aunt Izzy set the woman on fire. "He said good-naturedly."What? N
GustafGwen got a parking space and then parked, turning to me and looking into my eyes."Izzy knows you're a wonderful guy, Gustaf. And she appreciates that. But there's a lot going on inside her. And you may hate me for stopping you today, but I can't let her feel the blame for your relapse.I felt like the worst person in the universe at that moment for even considering drinking. I had promised her that I would wait for her and accept her as she was. How could I be so weak?I looked away, feeling like a failure. If it hadn't been for my friend's intervention, my regret would have been far greater. A notification arrived on her cell phone, making her frown as she stared at the screen."Everything okay?"Yes, the flight went ahead, the group we came to pick up has already landed "she stammered "Gustaf, I have something urgent to sort out and I thought there would be time, would you mind meeting them?Group? I thought it was just one man. But I soon realized that she had only used t
Gustaf I staggered through the streets near the inn without knowing exactly where to go, my mind seemed clouded and bewildered, that torment hadn't left me since I left the cabin a few minutes before.I had even considered taking the car and going to Fairbanks in search of my comfort, but I dismissed the possibility of driving afterwards, settling for going to the grocery store to see what I could get there.A week was all I had to endure to complete two years of sobriety, and I felt terrible for not being able to endure it, but I needed that relief. But before I could reach my destination, a mini van pulled up next to me, lowering its window."Gustaf, I'm so glad I found you "Gwen greeted me smiling, seemingly oblivious to everything that was going on in my mind "I need to pick up a guest from the airport, and Zach is busy, can you come with me? I blinked, stunned, and for a moment thought about denying her request. But it wouldn't be safe for her to pick up a guest on her own, Za
IsabelleWe left the restaurant and stopped a few meters ahead on the sidewalk, I leaned against the wall watching the blue sky. It was almost 5:30 in the afternoon and the sun was close to setting, making me think that by that time everyone would be in absolute darkness in Alaska."You didn't tell me about your trip," Hugo commented."It was incredible, that place surprised me in so many ways. I didn't expect to like it so much," I admitted, still looking at the sky."I never thought I'd go to Alaska, for me it's nothing but ice, I like the heat.I couldn't help laughing at his comment, which was so similar to my own opinion when I left a month ago. "I've seen the Aurora Borealis," I said, "and I've been husky sledding."That sounds interesting, what's the Aurora like? I remembered the day we spent at the hot spring, and all the explanation Gustaf had given me about the auroras afterwards. That thought made me smile again, because I knew we could do it again at some point and I hop
Isabelle"Izzy, I'm serious, are you okay? "Gwen's voice sounded on the other end of the line.She had called me while I was packing up the groceries I had bought at the market.It had been a few days since I had returned to Miami, and although I wouldn't admit it to anyone, I felt miserable. From the moment I landed in Miami, that loneliness that seemed to haunt me became evident. There was no one for me in that city, not even a single soul to feel my absence.Even Cora seemed to have coped well with my distance, ever since I returned to work I could see how much she had been praising Hugo and his leadership while I was away."I'm fine, I want to know how you've been eating, you had a lot of trouble eating during Danny's pregnancy "I tried to change the subject."I'm fine, and I'm not the subject here, Izzy. Can you stop trying to run away? I've been trying to talk to you properly for days," she complained.It was true, since I'd arrived last week, Gwen had called me every day, she w
GustafSilence dominated much of our journey back, the light atmosphere of before gave way to a dark cloud that seemed to grow with every minute we didn't talk about what would happen from then on, and it was only when I parked the car back at the hostel that Izzy decided to speak up."I know I've been avoiding the subject all day, but I didn't want to risk ruining our moment together "she sighed, getting out of the car.That sentence bothered me, even though I'd spent the day doing the same thing for the same reason, it just went to show how well-founded my insecurity was."So this conversation is going to ruin our moment? "I forced a smile, starting to walk towards the cabin."Maybe.Maybe.I put my hands in my jacket pockets, walking in silence beside her, waiting for her to make another statement and put an end to all the hope I had been harboring that day. But as I reached the door of the hut, I realized that wasn't going to happen."You don't have to accept the ticket if you don
Gustaf"Are you warm enough? "I asked as I parked the car at the husky farm where I had booked the tour."Yes, I've learned how not to freeze to death, and today I wore a few extra layers "Izzy smiled at me.Her smile had caught my eye from the first moment I saw her at the airport, but now, after the days we'd spent side by side and getting to know her more deeply, her smiles had taken on a new meaning for me, and I loved it when her smile was one of pure happiness and excitement, like at that moment.Izzy straightened her gloves, reaching for the cap in her lap, and I leaned over, taking it from her hand."I think you need help with this," I teased her, arranging the cap on her head so that my face was inches from hers.Izzy kept her gaze fixed on mine as I tidied up the thick scarf Gwen had given her as a present the day before, checking that she was ready to go out, then stole a brief kiss."Are you ready? "I asked with my lips still pressed to hers."No, but I'm looking forward t