left him standing in the middle of the cabin, alone.
****
She’d left him.
Aidan stared at the closed door in shock. The truth of her words hit hard, and he stumbled to the liquor cabinet to pour two fingers of Scotch. His fingers trembled around the glass but the liquid burned hot in his tightening throat.
What had he done?
His mind grasped for answers. Aidan assumed once he explained the truth about his identity, she’d understand. That they’d work out a plan. But he began to realize the responsibility wasn’t Isabella’s. She knew who she was. She knew what she wanted.
He didn’t have a clue.
His gut twisted with his own lies. No, that wasn’t true. His father knew what he wanted his son to be: a clone. He wanted him to rule New York City and their restaurants on his terms. But Aidan had other ideas—ideas that pulsed deep inside but ones he was too afraid to fight for—too afraid to admit he wanted.
Aidan thought the hoax was a way to protect himself and find what he really wanted.
It had worked. He’d found Isabella Summers. But the same hoax had caused him to lose her.
Aidan gazed at the closed door and wondered what the hell he was going to do.
****
Isabella propped her slipper-clad feet on the tabletop and reached for another handful of popcorn. Jimmy Stewart slid through the snow-slick streets in It’s A Wonderful Life, screaming Mary’s name. She’d already cried a few times though she knew the movie by heart. Of course, since Aidan had left two weeks ago, she’d been weepy all the time.
Izzy sighed and her gaze flickered to Charlie Brown. The lights flickered cheerily in memory of the man she’d met over a month ago on a Christmas tree farm. The Pasta King. The richest, most eligible bachelor in the city. Interested in a small town elementary school teacher.
What a joke.
The inner taunting voice couldn’t seem to shake her belief their time together hadn’t been a lie. When Aidan kissed her and looked in her eyes, she knew the man he was. He’d shared stories of his family, his upbringing, and she could see how he’d screened carefully to keep his identity hidden. Still, something told her he’d revealed more to her than he had with women before him.
Not that it mattered. She’d discovered he returned to New York without a word. Probably would forget about her as soon as New Years hit, surrounded by gorgeous society women who catered to his every need.
Jerk.
She stuffed another handful of popcorn in her mouth when the doorbell rang.
Isabella looked down at her ratty robe, bunny slippers and old T-shirt with sweatpants. Who could that be? Liz would be out on a hot date—her family was all gathering for Christmas dinner tomorrow. She went to the door and peered out the curtain.
Aidan Hunter stood on her doorstep.
Izzy wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her robe, raked her fingers through her knotted hair, and groaned. Oh for God’s sake, what was he doing here on Christmas Eve? The bell rang again and she knew he’d spotted her. With a deep breath, she opened the door.
“Aidan.”
His gaze raked over her evening attire. Amusement gleamed within golden eyes, and his mouth curved upward in that sexy grin that made her want to rip his clothes off. “Can I come in?”
She motioned him in and wondered if she could escape to put on some make-up. Then pulled back her feminine instincts, reminding herself a relationship could never work between them.
“My favorite movie.” He pointed to the television. “Wouldn’t everyone want the opportunity to have a do over?”
“Aidan, what do you want? It’s Christmas Eve. Did you drive up from the city?”
“I needed to ask you an important question,” he said.
“You could have called.”
“Not with this question.”
Isabella squirmed in her bunny slippers, wishing she had on a sexy cocktail dress with heels. She stalked back over to the couch and sat down stubbornly, refusing to stand in front of him. “Fine. Ask your
****
She’d left him.
Aidan stared at the closed door in shock. The truth of her words hit hard, and he stumbled to the liquor cabinet to pour two fingers of Scotch. His fingers trembled around the glass but the liquid burned hot in his tightening throat.
What had he done?
His mind grasped for answers. Aidan assumed once he explained the truth about his identity, she’d understand. That they’d work out a plan. But he began to realize the responsibility wasn’t Isabella’s. She knew who she was. She knew what she wanted.
He didn’t have a clue.
His gut twisted with his own lies. No, that wasn’t true. His father knew what he wanted his son to be: a clone. He wanted him to rule New York City and their restaurants on his terms. But Aidan had other ideas—ideas that pulsed deep inside but ones he was too afraid to fight for—too afraid to admit he wanted.
Aidan thought the hoax was a way to protect himself and find what he really wanted.
It had worked. He’d found Isabella Summers. But the same hoax had caused him to lose her.
Aidan gazed at the closed door and wondered what the hell he was going to do.
****
Isabella propped her slipper-clad feet on the tabletop and reached for another handful of popcorn. Jimmy Stewart slid through the snow-slick streets in It’s A Wonderful Life, screaming Mary’s name. She’d already cried a few times though she knew the movie by heart. Of course, since Aidan had left two weeks ago, she’d been weepy all the time.
Izzy sighed and her gaze flickered to Charlie Brown. The lights flickered cheerily in memory of the man she’d met over a month ago on a Christmas tree farm. The Pasta King. The richest, most eligible bachelor in the city. Interested in a small town elementary school teacher.
What a joke.
The inner taunting voice couldn’t seem to shake her belief their time together hadn’t been a lie. When Aidan kissed her and looked in her eyes, she knew the man he was. He’d shared stories of his family, his upbringing, and she could see how he’d screened carefully to keep his identity hidden. Still, something told her he’d revealed more to her than he had with women before him.
Not that it mattered. She’d discovered he returned to New York without a word. Probably would forget about her as soon as New Years hit, surrounded by gorgeous society women who catered to his every need.
Jerk.
She stuffed another handful of popcorn in her mouth when the doorbell rang.
Isabella looked down at her ratty robe, bunny slippers and old T-shirt with sweatpants. Who could that be? Liz would be out on a hot date—her family was all gathering for Christmas dinner tomorrow. She went to the door and peered out the curtain.
Aidan Hunter stood on her doorstep.
Izzy wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her robe, raked her fingers through her knotted hair, and groaned. Oh for God’s sake, what was he doing here on Christmas Eve? The bell rang again and she knew he’d spotted her. With a deep breath, she opened the door.
“Aidan.”
His gaze raked over her evening attire. Amusement gleamed within golden eyes, and his mouth curved upward in that sexy grin that made her want to rip his clothes off. “Can I come in?”
She motioned him in and wondered if she could escape to put on some make-up. Then pulled back her feminine instincts, reminding herself a relationship could never work between them.
“My favorite movie.” He pointed to the television. “Wouldn’t everyone want the opportunity to have a do over?”
“Aidan, what do you want? It’s Christmas Eve. Did you drive up from the city?”
“I needed to ask you an important question,” he said.
“You could have called.”
“Not with this question.”
Isabella squirmed in her bunny slippers, wishing she had on a sexy cocktail dress with heels. She stalked back over to the couch and sat down stubbornly, refusing to stand in front of him. “Fine. Ask your
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