Then There Was You Read online

  Table of Contents

  Praise for Kara Isaac

  Title Page

  Books by Kara Isaac

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  You Might Also Enjoy

  Praise for Kara Isaac

  Close To You

  “A terrific set up…Isaac showcases a strong romantic sensibility and clever plotting.” (Publishers Weekly)

  “A new voice on the romance scene, New Zealander Kara Isaac has crafted a sweet and oh so original debut romantic comedy that will delight contemporary romance fans, Tolkien lovers and inspy romance readers alike. Add this novel to your TBR stack … and add this author to your ‘authors to watch’ radar. Recommended!” (USA Today)

  “[A] charming novel that blends faith, romance and Tolkien.” (Simple Grace)

  “A fabulous debut. Well written, clever, and warm hearted this love story with the back drop of Lord of the Rings will delight romance readers everywhere. Add Isaac to your favorite’s list.” (Rachel Hauck, NYT Bestselling author of The Wedding Chapel)

  “Well written and fun, Close to You made me laugh out loud and fall in love. An enchanting romantic escape into the land of Frodo and Aragorn.” (Susan May Warren, award winning, best selling author of The Christiansen Family Series)

  “I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a debut novel so much. Close to You is filled with warmth, wit, and more than a few laugh out loud moments! Kara Isaac has proven herself to be an exciting addition to the world of Christian romance.” (Carla Laureano, RITA ® Award winning author of Five Days in Skye)

  “Kara Isaac is a fresh new voice in the world of inspirational contemporary romance . . . and I can’t even decide what I love most about her debut novel. The setting, the romance, the wit, I love it all! I especially loved the undercurrent of hope and redeemed dreams. Definitely an author to watch and characters to love!” (Melissa Tagg, author of From the Start and Like Never Before)

  “Kara Isaac is a fresh new voice in inspirational contemporary romance! Close to You is well crafted, funny, unique, and endearing. A delight!” (Becky Wade, author of A Love Like Ours)

  “The perfect combination of sweet and sass, Close To You is a charming debut that had me laughing and left me smiling. Well done Ms. Isaac!” (Katie Ganshert, award winning author of The Art of Losing Yourself)

  Can’t Help Falling

  “Filled with grace, beauty, and love… Any book that can make a reader laugh, cry, and get goosebumps of amazement all in the same story is one for the keeper shelf.” (RT (Romantic Times), Top Pick!)

  “Enchanting . . . One need not be a Narnia fan to settle in and enjoy Isaac’s story, which romance readers will easily fall in love with.” (Publishers Weekly)

  “Can’t Help Falling is packed with the same charming writing, witty characters and enchanting romance I adored in Kara Isaac’s first novel. With a dash of C.S. Lewis and a heartfelt theme of second chances, this is one for the keeper shelf. Loved it!” (Melissa Tagg, author of The Walker Family Series)

  “Can’t Help Falling is a rich and redemptive tale of tangled regret, bittersweet coincidence, and the courage it takes to embrace a second chance.” (Nicole Deese, author of the Love in Lenox series and The Promise of Rayne)

  Then There Was You

  KARA ISAAC

  Books by Kara Isaac

  Close To You

  Can’t Help Falling

  Then There Was You

  Scripture quotation taken from the New International Version® Copyright ©1984 by Biblica Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  The characters and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to actual characters or events is coincidental.

  Trade paperback ISBN 978-0-47339-653-4

  eBook ISBN 978-0-47339-655-8

  Copyright © 2017 by Kara Isaac

  Kindle Edition

  Bellbird Press

  Cover design: © Jenny Zemanek/Seedlings Design Studio

  Formatting: BB eBooks

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  For the SisterChucks:

  Jaime Jo Wright, Laurie Tomlinson, Halee Matthews,

  Sarah Varland, and Anne Love

  There are no words that can ever express how glad I am to be one of you!

  Table of Contents

  Praise for Kara Isaac

  Title Page

  Books by Kara Isaac

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  You Might Also Enjoy

  One

  Paige McAllister didn’t think it was possible, but there was something worse than being single and thirty at your nineteen-year-old sister’s wedding.

  At least if you were single, you had hope that buried somewhere in the groom’s collection of great-aunts, bucktoothed cousins, and inebriated, barely legal frat-boy friends, was the man of your dreams.

  Instead, here she was, boyfriend AWOL, leaving her alone to face down the familial barbs about her aging ovaries.

