Page 29 of Finding Wonderland

“Would it be okay if I stopped by? I have a little something for you.”

“Vera,” she could hear Isla’s smile through the phone, “you don’t have to do that.”

“I know.” Believe me, my wallet and I know. “But I wanted to. It’s okay if you have plans though or don’t want to see me. It would only mildly crush my heart.”

Vera hoped her own smile was evident across the phone line.

“I’d love to see you, Vera. Always. Surprise or no surprise.”

There was no getting that smile off her face, Vera knew that much. Something was just so different about Isla. Vera felt connected with her in ways she’d never felt with anyone else before. She only hoped the feeling was mutual.

“Okay, so, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Vera.”

As she clicked off the phone, Vera clutched it to her chest. “I love you,” she said aloud to the empty room. Those three words weren’t ones she had used with anyone outside her family. And they were definitely not words she’d used often. But at the moment, it was undeniable.

Vera was falling in love with Isla Mackenzie.

Chapter 11

Isla

Asteady workday meant Isla’s mind had little time to think about anything outside of work. Focusing on her customers gave her a chance to get to know other people around town while also letting her personal worries take a momentary backseat. It was nice to not have to be a mom for a few hours. Isla knew she would always be a mom and loved that. But the weight of worry that came along with that title was often overwhelming for Isla. She appreciated the brief moments when she could take people’s orders and bring them their food without having to worry anymore about them.

But as she drove home with Mason happily telling her about her day, she realized how much she’d missed her kid. How much she missed her kids.

Both Mason and Blake were her whole world. They had been since the moment Isla found out she was pregnant with Blake. It had been an unplanned pregnancy which threw most of Isla’s plans out the door, but she wouldn’t change anything for it. She loved being pregnant and loved her babies.

Blake was three when Isla became pregnant with Mason. Isla had visions of them growing up together, becoming the best of friends, raising their own families one day. Growing up, Isla was never close to her siblings and she wanted her girls to be close. Thankfully, there was no separating the two of them.

From the moment Blake felt Mason move in Isla’s belly, she was sold. That was her baby. Blake loved being a big sister. She helped Isla paint the nursery, and get everything ready for the new baby, and was even there when Mason was born. Watching her three-year-old hold a minutes-old baby in her arms was a sight Isla would never forget. Her girls were the best girls, and Isla loved every second with them.

She gripped the steering wheel tighter as she fought back tears over Blake’s absence in their lives now. Isla was trying—trying so damn hard—to keep treading the water she felt she was drowning in for Mason’s sake. Mason needed her, and she needed Mason. Together, they were going to make it out of the shitty situation they had been forced into.

And with any hope, Vera would be there with them.

Vera.

When Isla’s mind wasn’t on her kids, it was on Vera. Vera had been heaven-sent; Isla had no doubt about that. In the short amount of time they’d known each other, Vera had been there for Isla more times than anyone else in the world ever had. She was sweet, and funny, and seemed to like her and Mason. A part of Isla wondered if they could be more. Because Isla wanted them to be more.

After her divorce, Isla had sworn off relationships out of bitterness. Ben Calloway had been a good husband until he saw the glimmering lights of Hollywood calling their daughter’s name. Even now, with the pain still fresh in her heart, Isla knew Ben thought he was doing the right thing. But it was how he treated her in court that did her in.

They had decided to separate months before Ben took Blake to the TV show audition in New York City. Ben and Isla had once loved each other and still loved the kids but they weren’t in love anymore. It had been Isla who asked for the divorce, and Ben agreed. Both of them knew it was what was best for their small family.

Not long after that was the audition. When Blake got offered the job, Isla told Ben no. She was just a kid. Blake deserved a real childhood, not a Hollywood childhood on backlots. But Ben didn’t listen. He changed then. Her once former sweetheart became determined to get his way no matter what. Even a year and a half later, Isla still had no idea what made him turn on her so quickly. The only semi-logical thing she could think of was Blake must have been offered a significant salary for the role. And, as the only parent, he could get all that money.

Isla prayed she was wrong; that Ben wasn’t so shallow he’d ruin her entire world over money. But nothing else made sense. Especially not the way that Ben called Isla distant and unloving toward their kids in court. Even with Isla’s lawyer’s interjections for proof, the judge wouldn’t listen. His mind had already been made up on the private golf course where he and Ben were members.

Sighing, Isla tried to force those memories back to the recesses of her mind. She had to focus on the present. After all, that was all she had now.

As she pulled the car into a parking spot in front of the apartment, she turned in her seat toward Mason in the back.

“I love you, Mason.”

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