Isabella excused herself from Thomas after getting directions to the powder room. With the door in sight, she thought she heard her name and turned to see who could have called to her. A genuine smile graced her face. �Well hello, Bunny. I haven�t seen you all night.�
�Hello dear. You look absolutely gorgeous! I bet you�ve been beating the suitors off with a bat tonight.� Bunny teased.
�Not quite.� Isabella laughed. �But I�ve had a lot of fun.�
�Just wait until next week. Nothing compares to a Bunny Davidson party.� She laughed.
�I�m really looking forward to it.� She told her honestly. �But if you�ll excuse me�� She motioned to the bathroom that was just ahead of her.
�Of course, darling.� Bunny told her and patted her arm as she took her leave.
After leaving the restroom, Isabella took a right when she should have taken a left, but luckily found an empty balcony. The view was amazing; it overlooked an impressive garden that was well lit in all the right places, drawing focus to some amazing rose bushes. There was also a pretty little gazebo with flowered vines growing up the sides. A little further down the path bordered by flowers, sat an intricately carved bench with an arched trellis over it. Even at night, she could appreciate the beauty of what was in front of her. It was exactly what she needed, the champagne and dancing were really starting to get to her.
�I thought I�d find you out here.� Bella turned to the voice she had become so accustomed to.
�Hi Parker. Having fun?� She asked. �I�m surprised Lynda isn�t chasing after you.�
�You�re not the only one.� He rolled his eyes. �If I�d known that you were going to be here, I�d have asked you come with me. I�m sure we�d both be having a lot more fun.�
�I�m having a great time myself.� She smirked, then after a moment got serious. �So I take it that you didn�t tell your mom anything about us.�
Parker was quiet. �Remember what I told you the other night? Getting a girl pregnant after a one night stand isn�t exactly my mother�s idea of proper�especially a girl she holds in such high esteem. I don�t know. Maybe I�ve just disappointed her so much that I felt like this one would�ve put her over the edge.�
Isabella empathized with him. �But what would you have done had I not lost the baby?� She put her hand on his shoulder as they both looked out over the garden.
�I�d have told her, but I think that maybe we could have dated for a while first. That�s what she really wants, you know.� He told her, bumping into her in a flirty way.
She smiled. �I�m aware of that. I think her and Sasha have a bet going.�
He nodded. �I wouldn�t put it past her.� He looked over at her. �Are you sure you�re doing alright?�
�The wound�s still fresh, but day by day I�m getting better. Everything happens for a reason, right?�
�So they say.� He nodded. �So they say.� Parker put his arm around her, and together they stood in silence, each with their own thoughts, looking out into the night.
�There you are!� A masculine voice invaded their solace. �I was wondering where you went to.�
Isabella and Parker both jumped and turned to see the intruder. �Hi Thomas. We were just catching up. I needed a breather, so I came out here.� For some reason, she felt like she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar, even though she and Thomas weren�t together, and nothing was happening between her and Parker.
�Mother was looking for you. She and Bunny wanted to introduce you to some of their friends.� He said, casting a questioning glare at Parker, as he talked to Isabella.
�I�ll be right in.� She told him, and after hesitating for a moment, he turned and went back in the house.
�Why do I feel like I�m in high school and we just got caught making out by my dad?� Bella asked Parker.
�Thomas can be pretty condescending sometimes, especially when it comes to me. Let�s just say that thanks to our mothers, we�ve always competed for everything. But I�ve always been the �wild one�, and he was always the �straight arrow�.� Parker explained with a bit of irritation.
�I can see that.� Isabella smiled at Parker, sending a feeling to his knees that was not welcome. �Well, I better get in there.� She told him, feeling mildly disappointed. She was enjoying the moment of solace that they were sharing before the interruption.
Parker just nodded and turned back to the garden as she left, leaning his arms on the balcony railing. He inhaled deeply, then sighed, wishing things could be different for once. It was the first time that he wasn�t excited about getting out on the road and touring, but it was his job and something he had to do in order to be successful.
Isabella immediately found Sasha and Bunny when she went back inside, and true to Thomas�s word, she was introduced to many of the attendees, all of which enjoyed her appetizers immensely.
By the end of the night, Isabella was tired and tipsy. All she could think about was getting home and crawling between the covers to her bed. When Thomas suggested they go somewhere for coffee, she regretfully declined.
�I�m sorry, I�m wiped out. I really ought to just go home and go to bed. But I do appreciate the offer.� She told him, feeling bad since he was so good to her all night.
�I understand.� He gave her a half smile. �But we�re still on for Bunny�s party next week, right?�
�You bet.� She smiled as he dropped her off at the door to her apartment. �I had a great time tonight. Thanks for everything.� She fished through her evening bag, trying to find her keys to unlock the door. Once she had them in hand, she looked up triumphantly, only to have her lips taken in a soft, chaste kiss.
�Good night sweet Isabella.� Thomas whispered and turned to leave before she could even respond.
OoOoOoOo
The next day, the restaurant was flooded with people, and Isabella was glad because that meant she didn�t have time to think and re-think all the events of the night before. It seemed that some of the people Sasha and Bunny had introduced her to the night before were true to their word, and came to the restaurant to try it out. The dining room was at capacity, and had been for hours, while people were milling about in the lobby, hoping to get a table sometime before the restaurant closed. It was fabulous for Isabella, though she hated that all those people had to wait for so long. She sent a few rounds of appetizers out to the lobby so that people wouldn�t get too upset about the wait.