  “There you are, Paige.” Right on time, the
woman who could never pass up an opportunity to provide commentary on that very topic.

  Paige attempted to turn around without the bustle on her bridesmaid dress taking out a small child. “Aunt Lillian. How are you?”

  Her steely haired great-aunt offered a harrumph as she peered up at her niece. “Would be better if this was your wedding. Does Alex know that after thirty the risks of birth defects go up twenty percent every year?”

  Apparently human biology had regressed in the last six months. It had been thirty-five at the last family gathering. Paige kept her smile pasted on. “I’m sure Alex appreciates your concern. I’ll be sure to let him know.”

  Another harrumph, followed by a jab to her side. “You haven’t ruined yourself, have you? He’ll never buy the cow if he’s getting the milk for free.”

  Paige’s already strained smile collapsed like a bad soufflé. “No, no milk.” She was not having this conversation. Not with anyone, let alone an abrasive octogenarian. “If you’ll excuse me, I think Sophie needs me for something.”

  She stepped around her great-aunt and worked through the crowd, scanning the buzzing ballroom for a glimpse of her boyfriend’s trademark pinstripe suit. Nothing. She couldn’t wait to hear what his excuse was this time. The one time she’d swallowed her pride and admitted she needed him, there was an empty pew space where he was supposed to be.

  If only Ethan were here. Her brother could always make her laugh no matter what, and if there was ever an occasion where she needed a sense of humor, it was this one. He would’ve even been able to make the blue taffeta monstrosity she was trussed up in bearable.

  No. Don’t think about it. She blinked back tears. Searing grief had long since worn down to a dull ache. He was gone. But on days like this, it seemed like Ethan’s absence took up more room than everyone present.

  “Hey, Blondie. You look gorgeous.” Alex’s lips brushed her lobe, the whispered words tickling her ear. For a split second her body melted back into his.

  No! “Where were you?” Paige spun around so fast he jumped back.

  “What do you mean?” Alex’s green eyes widened as he ran a hand through his tousled blond hair.

  Wow. Even in her anger she couldn’t help but appreciate how handsome he looked in his suit, shoulders made to appear even broader by the expert cut of the pinstripe fabric. No doubt it cost more than she earned in a month.

  How was it possible to want to both kill and kiss someone in the same moment?

  “You missed the wedding. Where were you?” She hissed the words, hyper aware of the various family members milling around them in the ballroom.

  The ceremony, the photos, the dinner, the endless speeches, the mingling . . . all had conspired to keep her from hunting down her boyfriend. However, they had done nothing to cool her anger.

  Alex threw her a crooked grin—the same grin that had captured her heart in the beginning and, despite everything, kept it ever since. The top two buttons of his white shirt were undone and his green tie hung loose. She battled the urge to strangle him with it.

  “Oh, baby, I’m sorry. I got an urgent call from the office. I had to take it. You understand how it is.” He rolled his eyes, but his expression revealed the pride he took in his apparent indispensability.

  A searing jolt shot up her body, so strong she wouldn’t have been surprised to see smoke coming out from underneath her poufy skirt. “Understand? Understand what? That your job is more important than me? Than my family?”

  “Baby, don’t be like that.” He reached out for her hand but she snatched it away.

  “Don’t touch me.”

  “Paige.” His tone was one normally used on preschoolers. “C’mon. So I missed the service? So what? It’s not like it mattered. I’m here now.” He stepped toward her, a mischievous smile on his face. “I’ve missed you.” His fingers brushed the small of her back as he circled her waist, drawing her closer, lips moving toward hers.

  She lurched back, thrusting one hand against his chest to keep him away. Her insides were melting, the way they always did when he used that smile on her. He was too much of a looker for her own good.

  “Alex. You missed Sophie’s wedding. All I asked for was one day. And you couldn’t even give me that. You knew how much I needed you. With Ethan gone and now Sophie . . .” She trailed off, self-preservation stopping her from uttering the next few words.

  His eyes narrowed. “Oh. So that’s what your little tantrum is about.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You’re mad at me, all right. But not because I missed the service. You’re mad because it wasn’t you getting married. You’re upset Sophie made it up the aisle first.”

  He knew her too well. Yet somehow not at all. She scanned the room, looking for an exit. They were so not having this discussion here. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward the nearest set of French doors.

  “Paige.” Nate’s voice halted her mid-stride.

  “What?” Paige swung around to face her friend.

