Bound To Fall

I Will Stay In Touch

Isabelle

I exhaled a low breath as I looked at my surroundings. There wasn't much left for me to pack. I had only come with a few things in the first place.

I exited the guest room and noticed Noami sitting at her kitchen table with a cup of coffee. She turned in my direction when she heard my footsteps coming her way.

"Morning." She sighed as she raised her coffee cup to her lips and took a sip. She sat it back down and looked at me. "How'd you sleep?"

"Alright." I took a seat in front of her. "I spent a lot of the night packing though."

Mr. Tipton had pulled some strings and got me an assistant job in Miami. It was for a CEO who's assistant went on maternity leave from having twins and as it would turn out, she wasn't going to end up coming back.

It was perfect because it was getting me out of here a few days sooner. This company also had no ties with the Tiptons except for a few contracts. It would be a lot harder for Sterling to attempt to track me down, but my gut told me it wouldn't stop him.

Which led to another conversation with Mr. Tipton. He gave me the news about the job and I requested for him to make it impossible for Sterling to find me. He agreed, stating any of the business with this company will be handled by him and he would tell Sterling he sent me to a company out of the country.

"Already?" Noami raised a brow.

"Yeah." I nodded.

I didn't know I'd be leaving early until yesterday. I have two more days left here in Nashville. Obviously, I planned to give Noami a proper goodbye but I also had to say it to Mrs. Strahm and Killian.

I'd say it to Scarlett and Kaydence but I didn't want to risk any chance of running into Sterling. He still had the chance to make me crumble and I know he'd use it if he knew what I was up to.

"Mr. Tipton has everything booked for me to leave on Saturday." I nervously bit my bottom lip as I waited for her to respond to me.

"Oh." I noticed the disappointment in her eyes but she forced it away. "Well, that's good for you isn't it?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Well good." She forced a small smile. "It sucks you're leaving but I'm glad this is working out for you in the end. The last thing you need is to be stuck here to see his face everywhere, especially after all of this."

I looked down at the table as she referred to Sterling. I could feel my stomach twisting into knots. I don't really know how I should feel. Honestly, I'm really torn right now.

Part of me felt like I was doing the right thing. This is what I needed to move on from him again. It worked for me before and there's no doubt it would work again, it may just take a little longer.

But then there's another part of me that's holding out hope that maybe he'll decide to come clean at the last minute. It's all I would need to get me to stay, the fact he couldn't do this one simple thing is what hurt. I thought we were worth more than this.

"Izzy." Noami softly spoke my name.

I looked up from the table. "What's up?"

"I've never really had a good friend before." I could see emotion fill her eyes. "I know it hasn't been long, but I'm glad that you came into my bar and that we were able to get to know each other. Our friendship means the world to me and I'm going to miss the hell out of you."

"I'm going to miss you too." I was fighting back the sadness trying to take over.

Noami was there for me when I needed someone to vent to that didn't know both Sterling and me. She was a good listener and she was just so easy to talk to.

Between our schedules we didn't really have the chance to hang out a lot, but we texted each other daily. We've gotten close and I feel like I finally know what it's like to have a real friend. I've only really ever had acquaintances before, my only other friend is Killian.

"I will stay in touch though." There's no way I couldn't, it'd kill me to just leave her hanging.

"You better, because if you ghost me I'll be in Miami so fucking fast." Noami joked to lighten the mood. "I'll make a scene at your new job too if it's the only way to get you to come outside and talk to me."

"I don't doubt that." I let out a small chuckle. "Not that it'll be necessary, I could never just ghost you like that."

It's not who I am. I know what it feels like to have someone so close to you leave one day and not come back. It's the absolute fucking worst because then you just sit there and think about all the things you may have done to mess it up.

And here I am, feeling like I'm in a similar situation. Except this time he didn't just ghost me, he let me walk out of the door.

"So, two days huh?" Noami focused back on the matter at hand. "I was hoping we could have a little more time to maybe have some drinks together or something, but it looks like I'll have to improvise."

"Improvise?" I raised a brow at her.

"Yes." She nodded as she straightened up. "Come by the bar tonight, before last call and we can take a shot before I leave for the night."

"Okay." After what she's done for me, honoring this request seemed like the least I could do. "I can do that."

"Good." A pleased smile crossed her lips before it faded. "Speaking of work, I have to get ready to go look at the inventory in case I need to send someone for some liquor before opening. What are you doing today?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "I'll probably take it a little easy, then I'll head to the orphanage and tell Mrs. Strahm goodbye."

"Okay." Noami nodded as she got up from the table. "I'll see you a little later then."

"Sounds good." I gave her a small smile before she headed to her room to get ready to leave.

I got up myself to do the same. The sooner I got to the orphanage the better, I know Mrs. Strahm will want all the time she can get with me. It was hard for her to see me go once and I know this will be just as bad.

Unfortunately, it has to be done.

I need to leave Nashville far behind once and for all. I've been through too much here in my lifetime and I have no intention of looking back.