She barely had time to make her rounds of the restaurant once an hour, before she had to run back in the kitchen and help them with the abundance of orders they had. But she felt it was important to get out of the kitchen every now and then and make it known to her customers that she appreciated them.
The kitchen ended up staying open an hour later than normal to accommodate all of the people who were waiting without reservations and hadn�t been able to get a table all night. Isabella hated turning people away, even if it was late at night. Her staff all understood and agreed.
By the time they finally left the restaurant, they were all exhausted. Isabella checked one final thing before she turned out all the lights, and she saw that the restaurant was fully booked for the next three weeks, solid. Proud of everything she had accomplished, and thankful for Sasha and Bunny�s introductions, she shut off all the lights and locked the doors.
Over the next few days, Isabella and Dylan sat down to go over a few things from the business. They had decided to open up the banquet room to the nightly diners, and not hold any large parties there for the time being, unless the price was right. That would free up another thirty tables, something they were needing more and more.
They also decided to hire five more people to help out in the kitchen, and three more servers. It was a big step for Isabella to take, but she realized that if she didn�t do something like that, then it would only be to her customers� detriment. Another idea in the works was a separate shop just for catering, but that would come sometime down the road. For now, the catering requests she had received since Sasha�s party would be handled through the restaurant.
OoOoOoOo
�Dylly, I hate to leave you like this when we�ve been so busy lately, but I can�t disappoint Bunny.� Bella was torn. She stood in the kitchen of her restaurant, wearing the luxurious red ball gown, watching her employees packing up the Shrimp Bruschetta rounds that Bunny had asked for, as well as the Lobster stuffed Spring Rolls that Isabella decided to add at the last minute.
�We can handle it. Besides, I�m sure that some of our new customers will be at Bunny�s party too, so it might not be too bad tonight.� Dylan told her, rushing around her and packing the food up.
�Remind me tomorrow to talk to you about a big, fat raise.� She told him with a huge smile as she watched him carry the covered trays of food to the catering van waiting outside the back door. She saw how late it was and realized that she needed to get back to her apartment to wait for Thomas. �I�m not kidding about that raise either!� She yelled so that Dylan heard her. He smiled at her and told her to have fun before she disappeared through the doors.
She arrived home only a few minutes before Thomas knocked on her door. It was just enough time to touch up her make up and hair, making sure that everything was in the exact right place.
When she opened the door, Thomas stood there, looking just as handsome as she remembered. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. �Are you ready?� He asked.
�Sure am. Let�s go.� She grabbed her evening bag and locked the door to her apartment. She noticed that Thomas didn�t ogle her, even though her dress dropped dangerously low, and for that, she was grateful. He never failed to look her in the eyes, and she was glad that he wasn�t all about staring at her chest.
As they pulled up to Bunny�s house, Isabella�s breath hitched. She had thought Sasha�s house was nice, but it was a shack compared to the miracle that stood before her. She tried not to let her awe show too much, as she didn�t want to offend Thomas. She knew there was a lot of competition between the families, and she didn�t want to cause any friction by gloating about how great Bunny�s house was.
She took his arm that he offered as he helped her out of the car, and followed him up the steps to the massive double hung antique wooden doors. The carvings on the door were so intricate, she could have stood there for hours marveling at them. Instead, they were opened by a butler, and she and Thomas were ushered in to the reception area.
Bunny noticed them immediately and went up and gave Isabella an air kiss on each cheek. �Darling, you look gorgeous!� She gushed. �And the appetizers are wonderful. Thank you so much for the extras. I was so surprised!�
Isabella laughed. �You�re welcome. It was the least I could do after all the help you�ve given me.�
Bunny waved her thanks off, as if it was no trouble at all. �You kids go on into the ballroom and get something to eat and drink.� Before they could walk away, Bunny grabbed Bella�s arm and whispered in her ear, �Parker�s in there and I know he wants to see you.� Seeing her eye brows raise and her cheeks blush slightly, Bunny smiled. �Take that Thomas. That�ll teach you for monopolizing all of her time. She may be with you, but she�s interested in my son.� Bunny thought to herself.
The mere mention of Parker�s name sent a shiver through Bella, but she knew that it was foolish to feel that way. He was a rock star, after all, and she knew that there could never be anything between them. Besides, now that her restaurant had taken off like a rocket, there was no way she�d have time to date anyway.
If the mention of his name sent a shiver through her, she should have known that seeing him would do something more. The moment she walked into the ballroom, her eyes immediately found him and locked with his eyes. There was some kind of pull there, something that she just couldn�t explain. �Hopefully when he goes on tour, this infatuation I have with him will go away.� She thought to herself. �Infatuation? Since when? Maybe it�s just some sort of curiosity.� She felt the hand on her arm tighten, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked to her left and realized that Thomas had caught her and Parker staring at each other and was now casting Parker a look of his own, and there was no infatuation involved there.
�Thomas, how about we head to the bar for some drinks?� Bella asked with a smile, trying to get rid of the tension that had just appeared.
�Fine.� He said tight lipped, then headed towards the bar, guiding her with his hand on the small of her back.
�If this is any indication of the rest of the night, I�m really in for it.� Bella thought glumly, not quite sure where her priorities should lie, with Parker or with Thomas. �Here�s to tonight.� She toasted, clinking her champagne glass against Thomas�, and draining her glass in one swallow. �Here�s to tonight.� She thought again, as her eyes found Parker once more. �And what an interesting night it�ll be.