  Nate’s steady supportive gaze tugged at her. “Sophie asked me to tell you they’re having the first dance soon.”

  “Okay, great. Thanks.” She summoned up an attempt at a breezy smile. Nate was the last person she wanted to know that she and Alex were having a fight.

  Nate’s blue eyes flickered from Paige to Alex and back again. “Is everything okay?”

  “Fine. Great.” The tremor in her voice betrayed her. Alex’s accusation rang in her ears, his condescending tone compelling her to confront it. “Can you let Soph know I’ll be there in a couple of minutes?”

  Nate gave her a look that said he wasn’t buying her assurances. “Sure.”

  Paige opened the French door, stepping onto the large terrace. Outdoor heaters had been set up to make outside more inviting but guests remained cloistered indoors. She and Alex were alone. Thank goodness.

  “Is that what you think?” The words escaped before the latch had even clicked into place behind Alex. She kept her back to him, drawing a breath of the crisp evening air.

  “That you’re mad it’s Sophie getting married and not you?”

  She turned. Alex leaned against the balcony railing, arms propped up behind him, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. Behind him, the lights of Chicago gave the appearance of a halo to match his angelic looks.

  Paige walked across the terrace, away from him. She couldn’t let him kiss her. If he did, she would relent and everything would return to the same old cycle. She turned back when there was a safe distance between them. “Yes.”

  Alex pushed himself up from the railing and walked toward her. “Well, it must be about more than me missing the service. That’s hardly a big deal. It’s not like I missed our wedding.”

  “And when exactly is that going to be?” Had she just—She gasped, her words enveloping the space between them. She had. She’d done it. Asked the question that’d haunted her for years. Her foot started, the nervous tap tap tap echoing from below.

  “Excuse me?” He froze mid-stride.

  She bit her lip, forcing herself not to take it back. Say it, say it again. “Our wedding. When is that going to be?” This time her words were slower, more measured. She forced herself to look him in the eye.

  This was it. She was finally going to know where she stood. Would have been nice if it had been somewhere other than her sister’s wedding, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. And in this relationship, she was definitely the beggar.

  Paige wrapped her arms around her waist and clutched her elbows, bracing herself. She’d suspected for a while she loved him more than he loved her, but recently she’d wondered if he loved her at all, or if he just managed to pull out some faux imitation of the real thing when required.

  He looked at her, his gaze flickering. His face flashed with a multitude of emotions that she couldn’t quite interpret. Fear? Disbelief? Shock?

  “Baby, come on. We’ve discussed this. My career is rocketing ahead right now. It’s not the time for
me to settle down. Another year, and I should be established enough to think about it, but not now. It’s not the right time.”

  Was he joking? Her toes were tapping so quickly her entire left leg jiggled.

  “Another year?” Her voice rose as she tugged a piece of wayward hair behind her ear. “That’s what you said five years ago, then three. That’s what you said when you moved to Milan, then London.”

  She shoved down the poisonous accusations that bubbled up inside her. Ones that demanded to know what kind of guy went through with an international transfer when his girlfriend lay critically injured in hospital. She didn’t need to ask what kind of girl let him. She knew. The kind who was too broken to fight. The kind who spent every second of every day wishing she hadn’t been dealt the cruel hand of survival.

  Alex pressed his lips together. “What do you want from me, babe? I’m here, aren’t I? I’m with you now. Can’t we just enjoy the time we have before I leave?”

  What a waste. The words vibrated in her head as she saw for the first time what she knew her friends and family had seen for years. That her boyfriend’s universe was only big enough for one star. That his life revolved around him and him alone. That she had put her life on hold waiting for someone who was never going to commit to her.

  “You don’t want to marry me.” Her words were hushed. All her fight disappeared, replaced by surreal resignation.

  “I what?” He stiffened.

  “You don’t want to marry me.” His lack of denial sealed it. “I’m so stupid. All this time I’ve told myself you needed to get this out of your system. But I’m kidding myself. How could I have thought you loved me? After almost seven years together, it’s too much to ask for you to live in the same country.”

  “Paige, don’t . . .” He stepped toward her.

  She shook her head. Stupid. So stupid. “Don’t. I’m not mad at you.” And she wasn’t. She was furious with herself. “This is my own fault. I was the stupid wallflower girlfriend who let you take jobs all over the world. Who understood when you could only find time for me . . . what? Three, maybe four weeks a year? I should have made you choose a long time ago.”