It Was Always You

Chapter Seventeen

Isabel stood just inside the doorway hearing the last of his words. An overwhelming warmth filled her with his declaration of what he just told his ex about her. He wanted long term and not just that, he admitted to being in love with her. She felt like everything was finally falling into place in her world.

As soon as she heard the car door shut and Kristan had drove off she finally stepped outside to face him. When she had came back she was shocked to see two cars in the driveway and happily surprised that Evan was home early today. She knew he had an appointment with the lawyer, but she wasn't expecting him to come home right after. But who was the other car belonging too?

She didn't think it would have been Kristan and to see them both coming back down from upstairs had her a little more upset than she pretended it to be. Obviously, the two of them were arguing. So, she was sure nothing had happened between the two of them. But it still raised suspicions.

Until he flat out told Kristan that he was in love with her.

"You're in love with me?" It was the first thing she says, making him turn around quickly.

A red tint painted his cheeks as he suddenly looked a bit nervous. Clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck, he states,

"You heard that huh?"

Walking up to him slowly, she reaches for his hand as tears welled in her eyes. "Is it true?"

His shoulders softly deflate as he pulls her closer and whispers, "Of course it's true. I didn't want to say it in case you thought it might be too early, but I love you Isabel. I don't think I've ever loved anyone as much as I love you."

Her whole body feeling light with overwhelming giddiness she whispers back, "I love you too."

A huge smile spreads across his face as he slams his lips against hers. And even though he was in a mess trying to keep his daughter and keep her mother at bay he felt like his entire world was finally becoming right as it should be.

"Marry me." He gently whispers to her and all she could do was nod with a huge smile on her face.

After taking her hand in his they head back inside where he tells the two of them what had transpired with Kristan. Hearing that she had broke into his home the thousandth time they all agreed to change all the locks and the passcode to the gate. He never did it before since he never had the time to do it as well as give all the delivery companies and mailman the updated code.

But Isabel was more than willing to take over that for him and he couldn't quite get over the fact that he now had someone in his corner to help him deal with things he had found difficult to deal with before. And they both agreed not to press charges nor report that she was snooping around his place looking for valuable objects to pawn off.

"If I win this case, I'm going for full custody. The child support checks will stop, and she'll have no right to demand anything from me again. Honestly, I should have done it a long time ago, but I guess I just felt sorry for her." He admitted that night as they were all sitting at the island in the kitchen, talking it over.

"Sounds to me that's how she got you. She played the part perfectly because you let her. She was using you young man. I'm just glad you finally are maturing enough to see through it and no longer allowing her to get away with it." Isabel's mother gently chastise as she takes a sip of her hot tea that he prepared for her.

"She's not going to like that one bit." Isabel stated with a deep frown.

"No, but she doesn't like anything, including herself. She doesn't care about Shasta. I think she only pretended too because it gave her an excuse to spend time with Jared. She used her own daughter to get what she wanted only in the end to get slapped across the face with reality that he was never going to love or want her back."