Page 151 of Daddy's Pride

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Page 151 of Daddy's Pride

Rach turned to look at the blond curiously. “What do you think it’s about?”

Isla let go, abruptly, and stalked into the living room, sitting down on the couch with a thump. “This is hard for me, Rach.”

All thoughts of her own worries flew from her mind. She rushed over, and sat, reaching to take Isla’s hands and sighing with relief when no flinch accompanied her touch. “You’re my best friend, Isla. No matter what, I got you.” And she wasn’t lying. She’d do anything for Isla: walk through fire; carve out her soul; listen to a strike-by-strike analysis of more women’s soccer teams than she’d ever known existed. Rachel loved Isla, but she was her friend too, and that was what Isla needed right now.

“I mean, it’s been so many years, and I always assumed that you didn’t know. And it hasn’t impacted our friendship in anyway—I want to make sure you know that, first and foremost. Our friendship has meant everything to me and that will never change.”

This was sounding ominous. And Rachel still had absolutely no idea what was going on.

“But I do understand that if you’ve only just found out, then maybe you need some space, need to work out what this means for our friendship. But I promise you, I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable, and whatever you want, I’ll do.”

Okay. That cleared up absolutely nothing. What on earth was Isla talking about? But before Rachel could ask, Isla sighed and then looked at her. Really looked at her.

“I’m sorry, Rach. I never meant to fall in love with you.”

Chapter Eight

As soon as she said the words, Isla realized that she’d gotten it all wrong. Whatever the reason was for Rachel’s silence over the last few days, her knowing about Isla’s love for her was not it.

Shock radiated on the other woman’s face.

Fuck.

The pause turned into silence. It was stifling. Isla wanted to tear out of the room, out of the apartment, but she didn’t. She sat there and waited because she’d said the words and now she had to deal with the consequences.

“You love me?” Rachel’s voice was so quiet, Isla almost missed the question.

“I…” The truth was out and there was no way she’d be able to pull back from what she’d said. She might as well be all the way honest. “Yes. Yes I do.” Then, “Are you okay?” Isla had been avoiding looking at Rachel after that first dramatic realization that her devotion had been a shock, but now she searched the brunette’s face for clues as to her thoughts.

“Yes,” said Rachel, very definitively. “Yes, I’m okay. I didn’t realize that?—”

“I know,” said Isla, words bubbling over. “I probably should have?—”

“Shut up,” said Rachel, but she was smiling. “Hush yourself, and let me speak. Please.”

Isla nodded, and that pit in her stomach got deeper. Rachel would be nice about it, she’d let Isla down gently, because of course she would, she was lovely like that. But nothing would be the same again and Isla had ruined their friendship for no reason.

“So I realized a couple of things whilst I was in Brighton,” said Rachel. She was speaking slowly, as if she were trying to choose each word incredibly carefully. “I realized that I don’t really like London as a place. It’s too big, too impersonal, and as much as I’ve made this flat into a home, this city has never felt like home. But I didn’t realize it because of you.”

Isla looked up, startled. “Because of me?”

“Because of you. Because being with you feels like home, and we spend so much time together that I didn’t even realize that I don’t want to live in London anymore.”

Well this was going worse than could have been expected. Rachel had stayed somewhere she didn’t like because of Isla. And by the sounds of things, she wasn’t intending on staying much longer.

Isla thought she might vomit.

“Isla…” The gentleness in Rach’s voice almost made the inevitable rejection worse. “I stayed because I love you too.”

“What?” The word was loud, cutting through the tension in the room almost comedically.

“I love you too, though I didn’t know it ‘til Saturday. And that’s why I’ve been so quiet.”

She should be celebrating, she should be singing from the rooftops, but there was a note in Rach’s voice that gave her pause.

“I love you, and if you love me too, then that’s wonderful. But now I’ve realized that I don’t want to live in London anymore, that throws up questions. Your job is here and mine? Well, I think that Covid proved that I can do my job anywhere.” Rachel took a shuddery breath, and Isla had to stop everything in her from gathering Rach in her arms and holding her close. “I still would like to explore what this is between us, see if our love is compatible, but I think I’m going to have to do it from Brighton. I want to move back there.”

Isla realized that Rachel was on the verge of tears, and that broke the last bit of self-control she had. She tugged until Rachel fell into her lap. “Darling, darling Rachel. You moving to Brighton doesn’t change anything for me. If there’s a chance…” She paused, her throat tight. “I never thought that I stood a chance; so even if we’re in different cities, I’d like to try. As long as you still want to.”




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